Dad, don't be greedy! My brother climbed into the emperor's bed, and I became famous overn

After listening, Gu Mingyue tapped her knee twice with her fingers.

Born into a scholarly family, he was worldly-wise.

She's good at keeping accounts and understands human relationships.

He is impartial in his dealings, giving no one face, but he knows exactly what everyone is owed.

Most importantly, he has a good reputation locally.

The people trusted him.

In modern times, such a person would be a natural-born community operations director.

Gu Mingyue couldn't quite describe how pleasantly surprised she was.

But her intuition told her that this person was usable.

However, whether something can be used and whether it works well are two different things.

She has to try.

"Taozhi, go find a place to rest. Gong Huo, park the carriage first."

Gu Mingyue straightened her sleeves and strode towards the narrow alley.

Yi Wu followed closely behind.

Gu Mingyue turned around and glanced at him.

Yi Wu's eyes remained fixed, his gaze locked on the back of her head.

"Yi Wu, at least keep a couple of steps away. I'm talking business at someone's door, what do you look like standing behind me like that?"

Yi Wu thought about it carefully.

"..."

Gu Mingyue took a deep breath.

"Take five steps back. Stand at the alley entrance. Don't stare at me, stare at the alley."

Yi Wu frowned slightly.

"The master means he's keeping an eye on you."

"I'm the only one in the alley. If you stare at the alley, it's the same as staring at me."

Yi Wu thought about it.

Logically, there doesn't seem to be any flaw.

He took five steps back, stood at the alley entrance, and began to stare into the alley.

While keeping an eye on the alley, Yi Wu silently updated his notes in his mind.

Miss Gu entered the poor scholar's house alone, and told me to step back, not to look.

Yi Wu smacked his lips expressionlessly.

Highly suspicious.

……

Gu Mingyue walked to the door of the low house.

The bamboo curtain was half-drawn, and low voices could be heard coming from inside.

Instead of lifting the curtain directly, she knocked on the door frame.

"Excuse me, is Mr. Wen here?"

The room fell silent for a moment.

The bamboo curtain was lifted from the inside.

Wen Yanzhi stood behind the curtain, holding a bowl of medicine in his hand, from which bitter white steam rose.

He paused slightly when he saw the person standing at the door.

It was the woman who was by the carriage at the alley entrance just now.

He was dressed in silk robes and followed by guards with swords.

What do people from wealthy families want from him?

Wen Yanzhi did not show any surprise.

He simply turned slightly to the side, steadyed the bowl, and looked calmly at Gu Mingyue.

"Yes, miss. What can I do for you?"

There was no flattery, no clinging, and no change in attitude just because she was dressed in fine clothes.

The tone was polite, but carried a sense of appropriate distance.

Gu Mingyue mentally added another point to his score.

"Mr. Wen, I overheard what Uncle Zhang and Sister-in-law Li were saying earlier."

Wen Yanzhi's expression changed slightly.

Could this girl be the mistress of some household, here to interrogate someone?

After all, he was just an unsuccessful scholar who spent his days gossiping about everyone, which inevitably annoyed some people.

"If you feel I have overstepped my bounds..."

"I think you're quick at calculating."

Gu Mingyue interrupted him.

Wen Yanzhi: "..."

His hand holding the medicine bowl paused for a moment.

Gu Mingyue continued, "Thirty catties of half a plot of radishes, seven coins a catty, and you just rattled it off. That shows you keep track of things in your mind, always keeping track."

"The ditch is seventeen feet deep, with three sections of silt, and the deepest part is knee-deep. This shows you didn't just say it; you went down there and measured it yourself."

"Using the excavated silt to fill the foundation is a win-win situation. It shows that you not only know how to mediate, but also how to calculate costs."

Wen Yanzhi was slightly taken aback. Someone could actually understand him?

He unconsciously clenched the medicine bowl in his palm.

I haven't felt this way in a long time.

For three years, he has gone through many twists and turns, moving from place to place, and has handled countless disputes, but no one has paid attention to his methods.

Everyone would only say one thing: "Wen Xiucai is the best talker."

It was as if he were an idle person who made a living by talking.

No one has ever dissected and explained his every action and the painstaking efforts behind it like this woman.

He suppressed his emotions and asked politely, "You flatter me, young lady. May I ask what brings you here?"

Gu Mingyue did not rush to answer.

She tilted her head and glanced into the room.

In the dim light, a thin old man lay on a wooden bed, the blanket covering his chin, looking in this direction.

On the other side, an elderly woman with gray hair sat on a low stool, her eyes half-closed, seemingly unable to see the person who had just arrived.

Gu Mingyue withdrew her gaze.

"Mr. Wen, may I speak to you in private? Your father is unwell, and I don't want to disturb you here."

Wen Yanzhi hesitated for a moment.

He turned around, placed the medicine bowl on the table, and whispered to the old man on the bed, "Dad, I'm going out for a bit," before lifting the curtain and walking out.

The two stood in the alley talking.

Above us were crooked eaves, and under our feet were washed-white stone slabs, with some unknown wild grass growing in the crevices.

The distant sound of drums drifted over, interspersed with a few barks of dogs.

"Is Mr. Wen the son of the prefectural school's instructor?"

Wen Yanzhi's brows twitched slightly.

"The young lady has inquired about my background."

This is not a question, it is a statement.

His tone wasn't angry, but it carried an extra layer of wariness.

Gu Mingyue nodded frankly.

"I've inquired about it. Mr. Wen, please don't worry."

She scrutinized Wen Yanzhi as if she were discussing a business deal, rather than exchanging pleasantries with someone.

I won't interfere in your family affairs.

"But I have a question for you, sir."

Wen Yanzhi frowned slightly.

"Speaking."

Gu Mingyue said seriously, "Let's say you have a commercial street to operate right now."

"The three counties along the river involve thousands of households. Among these residents are locals who stayed behind, those who fled famine and returned, and those who came from other places to do business."

"They may have all sorts of conflicts, big and small, such as land disputes, rent disputes, water allocation disputes, stall grabbing, and neighborhood quarrels."

"If you were in charge of maintaining stability, how would you manage it?"

Wen Yanzhi was taken aback.

He clearly hadn't considered that as a problem.

It wasn't about asking if he could write, or what books he had read.

Instead, it directly posed a common, everyday question.

But the girl looked serious and didn't seem like someone who would cause trouble.

Wen Yanzhi remained silent for a few moments.

Then he opened his mouth.

"First, divide the area into sections."

Gu Mingyue raised an eyebrow: "How will we divide it?"

"Classified according to the function of the land parcel."

Wen Yanzhi spoke slowly, but his reasoning was extremely clear.

"The residential area, commercial area, and dock area are each divided into separate zones."

"Each area has a 'manager,' who is a reliable person chosen by the residents of the area. The manager coordinates minor matters and reports major matters to the higher authorities."

He paused for a moment, as if quickly building a framework in his mind.

"The rent cannot be a fixed price. New tenants are given a three-month rent-free period. If they cannot continue operating, they can return the rent, but they must inform the manager in advance and register the tenants."

"This way, we can attract customers and also prevent people from occupying the shop without doing any work."

"Water sources and land boundaries are the most prone to accidents. These need to be measured in advance, drawn up on a map, and posted on the bulletin board. Make it clear in black and white to avoid disputes later."

"As for neighborhood squabbles..."

Wen Yanzhi gave a slight, bitter smile.

"This can't be completely prevented. The only thing we can do is for the person in charge to make regular visits and nip it in the bud when it first appears."

"If things really escalate, both sides will be punished equally. It's not about fining them, but about getting both sides to back down."

After he finished speaking, he looked at Gu Mingyue.

The air was quiet for a few moments.