Chapter 88 I'll trade my mother's story for yours...
call……
A gust of wind blew through the room, and Xiao Lang stood there all alone, looking even more pitiful and desolate.
He remained motionless and expressionless, like a petrified statue.
When Boss Du rushed in, he was shocked to see what was happening.
"What happened? I just went out to discuss something, where did everyone go???"
Xiao Lang's face twitched, and it took him a long time to finally manage to squeeze out a furious voice.
"They all went to Fenglelou... to see Jiang Tanhua."
Damn it... What's so great about being a third-place scholar? What's so great about being handsome?
Upon hearing the name Jiang Tanhua, Boss Du immediately understood. "What new tricks has Langhuan Pavilion come up with this time? But why did they choose today specifically to challenge you?"
He belatedly realized what was happening, and after looking Xiao Lang up and down several times, his expression was subtle: "Young Master Xiao, could it be that you've offended them?"
Xiao Lang looked away guiltily, stubbornly saying, "I'm just writing my book, how did that offend them?"
Boss Du could easily see through his excuse, and stomped his foot forcefully, "You surnamed Xiao, don't drag me down with you when you're courting disaster! No wonder the sales of 'The Legend of Qilan' have been declining day by day; it's all because of you. I'm warning you, it's clearly stated in the contract that if there are any problems on your side that lead to poor sales, I can claim compensation from you!"
He looked at the empty restaurant lobby with a heavy heart. The rent and setup costs were all gone, not to mention the money spent hiring people to queue and arranging "book-selling shills" in advance...
Boss Du grabbed Xiao Lang's sleeve and wouldn't let go, saying, "You have to compensate me!"
"I really don't know what's wrong with you." Xiao Lang struggled to break free from him and said irritably, "Instead of arguing with me here, why don't you hurry up and go to Fengle Tower to check on the situation? I also want to know why Langhuan Pavilion has been targeting me."
He put on an air of righteous indignation and innocence, and strode out.
Xiao Lang arrived at Fenglelou with a burning anger in his heart, only to be deeply hurt by the many familiar faces in the group.
These fickle women!
She had previously vowed to follow him forever...
He stood across the street, his face extremely pale, his small eyes darting around. Finally, he saw Dong Lanyi and a young scholar walking out from the side door, chatting and laughing.
Xiao Lang immediately strode forward, grabbed her hand, and said with surprise and affection as if nothing had happened, "Lan Yi, you're finally back from your visit? You have no idea how much I've missed you these past few days!"
Dong Lanyi was startled by his sudden leap and panicked. She tried to pull her hand away, but Xiao Lang gripped her wrist tightly, like an iron clamp, making it painful and difficult to break free.
Her brows furrowed, her face paled, and she struggled incessantly, crying out, "Let me go! Let me go!"
Even Shu hadn't expected to encounter this situation while accompanying Dong Lanyi out for some fresh air. She immediately grabbed Xiao Lang's wrist, frowned, and tightened her grip, saying, "Where did this lecher come from? If you don't let go, I'll report you to the authorities."
Compared to Xiao Lang, who was unable to lift heavy objects, Lian Shu had been carrying heavy woodblocks back and forth in her backyard since she was a child. She could do everything from printing and binding books to transporting goods, and she was much stronger than him.
Xiao Lang instantly felt as if his wrist was being branded with a hot iron. His face contorted, and he screamed, forced to release Dong Lanyi.
As soon as Dong Lanyi managed to escape, she hid behind Lian Shu, still shaken. She grabbed his shoulder and whispered, "He, he is Young Master Xiaoxiang..."
Lian Shu frowned even more deeply. "Huh?"
Is this the famous Xiaoxiang Gentleman?
"Let go, let go!" Xiao Lang's face was contorted in pain. After Lian Shu finally let go, he immediately clutched his wrist and shook it repeatedly, glaring at him angrily: "You brat, I have the title of a scholar, how dare you hurt me?"
Seeing that Lian Shu looked young and was dressed in drab, coarse clothes with a work apron, he assumed he was a young shop assistant in the bookstore. He immediately felt superior and raised his head high, saying, "Quickly kneel down and kowtow to this scholar to admit your mistake, or I will report you to the authorities!"
Lian Shu looked at him as if he were an idiot, and after a moment of silence, said, "Excuse me, I am a scholar who has passed the imperial examination."
Xiao Lang: ...!!!
His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, so red they looked like they could bleed. "Impossible!"
This kid doesn't even look like he's reached adulthood yet, how did he pass the imperial examination and become a scholar?!
"Why would I lie to you?" Lian Shu rolled her eyes, then pretended to be fierce and put on a stern face. "You're going to report me to the authorities? You molested Miss Dong in broad daylight, that's when I'm going to report you to the authorities and have you arrested!"
Xiao Lang snapped back to his senses, quickly pinched his thigh, squeezed out two tears, and looked at Dong Lanyi pleadingly: "Lanyi, we have a history of friendship, are you really going to treat me so cruelly?"
Dong Lanyi's face turned red with anger. "Who, who has any relationship with you? You plagiarized my story and published a book, and I haven't even settled accounts with you yet."
Xiao Lang immediately retorted, "Haven't I explained everything to you? I even returned every penny of the royalties for 'The Mirror' to you. What more do you want from me?"
Dong Lanyi was caught off guard and speechless. She was not good at arguing, and now she was even more speechless. She secretly regretted: I should not have accepted his eighty taels in the first place...
"Oh my, isn't this the famous Young Master Xiaoxiang!"
A deafening roar came from behind Xiao Lang, like a thunderclap, making his ears ring and making him feel as if he had become deaf.
He covered his ears and turned around in a fluster, only to see Shen Lingyue holding a brass trumpet-like thing in her hand, shouting incessantly at him.
Xiao Lang sensed something was wrong. Dong Lanyi was easily fooled, but his sister-in-law was a difficult one to deal with.
However, it was too late for him to leave. Shen Lingyue grabbed his sleeve without a word, shouting to the readers queuing on the other side, "Come and see! Even Young Master Xiaoxiang is captivated by Scholar Jiang's charm and has secretly come to watch the excitement!"
The ladies and wives who had just arrived from Young Master Xiaoxiang's place breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this.
I was feeling a little guilty for missing the release of your new book—what, he came himself? Oh well, it's alright then.
Someone waved to Xiao Lang, as if to reassure him, "Young master, please wait a little longer. I'll buy your new book after I've finished reading about Scholar Jiang and the other successful candidates."
Xiao Lang's eyes darted around, and he feigned indignation, pointing at Shen Lingyue and shouting, "Even if you are from a noble family, a young lady of high birth, does that give you the right to bully a lowly scholar like me with no background or power? My family is poor, and I rely entirely on writing and selling books to make a living. Unlike you rich kids born with silver spoons in your mouths, my family is still struggling to put food on the table... Why did you have to choose today to challenge me? Are you only satisfied when you've driven me to my death?!"
Shen Lingyue smiled faintly. Oh ho, so they're playing a propaganda war with her now?
"What are you saying, Young Master Xiaoxiang?"
She calmly raised the brass megaphone, "You keep claiming to be a scholar, you should know what 'the one who starts it is despicable' means, right? Who bribed street thugs to spread rumors and ruin Miss Lan Jun's reputation? I have their handwritten testimonies here!"
Shen Lingyue patted her sleeve threateningly, meeting Xiao Lang's flustered gaze without fear.
So what if she deliberately chose today to steal the deal? He was the one who acted like a jerk first!
The readers queuing nearby all showed strange expressions and couldn't help but whisper among themselves.
"What's going on? Which side is telling the truth?"
"Both Young Master and Lan Jun are authors I admire, please stop arguing, okay?"
"Who understands? I'm heartbroken from watching both 'The Story of Qi Lan' and 'The Jade Hairpin'... Can't you guys just shake hands and make peace for my sake?"
Xiao Lang didn't expect that his bribery of thugs to spread rumors that day would be exposed so quickly. However, he had deliberately disguised himself when he gave the money and left the scene quickly afterward, so no one noticed that he had been there.
So what if she has the confessions of those thugs? As long as they deny it to the death, that's fine.
Xiao Lang wiped his face, deliberately feigning a pitiful and helpless expression. "So be it, so be it. How can I, a mere commoner, contend with you powerful and wealthy families? Whatever you say, it's all my fault. At worst, I'll just retire from writing and let the Young Master Xiaoxiang and you all forget each other in the martial world! Ha, hahaha..."
He laughed loudly, his voice hoarse, as if his heart was broken, and stumbled away.
"Young master, young master, don't go! Please don't stop writing! I'm still waiting to see Miss Qilan's new adventures!"
A young woman couldn't contain herself any longer, lifted the hem of her skirt, and chased after him, crying and shouting.
With her taking the lead, several of Xiaoxiang Gongzi's die-hard readers also followed suit.
Although only a minority of people left compared to those in line, this farce still somewhat affected the atmosphere of today's event.
Fortunately, Jiang Yunlin was quick-witted and randomly selected "lucky readers" to come on stage for interaction, either by giving them poems or portraits, and by exchanging articles. In the end, the event was a success, and many more copies of "Yu Tang Chai Ping Ji" were sold.
After it was over, Shen Lingyue personally served her a cup of tea, saying, "Jiang Tanhua, you've worked hard. Our event owes a lot to you."
He then thanked the other young scholars who had been invited, saying, "You've all worked very hard today. I'll treat you to drinks at Fenglelou Restaurant. Please feel free to order whatever you like and don't be shy."
Jiang Yunlin was no longer reserved in front of Shen Lingyue. He took the tea and drank it all in one gulp, then waved his hand and said, "It's nothing. Besides, most of my colleagues are from poor families. Coming here today to help out can earn us some extra money to supplement our household income. We should be thanking you."
Seeing that the scholars had been led to private rooms by the waiter of Fenglelou, she lowered her voice and said to Shen Lingyue, "I think you're planning to go head-to-head with that Young Master Xiaoxiang? He's already famous and always knows how to please his readers. Compared to Lan Jun, this rising star, he's still a considerable threat. You must act with caution."
Shen Lingyue nodded, gritting her teeth as she said, "He's quite the actor, what a convincing thousand-year-old shrimp spirit!"
On the other side, seeing Dong Lanyi's worried and preoccupied appearance, Lian Shu also became anxious, but she didn't know how to comfort her, so she could only say dryly, "Don't be sad. Madam Shen is so capable and has so many novel and good ideas. She will definitely be able to solve this problem."
"I have complete confidence in my second cousin's abilities."
Dong Lanyi said softly, "I just didn't expect... that he really is such a despicable and shameless person."
Shen Lingyue had kept it a secret from her all along, so Dong Lanyi only found out today that the unbearable rumors spread on the day "Jade Hall Hairpin" was released were actually made by Xiao Lang.
This shattered even the last vestige of her idolizing him.
Why? Just because he's jealous that he can write good stories?
But he himself also has "The Story of Qi Lan" being serialized, can't they compete fairly and get along peacefully?
Dong Lanyi couldn't figure it out, and didn't want to bother her two sisters-in-law with these trivial matters, so she subconsciously confided in Lian Shu and kept nagging him.
Lian Shu didn't say anything more to comfort her, but simply listened quietly, acting as a confidante and a safe haven, accepting all her little secrets.
Dong Lanyi muttered for a while before belatedly realizing what she had said, and then felt a little embarrassed: "Was I being too long-winded?"
Lian Shu looked up and met her elegant and gentle face. Her face flushed uncontrollably, and she quickly wiped her face with her sleeve to cover it up, shaking her head: "No, no, I'm actually... I'm actually very happy that you can say these things to me. Does this mean... we're friends?"
As he finished speaking, a hint of trepidation crept into his voice. He glanced at her quickly, then lowered his head again, as if afraid to offend her.
Dong Lanyi was taken aback for a moment, then nodded vigorously and looked at him seriously: "Of course we've been friends for a long time."
The reason why "Jade Hall Hairpin" sold so well and became a sensation in the capital in a short period of time is all thanks to Lian Shu's hands-on approach. He would repeatedly check and correct each bound book to ensure that it was perfect.
This is not something that can be done by simply hiring a craftsman; it requires a great deal of care.
Dong Lanyi looked him over carefully, recalling the first time she saw Lian Shushi on the day Langhuan Pavilion opened, and couldn't help but say, "You've lost a lot of weight recently, and these areas are all sunken in."
She raised her slender fingertips and lightly tapped Lian Shu's cheeks twice.
Even without actual contact, Lian Shu felt as if tiny ants were crawling across his face, a tingling sensation that traveled straight to the top of his head, making him dizzy and lightheaded.
He looked dizzy, as if he had drunk a large bowl of strong liquor, and gave a silly grin, shaking his head. "It's okay, I'm young and have plenty of energy. I'll recover after I finish this busy period and sleep for a few more days. You don't need to worry about me."
Dong Lanyi chuckled at his dazed expression, then earnestly advised, "Not only do you need to sleep more, but you also need to eat more. Don't take advantage of your youth and squander your life. That's the way to longevity."
Lian Shu was completely drunk, and no matter what she said, he would just nod and say okay.
The two walked and talked, and before they knew it, they had arrived near the Langhuan Pavilion.
Dong Lanyi then remembered that she was currently writing a book and needed a collection of ancient literature for reference. Just then, Lian Shu said that Langhuan Pavilion still had some in stock, so she came with him to get the book and then returned to the Marquis's residence.
Before even entering, I saw a little girl standing on tiptoe in front of the tall counter.
"Excuse me, can I buy books with color illustrations here?"
The little girl looked about five or six years old, timid and shy, clutching a slightly worn purse in her hand.
Lian Shu stepped forward, squatted down, and asked in a kind voice, "Little sister, are you here to buy books for your family? Tell your brother what the name of the book you want to buy is?"
"I...I can't read," the little girl shook her head, "but I know there are colorful pictures in that book, and in the pictures there's a big sister riding a horse..."
Lian Shu chuckled softly, then couldn't help turning to look at Dong Lanyi, "Is this your youngest reader?"
Dong Lanyi followed her into the shop, bent down to pat the little girl's head, and asked softly, "Little sister, how can you read if you can't read?"
The little girl said innocently, "I'm buying it for my mom. She had one, but my uncle tore it up... My mom was very sad and cried, so I want to buy her another one..."
Her voice trailed off as she clutched her purse tightly: "But I heard from others that this book is very expensive and hard to buy, I don't have the money..."
She untied the drawstring of her purse, poured out two copper coins, and pouted, "Brother, is this enough? If not, can I buy a few pages to take home for my mother to read?"
Dong Lanyi's eyes were almost overflowing with pity, and her voice became even gentler, "Little sister, the book you want to buy is written by your older sister. How about I give you a copy?"
She gave Lian Shu a wink, and the latter immediately understood, getting up to fetch a brand-new, newly bound book from the backyard.
The little girl opened her eyes wide, flipped through a few pages in disbelief, and exclaimed "Wow!" when she saw the familiar colorful illustrations.
"This is the book. Sister, I didn't know you could write books!"
Dong Lanyi was amused by her innocent, childlike words, "I wrote it, was it difficult?"
The little girl puffed out her cheeks and muttered softly, "My uncle also writes books, but he can never finish one, and he gets angry at my mother all the time..."
Dong Lanyi was confused and assumed that the uncle she was talking about was probably one of those down-on-his-luck scholars who wrote romance novels about talented men and beautiful women, so she didn't pay much attention.
"Alright, I don't want your pocket money, keep it." She patted the little girl's head again. "Where do you live? Aren't your family worried about you traveling alone?"
The little girl tilted her head and looked at her: "My home is in Xingzi Lane in the east of the city. I ran away while my uncle was not at home, and no one knows."
Lian Shu took a deep breath. "It's quite a distance from the east of the city to here. Aren't you afraid of being kidnapped by a human trafficker if you, a little girl like you, run out like this?"
Without further ado, he made the decision for the little girl, "Come on, brother will take you home."
The little girl didn't agree immediately. Instead, she tugged at Dong Lanyi's skirt and said, "Sister, Mother taught me that I shouldn't take things from others for nothing. You gave me this book, so I have something to give you too. Why don't you come home with me to get it?"
After thinking for a moment, Dong Lanyi said to Lian Shu, "Anyway, I'll be passing through Xingzi Lane on my way back to the Marquis's residence. Why don't we take a carriage together to send her home, and then send you back?"
Otherwise, it would be too much trouble for Lian Shu to walk all the way from here to Xingzi Lane and back by herself.
Lian Shu could tell that she was concerned about her, and she nodded, suppressing her excitement, "I'll listen to whatever you say."
The two of them took the little girl into the carriage, and amidst her exclamations of wonder, they arrived near Xingzi Lane.
The little girl said they couldn't go through the front door because her uncle wouldn't let her and her mother go to the front, otherwise others would see them.
Dong Lanyi frowned upon hearing this, wondering to herself what kind of strange personality this uncle had.
Women weren't allowed to go out, and they weren't even allowed to read...
She and Lian Shu followed Xiao Nan around to the back wall of a two-courtyard house, where she watched as Xiao Nan skillfully pulled out a few bricks from the corner of the wall, revealing a hole that was barely big enough for a child to crawl through.
The little girl carefully hid the book in her arms, and before crawling into the hole, she reminded the two of them, "Wait for me, I'll be back soon."
Judging from how skillfully she crawls through the hole, she probably sneaks out here to play quite often.
Dong Lanyi's thoughts drifted away, and she couldn't help but sigh: "Nowadays, there are still many people who think that 'a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent,' saying that it is useless for women to study. In fact, they just want to keep them at home, fearing that if they study and understand the ways of the world, they will not be easily fooled by men. It's simply outdated and ridiculous."
Lian Shu nodded in agreement: "Not only that, they also forbid women from reading those love stories, saying that it would damage their reputation, as if reading a few books is an unforgivable crime."
The two bantered back and forth, and before they knew it, their relationship seemed to have grown even closer.
Until the little girl emerged with a head full of grass and pulled out a stack of crumpled papers from her bosom.
"Sister, this is for you!"
Dong Lanyi was confused and wondered if the little girl had called her over just to give her these scraps of paper?
Could these be what the illiterate little girl calls "treasures"?
But she couldn't bear to refuse the little girl's kindness, so she smiled and accepted it, saying, "Alright, you should go home now, don't keep your mother waiting."
The little girl grinned at her and said, "Sister, I'll exchange my mother's story for yours, then we're even."
She waved to the two of them, then climbed back the way she came. A little while later, she stretched out a small hand from the wall and groped around with difficulty.
Lian Shu was both amused and exasperated. He squatted down and helped her patch up the hole in the wall, filling it back in brick by brick. "Alright, I've helped you. Go back now."
Dong Lanyi stood aside waiting for him. With nothing to do, she casually flipped through the stack of scrap paper that Xiaonan had given her.
She had only read a few lines when her pupils suddenly contracted, and she exclaimed in surprise, "Lian Shu, come here quickly!"
Lian Shu was startled and quickly got up and ran over, "What's wrong?"
Dong Lanyi handed him the stack of papers, her fingertips trembling slightly, her voice also shaking: "Look quickly, this looks like, looks like the original manuscript of 'The Story of Qilan'..."
"ah?"
Lian Shu quickly took the paper and scanned the contents line by line, and was shocked.
Last winter, "The Story of Qi Lan" became a huge hit as soon as it was published. Although Lian Shu was still at the Imperial Academy at the time, he secretly slipped out to buy a copy. He had read the story.
The manuscripts that Dong Lanyi handed over to him are clearly the initial creative ideas for "The Story of Qilan". There are many traces of repeated deletions and revisions on them, which finally formed the story version that is now sold on the market.
Lian Shu looked down at the manuscript, then looked up at the high wall in front of her. "What did that little girl just say?"
Dong Lanyi murmured, "She said she would exchange the stories her mother wrote for the stories I wrote."
Lian Shu frowned: "But wasn't 'The Story of Qi Lan' written by Young Master Xiao Xiang? Young Master Xiao Xiang is a man."
A glint flashed in Dong Lanyi's eyes, and in a moment of desperation, she grabbed Lian Shu's sleeve.
"I understand, I understand!"
"Since he could plagiarize my story to write 'The Mirror of Fate,' he could plagiarize someone else's story to write 'The Story of Qi Lan.'"
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Author's Note: Here it comes!
Today's thoughts: Snow King is delicious, but don't overindulge! [crying][crying]
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