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Chapter 25 – Arrangements

  Qin Shuying’s eyes felt a bit sore after Ziteng left. Leaning back into her chair, she closed her eyes and muttered to herself, “Madam Xu, very well…”

  Nanny Fu entered the room and, with her sharp eyes, noticed the unfamiliar handwriting on a piece of paper on the desk. She excimed in surprise, “Is this Ziteng’s handwriting? Even though I’m not well-versed, I can tell it’s beautifully written.”

  Qin Shuying replied, “You’re right, Nanny. Among the girls, Ziteng has read the most books. From now on, she’ll be in charge of the study, art room, and music room.”

  With this, the roles of her three senior maids were clearly defined: Ziteng would oversee music, calligraphy, painting, and chess; Hongjuan would manage clothes and jewelry; Luye would handle meals and sleeping arrangements. Both Hongjuan and Luye would also assist Nanny Fu in managing the storeroom. Meanwhile, Qin Shuying assigned Lanchou to accompany her to the shops and learn bookkeeping. Lanchou, being clever and quick to learn, was shaping up to be an asset to Qin Shuying’s business ventures.

  The day after Madam Xu’s house arrest was lifted, she went to the main residence to pay respects to the Old Madam. The Old Madam maintained her usual demeanor—neither cold nor particurly warm. Second Madam Zhou readily handed back the household management rights to Madam Xu. After all, with her daughter as an imperial consort, even if the Old Madam despised Madam Xu, she had to consider Consort Lian’s standing in the pace.

  When Qin Shuying encountered Madam Xu, she remained polite and composed, leaving no room for fault. She acted as though the sharp, unyielding Qin Shuying from the banquet was but a shadow. Madam Xu, in turn, put on her usual affectionate facade, as though no conflicts had ever occurred.

  Thus, a few days passed peacefully.

  The shops were repainted and reorganized under Mi Luo’s guidance, with new shelves and counters installed, and fresh goods stocked. The newly hired staff underwent training organized by Mi Luo and her husband in preparation for the grand reopening.

  Qin Shuying entrusted everything to Mi Luo, as Mi Luo’s approach to business mirrored Qin Yaoyao’s. Her methods aligned with Qin Shuying’s expectations, and she only needed to provide occasional input. Though Mi Luo initially harbored doubts, her gratitude toward Qin Shuying for buying her family’s freedom ensured her full dedication.

  Training new employees was a practice Qin Yaoyao had learned in her previous life, and it proved invaluable now.

  The rice and medicinal shops were under the stewardship of Manager Jin, while the fabric and sugar businesses were managed by Manager Du. Manager Jin, though not as shrewd in business dealings, was trustworthy and loyal—qualities Qin Shuying valued.

  Manager Du, on the other hand, was busier but had Mi Luo’s assistance to share the burden.

  From halting operations to hiring new staff, the transition wasn’t without challenges. The dismissal of dozens of former employees provoked some troublemakers who attempted to disrupt Qin Shuying’s pns. To handle such incidents, Qin Shuying gave Mi Luo full authority, backing any decisions she made to deal with troublemakers.

  When Madam Xu’s people incited some dismissed workers to cause a scene at the Qin estate, Qin Shuying didn’t hesitate to approach Qin Yongtao for help. Crying pitifully, she said, “Uncle, I would like to borrow your seal to petition the authorities for constables to apprehend these scoundrels!”

  A young, unmarried dy wanting to personally file a wsuit at the county office?

  Qin Yongtao, inwardly cursing Madam Xu for being too hasty, took the opportunity to lecture Qin Shuying. “Shuying, you are a young dy of the inner chambers. How can you stoop to dealing with rogues and scoundrels? Petitioning the authorities? You’ll become the ughingstock of the city! Such rumors would disturb the peace of your deceased parents!”

  Qin Shuying sneered inwardly. Was Qin Yongtao showing his hypocritical face so soon? She refused to believe that an experienced maniputor like Qin Yongtao didn’t understand the weight such words carried for a young dy. Yet, he still said them, intending to shame her into backing down.

  Instead, Qin Shuying raised her head, her eyes wide with feigned innocence. “Uncle, I understand your concerns. You’re worried about public opinion tarnishing my reputation. That’s why you’ll personally step in to deal with those rogues on my behalf! I’m deeply grateful for your help, Uncle!”

  Qin Yongtao barely had time to stop her before Qin Shuying had already knelt down and kowtowed a few times. Rising quickly, she said, "With my parents gone, I’ll have to rely on you, Uncle!"

  Caught between rejecting or agreeing, Qin Yongtao was left speechless. Later, he scolded Madam Xu harshly, but she, though furious, had no choice but to swallow her grievances. In the past, Qin Yaoyao had been molded by Madam Xu to strictly adhere to virtue and prioritize the family's reputation above all else. For Yaoyao, the family name and honor were paramount. Even after discovering Qin Feifei’s affair with Lu Changxuan, she could only choose to cover it up.

  But the current Qin Shuying? She had used this as leverage to corner Qin Yongtao in his own game.

  With her own marriage secured, Madam Xu had to tread carefully due to Qin Yunyun, Consort Lian, and the family’s standing. It was a delicate situation, like a mouse damaging a jade vase—who would bear the cost? Seething with anger, Madam Xu began plotting with Nanny Liu to ensure that this "little wretch" would never rise again.

  Upon hearing that the troublemakers had been dealt with, Qin Shuying didn’t even bat an eye. Now that she had nothing to lose, it was Madam Xu who had every reason to tread carefully.

  Lu Changxuan’s family owned four major shops—grain stores, fabric shops, pharmacies, and sugar businesses—along with several smaller ones. These four businesses brought in 20,000 taels of silver annually and were the backbone of the Lu household’s finances. It was a foundation painstakingly built by Qin Yaoyao through countless efforts.

  Qin Shuying examined the ledgers carefully, one entry at a time, her lips curling into a faint smile.

  "Lu Changxuan, Qin Yaoyao’s bones aren’t even cold, Feng’er’s spirit still wanders in unrest, and you’ve already married a new wife and fathered a son. You truly couldn’t wait!"

  "Miss, everything is ready," said Nanny Fu as she lifted the curtain and entered. Seeing Qin Shuying dressed in a light red gown, like a single red lotus amidst endless green leaves, her eyes lit up. The young dy now radiated vitality and the elegance of youth. Yet, Nanny Fu’s heart dimmed slightly at the thought of the previous incident when Madam Liu was present. Who knew what conclusions she had drawn?

  Hongjuan helped Qin Shuying don a cloak, carefully fastening it, while Ziteng brought a veiled hat, standing silently by.

  This was Qin Shuying’s first outing since her rebirth.

  In this era, the social atmosphere was slightly more open than in the previous dynasty, especially regarding women. Women could show their faces in public and even engage in commerce. Despite this, in a society that revered schors and disdained merchants, noble and prestigious families still looked down on women involved in business. Hence, true dies of the inner court rarely stepped out personally.

  Even though Qin Yaoyao had earned countless silver taels for the Lu family, she was still despised by Lu Changxuan.

  For common folk, it wasn’t a big deal for a woman to go out alone. But for noble families, deep-boudoir dies were akin to caged birds, rarely allowed to leave. Occasionally, with the family elders' permission, outings were acceptable.

  Thus, Qin Shuying had waited. She waited until Qin Yunyun had gone out once and Qin Lulu had gone out once before making her request. Madam Xu had no choice but to agree.

  Qin Shuying brought a rge entourage—Nanny Fu, Hongjuan, Ziteng, Lanchou, several junior maids, and four guards. A group of more than ten people left the Qin residence in a grand procession as she prepared to inspect the shops personally.

  "Madam, Seventh Miss has boarded the carriage," reported Jinhuan to Madam Xu.

  Madam Xu smmed the table, causing her teacup to rattle. "That little wretch! She really thinks she’s something now!"

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