Chapter 75 Xu Yinxi's Complex Inner Heart
Feng Er couldn't help but chuckle when she heard her speak so seriously. "Miss Xu, what you said is true. We are all working under you now, so why are we still talking about whether it's hard work or not? We have to do whatever the boss says!"
Well, it turns out that people in ancient times were better at pua, so uncomplaining and without regrets, it feels so guilty to use them.
"Okay, has anyone learned it?" Xu Qingying called out twice, and immediately Xu Huiming and Fang Ningmo raised their hands and said in unison, "I got it."
Zhao Bantou looked left and right, and went over the writing of those numbers in his mind again. Although he had forgotten a few, he should be able to remember them if he used them more often, right?
So he raised his hand confidently without hesitation, "I can do it too."
"Okay, each person has a piece of paper, with the names of the three members of the team lined up side by side. Big brother will be in charge of the alkali production team, Miss Fang will be in charge of the oil and fat team, and Team Leader Zhao will be in charge of the logistics team. Mother, go get the rosters submitted by the team leaders over the past two days. Everyone will be evaluated according to the performance outlined by the team leaders. Remember, the basic wage is 20 wen, and for every additional ten bars of soap made, an additional 5 wen will be added. Anyone who fails to meet the standard and wastes raw materials will have 1 wen deducted from each person. Once you've calculated the total, submit it to me."
After Xu Qingying finished giving the instructions, everyone immediately took the order, then dispersed and started working in an orderly manner.
Zhao Bantou had already forgotten what he had said. Biting the pen, he dared only to grab Xu Huiming and said, "Hey, hey, hey, Brother Xu, tell me again, how much does a bar of soap cost?"
Xu Yinxi, who was standing by, couldn't help laughing. "Team leader, let's do it together. I'll read the list and you write it down."
"Oh, thank you so much!"
"Oh, thank goodness it's not a huge sum, otherwise I really wouldn't be able to calculate it. I'll have to find an abacus."
"Where did this abacus come from on this road of exile?"
"Oh, don't mention it, I almost forgot we were in exile——"
"Sister, sister! What should I do then?" Xu Meixiao was unhappy and tugged at Xu Qingying's clothes and asked, "I can help you write too. I write very well!"
"Ah Mei, help me supervise them. If any of the numbers written are incorrect, tell them and ask them to correct them!"
Amei accepted the task and was happy this time. She jumped away.
A group of people were busy, and outside the tent there were a few people practicing numbers. Xu Anping and Xu Degui from the fourth room had some basic knowledge, so they learned a little faster, but their writing was not good. The two were seizing the time to practice in the corner.
Miao grabbed a coat and put it on her, then stuffed half a steamed bun into her mouth. "You didn't eat enough just now, did you? Here, fill your stomach first. You've worked so hard today."
Xu Qingying took the steamed bun and took two bites, as if she had been busy all day just for this one bite.
Sometimes Xu Qingying herself didn't understand. Although she was doing well in modern times, she had never thought about any ideals or ambitions. She was not like Old Man Xu who wanted to serve the country, nor did she dream of becoming wealthy like her girlfriends.
She has always felt that it would be a very good thing to have a career that she likes, a salary that can support herself, and free time to do what she loves.
She hated the hectic life, the feeling of being toiled from dawn to dusk. This was especially true when she was a doctoral student, juggling experiments, writing papers, and helping her advisor with projects. She woke up at 7 a.m. and went to bed at 12 p.m., her hair falling out in clumps, and she had no idea what she was busy with.
When she arrived at the Great Zhou Dynasty, although she was very busy and had to lead dozens of people to Alexandria, she felt a sense of accomplishment when all the soaps were sold.
Could it be because she stood on the shoulders of giants and created wealth that did not belong to her?
Or is it that she has inherited Old Man Xu's genes and can't escape the pleasure of success?
Alas, as the saying goes, environment makes people play tricks on them. Now that we are in the Zhou Dynasty, with such backward productivity conditions, girls have to get married if they don’t try their best!
Thinking of getting married, Xu Qingying finally perked up. Yes, even if she didn't work hard, she would still get married!
Xu Qingying instantly became full of fighting spirit!
Miao looked at Xu Qingying, whose expression was unpredictable, and hesitated to speak. She didn't want to bother Xu Qingying with these things, but she couldn't bear to see Qian Zhenniang like that. After thinking it over, she finally said, "Qingying, I want to discuss something with you."
"You say."
"Um... what are you going to do with Qian Zhenniang?"
Xu Qingying raised her eyebrows, "Isn't she doing well here?"
"That's not the case." Miao found a secluded place and pulled her to sit down. "This is what I was thinking. When we get to the next place, can we give her some money so she can settle down?"
Xu Qingying stared at Miao and asked hesitantly, "Mother, do you mind the fact that she is unlucky for her father and mother?"
"Qingying, who wouldn't mind this? Everyone seems to be getting along well with her on the surface, but that's all for your sake. When you're not around, everyone can't help but bully her, either openly or covertly. You don't know that when you went to the city to sell soap today, she calculated the accounts and asked those people to confirm the work points themselves, but they all refused to come, saying that she was unlucky and they were afraid she was not clean. Miss Qian is a soft-hearted person. When she encountered this, she dared not speak out and could only swallow her bitterness. Besides, if you put her in front of us, what would your aunt think? Would she think that our third wife was going against her just because she made a little money? After all, the engagement was just broken off, and it was so ugly. People are coming and going and spreading rumors. Let alone the first wife, can Miss Qian withstand it?"
Xu Qingying glanced at Miao, thoughtfully asking, "Did my aunt come here to make trouble today?"
Miao coughed softly and stammered, "She didn't make a big fuss. She just came over and cursed a few times, wanting me to kick Miss Qian out."
Xu Qingying vaguely understood Qian Zhenniang's red and swollen eyes, and her hesitant expression. She seemed to have something to say to her. What was she trying to say? Was she going to back out, or come to her to vent her grievances?
"Mom, I understand. I'll take care of it."
"Hey, you've been working hard these past few days. I shouldn't bother you with these little things. I really can't do anything about it. I'm really stupid and can't help you at all—"
Xu Qingying smiled and said, "How can mother not help me? Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Mother may not be good at accounting or doing business, but you also have your own strengths."
Miao was embarrassed by what she said, "What nonsense are you talking about? What's so good about me?"
"You're almighty. You see, I'm busy out front, and I need someone to help keep an eye on the logistics. If my subordinates have any ideas or grievances, there are definitely areas that I can't see. If you tell me about these things in a timely manner, I can keep abreast of their dynamics. Besides, now is the early stage of our business, and we're short on manpower. You can do a little bit of everything, wouldn't that solve my urgent needs?"
Miao was so delighted by her coaxing that everyone was busy these days, and everyone had their own responsibilities. Only she walked around every day and found work for herself, which inevitably made her feel useless.
Xu Qingying's words were so beautiful that Miao Shi gained a bit more confidence. Although she didn't show it on her face, a smile was visible in her eyes. "What nonsense are you talking about? You are my daughter, so I will naturally serve you wholeheartedly. However, you need to deal with Qian Zhenniang's matter as soon as possible. Her status is awkward. She is not an exiled prisoner, so the escorts can't openly drive her away. Besides, I can see that you are planning to make important use of them, master and servant. Don't offend the eldest wife because of this matter!"
Xu Qingying pondered for a moment, then looked at Miao. "What do you mean by mother and father? Do you really believe that she will bring bad luck to us?"
"This..." Miao could see that Xu Qingying didn't like this, but she couldn't help but say, "It's better to believe it than not. Your business is big now. What if she influences you?"
Xu Qingying laughed out loud, "How can she affect me? Mother, you forgot, I've been to the gates of hell!"
Miao quickly patted her on the back, then carefully glanced around. After confirming that no one was around, she bowed to the distance, "Gods, please calm down. My son is young and ignorant. The gods and Buddhas passing by should just pretend they didn't hear me—"
Miao glared at her again and hit her several times, "I told you not to talk nonsense!"
Xu Qingying looked at her serious expression, and a warm feeling surged in her heart. In a trance, she thought of Xu Ma.
Xu Ma was really strict with her.
Xu Ma was a very pushy child. More than a decade before interest classes were popular, she had already taken her to all the training classes in the city. As a result, her childhood was spent being pushed around by either Old Man Xu or Xu Ma. In the end, she became a child who could punch ten Lu Zhishens and could only play "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" on the piano.
Xu Qingying hugged Miao tightly, rubbed her head against her, and said affectionately: "Mother, don't worry, I have extraordinary luck and am the chosen one of heaven. She can't defeat me!"
Although Miao Shi disagreed with keeping this person around and was always anxious, she couldn't resist Xu Qingying's soft and hard persuasion. Well, her daughter finally got close to her for once, why would she bring up those unhappy things?
Besides, what Xu Qingying said makes sense. She is not an ordinary person.
Can an ordinary person earn ten thousand taels of silver a day?
Miao felt terrified whenever she thought about it now. After thinking about it carefully, she decided to let her go.
After Miao left, Xu Qingying shook her coat and narrowed her eyes slightly: I have to find a way to solve Qian Zhenniang's problem.
Next, the family must be divided.
She could lend money to other families, but she could not tolerate others touching her money.
It’s like she worked hard day and night to write a paper, but she is not the first author?
Xu Qingying walked back again. Several people in the tent were sorting out the money earned by the soap workers over the past two days. As sheets of calculated paper were handed over, Xu Qingying naturally sat in the middle seat.
Zhao Bantou raised the soybean oil lamp naturally, looking like a little brother.
Xu Qingying also admired Zhao Bantou very much. This man was flexible and had no airs towards his subordinates. He was like a jack of all trades.
Even now, he is the leader of a bailiff team, yet he is willing to lower himself to hold a lantern for her and act as if he respects her.
The saying goes, "I am willing to sacrifice my life to bring down the emperor."
I just don’t know what Zhao Bantou wants from her?
For the money in her hand?
Since Zhao Bantou was willing to be humble, Xu Qingying naturally couldn't really treat herself as a dish, and she became more humble and polite, "Thank you, Brother Zhao."
"Miss Xu, do you want to calculate the total amount?"
"Yes." Xu Qingying took the paper and looked at it carefully. It was the first time for everyone to use Arabic numerals, so they were a little crooked, but it did look more convenient.
Thanks to Xu's mother, Xu Qingying learned mental arithmetic when she was a child. Moreover, these numbers were not big, so Xu Qingying just glanced at them, calculated them in her mind, and quickly picked up the pen to write down the numbers under each column.
Zhao Bantou was horrified and asked hurriedly, "Miss Xu, don't you need abacus?"
"No, this is not difficult."
Team leader Zhao was already numb. Along the way, the most common thing he heard Xu Qingying say was "This is not difficult."
Fang Ningmo frowned, half-believing and half-doubting, and said, "It's so fast, could it be that you can calculate it with your fingers? No, I have to verify it today to see if you are wrong!"
Xu Qingying was embarrassed. This was not difficult at all. It was just addition and subtraction of two-digit numbers.
Was mathematics in the Zhou Dynasty so underdeveloped?
After Fang Ningmo finished speaking, he took the first calculated wage and walked aside with his friends. Xu Yinxi and Xu Huiming were also very curious. The three of them gathered together and began to calculate the amount while whispering, writing and drawing.
Xu Qingying smiled and said, "That's good, it counts twice to avoid mistakes."
Everyone in the room looked at Xu Qingying, then at the three little ones, and was speechless for a moment.
Xu Qingying took advantage of this opportunity to use a wooden stick dipped in ink to calculate all the amounts. Zhao Bantou leaned over to take a look and saw that the numbers were the ones he had just taught her, but she had added some scribbled symbols to the mix, and this time he was completely confused.
Zhao Bantou pointed at the "+" and asked, "Miss Xu, what kind of talisman is this?"
"This represents a plus sign, and it's faster to write this way. It's all for the convenience of calculations."
Zhao Bantou didn't understand and could only laugh dryly.
Xu Qingying added, "It's actually not difficult. I can teach you when I have time."
Zhao Bantou wiped the sweat from his forehead and agreed readily, but thought in his heart: It would be better to kill him than to let him learn this.
Before the three children had even finished calculating the first sheet, Xu Qingying had already handed them several more sheets, smiling and encouraging them: "Calculate carefully and see if there are any mistakes or omissions."
Fang Ningmo was clearly deeply moved. She had already finished calculating the number on her hand and murmured, "Right, all correct! Xu Qingying, how on earth did you do it? Do you know that even if my grandfather were here, he would have spent a long time calculating these numbers? How...how did you figure it out so quickly?"
This time, Xu Huiming couldn't help but jump up, completely disregarding the boundaries between men and women, and held on to Xu Qingying, refusing to let go. "My dear sister, you must tell me what you mean today, or I won't be able to sleep tonight!"
Xu Yinxi felt unhappy. She looked at Xu Qingying, who was surrounded by many stars, and suddenly felt that the gap between them had become unbridgeable.
She was so complacent before, thinking that she was the most learned among the female members of the Xu family after studying with the teacher for several years. But now it seems that what is the point of learning so many poems and books? She is not good at accounting, managing people, and can't bring herself to do business. It's really sad!
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