Chapter 263 Trusting Outsiders
The shopkeeper seemed to have heard a funny joke.
"Wanjia Cloth Shop will collapse? Don't dream about it. Wanjia Cloth Shop existed when your grandfather was young. The people of Changle Town only recognize this one cloth shop. Even in your son's or grandson's generation, the cloth shop won't go out of business!"
What a boastful tone!
The reason we only recognize this one cloth shop is because the Wan family used to manage it well. Now these old guys are just relying on their seniority and won't give any newcomers a chance. No wonder it's going to collapse!
"Then we'll just wait and see!"
"I'm leaving now, settle my bill!"
The shopkeeper said casually, "The money will be settled at the end of the month, so it can't be counted today. Also, it was said when we were hiring that if you want to quit, you need to give three days' notice, otherwise a 100-coin penalty will be deducted."
"You! Fine, fine, Zhang Laokou, you really are a good dog! Be careful you don't get your comeuppance for all the bad things you've done!"
After finishing his rant, the man stormed off to the door.
They bumped into Madam Wan, who had just entered the room.
"What's going on? I heard shouting and cursing outside. When did Wanjia Cloth Shop become a place of laughter? Did they turn on you because your boss wasn't here?"
"Oh, it's Madam. It's nothing, nothing at all. The worker is just unhappy with his wages."
The shopkeeper quickly came forward to greet them.
Madam Wan ignored him and instead asked the waiter next to her.
"Li San, you tell me what happened?"
The shopkeeper stopped laughing, straightened up from his bent back, and showed no fear whatsoever.
Li San angrily recounted what had just happened.
“Madam, it’s not that I’m lazy. It’s just that no matter how well I do, I’m always criticized. You can check the accounts. There are five shop assistants here. I sell the most goods, but I’m also the one who gets fined the most every month. When I was hired, they said I would get one tael of silver a month, but I’ve never received the full amount!”
Madam Wan glanced at the other employees who were working with their heads down, walked to the counter, opened the drawer, and took out the account book.
The shopkeeper looked at Li San with a mocking gaze.
“Madam, his words cannot be trusted. The account books clearly record why he was punished. The quality of his sales has nothing to do with his character. If the cloth shop is not strictly managed, wouldn’t it be in complete chaos?”
The master trusts me, and I must also think of the master's interests; I cannot allow cunning people to take advantage of me.”
Madam Wan glanced at the account books and gave a cold smile.
"Whether it's suppressing capable newcomers or considering the best interests of the family, I know exactly what I'm doing."
"Manager Zhang, you are really getting old and it's no longer suitable for you to stay in the cloth shop and work so hard. You should quit your job and go home today."
Even if the work isn't finished this month, you'll still be paid a full month's salary.
"Once I've checked the ledgers, and there are no problems, I'll notify you to come and settle the accounts."
Manager Zhang forced a stiff smile: "Madam, you are not the current owner of this shop."
"Oh? I have a son, so I cannot establish a female household."
Although they are said to have separated their households, they are still registered under the same household registration.
As long as this shop belongs to the Wan family, I, as their mistress, have the right to dispose of it!
Or should we have someone from the government office speak to you?
Manager Zhang's tone softened, his voice filled with helplessness.
“Madam, I am an old hand who has followed the master all the way. Whether it is loyalty or experience, I am better than the newcomers. The young master of the house also trusts me.”
You already kicked me out once last time, which caused a rift between me and the young master.
Why do you have to do this again this time?
"Who told you that my son and I are at odds? We're perfectly fine! How could we have a falling out over an outsider?" Madam Wan said sternly, showing no mercy.
"Manager Zhang, please don't keep you any longer, please come in!"
Seeing that there was no room for negotiation, Manager Zhang left in anger.
He didn't even pack his things.
He thought bitterly: Anyway, when the young master of the house comes back, he will still invite him back.
Just like last time.
He won't be so easy to talk to next time. If you want him to come back, you have to raise his wages again!
After he left, Madam Wan hoped that Li San would stay.
Li San was the best salesman in the shop, which is why Manager Zhang suppressed him.
Li San waved his hand, "Madam, I'm going back to work in our village. My brother has been looking for me several times."
You'd better take better care of this shop..."
Li San secretly pointed behind him: "Two of them are Zhang's relatives..."
Madam Wan's face was grim.
After paying Li San's wages, not only were they not deducted, but they also checked the previous accounts and made up the 500 coins that had been withheld before.
It seems she can't ignore this anymore.
If left unchecked, Wanjia Cloth Shop will go out of business.
After visiting the other five shops and collecting all the account books, Madam Wan was on her way home when a servant came to deliver a message.
"Madam, come quickly, Miss Lu is here!"
Lu Qingqing came to Wan Jia to drop off her child.
She had been to Chunyan's house. Chunyan didn't want children, and her family was extremely disgusted and repulsed by them.
Madam Wan has taken in several abandoned babies and has wet nurses to take care of them, so she brought them here directly.
Madam Wan was also surprised to see the strange-looking child.
“Just treat her like a normal child. After six months, I’ll have her operated on, and she’ll be a normal girl then,” Lu Qingqing said.
Madam Wan was even more surprised, "You're talking about it like you're repairing a tool."
This can all be fixed.
Lu Qingqing's medical skills are simply amazing.
"Qingqing, yesterday the magistrate sent over a document to reduce or waive bridge tolls. Is this yours...?"
Bridge tolls were taxes levied on goods transported across official roads and bridges, in addition to the regular annual taxes.
Magistrate Xu's preferential treatment was due to his hearing of Madam Wan's righteous act.
“I didn’t do anything, I just mentioned your business of opening Wan’an Hall.”
Madam Wan thought for a moment and sighed:
"Our county magistrate is truly a good official!"
In fact, she knew perfectly well that this was all thanks to Lu Qingqing.
Would the magistrate take this so seriously if it were someone unrelated to him?
Of course not!
It is clear that the county magistrate values Qingqing highly.
She and the magistrate's son should be settled, right?
Madam Wan smiled broadly and then had someone bring over a bolt of the newest fabric to give to her.
"By the way, Li San from your village just quit his job and went home."
Sigh, I thought that even if my son and I weren't as close as before, we had found a balance and could each go about our own business from now on.
Now it seems I still have to intervene; I can't let Wanjiapu be ruined in his hands.
"Qingqing, give me some ideas on how to sort things out."
Lu Qingqing hurriedly asked what happened.
Madam Wan said that the managers of the Wan family's shops were all promoted by Wan Jishan. In the past, with him in charge, they were able to keep things in check, and they were indeed loyal and capable.
Wan Yuting followed his father in business, and they naturally treated this young master with respect.
However, after Wanjishan died, they became somewhat arrogant.
Wan Yuting cherishes the past and trusts them, which makes them feel even more indispensable.
So whenever he went on a long trip, these people treated the shop like their own home!
They ousted the newly recruited staff and put their own family members in, and there were also obvious problems with the accounts.
She'll find out these things after she finishes her investigation.
“I think your son is very smart, and I’ve heard he’s very capable. How could he be so easily fooled?” Lu Qingqing asked.
Madam Wan shook her head: "He has not been very happy since his father died."
He's always been used to things going smoothly since he was little, and now he's been away for many days and hasn't come back. He's left the shop entirely to those managers, and he really trusts outsiders..."
Lu Qingqing had a sudden thought, remembering what Wan Yuting had asked her last time.
He asked, "Where did he go?"
"He went to the Fifth Gate because one of his father's closest friends fell seriously ill, and he was very worried. He's been there for half a month."
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