Arranging Her Properties and Hosting Banquets

Zhao Ruxi was leaving Beijing, and she needed to make proper arrangements for all the properties under her name.

For the past six months, she has focused on the imperial examinations, and she hasn't really had to worry about the estates and shops under her name.

When they bought the people, they were very selective, and they spent time and effort training them. They also established a very mature management system. As a result, these businesses have always operated well without any problems, and Zhou Chun has been able to manage them very easily.

However, Zhou Chun was experienced, steady, and capable. This was Zhao Ruxi's first time serving as an official in both her past and present lives, so she definitely needed good helpers. She planned to bring Zhou Chun and Ma Sheng, her two right-hand men, with her. Therefore, the capital was missing a chief steward in charge of the overall situation.

Zhao Ruxi asked Zhou Chun, "Who do you think is suitable to succeed you?"

Zhou Chun thought for a moment and said, "I think both Shao Zhengping and Shi Chao are quite good."

Although Zhao Ruxi has not been involved in management for the past six months, she still reviews the accounts of all the businesses under her name. She is aware of the monthly performance of each store and the achievements of each manager.

The Shao Zhengping that Zhou Chun mentioned originally managed a workshop in the south of the city.

Although Zhao Ruxi handed over the watchmaking and printing press production to Xiao Lingyan, the textile machine, safe, and jewelry workshops remained. Shao Zhengping managed the craftsmen very well; even if something went wrong, he quickly quelled it. He was capable and upright.

Shi Chao was the owner of the safe shop. The safe business catered to wealthy families, requiring people to be adept at social interaction. Shi Chao handled these people very well, his abilities were undeniable. He also had ways of dealing with those who tried to find out the inside story of the safe.

What's most remarkable is that both Shi Chao, the safekeeper, and Jiang Zhenjiang, the jewelry shop owner, usually deal with stewards and managers of high-ranking officials and nobles, and have extensive connections. There are many people in the capital who are more powerful than the Earl of Suiping's Residence, and some of them have extended olive branches to them.

If Shi Chao and Jiang Zhenjiang have ulterior motives, they will inevitably try to use their connections to break away from Zhao Ruxi and climb to a better position.

Therefore, Zhou Chun has been paying close attention to these two people for the past two years, fearing that they might have ulterior motives and cause significant losses to Zhao Ruxi's business.

But whether it was because Zhou Chun was keeping a close eye on them, or because Zhao Ruxi's system had a significant effect— Shi Chao and Jiang Zhenjiang had no access to the core technologies of safe and jewelry design and production, and their deputies and accountants all played a supervisory role over them—or perhaps it was because of Zhao Ruxi's continuously rising status and position. In any case, the two of them never showed any disloyalty.

After hearing Zhou Chun's words, Zhao Ruxi thought for a moment and said, "Then let's choose Shi Chao. Promote his second-in-command to be the head manager of the safe shop."

When the system was still active, she spent some points to inquire about the situation of several managers and stewards under her command. She learned that Shi Chao was not valued under the original owner and was even framed. Now that he could display his talents under her, he was sincerely grateful to her.

Shi Chao once told his wife privately that as long as she didn't abandon their family, he would always be loyal to her.

Furthermore, the safe deposit box market is now saturated, and business is gradually slowing down, leaving Shi Chao essentially idle. Therefore, it would be better to let him take charge of things in the capital. He has more experience dealing with the powerful figures in the capital than Shao Zhengping, and with Zhao Ruxi and Zhou Chun not in the capital, he can handle things there better.

"Alright. Then I'll take him around to all the other shops and estates in the meantime, and explain the situation in each place."

Zhao Ruxi nodded. "Okay."

After thinking for a moment, she added, "Call Shi Chao first; I have something to tell him."

"Yes." Zhou Chun bowed and went out to call someone to bring Shi Chao.

Shi Chao arrived in no time at all.

Zhao Ruxi explained the appointment she had made to him, Shi Chao moved to tears, kneeling down and kowtowing to express his gratitude.

Zhao Ruxi had Zhou Chun help him up, then looked at him and asked, "What do you plan to do after we leave?"

Shi Chao thought Zhao Ruxi was testing his abilities. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I will first audit the accounts of each place to let them know that although the boss is not in the capital, he will not relax his supervision of each place; at the same time, I will frequently patrol and strengthen the management of each place."

Zhao Ruxi smiled and said slowly, "Your approach is not bad, but I require you to do it the other way around."

Shi Chao and Zhou Chun were both taken aback and looked at Zhao Ruxi in confusion. Even Qingfeng, who had been by Zhao Ruxi's side the longest and considered himself to understand the girl's thoughts best, couldn't figure out the reason behind it.

"You mean... we don't check the accounts, and we don't conduct frequent inspections?" Shi Chao asked.

Zhao Ruxi nodded. "Yes."

"Why?" Zhou Chun couldn't help but ask.

"You have to give those with ulterior motives a chance to emerge, so you can get rid of these scum and mud," Zhao Ruxi said. "Otherwise, if anything happens in the future, they'll be the ones stabbing you in the back."

Zhou Chun and Shi Chao's eyes lit up.

"You're brilliant, young lady." Zhou Chun realized she had learned another trick.

He was deeply moved. Indeed, intelligent people are different. Even though the girl was only a teenager, she was far superior to those of them who had lived to be thirty or forty.

"Young lady, you are brilliant." Shi Chao quickly followed suit, too shocked and flustered to think of any new words to express his admiration.

He had always heard Zhou Chun say that the girl was formidable. But he had little opportunity to interact with her, so he didn't really feel anything.

Now that he has just been promoted to be the young lady's housekeeper, he has come to realize how capable she is.

Zhao Ruxi said, "I'm also short on time, so I won't be making any inspections before I leave. Everything in the capital is now in your hands, Steward Shi. If you need anything, just write to me."

"Yes." Shi Chao stepped forward and bowed deeply.

He had never harbored any disloyalty and felt only gratitude towards Zhao Ruxi. Now that he knew how powerful his master was, he was completely submissive and had no other thoughts.

After settling these matters, Zhao Ruxi went to the restaurant.

Today is the day she is hosting a banquet for her male elders.

She booked several private rooms at the most famous Taibai Tower in the capital and invited Kang Shilin, her three senior brothers, Peng Guoan, and Imperial Academy teachers who had instructed Zhao Ruxi at the Beining Women's Academy, and several male elders from her clan. Accompanied by her uncle Zhao Yuanliang and her maternal uncles Zhu Heyu Zhu Hehuai, she toasted each of these teachers at every table to express her gratitude.

The following evening, she hosted a banquet at her home for Grand Princess Shangde, Madam Cui and other female teachers from the Beining Women's Academy, Princess of Zhennan and Xiao Ruotong, the Old Madam Duchess of Wei and several other ladies, female elders from her clan, and Madam Xie, Xu Xue and her daughter, as well as others who had close ties with the Earl of Suiping's Residence or had helped her.