Early in the morning three days later, Ye Cishu dressed simply and stood waiting in the courtyard of Shouxi Hall.
Shouxi Hall was spacious, where Old Master Ye usually handled business matters.
Now, twelve desks had been arranged in the courtyard of Shouxi Hall.
On each desk were prepared brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.
Additionally, various stewards stood with their hands respectfully at their sides, quietly lining both sides of the courtyard walls.
As soon as the hour of Si arrived, Old Master Ye emerged from Shouxi Hall with his three sons.
Looking at the crowd already gathered in the courtyard, Old Master Ye stroked his beard with satisfaction.
"Look, the younger generation has grown so much. We are old now; it's time to step aside."
Ye Family Eldest Master quickly said, "Father, you are still vigorous and in your prime. There's no talk of stepping aside."
Old Master Ye glanced at Ye Family Eldest Master but said nothing more, simply descending the steps.
Looking at the twelve grandchildren prepared for the competition, Old Master Ye praised them repeatedly.
"All good, all good. The future of the Ye Family will depend on you all!"
However, when he reached Ye Cishu and Ye Xiushu, his steps paused.
"I know the eldest granddaughter isn't participating, but why hasn't the second granddaughter come either?" Old Master Ye looked at Second Master Ye.
Second Master Ye hurriedly bowed and replied.
"Father, Ning Jie'er has never been skilled in these matters. If she came, she would only make up the numbers and embarrass herself in front of her siblings."
Old Master Ye snorted, ignoring Second Master Ye, and turned to climb back up the steps.
"The Ye Family has been in business for generations. It is through the accumulation of several generations that we have built such a large foundation today.
The annual Account Checking Competition isn't because the family's shops have too much silver with nowhere to spend it.
It is to make you understand what the foundation of the Ye Family truly is.
Do not forget your roots."
Second Master Ye dared not utter a word.
Old Master Ye paid him no mind and continued, "In the Ye Family, regardless of gender, everyone must know how to keep accounts.
Even if you are a woman confined to the inner chambers, as long as you wish to do business or manage a shop, the Ye Family will support you.
Dayu is not like the previous dynasty; there are many female shopkeepers and proprietresses.
Now, the prize for this Account Checking Competition is Bai Zhi Fang, the silk and satin shop on Qianmen Street.
The rules remain the same: three months' worth of account books are placed before you.
Whoever can calculate the accounts the fastest and most accurately will be given that silk and satin shop.
Prepare to begin!"
After speaking, Old Master Ye directly took his seat in the grand armchair prepared by the Steward.
Ye Family Eldest Master, Second Master Ye, and Ye Family Third Master then also took their seats in the chairs.
The Ye Family children participating in the competition were all excited.
In Gusu City, apart from Fengyu Workshop, Bai Zhi Fang was one of the largest silk and satin shops.
Fengyu Workshop was managed by the government, but the Ye Family held a share in it.
Bai Zhi Fang, however, was entirely owned by the Ye Family.
Every year, the Tian Si Duan silk presented as tribute came from Bai Zhi Fang—a shop so profitable it practically dripped with wealth…
Under the steward's guidance, Ye Cishu took her seat at her designated position.
Before her lay a stack of account books.
An abacus was placed in the center, a pile of cut Xuan paper spread on the desk, and to her right were a prepared inkstone and brush.
For some reason, Ye Cishu began to feel a bit nervous.
Beside her, Ye Xiushu had already positioned her brush within easy reach.
Ye Cishu remembered: this third elder sister was also skilled with the abacus.
No, not just skilled with the abacus—she was also excellent at accounting and wholeheartedly focused on making money.
She was bold enough to make money from any venture, managing the shops under her name with great success, always thinking about how to make money grow.
Last year, she secretly lent money at high interest to the servants in the mansion. When the Old Master found out, he scolded her harshly and confined her to the nunnery for a month…
Oh, during the Ye Family's accounting competition last time, Ye Cishu fainted halfway through, and Ye Xiushu took first place, winning a tea shop.
Ye Xiushu also glanced at Ye Cishu.
She smiled confidently at Ye Cishu.
As for this silk and satin shop, she was determined to win it…
Ye Xiushu was already thinking that once she got the silk and satin shop, she would have four shops under her name.
With so much silver earned every year, how should she spend it?
She definitely couldn’t lend money at high interest to the servants in the mansion anymore.
However, she could lend money at high interest to outsiders.
After all, when the Old Master scolded her last time, he said she shouldn’t exploit the servants or try to make money off them.
He never said she couldn’t make money off outsiders…
As the Steward struck the gong, an incense stick was lit and placed in the incense burner in front of Old Master Ye.
Immediately afterward, the sound of abacuses clicking echoed one after another in the courtyard of Shouxi Hall…
Ye Cishu took a deep breath, picked up the first account book on her left, and began flipping through it.
After just one glance, Ye Cishu breathed a sigh of relief.
The accounting method used at this time was the Four-Pillar Accounting Method.
It involved adding Jiu Guan to Xin Shou, subtracting Kai Chu, and arriving at Shi Zai.
Jiu Guan was the opening balance, Xin Shou was the income for the period, Kai Chu was the expenses for the period, and Shi Zai was the closing balance.
It was essentially the same as later accounting methods, just with different terminology.
The only difference from modern methods was that the calculator was replaced by an abacus.
However, Ye Cishu had also learned to use an abacus and was quite skilled at it…
Ye Cishu picked up her abacus, originally intending to do as others did—read a page and calculate it.
But after flipping through just two pages, Ye Cishu discovered something.
Every account book she read seemed to be imprinted in her mind, impossible to forget even if she tried.
Ye Cishu was astonished. Could this be the legendary photographic memory…
She tried flipping through two more pages.
Sure enough, every account she read was deeply imprinted in her mind.
Ye Cishu was overjoyed.
Who would have thought she had such a cheat ability!
Thinking this, Ye Cishu set aside her abacus and began carefully reading through the account books.
Page by page, the figures from each account book were imprinted in her mind.
After finishing the first account book, Ye Cishu quickly picked up the second one to read.
She was no longer anxious. All the numbers from the first account book were neatly organized in her mind.
Others flipped a page and calculated on the abacus, which inevitably wasted some time.
Ye Cishu thought, since she had a photographic memory, why not read through all the account books first…
Soon, Ye Cishu’s actions caught the attention of others.
"Why isn’t Cishu moving?" Ye Family Eldest Master quietly asked Second Master Ye.
Second Master Ye also frowned.
Yes, why isn’t she moving? Cishu used to be quite skilled with the abacus!
No matter what accounts she faced, this girl could calculate them quickly and accurately, no less capable than Xiushu!
"Is she feeling unwell? Didn’t they say Cishu’s heart condition flared up again a couple of days ago?
Second Brother, should we let Cishu rest for a while…"
"Be quiet and just watch."
"Ci'er isn't a child anymore; she'll speak up if she's unwell. No need for you all to fuss over her unnecessarily." Old Master Ye grumbled a couple of lines.
The three masters of the Ye Family immediately fell silent, not daring to speak further.
Old Master Ye took a sip of tea and turned his gaze toward Ye Cishu, who was buried in reviewing the account books, and Ye Xiushu, whose abacus beads were clicking away with remarkable speed.
Among this generation, it seems these two girls are the most outstanding…