What Was She Shortest Of?

She was simply curious to know how Zhao Yuanxun planned to handle the situation.

"You don't need to worry about that. Just focus on your studies and drawing." Zhao Yuanxun's answer was the same as any other father's, leaving Zhao Ruxi feeling helpless.

This is treating her like a child.

"You've had a long day, go home and rest early," said Lady Zhu.

After Zhao Ruxi took her leave, she led Qingfeng to Slender Bamboo Courtyard, where they saw Zhao Ruxin standing there with her maid, her back to them, seemingly admiring the lush green bamboo along the courtyard wall.

"Third sister," Zhao Ruxi called out, her heart filled with curiosity.

Zhao Ruxin's aunt was an honest and dutiful woman who rarely went out. Zhao Ruxin herself was also a quiet woman. Because she was engaged and would be getting married soon, she had been busy embroidering her dowry and preparing for the wedding, and rarely even left the courtyard.

She usually eats with her aunt, so she hasn't seen Zhao Ruxi much since she came back.

"Fifth Sister." Zhao Ruxin turned around upon hearing the voice and gave Zhao Ruxi a curtsy.

Zhao Ruxi returned the greeting and invited her in.

After Yicui served tea, the two exchanged a few more pleasantries before Zhao Ruxin said, "I've heard that Fifth Sister's paintings are excellent. I'm currently struggling with what pattern to embroider on my quilt cover. My aunt suggested I come and ask you for advice, so I've come to bother you."

Zhao Ruxi said with difficulty, "Well, I only draw portraits, and those are done with charcoal. I know nothing about flower patterns. To be honest, Third Sister, I've never embroidered flowers before."

Zhao Ruxin exclaimed in surprise, "Really? Didn't Mrs. Madam Xu teach you embroidery when you were in the Xu Family?"

After saying that, she quickly covered her mouth and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up my sister's past. It was just a little strange."

"It's nothing," Zhao Ruxi waved her hand. "My adoptive mother did teach me, but I'm clumsy and couldn't learn it."

When Zhao Ruxin saw that Zhao Ruxi refused outright, she didn't know if she really didn't know or was simply unwilling to teach her. The two of them just couldn't continue their conversation that day.

She exchanged a few more polite words, then stood up to take her leave.

After seeing her off, Zhao Ruxi asked Matron Yuan curiously, "Why did she come? I've never seen her talk to me before."

Matron Yuan was an old servant in the Earl's mansion. Although she didn't like to stir up trouble, she understood the temperaments of the masters in the mansion.

She said, "The Third Miss is fine. Madam has always been good to the children, and even though she is born out of wedlock, she has never mistreated her. It's just that the Third Miss's biological mother, Concubine Meng, has a kind heart and wants to make plans for her."

Seeing Zhao Ruxi's puzzled expression, Dianjiang smiled and explained, "Miss, you don't know, do you? The day Mister Kumu came to take you as his apprentice, quite a few servants were present. Now that word has spread, everyone knows, right? They all say that because of you, the Third Young Master's future is bright. So Concubine Meng invited the Third Miss to get closer to you, probably for future planning. After you're married, you sisters can look after each other."

Upon hearing the words "get married," Zhao Ruxi sighed.

"Young lady, you haven't learned embroidery before?" Matron Yuan asked.

Zhao Ruxi immediately became alert and looked at Matron Yuan, saying, "You know how much homework I have to do at the academy every day. Granny, you can't tell my mother that I should learn embroidery. Who in this world is proficient in everything? I only have so much time; if I also learn embroidery, I'll be exhausted to death."

"Let's not even talk about embroidery, you should at least know a little needlework, right? From now on, you'll be making all of the young master's undergarments," said Matron Yuan disapprovingly.

Zhao Ruxi scoffed, "Then let him marry an embroiderer."

Matron Yuan: "..."

Zhao Ruxi ignored them, took a bath, ground the ink, and began to stare blankly at a piece of paper.

She recently ran a painting training class and collected 36,000 taels of silver. After deducting the tuition fees from her master and senior apprentice who couldn't be spent, she had 27,000 taels of silver left to invest. Tomorrow, her senior apprentice said that she needed to go through the transfer of ownership of the estate, which would cost 12,000 taels. In other words, she still had 15,000 taels left.

This is cash.

Besides, her master had asked her Senior Brother Wu to tell her that the Emperor had given her a shop as a gift, and she had also managed to extort a shop in Jiangnan from Xiao Lingyan. She planned to use these two shops to open a jewelry store, but she couldn't find the Feicui she wanted for the time being. This was a troublesome matter.

Now, she owns a farm and shops, and has no shortage of ways to make money. But because she lacks one thing, her business cannot succeed.

This is manpower.

Suitable manpower.

She needs a shrewd manager, capable assistants, trustworthy people to be sent south to find Feicui mines, and craftsmen to cut and polish Feicui.

Although she could buy people, casting a wide net among various middlemen in the capital, she could always find someone who was roughly suitable.

However, newly acquired personnel often have issues with loyalty and understanding of their abilities, requiring time to cultivate and integrate them.

But what she lacks most right now is time.

She needs to earn enough money within two years to buy a house and land in Jiangnan, and then find a way to move her whole family there.

She wanted to earn more money to help that guy Xiao Ke.

Although she didn't want to deal with him, she couldn't really dump all the burden on him and run away alone. She couldn't be so heartless. While protecting her own and her family's lives, she hoped to help him as much as possible.

Two years is a tight timeframe for her, and an even tighter one for Xiao Ke. He has to plan, he has to mobilize all his resources to prevent the defeat that will occur two years later, and he has to deal with the series of targeting and conspiracies that will follow. And all of this requires money.

She couldn't offer him any political assistance, but she could solve his financial worries in that regard. So she had to make money, a lot of money.

But the problem comes full circle: she can't earn money by herself; she needs help.

She picked up her pen, stared at the blank sheet of paper, but didn't write a single word. Putting it down, she sighed heavily, "Go to sleep!"

She still got up early the next morning to go to the academy.

As soon as she arrived at the academy gate, the gatekeeper said, "Miss Zhao, congratulations! I heard you came in first place in the academy's exam. Madam Cui instructed me to tell you to go directly to her after you arrive at the academy."

"Thank you for your trouble, Granny." Zhao Ruxi took the bundle of snacks from Qingfeng and handed it to the old woman guarding the gate before entering the academy and going to the courtyard where Madam Cui was staying.

Madam Cui was not a particularly warm or friendly person; she was usually aloof and indifferent. But upon seeing Zhao Ruxi, her smile became very warm, "I really didn't expect you to do so well in this exam."