The hall was filled with guests, and the noise was deafening.
The long street was bustling. The melodious music of string and wind instruments, accompanied by the powerful beats of the drums, further highlighted the liveliness here.
The last little lion with golden mane had jumped to the topmost layer. It was extremely flexible. Even when standing on the human pyramid, it shook its head and wagged its tail, constantly performing all kinds of dexterous movements.
However, the colorful silk ball was perched on a vermilion wooden pole, nearly ten feet away from it.
The golden - maned lion slowed down. It stared intently at the ball above its head, then kicked the ground with its hind paws, leaped into the air, and firmly caught the ball in its mouth!
"Bravo!"
The on - looking commoners had never seen such a wonderful performance before. They all clapped vigorously, their faces flushed with excitement.
The following process was relatively simple.
Drinking, socializing, and a continuous feast.
Qinglan placed the picture albums brought by Pei Yanqi beside the continuous feast. For each serving of food and wine, an album was given as an extra.
For a moment, the whole street was filled with people drinking and reading.
The literary edification was intertwined with the aroma of food and wine, creating a unique spectacle exclusive to the capital city.
Liu Yiyi accompanied Li Wanming to greet the guests for two rounds. Suddenly, she noticed that the people downstairs were all holding a bowl in one hand and a book in the other, reading rapturously. She couldn't help but feel curious: Could these books be that interesting?
...
Pei Yanqi watched as the whole street was filled with people reading his books. He couldn't help but feel overjoyed.
Two women in front were chatting.
"What kind of book is this? Why are there no words?"
"Oh, you don't understand. This is called a picture story book! My son, Gou Dan, loves it the most. He always borrows them from the street - side bookstall. It costs one copper coin to read five books..."
Pei Yanqi froze.
Picture story books?
Picture story books were usually for four - or five - year - old kids. How could his great work be something so lacking in literary grace?
Pei Yanqi strode forward and snatched the book from their hands: "What picture story book! Don't talk nonsense if you don't understand!"
"Hey, why are you snatching our books?"
The old ladies shouted.
"Exactly. The book is full of little figures. What else could it be but a picture story book?"
Pei Yanqi was furious: "What little figures! They are portraits, masterpieces of ink painting!"
He flipped through the pages of the album and argued with the two women, his neck stiff.
"Look! This is a street, this is a shop, and there's even a map here!
"The paintings are so exquisite, encompassing everything! Without a brilliant brush and unparalleled powers of observation and imagination, it would be impossible to present the life in the capital city so vividly!"
The two old ladies stared blankly at the scholar in front of them. They only thought that although he looked decent, his face was oddly excited, as if he had some kind of problem.
Suddenly, one of the old ladies jumped up, grabbed the album forcefully, then pulled the other old lady and ran away, shouting as they went:
"If you want one, go get it yourself! Why are you snatching ours?"
"Right! I'm going to take this back to amuse my grandson!"
...
Pei Yanqi hung his head listlessly.
He suddenly realized that his book was popular not because of his excellent paintings or writing.
It was because it was simple enough.
Ordinary commoners couldn't understand profound classics and history books. Only these picture books with no cultural barriers and no need for thinking could arouse their interest.
Although Xiao Jingnan's original intention in asking him to make the picture albums was for the common people, the scene of the people in Hongbin Tower devouring his work had given him the illusion that he had really created a masterpiece... of a picture book.
Hey?
Something wasn't right...
Ordinary commoners liked it because they were illiterate.
But what about the people in Hongbin Tower?
They were all aristocrats and young ladies!
Why did they like it so much too?
Pei Yanqi recalled carefully. Fang Zhi, Feng Xiao, Liang Xiong, Li Rusong... It seemed that they were indeed less and less educated.
After thinking for a long time, he sadly came to a conclusion: This book was really only liked by illiterates!
"Pei Yanqi!"
Liu Yiyi slapped him hard on the back.
"What are you standing here daydreaming about?"
She held up a picture album in her hand and said excitedly, "Did you write this? You're amazing! I never knew you had such talent!"
"Let's make a deal! Write a few more. I'll sell them in our Liu's Silk Shop. I'll give you a 20% share. How about it?"
Pei Yanqi turned to look at her.
Liu Yiyi was wearing a bright red high - waisted ruqun and a golden crown inlaid with a huge garnet. The long golden tassels hung down, shimmering in the midday sun.
Beneath the golden crown was an oval face with willow - leaf eyebrows.
A pair of almond eyes were staring at him, shining with a clear but rather foolish light.
This face clearly showed three words: uneducated.
Coupled with her bejeweled clothes, it was six words: nouveau - riche and uneducated!
Pei Yanqi snatched the album from her hand and walked away.
Liu Yiyi quickly chased after him: "Is 20% not enough? How about 30%? Don't go. Let's discuss it properly! I'm telling you, don't just focus on the low share. You have to consider the cost of paper and ink..."
Pei Yanqi didn't even look back: "Pay me this month's salary from the academy first!"
Liu Yiyi: "No way! One thing is one thing. The academy is one matter, and the picture albums are another!"
Pei Yanqi suddenly stopped in his tracks. He pointed at her with a trembling finger, so angry that he could hardly speak.
"You, you, you... How can you be more money - grubbing than me?"
He always thought he was already greedy enough - willing to fake a marriage for 300 taels of silver.
Later, he found that Li Wanming was even greedier - willing to change the groom on the spot to save 200 taels of the balance.
But at this moment, he realized that both he and Li Wanming were nothing compared to Liu Yiyi!
Liu Yiyi puffed out her chest: "Because I'm a cunning merchant!"
Actually, in the early days, she didn't value money that much. She and Li Wanming hung out together. Most of the time, they were like street hooligans, having fun together.
At that time, Li Wanming was invincible in gambling in Fujian. Liu Yiyi followed behind as the accountant, helper, lackey, and even a fighter. She was just a bully relying on someone else's power.
They had a carefree time.
It wasn't until she came to the capital and started learning the family business that she gradually discovered the charm of making money.
Having money was so great.
Financial freedom meant no longer being at the mercy of others.
After being promoted to the second owner and second manager of the family shop, Liu Yiyi's merchant blood finally awakened.
She found that being a cunning merchant was really wonderful!
Watching the money in her little treasury gradually increase every day, seeing more and more customers in her shop, and watching the business grow bigger and bigger... It was really something that could make her smile in her dreams!
What was the most wonderful sound in the world?
It was the crisp sound of gold colliding!
...
"Totally money - obsessed and unreasonable!"
After scolding her, Pei Yanqi turned around and continued walking out.
Liu Yiyi quickly grabbed him. "Hey, you've been haggling with me for two months over just two taels of silver. Your obsession with money isn't any less than mine, is it?"
Just as she was about to continue arguing with him, she suddenly heard Li Wanming calling her from outside: "Yiyi, Miss Lü and Miss Fang are about to go back!"
Miss Lü?
Miss Fang?
Liu Yiyi suddenly remembered that there was still a big thing she hadn't done today.
She grabbed Pei Yanqi's arm tightly like an iron hoop and said, "Help me get this done, and we can talk about the salary!"