However, the cook was still upset.
This Young Lady Xia was really annoying. She had crossed the line. She wanted him to take in apprentices now!
Fortunately, even if he accepted an apprentice, no matter how he taught the apprentice, it was still up to him. When the time came, if these youths had any objections, what could they do?
Young Lady Xia could not possibly guide him how to teach an apprentice, right?!
When the cook arrived at the front hall, Xia Yayun indeed raised her request.
âAccepting apprentices is possible. Itâs just that Young Lady Xia, the work in the kitchen isnât easy. Iâm afraid that they wonât be able to endure the hardship. Moreover, the people who become apprentices at the beginning wonât have any wagesâ¦â The cook said with a smile.
âAll you need to do is teach them,â Xia Yayun said.
If they could learn craftsmanship, it would be the same whether they were paid or not.
As he spoke, he asked the servant to ask how many people were willing to learn to cook.
They got eight or nine people.
With so many youths, the kitchen would probably be in a mess. The cook smiled foolishly, âYoung Lady Xie, the kitchen is only that big. Besides me, there are several cooks who help with the side dishes. I can only take in two people at most. If there are too many, I wonât be able to locate them. Why donât you ask other restaurants?â
Xia Yayun thought she was not an unreasonable person.
She nodded in agreement.
Subsequently, four or five restaurants on the street said yes to her request.
Other than the restaurants, Xia Yayun also asked the people in the residence to find a medicine shop and fill it with more than ten people.
Some youths thought it was inappropriate, and they asked to do some hard labor. Xia Yayun was unwilling to do that.
How tiring was it to do hard labor? Moreover, it was not decent. By then, what if they thought she was not kind enough?
She tried to persuade them.
With this persuasion, out of the 50 youths, only seven insisted on doing hard labor according to the governmentâs arrangements.
The rest became apprentices. Some were learning how to weave and dye, some learned to make sauces and cosmetics, and there were also those who worked at medicine shops, carpentry, pottery, and iron tools. It was quite complete.
As for those seven young laborersâ¦
Xia Yayun could barely hold back her good intentions.
She really wanted to move them away.
If nothing good came out of the hard labor, they would definitely blame her in the end.
Lu Lin was one of the seven laborers. He did not speak much and looked very depressed. The other six people were about the same as him.
âHave you all thought it through? If you become an apprentice, you can stay in the capital. They will provide food and accommodation. After a few years of apprenticeship, good days will come. For example, a cook will be paid several taels of silver a month!â Xia Yayun said.
âYoung Lady Xia, thank you for everything that youâve given us. Itâs just that⦠Itâs pretty good to do hard labor now,â said one of them.
âDo you think that doing hard labor earns you money and thatâs why you look down on being apprentices?â Xia Yayun was upset. These people were too short-sighted!
âSince you are not willing, then⦠I will remove you from the fifty quotas. If you donât live well in the future, you have yourself to blame!â Xia Yayun said and left.
There were so many disaster victims outside the city. Would it not be easy for her to fill in a few?
Lu Lin sneered.
Sure enough, Young Lady Xia treated them like toys.
Who would not want to be an apprentice?
However, he was not a fool. Those who accepted apprentices were obviously forced. Even if they got what they wanted now, they would be chased out in the future.
The possibility of being kept⦠maybe there was, but it was definitely low.
Moreover, he just did not want to take Young Lady Xiaâs charity.
Her gaze was very piercing, as if she was looking at a disobedient animal. She was clearly smiling, but there was no warmth at all.
âLu Lin, youâre so smart. You should have become an apprentice. Youâll definitely be able to stay. Thatâs what all those people think,â said the young man next to him.
Who would not wish that they would be an exception? Or what if⦠They were lucky enough to meet a generous master?