Chapter 164 Fight back
Children born in the family are slaves. Often, when slaves manage shops outside, some picky people will not buy it. After all, birth determines life and death. No matter how capable a slave is, he is inferior to a good person.
Those who sign long-term contracts are of good status.
Their descendants will also be of good status, and their basic lives will not be disturbed.
They also enjoy all the benefits and conditions that people of good status should have.
The constraints and rules that people who signed long-term indentures were subject to were actually not much different from those of slaves.
Therefore, due to household registration issues, many people are still more willing to use someone who has signed a long-term contract to manage their property.
Song Qingci chuckled and chose to ignore the question of whether he was a servant or not. She said to Shopkeeper Li, "I don't mean anything else. I'm just worried that Shopkeeper Li is old and can't handle it. So I want to find someone to help you share the hardship. I mean well, Shopkeeper Li, please don't misunderstand me!"
"Young Madam, are you trying to get rid of me?!" Shopkeeper Li has also been working outside for more than ten years.
How could he not hear the hidden meaning of the new head of the family? Moreover, she spoke so frankly and didn't try to hide anything at all.
This means they want to replace him as the shopkeeper!
Everyone says that a new official will start with three big things. Manager Li never thought that the first big thing he did would be his own.
Doesn't this young lady know that the Moon-Viewing Tower she manages is one of the most profitable industries in the General's Mansion?!
If the fire falls on his head, isn’t he afraid of getting into trouble?!
"Shopkeeper Li, don't be so harsh. You've worked so hard for so many years. Now is the perfect time to take a break and enjoy your grandchildren and live out your days. I'm doing this for your own good!" Song Qingci just wanted to replace him.
She had wanted to do this ever since she saw the account books of Moon Viewing Tower.
Moreover, during this meeting, she had no favorable impression on Li Cai. She thought that she could control the General's Mansion just because she controlled the Moon Viewing Tower? She was too naive.
Song Qingci once again complained about her mother-in-law in her heart, saying that the household was a mess. Not only was the house in a mess, but the shops outside were also equally messy.
Now you have to take care of all the follow-up yourself.
Why would she stay with someone who made her uncomfortable? She didn't have a masochistic tendency.
Shopkeeper Li was so angry that he snorted coldly, "I hope the young lady won't regret it!" After saying that, he flicked his sleeves and walked out of the meeting room without even looking back.
Song Qingci still sat in the main seat as steady as a rock. There was no trace of anxiety on his face. He did not even try to persuade them to stay.
Instead, he picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea.
"Madam, isn't it inappropriate for you to do this?" Shopkeeper He stood up and spoke for Shopkeeper Li, "Shopkeeper Li has spent a lot of effort on the Moon Viewing Tower. Shopkeeper Li has made an indelible contribution to the Moon Viewing Tower becoming one of the three major restaurants in Beijing."
"And then?!" Song Qingci put down the teacup and looked at Shopkeeper He.
This question left Shopkeeper He at a loss as to what to do next.
Why doesn't this young lady play by the rules?
"According to Manager He, anyone who has made contributions to the General's Mansion can turn their backs on me, the head of the General's Mansion?!" He didn't say anything, so Song Qingci spoke for him.
After she finished speaking, she looked at Shopkeeper He steadily.
This made Manager He's face turn red. He just wanted to say something fair, but he didn't expect to be retorted.
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"Well, it's all a misunderstanding! Misunderstanding! Shopkeeper He didn't mean that. The young lady is overthinking it." Shopkeeper Qian stood up with a smile, helping Shopkeeper He out of the predicament and also easing the atmosphere at the same time.
The other managers also smiled and said it was a misunderstanding.
In such an atmosphere, Shopkeeper He's expression finally returned to normal.
He did not say anything else, but sat back in his seat, picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea, suppressing the anger in his heart.
Seeing that everyone had returned to their seats and no one was talking nonsense, Song Qingci winked at Yin Xing.
Yin Xing received the young lady's order and shouted to the outside, "Bring everything in."
After he finished speaking, several maids came in one after another, each holding a tray.
They respectfully placed the tray next to the table where Song Qingci sat as the host, and then left.
No one spoke during the whole process, and everything was very orderly.
After all the maids left, Song Qingci picked up the account book closest to him and said, "This is the account book submitted by Langyue Bookstore for the first quarter."
As he spoke, Song Qingci looked at Shopkeeper Liu who was sitting below.
When Liu Zhipeng heard the name of Langyue Bookstore, he sat up straight and looked at Song Qingci.
I don’t know what will come out of this young lady’s mouth next.
"Manager Liu, can you explain why Langyue Bookstore not only did not make a profit in the first quarter, but instead lost nearly fifty taels of silver?"
"It's like this, Madam. This bookstore itself is not a profitable business. This Langyue Bookstore was originally opened just to meet the needs of the masters in the general's mansion. It is normal that it is not profitable in the first quarter."
"In the first quarter, there is a big festival like the New Year. Even the imperial court has stopped writing, and the people are naturally the same. There are fewer people reading and writing, so the bookstore's business will naturally be worse."
"However, Madam, rest assured, there are four quarters in the whole year. If you average it out, Langyue Bookstore will still be profitable overall."
Shopkeeper Liu had obviously said this many times before. He spoke fluently without any stuttering.
"Then according to Manager Liu, any bookstore will not make money in the first quarter of the year, is that right?" Song Qingci did not directly refute Manager Liu's remarks, but asked him back.
When asked this question, Liu Zhipeng instantly had a bad feeling. However, the accounts of Langyue Bookstore have been almost the same for so many years. The eldest lady had asked this question before, and he used the same excuse.
After hearing this, the eldest lady did not ask any more questions. But this young lady did not seem to be as easy to fool as the eldest lady.
"Manager Liu, why are you silent? Is it because I said something wrong?" Song Qingci looked at him, not giving him any chance to make jokes.
"What the young lady said is true. This bookstore business is like this. It is different from the restaurant business." Manager Liu could only nod in agreement. He did not forget to mention the restaurant business at the end.
After listening to this, Song Qingci did not refute, but directly picked up another piece of densely written paper from the same tray.
She handed the paper to Yinxing, who then showed it to Liu Zhipeng.
Then he said slowly, "But, as far as I know, Qingsong Bookstore not only made a profit in the first quarter, but also made a lot of money. Shopkeeper Liu, please take a look. Is what is written on the paper correct?"
The paper that Song Qingci showed Liu Zhipeng was not the account book of Qingsong Bookstore. If Song Qingci really wanted to see that kind of thing, he could get it to see it, but there was no need to do so.
When doing business, you must abide by the ethics of business.
Written on the paper were records of some couplets and calligraphy that some wealthy families had ordered from Qingsong Bookstore during the New Year.
These are not secrets. Purchasing personnel from wealthy families basically know each other, and you can find out by asking around.
This thing does not involve any confidentiality. If you have good stuff, you can recommend it to each other, which will also give you some face.
If you really need something in the future, it will be easier to ask for it, right?
Song Qingci did not write about many families. All the families listed on the paper were families with similar status to the general's mansion.
Not every family has a bookstore in their business, and most families need to buy things outside.
Liu Zhipeng took the paper handed to him by Yinxing, and the more he looked at it, the colder his heart became.
Before I knew it, sweat started to form on my forehead.
"Manager Liu, does our Langyue Bookstore not sell couplets or bookcases? Or does it sell nothing at all?!" Song Qingci was still smiling when he spoke, but that smile did not reach his eyes at all.
Liu Zhipeng shuddered at the sight. This smile frightened him more than a vicious glare.
"Young Madam, I..." Liu Zhipeng felt that he could not utter a word now.
After struggling for a long time, Liu Zhipeng finally managed to force out a few words, "Madam, this account book is real, I didn't falsify the accounts."