Expelled from the Duke's mansion, the fake heiress is richer than a country.

Chapter 164 I am not worthy of you, sir.

Forget your worries and ponder for a moment.

"Master, if we lack guards, why not ask Chief Escort Wu for help? He has extensive connections and a large number of镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) under his command. If there are any retired martial arts masters who no longer want to escort goods, hiring them here will be more than enough to deter petty thieves and bandits!"

Yu Wanran thought about it and agreed; it was indeed a good idea! She immediately wrote a letter, asking Yanqing to go to Tongcheng and secretly find Wu Jian to see if he could hire a few people to bring it back.

Yan Qing readily accepted the mission. He knew that Wang You was indeed no longer suitable to appear within the Duke's sphere of influence.

After Yanqing left, the Lin family grandfather and grandson, along with Zhong Yeliu, came over to report on the current situation of Chengya Inkstone Manor. After the debts were repaid and rewards were given, there were still 960 taels of silver remaining.

Lin Anzhi was in charge of the accounts, reporting regularly to Zhong Yeliu and receiving the silver. Large expenditures required prior approval. As for profit sharing, it would be distributed annually after the trade routes were established.

Yu Wanran nodded. She trusted Zhong Yeliu's abilities. When the time was right, she would give one to two tenths of the profits to Zhong Yeliu, Wangyou, and Yanqing as a reward.

Those who have followed her loyally for a long time deserve to be treated with utmost sincerity.

After discussing the money, Yu Wanran became concerned with the main point: "Grandpa Lin, I plan to ship a batch of newly made colored inkstones to Beijing in two months. How many Chengni inkstones can you produce here in two months?"

"Now that we have enough funds, we can hire more people."

Lin Fang silently calculated for a moment, then asked his grandson if he couldn't figure out the numbers, and finally gave an affirmative answer.

"With ten kilns operating simultaneously, we can produce approximately 1,500 to 2,000 inkstones in two months. Including any potential defective or scrap products, we will do our best to minimize losses!"

As a master craftsman skilled in inkstone making, he has the confidence to strive for perfection!

Yu Wanran thought the productivity was acceptable and nodded in approval: "Okay, start work as soon as possible! As for who to hire and how many people to hire, Grandpa Lin, you are the expert, so you can make all the decisions."

"Alright! After noon, I'll send people to the city and the villages to recruit craftsmen!"

Lin Fang was delighted by his employer's unwavering trust and smiled broadly.

"Boss, where do you plan to stay for the next two months? Why don't you just stay in the workshop? There are plenty of empty rooms. They may be simple, but they won't cost much."

The key point is that with the boss in charge, everyone has a pillar of support, making them more enthusiastic about their work!

Yu Wanran hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

It's not about saving a few dollars, but rather that she's the owner, and if she doesn't personally oversee the workshop to show that she values ​​it, how can outsiders take it seriously?

At least let people know that she owns this workshop!

Lin Fang was overjoyed to see that she had agreed. He quickly instructed his grandson to arrange accommodations for Yu Wanran and her party.

Yu Wanran also instructed Shunzi to go into the city again to retrieve their luggage that they had left at the inn and to settle their room bill.

Yu Wanran told Lin Fang to hire a few more cooks. Otherwise, it would be a bit unfair for the men in the workshop to eat cold, hard steamed buns and flatbreads every day.

Her workshop already pays higher wages than other workshops, and with the addition of a simple meal, people will flock to work there, so there's no worry about retaining talent.

It's just a few cooks who, after preparing a free meal, can also make some side dishes to sell cheaply to the workers, thus benefiting themselves as well.

Lin Fang conveyed the employer's message to the craftsmen.

Everyone was so excited and cheered when they heard that! The workshop would provide a free meal, which would save them a lot of money each month! The clever ones immediately recommended their wives, saying they were good cooks.

Lin Fang was immediately surrounded, his ears filled with all sorts of shouts. Lin Anzhi quickly put down his account book and ran to help his grandfather out of the predicament.

Yu Wanran shook her head.

The original intention was to establish Lin Fang's authority and win him some support. However, it seems Lin Fang isn't suited to handle this kind of situation, and Lin Anzhi is too young. If the two of them, grandfather and grandson, aren't assertive enough, and she's not around, the workshop's leadership might slip away.

She glanced at Zhong Yeliu, who understood immediately and went over to help the Lin family grandfather and grandson stabilize the situation.

Zhong Yeliu came from a wealthy family and was an excellent steward and accountant. He usually managed several shops and hundreds of servants and employees. What kind of slackers and cheaters hadn't he seen?

Even if these craftsmen had ulterior motives and wanted their families to take advantage of the workshop, it was still easy for Zhong Yeliu to tell whether the people they recommended were usable and suitable.

Zhong Yeliu quickly calmed the noisy craftsmen down with a few words, instructing them to bring their recommended candidates the next morning. An on-site assessment would immediately reveal their true abilities.

But today, Yu Wanran and her two companions still had to share dry rations with the Lin family grandfather and grandson, as well as the craftsmen.

Yu Wanran, with Zhong Yeliu by her side, was about to go see the room that had been prepared for them when a worker who had been sifting through mud and sand rushed in, panting and barefoot, his face flushed red.

"Master! There's a distinguished guest outside... claiming to be Commander Qianhu, here to see you!"

Zhong Yeliu looked at her master in surprise. Yu Wanran frowned, then called to the Fang family, grandfather and grandson, to come out of the workshop to greet them.

Although Si Yuankai was a garrison commander of a thousand men, not as powerful as Xue Heyu, his military rank was still quite high, and as citizens of Decheng, Lin Fang and the others should have come out to greet him.

Si Yuankai changed into a brocade robe, but it was still the kind with narrow sleeves and a fitted silhouette, allowing for easy movement. A slight smile played in his eyes, softening his usually cold and stern brows and adding a touch of warmth to his sharp features.

"Miss Yu, I have something important I'd like to discuss with you."

He waved for Lin Fang and the others to stand up, not caring about being in the public eye, and directly stated his purpose.

Seeing that he had left his two attendants outside the workshop, Yu Wanran had no choice but to ask Zhong Yeliu and the others to leave as well, and led them into the workshop's partitioned area.

She thought that by rejecting Xue Heyu's persuasion, she was also rejecting Si Yuankai. However, Si Yuankai didn't take it seriously and insisted on coming to her door, which made her feel a little uncomfortable.

Please have Si Yuankai sit down and offer him a cup of tea. Seeing that she looked calm and completely unaware, Si Yuankai went straight to the point.

“Miss Yu, Lord Xue has already conveyed your message to me. Logically, I shouldn’t bother you anymore. But there’s something I really don’t understand, and I’d like to ask you to clarify it in person.”

Military officers are indeed different from civil officials; they are straightforward.

Yu Wanran's expression stiffened slightly: "Is there anything you don't understand, Commander?"

“Miss Yu, I have inquired about your background. I have no concern for your past! As for me, I presume Lord Xue has already told you in detail about my identity.”

Si Yuankai looked into her eyes with exceptional candor.

"For some reasons, I have not married to this day. Apart from the two concubines bestowed by the elders, the backyard is still relatively clean. If Miss Yu agrees to marry into my household, you can decide whether they stay or leave."

He paused for a moment, then continued to ask questions, still puzzled.

"I only admire Miss Yu's skills and chivalrous heart. I feel that a girl like you is suitable for me, Si Yuankai! But I don't know what Miss Yu is dissatisfied with about my conditions, so she doesn't like me?"

Yu Wanran suppressed the heat rising on her face from the intense gaze of the other party.

“Lord Commander, you hold the fifth rank, while I am but a commoner. In terms of qualifications, I am naturally unworthy of you…”

Si Yuankai raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to offer her excuses.