Free Web NovelChapter 686: Recruitment Notice
Qin Yao and her daughter returned home, chatting and laughing, only to see Liu Ji pacing anxiously in the yard.
The man who had always been attentive to his wife didn’t approach her this time, but instead let out a deep sigh.
Qin Yao’s good mood was instantly ruined by that look. Her face darkened as she sternly questioned, "Liu San, are you looking to die?"
Unexpectedly, he sat right on the main hall’s threshold and cried out to the heavens, "I want to die! I really want to die! Just let me die!"
Upon hearing this, Si Niang felt a jolt inside, wondering if her father had grown tired of living.
The young girl had just finished thinking when her mother grabbed the broom by the door and charged forward in two large strides.
"Want to die? Fine! I’ll fulfill your wish!"
Qin Yao swung the broom down, and Liu Ji seemed to snap back to reality, eyes widening in alarm just seconds before the broom hit him. He jumped up with a whoosh.
"Wife, I was wrong! I was just speaking off the top of my head, I didn’t truly want to die, ow—"
The broom couldn’t be dodged after all. Liu Ji cried out in pain and decisively knelt down. "Wife, spare me!"
Qin Yao let out a cold snort and finally put the broom away, asking sternly, "What’s gotten into you?"
This morning he was perfectly fine, and now after just one hour, he’s acting wretched, needing a good thrashing to set him straight.
Liu Ji, whether from pain or something else, clutched his chest and sat on the ground, tears streaming down as he choked out:
"Wife, I feel so miserable inside! Why is it so hard for me just to want to live well!"
Qin Yao and her daughter exchanged shocked looks; could someone have cursed him?
Ah Wang, having settled the horse, entered through the back gate and lifted his head to see his master crying his heart out on the ground. Confused, he asked, "Who died?"
"Nobody died. It’s the master who’s scared to death." Yin Le said as she emerged from the firewood stack nearby, dusting off wood scraps from her hands, and pulled a crumpled paper ball from her apron pocket, handing it to her master.
Qin Yao accepted it suspiciously, "What is this?"
"It’s the recruitment notice for a house servant to take care of Mr. Gongliang at the National Master Mansion." Yin Le replied, looking sympathetically at her master. "Master, you’ll understand when you see the contents inside."
Anyone acquainted with her master would immediately see that the contents were aimed directly at him.
Moreover, the timing of the announcement was quite coincidental, having been released yesterday after a martial artist was sent to the Capital City Government Office, causing a big stir at court.
She couldn’t blame her master for overthinking it.
Qin Yao, full of doubts, unfolded the crumpled paper ball, smoothed it out, and looked down. It was densely packed with words, roughly stating that Mr. Gongliang was looking for a suitable personal house servant for a high price, listing relevant conditions.
A total of five conditions.
One, the age must be between 26 and 28.
Two, appearance must be decent.
Three, a scholar or above academic title.
Four, skilled in cooking, cleaning, and hardworking.
Five, must have a good temper, won’t fight back when hit, won’t talk back when scolded.
Those who meet the conditions can apply at the National Master Mansion before the fifteenth of this month, with remuneration discussed in person.
Well... Qin Yao looked at the heartbroken man sitting on the ground and then at the recruitment notice. Apart from the requirement to endure hardship, the rest matched him perfectly!
Qin Yao exclaimed in wonder, "Liu Ji, what kind of merit do you have that the esteemed State Preceptor would set a trap specifically for you?"
Liu Ji immediately straightened his posture, "What? Am I not worthy?"
What he got in return were two sneers from Qin Yao.
If he weren’t too weak-kneed to stand up, she’d respect him as a man.
"But now that you mention it, weren’t you always talking about going to serve Mr. Gongliang dutifully? This is actually a good opportunity."
"You can see the teacher you long for and earn some extra money for our family’s expenses, not too bad at all."
Why did she suddenly feel tempted?
Liu Ji became wary immediately, no longer sitting on the ground, he clambered up, nervously watching her, weakly reminding, "Wife, it’s such an obvious trap. If I go, surely I’ll end up dead and unburied."
"Of course, my worthless life wouldn’t matter much, but pity the kids in the family, especially Si Niang here, still not grown. Without a father, they’d face bullying at school with no one to stand up for them, being called fatherless kids..."
He talked himself into feeling miserable, and the tears he had just stifled welled up again. With reddened eyes, he glanced at Qin Yao,
"And you, wife... without someone to heat up your meals and treat you nicely, to mend your clothes and earn a title for you..."
Qin Yao couldn’t take it anymore and raised her hand coldly to signal him to stop, "Cut the act, you’re making me itch to hit you."
"Okay, wife!"
Liu Ji sniffled, blinked his eyes to clear away the tears, and smiled warmly at her.
He raised his hand to gesture courteously, inviting her to sit inside.
He waited until Qin Yao had sipped some water and seemed content and relaxed before cautiously sitting beside her, troubled, saying:
"Wife, it’s not that I don’t want to care for the teacher, but isn’t this clearly a trap we’re falling into?"
"What ’we’? It’s you, what’s it got to do with me, I’m not a scholar." Qin Yao poured a cup of water for Si Niang, "It’s hot, drink more water."
Si Niang, who had been thinking about sneaking with Senior Sister Le to the kitchen for sweet soup, reluctantly ran back and dutifully drank half a cup of water.
Qin Yao was satisfied and waved her hand, "Go play."
Liu Ji poured himself a cup of water to drink as well. Honestly, he had set out happily this morning after arranging schooling for his sons, planning to come home and relax a bit, only to see the recruitment notice posted on the wall by their home by the National Master Mansion, which really aggravated him.
"What about Si Niang’s enrollment?" Liu Ji asked curiously.
Qin Yao: "We didn’t meet the director today, but we toured the Women’s Academy, and Si Niang quite likes the new academy. We’ll go ask about the results tomorrow noon; there shouldn’t be an issue as they don’t have high requirements for students."
Liu Ji breathed a small sigh of relief, "That’s good, that’s good."
"What about the National Master Mansion then?" Liu Ji asked nervously, "Wife, do you think I should go?"
Qin Yao gave a teasing shout, "Aren’t you afraid to die anymore?"
Who was the one whining to her the moment she stepped through the door, do men change their attitudes this fast?
Liu Ji coughed awkwardly twice, "Ahem, still scared, but when I think about officially going into the National Master Mansion to serve the teacher, it seems less frightening."
"The main thing is... the esteemed National Master Mansion would certainly offer a generous pay, right?"
Qin Yao chuckled, "You’ve decided to go because of the pay, haven’t you?"
"No, no, no!" Liu Ji waved his hands frantically, "It’s still too dangerous. I don’t know martial arts, entering the National Master Mansion would be like a sheep entering a wolf’s den, dead and unburied, wife..."
Qin Yao became impatient, "What exactly are you trying to say, can you be straightforward?"
