The phrase "seeing money makes one’s eyes bright" fits Aunt Lan Hua perfectly. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Alu spoke up, "Auntie, my young mistress says she’ll pay two hundred coins a month."

"What? So little?" Aunt Lan Hua exploded upon hearing this.

Less than ten coins for a day’s work? Typically, men earn fifteen coins a day and women earn ten coins a day, that’s just the going rate. The young mistress of the wealthy family is offering only two hundred coins; isn’t this clearly bullying people?

Her face immediately showed an unpleasant expression, "You’re treating us country folks like fools. We’re country folks, but it’s not like we haven’t worked before. Even if we go outside, it’s ten coins a day, which means three hundred coins a month."

The other people in the courtyard echoed her sentiment.

"Yeah, why give so little money, it’s too little. Anywhere else pays more than this."

"Exactly, this is clearly bullying."

"..."

"..."

Yang Xiaocui inside was also surprised hearing two hundred coins, wasn’t it supposed to be three hundred coins? How did it become two hundred coins now?

While puzzled, she suddenly remembered what Li Chuntao said yesterday, ’secretly save some silver to buy medicine.’ So this is what Li Chuntao meant—telling her mother two hundred coins, but actually it’s three hundred coins, secretly handing her the extra hundred.

Li Chuntao really had her best interest at heart, even coming up with such an idea. Although a hundred coins aren’t much, it’s nice as a personal stash. Although not enough to buy medicine, she hadn’t planned on buying medicine anyway.

But with such a low wage, would her mother agree?

Outdoors, Alu said, "Auntie, this wage is already fair. For one, it’s close to home, just next door, quick to come back for any family matters, easy to manage. For another, working for my young mistress is much easier than working outside, just sweeping, dusting, cooking, much better than outside jobs, not to mention the risk of the owner’s scolding. My young mistress is a wonderful employer, treats me like a sister, surely treats your daughter similarly. Also, there’s three days off a month."

Upon hearing this, it indeed seemed like a good deal, but the pay was really too low. Aunt Lan Hua wanted to continue negotiating, so she spoke, "But two hundred coins really is too little, can you add more?"

Alu shook his head, "Auntie, no can do. I’m telling you, such a good job, what else is there to consider? If your daughter doesn’t go, there are plenty of others willing to go."

Aunt Lan Hua could tell it was a good deal, but if her youngest daughter went to work next door, then they couldn’t count on her for tasks at home. All the work at home relied on her youngest daughter.

Can’t rely on those three daughters-in-law, they still need to be ordered around by the men. Although the farming busy season has just ended, there’s still plenty of work.

At this point, the third daughter-in-law of Yang Family spoke up, "Mother-in-law, if you don’t let the younger sister go, then let me go. I’ll go next door to work, can also help the family earn two hundred coins."

The third daughter-in-law of Yang Family thought, working next door is much easier, not having to follow the family back and forth over mountains getting fields done. Although the farming busy season has ended, their family has quite a lot of work, because they finished late.

If she went to work next door, it would be much easier, better if mother-in-law doesn’t let the younger sister go and lets her go instead.