ATLAS TRANSLATES

After Dou Zhao left, Dou Xiuchang immediately went to see Dou Shibang to tell him about Dou Zhao’s plan to open a stationery shop. He said, “Though it’s not a huge sum and the capital is all Fourth Sister’s, with me just helping to manage it, she’s asking for ten thousand taels right away. I’m worried she might get scammed. But I couldn’t say this directly, fearing she would overthink things. I could only vaguely agree, but if she really gets deceived, how will I explain this to the Dou and Zhao families? Others might think I’m the one behind it.”

“Why did Shou Gu suddenly want to open a shop?” Dou Shibang was surprised, but with his extensive experience, he quickly thought of a solution and smiled, “Shou Gu won’t personally choose the storefront or order stationery supplies. You can just have the managers report the accounts to you.”

“That’s right!” Dou Xiuchang clapped his hands, “Why didn’t I think of that! If someone is trying to take advantage of Fourth Sister, at least they won’t lose everything at once. The people helping Fourth Sister manage things can also become familiar faces, and perhaps notice any suspicious signs early on.”

Dou Shibang nodded with a smile.

Dou Xiuchang tactfully conveyed Dou Shibang’s suggestion to Dou Zhao.

Dou Zhao just smiled without saying anything.

Half of the Western Dou family’s business wasn’t so easy to manage!

She asked Dou Shibang to help her find a general manager.

The general managers for Dou Zhao’s properties were all well-established in their positions, doing their jobs well, so why should she disrupt things? And not just anyone could serve as a general manager. From apprentice to clerk to manager to general manager, it was impossible without twenty years of experience. No family would easily let go of a general manager they spent twenty years training. Moreover, if someone who had stayed in one place for twenty years and became a general manager wanted to seek other opportunities, there must be some issue, and it would be difficult to find out the true situation.

Rather than expending great effort without knowing what kind of person she would find, it would be better to directly find someone from the Dou family. They would know their background and loyalty.

Dou Shibang smiled and said, “For the scale you’re planning, why do you need a general manager? I think a regular manager would be sufficient.”

“Since I’ve already asked Third Uncle once, naturally I want the best,” Dou Zhao said coquettishly. “I don’t care what method you use, Uncle, but my shop will open after the new year. When the time comes, I’ll just come to get someone, or else I’ll drag your general manager from the Beijing money shop to Zhending.”

This was obviously impossible.

Dou Shibang stroked his beard and laughed heartily. After several rounds of selection, he found her one from the family’s managers: “…His name is Fan Wenshu. He started as an apprentice at eight years old, and though he’s only thirty-two this year, he’s already the second manager at Ji Fen Ge.”

Ji Fen Ge was the Dou family’s antique shop in Beijing.

Dou Zhao reluctantly nodded: “Although he’s not in the stationery business, at least it’s somewhat related. Well, let it be him then!”

Dou Shibang could only shake his head.

No wonder the family’s managers, both senior and junior, were unwilling to go when they heard Dou Zhao was looking for someone, if she was going to be so picky.

Dou Zhao had no idea how difficult it was to become a manager.

He had to promise Fan Wenshu: “If the shop fails, I’ll let you be the general manager at Ji Fen Ge’s Nanjing branch.”

Fan Wenshu smiled bitterly.

Was becoming a general manager really that easy?

He had to be capable enough too!

After leaving the antique business for several years, even if he returned to Ji Fen Ge, he would have missed those years of experience. His eye for goods would likely not be as sharp as before. Moreover, the Dou family’s Fourth Miss was still unmarried, and who knows where she would marry into in a few years.

But since Third Master Dou had said this much, what else could he say?

After submitting the account books, he put on a forced smile and went to the Western Mansion.

Gan Lu grumbled: “Wasn’t it supposed to be a general manager?”

“You should be satisfied!” Dou Zhao laughed, “How many general managers does the Dou family have in total? Our small business isn’t even worth their attention.” She had deliberately left room for Third Uncle to negotiate with her.

Gan Lu sheepishly went to bring Fan Wenshu in.

Dou Zhao saw that he was of medium build with regular features, showing a natural air of amiability before even speaking – a typical businessman’s appearance. She felt somewhat favorable toward him and briefly explained the situation before telling him to go to Third Cousin for the money.

Fan Wenshu was stunned for a while.

The main store would be in Beijing, and over the next five years, they would open ten branch stores between Zhending and Beijing. But there were no details about the scale, the amount of funding, or who else would be involved besides him.

“Does Fourth Miss have any other instructions?” he asked respectfully.

“That’s my only requirement. For everything else, you’re the manager, so handle it as you see fit,” Dou Zhao smiled and added, “Oh, you’ll have a second manager, surnamed Cui, named Shisan. He won’t be able to help at the shop until September next year.”

As soon as Fan Wenshu withdrew, he immediately inquired about Cui Shisan.

The Dou family’s managers and stewards were all shrewd people, and everyone immediately knew what was going on. Someone laughed, “So Fourth Miss wants to promote someone from Concubine Cui’s family. Fan Wenshu, you’re basically keeping the prince company in his studies!”

“Keeping the prince company in his studies is fine,” Fan Wenshu said gloomily, “I just worry the prince will pretend to know things he doesn’t and try to give orders.”

Everyone laughed, “You sell antiques, do you really know about stationery?”

Cui Shisan was also asking questions, but he was asking Dou Zhao: “You’re letting someone from an antique shop sell stationery, and you want me to be your second manager?”

In her previous life, Dou Zhao had learned not to argue with Cui Shisan about such thankless tasks. She said directly, “Concubine Cui has already agreed to this.”

“Are you trying to fool me?” Cui Shisan’s eyes darted around as he said, “Then I’ll go ask Concubine Cui.”

Dou Zhao calmly drank her tea.

Cui Shisan deflated.

Dou Zhao then asked him, “How are things going with Bo Yan?”

“We’ve discovered many things that others don’t know about,” Cui Shisan’s face lit up at the mention, “In Xiping, there’s a village where people secretly cultivated over 200 mu of wasteland, and it hasn’t been discovered for six years. And at Quyang Bridge, the fish scale register shows only 200 mu of good fields, but looking at the village layout, it seems to be more than 200 mu…”

Dou Zhao was shocked: “You discovered all this?” She quickly warned Cui Shisan, “You mustn’t speak carelessly about this, be careful that trouble doesn’t come from your mouth.”

“I know,” Cui Shisan said dismissively. “If you cut off someone’s source of wealth, they’ll cut off your livelihood. I understand the gravity of these matters. I’m only telling you this because you asked, just to help relieve your boredom.”

Thinking of how Dou Qijun had a background as a censor, Dou Zhao couldn’t rest easy. While going to pay respects to Sixth Aunt, she made a detour to Third Sister-in-law’s place to warn Dou Qijun.

“Fourth Aunt need not worry, I’m not some seventeen or eighteen-year-old youth who rushes in recklessly based on passion alone.”

You’re only two or three years older than a seventeen or eighteen-year-old, honestly.

Dou Zhao grumbled internally as she got up to leave.

On the way, she encountered Wu Shan and Dou Zhengchang.

The two were walking while whispering to each other about something, both looking somewhat dejected.

Dou Zhao went up to greet them.

Both were startled and managed forced smiles while exchanging a few words with Dou Zhao before hurrying off to their studies.

Dou Zhao was puzzled, but only briefly so, not enough to chase after them to ask.

When she returned home, she saw her grandmother and Gan Lu, Su Juan, and others wiping tears.

“Shou Gu, Bie Gangyi has passed away,” Grandmother said with red eyes. “Those two young ladies, what do they know? You should send someone over to help them!”

Dou Zhao felt somewhat heavy-hearted. She had someone send a message to Zhao Liangbi in Zhending, asking him to help the Bie Suxin and Bie Sulan sisters handle the funeral arrangements. She also invited Teacher Chen, and the next day they went together to Zhending Prefecture.

The Bie family martial arts school was already hung with white banners. Many people were coming and going – strong men, frail elderly, and even some fish vendors who had just delivered fish. Everyone looked solemn, some bringing sacrificial offerings, others just bringing mourning couplets, going to the memorial hall to burn incense for Bie Gangyi. It was clear that Bie Gangyi had very good relationships with people.

After the steward presented the offerings, Dou Zhao lit three incense sticks. Bie Suxin, who was at the memorial hall thanking visitors, accompanied Dou Zhao to the main hall.

“Miss,” she looked haggard as she poured Dou Zhao a cup of hot tea, “The weather is so cold, you could have just sent someone over. Why did you need to come personally?” She added, “After father’s first seven days of mourning, my sister and I will enter the mansion.”

Once they entered the mansion, they would have to follow the Dou family’s rules. During the New Year, the two sisters surely couldn’t wear mourning clothes?

“Why don’t you wait until after Master Bie’s forty-nine days of mourning, when spring arrives, before entering the mansion?” Dou Zhao said, “There’s no rush.”

Bie Suxin gratefully thanked Dou Zhao.

Outside, someone called out “The feast is ready.”

Dou Zhao looked over and saw Zhao Liangbi and Chen Xiaofeng busy helping the Bie family receive guests.

Dou Zhao smiled slightly but didn’t stay for the meal, returning to Zhending early.

Second Madam was talking with Dou Shibang.

“The second manager is from the Cui family,” Second Madam pondered, “but the main store is in Beijing… Could she be planning to compete with the Wang family?” Second Madam asked puzzledly, “But she was the one who didn’t want to go to Beijing… Or perhaps she’s unwilling to bow and acknowledge kinship with those people from the Wang family?”

Dou Shibang thought the same, and he asked his mother: “Then what do you think we should do now?”

“What’s there to worry about?” Second Madam smiled, “The money is Shou Gu’s, and she wants to create more income for the family. This is a good thing, we should help her!”

Zeng Yifen had given Wang Xingyi the cold shoulder for several years because Wang Xingyi hadn’t handled family matters well and almost gave others an opportunity to find fault. But Wang Xingyi was too lucky – he had won victory after victory in Shaanxi, and even the Emperor praised him with a “not bad.” There were only so many high positions at court, and even if you, Zeng Yifen, didn’t want to promote your own people who had achieved such merit, you couldn’t stop others from promoting them. By then, when all the good positions were taken by others, it would also be a blow to Zeng Yifen.

Dou Shibang also understood his brother’s situation.

He smiled and said, “Fan Wenshu came to see me, saying he’s interested in a shop space in Hanlin Alley on South Street in Beijing. Shou Gu wants to buy it. We happen to have a two-room silk shop there that’s been doing mediocre business because the layout is a bit small. I think we might as well sell it to Shou Gu. It would be quite suitable for them to run a stationery shop.”

“You can make the decision,” Second Madam smiled and changed the subject to ask about New Year preparations: “How are the preparations coming along?”

“Everything is ready,” Dou Shibang smiled. “The manor’s income was very good this year, we sent over four thousand more jin of grain than previous years.”

Second Madam nodded with a smile, and a young maid came in to report: “Fourth Miss has arrived.”