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Hearing footsteps outside, Feng immediately gathered up the needlework on the table, stood up, poured warm water into the cup, and threw a handkerchief in it. When the person entered, she considerately handed it over and said softly, "My husband, you have worked hard. Did your trip go well?"

Shi Yifei looked at his wife's concerned expression and couldn't help but feel even more troubled. He took the handkerchief and wiped it over and over for a long time before saying, "Nothing is wrong. It's just that Miss Qiu wants you to go out and do something as well."

Honestly, Shi Yifei was still a little confused. He had come to serve, but who could have imagined that the other party would say such a thing? Asking his wife to go out and work as well, it didn't seem right no matter how you thought about it.

Feng was also a little surprised, but she didn't express her opinion immediately. Instead, she sat down at the table with her husband and said thoughtfully, "Are you planning to live in Dongning permanently?"

Shi Yifei also recovered and nodded. "Miss Qiu promised me the position of supervisor, with full authority over the Minsheng Bank in Dongning and even other prefectures to prevent scoundrels from abusing their power and harming the people. I'm quite tempted by this assignment, and with Danhui here, I can give it a free hand. But that lady has a wild idea, and she wants to allow women to serve in government as well..."

Hearing her husband's nagging complaints, Feng thought for a moment and then said slowly, "Maybe Miss Qiu is not fanciful, but as a woman, there are some things that are not convenient for men to do."

Shi Yifei was startled, but nodded: "That makes sense. I had forgotten that she is a boudoir girl."

Although she was dressed in a damask dress and had a beautiful face, Shi Yifei had forgotten she was a woman as they chatted. It was her frank demeanor, clear mind, and the complacency of a superior that downplayed her female identity. Now that he thought about it, no matter how strong she was, she was still a young woman, and there were always things she couldn't tell a man.

However, when he thought of this, he became troubled again. "That being said, isn't it a bit inappropriate to ask you to go out and do things? Not to mention showing up in public, just taking care of all those chores is a lot of work. Is that something a housewife like you can do?"

Feng was silent for a little longer this time, and after a long while she said, "If my husband is really interested in working in Dongning, I should indeed get closer to Miss Qiu, and it wouldn't be a problem for me to go out and do things."

Shi Yifei understood immediately. In fact, he had encountered similar situations when he was in office. Many things that were difficult to discuss openly were put aside during the ladies' gatherings, garden outings, and banquets. This was a way to get a feel for what was going on and discuss things privately without hurting their reputation. However, he had always disliked these petty and frivolous things, so he was reluctant to let his wife participate in such social activities.

However, this is a different time now. His immediate superior is a woman. If his wife could make some friends with her, it wouldn't be a bad idea. It would actually make things much easier.

Seeing him pondering in silence, Feng continued, "I've been making inquiries these past few days. As long as I work in Dongning, I won't have to worry about food, and I'll have clothes for all seasons. Chong'er will be old enough to go to school, so I can send him to the town school. There aren't many things I need to take care of at home. Instead of sitting idle at home, I'd rather go out and do something to help my husband."

These words were so thoughtful that Shi Yifei couldn't help but feel touched. He gently stroked his wife's hand and said, "I've made you suffer a lot all the way south. Now you have to go out to work again. I am really ashamed..."

Feng smiled and shook his hand back. "I am fortunate to be married to a man as upright as you. We are one, so why should we do this?"

Feeling the calloused hand in his palm, which was no longer soft, Shi Yifei sighed, "I've wasted years, and now I'm in middle age, I'm finally in this situation. From now on, I will definitely make sure you have enough food and clothing. As for Miss Qiu, you only need to deal with her once or twice. If you feel something is wrong, just refuse. Don't worry about it."

Feng smiled and nodded, making Shi Yifei feel that with such a wife, he could ask for nothing more. The discomfort in his heart also dissipated completely. After the meal was ready, he quickly ate it and went to look for Tian Yu.

After washing the dishes, Feng sat quietly in the room for a long time before changing into a clean and tidy new set of clothes and leaving the room.

…

"I didn't expect Madam Feng to come looking for me so soon. Have you made up your mind?"

Looking at the young woman in front of her who was smiling and asking questions, Feng Shi didn't relax at all. Instead, she became more cautious. "The gang leader's invitation makes me feel very uneasy. I consider myself living in the inner chambers and have never been known for my talent. I can only pick up a pen and write a few words. It is really difficult for me to take on such a heavy responsibility."

Looking at the woman sitting in front of him, Cheng Xi said seriously, "I heard that Madam comes from a noble family and has been well-versed in classics and history since childhood."

Feng Shi didn't show any surprise. If she didn't know her background, this woman who led a large gang wouldn't have rashly asked her out. She simply said honestly, "I have read a little, but I only learned some ways to manage a household."

"Managing a household also has different levels of importance. If Mr. Shi gets promoted, it would be normal for him to keep slaves and maids at home and to interact with people. Since Madam was born in a family of officials, I think she has learned it. These methods of managing people and affairs are exactly what I urgently need now, so I asked Madam to come out of retirement." Cheng Xi said with a smile.

In ancient times, managing a large family was probably no easier than managing a business. Therefore, all daughters of officials had to learn how to manage a household. The so-called "managing the household" was just that. She had no interest in locking these educated women at home; she had to pry some of them out at least.

Feng pursed her lips. Although she had never put these things to use, she had indeed learned them. But would these things, learned to revive the family, really be useful?

Her mind was full of thoughts and she was also quite flustered. However, after a long while, Feng said, "If the gang leader doesn't think I'm rude, I can certainly do some work. I just don't know what to do."

In fact, when this woman appeared in front of him in person instead of asking her husband to decline on her behalf, Cheng Xi knew the answer she would choose. At this moment, the smile on her face deepened a little: "If Madam is good at numbers, you can go to the bank to work as an accountant and manage the accounts. Nowadays, all the accountants in the bank are women, and there are quite a few of them. I think she will be able to fit in quickly."

Although somewhat surprised, Feng immediately shook her head: "I heard that my husband wants to supervise the bank. How can I go there to take up the job?"

Being able to answer so quickly proved that she was a person with clear logic and a clear mind. Cheng Xi nodded thoughtfully: "That's right, why not go to the porcelain workshop to manage it? I'm planning to build a porcelain kiln recently, specializing in painting Western-style patterns. I plan to hire a woman to paint the porcelain, so I need someone to take care of it. Madam, can you draw? If you have some basic skills, it will be easier."

Of course Feng could paint, and she was quite good at painting flower and bird patterns. When she was still in the boudoir, the embroidery she made was praised by everyone. Later, after she got married, she stopped making those complicated things. Now, when she suddenly heard this question, she felt a little dazed.

However, she quickly came to her senses and whispered, "I've never managed anyone before, so how can I be the manager of a workshop? If I just stay by the boss's side and do some copying and scribbling, I'm not sure."

This was her true feelings, and also her initial thoughts when she arrived. The gang leader certainly needed a woman who was well-versed in literature and writing. Although it would be a bit of a publicity stunt, she was willing to give it a try. But who could have imagined that this person would give her such important responsibilities as accountant and manager right from the start, leaving her feeling lost and panicked.

"If it's just writing and copying, just find someone who can read. You are educated, know how to rule your subordinates, and can also paint and write. How can you waste these talents?" The other party herself may not have noticed, but Cheng Xi noticed that she had changed her self-proclaimed name from "concubine" to "I". The subtlety is self-evident.

Feng couldn't help herself and raised her head in surprise, then, as if startled by the determination in his eyes, she lowered it again. With her hands on her knees, she suppressed the urge to grab and said slowly, "The gang leader thinks too highly of me. This kind of practical work still needs someone with experience to do it."

"If you have no experience, go and learn. Those scholars have been buried in their desks for more than ten years, doing nothing and not knowing the difference between grains. They can only recite a few lines of poetry. But once they pass the imperial examination, people will still entrust them with the affairs of the state and county, and thousands of people will depend on them. What experience do these people have? They even dare to be officials. What can you do if you just manage a workshop?" Cheng Xi said casually.

The words were so easy, so shocking, that Feng raised her head again. However, the person before her made her swallow all her words back. She was also facing a woman, a remarkable woman who had once lived in seclusion, but after her family was broken up, she had raised a powerful army, roamed the seas, and remained invincible. Perhaps in her eyes, there was nothing a man could do that a woman couldn't.

Somehow, Feng suddenly felt her heartbeat quicken, her arms tremble, and something seemed to be stuck in her throat. She recalled the history books she had read in her childhood. Her father, a man of integrity, valued family traditions above all else. He feared his daughters would become ignorant and overindulgent, so in addition to ordinary boudoir reading, he had also given her and her sisters a wealth of history books, showing them how many powerful families had been destroyed by mistresses who were foolish, greedy, and overly indulgent.

She'd read it carefully, yet she felt bewildered. The historical records clearly documented countless men whose families were destroyed by greed and foolishness, even those who married a foolish man, leading to the death of their entire family. If only men could bring prosperity to a family, why would her father worry about women ruining it? Women are supposed to obey their husbands after marriage. What wise man couldn't even control his own wives and concubines?

However, she never voiced these audacious thoughts. Luckily, she married a good man and diligently tended the household, ensuring her husband could focus on his official duties without worries. However, after wandering for thousands of miles, someone suddenly suggested that she, too, had talent and could hold an important position. If she didn't know how, she could learn, just like the scholars.

For the first time in her life, Feng didn't know what expression to make.

Before she could answer, the woman in the red dress spoke up, "There's nothing to be afraid of. Just study hard and apply yourself. If you make a mistake, it won't burden your family; you'll just lose your job. As for your family, you can send your children to school. The workshop has a cafeteria and laundry room, so you don't have to worry about housework. Of course, you'll also receive a salary. If you do well, it'll be more than enough to support yourself."

She hadn't thought about supporting herself, but she did want to try to leave the stove behind and go outside. However, she was still cautious. She pursed her lips and whispered, "Is the gang leader doing this for my husband?"

Is this a way to win people over? Is it just a way to buy bones with huge sums of money to recruit talented people?

Cheng Xi raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Of course not. The Red Flag Gang is so poor now. Their territory has suddenly expanded several times, but there are only so many people who can read and write. At this time, they still care about face and lock you all up at home. Isn't that putting the cart before the horse?"

She spoke so frankly and directly that Feng unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief. Asking her to come out and work was not for any other reason, but because the Red Flag Gang needed people, even if they were women.

The trembling in her hands became more and more obvious, but Feng clenched her fists and nodded slightly: "Since the gang leader thinks so highly of me, I'm willing to give it a try."

"Okay!" Cheng Xi said cheerfully, "The porcelain workshop is still under construction, and recruiting and deploying workers will take time. You should go to the cloth workshop to adapt for a while, teach the weavers how to read and write, and see how they manage people. Once the porcelain workshop is completed, you can go there and take up your post."

As if remembering something, she winked at Feng: "By the way, don't tell anyone about this for now. Just say you're going to teach. You can mention it after you change jobs."

That playful wink made Feng Shi burst out laughing, suppressing the tears welling up in her eyes. She understood her own difficulties, and knew that taking on the role right from the start would cause her husband to worry. This was time for both her and him.

"Thank you, boss." When Feng said this, he had never felt so grateful to someone, and it came from the bottom of his heart.

Cheng Xi said, "By the way, I don't know the lady's name yet."

Feng was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "My name is Feng Jingjing, and my nickname is Side."

The woman's nickname was probably unknown to many people in her lifetime, but the person opposite nodded as if it was normal: "Sister Feng, just do it. Now there are female managers in the Panyu Weaving Factory, and there will naturally be more in the future."

She no longer called her "Madam", but Feng Qingqing didn't feel offended at all, only the smile on her lips deepened a little.