So Much Money
Even Wu Huaisi and Gong Cheng, who had invested the most silver but held the fewest shares, each received 4,500 taels this time, recovering their principal.
Zhao Ruxi counted out the silver notes that Xiao Ge, Zhang Changshen, and Wu Zong were entitled to, put them in an envelope, wrote "profit sharing in ten days" inside, and then had it delivered to Wu Zong.
She sent people directly to Kang Shilin, Wu Huaisi, and Gong Cheng.
When everyone opened the envelope, they were all astonished to see the banknotes and the small note inside.
Zhao Ruxi had already told them about the profits from the metal cabinets. They also knew that Baoning Pavilion's business was booming. They knew the business was profitable, but they didn't expect it to be this profitable—it was practically exorbitant.
Breaking even in ten days, and making a profit—quite a profit at that—is business really that easy?
Gong Cheng was the most honest of the three apprentice brothers. He felt uneasy holding the money. It would be fine if this business only made this one profit. But now there was still a long queue in front of the Baoning Pavilion, which showed that this kind of high-profit money would continue for at least a while.
He went to Wu Zong and said to him, "I can't accept something for nothing. I haven't helped my junior sister with anything, but I've actually received her favor in painting. Now I'm taking so much advantage of her in this deal, I feel uneasy. Please return this money to her. And don't send me any more dividends, just consider it as me withdrawing from the investment."
As he spoke, he placed a silver note containing 1,500 taels of silver in front of Wu Zong.
"Senior brother, I have a question for you," Wu Zong said. "If your junior sister encounters difficulties, will you lend her a hand?"
"Of course," Gong Cheng replied without hesitation. "Not to mention she's our junior sister, so it's only right that we help her. She taught me to paint, so she's practically my mentor. If she encounters difficulties, I'll definitely do my best to help her; I would never be ungrateful."
He pushed the silver note toward Wu Zong: "So, Junior Sister didn't need to use this method to make an exchange at all. What does she take me for?"
"If you receive care and help from others when you are in a cold and vulnerable situation, will you repay them when you become wealthy?" Wu Zong had no choice but to ask in a different way.
"Of course," Gong Cheng said.
"That's exactly how my junior sister feels. When she was first taken in by the Earl of Suiping's Residence, she was bullied by that Lady Wei family member. Later, after finally being reunited with her parents, she became the talk of the town, struggling financially and even facing expulsion from the academy. Master took her in as a disciple, relieving her of her predicament. Although we three senior brothers didn't help her much, our very existence gave her confidence, allowing her to act freely without anyone daring to bully her."
"She was grateful and wanted to repay the favor. This is the same mentality I had when I asked her a question, and your answer was the same. She was sincere, but you refused, took back the principal, and refunded the profits, as if you were eager to sever ties. Wouldn't you hurt your junior sister by doing this?"
He pushed the silver note back. "Senior brother, why don't you accept this money for now? When junior sister is in trouble, help her out; give her some valuable gifts during festivals. Reciprocity is the key to a lasting relationship, and feelings deepen over time."
Gong Cheng thought about it and agreed, nodding and saying, "Junior Brother is right; I was being delusional."
He put away the banknotes, chatted for a few more minutes, then said goodbye and left.
After receiving the silver notes, Wu Huaisi specifically sought out Wu Zong after the morning court session the next day and said to him, "Please pass on a message to my junior sister: I appreciate her kindness. If she encounters any difficulties in the future, she can come to me without hesitation."
Wu Zong Wu Zong was overjoyed and cupped his hands, saying, "On behalf of my junior sister, I thank my senior brother."
He felt that for his junior sister to receive such a word from her senior brother, any sacrifice was worthwhile. How many people in the capital could wave silver notes but still not gain entry to her senior brother's door?
Wu Huaisi smiled and patted Wu Zong on the shoulder, "Third Junior Brother, we've been fellow disciples for twenty years now, haven't we? But I see that your feelings for Junior Sister are deeper than your feelings for us. It hurts me to see you like this."
Wu Zong really wanted to roll his eyes at the sky like his junior sister. But considering that they were in front of the palace and he couldn't be disrespectful, he held back.
He said, "Why is this? Shouldn't you reflect on your actions, Senior Brother? Junior Sister cares about me, her senior brother, and always includes me in good things. And you? You never come here unless you need something! You've failed miserably as a senior brother."
"You little brat, you're really asking for trouble, daring to talk nonsense about your senior brother. It seems you've forgotten how powerful your senior brother is since we haven't trained you in a while," Wu Huaisi threatened, staring at him.
Wu Zong recalled the fear he felt when he first became a disciple as a teenager and was dominated by his senior brother, and couldn't help but laugh, "I'm not afraid of you anymore, senior brother."
The two brothers exchanged a few jokes, and seeing that everyone had almost left, they each boarded their carriages and returned to the yamen.
Inside the main hall, Zhang Changshen did not leave after court. He only said that he had something to report and followed Xiao Ge back to the palace where he usually worked.
"My dear minister, has another major case occurred?" Xiao Ge asked anxiously.
Except for major or important cases, Zhang Changshen rarely came to him on his own initiative to report matters.
Zhang Changshen took out a purse from his pocket and handed it to the eunuch beside him. "This is the dividend for the next ten days. Miss Zhao asked me to give it to you."
"Huh, we're splitting the money already? Haha, good, good." Xiao Ge breathed a sigh of relief and laughed.
After the eunuch checked the purse, he found only silver notes and a note; there was nothing else inside, and neither the notes nor the note were coated with poison. Only then did Xiao Ge take the items and examine them.
Upon seeing the words on the note, even the emperor's eyebrows twitched, and he asked, "So much?" Then he raised another eyebrow, "How is my 30% share calculated?"
"Layperson Zhiwei said that your blacksmiths are also part of the group. They can't take advantage of you for nothing," Zhang Changshen said.
To be honest, when he received the banknotes, he was also taken aback by the enormous profits of this business.
Xiao Ge nodded in satisfaction. "That girl is not bad."
He sighed deeply, "So why do we prioritize agriculture and suppress commerce? It's because trade is too profitable, and we worry that everyone will go into business, leaving fertile land uncultivated. Grain is the foundation of a nation. What use is silver without grain?"
Zhang Changshen nodded in agreement.
"Alright, tell her I've received the money. From now on, if anything good happens, don't just think of Master and your three senior brothers and forget about me, the unranked senior brother who gave her a two-story shop."
Zhang Changshen's lips twitched, but he still bowed and replied, "Yes."
Upon learning that the Emperor was very satisfied with her performance, Zhao Ruxi was relieved.
The second courtyard where the iron cabinets were made was near the shop, and she transferred a manager there to oversee it; there were two shopkeepers at the other end of the shop to assist them, and everything ran smoothly.
With few things to worry about, she didn't devote much attention to the matter, only spending a little time each day listening to Zhou Chun Chun's reports.
With the year-end approaching, judging by the days, Ma Sheng and his men who went south to transport Feicui should be returning by now.