TFWYH – Chapter 268 Training Subordinates

“Sorry, I’ve been extremely busy lately.” Tang Wan glanced at the silver notes and loose silver on the table.

Aunt Hong, quick to read the situation, handed over the account book. “Take a look—this is this month’s profit. It’s quite a lot!”

Tang Wan took the ledger and flipped through it.

She had taught Yuan’er Arabic numerals, and the accounts Yuan’er kept were far less cumbersome than traditional ones.

Income and expenses were clearly laid out at a glance.

After finishing the ledger, Tang Wan finally got down to business. “Don’t give me this month’s profits. I plan to open another Qíngyuàn Elegant House in the prefectural city. Yuan’er, see if you have any trustworthy people under you.”

“Yes, we do!” Yuan’er glanced at Aunt Hong, who nodded. “There’s a girl named Xianglan—she’s pretty good. Her contract is with me, she’s loyal and honest, very tactful, and a bit older, just right to send over there.”

“Then it’ll be her,” Tang Wan decided on the spot. “Also, help me buy ten people—men or women, either is fine.”

The mother and daughter froze at that.

Could this be what Young Master Yu meant when he said Tang Wan would need them in the future?

Seeing their odd expressions, Tang Wan frowned. “What’s wrong?”

They came back to their senses, and Yuan’er said with a smile, “Young Master Yu already instructed me to buy ten people, saying you’d definitely need them later. Just now I was even talking with my mother about whether to tell you. I didn’t expect you to bring it up yourself—Young Master Yu really is prescient!”

Tang Wan was stunned.

She had never imagined her handsome husband would have arranged this in advance!

“They’re staying in the courtyard I rented,” Yuan’er added. “Wan’er, would you like to go take a look?”

Tang Wan came back to herself and nodded. “Let’s go see.”

Aunt Hong stayed behind. Yuan’er disguised herself and led Tang Wan to a residential area along the street.

As soon as they entered the small courtyard and opened the door, they saw ten people inside.

Some were practicing martial forms, some were sweeping the ground, and some were reading storybooks.

Hearing the noise, they all turned their heads at once. When they saw it was Yuan’er, their eyes lit up and they hurried over.

“Sister Yuan, you haven’t come in so long!”

“I missed you so much—what tasty things did you bring us today?”

“Sister Yuan, I beat big brother in a match today! You said last time that if I won, you’d bring me a rattle drum.”

…

They chirped away happily like a flock of little sparrows, clearly very close to Yuan’er.

Yuan’er smiled and clapped her hands. “Alright, quiet down first! Come meet someone. This is Young Master Tang—he’ll be your master from now on. Don’t be rude, understand?”

Only then did they notice the cool, handsome young man standing behind Yuan’er. They immediately became restrained and politely greeted Tang Wan.

Tang Wan looked them over, then glanced around the courtyard.

In one corner stood a set of plum-blossom training posts, with a row of wooden practice dummies nearby. Yuan’er had made quite thorough arrangements.

After surveying the area, Tang Wan finally examined the children more carefully: seven boys and three girls. The oldest was sixteen, the youngest only eight. All of them had proper, well-formed features.

Under Tang Wan’s scrutiny, they grew even more nervous.

When Sister Yuan bought them, she had told them clearly that she was not their master—their true master was someone else.

As long as they behaved properly and focused on honing what they were good at, their master would eventually make use of them.

But now that they were finally meeting that master, they felt this person was very cold and hard to approach—someone who clearly wouldn’t be easy to get along with.

“Come in,” Tang Wan said, and stepped into the kitchen.

They exchanged glances for a moment, then quickly followed her inside.

Once everyone had entered, Tang Wan said nothing at first. Only after three breaths did she speak: “Now, everyone close your eyes.”