Su Jinli and Jiang Yan smiled at each other, and Su Jinli said, "Lingge, don't tell anyone about this. Just pretend it never happened, okay?"
Lingge nodded, not quite understanding, and said, "Don't worry, Miss, Lingge is keeping her mouth shut."
Su Jinli and Jiang Yan began to collect the abacus beads and account books on the floor, discussing their next steps as they did so. Although they had temporarily avoided the fate of entering the palace as a tutor, they both knew that this was only a temporary solution, and they didn't know what changes would come in the future.
After finishing up, Jiang Yan returned to the accounting office to continue checking the accounts. Su Jinli returned to her illustrations, trying to regain her creative inspiration. However, her mind remained vacant. The Empress Dowager's decree weighed heavily on her mind like a heavy stone.
After a while, Su Jinli put down her pen, walked to the door of the accounting office, looked at Jiang Yan who was concentrating on calculating the accounts, and said, "Jiang Yan, we still have to think of a way. If the Queen Mother issues another decree, we can't use this trick again."
Jiang Yan stopped writing, looked up, thought for a moment, and said, "Madam, I think we can find a suitable person to explain the situation to the Queen Mother. For example, my father-in-law, he is highly respected in the court, and perhaps he can help us speak to the Queen Mother."
Su Jinli's eyes lit up, and she said, "You're right. Dad does have a certain influence in the court. And the Queen Mother also respects Dad's character. Maybe it really can work. However, I still need to discuss this matter with Dad carefully. I can't make it difficult for him."
So, Su Jinli and Jiang Yan decided to visit Prime Minister Su at his residence immediately. After packing up briefly, they took a carriage to the residence. Along the way, Su Jinli felt a mixture of emotions, hoping Prime Minister Su could help them solve their problem while also worrying about causing trouble for him.
The carriage slowly drove into the Prime Minister's residence. As soon as Su Jinli and Jiang Yan got off, servants came to greet them. When Prime Minister Su learned of their arrival, he immediately met them in the study.
Su Jinli and Jiang Yan walked into the study, where Su Xiang was sitting at the desk reading. Seeing them come in, Su Xiang put down the book in his hand and said with a smile, "Li'er, Jiang Yan, how come you have time to come here today?"
Su Jinli walked up to Su Xiang, bowed, and said, "Dad, we came here this time because we want to ask you for help with something."
Looking at Su Jinli's anxious expression, Prime Minister Su guessed something and asked, "Is it because the Queen Mother asked you to enter the palace to be Princess Shou'an's tutor?"
Su Jinli looked at Su Xiang in surprise and said, "Dad, how did you know?"
Prime Minister Su smiled and said, "This matter has spread throughout the court. I was just thinking of looking for you. The Queen Mother loves Princess Shou'an and hopes to find her a talented and learned tutor. You are well-known in the cultural circles of the capital, so the Queen Mother chose you."
Jiang Yan said, "Father-in-law, Jinyun Bookstore is opening a Jiangnan branch next month, and Jinli is really too busy to attend. So, we'd like to ask you to intercede with the Queen Mother and see if you can get her to revoke her decision."
Prime Minister Su pondered for a moment and said, "This matter is indeed a bit tricky. The Queen Mother has made up her mind, and it may not be easy to change it. However, I can find a suitable time to tactfully mention it to the Queen Mother and explain your difficulties. However, you must also be prepared for the Queen Mother to disagree."
Su Jinli and Jiang Yan looked at each other, their hearts filled with gratitude. Su Jinli said, "Dad, no matter what the result is, we are grateful to you."
Prime Minister Su looked at Su Jinli and Jiang Yan and said earnestly, "Li'er, Jiang Yan, I'm very pleased that you have achieved what you have today. But you must be extra careful in this palace. If the Queen Mother really doesn't agree, don't force yourself to disobey, so as not to bring disaster upon yourself."
Su Jinli and Jiang Yan nodded and said, "Dad, we understand."
After leaving the Prime Minister's residence, Su Jinli and Jiang Yan were still feeling very heavy-hearted. They knew that Prime Minister Su had already agreed to help, and the rest was up to fate. In the days that followed, they continued to prepare for the Jiangnan branch while anxiously awaiting news from Prime Minister Su.
However, as they waited, rumors about Jinyun Bookstore suddenly spread throughout the capital. Some claimed the books sold were vulgar, while others claimed Jiang Yan and Su Jinli were lawless and disregarded the Empress Dowager's decree. These rumors spread like wildfire throughout the capital, bringing significant negative consequences to Jinyun Bookstore.
Su Jinli and Jiang Yan were furious when they learned of these rumors. They knew someone was behind this, trying to take advantage of it to suppress Jinyun Bookstore. But they couldn't find the mastermind behind it, so they had to find a way to deal with these rumors.
Jiang Yan said, "Madam, these rumors are spreading like wildfire. We can't just sit there and wait for them to die. We can put up a notice at the entrance of the bookstore to explain the truth to everyone. At the same time, we can also ask some scholars to testify for us that the books in Jinyun Bookstore are all positive and uplifting."
Su Jinli nodded and said, "You're right. Besides that, we can ask Young Marquis Su to investigate and see if he can find out who is behind these rumors."
Su Jinli and Jiang Yan immediately took action. They posted a notice at the entrance of the bookstore, detailing the Empress Dowager's decree and Jinyun Bookstore's stance. They also invited several well-known scholars to speak in support of Jinyun Bookstore. These scholars praised Jinyun Bookstore's books, which were not only rich in content but also full of educational value, making them rare and valuable.
Young Marquis Su was also busy. Using his wit, he inquired throughout the capital. After some effort, he finally uncovered some clues. It turned out that the rumors were spread by a distant relative of Shopkeeper Qian. This relative had long been jealous of Jinyun Bookstore's booming business, and having learned of the Empress Dowager's decree, he sought to use this opportunity to cause trouble for the company.
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