From Hoarding to Time-Travel: My Supplies Saved Him

Chapter 535: Chapter 537: Hiring

He could agree to the other conditions, but Teng Shang didn’t dare allow the soldiers here to escort him back.

Having been in a position of power for so many years, he naturally knew what this implied.

It was tantamount to letting the wolf into the sheepfold. That alone would be enough to leave him with no footing in the Eastern Yi.

"I can promise more gold, silver, and other goods, but an escort from your nation is out of the question."

Ancient Wen Heng looked at him as if he were an idiot. "And if you simply never return? That would be like tossing a meat bun to a dog—gone for good. Do you really think I would make such an unprofitable deal?"

Prince Zuo Tengshang was speechless. ’I feel like I’ve been insulted again, but I can’t quite put my finger on how.’

Just then, Mr. He spoke up. "Sir, there’s no need for us to take such a risk. It’s clear this Prince is just scheming against us. We should just have him taken away."

"Mr. He has a point. It seems I won’t be able to close this deal after all. No one wants to be taken for a fool, after all.

Guards, take him away!"

Prince Zuo Tengshang knew this was his only chance. The choice between being a prisoner and a high-ranking noble was no choice at all. "Wait! I agree to all your terms."

’So what if they use their soldiers to escort me back? Once I’m on my own turf, we’ll see who’s really in charge.’

Had Ancient Wen Heng known what the prince was plotting, he would have done little more than scoff.

&

Wang Li handed the recently collected dried seafood to the merchant. As he clutched the few pieces of broken silver he had left, his expression darkened.

The village chief of Zhaoyu Village had stubbornly raised his prices, and the quality of the dried goods was worse than before.

Naturally, the merchant was unwilling to pay the original price and pushed it even lower.

With the price raised on one end and squeezed on the other, this paltry sum was all he had to show for nearly a month of hard work.

If he were alone, it might be just enough to get by. But what about the brothers who worked for him?

Nowadays, life as a middleman was becoming unbearable. He really didn’t want to go on like this.

"Brother Li, how are we supposed to live on so little silver?" Little Stone’s face was grim. It looked like this business connection, which they had worked so hard to establish, was about to fall through.

"Those people from Zhaoyu Village are real pieces of work. The only reason they’re living so well now is because you helped them, Brother Li."

"If you hadn’t helped them find that prime spot in the outer sea and taught them how to swim, how could they possibly be enjoying such good fortune?"

Wang Li said, "That’s enough. It’s our own fault for not having a fishing boat. It’s only natural that they want to earn more."

"But I’m afraid I’ll have to let you guys down. This line of business won’t last much longer. Take this silver and split it with the other brothers."

"If you want to keep helping Zhaoyu Village sell their goods, you can take over the connection. Our agreement with them hasn’t expired yet, anyway."

After speaking, Wang Li pressed all the broken silver he was holding into Little Stone’s palm.

"Brother Li, what about you?" Little Stone stared at the broken silver in his hands, at a complete loss.

"I’ve only got myself to feed, but it’s different for you all. You have families to support."

"Don’t worry. On my way over, I saw that Tianfu Restaurant is hiring. I’m going to give it a try. Who knows, maybe your Brother Li will find a new path to success."

"Then I’ll go with you!"

Wang Li replied, "They’re hiring, but I don’t know if it requires signing an indenture. Let me go check it out first."

Little Stone’s eyes welled up with tears. "Brother Li..."

’Those ungrateful traitors! If they hadn’t gone back on their word, why would Brother Li even consider selling himself into servitude?’

"What are you thinking about? I’m just going to take a look. They might not even want me."

He had only said that to comfort Little Stone and convince him to take the silver.

’For a tavern this big,’ he thought, ’even if they post a notice, most of the positions are probably already filled internally. The posting is just for show, for the owner.’

Little Stone looked down at his own small frame and thought of his frail mother at home. He could only clench his fists. "Brother Li, if you don’t get the job, we brothers will figure something else out. We’ll find a way to survive."

Wang Li patted his shoulder. "Alright, hurry back now. The others are waiting."

Little Stone kept looking back every few steps. Wang Li waited until he was completely out of sight and was about to turn and leave himself. But in that instant, he gritted his teeth and walked toward Tianfu Restaurant.

Ming Nian stood behind the counter and sighed again. He had been waiting in Tianfu Restaurant for so long, yet hardly anyone had come to apply.

A few people had come to inquire before, but there was always something that wasn’t quite right.

It wasn’t that he wanted to be picky, but the Madam had repeatedly instructed him to explain the terms clearly to everyone.

Even those who were excellent swimmers backed out on the spot the moment they heard the job involved going out to sea on a ship.

The terms they offered were attractive, but going to sea was a near-certain death sentence, and no one was willing to gamble their life on it.

"Shopkeeper, someone’s here to apply for the job!" a waiter called out, running over cheerfully. ’As long as someone shows up,’ he thought, ’the shopkeeper won’t look so grim.’

The waiter had completely forgotten that every time the shopkeeper met with an applicant, his expression would turn even fouler, and he’d even become short-tempered.

"Really? Then bring him over, quickly." After all the training he had received from Manager Hu, Ming Nian could at least maintain his composure at a time like this.

Wang Li summoned his courage and stepped into the lavishly decorated tavern. He didn’t even dare to look around too much; if he accidentally broke something in a place like this, he could never afford to pay for it.

But why was the waiter beaming at him the moment he said he was here to apply for the job?

The man hadn’t even asked any questions before rushing eagerly toward the back of the establishment.

He wondered if he should just slip away quietly and come back to check again in a few days.

But the waiter ran back out and grabbed his hand, pulling him inside.

"Hey, if the positions are already filled, then I’ll just..."

"No, no! Our shopkeeper wants to see you. He’s the one who’ll decide if you’re a good fit." ’Now that I’ve got him through the door, there’s no way I’m letting him get away!’

The waiter led Wang Li to a counter in the rear hall.

"Shopkeeper, I’ve brought him."

Looking at the face before him—someone even younger than himself—Wang Li knew this trip had been for nothing.

’A shopkeeper this young must be a relative of the owner, right?’

’How could an internally-filled position like this ever fall to a powerless nobody like me?’

"You’re here to apply for the job? How are your swimming skills?" Ming Nian asked, looking at the man’s dark, weathered face. His heart settled a bit. ’He looks like someone who spends a lot of time by the sea, exposed to the wind and sun. The only question is whether he has the guts to take this job.’

"They’re decent, I suppose. I grew up by the sea, after all."

Ming Nian said, "As long as you can swim, that’s good. Even if you’re not an expert, you can train and improve.

You saw the notice outside, so you should know we’re recruiting crewmen to go out to sea, correct?"