Chapter 80 Young Master Xiaoxiang? Young Master Shrimp Head! ...
Dong Lanyi took the number plate from He Rong and joined the queue.
Ahead of her were several young ladies and wives, each of whom had bought more than a dozen new books, which were carried by their maids, while they themselves eagerly went forward to sign and interact with Young Master Xiaoxiang.
"Young master, this is a purse that I made myself."
“Young master, this is a belt with your name embroidered on it.”
“Young master, I am not good at needlework, so I went to a silversmith and had a set of small gold bars made, engraved with the names of all the characters in ‘The Legend of Qi Lan’…”
The young master of Xiaoxiang was surrounded by gifts from his readers, ranging from needlework and embroidery to gold and silver jewelry, a dazzling array.
Although he wore a mask, he always maintained a warm and welcoming smile, and he did his best to cooperate with the requests made by the ladies.
One reader couldn't contain his curiosity and asked him how the plot of "The Legend of Qi Lan" would develop, and which of the young men and heroes the female protagonist met on her adventures was her true love.
Xiao Xiang Gongzi gave a vague response: "The subsequent plot is still being conceived and it is inconvenient to reveal it. Please continue to support the new book. I will definitely work hard to finish this story."
This was Dong Lanyi's first time participating in such an event. She was momentarily stunned by the wealth and influence of these fellow enthusiasts, and at the same time, she felt a little uneasy.
Nobody told her she needed to prepare a gift in advance!
While she was lost in thought, it was finally her turn in the line.
The two were only a table apart, and Dong Lanyi's heart was pounding so hard she felt like she couldn't breathe.
Young Master Xiaoxiang stretched his wrist, which ached from signing in, and quickly glanced at Dong Lanyi. Seeing that she was dressed simply and had no valuable jewelry, his attitude turned cold, and he only gave a standard fake smile: "Miss, let me guess what you plan to give me?"
Dong Lanyi looked somewhat embarrassed, wanting to say that she hadn't had time to prepare, but was too shy to speak up.
Seeing that she was holding a few pages of manuscript, Xiao Xiang Gongzi assumed that it was meant for him. His expression grew increasingly cold, and he reached out to take it, saying, "...Just put it here."
Dong Lanyi snapped out of her daze and quickly avoided his movements, stammering as she explained, "Young master, this is a story I wrote myself. Would you please give me your critique?"
Xiao Xiang Gongzi frowned slightly, his gaze falling on the female readers behind Dong Lanyi who were eagerly waiting. In the end, he didn't say anything. "Okay, let me see."
Dong Lanyi quickly handed him the manuscript.
The young master of Xiaoxiang casually flipped through the pages, but after reading a few, his expression became serious, and his attitude became increasingly focused and earnest.
He quickly finished reading the manuscript that Dong Lanyi had brought and immediately asked, "What about the rest?"
Dong Lanyi opened her mouth, then, remembering Shen Lingyue's instructions, whispered, "I've only written this much; I haven't figured out the rest of the plot yet..."
—In fact, she wrote quite a lot more later, but Shen Lingyue only let her bring the first few chapters, claiming it was to keep it a secret from her competitors.
Dong Lanyi didn't think she was qualified to be considered a rival by Xiaoxiang Gongzi, but since the story outline was provided by her second cousin-in-law, she might as well listen to her.
The young master of Xiaoxiang breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing Dong Lanyi's nervous expression, he coughed lightly and shook his head with a serious expression.
"Girl, I don't mean to discourage you, but your story... has absolutely no merit."
Dong Lanyi was stunned, and asked incredulously, "Why?"
She and her two cousins-in-law all thought the story was very interesting.
Xiao Xiang Gongzi snorted lightly, his tone carrying a hint of arrogance, "Do you think you know more about writing than me? Your story is overly ornate and cumbersome, and the protagonist's behavior is unpredictable and lacks consistency... If it's just a work for your own amusement, then so be it, as long as you're happy."
Dong Lanyi's lips trembled, wanting to refute, but she couldn't muster the courage and finally walked down dejectedly.
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi were gossiping about Xiaoxiang Gongzi's previous identity when they turned around and saw Dong Lanyi returning with red eyes. They quickly asked her what was wrong.
"Young Master said my story wasn't good, that it was just something I wrote for fun, and that it wouldn't sell at all..."
Dong Lanyi's eyes were filled with tears, but she held them back.
She had been working tirelessly day and night these past few days, discussing the plot with her second cousin-in-law and painstakingly writing it down, only to have it criticized as worthless by the young master Xiaoxiang, whom she admired most...
"I'm fine, sisters-in-law. Let's head back to the mansion as soon as possible."
Dong Lanyi quickly wiped her eyes and forced a smile, "It seems I really don't have the talent for writing books..."
Shen Lingyue was furious and lost control of her emotions, slamming her hand on the table.
"What an blind fool!"
The table slammed shut with a loud bang, startling the young master Xiaoxiang, who was holding hands with a lady and chatting about the plot. He looked up, his eyes narrowing slightly, and said with displeasure, "Who are you calling blind?"
Shen Lingyue stood up and glared at him: "I'm talking to you! My cousin's stories are so good, how dare you say they're worthless?"
Her impolite attitude towards Xiaoxiang Gongzi immediately aroused the dissatisfaction of other readers, who began to criticize them in a chattering manner.
"You're not allowed to speak to the young master like that!"
"Everyone here today is a fan of yours, young master. Who are you? Did another bookstore send you to cause trouble?"
"Where's the boss? Someone come and get these troublemakers out of here!"
With so many people backing him up, Young Master Xiao Xiang became increasingly unscrupulous, while still putting on an innocent act. "Madam, it was your cousin who insisted on asking me for comments. She was unhappy when I told her the truth, so what could I do?"
Shen Lingyue was taken aback and clenched her fist. "You say her writing is bad? I'd say you have bad taste."
“There are no fixed rules in literature. Since you think what I said is wrong, then you don’t have to listen to it.”
Xiao Xiang Gongzi shook his head, seemingly magnanimous and not holding it against them, "But this is a place for me and my fellow book lovers to communicate. If you are not satisfied, you can leave."
"Fine, I'll leave. Who cares about a shrimp-headed man like you?"
Shen Lingyue snorted and pulled Dong Lanyi up, "Cousin, don't listen to his nonsense. I'll treat you to a good meal at Fengle Restaurant."
Yan Yi followed behind the two, and as she left, she gave Xiao Xiang Gongzi a deep look, her eyes filled with scrutiny and inquiry.
Young Master Xiaoxiang felt uneasy under her gaze. Taking advantage of a break to go to the back for a drink of water, he called over the restaurant owner and asked, "Do you know who those three young ladies were?"
Although the young woman who showed him the manuscript was dressed very simply, her two sisters-in-law were well-dressed and had outstanding bearing, and did not look like ordinary wealthy people.
The restaurant owner quickly sent someone out to inquire, and soon the news came back.
"The carriage they were riding in appeared to be of marquis rank."
"She's actually a member of the Marquis's household?!" Young Master Xiaoxiang was shocked and annoyed, regretting that he had spoken too harshly and hadn't had time to leave his contact information.
He slipped another silver ingot to the restaurant owner, saying, "Go and inquire again; you must find out which noble family they belong to."
...
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi took Dong Lanyi to Fenglelou and ordered a table full of delicious food. They also bought her a lot of novel trinkets, all without her spending a single penny.
Dong Lanyi forced a smile, "Sister-in-law, you don't need to spend so much money. I'm not a three-year-old child, I'm not that fragile."
But anyone could tell she was lying; the disappointment on her face was impossible to hide.
"That shrimp-headed young master is right about one thing: there are no fixed rules in literature, and his opinion alone does not represent anything."
Shen Lingyue spared no effort in encouraging her cousin, "Our story is really good. Don't listen to him. Go home and keep writing. My sister-in-law and I will go out and find bookstores to cooperate with tomorrow. I guarantee you'll sell even better than him!"
Dong Lanyi couldn't bear to disappoint the two of them, and besides, this was the culmination of their hard work over the past half month, so she nodded gently: "Yes, I will finish writing this story."
Even if she can't sell them, at least she tried her best, and she won't regret giving up halfway in the future.
The next day, Dong Lanyi stayed at home to continue writing, while Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi went out again.
She had already inquired beforehand and found that neither the Marquis's residence nor Zhao Lan's name owned any bookstores.
After all, printing and selling books requires a lot of manpower and resources in the early stages, and the target customer group is very small, which is far less cost-effective than grain shops, general stores, cloth and silk shops.
In this industry, businesses are usually passed down through generations, and the techniques related to printing inks are closely guarded secrets. Each business also has long-standing relationships with established authors, who regularly provide them with exclusive works, ensuring a continuous stream of new books for the bookstores.
"Xuelangzhai is among the top tier of bookstores in the capital. It is large in scale and has many branches. It is already deeply intertwined with Xiaoxiang Gongzi, so we definitely cannot cooperate with him again."
Shen Lingyue analyzed with an air of seriousness, "So we either choose a competitor that rivals Xuelangzhai, or we simply buy a bookstore and run it ourselves."
"Wouldn't buying a bookstore be too expensive? My cousin's first book isn't even out yet."
Yan Yi did not lose her temper because of Xiao Xiang Gongzi's criticism. She tried to calm Shen Lingyue down, who was acting impulsively. "It would be best to find a well-established bookstore to cooperate with. That way, we can save ourselves the effort of running the business."
Shen Lingyue nodded, and the two of them went to each bookstore in turn, following the list of bookstores that He Rong had found out.
They first approached several bookstores of similar size to Xuelangzhai and asked to collaborate with them on selling books.
However, when the business owners heard that the author was a complete novice with no works and no experience, they all shook their heads and refused.
A shop owner kindly advised, "Not everyone is as talented, witty, and charming as Xiaoxiang Gongzi, which is why he can sell so many books. There are plenty of stories that sit in the shop for months without anyone buying them. Look, the authors of those books have now been reduced to writing letters for people on the street."
The boss waved his hand, "Writing books has no future. I advise you two ladies not to get involved in this mess."
Another business owner suggested to them: "As long as you cover all the costs of printing the book upfront and bear all the profits and losses, we can sign the contract now."
What he received in return was a big eye roll from Shen Lingyue.
Self-publishing a book? Do they really think she's a fool with too much money to waste?
Shen Lingyue stormed out of the shop and said to Yan Yi, "It seems we have no choice but to take the second path: we'll acquire a bookstore ourselves!"
She asked He Rong to continue inquiring about any bookstores that were struggling financially and were planning to sell.
While waiting for news, she and Yan Yi encouraged Dong Lanyi to continue writing, placing high hopes on her.
None of the three of them went out, so they naturally didn't know that the new book by Xiaoxiang Gongzi had sparked another buying frenzy outside.
"Young master, your talent is truly like a spring, you can write new stories while serializing 'The Story of Qilan'."
"I heard from the young master that this story is a practice piece written by him when he had a sudden inspiration. Not only is it a limited edition, but it will not be reprinted. I must buy a few more copies to keep as treasures. If I miss this opportunity, I will never have another chance."
He Rong had been inquiring about bookstores lately and knew that his young mistress was determined to compete with this young master from Xiaoxiang. Hearing the gossip of passersby, he hurried to the nearest Xuelangzhai branch and spent twice the amount of money, finally managing to get one book from a lady who had bought twenty new books.
"Thank you for your generosity, Madam. My young lady loves Xiaoxiang Gongzi's books the most. She will be very happy to read them."
He Rong grabbed the book and quickly sent it back to the Marquis's residence.
Shen Lingyue was shocked. "His hand speed is so fast. Is he an octopus that has come to life?"
However, when she opened the book "The Romance in the Mirror," she was so angry that she shouted after reading only a few pages.
"Yan Yan, we've been plagiarized by Shrimp Head Prince!"
Yan Yi quickly came over, "What happened?"
Shen Lingyue flipped to the beginning, "Look, this opening plot was something we came up with together with my cousin, but he just changed the name and the background!"
Yan Yi frowned slightly, took the storybook, and turned a few more pages.
Little Moon is right. The first few chapters of this book are basically copied from Dong Lanyi's version. However, Xiao Xiang Gongzi changed the names of the characters and some background settings, and broke up the original plot, copying it into the text piece by piece.
It's likely that Xiaoxiang Gongzi only saw the beginning written by Dong Lanyi, so the rest of the plot was written by himself, which differed somewhat from their original ideas.
Shen Lingyue stomped her feet in anger, "Luckily I was careful and didn't let my cousin take all the manuscripts with her, otherwise wouldn't they have all gone to him?"
Yan Yi's expression hardened slightly. "Now he's the one who's published his book first, and it's extremely similar to our story. Even if we immediately print and sell our cousin's work, we'll only be accused of plagiarism by Xiao Xiang Gongzi's readers."
Based solely on Dong Lanyi's manuscript, it is impossible to prove that she was the one who wrote the story first.
"I knew it! A man who could write such a lousy story as a son-in-law killing his wife was no good!"
Shen Lingyue spun around on the ground a few times, then suddenly stopped, her brows furrowed.
"If she can't publish the book, wouldn't all of my cousin's hard work these past few days have been for nothing?"
Yan Yi also thought of this thorny problem and sighed, "Yes, and it will also completely destroy the image of Young Master Xiaoxiang in her heart."
"Why don't we keep it from her for now, at least let her finish writing this story..."
Before Shen Lingyue could finish speaking, Dong Lanyi's voice came from the doorway: "Sister-in-law, what are you talking about that you're keeping from me?"
As soon as she entered, she saw Shen Lingyue holding a book and exclaimed with delight, "Is this your new book, young master? He's published another book?"
Shen Lingyue quickly hid behind her back and shook her head: "It's not his book, I had someone buy it from outside."
Dong Lanyi walked over quickly, "Sister-in-law, don't tease me. The handwriting on that envelope is clearly the young master's. I would never mistake it."
She reached out her hand to Chen Lingyue and said earnestly, "Actually, your criticism of me is not wrong. This is my first time writing a book, so it's inevitable that I lack experience. In that case, I should study his works more and strive to improve."
The more humble Dong Lanyi was, the more Shen Lingyue felt indignant on her behalf.
She sighed and took the book out from behind her. "Take a look and see what kind of person this guy you like really is."
Dong Lanyi took the book "The Romance in the Mirror," and after reading only the beginning, her expression changed.
Neither Shen Lingyue nor Yan Yi made a sound. They saw that she was turning the pages faster and faster, until finally it even seemed a bit frantic, and her fingertips were trembling.
"Impossible, impossible."
Dong Lanyi raised her head, revealing an expression that was both crying and laughing, and looked at them pleadingly, "Sister-in-law, this must be a coincidence, right? Otherwise, why would the young master's new book..."
She stood there blankly, and when she loosened her grip, the book fell to the ground.
In the past, she would have picked up the book immediately to prevent it from getting even a speck of dust.
But Dong Lanyi didn't move. She just looked at the two of them with teary eyes, waiting for them to give her an answer.
Shen Lingyue stomped her foot. "Oh dear, cousin, you'd better face reality! This shrimp-headed young master is a petty plagiarist who holds grudges! He deliberately criticized your story as worthless, just to make you give up, so he can make a fortune and gain both fame and fortune with the stolen story!"
Large tears fell down her cheeks. Dong Lanyi's face was pale with shock, anger, and heartache.
"How could he do such a thing..." She could no longer hold back, crying uncontrollably, her whole body trembling.
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi were comforting her when they suddenly heard a loud shout from the doorway.
"What did you two do to Lan Yi?!"
Turning around, Pei Yuzhen stormed in, protecting Dong Lanyi like a mother hen guarding her chicks, and glared at the two of them angrily: "Luckily I came today, otherwise I wouldn't have known you would bully people like this!"
Dong Lanyi stopped crying and quickly said, "Mother, you've misunderstood. My cousin-in-law didn't bully me."
Pei Yuzhen was exasperated. "Are you stupid? You're crying like this and you're still trying to speak up for them!"
She glared at the two of them resentfully. "Come on, let's go to Songhe Hall to find the Grand Madam to settle this matter!"
Shen Lingyue sighed, "Aunt, calm down. Can you let us finish what we have to say?"
Yan Yi picked up the book from the ground and explained the whole story in the simplest language.
Pei Yuzhen was even angrier after hearing this. "What 'young master and mother'? How dare they plagiarize your story? Take me to him, and I'll tear his mouth apart!"
The three of them then joined forces to stop the rampaging Pei Yuzhen.
"Aunt, please don't be impulsive. We have no evidence, and Young Master Xiaoxiang will not admit it."
Pei Yuzhen raised her chin, her nostrils flaring upwards, "Are you all fools? Don't forget our family is a Marquis's mansion! Crushing a mere scholar like him is a piece of cake. What evidence do you need?"
Shen Lingyue: ...
Aunt, don't you look more like a villain now?
“This is a matter between cultured people. How can you use your power to suppress others?” Shen Lingyue advised earnestly. “Although it is true that Young Master Xiaoxiang is only a scholar, he is very popular in the capital now. Who knows if there are any fans of his whose status is higher than ours?”
Pei Yuzhen realized that this kid also had powerful connections.
She said unwillingly, "Then what can you do? You can't just watch your cousin's hard work be stolen for nothing, can you? She's your own cousin."
Turning back, she took a handkerchief and wiped Dong Lanyi's face. "Don't cry. I'll go find your uncle and your grandmother later and ask them to stand up for you..."
Dong Lanyi quickly waved her hand: "How can we bother our elders with such a small matter?"
Pei Yuzhen glared at him: "How can this be a small matter? He copied your books, which cut off our mother and son's path to wealth!"
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi suddenly realized.
No wonder my aunt was so angry; it turns out she was hoping my cousin would write a book and make money.
"We'll figure out a solution to the plagiarism issue later. Don't be sad, cousin. He might copy one of your books, but can he copy you for the rest of his life?"
Shen Lingyue encouraged her, "We can write even better stories. Once we finish this one, we'll immediately find a publishing house to print it. Let's see where he can copy it now!"
Dong Lanyi, her eyes red and pleading like a little rabbit, looked over and asked, "Does my cousin-in-law have any new stories?"
“Of course, I have plenty.” Shen Lingyue spun around on the ground a few times and suddenly snapped her fingers.
"This time, let's write 'The Female Imperial Scholar'!"
She began to tell the story vividly: "The heroine is the daughter of a prefect, and she has a childhood sweetheart fiancé. Just when the two are about to get married, her fiancé's family is murdered by a villain, and the whole family is wiped out. Her fiancé disappears without a trace. The heroine begs her father, the prefect, to investigate the truth, but it turns out that the villain even killed her father."
"The female protagonist is determined to avenge both families. She disguises herself as a man and takes her fiancé's place to take the imperial examination in the capital. She accidentally becomes the top scholar and is even noticed by the princess, who intends to make her her husband."
"The female protagonist bribes a Taoist priest to lie, claiming she is a cursed star destined to bring misfortune to her wife, thus refusing the arranged marriage. However, the princess remains devoted to her. Meanwhile, the female protagonist enters the imperial court as an official, where she interacts with several young princes, a young general, and the sons of high-ranking officials, some of whom develop feelings for her..."
Dong Lanyi listened with rapt attention. A female scholar who had won the hearts of both a princess and a prince, a woman who could charm both men and women—what a charming and talented woman she must be!
Her eyes lit up again. "Second cousin-in-law, how did you come up with such a wonderful story?"
Shen Lingyue coughed twice, embarrassed. "It's all because I've seen a lot and stood on the shoulders of giants."
Pei Yuzhen made the decision: "This is good, let's write this."
She poked her daughter's forehead twice more. "You better make me proud and write this story down quickly. Then we'll give that young master a good slap in the face!"
...
Dong Lanyi turned her grief and indignation into motivation, no longer dwelling on being plagiarized or her idol's downfall, and devoted herself wholeheartedly to writing her new book.
However, the doorman delivered a letter that day.
She saw a few bamboo stalks drawn in the lower right corner of the envelope, and her expression instantly changed.
This is... something that Xiaoxiang Gongzi wrote to her?
Dong Lanyi took a few deep breaths and opened the envelope.
"Since that fleeting glimpse, I have tossed and turned, unable to sleep, deeply regretting my actions. There is a beautiful woman, gentle and intelligent, with refined and insightful knowledge, virtuous and pure, with a heart full of love and devotion... I long to meet you and discuss in detail the origins and hardships of the book 'Fate in the Mirror,' and I will surely find a way to repay you. Respectfully submitted by the Young Master of Xiaoxiang."
Looking at the lavish praise in the letter, and the elegant handwriting she knew so well, Dong Lanyi blushed uncontrollably, and her heart beat slightly faster.
The young master asked to meet her, saying he had other reasons.
She pressed the letter to her chest, bit her lip, and looked conflicted.
Should we trust him one more time?
-----------------------
Author's Note: It's here! Yuezai's new book blends the stories of the Huangmei Opera "The Female Imperial Envoy" and Meng Lijun from "Rebirth," plus a touch of a love triangle. [doge][doge]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
