Chapter 14 The Bet
Madam Min was pleased, but she didn't show it on her face. She looked at Wei Jia with a critical gaze, "You have some ability. But do you think I have enough money for you to spend like this?"
Wei Jia said seriously, "This servant can earn money for the Grand Madam. I can't guarantee how much, but earning back the Grand Madam's annual expenses is no problem."
"You've got quite the nerve!" Madam Min scoffed. "Based on your plan today, I'll probably spend no less than a thousand taels a year. Are you sure you can earn it back?"
“Speaking recklessly is not a wise move,” Min Qiao kindly reminded her.
To be honest, she's already quite satisfied with Wei Jia as she is now. But if Wei Jia makes a promise and then fails to deliver, she'll be disappointed in her.
Wei Jia curtsied and said, "This servant has been learning to manage household affairs and handle general matters since childhood. Although I am not from a merchant family, I have a talent for business. If you do not believe me, I am willing to make a bet with you."
"Let's make a bet?" Madam Min narrowed her eyes, suddenly feeling as if she had fallen into this girl's trap.
From knowing how to spend money, to knowing how to make money, and then to making bets with her...
She said, "Who gave this girl the guts to plot to spend money on me on her very first day here?"
Looking back now, apart from spending ten taels of silver to hire two storytellers, whether it was repairing the kitchen, hiring a cook, or making clothes and jewelry, it was all just talk and no action was taken. The money wasn't actually spent, was it?
So, from beginning to end, all this girl wanted was the bet with her?
“Yes, this servant wants to make a bet with the Grand Madam.” Wei Jia nodded solemnly. “The Grand Madam will give this servant some capital, and this servant will earn back the capital within a year, as well as the Grand Madam’s expenses for a year.”
“That’s interesting,” Madam Min Qiao chuckled. “How much is ‘some’ capital? One tael is some, and one hundred thousand taels is some. Hehe, don’t tell me that ‘some’ you’re talking about is one hundred thousand taels.”
"As long as you're not too stupid, if you put out 100,000 taels, you can always earn back a thousand or eight hundred taels of silver."
"Besides, how can I trust that you won't run off with my money?"
Faced with Madam Min's questioning, Wei Jia remained calm and composed. "Just one hundred taels, no, fifty taels is enough. If Madam gives me fifty taels of silver to spend, I guarantee I will earn back one thousand taels for Madam within a year."
A 20x return!?
This time, Madam Min was truly shocked!
She came from a merchant family and, having been exposed to business from a young age, believed she possessed considerable insight into commerce. However, she knew she couldn't possibly earn a thousand taels back from fifty.
After the initial shock, Min Qiao became intensely curious about the bet Wei Jia wanted to make with her.
"Having made such a boast, what you seek must be quite extraordinary. Tell me."
Wei Jia, who had only curtsied to Madam Min Qiao upon entering, suddenly knelt down and kowtowed to her before saying, "I beg you, Madam, to help me find my younger sister."
After saying just one simple sentence, Wei Jia's eyes welled up with tears.
Wei Jia, who had always been calm and composed, finally revealed a hint of her true nature at this moment.
Min Qiao remained silent. She had expected Wei Jia to make some unreasonable request, but this was unexpected.
However, this request seems rather excessive.
After all, the world is so big, where is she supposed to find her sister?
"I know this request is a bit excessive, and I dare not ask the Grand Madam to use the power of the Marquis's mansion to help me. I only hope that the Grand Madam can let me use the extra money I earn to inquire about my sister's whereabouts."
Wei Jia kowtowed to Madam Min Qiao again, and then silently waited for Madam Min Qiao's reply.
Min Qiao was filled with mixed emotions.
Her past life experiences made her realize that she had no family ties, and none of her children and grandchildren had a conscience.
She was moved when she heard Wei Jia's request.
After being moved, she was more puzzled by Wei Jia's situation.
Judging from Wei Jia's words, she not only wanted to earn back a thousand taels from her fifty taels, but also wanted to earn an extra sum to find out about her sister.
How much confidence must one have to make such a bold claim?
"I agree."
Madam Min relented, "I'll give you one hundred taels of silver as capital. By this time next year, you'll return one thousand taels to me. You can use the extra to find your sister. If you find her, just let me know, and I'll send someone to bring her back so you sisters can be reunited."
"Thank you, Madam! Thank you, Madam! Thank you, Madam!..."
Wei Jia finally burst into tears. She kowtowed repeatedly, expressing her gratitude, her emotions clearly evident.
Seeing this, Granny Fang couldn't help but wipe away her tears as well, and there was no trace of the awkwardness she had shown when she complained about Wei Jia spending too much money.
Having died once, Min Qiaoshi was ultimately more hard-hearted than the average person.
"Let me make this clear from the start: doing business is your private matter, but managing Songhetang is your proper job. Don't put the cart before the horse."
"This servant understands. This servant will definitely manage Songhe Hall well and will absolutely not let the Grand Madam worry about the miscellaneous affairs of Songhe Hall!" Wei Jia quickly assured her.
"Well, that's good." Madam Min nodded, then smiled and instructed, "Your suggestion today was good. Now, proceed as you suggested."
"Yes," Wei Jia replied.
Granny Fang, standing to the side, was dumbfounded. This…this…the Grand Madam didn’t mean what she thought, did she?
Fix the kitchen? Hire a chef? Make clothes? Make jewelry? ...Do everything according to Weijia's suggestion?
Good heavens! Before, he was just talking, but this time he really meant it!
Granny Fang instinctively clutched her heart.
***
That night, in the Begonia Courtyard.
Min Rong had just returned to the mansion and hadn't even had time to change into casual clothes when Madam Wu took out the account book and began to complain to her.
“My lord, it’s not that I’m disrespectful to the old lady, nor that I’m deliberately stirring up trouble or speaking ill of her in front of you. It’s just that the old lady has become increasingly willful and capricious these days, so I have no choice but to speak to you about it.”
When Min Rong returned home exhausted after a long day, he didn't even get a sip of hot tea. No matter how important what Wu Shi said was, Min Rong immediately accused Wu Shi of being inconsiderate and unfit to be a wife.
Although he was dissatisfied with Madam Wu, Min Rong still patiently asked, "What exactly did the old lady do to make you make such a big fuss?"
“My lord, take a look.”
Wu didn't notice the impatience in Min Rong's tone; she simply flipped the ledger to a few pages that had been folded beforehand and handed them to Min Rong to look at.
"The old lady fell ill a few days ago. We had to consult doctors, imperial physicians, revise prescriptions, and prepare medicines. We also had to give her ginseng and deer antler tonics, which cost a lot of money."
Hearing this, Min Rong was furious.
Despite his many grievances against Madam Min, she was, after all, his biological mother. Without Madam Min, there would be no Min Rong.
He may be dissatisfied with Madam Min, but what is Madam Wu? How dare she point fingers at Madam Min?
Moreover, if Madam Min were to fall seriously ill and something were to happen to her, would his career be over?
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