Reincarnation in the Three Kingdoms Era with a System

Chapter 634 634: 634 Wang Xifeng's Predicament

Chang'an City, the Textile Bureau.

Wang Xifeng had only been in charge for a short time, and after familiarizing herself with the procedures,

her first task was to control the finances. Finances were the most crucial element. The Textile Bureau housed girls sold into servitude by impoverished families, as well as orphans and widows.

The children were cared for in an orphanage, while the mothers worked here to earn money, getting a day off every nine days to visit their children.

Compared to their lonely lives outside, although they still endured the pain of separation from their families, it was far better than starving to death.

Moreover, the Textile Bureau also housed many former noblewomen, who had been brought in after their families offended Lu Ming and were subsequently purged.

Upon seeing Wang Xifeng, some of the women she recognized felt a pang of regret.

Previously, their social standing was roughly equal; now, she was a prisoner, while he was an honored guest.

Wang Xifeng, capable of managing the vast Jia family, could naturally manage a large-scale textile bureau as well.

A cursory glance revealed that the number of women in the Textile Bureau had exceeded 30,000, and was still increasing.

Eating, drinking, and sanitation were all major issues.

Moreover, the more people there were, the more complex the relationships became.

If they all came from the same places, the women would band together for warmth and support. Under the current policies, harmonious coexistence wasn't guaranteed, but some friction was inevitable.

Wang Xifeng's job was both simple and difficult.

Maintaining the normal operation of the Textile Bureau and ensuring its profits covered daily expenses was her task.

The Textile Bureau didn't just make clothes; Wang Xifeng also discovered that the types of clothing were numerous.

There were linen garments, as well as high-end brocade and silk, and in addition, there were bedding and other textiles.

Many textile products were actually produced here.

There were also soft pillows. Wealthy families typically used jade pillows, which were very hard and uncomfortable.

Poor families used wooden pillows, which weren't as comfortable as soft ones.

Cotton pillows are comfortable, but washing them is troublesome, and they need to be replaced frequently; we don't have that much money.

Besides clothes, there are gloves and cloth shoes.

Gloves protect the hands and reduce blisters during work.

Cloth shoes protect the feet; walking barefoot outdoors is extremely dangerous.

A bite from a poisonous insect or ant could be fatal.

In her private office, Wang Xifeng rubbed her head. The work in the textile department was simple in some ways, but difficult in others.

She also had to assign tasks based on each person's skill, technique, and speed.

Moreover, the produced goods had to be kept in stock as much as possible, because unsold goods are a waste of money.

Unless it's public welfare goods, paid for by the government, then that's a different story.

The textile department's compensation was determined by its own performance; higher profits meant better compensation.

There were also existing benefits that couldn't be reduced.

To reform the textile department, she needed to win over the hearts and minds of the employees, which required money.

Although it was somewhat difficult, Wang Xifeng still felt quite good; at least life was much better now.

Lin Daiyu was in charge of the Education Department, and had already trained two batches of junior officials, largely solving the problem of a lack of capable personnel.

Her relationship with Wang Xifeng was neither close nor distant. Even though her mother, Jia Min, was from the Jia family, she wasn't particularly close to the other women in the Jia household.

She preferred reading most of the time, and now that she was pregnant, she was even less inclined to engage in casual conversation.

"So many! How did Tan Chun manage all that before?" Wang Xifeng rubbed her head. She simply couldn't imagine how Tan Chun could manage three departments by herself; the number of people was far too many.

Actually, Tan Chun didn't manage them; she just kept them running. She needed to cultivate a good relationship with Lin Daiyu so that she could train more women to serve as junior officials, helping her manage the vast three departments.

Lu Ming had already said that she would definitely be in charge of this area in the future, so Tan Chun took it very seriously.

She knew her father, Jia Zheng, was still alive, largely out of respect for her.

Pleading was useless; only by performing well could she gain favor with the Jia family.

Even the smallest favor, spilling from her fingertips, would be enough for the Jia family to enjoy.

Ping'er remained silent. She didn't know what Wang Xifeng was thinking, but she knew she only needed to keep quiet.

Seeing Ping'er's lack of reaction, Wang Xifeng scratched her head in exasperation. "Ping'er, this isn't the Jia household anymore. We need to cooperate. Although you're my maid, there's a possibility you might become my equal in the future. My husband won't let you off the hook. I know that, so don't be so reserved. The Textile Division is a test. If we don't do well, our good days together might be over!"

The strong-willed Wang Xifeng was unwilling to leave in disgrace. She was determined to take over the Textile Division, and do it to the best of her ability; otherwise, she wouldn't be Wang Xifeng!

"Yes, Madam." Ping'er also changed her address, now calling her "Madam," whereas before she always called her "Young Mistress." She changed it now because she had remarried.

"The government's orders need to be completed quickly. The people in Dunhuang and Jiuquan still need our hemp clothing, and the soldiers' boots also need replacing. There's too much." Wang Xifeng looked at the account book in her hand, her eyes gleaming. The profit margin was actually quite high.

The textile workshop didn't actually need to sell the goods themselves; it was more of a processing workshop.

The only problem was that the raw materials needed to be transported from elsewhere, and the finished products were also shipped out. Their earnings were all hard-earned.

There was one thing Wang Xifeng didn't mention: the women here were all future concubines. It depended on who was pretty and young; if they were lucky enough to catch Lu Ming's eye and be raped, they would be considered to have risen from humble beginnings to become phoenixes.

However, currently, there weren't many outstanding women here, so she wasn't really worried.

Unlike before, when she forbade Jia Lian from taking concubines, Wang Xifeng, having experienced great ups and downs, had become indifferent to such matters. She let Lu Ming do as he pleased.

She only needed to guard her own small territory. Besides, there were the two vixens, the You sisters, whose reputations were poor, and she looked down on them, but undeniably, their becoming concubines was a foregone conclusion.

The more women there were, the fiercer the competition.

However, Wang Xifeng's two aunts, Lady Wang and Aunt Xue, were not enthusiastic about these things.

Lady Wang was somewhat helpful; she could lend a hand, but her energy was limited.

At her age, pregnant, and prone to drowsiness, she was even less inclined to work.

As for Aunt Xue, she was even less involved. Her days were devoted to fitness, yoga, beauty treatments, and skincare; she treated herself entirely as a mistress, solely serving Lu Ming.