The first time, Qiu Sanniang asked if she believed in fortune telling. If she’d said without hesitation that she believed, there probably wouldn’t have been a second probe. In the carpentry room, when Qiu Sanniang mentioned shipbuilding, if she’d again accepted very joyfully, she wouldn’t have lasted to this third round.
In small matters, willing to listen to others’ opinions, but in major matters, she absolutely had to think things through herself—the more others spoke according to her wishes, the more Qiu Sanniang would reject it. Call it caution, or rather call it Qiu Sanniang’s childhood shadow. After losing her mother at an early age, though her father loved her dearly, there was still Zhang Shi on the side making trouble and watching covetously. Words couldn’t be spoken directly, matters couldn’t be done straightforwardly. The seemingly carefree eldest daughter, in order to protect herself, followed her merchant father traveling everywhere. This unavoidably calculating way of being human, plus this lifestyle of having to scheme everything herself, actually wasn’t what she wanted but rather forced out by the environment.
However, this third time, Mo Zi knew Qiu Sanniang had gotten serious, yet didn’t understand why. Because compared to her previous estimate, Qiu Sanniang’s decision-making was truly quite a bit faster.
On this side, Mo Zi hadn’t thought it through too clearly, while on that side, Qiu Sanniang, because of Wei Sixth Miss making such a scene, with Mo Zi innocently implicated and herself also dragged into the water, had finally thought everything through completely.
In this prince’s mansion, above were the Old Princess Consort and Princess Consort. Usually quite kind to people, they actually each had their methods. After yesterday, she saw more clearly than ever before. A legitimate-born young lady had become a nameless, statusless bed warmer, yet the Old Princess Consort and Princess Consort had not half an objection, ultimately just happily going along with it. That’s right—in any case, it was Wei Sixth Miss insisting on delivering herself to their grandson and son. Add to that the Wei clan’s financial resources could support Xiao Er’s future official career—their benefits were numerous. Where would they truly consider Wei Sixth Miss? If they’d been kind-hearted, no matter how Wei Sixth Miss made a scene, and even if she tried to kill herself in the end—anyway, Xiao Er had already saved her—they should have insisted on sending her back to Luo Zhou, where Wei family elders would naturally persuade her, possibly still finding her a good match. With time, she might stop being foolish. Now instead, Wei Sixth Miss said she didn’t care about status, and they just didn’t give her status.
Looking back at herself, with similar background to Wei Sixth Miss, valued by Wei Qiongyu, becoming Xiao San’s legitimate wife—it turned out to be fortunate. But with the elders looking down on Wei Sixth Miss like this, there was no guarantee they wouldn’t treat her the same way someday. It was conceivable that if Xiao San treated her badly, no one would stand up to speak a fair word for her. Now she was playing nice to the Old Princess Consort and Princess Consort, yet didn’t know the road conditions ahead.
Therefore, she had to plan ahead for a rainy day.
“Regarding Wei Sixth Miss’s matter, what do you think?” Qiu Sanniang suddenly changed the topic.
Mo Zi’s calculations were never hurried. When Qiu Sanniang mentioned Wei Sixth Miss, she spoke about Wei Sixth Miss’s matters.
“Obviously human schemes can’t match heaven’s plans. I’ll speak frankly—don’t be angry when you hear it, Madam. Why didn’t Concubine Wei have Wei Sixth Miss marry Xiao Sanlang? Obviously she feared Xiao San’s evil reputation for divorcing wives might cause her niece to suffer grievance. Being so protective of Wei Sixth Miss, the Wei family’s intentions are self-evident—they definitely want to reach up to form a good marriage alliance. Though now Wei Sixth Miss has become a bed warmer who doesn’t even know if she’ll be a concubine, the Wei family will be disappointed but won’t sever relations. Xiao Er’s future is bright as day—in the future, being enfeoffed as a prince is probably even possible. Since matters are already settled, they can only try hard to twist it in a good direction. Xiao Er currently doesn’t regard Wei Sixth Miss well, but living in one garden compound, what’s lowered cannot avoid what’s raised. People’s hearts are all made of flesh. Moreover, Wei Sixth Miss has flower-like beauty—with time, feelings will develop. With feelings, naturally everything becomes smooth. The Wei family is financially powerful. When Xiao Er’s legitimate wife enters the household, she might also have to rely on her natal family. Elevating the concubine is a matter of sooner or later.” Already nominally Xiao Er’s woman, if Wei Sixth Miss has the ability to make such a scene, naturally she should have the wisdom to achieve the reality of being husband and wife—otherwise wouldn’t it all be pointless fuss? “Isn’t there still Concubine Wei helping Wei Sixth Miss? The Princess Consort already knows yesterday’s words from Concubine Wei were angry talk. Just watch—in the future, Wei Sixth Miss’s biggest help in rising will still be this biological aunt. There’s a saying: fertile water doesn’t flow to outsiders’ fields. The pot’s already broken, might as well smash it completely.”
Qiu Sanniang burst out laughing, thinking that every time testing Mo Zi, there truly wasn’t a time when she disappointed.
“Wei Sixth Miss has a wealthy natal family, has an aunt about to become a secondary consort, but what do I have?” The sense of crisis grew day by day.
“Madam has us several clever maids. In terms of distance, we’re by your side morning to night—we can extinguish any fire.” Mo Zi understood—yesterday’s events had stimulated Qiu Sanniang.
“Well said, especially that I have you, Mo Zi.” Qiu Sanniang specified.
Mo Zi’s eyes widened. “Madam saying this, I’m overwhelmed by the favor.”
“Alright, stop pretending. Let me speak plainly. I plan to properly be a good daughter-in-law and obedient granddaughter-in-law for a while, getting the prince’s mansion top to bottom understood and smoothed out. I might not be able to look after outside matters. Wangqiu Tower has Cen Er, and it’s not a new business—I’m at ease letting it run without supervision. It’s just Hongyu Cove—just thinking of that stretch of wild grass makes me uncomfortable. Ancestral property abandoned means my business won’t flourish. Mo Zi, you take over managing it. I won’t ask about anything, only look at account books. All matters large and small are decided solely by you.” Qiu Sanniang formally proposed giving Hongyu Cove to Mo Zi.
At this moment, it was no longer probing but about to start negotiating conditions.
Mo Zi looked at Qiu Sanniang.
Qiu Sanniang put down her brush, picking up a sheet of paper in each hand. “Following your method—one copy per person.”
New contracts?
“Madam might as well read them to me. Perhaps I’ll want to change something.” Look at this—the timing was just right. Clearly wanting it to death inside, face smiling cheerfully, yet showing not half a sign of it.
With Qiu Sanniang’s tacit permission, at this moment the two were evenly matched, equal in status.
“I’m too lazy to read verbatim, but I can explain the general meaning. Listen well. I’ll give you two thousand taels of silver. How big to build the shipyard, how many people to hire—up to you.” First condition.
“Two thousand taels is a bit little.” Bargaining.
“That’s non-negotiable. You know I’m extremely stingy.” For the sake of saving silver, willing to demean herself.
“But if the silver isn’t enough, nothing can be accomplished.” Continuing to fight for it.
“More silver, do more things. Less silver, do fewer things. I’m not having you build some huge venue. Just take on small jobs, like ferries and pleasure boats and such.” This counted as the second condition.
“Mm.” On this point, their opinions aligned. She hadn’t planned to make the cake big—only wanted to independently do some things she liked doing.
“Regarding Hongyu Cove, I don’t hold hope of making big money. I’ll calculate it for you. One small pleasure boat is around a hundred taels of silver. The lumber alone isn’t cheap, plus the shipwrights’ wages. Taking ten days to half a month to complete, netting twenty to thirty taels would be quite good. Right now, Hongyu Cove has nothing. You’re starting from scratch—building the yard and constructing buildings will take one to two months, finding ways to take on jobs might take another one to two months. No reputation, no good shipwrights, no experience—this year, if you can earn back the capital for me, that would be quite good.” Fundamentally, Qiu Sanniang’s understanding of the ship business was zero.
“Mm.” Of course Mo Zi had to agree with her. Otherwise what, tell her it’s wrong, that money can be made? She herself wasn’t foolish.
“Of course, regarding you, my expectations are always a bit higher. Let’s set a one-year limit. After one year, if there are five thousand taels in the accounts, I’ll give you—the thing you want most.” Understanding degree zero, but money-loving degree one hundred.
“Five thousand taels. Following your calculations, small pleasure boats at around a hundred taels each—I’d have to sell fifty. If one boat takes half a month of labor time, only twenty-four can be built in a year. Add to that what you just said—the first three months probably can’t even start work. How can I calculate this?” Inner thoughts: Fortunately, it’s not requiring net profit.
“That’s right. Others can only build twenty-four, but you, Mo Zi, building fifty isn’t very difficult, right?” Well then, her expectations, her expectations of Mo Zi, exceeded normal people by more than double.
“Hehe, Madam overestimates me. Other things are manageable, but this shipyard—it’s truly difficult. Five thousand taels of silver, I can’t do it.” Actually, it really was quite difficult.
Those assumptions Qiu Sanniang made earlier weren’t without reason. The shipyard’s first three or four months belonged to the preparation period—couldn’t start work at all. Without shipwrights, just having a venue wouldn’t work. If clients wanting to order boats came to look and saw a completely empty place, who would put down a deposit? To find shipwrights required paying money. Scholar, farmer, artisan, merchant—artisans’ status was even higher than merchants’. Some master craftsmen famous throughout the realm were maintained by the court with a thousand gold pieces. Though Mo Zi might match those people, it was hard to clap with one hand alone.
“Mo Zi, I know it’s not easy. If it were easy, I wouldn’t have you do it. You return five thousand taels to me, and I’ll return freedom to you.” To make this clever maid work on difficult tasks, only this method would work.
“Freedom? Madam, even a clever housewife can’t cook without rice. Even if you reduced it by two or three years, I’d still be troubled.” Confirming, confirming.
“You’re called clever—how have you become stupid? Where is this a matter of reducing two or three years? After one year, if there are five thousand taels in the accounts, the contract we originally signed becomes void. You’re no longer my maid. Whether you can’t redeem yourself or I can transfer you—all those worries disappear. Truly and genuinely eliminating slave status, the household registration you receive again—only you can be your own master. I can’t punish you with no food, and others can’t help me discipline you either. How’s that? Have I spoken clearly enough?” Qiu Sanniang understood Mo Zi.
“…” A sigh.
“What are you sighing about?” The shrewd person smiled.
“Madam, what if I can’t produce five thousand taels?” Where was there such a thing with only benefits for her? Might as well finish the conversation.
“You truly like sparring with me. Very simple—if you can’t produce it, we re-sign another one. However, it’s a lifelong death contract. In the future, your marriage will be decided by me. Matched to one of my household servants? Even your sons and daughters become my property.” One-time solution, once and for all.
“…Then can I not be this steward? Just attend Madam, and when the years are up, be released?” Ruthless! It was equivalent to putting all chips on the table—either succeed or die trying. The clever person smiled with gritted teeth and pursed lips.
“No.” Propping up her delicate chin, that bright face was like summer pool ripples. “Also, no borrowing, no transfers—this five thousand taels can only be from shipyard business income.”
Mo Zi looked at those two sheets of white paper with black characters.
Tell me, this handprint—to press, or not to press?