However, what Song Sanliang had not expected was that not only did no one respond to his words from the Song family clan, but also some mocked him bitterly, "I think you want to adopt your own son to Boss Song as his heir, right? With your son, neither academically nor verbally competent, it’s unlikely that Boss Song would even consider him. Don’t bother trying!"
Another said, "What does this adoption have to do with your family? Why are you even here? Better keep your mouth shut and listen more, and speak less."
"Exactly! Exactly!"
Even the clan elders of the Song Clan didn’t give him a glance, while discussing with Song Jiyun, "Do you have any plans? Who are you planning to take in as a son-in-law? A son-in-law is to manage the family business, so you must be very selective!"
It wasn’t that they didn’t want to let Song Jiyun’s family adopt a son, but the discussions about the kiln factory orders reminded them.
Managing a kiln factory wasn’t an easy task.
And even if the Song Family Kiln Factory was managed by the clan elders, it would still be monopolized by a few elders, what did it have to do with the ordinary clan members? They would still live their usual lives.
Not right. If the kiln factory were managed by the clan elders of the Zong family, how many of them had the capabilities of Song Jiyun? If the kiln factory were to fail under their management, which of those elders didn’t have their own businesses? They wouldn’t worry about not having food to eat. But it would be different for these ordinary clan members. Now, they could still occasionally send their family members and friends to work at the kiln factory. If the kiln factory went under, they might struggle even to eat.
Rather than handing the kiln factory over to others to manage, it was better to maintain the status quo.
Therefore, before Song Jiyun could speak, someone already loudly exclaimed, "Boss Song, can the kiln factory recruit only from our Song family? The Li Family Kiln Factory does it that way, and it’s still one of the top kiln factories in Jingde Town."
His words immediately gained the support of many, who said, "Boss Song, we all know each other well, wouldn’t it be better to employ our own clan members? We also won’t have to worry about someone running off with the Song Family Kiln Factory’s techniques to start their own business."
Such incidents had happened before.
Many kiln factories therefore kept some critical technical processes in the hands of their own family members.
"Exactly! Our Song family has so many people who are unemployed. Shouldn’t Boss Song help his own people first?"
This argument made sense, but how could one manage a kiln factory solely based on kinship?
This practice was unsustainable and was not a platform for negotiation.
Song Jiyun smiled and gestured with his hand for silence.
The hall immediately became completely quiet.
Then Song Jiyun smiled and said, "It’s not that I don’t want to hire only people from the Song family, but making porcelain, if any process is done incorrectly, it results in failure. Besides, the kiln factory is only so large, and the number of people needed is limited."
Thinking for a moment, he spoke in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear and addressed Eleventh Grand Master Song, "Perhaps we should hire more people and lower the current wages?"
"How could that be possible?" As soon as he finished speaking, someone immediately objected, "The current wage is just enough to support one person; if it’s lowered, would we not be left to starve?"
Of course, that was an exaggeration.
Not to mention the master craftsmen of the kiln factory, even the kiln workers who had completed their apprenticeships were earning enough from the Song Family Kiln Factory to support a family.
His words also awakened many others who had family members working in the Song Family Kiln Factory; they collectively objected: "The kiln factory recruits every year, if you have the skills, go and apply, no one is stopping you! Why should Boss Song lower the wages? Just because you won’t work, does that mean Boss Song still has to support you?" 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎
"Clearly just a family of lazybones, not a single one of you could get a job in the kiln factory. As Boss Song said, more work means more pay, why should you earn without working?"
The hall turned into a ruckus.
Blood rushed to Song Sanliang’s head in anger.
All idiots, none could speak to the point.
He pondered how to steer the conversation back to the topic of adoption, but then he saw Song Jiyun smiling and saying, "Since everyone agrees that we can’t lower the wages, those families that want to work at the Song Family Kiln Factory will just have to join the recruitment as before."
As she spoke, she paused slightly and said, "However, I also know that some people in the clan are living in hardship. Elders of the clan, what do you think of this proposal? From now on, every year I will set aside five percent of the profits to support the children in our clan who are studying and the elderly who are childless and widowed."
"That’s great!" The clan elders did not express their stance, but the clan members began to cheer first.
They had all heard that Song Jiyun had made a fortune in Nanjing this year.
Why wouldn’t they be happy to share the profits of the kiln factory?
In such a situation, the clan elders naturally had no way to oppose.
And they did not want to oppose either.
They were also willing to share some of the money from the kiln factory.
Song Jiyun was very satisfied as well.
Her money would only come from the profits, and it would only support the studying children and the lonely elderly in the clan.
If the profits were low one year, or if the kiln factory did not make money, the support would naturally be reduced or even cease.
Especially if something happened that displeased her, then there would be none at all.
She smiled and said, "There’s no hurry about the matter of adopting a son-in-law. My sisters are all young. Besides, our family business is special since we have to produce porcelain. I think, even if we adopt a son-in-law, he should only be responsible for continuing the family line. The affairs of the kiln factory can be managed by us sisters. In the future, if a similar situation arises, it can be handled in the same way."
After she finished speaking, she still smilingly asked the clan elders, "What do you think?"
The clan elders were stunned for a moment before they understood her meaning.
Song Jiyun wanted the Song family to be managed by women in the future, with men only responsible for fathering children!
How could this be possible?
The clan elders had their responses on the tip of their tongues, remembering how they had just happily accepted Song Jiyun’s silver... but those words could not be immediately spoken out loud.
They just waited for someone else to speak first.
The clan elders looked at each other, and seeing this, Eleventh Grand Master Song, whose eyes were sharply on him, gritted his teeth and smiled, "Then it’s settled. From now on, if a similar situation occurs, it will be the women who take charge of the household, and the son-in-laws shall not meddle in the affairs of the kiln factory."
Then there was no point in arguing!
No one spoke up anymore.
Song Jiyun nodded in satisfaction and whispered to the clan elders with a smile, "I’ve reserved a table at Peach Blossom Residence, let’s all go and have a simple meal together. I’ve brought back some gifts for everyone from Nanjing. After the meal, you can take them home."
The clan elders could only nod in agreement.
Zheng Quan had already taken the opportunity to urge the person recording the family genealogy to enter the agreement of the clan elders into the genealogy.
This way, they would have a reference in the future!
A crowd went to the Peach Blossom Residence for lunch in grand style, and after seeing off the clan elders, Song Jiyun stepped out only to see Yuan Yunzhong’s carriage.
Having been to Nanjing and personally mentored by Shao Qing on how to recognize various families’ carriages, she no longer mistook Yuan Yunzhong’s carriages.
Her face as radiant as peach blossoms, she leaned on the carriage window and asked Yuan Yunzhong, "What brings you here?"
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