Too high to reach

Chapter 146 Going Too Far
The next morning, a carriage took Mo Yi to the Qizhen Tower.

As soon as I got off the bus, I saw Manager Zhao waiting for me at the door.

Perhaps thinking that as long as he handed this matter over to this girl, he could go far away and enjoy the peace, he smiled with exceptional sincerity.

"Miss Mo, please go to the third floor!"

Granny Zhao has arrived.

I've never been up to the third floor before. It looks like it's the accounting office, the warehouse, and also where Manager Zhao conducts his business.

There was a row of cabinets in the open-plan room, and things were everywhere!
The large table was covered with various utensils, raw materials, and books.

Both the siblings like setting up stalls...

Manager Zhao had his staff prepare tea, and then said to Granny Zhao, "Sister, why don't you two talk first?"

"it is good."

Manager Zhao smiled at Mo Yi and went out.

"Miss Mo, please have a seat."

Seeing that Granny Zhao looked rather serious, Mo Yi wondered: Why are you so solemn? What do you want to talk about?
"Miss Mo, has your family mentioned your dowry?"

Seeing that she asked this question right away, Mo Yi smiled bitterly: "When I got home yesterday, my father quietly said that my uncle promised to do his best to prepare my dowry. My father also said that our little shop, along with the goods, will all be given to me."

This can be considered: the Mohists have given their all. But compared to the Qi Prince's mansion, it's probably nothing at all.

The Mohist family has a large population but limited assets. My eldest brother is still studying, and my sister is getting married. My second brother has been appointed and needs to be married off. Several other boys are also going to school… Just thinking about it makes me anxious. So, they made a promise, but I'm too embarrassed to take it away…

Otherwise, my life wouldn't have been much better, and things would have been even harder for my family. "Granny, I've already mentioned the dowry to the Prince… He's marrying a poor girl."

Granny Zhao chuckled upon hearing this: "Did the prince say whether he would help you find a solution?"

“Hmm…” Mo Yi blinked, as if she were mentioning something.

"Now, the Prince intends to transfer Qizhenlou to your name, and it will become part of your dowry in the future."

Mo Yi didn't understand at first.

"Qizhenlou is yours to manage; treat it as part of your dowry," Granny Zhao said again.

This place is mine now?!
Mo Yi wanted to ask, but didn't dare, afraid that Granny Zhao would think she was crazy!
However… she didn’t mishear.

Granny Zhao wasn't one to speak without reason; since she had said that... Mo Yi quickly racked her brains.

"What the old lady means is that the Qizhen Tower will be transferred to my name, and when I bring it into the Prince's mansion in the future, the property can be brought into the open..."

"That's only part of the reason."

"But who would believe I own such a shop?"

"This isn't for proving anything to others. You own property and can dispose of it as you see fit. If you have children in the future, they can inherit it directly, just like they would your own."

"The industry belongs to me, so I'll be in charge of managing it?" Mo Yi discovered that he had a knack for shamelessness. How could he not blush or skip a beat when faced with such a situation? He even seemed a little eager to try it out.
"Of course we hope you can manage it yourself! Your Highness owns many properties, and we each have our own responsibilities. Moreover, there will be more and more things to do. Of course, the more capable people the better."

"What about Manager Zhao?"

"My younger brother has long harbored a dream, and now that you've taken on this responsibility, he's ready to pursue it," said Granny Zhao with a wry smile.

"dream?"

“Yes, let him tell you himself in a bit! The Prince knows about the Mo family’s predicament, so he gave instructions in advance. I was thinking that since you like this line of work, why not give Qizhenlou to you? You’ve done it before, so you’ll pick it up quickly.”

“But my small business can’t operate like this…” Mo Yi looked around: “I don’t know how a shop like this even works.”

“You can learn it, there’s no rush…” “Granny Zhao, I need to calm down…” Mo Yi stood up and paced around the room.

She has never been a dreamer; she believes that everything should be done with one's own heart.

But now, why does everything feel like a dream?
"Granny Zhao, I really don't dare to agree so readily... What if I don't do well and disappoint the Prince? I would be too ashamed to face anyone. How about I follow Manager Zhao and see for myself first?"

“Of course!” Granny Zhao tugged at the rope beside her.

A moment later, Manager Zhao came in, all smiles. "How was it, Miss Mo? Surprised?"

"A pleasant surprise." Mo Yi sat down without much emotion.

Manager Zhao was even more emotional than her: "When I first met you and your father, who would have thought that this day would come? The world changes so much!"

"Manager Zhao, I'm more curious: what dream could make you so happy to give up this place? To me, staying here all day is like a mouse falling into a rice jar; how could I bear to leave?"

Manager Zhao gave him an expression that said, "Look at you, so unsophisticated..."

He got up and took out a bunch of things from the cabinet next to him.

He zoomed in on the table, then unfolded one of the sheets, and Mo Yi leaned over to look at it.

Granny Zhao sat and drank tea, ignoring them.

This large sheet of paper is a map.

"A map?" Mo Yi's eyes widened at the sight of it. "My God, this is just too..." There was no way to describe it.

"So big, so big..." Above, mountains, rivers, roads, borders, cities, and lakes of all sizes were meticulously drawn. Extremely fine strokes marked the names of mountains, rivers, and towns...

"Isn't it beautiful? This was drawn by Master Jiang Wenxiang after decades of measuring! Of course, this is just a copy!"

"None of the paintings I've seen before have been this vivid or this big... Where has this all been painted? The whole world?"

Manager Zhao chuckled, "Interesting, isn't it? This..." He pointed to a red line drawn on the map, "...is the route from the capital to Yunnan..." He pointed to the capital, "...out the south gate, towards Lugou Bridge, then to Zhengding Prefecture, and then south again..." He spoke eloquently about how to cross the Yellow River, climb the Qinling Mountains, and cross the Yangtze River.

Finally, we arrived in Yunnan, the land of colorful clouds.

“When I was a kid, I spent a few years in Zhao’s army, and I traveled all over this area…” He gestured. “But every time I got here… I turned back. I never managed to go any further, and I regret it.”

Later, I stayed in the capital to manage the prince's businesses. Life was tough, but very successful. We... owned teahouses, restaurants, and jewelry stores; we bought land and built shops. Later, other businesses gradually found their way in. I delegated some authority, and they all did quite well.

Only here... I'm not saying that other people are completely unsuitable, but there are some I just can't let go of.

Days passed, and I grew older. I fear that in another two years, my body will be too frail to climb mountains and wade through rivers. My ambitions, too, have been worn away by counting money all day long…

Thankfully, Miss Mo, you appeared! For me too, this is a major turning point in my life! A long-dormant wish has been revived!

Granny Zhao glared at him.

Mo Yi chuckled, "Manager Zhao, you're at it again!"

"Alright, stop being so sentimental. Sit down. Miss Mo just said she's feeling uncertain, so you need to come up with a method to help her get familiar with things as quickly as possible."

“Miss Mo, setting up your own little stall is like going through the process. Although it’s not exactly the same, there’s always a business philosophy to it. No matter how big the business is, it’s all about the details of buying, selling, and accounting. It’s the same as your little shop. This…” He turned around and picked up a few booklets.

"This is the shop's operating procedure. This is the format of the ledger. These are the inbound, outbound, and inventory ledgers. Take a look first, get a feel for it, and then follow along in practice. With your intelligence, you'll understand immediately."

"Next, it's about relationships with clients and various parties, which really tests your skills. You need to understand the major demands in Beijing, grasp the clients' preferences, and know their financial resources. However, judging from our last collaboration, you are quite talented! Then there's the daily work at the store... It's really nothing more than that, quite easy!"

Having been fooled by Manager Zhao for most of the day, Mo Yi returned home carrying a pile of things. This time, she was really in for a big fuss…

(End of this chapter)