Why?

In the original novel Jia Zejun, the heir of the Heir of the Earl of Zhongqin, is a notorious playboy with homosexual tendencies who has never served in the army and has accomplished nothing. But now Zhao Ruxi thinks that this might be a facade to cover up the fact that he is making money for the Third Prince.

While the business of the Earl of Zhongqin's Residence was ostensibly run by the Wife of the Earl of Zhongqin, it was actually managed entirely by Jia Zejun.

If her analysis holds true, then even setting aside the old grudges between the original owner and Jia Zejun, Zhao Ruxi, having to stand on Xiao Lingyan's side, still has a natural adversarial relationship with the Earl of Zhongqin's Residence in business.

The Earl of Zhongqin's Residence is now trying to force Ge Wu back using underhanded means, and the silver shop must be in dire need of a master craftsman.

Rivals are enemies in the same trade. Even if Zhao Ruxi doesn't offend them now because of Ge Wu, she'll still have to compete with the Earl of Zhongqin's Residence once her jewelry business flourishes. So it's better to snatch Ge Wu away now.

"I'll give you a guaranteed minimum salary of twenty taels of silver per month, plus a commission of three qian of silver for each piece of jewelry. I'd like you to be the head craftsman at my newly opened jewelry shop. I wonder if Master Ge would be willing to accept this offer?" she asked.

The salary she offered was the same as that offered to the head chef at Gathered Treasures Studio, Gathered Treasures Studio in turn offered the highest salaries among all jewelry stores.

Ge Wu had looked up when she said the first sentence, but now, upon hearing this, he stared blankly at Zhao Ruxi, seemingly stunned.

Ge's wife grew anxious and replied, "Yes, we are willing!" As she spoke, she nudged her husband, tears of joy streaming down her face, "Say something!"

Ge Wu stammered, "But... but if you do that, you'll offend the Earl of Zhongqin's Residence."

Zhao Ruxi smiled dismissively, "I'm really not afraid of them."

Ge Wu burst into tears. He knelt on the ground and kowtowed several times to Zhao Ruxi, saying, "Thank you, boss. Thank you, boss."

Ge's wife also kowtowed.

Zhao Ruxi sighed softly, "Get up."

Qingfeng and Dianjiang quickly stepped forward to help Ge's wife.

"Pack your things and come with me now," Zhao Ruxi said. "My carriage bears the insignia of the Marquis of Zhongqin. If the Earl of Zhongqin's Residence sets his sights on you, someone will likely report to the Heir of the Earl of Zhongqin immediately. If they forcibly take you away, I won't be able to get you back from them."

"Yes, I'll go right away. I'll go right away." Before her husband could speak, Ge's wife hurriedly turned around and went out to pack her things.

Ge Wu was also nervous after hearing Zhao Ruxi's words. He cupped his hands to Zhao Ruxi and said, "Please sit for a moment, sir. I'll call the child back." He was worried that the Earl of Zhongqin's Residence would get the news and kidnap his child.

Zhao Ruxi said to Broker Zheng, "I'll have to trouble Broker Zheng to hire a carriage."

"Yes." Broker Zheng knew more about the powerful families in the capital than Ge Wu. Seeing that Zhao Ruxi dared to stand up to the Earl of Zhongqin's Residence, he became even more afraid of Zhao Ruxi's background. After saying goodbye to Zhao Ruxi, he quickly ran out to find a carriage, his attitude even more attentive than before.

Broker Zheng brought over a mule cart, and Ge Wu and his wife quickly packed their luggage.

The couple locked the door, led their two children, and followed Zhao Ruxi out of the alley with bags and bundles, getting onto the mule cart.

"Broker Zheng, I'm afraid I won't have time to come to the north of the city again this afternoon. This is Ge Wu's middleman's fee; please keep it safe. Go home and rest. We'll meet at our usual place around noon and then visit the others."

"No, no, no," Broker Zheng waved his hands repeatedly. "I didn't find out enough about Ge Wu's situation, and I almost caused trouble for Layperson Zhiwei. I feel so guilty, how could I possibly ask for your middleman fee again? Rest assured, Master, I will definitely find out more thoroughly next time, and I won't make the same mistake again."

"It's not your fault," Zhao Ruxi said. "The Earl of Zhongqin's Residence is afraid of a bad reputation, so they've definitely kept this matter secret. It's normal that you couldn't find out. You can keep the money. Otherwise, I'll be embarrassed to trouble you any further."

Broker Zheng then accepted the brokerage fee handed over by Qingfeng, bowed respectfully to Zhao Ruxi to express his gratitude, and then took his leave.

Zhao Ruxi took Ge Wu's family directly to the house she had bought in the south of the city.

"This courtyard is for your family to live in. There's a well in the house, and the kitchen is fully equipped. There are also vegetables growing in the back garden. I'll have someone buy some rice, flour, and seasonings this afternoon, so please don't go out for the time being. Also, I'll have someone pass on a message to Master Wang from the Ministry of Ministry of Works, so they won't worry," Zhao Ruxi explained in detail.

"Thank you, sir." Ge Wu's family wanted to kowtow again, but Qingfeng stopped them.

Over the next few days, Zhao Ruxi visited each craftsman recommended by the Ministry of Works, those recommended by middlemen, and those recommended by the craftsmen themselves, verifying their skills. In the end, she selected about twenty people.

These people were not only jade carvers, but also carpenters and blacksmiths. She settled them in the three houses she had bought.

She hadn't originally planned to make printing machines, so she intended to use her house in Beining as staff dormitories. Now, with three projects underway, her house in Beining has been requisitioned.

Therefore, she had another wall built to separate a courtyard from the house, so that she could use it as a place to rest.

"Miss, I've never understood why you don't put other craftsmen of your kind in the same house?" Qingfeng was puzzled by Zhao Ruxi's actions.

In her view, since the houses in the south of the city were used as jade carving workshops, all the jade carvers should be housed there. The blacksmiths should be in the houses in the west of the city, and the carpenters in the houses in Beining. That would be reasonable.

But Zhao Ruxi did something else. She divided the twelve carpenters into three groups: four in the south of the city, four in the west, and four in Beining. The jade carver and the carpenter were in the same situation.

Wouldn't this create chaos? How can it be managed?

"Look at the workshops of Gathered Treasures Studio, aren't gemstone processing, gemstone setting, and jade processing separated into different workshops? My way of dividing them isn't wrong, is it?" Zhao Ruxi said with a smile.

"Oh." Qingfeng nodded, but still felt that something was off.

In the jewelry workshop of Gathered Treasures Studio, because of the different raw materials and techniques used, gemstone processing, gemstone setting, and jade processing are indeed separate and not in the same workshop. But they are all in one big house, just divided into different courtyards or different rooms.

But these three processing methods for the girl not only separated her from the city, but also from the county town and the capital, which she really couldn't understand.

Seeing that Qingfeng didn't ask any more questions, Dianjiang blinked her big eyes, her face full of doubt, but she didn't ask. Zhao Ruxi smiled with satisfaction and turned to look out the car window.

Outside the carriage window, Gao Weiqiang rode alongside the carriage on horseback, looking more forlorn than ever before.