"This will be your new main household from now on. Be smart and nimble; if you don't perform well, you'll be sent back, and you won't enjoy that."
"Yes." Hearing Old Liu's words, the few of them promptly responded.
In such situations, a scolding was necessary to prevent any divided loyalty.
Then, each of them greeted Luo Ge and the others and acknowledged their new masters.
The middle-aged man was named Ning Xing, his wife was called Qiu Niang, and the young boy was called Ning Ze Han, a rather pleasant name.
It was said that he used to serve as a book attendant for the young master of the former household, and his name was given by that household.
Later, when the former household ran into trouble and had their assets confiscated, they were sent here.
Back then, Ning Xing was a guard enforcer at the compound, but after an accident that injured his leg, he was demoted to a gate guard.
He had his leg examined, but the doctor said it couldn't be fully cured. Aside from a limp, it didn't hinder him much.
However, it would ache terribly when the weather changed, and recently, the weather had just turned cooler.
Qiu Niang had also served the former lady of the household.
The old man's surname was Song, and he was called Song Yi, apparently named casually based on his birth order, suggesting he came from a prominent family.
But now, he was the only one left, a lonely soul. People used to call him Uncle Song.
Uncle Song had also suffered due to the former household's troubles and was sent here.
Since they had all signed life contracts, they couldn't escape.
...To avoid drawing too much attention to their purchase of the manor and people, they first arranged for them to stay at the manor, which also happened to be short-staffed.
Ning Xing and Uncle Song could both drive, so on the way back, they drove the carriages while Gu Jinchen sat by the carriage door, occasionally giving directions.
Qiu Niang and Ze Han rode in the carriage with Luo Ge and the others, and they seemed rather awkward and tense, likely their first time sharing a carriage with their masters.
"Gurgle." Just as Luo Ge was about to speak, the sound of a rumbling stomach broke the silence.
Ze Han's face instantly turned red as he clutched his belly, unsure of what to do. Qiu Niang also grew tense, looking at Luo Ge as if wanting to explain something.
Luo Ge was momentarily taken aback, then realized they had forgotten to provide food for the newcomers. But now that they were nearly at the manor, there was nowhere to get provisions.
"Madam, he didn't mean to...he..."
"Wait a moment." Qiu Niang's words were cut off.
After a moment's thought, Luo Ge quickly took out some snacks she usually had from the food box in the carriage and shared a portion with the two of them.
"Have some to tide you over for now." There was little left in the carriage besides some dried fruit and nuts.
Seeing the food Luo Ge offered, Qiu Niang hesitated, seemingly reluctant to accept, but her son's hungry expression moved her.
"Take it. There's nothing else left in the carriage. I'll have some food prepared for you when we get back."
"We brought you here to help with chores. We can't have you starving."
Seeing her reaction, Luo Ge simply pushed the food into her hands with an amused tone.
"You should have some too." She then passed some out to Uncle Song and the others outside.
She and Gu Jinchen had already eaten, so it wasn't an issue.
Uncle Song and the others overheard the conversation in the carriage, so they didn't refuse either.
"Thank you, Madam."
"Go ahead and eat."
Hearing Uncle Song's words, Luo Ge smiled and turned to see Qiu Niang and the others still hesitating to eat, so she urged them again.
"Thank you, Madam." At this, Qiu Niang finally took a bite, her eyes reddening slightly.
"Thank you... thank you," Ze Han also said softly in his childish voice.
Hearing his youthful tone, Luo Ge smiled. He was only eight or nine years old, still just a child to them.
"No need to thank me. You don't have to be so tense. My husband and I are just ordinary farmers. We're not so particular."
"As long as you're loyal, diligent in your work, and have no ulterior motives, we won't mistreat you."
Luo Ge's voice was always gentle and soft, but everyone present clearly detected the warning undertone.
"This servant understands, Madam."
"Mmm."
As they spoke, they arrived at the manor gates.
Gu Jinchen helped Luo Ge down from the carriage, and they led everyone into the manor compound.
After briefly assigning their respective duties, he showed them to their living quarters.
"There are plenty of rooms here. You can choose for yourselves. Later, we'll bring you some provisions to use as your daily rations."
"From now on, you'll jointly manage this manor."
The previous owners hadn't taken the beds, bedding, and other household items from the manor, saving them some trouble.
Now, they simply needed to arrange their accommodations.
"This servant understands."
"For now, there's not much to manage in the manor compound. The main task is to keep watch and maintain security."
"There's also the eastern field that needs to be tilled. We'll show you how to prepare it later."
They planned to plant an orchard on the eastern side, and after a few days, they would bring saplings, but first, they needed to dig holes for the trees.
"Understood."
After they settled in, Luo Ge took them to the eastern side of the manor. Gu Jinchen dug a few holes to demonstrate.
"Dig one every one and a half meters, about this deep. We'll deliver the saplings and fertilizer in a couple of days."
Then, Luo Ge led them to the edge of the storage area and pointed to the large shed.
"Does anyone know how to build fences?" she asked, looking at the open space outside the shed.
"I do," Uncle Song and Ning Xing both responded.
Luo Ge nodded. "We'll need to fence off this area, about this high," she gestured with her hand. "You can use the bamboo at the manor entrance. It's ready material."
"Mmm... remember to pick up any scraps after cutting." They couldn't cut too much of the bamboo used for fencing.
"Understood," Ning Xing nodded.
"That's basically all that needs to be done for now. Take some time to familiarize yourselves with the surroundings."
After the instructions, Luo Ge and the others went to a nearby village to exchange for some provisions, which they gave to Qiu Niang.
"We'll be back in about three days. If you need anything, you can find us at the Gu Family Village on the east side of town, where my husband Gu Jinchen is building a new residence."
"Understood."
Hearing Luo Ge's words, Qiu Niang nodded carefully.
With all arrangements made, Luo Ge and the others didn't linger further. They boarded the carriage and set off for the provincial capital.
