Li Wanming understood.
Most likely, when Xiao Jingnan submitted the bill to the palace, he not only got several hundred taels of silver, but also vividly told the emperor about the current miserable state of the inn and expounded on the serious consequences of this incident, demanding that the emperor take responsibility.
Zhao Yanke should have felt a bit guilty.
He never expected that his momentary whim would bring such a devastating disaster to the inn. But being deep in the palace, even if he wanted to help, he could only rely on the officials outside.
It was a pity that he didn't have many officials he could trust.
So, after a little calculation, Zhao Yanke set his sights on Pei Yanqi.
Talented, well - known, with a shallow foundation and no political affiliations.
He was the chosen one.
He was just right to solve the troubles of Changxing Inn.
In this way, Pei Yanqi became Zhao Yanke's compensation to Changxing Inn.
Xiao Jingnan was still laughing. "I advise you not to go to Brother Pei now. When I just went to ask him, he was writing while gnashing his teeth and cursing in a low voice. He said that he, a top - scorer in the imperial examination, had refused many people who wanted his calligraphy, but now he was sent to write a poem for a mere inn for free..."
Li Wanming glanced at Pei Yanqi and let out a soft laugh.
Humph!
So what if it's an inn?
Her inn was unique in the whole capital. Even the emperor and the eldest princess fought over it!
The emperor's asking him to come and write a poem was an honor for him!
How dare he look down on it?
Li Wanming called Ruer over and said to her, "Mr. Pei, the Hanlin academician, has worked hard to write a poem for our inn. I'll arrange for him to stay here tonight. Go and tell your Miss Su that she should perform more vigorously tonight. The scarier, the better!"
Just wait. She'd scare him to death!
It was already evening. It was only natural to keep Pei Yanqi for dinner. Then they'd pour him a few more glasses of wine, and he'd miss the curfew. He'd have no choice but to stay.
By then, he could surely experience the No.1 haunted inn in the Great Sheng Dynasty!
Hearing that Pei Yanqi wasn't scolded, Liu Yiyi also breathed a sigh of relief.
She didn't get along well with Pei Yanqi, but it was all about money. She didn't wish any real harm on him.
"Wanming, I came to see you today because I have something to tell you," Liu Yiyi pulled Li Wanming aside. "You now have a very popular inn, and our Liu family's silk shop is also doing better and better... I'm thinking, can we cooperate?"
"Cooperate?"
"Yes. Since you have performances here, I was thinking if the girls performing here could wear the clothes from our Liu's Silk Shop?"
"In this way, it can help you save costs, and on the other hand, it can also help promote our shop."
Liu Yiyi was on good terms with Li Wanming, so she naturally knew about the commotion caused by the emperor and the eldest princess on the first day.
As a seasoned businesswoman, she keenly smelled the business opportunity.
An inn that could attract the attention of the emperor, the eldest princess, and the daughter of the prime minister was bound to be eye - catching!
Although they couldn't talk about what happened that night due to the royal face, the incident was so big that it couldn't escape the ears of the common people in the capital.
As long as someone fanned the flames a bit, the news would spread with added details...
By then, the inn where the emperor had stayed would be such a powerful publicity gimmick!
Li Wanming couldn't think of this now simply because she was scared by the 100,000 - tael loan. She was like a person with a leaf blocking her eyes, unable to see the whole picture. Liu Yiyi had to remind her.
Liu Yiyi excitedly told Li Wanming her grand plan and became more and more confident as she spoke.
"By then, we sisters will be running an inn and a wine shop on one side and a silk shop and a warehouse on the other. We'll monopolize the relevant industries in the capital and join hands to be invincible!"
Li Wanming hesitated. "It sounds good..."
"But, Yiyi," she said, "the actresses here are all playing female ghosts..."
Would it be publicity or slander if Du Liniang in her ghost form wore the clothes from Liu's Silk Shop?
If it spread that the clothes from Liu's Silk Shop were for ghosts, wouldn't it backfire?
But Liu Yiyi didn't back down. She waved her hand and said, "I've already thought of that!"
"Besides The Peony Pavilion, don't you have many other shows? Apart from demons and ghosts, there are also fairies! You can just let the fairies wear my clothes!"
"Even Du Liniang. Before she became a ghost, wasn't she the daughter of a wealthy family? You can let her wear our clothes when she was still alive!"
A flash of inspiration crossed Li Wanming's mind.
This was indeed a good idea!
On one hand, her inn could promote Liu's Silk Shop. And now that Liu's Silk Shop was booming in the capital, if her inn could display their clothes, it would also be a great promotion for Changxing Inn.
By then, it might really achieve the effect of complementing each other and getting twice the result with half the effort!
"Okay, let's do it!" Li Wanming said happily.
"Let's sisters join hands and run rampant in the capital!"
...
That night, Pei Yanqi really couldn't leave.
He originally wanted to leave after writing the poem, but he couldn't resist the "gratitude" of Xiao Jingnan and Li Wanming, so he had to stay for a "simple meal".
But this "simple meal" was too sumptuous, and the wine was so mellow that he unconsciously drank too much.
"What a mess!" Pei Yanqi's cheeks were flushed, and he was full of indignation.
"The emperor asked me to come and write a poem and told me not to make it public, especially not to let the officials in the court know that it was his order."
"The emperor must have thought it was too embarrassing for a king to let the top - scorer in the imperial examination write a poem for an unknown inn, so he told me to keep it a secret."
"Alas, I, Pei Yanqi, am so talented and knowledgeable. I should be writing books and making my name known to the world, but now I can only..."
The more he talked, the more melancholy he became, and he sighed continuously.
Originally, Li Wanming was a bit grateful to Pei Yanqi for writing the poem, but now, that gratitude had disappeared without a trace.
If it weren't for Xiao Jingnan holding her back, she would have splashed a basin of water on him to sober him up!
So what if it's an inn?
What had the inn ever done to him?
And what did he mean by "unknown"... Wasn't it those second - generation aristocrats who caused all the trouble?
If they hadn't caused trouble, her inn would have been well - known and popular overnight!
Li Wanming secretly gritted her teeth and quietly said to Ruer, "Change the second half of the show completely today. Release Granny from Lanruo Temple and the ghost scholar. We must let Prime Minister Pei see the real level of our inn!"
Ruer nodded and went to find Su Xiaozhu to make preparations.
The Peony Pavilion was a story about Du Liniang's soul leaving her body, mainly about love, at most a bit scary.
Li Wanming was afraid that the common people weren't used to this type of inn, so she didn't want to go too far at the beginning for fear of scaring them. She wanted to take it slowly.
But seeing Pei Yanqi's attitude today, there was no need to take it slow!
The top - scorer clearly looked down on them. They must give him a really scary show to let him see the strength of Changxing Inn.
...
That night, Pei Yanqi's shrill screams echoed through the sky and could be heard two streets away.
In the end, he hugged Liu Yiyi's leg and refused to let go.
No matter how Liu Yiyi tried to persuade him, he wouldn't listen. Finally, she had no choice but to drag him on the ground.
"Aren't you a top - scorer? Aren't you a gentleman? How could you be so scared?"
Pei Yanqi sobbed. "Who says a gentleman can't be afraid of ghosts? I was most afraid of ghost stories when I was a kid..."