Chapter 967: You Have Regained Your Freedom
The courtesans, worldly and shrewd, understood exactly what becoming a manager in this cooperative would entail.
It meant — wealth!
In their profession, they had entertained silk merchants, grand magnates who operated silk workshops, each one wealthier than any official. Even a minor supervisor or shopkeeper in a silk workshop would be adorned in gold and silver, spending with extravagant generosity.
These were the people the courtesans had once needed to curry favor with.
Now...
Shi Kefa was actually proposing that they fill such roles themselves.
Was this immense fortune something they could even grasp?
"Hold on," they thought, "don't celebrate too soon."
A sudden realization struck the courtesans: the supervisors and shopkeepers in silk workshops were wealthy because they were free citizens, earning wages for their labor.
Any money they earned from their work had to be handed over to their masters.
They earned money quickly enough in the Pear Garden; a flick of a little finger could charm dozens of taels of silver from a high-ranking official or noble. But what good was it? All of it would be taken by the Pear Garden.
This was the sorrow of being a slave.
Just as these thoughts crossed the women's minds, Shi Kefa spoke, "Any young woman who stays here to manage the Anqing Yingjiang Sericulture Cooperative will not need to go to Shaanxi. I will tear up your indenture contract here and now."
Upon hearing this, the women gasped in astonishment.
Several almost blurted out, "I agree!" on the spot.
Yet, being sharp and perceptive, they knew better than to act rashly. They needed to steady themselves, as there might be a trap hidden within the offer. They had to hear Shi Kefa out completely.
Shi Kefa continued, "I can guess that most of you wish to tear up your indenture contracts immediately and remain here. However, I must tell you that, whether for your safety or your future prospects, staying here does not compare to going to Shaanxi. Shaanxi has already eradicated banditry and boasts enlightened governance and a harmonious social atmosphere. Here in Anqing, everything is still starting from scratch. The Huangmei water bandits remain active, Zhang Xianzhong's rebel army continues to harass the region, and the local official networks are deeply entrenched and convoluted, unlike Shaanxi where our affairs can be decided with a single word. Furthermore, resources here are not abundant..."
The women were utterly bewildered. They thought to themselves: *The prosperity of Jiangnan has long surpassed the Northwest, hasn't it? In terms of enlightened politics and liberated thought, Jiangnan leaves Shaanxi far behind. As for resources, Jiangnan holds a clear advantage.*
*When Huguang prospers, the empire is well-fed!*
*By what virtue could Shaanxi possibly compete with Anqing in resources?*
They were struggling to understand Shi Kefa's words.
Shi Kefa concluded, "In short, I have said all that needs to be said. Whether you wish to go to Shaanxi or remain here, you may decide for yourselves. Oh, and one more thing... the cooperative does not require over a hundred managers; at most, only ten will be retained. Therefore, staying here will not be easy; you will need to compete for the positions based on your abilities."
Xue'er and Chen Yuanyuan, hearing this, were also utterly astonished.
*Such a thing...*
*Could this actually be happening?*
Chen Yuanyuan whispered, "I'm still too young; I certainly can't stay to be a manager."
She was only twelve years old; she possessed enough self-awareness to know that a management position was out of the question for her.
Xue'er, however, hesitated.
She truly didn't want to go to Shaanxi; it felt like a den of monsters there. If she could stay here, especially if her indenture contract was torn up, she could instantly escape the threat of the demons!
Xue'er declared, "I must try. If he truly tears up my indenture contract, perhaps this whole 'demon' business is just us worrying ourselves sick! Then I can rest assured seeing Sister Yuanyuan off to Shaanxi."
Chen Yuanyuan nodded. "Go ahead and try, Sister."
And so, an on-the-spot selection process began.
Shi Kefa personally acted as the interviewer, testing the women's academic talents. Of course, he didn't examine their mastery of the zither, Go, calligraphy, painting, poetry, or prose. The main focus was their literacy and arithmetic skills—specifically, their ability to keep clear accounts, which was crucial.
After a round of evaluations, Xue'er, to no one's surprise, secured the top spot.
Not only were her literacy and arithmetic skills outstanding, but having grown up in a family that cultivated mulberries and raised silkworms, she possessed an intimate knowledge of the entire process, from silkworm farming to reeling silk and weaving. She was the ideal candidate for the cooperative's director.
In the end, ten women, including Xue'er, were chosen to stay.
Before the assembled women, Shi Kefa produced a box containing indenture contracts. He selected ten of them and declared, "I shall now tear these up. From today forward, you will regain your freedom; you are no longer indentured."
The ten women watched the indenture contracts in his hand with bated breath.
It was Xue'er who, at this moment, was the bravest, speaking up to ask, "Lord Shi, there is one matter I do not understand; I beg your guidance."
Shi Kefa replied, "Oh? Ask away!"
Xue'er pressed, "It was the Prince of Qin's heir who purchased us, and even the Emperor was alerted, specially sending eunuchs to the Pear Garden to manage this affair. Everyone knows that we were bought by the Prince of Qin's heir to be his concubines. How is it that these indenture contracts, which should be with the Prince of Qin's heir's steward, are now in your hands? If you tear them up, will it truly count? What if, one day, the Prince of Qin's heir's steward comes knocking, claiming you unilaterally tore up the contracts, and the Prince of Qin's heir, displeased, demands we be seized again? What then are we to do?"
Her barrage of questions left Shi Kefa momentarily stunned.
Standing silently beside them, the Heavenly Lord specialized in naval warfare, who had not interfered until now, couldn't help but be amused. *Interesting,* he mused, *this girl's consideration of the problem is quite comprehensive.*
*Indeed, where would one find such a strong spirit of contract in this era? An indenture contract is merely a formality. If the Prince of Qin's heir chose to be unreasonable, to disregard this formality, to rely on his power to bully and seize them again, then would having or not having the contract make any difference at all?*
*To put it more bluntly, the Emperor could issue new indenture contracts for the Prince of Qin's heir at any moment. Who would dare object? What official would ever challenge the Emperor for the sake of a few courtesans?*
Shi Kefa raised the box containing the indenture contracts and said, "The very fact that I hold this box indicates that the Prince of Qin's heir and I are working in concert. If I tear these up, the Prince of Qin's heir will honor it."
"I understand that you have witnessed much of the world's darkness and have never known true light, so you dare not easily trust anything. However, since you have lived in a world of shadows for so long, why not be a little bolder? What harm is there in trusting me just this once? After all, even if your trust is misplaced, your future lives cannot possibly become any worse."
Xue'er curtsied gracefully, her words silenced.
Shi Kefa picked up the ten indenture contracts and tore them forcefully.
Shredded!
These were merely ten sheets of paper, not a thick stack of over a hundred. With a gentle rip, they tore apart. He swiftly, with practiced ease, shredded the indenture contracts into tiny pieces, then declared with a solemn expression, "You have regained your freedom."
Comments