67: Recruiting guards

Jingyuan Dynasty, Yuanhe Calendar, November 20, 3397, early morning.

Chu Qinhui had gone to town early; Chu Jingyu had fully entrusted him with the task of recruiting guards.

Jiang Nian also sat in the main hall early, waiting for the maids, matrons, and servants to arrive at the residence so she could arrange their placements.

Not long after breakfast, the villagers selected yesterday had all arrived, one after another.

Jiang Nian glanced at a middle-aged woman standing behind her. This was Matron Liu, whom she had bought a few days ago from a wealthy Family in town. Matron Liu had served wealthy families for over a decade and had extensive management experience.

Upon receiving Jiang Nian's signal, Matron Liu stepped forward and began to address them.

"Today, all of you officially become house servants and maids of the Chu Family. From this moment, your honor and disgrace are tied to the Chu Family.

We do not ask for outstanding contributions from you, but as long as you perform your duties diligently, your wages will not be short by a single coin."

After a brief address, Matron Liu took out a list from a nearby table and read aloud:

"Chen Fu, Chen Guang, Chen Ye, Chen Ming, the four of you will serve in the master's courtyard.

Xu Sha, Xu Meng, Xu Chenghu, Chen Yu, the four of you will go to the young master's courtyard..."

As Matron Liu called out names, the maids and servants were divided into groups of four. Almost every existing member of the Chu Family had four people serving them.

Only Chu Qinhui and Jiang Nian, as a couple, shared four maids. Comparatively, the people in Chu Shengfan's courtyard were more idle, as Chu Shengfan had been returning less frequently recently.

However, Jiang Nian, who doted on her child, naturally wouldn't reduce his treatment simply because he didn't come back often.

The sturdy matrons were not assigned to individual courtyards but were divided into two groups: one for cleaning and cooking in the kitchen, and the other specifically for mending clothes in the house.

Once the assignments were complete, Matron Liu led the people away.

When gathered, it seemed lively, but once dispersed, these staff members seemed to cause no ripple in the large courtyard. The entire Chu Family courtyard still felt excessively empty.

After Matron Liu returned, Jiang Nian noted that it wasn't very late. "Is the carriage ready?"

Matron Liu smiled and nodded, "It's ready, Young Madam. Shall we depart now?"

Jiang Nian nodded. Matron Liu had also heard about the report from yesterday, so she suggested, "How about bringing two maids?"

Jiang Nian shook her head slightly, "No need."

The maids and servants recruited from the subordinate villages yesterday were just that; coachmen, matrons, and stewards who could do simple accounting had already arrived at the mansion a few days prior.

Even the mansion's carriages had increased to two for convenience. Today, light snow continued to fall.

The horses of the Source Beast world were exceptionally strong. One horse pulled an unusually large carriage without any apparent effort.

The carriage steadily followed the mountain road, heading towards Jiang Nian's maternal home, Purple Kite Village.

Meanwhile, Chu Qinhui, who had left early, had already arrived in town and began his interview work in the town's largest restaurant.

News of the Chu Family recruiting guards had been circulating in town for a long time.

They primarily sought guards of Mortal Rank Intermediate Tier to Mortal Rank High Tier.

Mortal Rank Intermediate Tier would receive twenty to thirty Origin Rune Stones per month, and Mortal Rank High Tier, thirty to fifty Origin Rune Stones per month. The specific remuneration would depend on the Source Beast they had contracted.

There were quite a few Contract Masters in town, and the Chu Family offered extremely generous salaries. Even some 'Hunters' who frequently adventured outside came to apply.

Outside the interview room Chu Qinhui had booked, many Contract Masters were already waiting.

Before entering the room, Chu Qinhui slightly cupped his hands, "Thank you all for waiting. Please come in for your interviews one by one."

Since these Contract Masters had arrived earlier than the agreed time, almost no one showed any displeasure.

Chu Qinhui gave a look to the steward beside him, then entered the room himself.

The steward stood at the door, forcing himself to shout loudly, "Please form a line, otherwise I won't know who to let in first."

This young steward, who had only been with the Chu Family for a few days, couldn't stop cold sweat from beading on his forehead. This was his first time speaking so loudly in front of Contract Masters, and he felt quite lacking in confidence.

But thinking that his current backing was a Noble Family, his back involuntarily straightened, allowing him to stand firmly at the doorway.

"Of course, whoever has a higher Realm goes first. Does an obvious truth like that need me to teach you?"

The speaker was a burly man with a rough face. In the dead of winter, he was still dressed with his chest exposed, which was quite unconventional.

"Our young master said to line up according to the time of arrival. Please confirm quickly," the steward said, his voice trembling slightly.

The big man scanned the other three, then lightly shoved the young steward aside with his palm.

"I'm first; they wouldn't dare to object." Before he finished speaking, he had already pushed open the door of the room and walked in.

Chu Qinhui, inside the room, naturally noticed the commotion outside. He watched this imposing big man, who had walked in uninvited and sat down opposite him.

Disrespectful, ill-mannered—two labels were affixed to the big man before him.

"Name, age, current address, and the name of your contracted Source Beast species."

The big man frowned tightly, "Are you recruiting guards or checking household registration? Isn't recruiting guards only related to strength?"

He pressed his fan-like palm on the table, and a stone man as tall as him appeared on his other side. "I am Mortal Rank High Tier, contracted a Stone Monster, and possess immense strength. Recruiting me as a guard would definitely not be a loss. What do you say?"

Blindly confident—another label was added. Chu Qinhui shook his head slightly, "Alright, you can go back and wait for news. Successful candidates will be notified within three days at the latest. If not, then I apologize."

Upon hearing this, the nameless big man 'swished' and stood up from his seat, "Why can't you decide now? I'm so excellent."

Chu Qinhui smiled appropriately, and to the big man whose name he didn't even know, he softly replied, "Our procedures are all like this. Please forgive us."

Facing Chu Qinhui's consistently gentle demeanor, the big man felt a surge of brute strength with nowhere to apply it. He could only scratch the back of his head and sullenly replied, "Alright then."

With that, he recalled the 'Stone Monster' and turned to leave the room.

Chu Qinhui looked at the blank paper in front of him and shook his head slightly. The start was not smooth; the first one was eliminated without much consideration.

Then the second interviewee walked in.

Compared to the first big man, this one was overly thin and looked slightly aged.

Chu Qinhui asked as usual:

"Name, age, Realm, contracted Source Beast, and current address."

This time, the elder in front of him answered very properly, "Xu Yinghui, fifty-five years old, Intermediate Alien Tier, contracted a Feathered Crane. Currently residing in Xu Family Village."

'Feathered Crane'—information about this Source Beast immediately appeared in Chu Qinhui's mind. This was a type of Source Beast unique to the Zhang Family. It had certain combat capabilities but was relatively fragile, considered a rather unremarkable Source Beast.

Chu Qinhui silently wrote down the information the man provided, then continued to ask, "Why do you want to be a guard for the Chu Family?"

"I'm getting a bit old, and I never dared to venture outside the border in my life. Now, seeing the Chu Family's treatment, I want to save some resources for my descendants."

"Do you have any experience fighting Source Beasts of a higher Rank than your own?"

"No," Xu Yinghui replied with a hint of shame on his face.

"Summon your Source Beast for me to see."

Xu Yinghui nodded, and a crane bird, pure white without anyVariegated, appeared in the empty space beside him. From its appearance, it was indeed very well cared for.

However, the energy on its body was clearly not solid, indicating a lack of spiritual resource nourishment in its daily life, so it might not be able to exert its strongest combat ability.

Chu Qinhui drew a circle on the paper, then placed it to his right.

"I'm very pleased you came to interview for our Chu Family. Please go back and await news. If successful, you will receive a notification within three days at the latest."

Xu Yinghui bowed his head slightly, revealing a hint of dejection, as if he was sure he had been rejected. "Alright."

After he left, the next person came in.

For each person, Chu Qinhui would ask slightly different questions based on his intuition, but name, age, Realm, contracted Source Beast, and the reason for wanting to be a guard were always inquired about.

During this time, more papers with circles were placed on his right side, while quite a few were marked with an 'X' and placed directly on his left side.

As it neared noon, a somewhat familiar figure walked in.

A man in his forties with a scar on his face, whose demeanor was exceptionally stern, possessing a different aura compared to the Contract Masters before him.

Chu Qinhui suddenly remembered, wasn't this the man who received a Spirit Awakening slot during the Family's establishment banquet?

This immediately piqued Chu Qinhui's interest. He stared at the man before him and asked the same questions as he had asked the others.

"Lin Yue, forty-three years old, Mortal Rank High Tier, Blade Mantis." The answer was given in a cold voice.