To facilitate their collaboration, Baochai suggested that Jia Yu assign a few of his men to assist with the project. Jia Yu duly selected several subordinates and placed them under Baochai’s command. These men were all eighth-rank experts—individuals who, in this world, were considered top-tier. After a few troublemakers were dealt with, no one dared to cause trouble again.
Within a month, over three thousand heating stoves had been sold. After deducting the costs of labor and materials, each unit yielded a net profit of sixty taels of silver. This meant the total profit for the month reached an impressive two hundred thousand taels. Such lucrative returns were bound to make others envious. However, the heating stove business had its limitations; it was seasonal, with almost no demand in the summer. Even so, earning that much in just two months out of the year was a considerable gain.
By this time, Aunt Xue had begun to harbor different ideas. Originally, Lady Wang had been eager to match Baochai with Baoyu, but compared to Jia Yu, Baoyu now seemed to pale in comparison by a wide margin. It was uncertain whether Baoyu would even inherit the family title, while Jia Yu was already a fourth-rank Cavalry Commandant, a scholar, and a companion to the princes. Given Jia Yu’s talent, it was almost certain he would pass the provincial and metropolitan examinations. More importantly, Jia Yu was only thirteen, not yet fourteen; he was a "blue-chip stock" with infinite potential. More…
Chapter 396