Chapter 192: Seeing People’s True Intentions_1
Zhao Dahuo took Zhao Erhu aside and lectured him, saying that it was enough for Zhao Erhu to distribute the usual wages received by others; even if he gave a bit more, thirty coins would be more than sufficient.
"Big brother, I understand what you mean, but I have my reasons for giving out so much. Everyone has been working wholeheartedly these past few days, busy from dawn till dusk and quite exhausted. I also made a tidy profit this time. If you had come to the market to sell zongzi with me, you’d know that one can sell for twenty to thirty coins each. We made quite a bit from all those zongzi. The helpers are the relatives and friends my wife and I are closest to. If I’m eating meat, it’s only right that I let them have a sip of the soup," Zhao Erhu said this while feeling happy to see his older brother thinking of him. Nevertheless, he and his wife had discussed it and had other considerations, which were not convenient to mention at the moment.
"What you’re saying is, even if you made more, that’s all earned through your own abilities, it has nothing to do with anyone else. If they’re jealous, such people aren’t worth befriending," said Zhao Dahuo, and his words were quite sensible.
"Big brother, don’t worry, I’m doing this also for some other reasons, just leave it be. Keep these silvers safe, don’t hand them over to the Wei Family, that woman from the Wei Family is up to no good. If something happens, at least you have something for emergencies. Plus, our father is getting old too. After he passes on, no one will be using filial piety to pressure you, and a family division will surely occur. You’ll need money for many things then," said Erhu.
"You are decisive; since you’ve already made up your mind, I won’t say much more. However, I still have to say, even with friends, one has to be careful. It’s not unheard of for someone to betray a friend over money. It happens quite often," Zhao Dahuo said solemnly and then patted Zhao Erhu’s shoulder before the two brothers returned together.
"Yueyue, you’ve given too much. With our relationship, it’s only right to help out, and though you insisted on paying wages, I didn’t object; still, this is way too much. It doesn’t sit well with me. You’d better take it back. If you really want to thank my wife for helping these past few days, just give her a few more zongzi to take home. Your cooking skills are just too exceptional—one zongzi, so many varieties, they look and taste amazing—my mother-in-law is quite taken with them," Wu Qiang and Zhang Chunhua were not greedy for money, and certainly couldn’t accept taking so much silver just for helping a few days and declined without a second thought.
However, for Grandma Chunxi and her daughter-in-law, even though they were surprised by the generous reward Lin Yue offered, Grandma Chunxi hesitated and feigned refusal, whilst Chunxi briefly hesitated before accepting. In her view, Lin Yue made good money from selling so many zongzi, so it was only natural they receive a higher wage. Their family was poor, and the ten taels of silver would make their lives much easier. She never considered that, if it wasn’t for Lin Yue looking out for them out of friendship, she wouldn’t have received a single coin.
Lin Yue, observing everyone’s reactions, understood clearly. She felt a mix of happiness and relief but also disappointment. She had done it on purpose, wanting to see how these relatives and friends, trusted by her and Zhao Erhu, would choose in the face of interest. Her family’s business was only going to grow, and it was impossible to rely solely on her and Zhao Erhu; they needed to find help. Character was the most important quality, and spending a few taels of silver to discern true intentions was well worth it.