Dan Si's deceived friend was a man with money but no power. Because his family ran a cloth shop, he was constrained by the Ministry of Revenue. So even though he knew he was deceived, he did not dare to make a big deal of it and had to suffer the loss in silence.
Not to mention him, even an imperial official like Yuan Zuzhi couldn't openly break with them, which shows how powerful and influential they are. This matter not only involves the market, but also the officialdom. Lou Yunchun was ordered to secretly investigate this matter, and he thought he would not only investigate the officials, but also the bookstores that helped them form a clique and make money.
Those who were deceived might become witnesses and clues in the future. So Xu Jiang reminded Dan Si to ask his friends to keep these collections and deeds safe.
Upon hearing this, Dan Si shook his head and said, "Even if it is kept safe, I don't think it will be possible to get justice."
Xu Jiang replied, "The universe is bright and clear. Power is not like the eternal stars, nor is it like the unfading rivers. If you commit too many sins, they will eventually come back to haunt you. Just tell your friends to wait. One day, justice will be served, and no one will be left behind."
Seeing her so convinced, Dan Si's heart also ignited with indignation, "Okay, I will definitely tell my friend what Shopkeeper Xu said, and ask him to keep the evidence safe and wait for justice."
The three of them agreed that once Xu Jiang's reprint of "New Collection of Elementary Learning" was published, it would be available at both Songchuang and Zhenxi Bookstores. Furthermore, Wu Qingchuang and Xu Jiang agreed to bring in a craftsman the next morning for inspection. If the person was suitable, they would immediately hire him and begin work.
Xu Jiang gave them a gift in return and sent them out.
The matter of the craftsman had been resolved, and the whereabouts of the books left by the master had also been determined. Xu Jiang's mind suddenly became clear.
Seeing that there were many people walking on the street and her neighbors setting up stalls, she also set up a stall and put out picture albums, paper albums, small paintings, seals and other elegant items.
It can't be the same old three things, you have to change the taste.
As soon as she set the table, she saw Ji Shan coming towards her from a distance. This morning, she had sent a holiday gift to Ji Shan's house, finding his address and sending a copy to him. She also sent a message to the gatekeeper, telling him that the books had been copied and were awaiting inspection.
I never thought he could not wait any longer and came here so soon.
"Mr. Ji, be happy and healthy."
"Congratulations, Shopkeeper Xu." Ji Shan handed over the gift, looked around her stall, then picked up a calligraphy book, flipped through it, and praised, "It's quite elegant."
Xu Jiang swept the stone table and bench under the tree, and brought two cushions for him to sit on.
"Chatting and drinking tea under a tree is also an elegant thing."
Xu Jiang brought out a small stove and boiled water to make tangerine peel tea. Tangerine peel moistens the lungs and regulates qi. Eating too much fish and meat during the New Year holiday must have strained the spleen and stomach. This tea helps digestion, dissolves alcohol, and warms the internal organs. It's the perfect time to drink it.
What we are cooking now is the authentic Bianzhou tangerine peel that Xu Jiang caught in Qianjinfang. It has little flesh, thick skin, and a fragrant smell. It can be boiled into tea and drunk directly, or it can be added with rock honey and pear to make soup.
She had eaten all the pears from Lou Yunchun's house long ago, so the only thing she could do now was boiled tea and drink it directly. Xu Jiang gave the first cup of tea to Ji Shan, and then made one for herself.
Ji Shan had been suffering from some lung heat these days, and after drinking a bowl of tangerine peel tea, his breathing became smoother, his cough subsided, and his chest felt much more comfortable.
"Shopkeeper Xu looks young, but he knows how to maintain his health."
"Sir, you are too kind. I don't know how to preserve my health. It's just that I used to run around everywhere, and my body always had hard times. Over time, I learned to take precautions." After all, being sick not only delays the journey, but also costs money.
A few words, so much wind and rain.
Ji Shan looked Xu Jiang over and over, then glanced into her bookshop and asked, "Didn't you say the book had already been copied? Why didn't you bring it to me?"
Xu Jiang stood up and said, "Please sit down. I'll get it for you."
Ji Shan poured himself another cup of orange juice. He felt that although Xu Jiang was young, she was sophisticated and thoughtful in her actions, without being slick. This made him feel a rare sense of closeness to her.
Xu Jiang took both the rough copy and the transcript from the shop and asked Ji Shan to compare and examine them.
Ji Shan compared the two and saw that the handwriting was identical, so he knew Xu Jiang had not fabricated the origins. Looking at the content, he found every word accurate, without any mistakes or smudges, which made him feel quite satisfied.
The two points that were missing were because even with the Mao version as a comparison, it was still a little short of the mark. If he had not seen the Mao version, he would have accepted it without hesitation.
Seeing that he was just flipping through the books without commenting on their quality, Xu Jiang had an idea in her mind, but she was not in a hurry. Someone happened to come to see the goods, so she stood up to greet them, leaving Ji Shan to look at it slowly and think about it.
Ji Shan's heart was filled with resentment. The more he looked at Xu Yuan's original work, the more he couldn't let it go. His annotations were insightful and profound. If they became known, these rare and unpublished copies would be a hot commodity.
Now that I have encountered it, how can I be willing to let it go?
He stared at Xu Jiang, secretly thinking about how to persuade her to give him these sets of original works.
Xu Jiang was busy when Lou Yunchun came over on horseback. He was wearing his official uniform and had to go on patrol soon.
This year's Lantern Festival will be held in Da Ci'en Temple, where monks will light lanterns and pray for blessings. Jinchangfang will also hold temple fairs and night markets. Most people in the capital will flock here, and you can imagine how lively it will be.
The two county governments had sent out all their manpower to patrol, but it was still not enough, so they requested the dispatch of officers from the Dali Temple to assist, and Lou Yunchun naturally had to go and keep an eye on it.
Before leaving, he first came to inform Xu Jiang, fearing that she would wait for him, and also reminded her to bring his badge if she wanted to go to the Lantern Festival. After all, there were many people, and if he couldn't take care of them in case of trouble, she could use the badge to ask for help from the patrol guards of the Dali Temple.
Seeing Xu Jiang was greeting guests, Lou Yunchun did not interrupt her and dismounted to wait for her under the tree. However, when he arrived, he saw someone sitting under the tree, drinking tea and reading, so he led his horse to the backyard.
Ji Shan was a little surprised to see Lou Yunchun passing by with a horse and wearing the official uniform of the Dali Temple, but he quickly guessed his origins.
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