Chapter 45: Dismantling
Old Madam seemed to read his thoughts and said leisurely, "Zhi Er was taught by the old master since childhood, and her knowledge is passable. If you find her lacking, sir, you can have her step down for someone more worthy."
Mr. Mu collected his thoughts and replied, "This is a Hua family matter, and you're teaching Hua family descendants. I have no right to comment. Whatever the Hua family deems good is good."
Such an attitude exceeded Hua Zhi's expectations. She had thought Mr. Mu would at least voice some doubts, never imagining he would be so broad-minded.
Hua Zhi made a slight bow. "If the Hua family descendants can learn even a third of what you know, sir, it will benefit them immensely."
"You flatter me, Miss. I dare not accept such praise."
After Old Madam expressed a few more words of gratitude, she led the extra people back to the inner courtyard. After seeing her grandmother off, Hua Zhi said, "Berlin, take everyone over first."
"Yes, Elder Sister."
Watching the children of all ages walk away, Hua Zhi turned to Mr. Mu, noticing he had already taken two steps back to maintain distance between them.
"Mr. Mu, I'd like to discuss with you how to divide my younger brothers into classes."
Mr. Mu nodded understandingly. "How would you like to divide them, Miss?"
"The previous grouping won't work anymore. I was thinking we could conduct an assessment. Regardless of age, those with similar academic progress could be in one class, divided into two groups. What do you think?"
"An excellent idea, Miss." Without much thought, Mr. Mu found this approach admirable. Children who just started learning at six couldn't possibly compare in any aspect to those aged nine or ten. Teaching them together would leave the younger ones struggling to keep up, while focusing on them would hinder the older children's progress. Separate instruction was undoubtedly better.
Hua Zhi, who had received an education completely different from here, smiled. "We can decide how to arrange the teaching schedule after the results come out."
"As you wish, Miss."
That same day, the two prepared a set of examination questions covering all the Four Books and Thirteen Classics they had studied. It was Mr. Mu's first time seeing such a comprehensive testing method, and he found it quite interesting, gaining some confidence in the young lady's teaching capabilities.
When the results came out, the advanced class led by Hua Bolin had fifteen students, while the beginner class had nine.
After dismissing the children for the day, the two divided the teaching responsibilities. Children from the Hua family, a family of scholars, already mastered works like the Hundred Family Surnames, Three Character Classic, and Thousand Character Classic by age four during their early education. After starting formal schooling at six, they studied the Analects, building a solid foundation.
Mr. Mu was a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations, holding the title of Provincial Graduate. He had originally come to the capital for the exams but encountered unexpected troubles. If not for the old master Hua recognizing his talent and protecting him, he might not have survived.
Though he never pursued higher examinations, his knowledge was substantial. Hua Zhi assigned him the more advanced subjects, taking for herself the Analects, Elementary Learning, Three Rites, and Book of Documents. Except for the Book of Documents, which was for the advanced class, the other three were for the beginner class, focusing mainly on character development—something she valued more than pure academic knowledge.
Mr. Mu raised no objections. In fact, he had initially thought he would need to handle everything.
As he was leaving, Hua Zhi took a basket covered with red silk from Bao Xia and handed it to him. "We'll be troubling you from now on, sir."
Mr. Mu accepted it readily, giving Hua Zhi a slight bow, which she returned before they bid farewell.In the swaying carriage, Mr. Mu lifted the red silk and looked at the contents with surprise. When he opened the red envelope, he felt some regret for having accepted so readily. This gift was even more substantial than what he had received previously at the Hua family. Having come to repay a kindness, he felt the Hua family needn't have gone to such lengths!
Reflecting on the interactions of the past half-day, Mr. Mu fell into deep thought. He hadn't noticed it before, but was Old Madam planning to entrust the household management to the eldest young lady? A young lady raised in the seclusion of a wealthy family—could she truly bear such responsibility?
Yet, a woman bold enough to step forward as a teacher must possess some uniqueness.
Hua Zhi, napping at noon, was awakened by an itch from her wound. Just as she was about to scratch it through her clothes, Ying Chun hurried over and skillfully caught her hand, then gently pressed around the wound to ease the discomfort.
Fully awake now, Hua Zhi didn't linger in bed. "Send someone to inform Chen Liang that I'm going to Green Moss Alley."
"Yes."
Ying Chun went out to make arrangements, while Nian Qiu fetched a heavy coat to help the young lady dress. By the time she was ready, Liu Xiang had prepared the washing water—everything proceeded in an orderly manner.
Hua Zhi had only passed by Green Moss Alley before; this was her first actual visit. Riding in the carriage, she circled several streets and lanes in the area, realizing that the alley she had purchased was indeed the most dilapidated and lifeless among them.
A few shops were half-open, their interiors visibly chaotic from the outside, clearly in the process of packing up to relocate.
Hua Zhi didn't disturb them and directed the carriage straight to the end of the alley. Lifting the curtain, she looked at the largest of the twenty-five shops. "Chen Liang."
"Your servant is here."
"Tear down this shop. Handle any necessary procedures—don't hesitate to spend money as long as it avoids future troubles. We've already spent a fortune; a little more won't matter."
Chen Liang understood the young lady's intention almost instantly. That shop blocked the alley's passage, turning it into a dead end. By demolishing it and connecting the alley to the inner river, the entire lane would come to life!
To spend so much silver on buying a shop only to tear it down—Chen Liang admired the young lady's boldness. Not everyone possessed her foresight and courage, which was why Green Moss Alley had declined year after year.
"Your servant will certainly handle it well."
Hua Zhi handed him another list. "These people are currently training under Fu Dong. Once they've completed their studies, each will manage a shop. You will oversee all the shops. I recall you are literate."
"Yes, thanks to the master's favor, I've learned a few characters."
"Before the shops open, find time to study accounting with Nian Qiu in the side courtyard. The income and expenses of these twenty-five shops, along with their monthly, quarterly, and annual profits, must be clear and easy to understand. I don't want a manager who only acts when pushed; I need one who can share my burdens and handle minor matters independently with full capability. Do you understand?"
Chen Liang understood the literal meaning but wasn't entirely clear about the extent of independence the young lady would allow. Although the Hua family treated servants well, any servant daring to make decisions on behalf of their masters would never be tolerated. Yet now, the young lady was speaking of granting him autonomy in minor matters...
Taking a deep breath, Chen Liang asked, "Your servant is dull-witted. May I ask how to distinguish between major and minor matters?""What you can resolve within your capabilities are minor matters, what you cannot resolve are major ones." Hua Zhi was pleased that he took the initiative to ask—this already showed he wasn't just moving when pushed, but was using his mind. "For everyone serving under me, I grant one chance to make a mistake, but I hope such an opportunity will never be needed in your entire lives."
"Yes, this humble one dares not disappoint the Eldest Miss."
Xu Jie, Zuo Fei, Liu Yueming, Chen Liang... Hua Zhi softly exhaled. The framework had temporarily been laid out.
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