Inside Jinyun Bookstore, preparations for the script for "The Oil Seller and the Courtesan" were in full swing. Every corner of the bookstore was filled with a bustling and excited atmosphere, as if the air was thick with anticipation for a spectacular play. However, just as everything was progressing smoothly, an undercurrent quietly emerged.
The Jiangnan Booksellers' Alliance, an influential business group in the Jiangnan region, saw Jinyun Bookstore's booming business thanks to its unique business model and innovative activities, especially the recent craze surrounding the story of "The Oil Seller." They couldn't help but feel a surge of jealousy. Finally, they decided to take action, attempting to disrupt Jinyun Bookstore and curb its growing momentum.
The head of the group, Shopkeeper Qian, was a shrewd and sophisticated man, his mind full of business acumen. He wore a dark silk robe, a black belt tightly tied around his waist, and clutched his abacus, which he never left behind, as if it were his magic weapon for controlling business secrets. At this moment, he, along with a dozen sturdy servants, menacingly blocked the entrance of Jinyun Bookstore. These servants held up pre-prepared signs, which read in bold, large characters: "Su Jinli plagiarized! 'The Oil Seller' is ours!" Their shouting at the top of their lungs drew the attention of passersby, and for a moment, many onlookers gathered at the entrance of the bookstore.
Su Jinli was in her office on the second floor of the bookstore, biting into a brightly colored apple, enjoying a moment's rest. Hearing the commotion coming from downstairs, she frowned slightly, set down her apple, and slowly emerged from the second floor. Seeing the scene below, she was startled for a moment, then her lips curled up slightly, revealing a calm smile. She said slowly, "Shopkeeper Qian, you keep saying this story is yours, but do you have any solid evidence? You can't just smear others with empty words."
"Of course there is!" Shopkeeper Qian was secretly pleased when he saw Su Jinli show up, thinking he had something on her. He proudly pulled out a yellowed piece of manuscript paper from his pocket, held it high, as if it were his magic weapon, and shouted, "We published this story three years ago! This is irrefutable evidence!" He then gestured to his clerk to hand the manuscript paper to Su Jinli.
Jiang Yan had been observing the situation from the sidelines. He stepped forward, took the manuscript from the clerk, and examined it carefully. His brow furrowed slightly, a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes, and then he suddenly laughed. This laughter seemed particularly abrupt at this moment, and everyone was confused by his action. Shopkeeper Qian's face darkened and he demanded, "Master Jiang, what do you mean? Isn't this evidence conclusive enough?"
Jiang Yan's smile faded, his expression becoming serious. He raised his head, looked directly at Shopkeeper Qian, and said slowly, "Shopkeeper Qian, the character '的' on your manuscript is written in simplified Chinese. However, Dajing law clearly stipulates that traditional Chinese characters must be used for printed books. You are aware of this, right?" He unfolded the original manuscript and pointed at the characters on it, saying, "Look again, the characters '花魁' are clearly written in a vulgar style, very different from the official style you usually use. How do you explain such a clear difference?"
Upon hearing Jiang Yan's words, Shopkeeper Qian's face instantly turned pale, as if his spine had been torn out. His previous arrogance vanished without a trace. He secretly groaned inwardly, having never imagined that his carefully prepared "evidence" could be so easily seen through by Jiang Yan. But he still refused to admit defeat, and tried to put up a last-ditch effort, quibbling, "These...these are just minor issues. Perhaps it was an oversight during printing..."
Just then, Young Marquis Su heard the noise downstairs and flew into a rage. He hated to see anyone bullying his sister, so without a word, he stormed out, brandishing his toy sword, shouting, "How dare you bully my sister! Believe it or not..."
"Young Marquis!" Su Jinli was quick to grab her brother's collar, stopping his impulsive behavior. She knew that a conflict with Qian and the others would only further confuse the situation and play into their hands. She turned to look at the onlookers, a gentle smile returning to her face. She said loudly, "Since everyone wants to see 'The Oil Seller' so much, we'll set up a stage in the bookstore's backyard in three days and perform it for free! We hope everyone will come and witness this wonderful story together."
As soon as Su Jinli finished speaking, the crowd erupted in enthusiastic cheers. The people expressed their approval of her decision, and the atmosphere, which had been slightly tense due to the incident, suddenly became relaxed and joyful. Everyone was eagerly anticipating the upcoming free performance, discussing the plot and performance format.
Shopkeeper Qian, on the other hand, was like a deflated ball, pushed to the corner by the cheering crowd. He looked at Su Jinli and Jiang Yan, his eyes filled with resentment and anger, but he was helpless. He knew that this plan had completely failed. Not only did it fail to suppress Jinyun Bookstore, but it also gave Su Jinli an opportunity to win the favor of the people.
Shopkeeper Qian left with his staff in disgrace, but his resentment only grew stronger. Upon returning to the Jiangnan Booksellers Alliance headquarters, he immediately summoned the other members to discuss their next plan. He gritted his teeth and said, "They're lucky this time; that brat Jiang Yan figured out our plan. But we can't just let this go. We must find a way to completely discredit Jinyun Bookstore in the capital."
The other booksellers nodded in agreement. They debated back and forth. Some suggested continuing to spread rumors to discredit Jinyun Bookstore; others suggested introducing similar stories to the market, undercutting prices to grab market share; still others suggested bribing officials to create trouble for Jinyun Bookstore. After a heated discussion, they finally decided to split up and simultaneously implement these measures to bring Jinyun Bookstore to its knees.
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