Rising in glory

  Liu Ziguang returned to the dormitory and found that the second young lady's maid, Qiuxiang, was waiting for him. It turned out that she had come to deliver new clothes to him. Qiuxiang said that the second young lady was afraid that Liu Ziguang would lose face wearing his torn uniform, so she had specially sent over a set of clothes. After putting down the clothes, Qiuxiang gave Liu Ziguang a fiery glance before leaving.

  Liu Ziguang was very pleased, and good luck had come. The city wall couldn't stop it. Qiuxiang and the second young lady were both 15 or 16 years old, and they were also spoiled and arrogant. Last time when they fought in a group, he helped her block a few knives, and there was some camaraderie. The little girl was tender and delicate, but compared to the eldest sister, it was still an ordinary middle school student and a superstar with such a big gap. Thinking of the eldest sister, his thoughts couldn't help but wander far away, and after thinking wildly for half a day, he still sighed in his heart. It's the right way to carefully compile the materials needed tomorrow to repay the eldest sister's kindness.

  The next morning, Liu Ziguo first came to the Neizhao General Affairs Office to pick up new uniforms. The person in charge of clothing at the General Affairs Office saw Liu Ziguo coming over and said without waiting for him to speak: "Isn't this the one who just picked up clothes yesterday? Sorry, there's a rule - one new set of clothes per year. If it's broken, you mend it yourself. You're capable, so don't let others tear your clothes." It seems that yesterday's martial arts competition has already spread.

  Liu Ziguo said calmly: "Sorry about that, I'm wearing the accountant's robe, I suppose they've already informed you here."

  The attendant looked at Liu Ziguang with suspicion, "Is the newly promoted accountant you?" He turned around to the back of the counter and whispered a few words to someone else, then took out a slip and read it for half a day. Finally, he handed over a set of blue long shirts and a square scarf to Liu Ziguang. Then, with an incredulous gaze, he watched Liu Ziguang's back disappear, spat a mouthful of thick phlegm on the ground, "What kind of dog shit luck has befallen him, spit!"

  A slave, not even as good as a dog, has become an imperial guard, and it's already a great honor for his ancestors. As for the accountant, he is a high-ranking civil servant and can wear a square scarf exclusively for Confucian scholars, with a status higher than ordinary guards, servants, and stewards by one level. Liu Ziguang jumped three levels in just two days, no wonder everyone was indignant. The imperial guards are all sons of iron factories and martial arts schools from various places, and they look down on their colleagues who were born as slaves.

  Liu Ziguang returned to the dormitory and changed into a long shirt with a wide sleeve, looking just like Ning Caichen from "The Legend of the White Snake". He had always been a refined student at heart, and now that he was wearing suitable clothes, he looked quite elegant. His long-term training and fighting career had also added some heroic spirit to him. As he walked, his waist was straight and his steps were energetic, and the eyes of the servant girls who swept the floor and poured water in the morning had already changed from ** to fiery.

  Arriving at the study, the young lady saw Liu Ziguang in a green robe and her eyes lit up for an instant, but she didn't say anything. She took him out of the inner courtyard and into the office area of the iron factory.

  The office area is the comprehensive office of all iron factory functional institutions, a building with green bricks and gray tiles. The general account house is heavily guarded, with thick iron doors and big wolf dogs. After checking the waist card, the heavily armed guard pushed open the iron door and let in two people.

  All staff in the accounting house are called Shifu, but they are still divided into many levels. The lowest is an apprentice, then a deputy manager, followed by a manager, and the highest level of the accounting housekeeper is called the general manager. Liu Ziguang's words made the eldest sister completely convinced, so his position was appointed as the acting manager. In other words, except for the accounting housekeeper, everyone else had to listen to him, which also facilitated the implementation of improvements in accounting methods. Hanging an apprentice or deputy manager title, of course, no one would take it seriously. As for the word "acting", it was the eldest sister's meticulous thoughts, if done well, the "acting" could be removed, and if not, other arrangements could be made without being presumptuous.

  In the accounting room, dozens of scholars in long gowns were busy, abacuses clicking away. Seeing the eldest sister come in, everyone hastily paid their respects. The eldest sister introduced Liu Ziguang to everyone: "This is the new accounting manager Liu Ziguang, who will teach you all a new method of bookkeeping. Everyone should be humble and receptive to his teachings. Alright, now let's get acquainted with each other."

  After finishing speaking, the young lady walked into the accounting room and entered the private compartment of the prime minister to have a conversation with His Excellency.

  Liu Ziguang and the accountants exchanged pleasantries, after a while, the eldest sister came out of the side room, followed by a thin, withered old man with a white beard, his face was pale and he didn't say a word.

  The young lady's face was not good, and she forced a smile: "Everything is still hard work for Director Ding, my niece thanks you here." The old man with white hair nodded: "Young lady, your words are too serious, the old man is entrusted by the factory owner to be in charge of the overall accounting room of the factory, it's just a matter of course, no need to mention it."

  After seeing off the young lady, Director Ding's face turned gloomy and he ignored Liu Ziguang. He called in a few managers and some people who were dressed in mourning attire entered the private room, only to come out half a day later.

  A man in his thirties came out of Director Ding's house and approached Liu Ziguang to chat. After a long conversation, Liu Ziguang finally understood that the man was named Ren Dafeng, the manager of the accounting department, Director Ding Pengyuan's chief disciple, and trusted assistant. This time, he was entrusted to assist Liu Ziguang in improving the accounting method.

  Ren Dafeng said some polite words about working together, but in his heart, he looked down on Liu Ziguang: "This new manager, Liu, doesn't seem to have worked in a big company's accounting department. He didn't understand seven or eight out of ten of my professional terms. Is it true what Master said, that the young lady is going to make some changes in the accounting department?" If so, then I will...

  After making up his mind, he took Liu Ziguang to another room and called over a dozen 15- or 16-year-old boys, saying: "I'll entrust these apprentices to Manager Liu for instruction. Please take care of them. We're busy with accounting work, so we won't keep you company." He bowed and left.

  Liu Ziguang looked at the group of young boys in front of him and casually called out to one of them, "You, come here. I'll ask you some questions. Are all of you apprentices in the accounting house? What do you know how to do?" The boy lowered his head, his nose dripping with snot, and his sleeves were shiny from wiping his nose too many times. He sniffled and replied, "I'm a first-year apprentice in the accounting house. For now, I only do tasks like sweeping the floor, wiping tables, and serving tea. It's not until the third year that we can start grinding ink, copying documents, and it's not until the fifth year that we can take on basic bookkeeping duties and start receiving a salary."

  They were originally a group of child laborers who didn't know how to read or write. By the time they learned, it would be years from now, and even if they did learn, they couldn't immediately replace those high-ranking accountants. This was clearly a case of outward obedience and inner resistance, a covert act of defiance. The young lady's plan had completely fallen through. These accountants were actually quite cunning.

  Mr. Accountant suddenly became Mr. Teacher again, and a group of children were very honest, but they didn't have anything, no pens, ink, paper, inkstone, blackboard, or textbooks. Liu Ziguang asked who could write and read, and a handsome young man named Ding Libin volunteered, the son of Premier Ding Pengyuan's tenant farmer, who knew more characters and was slightly older. Liu Ziguang gave him the application subjects, common formulas, and corresponding relationships he had written overnight, and told him to lead the children in reciting them by rote, just like ancient people taught, memorizing mechanically.

  The young men began to recite the new teaching materials with Ding Libin, including present silver, money shop deposits, accounts receivable, business expenses, manufacturing costs, production costs... They recited them fluently. Liu Ziguo listened and scratched his head, if a university accounting teacher saw this scene, he would probably faint.

  Liu Ziguang went to find Ren Dafeng, wanting to find a few assistants, xiangli-level accountants to learn about double-entry bookkeeping, and also to quickly put it into practice. Ren Dafeng's face turned difficult, and he pushed back: "At present, the year-end is approaching, and personnel are really in short supply. Even those apprentices are all hastily assembled personnel."

  Liu Ziguang didn't say anything else and asked for some paper, pen and stationery. Da Feng didn't say anything either, picked up the pen and wrote a note, telling Liu Ziguang to go next door to get it.

  Next door was the accounting room's Cang Jing Ge, a very impressive name, but actually it was a place to store account books and stationery. Liu Ziguang took out a slip of paper, and the receptionist glanced at it before throwing it back, "Manager Ren hasn't signed, can't issue." Liu Ziguang cursed his bad luck, turned around and went to find Manager Ren to sign again. Manager Ren was busy talking to several deputy managers, gesturing for Liu Ziguang to wait a moment. Liu Ziguang patiently waited for ten minutes before Manager Ren finally signed, then he turned back to the Cang Jing Ge, but the receptionist took one look and threw it back again, "Manager Ren didn't use his seal, can't issue." He had to go back and ask Manager Ren to use his seal, but Manager Ren was already showing a face of impatience: "Liu Deputy Manager, such trivial matters require running back and forth three or five times, with such low efficiency, I really don't know how Big Sister entrusted you as the manager."

  The accountants are not as rough and unrefined as the Imperial Guards, even their smiles are stifled and awkward. A manager, starting from an apprentice, would take at least thirty years to reach such a high position. Of course, someone like Da Feng, who comes from a family of accountants, is an exception. Liu Ziguang rose to such a high position in just one day, how can people believe it? Everyone delights in seeing him fall.

  Liu Ziguang didn't say anything, took the useless single and got up to leave. He came to the door of the scripture storage room and saw Xie Li locking up and preparing to leave. Xie Li saw Liu Ziguang coming over and said: "Even with the seal, it's still no use. I'm going out now, maybe I can come back tomorrow, you wait first."

  Without saying another word, Liu Ziguo kicked the deputy manager's abdomen with a loud thud, sending him crashing into the wall. In one swift motion, he rushed forward, grabbed his collar, and punched him in the face, instantly turning him into a panda. Liu Ziguo threw the contract at his face: "Take a good look, I'm also a manager, you're subordinate to me, teasing me, are you satisfied only when I report to the big sister and fire you?"

  Xie Li knew he was in the wrong and hastily begged for forgiveness. Liu Ziguang told him to send enough paper, pens, stationery, and blank account books to the apprentice's wing room. He turned around and went to find Ren Dafeng again.

  Come into the house, Ren Dafeng's expression immediately knew that you still had to come, put on a serious and solemn face, sat behind the desk waiting for Liu Ziguo to plead.

  Liu Ziguang smiled and patted Ren Dafeng's shoulder, gesturing for him to follow him aside for a private chat. Ren Dafeng hesitated for a moment before an iron hand lifted him up from his chair.

  Liu Ziguang dragged Ren Dafeng into a side room, drove out the people inside, closed the door, found a chair to sit down, and smiled at Ren Dafeng. Ren Dafeng's heart was hairy, and he trembled with fear, asking: "What do you want to do?"

  Liu Ziguang said: "Brother Ren, I'm a rough man from the mining excavation team. I used to fight for a mouthful of pork and killed people for it. Luckily, Second Miss recognized me and trained me into a fighter. In the arena, I beheaded six people and luckily got the nickname 'Red General'. This time, Eldest Miss showed mercy and promoted me, a lowly guard, to account manager. The kindness is like being reborn, and I'd die a thousand times to repay her kindness. If anyone dares to oppose Eldest Miss or disrupt the improvement of our accounting methods, I, Liu Ziguang, will fight with my life on the line and make their blood splatter all over the door! Manager Ren, do you think what I said makes sense?"

  Ren Dafeng hastily nodded: "Brother Liu's words are extremely right, extremely right! I will definitely cooperate with all my might, whether it's people or things, it's all up to Brother Liu's word!"

  Two account managers, who were as close as brothers, came out of the side room with their shoulders hunched and backs bent. They happened to run into Xiongmao Yan, the deputy manager of the scripture storage pavilion, who had come to report a complaint. Ren, the manager, scolded him fiercely: "How dare you bully Liu, the manager? Have you eaten leopard gallbladder? Get out!" After finishing speaking, he was relieved that he hadn't acted rashly earlier, or else he would have become Xiongmao Yan too.

  Manager Ren assigned several main assistants from the recording room to study compound accounting with Liu Ziguang, and then gradually promote it to others. All necessary items and account books that need to be used or reviewed do not require approval and can be taken unconditionally.

  When dealing with cultural people, it seems that fists are more persuasive than words, Liu Ziguang thought.