Chapter 878: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 878: Aiming for the Zhuangyuan (Part 2)
Across the street from the palace stood a small teahouse. Despite its modest size, the interior was tastefully decorated. Many officials, after finishing their duties, enjoyed coming here to drink tea or listen to music, easing the fatigue of the day. However, the costs here were three times higher than those at other teahouses.
What intrigued Mo Yan most was the demeanor of the teahouse staff. The owner and several attendants exuded a sense of determination and moved with a vigor that was unusual for their roles. Moreover, all of them had some form of physical disability. The owner had no legs below the knees and relied on crutches to move. The tea master was missing his right leg and left eye. Even the server who brought tea had an empty sleeve where his right arm should have been, balancing the tray with his left hand.
To Mo Yan, the scene felt oddly out of place. She glanced at the stern-faced man who softened noticeably when the server entered with tea, and a suspicion about their true identities began forming in her mind.
“The tea here is excellent. Try it,” Xiao Ruiyuan said, pouring a steaming cup of tea for Mo Yan.
The enticing aroma wafted through the air. Mo Yan nodded, took a small sip, and was surprised to find that the tea was as good as the ones she brewed at home using water from the spiritual spring. If brewed with the cloud mist tea from her space, it would probably surpass even her best efforts.
Savoring the tea, Mo Yan finished her cup in small sips and praised earnestly, “This is the most fragrant tea I’ve ever tasted. The tea master here must be truly remarkable!”
Xiao Ruiyuan smiled faintly. “If you’re interested in learning, I can speak with him. Perhaps he’d be willing to teach you.”
Surprised, Mo Yan asked, “You know the tea master well?”
Xiao Ruiyuan nodded. “This teahouse belongs to me.”
“It’s yours?” Mo Yan’s eyes widened. “You’re running a business? That doesn’t seem to fit your image!”
Xiao Ruiyuan chuckled, immediately understanding her thoughts. His smile deepened. “While the teahouse is mine, the operations are entirely managed by them. All I require is that they send the annual profits to Shi Yi.”
Mo Yan was speechless. His hands-off approach to managing the business was even more extreme than hers.
Recalling her earlier suspicion, Mo Yan asked, “Were they once soldiers under your command?”
Xiao Ruiyuan nodded again, unfazed by her guess. “There are many like them at the border—people who lost their physical capabilities during the war. They don’t want to return home and burden their families. After arranging for the compensation money to be sent back to their families, they chose to stay behind at the border, farming barren lands to sustain themselves.”
Even able-bodied farmers struggled to make ends meet, praying for favorable weather to barely get by. The hardships of farming were unimaginable, especially for those with disabilities, facing the harsh conditions and infertile lands of the border regions.
Having spent years at the border, Xiao Ruiyuan deeply understood their struggles. After becoming a general with some authority, he arranged for those who were physically able but unfit for battle to take on positions in prisons or other low-effort jobs, allowing them to live with dignity through their own efforts.
For instance, the prison head at the Ministry of Justice who had shown Mo Qingze particular kindness was one such soldier. Injured on the battlefield, he was later placed in that position by Xiao Ruiyuan.
However, such cases were a minority. Many, like the owner and tea master of this teahouse, were severely disabled and unable to sustain themselves through labor.
Xiao Ruiyuan owned several businesses in the capital, properties inherited from his mother and grandfather. These businesses were managed by loyal elders who had served his family for years. Although Xiao Ruiyuan wanted to support his soldiers, replacing the existing staff was not feasible.
[End of Chapter]
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