"My shops have been raided. What will happen to them?" Li Wanming asked.
The official from the Ministry of Revenue replied respectfully, "Since these shops were only rented by Lady Li and not her own property, after the items inside are sold off, the shops will be handed over to the government's real - estate brokers, who will then sub - lease them."
Li Wanming nodded.
Sold off, sub - leased...
The next time she saw this place, it would look completely different.
It might become a rice store, a silk shop, or a general store...
But no matter what it became, it would have nothing to do with her.
By afternoon, the inventory of the two wine shops, one pawnshop, one inn, and one paper - crafts shop was completed.
Crossed white seals were pasted on the gates.
Against the festive red lanterns and Spring Festival couplets on the street, they looked extremely eye - catching.
The official from the Ministry of Revenue who came to seal up the shops bowed his head and clasped his hands, "Lady Li, the inventory of the shops is completed. As for the academy, it is beyond the jurisdiction of our Ministry of Revenue."
Li Wanming nodded, "Thank you for your hard work."
The academy was different from the shops. In terms of administrative relations, it was actually under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Academy, the Hanlin Academy, and the Ministry of Rites, having nothing to do with the Ministry of Revenue.
Seeing her approval and knowing that she didn't deliberately make things difficult for them even though she was in a bad mood, the officials from the Ministry of Revenue all let out a long sigh of relief. They quickly bowed and took their leave, happily going home to celebrate the New Year.
Yes, if it weren't for the sudden order from the palace, who would want to work overtime during the New Year, especially on such an inauspicious task as raiding someone's shops?
After the officials left, Li Wanming slowly walked back to the Li Family Wine Shop and stood in a daze in front of the sealed gate.
The winter sun was faint. Even on a sunny day, it always seemed as if there was a thin layer of mist, making it hard to see clearly.
Only the glaring white seal on the pitch - black gate was extremely clear.
"Your... Your Highness the Princess..."
Qinglan stood beside her, looking at her with a worried face.
She and Caiwei had followed Prince Ning and Princess Ning back to the prince's mansion the day before and had stayed up all night.
Caiwei didn't know what was going on. She just instinctively felt panicked.
"What's going on? Why did we suddenly have to go back to the mansion?"
"Is the cousin - in - law going to be the princess of the heir apparent? Has the heir apparent made it clear to her?"
Caiwei paused for a moment, then thought about it and happily stroked her chest, "It's good that it's made clear. In the future, with the princess of the heir apparent leading us to manage the wine shop, it will be more legitimate... Fortunately, it's the New Year and the wine shop is closed. Otherwise, if it were on a normal day, how could I just leave like this? I'm the shopkeeper! Without the shopkeeper, the wine shop would surely be in a mess!"
She rambled on non - stop, and Qinglan couldn't bear to interrupt her.
"Caiwei..."
Qinglan looked at her with sadness in her eyes, "Maybe there won't be a wine shop in the future..."
...
Li Wanming stood in front of the wine shop, saying nothing.
When Xiao Jingnan told her the day before that the shops were going to be raided, although she was sad, because there were too many bad news coming one after another, her senses were dulled at that time. She was more numb after the shock.
Now standing in front of the glaring seal, she truly felt the pain.
The midday sun was dazzling, shining straight down, but she only felt icy cold all over.
It was as if her chest had been torn open, and the howling cold wind blew through, leaving only a shocking pool of blood...
"Qinglan, we're penniless again..."
Li Wanming's voice was hollow and panicked.
Hearing this, Caiwei behind her couldn't hold back anymore and burst into tears.
Caiwei had been holding back all morning.
She watched helplessly as the wine she had brewed was sealed, as the furniture she had personally selected was inventoried and loaded onto the carts one by one, and as the silver in the money box that hadn't been exchanged for silver notes at the bank was taken away...
She held back her tears.
But now, she really couldn't take it anymore.
The people were gone, and the place was deserted. Everything was desolate.
The wine shop was really gone...
She was no longer the shopkeeper...
Li Wanming turned her head numbly and saw Caiwei gasping for breath while crying. She let out a soft sigh.
When she saw Caiwei and Qinglan again today, she had been a bit cold and distant at first. She was angry that she had trusted them so much, but they had colluded with Xiao Jingnan to deceive her for two years.
But now seeing Caiwei almost out of breath from crying, she couldn't say a word.
She knew that in the past year, Caiwei and Qinglan had been extremely dedicated to the wine shop and the academy, investing even more energy than she, the owner.
These two girls really regarded the wine shop and the academy as their own careers.
Now that the shops were gone, they were more sad than she was.
Li Wanming was silent for a moment and said, "If you still want to do business... I can ask the Liu Family Silk Shop to take you in."
"What?"
Caiwei stared at her with teary eyes swollen like peaches, stunned.
Li Wanming said slowly, "Yesterday... He told me yesterday that your slave contracts have been given to you for a long time. If you're willing, I can go to the Ministry of Revenue to help you gain your freedom, and then arrange for you to go to the Liu Family Silk Shop."
She thought for a moment and added, "However, the Liu Family's warehouses and silk shops already have long - serving shopkeepers. I'm afraid you won't be able to be shopkeepers or accountants right away. You may have to start as embroiderers or assistants."
"Cousin - in - law... Your Highness the Princess!"
Caiwei rushed up and tightly grabbed her hand, "It's already a great kindness that you can think of us like this! How could we even dream of being shopkeepers?"
Liberating slaves from servitude was a great kindness from the master.
Many noble families might not liberate even a few slaves from their servitude in a lifetime.
Firstly, the procedures were troublesome. Secondly, keeping the slaves' contracts in hand could make them more devoted to serving the master's family.
Many slaves could only get married and have children in their master's homes, and their descendants would be slaves of this family for generations.
Princess Ning had given Caiwei and Qinglan their slave contracts back then because of special circumstances and her own considerations.
Firstly, the wine shop and the academy were about to open, and to avoid business risks on both sides. Secondly, just giving the contracts without going through the formalities at the Ministry of Revenue had no practical effect. Thirdly, Princess Ning planned to allocate them to Li Wanming, the future princess of the heir apparent. Of course, the power to decide should be given to the princess of the heir apparent.
This was the common practice among noble families.
Liberation from servitude?
That was a reward that slaves could only get after making great contributions!
Normally, it was out of the question.
However, Li Wanming, at the moment when she was about to become the princess of the heir apparent of the prince's mansion, voluntarily offered to let them go and give them real freedom.
Liberation from servitude meant that from then on, they could come and go freely and marry as they wished.
Their future children could study and become officials, and they would no longer have to be slaves.
It was a great grace...
Li Wanming said it so casually - at the time when she really needed help.