Chapter 100: Appointment

Jiang Qibin had taken two portions of food. He was eating from one and leaving the other untouched beside him.

Every so often he would glance up, his brows knitted tight with worry.

“Hey, Little Jiang, isn’t your master here?” Song Tiegen asked, stretching out one leg and resting it on the stool beside Jiang Qibin.

Jiang Qibin said coldly, “Brother Ze treats me like family. Just because you like being someone’s dog doesn’t mean everyone else does.”

“Brother Ze? What a shameless display of flattery,” Song Tiegen sneered. “That man is bad luck. Anyone who gets close to him ends up in trouble. You really have no fear of death, do you, daring to call him brother. Don’t say we never gave you a chance. If you stay away from Song Ruizhe now, I can put in a good word for you with Brother Chen and get you assigned an easy job. How about that?”

“I’ve got backbone. I can’t bring myself to be a bootlicking dog. Keep that wonderful chance for yourself. I’m not lucky enough to enjoy it.”

“You little bastard, don’t push your luck...” Song Tiegen seized the front of Jiang Qibin’s shirt and threatened him viciously.

“What are you doing now?” a constable asked as he walked over.

Song Tiegen hurriedly let go of Jiang Qibin’s shirt, smoothed it a few times, and laughed. “We were just fooling around. Nothing serious.”

“Put down your bowls for a moment. I have something to say,” the constable announced. “Starting today, Chen Zhe is no longer in charge of procurement. If the foremen need anything, go to Song Ruizhe. Song Ruizhe will be selecting five people. Anyone interested can sign up with him.”

“Sir, we used to work under Steward Chen. Now that Steward Chen is no longer in charge of procurement, can we still keep doing the procurement work?” Song Tiegen asked quickly.

He had spent quite a bit of money currying favor with Chen Zhe in order to seize this opportunity, running errands for him and helping him bully plenty of people.

If Chen Zhe had lost his authority and his own job fell through, wouldn’t all those efforts have gone to waste?

And even if his job did not go to waste, once he had to work under Song Ruizhe, their old enmity would mean his easy days were over.

“From now on, procurement is under Steward Song. Everything is to follow Steward Song’s judgment. Whoever Steward Song chooses to stay will stay.”

“What about Chen Zhe?” someone asked curiously.

“He broke the law. You won’t be seeing him again,” the constable said. “Take this as a warning. Never copy Chen Zhe’s way of doing things. All right, keep eating!”

Song Ruizhe saw the constable out.

The two of them spoke for a bit, looking quite familiar with one another.

Looking more closely, Jiang Qibin realized that this constable was none other than Captain Feng, the same man who had eaten at Qin Huiyin’s stall last time.

When Song Ruizhe came back, Jiang Qibin hurried over excitedly.

“Brother Ze, that was amazing. You snatched Chen Zhe away in one stroke. We don’t have to suffer under his face anymore at last.”

Song Ruizhe nodded. “Want to come with me?”

“Do I even need to say it?” Jiang Qibin grinned. “I’ve been wanting to follow Brother Ze and enjoy the good life.”

Song Ruizhe looked at the others. “Who else can read? If you can’t read, that’s fine too. If you’re willing to learn, that works as well. I need four more people.”

The procurement office did not require heavy labor, which made it a good post for those with frail bodies. Besides, not everyone cared about that talk of being a coffin-born child. Everyone here was a wretch in one way or another. Who was nobler than whom? Were the unfortunate all cursed and doomed?

In the face of profit, those petty rumors meant nothing.

“I will!”

“I’m willing!”

“Steward Song, count me in.”

Once the first person spoke up, the rest rushed forward, scrambling for the few openings.

Song Ruizhe pointed at the slender young man in the crowd. “Do you want in?”

Jiang Qingnan had not raised his hand, because he did not think he would be chosen. He spoke little, did not make friends, and was usually the one being bullied.

Song Ruizhe pointed him out from the crowd directly, and Jiang Qingnan froze.

“Me?”

“Yes. I know you studied for several years, and your handwriting is good.”

“All right, I’m willing.” Jiang Qingnan said excitedly.

His hands and feet were covered in blisters. If he kept working like this, sooner or later he would collapse on the job.

He had not only studied for several years, he had even passed the county-level examination and become a licentiate. But after that, he could never pass the provincial exam no matter how many years he tried, dragging the family down year after year, until they finally made him stop.

Once he no longer studied, he wanted to find work. But before he could even find a job, his younger siblings objected. They said that someone needed to be chosen for the dam project, and he and his second younger brother had just married, so there was no reason to separate a newlywed couple. Besides, for all these years the whole family had supported him as the eldest son and paid for his studies; now it was time for him to shoulder some responsibility.

He did not want the household to descend into chaos, and his siblings did have a point. As the eldest brother, he had a duty to step up, so he took on the miserable task.

Just as Jiang Qingnan was feeling relieved to have escaped suffering, Song Ruizhe pointed to Chen Yong, the big, imposing man.

Chen Yong was from the stonemasons’ team. He was tall, strong, and rough-looking. Ever since Song Ruizhe had grown close to him, the talk about Song Ruizhe had lessened considerably.

The stonemasons’ foreman was unhappy to see Song Ruizhe poaching his man. Chen Yong was their team’s ace; many of the dangerous, heavy jobs were left to him.

“Steward Song, I know you’re choosing people, but you should at least be a little more thoughtful. Chen Yong is one of ours. Isn’t it improper for you to take him away?” he said.

Song Ruizhe replied lightly, “The county magistrate and Lord Wen from the capital both said I could choose whoever I wanted. If Foreman Li has a problem with that, take it up with them.”

“You’re really something, having someone backing you now. Fine, I won’t compete with you. What can I do? I’m just not capable of currying favor with the powerful,” Foreman Li said sourly.

“Chen Yong, do you want to come?” Song Ruizhe asked him again.

Chen Yong thumped his chest. “I’ll listen to you.”

“That leaves only two spots,” someone nearby said. “What chance do we have?”

“There are only five places in total, but running procurement with just these five people won’t be enough. Sometimes I’ll borrow people from the other teams. If there are more openings later, I’ll give priority to those who signed up. For now, Jiang Qingnan will keep the list of applicants. I’ll choose two from among them, and the rest will be backups.”

“I’m signing up!”

“I’m signing up too...”

Jiang Qibin dragged Song Ruizhe out of the crowd.

Anyway, Jiang Qingnan was handling the list. Let him have the headache.

“Brother Ze, your meal’s been prepared, but it’s definitely cold now,” Jiang Qibin said. “Since you’re a steward now, I can have them heat it up for you and add a little more meat.”

“No need,” Song Ruizhe said. “I’m not that particular.”

“All right, then eat. Oh, and this sauce your sister made is absolutely incredible. If I weren’t afraid that I’d finish it all and have none left, I’d really want to gulp down half a jar right now.” Jiang Qibin ate his steamed bun with the sauce on it, looking blissful. “Brother Ze, you’re amazing. You even replaced Chen Zhe’s position.”

“It wasn’t me who was amazing, it was...” her.

The ideas had all been hers. He had simply taken credit for her accomplishments.

If you enjoy this farm-life tale about a younger sister and her somewhat doting elder brothers, please save it.