"I'm busy at the shop, so I can't keep you company." Xu Jiang didn't want to ruin his mood, so she took the donkey and was about to leave.
But he stopped her again, "Madam, please stay."
Her expression turned colder, "Anything else?"
"The other day I heard that your shop also publishes books. A friend of mine has a volume of poems, but he has nowhere to submit them. I wonder if your shop would accept them?"
"Friend? Could it be another friend like Zhou Huai?"
Feng Miao looked embarrassed and waved his hands repeatedly, "No, no."
Xu Jiang probed his expression and asked, "You are familiar with the Jisheng Bookstore and are also friends with Zhou Huai. Why didn't you come to them instead of me?"
Feng Miao smiled bitterly. "You say we're familiar with each other? I'm just doing things for them. How can someone like me be considered familiar with them?" He continued earnestly, "My friend is a truly talented scholar, but because of his ancestors' criminal ties, he can't take the imperial examinations. His ambitions are limited, and he lives in poverty. I truly felt sorry for his talent, so I wanted to publish this collection for him. But Jisheng Bookstore saw that he had no reputation and no profit, so they refused to accept him."
"Even if he didn't refuse to accept it, why wouldn't so many bookstores accept it?"
"Other bookstores also rejected him when they heard he wasn't a scholar and didn't have the money to bribe him. That day at Xieyue Tower, when I saw you publicly say you wanted to help Zeng Zhui publish his collection of essays, I knew you weren't a snob, so I decided to do this."
She would have been given a platform, but Xu Jiang still refused, saying, "Since you were in Xieyue Tower that day, you should have known that I had offended Zhou Shancai and was blocked by him, so I couldn't leave this episode."
Feng Miao said, "This matter can be accommodated."
Xu Jiang asked curiously, "How can we make this happen?"
"I told Zhou Shancai that I wanted to use this matter to gather information, and he agreed to let the Ministry of Revenue release it."
Xu Jiang was speechless for a moment after hearing his frankness.
Seeing her wavering, Feng Miao continued, "I know that my rudeness last time has made you disappointed in me and you no longer trust me. But once you've seen my friend's collection, you'll know that missing him would be a loss."
"Who is this person who deserves such high praise from the young master?"
"Jiang Gu."
Xu Jiang raised an eyebrow, "Jiang Gu? Jiang Xiaoping?"
Among the talented people in Beijing, there are many who are good at poetry and long and short sentences, but the best among them is Jiang Xiaoping.
This man's talent and fame were renowned throughout the capital. It was said that his poems were sung by the major music halls and theaters in the capital, and one musician even declared that he would compose music solely for him throughout his life, a story that was widely praised as a romantic and beautiful one.
Such a person asked her to publish his poems?
Seeing her doubts, Feng Miao smiled bitterly and said, "Although Xiao Ping is respected in the entertainment circles, he is despised and neglected among scholars. He originally had great ambitions. If it weren't for his life experience, he would have long been among the officials and held a high position in the government. How could he have suffered from this loneliness?"
"If he wants to publish a collection, why doesn't he do it himself?"
"In his early years, he had sought permission from a bookstore to print his work, but was not only refused, but also subjected to ridicule and sarcasm. So, in a fit of rage, he swore that he would never set foot in any bookstore in the capital again."
This experience reminded Xu Jiang of Hu Xu.
Feng Miao said helplessly, "I couldn't bear to see him buried like this, so I asked for help from all my connections. But you know the stigma among the bookstores in the capital, they are all people who can only do it for a profit, so I came to you for help."
Xu Jiang stared at him for a moment and didn't seem to be faking it. Besides, the matter of Jiang Gu could be discovered as soon as it was investigated and could not be concealed.
"Let me think it over before I reply."
Feng Miao didn't expect her to agree immediately. "Okay, I'll come back to see you in a few days."
Then he bowed and gave way.
Xu Jiang nodded and left with the donkey.
Feng Miao stared at her back, thinking that since it was agreed, it was time to go find Jiang Gu. Thinking of Jiang Gu, he couldn't help but sigh deeply.
Xu Jiang was lost in thought all the way and before he knew it, he had returned to the bookstore.
"The boss is back." Lin Hongchu came out to greet her. Seeing that Xu Jiang was a little absent-minded, she waved her hand in front of her eyes, "Boss? Sister?"
Xu Jiang came back to his senses, pulled down her hand and squeezed it, "What's wrong?"
"What's wrong with you? Why are you so stunned?" Lin Hongchu took the reins, glanced at the donkey's back, and asked in surprise, "Why did you buy so much?"
"We prepared some extra food in case there wasn't enough." The two men led the donkey into the backyard to unload the food.
Lin Hongchu looked at the ducks and rabbits and said, "There are so many, enough to feed the pigs."
Xu Jiang knocked her head, "Little girl, you've scolded yourself too, who's the pig?"
"Madam Xu, where is Little Hoe?" Zeng Zhui's voice came from outside.
The two looked at each other and both laughed.
"Here." Lin Hongchu replied. After Zeng Zhui came in, he asked, "What are you doing here?"
Zeng Zhui said with a smile, "I went to Mr. Yuan's house to see Hu Xu. I passed by here on my way back, so I came in to say hello."
"Brother Zhuchun is here too?" Lin Hongchu looked behind him.
"He's not coming with me, so he didn't come." Zeng Zhui saw the two of them dividing the food and asked, "Are you buying so many dishes for a banquet?"
Xu Jiang said, "I delivered the collection of poems to the Imperial College today, and I was going to prepare a delicious meal to reward Little Chu. I was also planning to invite Shopkeeper Wang and his family over for a get-together. Since you're here by chance, why don't we all have some fun together?"
Then she pointed to the rabbit she had bought and said, "I bought some rabbit and some beans, and I'm going to make ginger-shredded rabbit. Do you know how to make it?"
"Then I've come at the perfect time. Today, the teacher told me about your poetry collection, so we should celebrate. As for this ginger-shrimped rabbit, it's my specialty, so leave it to me."
Xu Jiang handed him the kitchen knife and said, "What are you waiting for? Come on." Then she said to Lin Hongchu, "Hongchu, go and ask Mr. Wang to come over with his wife and children."
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