Chapter 754: A Fragrant Heart Guards the Family Business

Love Shenjing, Huarong Lane.

Recently, a single-entry small courtyard in the middle of the lane had just changed its owner, and a young woman moved into her new home with a maid.

This woman was seventeen or eighteen years old, in the prime of her youth, beautiful and charming, with a graceful figure and a seductive air, attracting attention.

Although this woman rarely went out, the neighbors occasionally heard her speaking with a Datong accent, so they thought she had come from Datong from afar.

Anyone who liked to frequent wind-and-moon places knew that Datong women were quite famous, and this new owner was so charming and enchanting, which was probably proof.

Beautiful women easily aroused men's reverie, so various rumors appeared in Huarong Lane.

Some said this woman was a popular singing girl, some said she was a rich merchant's new wife, and others said she was a private concubine kept by a noble.

After this woman moved into the courtyard, a noble young master often visited. Every time he came, he was dressed in bright clothes and riding a horse, followed by arrogant servants, with quite a show.

Among the neighbors, those who walked in the market and were knowledgeable recognized that this person was a young master of the Duke of Qi's prefecture, and he was also an official in the Five Military Governor's Office, with quite a prominent status.

The rumor that this woman was a noble's concubine was thus confirmed.

The few ruffians who originally haunted the streets and alleys were quite covetous of this woman's beauty, but hearing that this beautiful flower had an owner, they immediately retreated three feet and dared not provoke her.

Since ancient times, the people fighting with officials was a dead end, and even ruffians and villains knew this truth, not to mention that this person was from the Duke of Qi's prefecture, so they couldn't provoke her even more.

Fortunately, although this woman was someone else's concubine, her behavior was considered decent. Usually, she didn't step out of the door, and the purchasing of items was all done by the maid.

Occasionally, a relative would visit, who was said to be this woman's older brother, and the nearby neighbors were used to it.

————

This day, the maid received instructions from this woman and was about to go out to buy rouge, when suddenly someone sent a letter to the door.

The maid took the envelope into the room and gave it to her mistress. The woman opened the envelope and looked at it, her expression moving slightly.

She said, "The letter sent by the clothing shop north of the lane. The yellow satin embroidered jacket I made last time, they don't have enough fabric on hand.

They have to wait for new goods to arrive before making it, so they are afraid it will be delayed for three or four days, and they can refund two coins of silver as compensation."

The woman said to the maid again, "Xiao Yun, didn't you say your mother was not in good health last time? You go out to buy rouge today, and by the way, go home to see her.

It can be considered fulfilling your filial piety. Don't rush back. Just go home before dark."

Xiao Yun was happy in her heart and said, "Mistress, I cooked more food in the morning. The evening ones are ready-made. Mistress can eat them after steaming."

The woman smiled and let Xiao Yun go home. As soon as the maid went out, the woman's face straightened, looking at the letter in her hand, her pretty face blushing with a trace of shyness.

She waited in the room for the time it took to eat a meal, and heard a light knock on the courtyard gate. This sound was not very conspicuous, but the woman heard it clearly.

She smiled charmingly, walked out of the room with light steps, took a look through the door crack, and then opened the door with a full face of smiles.

————

She saw Master Duan Ge Chunjiang enter the door with a smile, and he brushed the dust off his clothes, laughing, "You are quite bold, daring to come in broad daylight."

Master Duan Ge Chunjiang laughed, "I already paid attention when I entered the lane. No one saw me enter the door. Hui Niang, why isn't Xiao Yun at home?"

Hui Niang laughed, "I sent her home to see her mother, and she won't be back until dark."

Master Duan Ge Chunjiang laughed meaningfully, "It seems you are also quite bold."

As he spoke, he hugged Hui Niang's slender waist without ceremony, but was slapped by Hui Niang, and she twisted her waist to break free.

She laughed, "You short-lived, black-hearted thing! When you tricked me from Datong to the Love Shenjing, I was very happy for a few days seeing the prosperity and wealth here.

I wanted to be your wife for a few more days, but you, cruel thing, turned around and sent me to Chen Chen Ruichang. You are truly not a thing."

Master Duan Ge Chunjiang laughed, "Chen Chen Ruichang is a noble young master of the Duke of Qi's prefecture, young and rich, with money and power. How could he disgrace you?"

Hui Niang laughed, "His status is indeed noble, and being his concubine can be considered decent."

Hui Niang stole a glance at Master Duan Ge Chunjiang and saw a trace of displeasure on his face when he heard her two sentences.

She felt proud in her heart and said, "But he is just a hairy boy whose hair hasn't even grown out. How can he be as interesting as you, a dead ghost?

You heartless thing, you said you were helping Chen Chen Ruichang arrange a concubine, but you sneaked in when you had time, and you haven't slept with me less.

Chen Chen Ruichang making friends with you is truly bad luck for eight lifetimes.

He is willing to spend silver on me. Just this single-entry house cost more than a thousand taels.

Every month he spends at least a hundred taels on me. Noble children are all big fools."

Master Duan Ge Chunjiang laughed, "A thousand taels of silver is nothing. As long as I accomplish the things in my hands, it doesn't matter how much silver you want."

Hui Niang ridiculed, "You are a grain seller, but your tone is truly big. You don't even put a thousand taels of silver in your eyes. You men just love to brag."

Master Duan Ge Chunjiang laughed and didn't argue. He said, "Women have long hair and short knowledge. You will know whether what I said is true or not in the future.

Did you find out anything about Chen Chen Ruichang from the things I asked you to inquire about?"

Hui Niang raised her willow eyebrows and said, "I thought you, a dead ghost, came to see me specifically, but it turned out to be to inquire about news. You are truly a heartless thing."

Master Duan Ge Chunjiang laughed, "I came to inquire about news, and I also came to see you. You sent Xiao Yun away, so I shouldn't be idle."

As he spoke, he hugged Hui Niang and walked quickly to the inner room. Hui Niang laughed and beat his chest, which was of some use.

Before long, there was entanglement and fighting in the room. Hui Niang's laughter was like a silver bell, a burst of tossing and shouting, someone was panting like an ox, and someone was moaning like an oriole.

————

After a meal's time, the room returned to calm. Hui Niang leaned on Master Duan Ge Chunjiang, her pretty face blushing like clouds, exceptionally charming.

She said lazily, "I have thought about it. Although the Love Shenjing is prosperous, it is not as stable as the old home in Datong.

These noble sons are all fickle, where is there any long-term sentiment? I am not a three-year-old child, so I can't count on this."

Master Duan Ge Chunjiang said, "Since you want to go back, I will take you back together after I finish the big business in my hands. It's no fun to mess around in the Love Shenjing."

Hui Niang laughed, "You can't fool me with these words. If you take me back, I will do whatever you want.

You want to know about Chen Chen Ruichang. I secretly probed according to your method, but he seems very cautious and doesn't mention a word about official business."

"It's just that when he went out this morning, I sent him to the door, and maybe he hasn't been north for a long time, so he told me some words."

Master Duan Ge Chunjiang's eyes lit up and asked, "What did he say?"

Hui Niang said, "He said that last time he passed by Hongshu Collection, he saw an old-fashioned gold jewelry store, and the pure gold phoenix hairpin inside was very exquisite.

It is said that the shopkeeper learned the craft from the Russians in his early years, and the style of the phoenix hairpin is not even available in the Love Shenjing. He also said he would definitely buy it and give it to me when he comes back."

Hearing this, Master Duan Ge Chunjiang's heart beat like a drum, and he felt unspeakable excitement. The name Hongshu Collection seemed to echo in his mind.

According to Hui Niang, Chen Chen Ruichang must have stopped at Hongshu Collection last time, which was also a place where grain was escorted.

Baotunli, Yaoshan Station, and Hongshu Collection—these three places were all places where Da Zhou's military grain route passed.

As long as these three places are connected point by point, one can infer a lot of information one wants to know.

————

Lady Rongguo Prefecture, Lixiang Courtyard.

A stack of account books was piled on the round table in the hall. Xue Pan was flipping through one of them, frowning, his face full of bitterness.

Beside him, a matron in her thirties was explaining the important accounts in the account book to him.

This matron was the account-managing matron of the Xue family's first branch. Her maiden name was Jiang, and she was a widow of a side branch of the Xue family.

Because Matron Jiang was literate, which was rare among women, and she was steady and careful in doing things, and had no heirs, she was highly valued by Lady Xue.

Because of the Feng Yuan case, Xue Pan faked his death to escape and could no longer show his face in Jinling, so Lady Xue took her son and daughter to move to the Love Shenjing.

The Xue family's first branch's business in Jinling, although part of it moved to the Love Shenjing, most of the old shop business still operated in Jinling.

Especially the Xue family's signboard old-fashioned shop, Ziyun Pavilion, and all its businesses still operated in Jinling.

These businesses in Jinling were all managed by some side-branch children of the Xue family or managed by experienced managers in the shops.

These people corresponded with the Love Shenjing every month, reporting the business status of the previous month, so that Lady Xue and Xue Pan could manage the current situation of the Jinling business.

Matron Jiang, who was trusted by Lady Xue, inspected the account books of the shops in Jinling every month and inquired about the business accounts of each shop.

Matron Jiang came to the Love Shenjing once every six months to report the details of the business accounts of each shop in Jinling to Lady Xue and Xue Pan.

Xue Xue Yima would cross-reference the reports from the various shops in Jin Ling with the accounts obtained from Aunt Jiang's daily inspections to identify any oversights in the Jin Ling business.

Xue Xue Baochai's father was an outstanding child of the Xue family, with strategies in his chest, deep and shrewd, and an outstanding business talent.

Lady Xue was just a young lady in the boudoir before she married, and after she married, she learned business methods from her husband. In managing family business, she also had some means.

Her method of managing business in different places was also considered quite meticulous, and it was also considered a feasible means of managing business in different places.

It was just that the two places were separated by thousands of miles. No matter how good the business management method was, it was not as transparent and convenient as being in Jinling City.

Moreover, the method was dead, but the human heart was alive.

For the past few years, the Lady Xue family had been living in the Love Shenjing as guests, and managing the business in Jinling had felt increasingly alienated and difficult.

Although Xue Xue Baochai was outstanding in talent, she was a daughter after all and would eventually marry as a wife. The Xue family business would eventually be inherited by Xue Pan. Although Lady Xue knew this was just forcing a duck onto the shelf, she only had this one good son, but there was no other way.

After Xue Xue Baochai reached the age of fifteen, Lady Xue's mood became increasingly urgent, and she had been urging Xue Pan to familiarize himself with the family business for the past six months.

A few days ago, because Xue Pan was messing around with the Master Duan family grain shop business, he had been hanging out with Master Duan Ge Chunjiang and Chen Chen Ruichang every day.

During this period, they completed the business of Tongwen Hall, and Chen Chen Ruichang happened to go north on official business, so Xue Pan was somewhat left alone.

Just in time, Matron Jiang came from Jinling to report the accounts. Lady Xue naturally locked the doors and windows, grabbed her son to do the hard work, and let him listen to Matron Jiang report the accounts.

It was just that Xue Pan was a lazy and careless playboy, eating, drinking, and playing, wandering around, so how could he do such delicate work as checking accounts?

He only flipped through a few pages of the account book and felt dizzy. After listening to Matron Jiang say a few words about the accounts, he felt his stomach churning and was annoyed to death.

His appearance and state were quite similar to Jia Baoyu studying the Four Books and Five Classics. A pair of cousins were exactly the same kind of straw-bag goods.

————

Xue Pan endured the nausea and listened to Matron Jiang's nagging, and finally couldn't bear it anymore. He dropped the account book and ran into the inner room.

Seeing his mother talking to his sister, he couldn't help complaining, "Why does Mom have to torture your son like this? You know I get a headache when I see account books.

It's my sister who is good at balancing accounts since she was a child. You don't use her, but you want your son, a novice, to handle it. It's really embarrassing me to death."

Xue Xue Yima scolded, "You heartless wretch, your sister is a young woman who will eventually marry, serve her husband, and raise children."

Can she look at account books for you for the rest of her life? The first branch only has you as a man. If you don't do this kind of thing, who will?

This kind of thing starts out unfamiliar. If you do it a few times with patience, you will slowly become proficient. No one is born knowing how to do business. Just show some spirit for me."

Xue Pan shouted, "Mom, your son's head hurts when looking at account books. I want to go and rest for a while. Let my sister help me look at it first.

My sister is smarter than me, better at looking at account books, and knows the twists and turns in business.

I looked at it for a long time and didn't see anything. If I delay the family business, that would be terrible."

Xue Pan muttered, but retreated to the back. Before long, he disappeared without a trace.

Seeing this, Lady Xue couldn't help but sigh. Xue Baochai persuaded, "Brother is willing to stay at home these few days, so he still has the family business in his heart.

Mom shouldn't force him too hard. Brother has always been used to being scattered. Even if he wants to collect his heart, it must be done slowly. How can it be done in one go?

Matron Jiang cannot stay in the Love Shenjing for too long. The business in Jinling still needs her to look after it, so she cannot be delayed for too long.

Let me look at the account books. If I see anything inappropriate, I can discuss it clearly with Matron Jiang.

Afterward, I will explain it to my brother item by item. This can be considered him looking at the account books. After going back and forth a few times, brother will mostly be able to take it to heart."

————

Lady Xue also felt it made sense. She saw her daughter enter the hall and began to carefully flip through the account books. After looking at a few pages, she would ask Matron Jiang.

Some Matron Jiang could answer, but some oddities in the accounts were even unknown to Matron Jiang.

Whenever she encountered such a bottleneck, Xue Baochai would check the related accounts and take out the letters from each shop to cross-check, and could roughly infer the problem.

Seeing her daughter calm and focused, without any impatience, flipping through the accounts, she could see the clues and ask Matron Jiang from time to time.

Lady Xue sighed slightly in her heart. Her husband managed the accounts at home back then, and it was the same demeanor as her daughter.

Her daughter had been taught by her husband since she was a child and had truly inherited her husband's mantle. It was a pity that she was born as a girl.

If her Xue Baochai were a man, she wouldn't need to worry so much.

Lady Xue entered and exited the hall several times. Until the sun began to set, she saw her daughter had looked at most of the account books and didn't seem to have much fatigue.

Matron Jiang's face was somewhat blue, as if she was exhausted. She had been asked too many questions about the accounts by Xue Baochai and had to rack her brains to answer.

It was just that she only managed the inspection of account books daily, and she didn't know the details of the daily business of each shop in Jinling, and she had been asked by her own young lady several times.

Xue Baochai sent Matron Jiang to rest, then stood up, wanted to stretch her waist, but felt it was somewhat indecent, so she just reached out and hammered her slender waist a few times.

She said, "Mom, I have looked at most of the account books. Tomorrow I will spend another half a day, and I will be able to finish looking at everything inside and out."

————

Lady Xue asked, "I saw you ask Matron Jiang many things just now. Is there a problem with the accounts in Jinling?"

Xue Baochai frowned slightly, shook her head and said, "I can't see big problems in the accounts, but I have read the letters from each shop in Jinling every month in detail.

I have some bottom line for the profit of each shop.

Mom also knows very well that the family business these years is far worse than when Father was alive.

Since Father passed away, the Zhen family in Jinling has exerted strength in the business market and earned the reputation of "Zhen Half City," which has put a lot of pressure on the Xue family's business.

Since our family moved to the Love Shenjing, the management and care of the family business have been less convenient than in Jinling, and the family business has fallen another level.

But this year the Zhen family was convicted and their homes were raided. All their shop businesses in Jinling were confiscated by the government, and even the third daughter of the Zhen family is missing.

The Zhen family's business failed, leaving a lot of room in the Jinling business market. Two months ago, Mom told me that this was the right time and there was profit to be made.

Mom also replied to each shop in Jinling, asking them to hoard goods in time and try to occupy the vacancy left by the Zhen family's home raid.

I have carefully calculated the business of each shop. The profit of these two months should be more than 30% better than at the beginning of the year. If this continues, the Xue family business will mostly be able to restore its old appearance.

But I checked the accounts today. Although the business of each shop is much better, the profit has only increased by 20% compared to the beginning of the year, and there is still a slight lack, which is somewhat different from the original expectation.

Just now I asked Matron Jiang many things, but she only inspects account books daily, and she doesn't know the daily buying and selling of each shop too well.

But looking at the front and back accounts, I can roughly infer the reason.

The managers of each shop in Jinling are all old hands, but the purchase price of many goods has not been pressed to the bottom, and all kinds of losses are slightly more than in previous years.

And the selling price of goods is somewhat low. All these months, the business of each shop is booming, but the profit of silver flow is not as high as expected.

I roughly inferred these things. Because I haven't been in Jinling for many years, I don't know the market price there too well."

Lady Xue felt uneasy in her heart and said, "The managers of each shop in Jinling are all old people, and they were all cultivated by your father with his own hands.

Even if they hold important positions in each shop, they are all children of side branches in the family. Many of them were watched by me since they were young.

These people are experienced people in the business field. Logically, they shouldn't make mistakes in price stability. Now it is also the decline of the world, and everyone has become lazy."

Xue Baochai sighed, "Although each shop in Jinling uses old people in the family, after Father passed away, the family's prestige has weakened.

We have moved to the Love Shenjing for many years, and the managers and assistants in each shop in Jinling have naturally lost their scruples over time.

The easiest thing to change in this world is the human heart. These people are lazy in daily business, so there is nothing strange.

I am worried that it is just laziness now. In a few years, it will be inevitable that greed and corruption will arise. By then, the business in Jinling will be even more difficult."

Lady Xue sighed, "Your brother committed the murder case of Feng Yuan. The tricks Jia Yucun did back then allowed him to fake his death and escape, which involved a lot.

"Although Feng Yuan is dead, he has many kinsmen in the Feng clan. If your brother returns to Jin Ling, he will surely be reported, and even Jia Yu Cun will be implicated."

"The risks involved are too great, so he absolutely cannot return. Besides, even if your brother returned to Jin Ling, he wouldn't be able to handle major matters."

Xue Xue Yima glanced at her daughter and sighed inwardly. Her daughter would be capable of handling things in Jin Ling, but there was someone she couldn't let go of in her heart, so she was mostly unwilling to return.

Besides, a young lady managing business is not a long-term solution after all.

————

Xue Baochai said, "Mother, a few days ago I received a letter from Sister Baoqin. She said that Second Uncle returned to Jin Ling from the Love Shenjing, but went on a long journey again not long after."

Because Second Aunt has been in poor health for the past two years, Brother Ke and Sister Baoqin did not go out with Second Uncle this time; both remained in Jin Ling to attend to their parents.

Brother Ke is quite talented, honest and kind, diligent in his work, and has traveled north and south with Second Uncle since he was a child, so he has more experience than the average person.

Mother might as well write a letter to Second Aunt, asking Brother Ke to help look after the Jin Ling business. He is your own nephew, and you can trust him."

Xue Xue Yima said, "That is indeed an idea. Although Ke'er is a bit young and his experience cannot compare to the old shopkeepers, I am at ease with his character and work ethic."

"I will write the letter later and have Aunt Jiang take it back to Jin Ling. In any case, it's better to have another pair of eyes watching the business."

"Actually, I have pondered this for a long time. Second Uncle's family is all in Jin Ling. Originally, having Second Uncle help manage the business would have been the most appropriate thing."

"When Second Uncle was young, he was taught hand-in-hand by your father. Over these years, he has traveled north and south and is very knowledgeable."

"As long as he is willing to manage the first branch's business, it would be enough to keep those old retainers in the household submissive. Even if the first branch's business profits were shared with the second branch, I would be willing."

"It is just that Second Uncle's whereabouts are uncertain; he is rarely in Jin Ling for more than a few days a year. Even if I have this intention, it is very difficult to make use of him."

"Second Uncle is also over forty. Having traveled east and west all these years, he has also built up a considerable family fortune, enough for his son and daughter to live on for a lifetime."

"He should have lived a peaceful life in Jin Ling long ago. To still be rushing about outside year after year, I don't know what he is hoping for."

Xue Baochai said, "Since Mother has this intention, it is a good thing, but there is no need to be too anxious."

"Sister Baoqin will reach the age of fifteen next year. She and the son of the Hanlin Mei family are already betrothed. At the earliest, by the beginning of winter next year, or at the latest, by the spring of the year after, she will likely be sent to the capital to be married."

"Second Uncle will surely come over as well. When the time comes, Mother and Second Uncle can discuss this matter thoroughly, and you will surely be able to get your wish..." (End of chapter)