Chapter 78 — Business
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
Once Dou Yan had been sent on his way, Dou Xiuchang went straight to Dou Zhen and told him about Dou Yan's plan to open a stationery shop. "If it were a small sum, and the capital were all Fourth Sister's, I would simply be minding it for her," he said. "But she named a figure of ten thousand taels at the outset. I fear she will be swindled, yet I cannot say so outright for fear of putting ideas in Fourth Sister's head. I had no choice but to agree vaguely. But if she truly is cheated, how am I to answer to the Dou and Zhao clans? People will think I had a hand in it."
"Why would Shouyuan suddenly take it into her head to open a shop?" Dou Zhen was taken aback. But he had weathered much in his day, and after a moment's thought he had his countermeasure. Smiling, he said, "Shouyuan can hardly go choose the premises and order the inks and brushes herself. Simply have the men who manage it report the accounts to you."
"Of course!" Dou Xiuchang clapped his hands together. "Why didn't I think of that? If someone does have designs on Fourth Aunt, at least we won't lose everything at one stroke. And the men managing things for her will become familiar faces—if there's any trace of trouble, we may spot it early."
Dou Zhen nodded, smiling.
Dou Xiuchang passed Dou Zhen's advice on to Dou Zhiwei, in the most tactful terms.
Dou Xin only smiled and said nothing.
Half of the Western Dou holdings—not so easy to manage, after all!
She asked Dou Zhen to find her a chief manager.
The chief managers over the properties under Dou Yan's name each had their own post, and all were doing well; why should she stir things up? And a chief manager was not a role just anyone could fill. From apprentice to clerk to manager to chief manager—without twenty years of seasoning, it was impossible. Whoever had spent twenty years training up a chief manager would never let him go lightly. And whoever had stayed twenty years in one place, risen to chief manager, and still sought greener pastures—there was surely something wrong there. And even if you wanted to inquire, the truth would be very hard to uncover.
Rather than rack her brains and still not know what sort of man she'd get, better to take one straight from the Dou household—someone known inside and out, loyal and reliable.
Dou Zhen laughed. "How grand a scale are you planning, that you need a chief manager? A manager should be quite enough, I'd say."
"Since I've opened my mouth to ask Third Uncle once, naturally I want the best." Dou Yan smiled coquettishly. "I don't care what method Third Uncle uses—my shop opens after the New Year, and when the time comes I'll simply come to collect my man. Otherwise, I'll drag your chief manager from the capital's money house down to Zhending."
Which was, of course, impossible.
Dou Zhen stroked his beard and roared with laughter. After much sifting, he picked one from the family's managers: "...named Fan Wenshu. Apprenticed at eight; he's only thirty-two this year, and already second manager of Jifen Pavilion."
Jifen Pavilion was the Dou family's antique shop in the capital.
Dou Yan nodded with obvious reluctance. "He doesn't deal in stationery, but I suppose it's close enough. Him, then!"
Dou Zhen could only shake his head.
Even a man like this met with disdain—no wonder every manager in the household, great and small, balked when they heard it was Dou Yan asking for hands.
How could Dou Yan know how hard it was to become a manager?
He had no choice but to promise Fan Wenshu: "If the shop goes under, I'll have you made chief manager of Jifen Pavilion's Nanjing branch."
Fan Wenshu smiled bitterly.
As if a chief manager's post were so easily had?
He would have to be equal to it!