Chapter 306: Personnel called for 306 Chapter 306: Personnel called for 306 “How long will it take to gather the men?” Ye Jiu asked directly.
“The original men are all from nearby villages. After the Escort Agency disbanded, they had no choice but to rely on farming and hunting for a living. Gathering them again is merely a matter of speaking,” Lu, the head of the escorts, replied solemnly.
“If that’s the case, I hope Mr. Lu can do it as quickly as possible,” Ye Jiu explained. “Moreover, although we are carrying goods this time, our primary purpose for going to the capital city is to find someone. My brother went to the capital city before New Year due to some matters and hasn’t returned since. Our main objective is to find him. Mr. Lu has been outside for many years and has broad experience, so I will need to trouble you to take great care along the way.”
“That’s no problem. Miss Ye, despite your young age, you are going to the capital city to search for your brother, which shows your deep affection. I, Lu, admire that,” Lu, the head of the escorts, said with a formal tone yet with serious consideration.
However, admiring her was one thing; the Lu Family Escort Agency wasn’t just about working without eating, so it was necessary to clarify the price.
“Miss Ye, our Escort Agency has two types of escort pricing. Young master Wenzheng has already asked about it, and I suppose you have heard about it too. Which option would you choose?” Mr. Lu asked.
“The first option,” Ye Jiu had already thought it through on the way here. “Your agency accompanies and protects, while we handle everything else on our own.”
The Lu Family Escort Agency had lost goods a few years ago and still hadn’t cleared its debts, leaving the agency in a semi-disbanded state.
If they lost the goods again this time, Ye Jiu truly didn’t believe they could afford to compensate. If it came to it, even if she reported them to the government office and had Mr. Lu thrown into prison, it would be of no use.
Besides, Ye Jiu originally intended to organize her own merchant team to move forward. What she needed was just manpower to transport her goods.
Therefore, it might as well be better to choose the first price option.
“That’s better,” Mr. Lu also breathed a sigh of relief.
Although by doing so, the money they could earn from escorting was significantly reduced, likewise, they didn’t have to take any risks.
It wasn’t that Mr. Lu was cowardly or afraid of trouble, but rather, that escort mission from a few years ago had struck him a heavy blow.
He was already of an age well past the impulsive years of youth. Now, with a wife and child, it was better to stay safe.
“In that case, I don’t need to inspect the goods. In one day, the Escort Agency can gather the manpower. Originally, our agency had fifty to sixty people, but now, after handling only minor escorts for several years, we only have about thirty to forty people. How many do you need?” Mr. Lu asked again.
“Twenty people will do,” Ye Jiu said, then asked further, “I wonder if you have horses and carts available for rent? We can rent them from you.”
“We only have three carts. If Miss Ye has more goods, I’m afraid you’ll need to prepare some on your own,” Mr. Lu said with a woeful expression.
In bygone days, their Escort Agency was the most famous in town, boasting ten to twenty carts, but unfortunately, they were gradually sold off over time.
Ye Jiu paused to think, then said, “Okay, since that’s the case, please quickly prepare, Mr. Lu.”
Ye Jiu stayed a while longer, negotiated the escort price and departure time with Mr. Lu, and finalized the escort contract before she left.
Upon leaving the Lu Family Escort Agency, Ye Jiu took out two Pink Pearls from her bosom and handed them to Ye Wenzheng, “You take some time tomorrow to go to the county, find a Jewelry Shop to handle these two pearls, then buy four or five carts. Remember, don’t sell a pearl for less than two thousand two hundred taels.”