The splendor of the Red Chamber, the power that reigns supreme.

Chapter 77 Calculating Family Assets
Upon hearing this, Ximen Qing simply reached out and lightly patted her delicate, pink cheek twice. The force was neither too strong nor too weak, producing two crisp "slap slap" sounds. The sound was familiar to Jin Lian'er, and her face flushed red instantly, from her ears all the way to her neck.

Instead of the expected large hand, she saw her troublesome master walk out of the house again. Jinlian pouted resentfully, twirled on her toes, swayed her slender waist, and hurriedly grabbed her outer robe, taking small, quick steps to catch up. She called out repeatedly in a sweet voice, "Father, slow down! It's chilly outside, let me put your outer robe on you."

Ximen Daguanren arrived at the front hall.

Yue Niang then lifted the curtain, and Xiao Yu followed her in with a food box.

"My lord is awake," she said softly. "The 1,500 mu of prime paddy fields that Master Zhang gave us as payment for his debt a few days ago have arrived. Several of the head farmers are waiting in front of the hall, wanting to thank you and ask for some instructions. Also, several long-time managers from Master Zhang's silk shop have sent letters, wanting to report on some matters concerning the shop. Would you like to see them today, my lord?"

Upon hearing this, Ximen Qing pondered for a moment, then waved his hand and said, "My lady, you're good at making decisions about the land. Take them to the side hall. According to our old land regulations, you can decide whether to reduce or increase the amount. As for the managers of the silk shop, call them in..."

The hall was filled with the smoke of fine agarwood incense.

Jinlian stood to the side, knowing the occasion, and dared not move or give any signals. She acted like a proper maid, especially by tucking her small feet into her skirt.

The wealthy and powerful Ximen Qing, dressed in a brand-new black robe with subtle floral patterns, sat on a mother-of-pearl inlaid chair in the hall. Below him, Fu Ming, Xu Zhi, and a group of others stood with their hands at their sides, holding their breath and not daring to utter a sound.

Ximen Qing did recognize the silk shop owner.

Taking a sip of the Lu'an tea offered by Jinlian, without even lifting her eyelids, she slowly and deliberately began to speak, her voice not loud:
"Xu Zhi".

"Yes, sir, please give your orders." Xu Zhi was a lean middle-aged man who used to be the old manager of Zhang Dahu's shop. At this moment, he bent his back even lower.

"Now that the shop is in your hands, everything must be done according to your rules. I will not acknowledge any of the old debts that Zhang the landlord owed when he was senile. Let them go and find Zhang the landlord in the underworld." Ximen Qing put down his teacup, and the celadon covered bowl made a crisp "clink" on the table, startling everyone.

"Your Excellency is wise; we will follow your lead without question," Xu Zhi hurriedly replied.

“Mr. Fu!” Ximen Qing turned to the accountant Fu Ming and said.

Fu Ming was a trusted confidant who managed the general accounts. He was meticulous and deeply trusted.

"My lord." Fu Ming bowed.

"You and these men go to the silk shop, tear off the seal, and take inventory of the goods inside. Report back to me. From this day forward, you will also be in charge of the silk shop's accounts, in addition to the herbal medicine shop. You must settle accounts daily. Regardless of the size of the business, all money and goods must be clearly recorded. Every five days, you must personally bring the account book to the house to find me or Auntie."

Ximen Qing's gaze was like a needle fixed on Fu Ming's face. "Don't even think about hiding anything. If there's the slightest mistake, you know what I'm capable of."

These words carried a chill, and Fu Ming felt a coldness run down his spine, repeatedly replying, "Yes, yes, yes."

Ximen Qing then scanned the crowd: "Of all the goods in the shop, the warehouse is the foundation. Who is the warehouse manager?"

"Little...li San is here." Li San, the warehouse manager, was an honest man, and he trembled with fear.

"You must guard the silks and satins in the warehouse, every piece of fabric, in every color and length, like an iron barrel! Check them daily, make a register, and record them. If they are damaged by insects or rats, moldy or discolored, or even a foot or inch short, you will be held responsible! For every piece lost, you must pay double the price. This is an ironclad rule in the Ximen household!" Ximen Qing's voice rose.

Li San's face was pale, and beads of sweat rolled down his temples. He could only nod and agree. "Who's the foreman?"

"This humble servant, Wang Xian, wishes you, Your Excellency, a thousand blessings."

"Wang Xian!" Ximen Qing's gaze fell on the head of the shop assistants. "You're in charge of the shop assistants. From now on, the shop will open at dawn and close at dusk, without the slightest delay. The shop assistants must be quick-witted, sharp-eyed, and articulate. Get rid of those lazy good-for-nothings who just lean against the counter, chattering, and shirking their duties! If anyone neglects a customer or speaks inappropriately, they'll be fined, or worse, fired! In Qinghe County, three-legged toads are hard to find, but two-legged shop assistants are plentiful!"

Wang Xian bowed repeatedly: "Rest assured, sir, I will keep them completely under control and they will not dare to make the slightest mistake!"

Ximen Qing then softened his expression, leaned back slightly, tapped his fingers lightly on the back of the chair, and changed the subject:
"Of course, working for me, Ximen Qing, will not treat you badly. Xu Zhi, you will continue to manage the shop's profits. However, you must report any major transactions to me. The workers' wages will remain unchanged. During holidays and festivals, you will receive generous bonuses."

"Not only that, from this day forward, the silk shop's harvest—" He paused deliberately, noticing that everyone below held their breath, staring at him expectantly. Even a seasoned man like Xu Zhi couldn't help but swallow hard before continuing clearly:

"Two-tenths of the net profit belongs to you!"

Everyone was stunned at first, then overjoyed.

The people below were utterly bewildered! Two percent of the profits?! That was twenty percent pure profit! When Master Zhang was in charge, they toiled themselves to the bone just to make ends meet, and receiving a few coins at the end of the year was considered a stroke of luck. Now, Master Ximen was simply offering to cut off twenty percent of their hard-earned money and distribute it among the managers and employees?!
"Pfft!"

Xu Zhi snapped back to his senses and was the first to slam his knees onto the cold, hard blue brick floor, the sound terrifyingly loud. Immediately afterward, like waves of wheat swaying in the wind, "Thump! Thump! Thump!" all the foremen and shopkeepers present knelt down in unison!
"We...we are willing to serve you, sir, even unto death!!" He was so excited that he was incoherent. Together with the managers and foremen behind him, they kowtowed repeatedly, like pounding garlic, making a declaration of unwavering loyalty to their new master!

Ximen Qing sat upright in his chair, looking at them expressionlessly.

Although the silk shop was a very profitable business, and a top-notch and respectable establishment in Qinghe County, with money flowing in like water, Ximen Qing himself knew the truth perfectly well.

He could navigate his herbal medicine shop with his eyes closed, distinguishing the quality of ginseng and deer antler, and accurately calculating the profits from ointments, pills, and powders. But this newly acquired silk shop was completely unknown to Ximen Qing.

Which of the finest Hangzhou brocade, Huzhou crepe, Shu brocade, and Lu silk should be sourced through which route? Should one seek out established brokers or rely on familiar merchants? Even goods from Suzhou and Hangzhou vary in quality; is the weaving skillful? Are the patterns vibrant? Are the dimensions sufficient? How should the goods be priced upon arrival? How should one source and expedite sales?

Every profession has its own secrets; a slight misstep and you'll be taken advantage of. For this business to get going and make big money, we can't do without these seasoned veterans right now. The right approach is to send a couple of our older colleagues in to learn the ropes once things are stable.

"Alright, get up." He gestured for everyone to stand up, their foreheads bearing red marks, and stood respectfully with their hands at their sides before continuing:
"These two cents aren't free." His tone suddenly turned cold, and his gaze swept over the crowd like ice. "They're to buy your loyalty, your hardworking hands and feet, and your clear, bright eyes!"

“If you work diligently, the profits will only increase. But if—” Ximen Qing’s voice suddenly rose, carrying a cold, metallic edge, “if someone has crooked intentions, embezzles a single penny from the shop, deceives me, Ximen Qing, in the slightest, or is dishonest and hides something under my nose… Hmph!”

"No matter who it is, as long as one of you can produce solid evidence to expose them... their position, their share, their ill-gotten gains... all of it will be yours!"

He chuckled coldly twice, then said nothing more, but those two chuckles were more chilling than any threat. The euphoria that had just risen among the crowd was instantly doused with ice water, sending shivers down their spines and causing cold sweat to break out on their backs. Their hearts, which had been burning with joy just moments before, were now half in the clouds and half sunk into an icy abyss.

"Rest assured, my lord! May we, your servants, be struck by lightning and die a horrible death if we harbor any disloyalty!" Xu Zhi was the first to react, pointing to the heavens and swearing an oath with unwavering resolve. The others, as if waking from a dream, followed suit, swearing oaths as if they wanted to tear their hearts out for Ximen Qing to see.

(End of this chapter)