After Old Qiao’s family left, Zhao Mingyan sent Uncle Chen to the yamen to process the transfer of ownership.
When Uncle Chen returned, he brought back two freshly registered deeds—the land and property now officially under Nan Yan’s name.
As for the teahouse’s name, Zhao Mingyan left it unchanged: still “Qiao Family Teahouse.”
The Qiao family had managed it for decades, and the name carried influence. Many loyal customers recognized the brand, so she decided not to alter it.
Besides, the Nan household was known for its low profile. There was no need to make a fuss by renaming the shop and drawing attention. With so many eyes outside, it was safer to remain discreet.
Holding the deeds, Zhao Mingyan went to Wang Shuang. In front of her, she began recording the first entry in the household ledger—listing the new property. She carefully noted the date, the amount of silver, the shop’s location, its size, and a brief remark about its origin.
“Why are you showing me this? I can’t understand it,” Wang Shuang said, already feeling a headache at the sight of the writing. Still, she admitted Zhao Mingyan’s handwriting was elegant, refined—clearly the work of someone educated.
Seeing Wang Shuang trying to escape, Zhao Mingyan grabbed her hand.
“Sister Shuang, sit down.”
“Mingyan, it’s enough that you handle this. Besides, Nan Yan entrusted it to you. If anyone should see it, it’s him, not me!”
Zhao Mingyan’s face hardened as she looked at Wang Shuang, who was acting like a deserter. “No matter who gave me the key, as the mistress of the Nan household, you must learn to read the accounts. Every single entry must pass under your eyes.”
“Mingyan, actually I…” Wang Shuang wanted to say something more for herself, but then she met Zhao Mingyan’s stern gaze—so firm it left no room for argument. She swallowed her words and obediently sat down, listening carefully to the lesson.
It was surprising: Zhao Mingyan usually appeared gentle and delicate, but at her core, she was resolute. Even Wang Shuang could be subdued by her.
Seeing her compliance, Zhao Mingyan’s lips curved slightly. Patiently, she taught her to recognize the characters in the ledger, word by word, and explained how to record each entry and read the accounts. Even if Wang Shuang wouldn’t be the one to keep the books in the future, Zhao Mingyan was determined to teach her.
Wang Shuang didn’t yet realize how valuable this training would become later.
“Sister Shuang, this is the key to bookkeeping. If something isn’t clear and can’t be explained, then the account is suspicious. Do you understand?”
“Honestly, Mingyan, your bookkeeping is excellent. My father once tried to teach me, but I never understood a thing. Today, I finally get it—it’s actually like this.”
Zhao Mingyan: “Good. As long as you understand. From now on, whenever I record an entry, you’ll be beside me watching.”
Wang Shuang: “…Isn’t it enough that I understand?”
“No. You need to practice and reinforce it. I’ll test you from time to time.”
Wang Shuang: “…”
Hearing this, Wang Shuang’s head felt ready to burst. She quickly made an excuse about needing to kill a chicken and cook dinner, fleeing the lesson.
Watching her retreat in haste, Zhao Mingyan smiled faintly, then lowered her head to place the completed ledger into Nan Yan’s money chest. With a click, she locked it and returned it to the study.
The moon rose over the branches, and dusk carried the fragrance of tea. The aroma drifted gently.
Nan Yan came home early that day, returning at sunset. As he entered, he saw Zhao Mingyan and Wang Shuang sitting together in the main hall, sipping tea and embroidering clothes.
In just a few days, the household’s new garments were nearly finished. This was thanks to the decorative patches and ornaments Zhao Mingyan had purchased, which saved much effort. Once the fabric was cut and sewn, they simply stitched on the ready‑made motifs to create beautiful designs quickly. They even enjoyed arranging and combining them in playful ways.
Previously, Wang Shuang had only made plain, simple clothes. Embroidering flowers was too troublesome, so she avoided it. The household’s clothing, including her own, had always been austere.
Now, working with Zhao Mingyan, they decorated garments with colorful patches, and the clothes instantly looked far more attractive.
“Mingyan, this combination really does look nice. But why do I feel it’s a little strange?”
Wang Shuang was wearing her newly made embroidered silk jacket. She truly felt it was far more delicate and beautiful than the plain clothes she used to wear—though something about it still seemed a little strange.
As she stitched, Zhao Mingyan looked at her and said, “It’s not strange at all. Dressed like this, Sister Shuang, you look just like an official’s wife.”
“Hahaha, an official’s wife!” Wang Shuang couldn’t help laughing. Then, nodding, she added, “Yes, yes, that’s exactly what felt odd. I realized I looked just like those women I used to see outside!”
In the capital, the wives of officials and noble ladies were always dressed in fine silks and ornate garments. Wang Shuang had never thought much of them before, but now she saw clearly—there was indeed a big difference between them and herself.
“Mingyan, from now on, we should dress like official wives too. If I wear clothes like this, won’t I look just the same as them?”
Although Wang Shuang usually didn’t care much about clothing and adornment, after living in the capital for so long, she was constantly surrounded by the sight of officials’ wives and noble ladies in their fine attire. She knew they looked down on her. If no one had come to guide her, she might have let it be—but now that Zhao Mingyan was here, with just a gentle nudge, she had already brought change. How could Wang Shuang not want to improve herself? If she dressed like those women, wouldn’t they stop mocking her?
Hearing her words, Zhao Mingyan lifted her head and studied her carefully from head to toe. After a moment, she said, “Still missing something.”
“Missing what?” Wang Shuang asked, eyes wide.
“Missing headpieces and jewelry,” Zhao Mingyan replied.
If she truly wanted to look like the wives of officials, it wasn’t difficult—she simply needed to acquire the full set from head to toe. Fine silks and satins for clothing, and jewelry to match. Head ornaments, necklaces, bracelets, and even pendants at the waist. Once all these were in place, she would look no different from the ladies at banquets.
But Wang Shuang’s bright eyes quickly dimmed at Zhao Mingyan’s words. She set down her garment and sighed. “That’s not easy. Jewelry is far more expensive than clothes. To outfit oneself from head to toe costs so much money and trouble. Forget it.”
Even making these clothes had cost more than ten taels of silver. That same amount spent on jewelry would only buy a few pieces. Too expensive—far beyond her reach.
At that moment, Zhao Mingyan spoke again. “Sister Shuang, don’t lose heart. Haven’t we just acquired a teahouse today? In the future, as we build more businesses and manage them well, we’ll have steady income. Then we’ll have money for adornments—and you can truly become an official’s wife.”