Chapter 623: Chapter 610: Be Careful

Zhuang Qinglan was still crying uncontrollably, a series of gasps and sobs.

Zhuang Qisheng thought of Zhuang Qinglan’s unreasonable demands, which once again frustrated him.

At this point, merely staying alive was commendable. Yet, she was still preoccupied with miscellaneous things. Was she truly weary of her life?

Thinking of life-preservation, had he now fulfilled what Chu Jinnian initially entrusted him with?

If it was indeed so, then he, too, had redeemed himself through service. Could he also ask Chu Jinnian whether his position could be preserved…?

This was a lucrative post; one would hold on to it for as long as possible, seizing advantages wherever they surfaced. It required thick skin and frequent inquiries. Waiting for others to bestow favors was not an option.

Zhuang Qisheng made up his mind, hurriedly moving to the study to prepare a letter to Chu Jinnian.

—-

After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the autumnal atmosphere grew increasingly prominent day by day.

Once autumn arrived, it marked the preparation of new quilts for winter, new clothes, and new Year clothes. It was best to get started early, in the warmer weather. This way, the laundry and sun drying could be finished early – in time for the colder weather.

Every one of these items required fabric.

No need to mention the wealthy; they used satin and gauze and bought mainly from Cheng’s shop.

The ordinary people, only needing some fine cloth or mixed silk, went to Zhuang’s cloth shop instead.

The quality was great, the prices were fair, and the salesmen were quite efficient, making for a satisfactory experience.

Hence, Zhuang’s Cloth Shop was always bustling with activity.

The number of shop assistants had increased from one to five, and a well-experienced accountant was specifically hired to manage the accounts.

Business was booming in the shop and the workshop was no exception.

Managing to capture trade in the prime autumn-winter season, shops all over were stocking up. The affordability of Zhuang’s Workshop and absence of expensive, long-distance deliveries from Songjiang made it a cheaper option.

Lower costs meant higher profits and the freedom to compromise on prices while competing with other shops.

Consequently, there was a never-ending stream of people coming to purchase goods from the workshop. Order requests for each month had been fully lined up from September right through winter, with strict limits on the volume of each order. Any surplus was pushed to the back of the queue.

The fiercer the competition for a product, the higher its quality. Seeing the workshop’s thriving business, shopkeepers flocked to place orders, engendering a virtuous cycle that took business to the next level.

“We’ve tripled the number of looms already, and it seems certain we’ll have to double that again next year. If that’s the case, we may run out of space,” Zhuang Yutian says with a big smile on his face.

But if he assures Miss Qingning that although the production volume will increase, they will continue to uphold standards. No compromises will be made regarding quality. They will not be so blinded by profit as to neglect everything else. The aim is to ensure longevity in business.

Zhuang Yutian, an experienced businessman, understood this principle very clearly.

Zhuang Qingning was reassured by this, but she still cautioned, “In the entire county, other than Cheng’s, it’s just our cloth shop and workshop that stand out. With so much merchandise going out and piles of silver being brought in, others are bound to envy us.”

“We should stay on our guard.”

“Hmm,” Zhuang Yutian nodded earnestly after hearing Zhuang Qingning’s words, “Although Cao Jiande has failed to trouble us several times and instead incurred great losses to himself, he finally had to sell his stock at a loss as it gathered dust. Despite having learned his lesson thoroughly and not daring to provoke us anymore…”

“…a cornered dog might jump over the wall, and seeing his rival raking in profits while his shop isn’t doing well might lead him to do something drastic.”

“Truthfully, not only the people in the same line of business but also people in other lines of business might harbor jealousy, it’s better to stay vigilant.”

Zhuang Qingning nodded her agreement to Zhuang Yutian’s words.

The two of them had a long chat, after which Zhuang Qingning took a look around the workshop.

Everyone in the workshop was hard at work, operating the pedal of the loom with hands moving non-stop like nimble fish through thousand threads.

Over on the spinning side, the hand-operated spinning wheel made rhythmic humming noises while the bright, white cotton turned into fine and delicate thread under skilled hands before winding onto nearby spools.

The entire textile workshop could be described as having high productivity and efficiency.

Moreover, by using the same looms, the same spinning machines, and training with the same knowledge, the spun thread and woven cloth shared the same quality.

Zhuang Qingning was quite satisfied with both the management of the entire workshop and the quality of the woven cloth after her round of inspections.

She nodded her approval as she walked.

Seeing this, Zhuang Yutian couldn’t help but let the corners of his mouth twist into a knowing smile.

Although he considered himself a very ordinary businessman, he thought Zhuang Qingning was very different and far more intelligent than the ordinary people. Having her acknowledgment meant he was not lacking either.

As Zhuang Yutian thought about it, he couldn’t help but straighten his stance proudly.

While making her rounds, Zhuang Qingning stopped in front of a young man who put more effort into his weaving. She frowned and rubbed her nose before studying the young man with interest.

The man noticed Zhuang Qingning’s gaze and stopped his loom shuttle, asking, “Is something wrong?”

“No, not at all,” Zhuang Qingning laughed, “Just that your weaving skills seem more advanced than others, so I took a closer look.”

On hearing this, the man grinned, “I won’t lie to you, Madam. There are four brothers in my house. Ever since my mom fell ill, I’ve been the one doing all the weaving and sewing. I don’t mean to brag, but even the usual women can’t match my weaving skill.”

“Before, when I used to weave at home, people would criticize me for being a grown man doing a woman’s job, earning no money. But now in this workshop, I earn hundreds every month. That’s more profit than any job they do.”