Chapter 49: Stories That Steal the Market

When Wei Lan and Xi Ye returned, it wasn’t yet time for lunch.

Taking the storybooks, Wei Lan couldn’t wait to go back to her bedroom.

 

Li Zhufeng had someone fetch ice from the residence’s icehouse, put it in a large basin, and place it in Wei Lan’s room to cool it down.

 

When she went back, the room was very comfortable, much cooler than outside.

 

Wei Lan piled the five storybooks on the round table.

She picked one up at random, planning to see what these ancient people’s novels were like.

 

Her eyes fell on the title of this book: The Tale of Red Fragrance.

 

Wei Lan had already decided this wouldn’t be very good.

Sure enough, when she opened the book and started reading, it was a very cliché scholar-and-beauty story.

 

The gist was a down-and-out scholar meeting a wealthy young lady in the city, and the two overcoming numerous obstacles to elope successfully.

 

The corner of Wei Lan’s mouth twitched.

For a modern person, she could make up ten such stories in no time, yet this sold for one tael of silver.

 

She looked at the handwriting on the book.

The calligraphy wasn’t even good; some characters were written quite sloppily, requiring her to guess.

 

Wei Lan pursed her lips and couldn’t help but think of printing technology.

If there were carved templates, the cost of these books would drop dramatically.

Thinking this, Wei Lan’s mind began to stir.

 

She flipped through several more books, all of this scholar-and-beauty type.

Wei Lan instantly felt she had wasted her silver.

 

Losing interest, she tossed the storybooks aside, opened the door, and looked outside.

 

Matron Li was in the courtyard right then.

Seeing Wei Lan come out, she asked attentively, “Is the master hot?

There’s cheese in the kitchen.

Would you like some?”

 

Wei Lan nodded.

“I’ll have some then.”

 

Wei Lan planned to have some cheese and then write a storybook of her own.

After all, she was a modern person; she had seen plenty of fake heiress stories and domestic dramas.

Writing a few short stories was no problem for her.

 

Soon, the cheese was brought out.

Milk mixed with crushed ice, topped with generous fruit pieces.

Wei Lan ate a few spoonfuls and her mood improved considerably.

 

After finishing the cheese, she went to her desk to write the storybook.

She wasn’t doing this for the silver.

If she wanted to earn silver, carving jade was much faster.

Writing storybooks was just a way to get back at Chen Zhou for Lu Zijin.

 

After all, the Dacheng Gambling House matter was most likely orchestrated by Chen Zhou.

And this time, the dyeing workshop warehouse fire was definitely connected to Chen Zhou.

They just didn’t have evidence to prove he set it.

But Wei Lan had thought of a way to annoy Chen Zhou.

 

The Chen family’s two biggest businesses were cloth shops and Chen Ji Bookstore.

Chen Ji made considerable profit selling these storybooks.

So the Lu residence might as well compete directly with Chen Ji.

As long as it stopped Chen Zhou from making money, Wei Lan would be happy.

 

Thinking this, Wei Lan’s writing speed increased considerably.

She had been in this world for quite a while now and had adapted to traditional characters.

Writing a novel in traditional characters was not difficult for Wei Lan.

Besides, as a jade carver, her handwriting was quite decent.

 

Soon, Wei Lan had written several pages, flowing freely.

She wrote an ancient domestic drama, a rebirth revenge story with a focus on the female lead’s career.

 

In her past life, Cui Niang had given her all to the Marquis’s household, helping her husband manage household affairs and being filial to her in-laws.

She thought she would be loved and respected by everyone.

But instead, her husband had only married her to seize her family wealth.

After she handed over all her assets to her husband, the attitudes of her husband and the Marquis’s household towards her plummeted.

 

Her husband even brought back a pregnant Kunze from outside, demanding she give up her position as the rightful wife.

Later, he schemed against Cui Niang multiple times.

Ultimately, Cui Niang died on a cold winter day.

 

Wei Lan planned to write about Cui Niang’s rebirth revenge story.

She wrote with great enthusiasm, thinking this type of book probably wasn’t common in this era.

But the young ladies and wives should love reading it, since it was about exactly the kind of things that happened in the inner household.

 

Wei Lan wrote with such fervor that she forgot to eat.

Matron Li came over to remind her.

“Master, it’s already noon.

When would you like the meal served?”

Matron Li asked.

 

Wei Lan looked up and asked, “Matron Li, are you literate?”

“Ah?”

Matron Li was stunned for a moment.

Realizing her lapse, she quickly said, “Master, you flatter this old servant.

I only know a few characters.”

 

Wei Lan nodded.

“Do we have anyone in the courtyard who is literate?”

“We do.

Si Yun’s family was fairly well-off before.

Her mother was a scholar and taught her to read from a young age.

But her mother died young, and her family fell on hard times.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have willingly signed a deed of indenture to work at the Lu residence.”

Matron Li quickly said.

 

Wei Lan nodded.

She couldn’t just write without testing first.

She needed to see if people of this era liked this kind of rebirth revenge story.

“Alright.

Have someone prepare the meal.

And call that Si Yun over.

I have something for her to do.”

Wei Lan said.

 

Matron Li acknowledged and went out to arrange it.

Ever since being disciplined by Lu Zijin, Li Zhufeng and Zhao Linghui had been extremely well-behaved, practically falling over themselves to impress Wei Lan.

 

Soon, a young maidservant entered.

She bowed to Wei Lan.

“Does the master have any instructions?”

 

Wei Lan wasn’t a demanding person.

She didn’t require maidservants to help her dress or bathe.

So the maidservants in the courtyard only prepared her meals and washing or bathing supplies.

Other than that, Wei Lan rarely asked them to do anything.

So Si Yun was quite nervous when suddenly summoned.

“I heard you’re literate?

Can you read the storybooks sold on the streets?”

Wei Lan asked.

“Yes, master.

This servant is not very talented, but my mother taught me to read from a young age.”

Si Yun quickly said.

 

Wei Lan nodded.

“Good.

I just wrote a storybook.

I haven’t finished it yet.

Take it and read it to the maidservants in the courtyard later.

See if everyone likes this kind of story?”

“Yes, master.”

Si Yun looked confused.

After a moment’s thought, she assumed the master just wanted to hear the servants’ flattery, so she quickly agreed.

 

Wei Lan beckoned to her.

“Here are five pages.

I’ve numbered them.

Handle them carefully.

Don’t damage them.”

“Yes, this servant will be very careful.”

Si Yun bowed, took the manuscript, and withdrew.

Just then, the young maidservants outside began bringing dishes to the round table.

 

Wei Lan planned to eat first, then continue writing.

Same problem as before: the lighting conditions in ancient times were poor.

She couldn’t write these stories at night, so she had to make good use of daylight.

 

Soon, the maidservants had prepared all the dishes.

Wei Lan sat at the table and began to eat, thinking about the next part of the plot as she ate.

 

After eating, Wei Lan remembered she had forgotten to put away her silver notes.

She took out the seventy-two thousand taels and looked at them.

Thinking that the burned warehouse must have cost her wife a lot of silver, Wei Lan wanted to give this batch to Lu Zijin.

Of course, she would keep two thousand taels for pocket money.

 

This time, Wei Lan put the two thousand taels in two separate places.

She had prepared several brocade boxes.

She put one thousand taels in one box and placed it in the wardrobe.

The other thousand taels went into another brocade box, which she hid in the cabinet under the dressing table.

After doing this, Wei Lan smiled happily at the seventy thousand taels.

 

She quickly put away the silver notes and went back to her desk to continue writing the novel.

 

Meanwhile, in a shaded area of Fuqu Pavilion’s courtyard, Si Yun was holding the manuscript Wei Lan had given her and beginning to read aloud to the group.

 

There was nothing else to do at this hour, so a bunch of young maidservants gathered together.

Si Yun had chosen a good spot, a good distance from Wei Lan’s bedroom, so their voices wouldn’t disturb her.

“This is a storybook the master wrote.

The master told me to read it to everyone.

All of you, be quiet.”

Si Yun said with a smile.

Then she looked at Wei Lan’s first page and began to read.

“A voice echoed in Cui Niang’s mind.

The events of her past life flashed through her mind like a revolving lantern…”

 

Si Yun read earnestly, and the young maidservants listened just as earnestly.

Although the Lu residence had the best pay in Panyang City, none of them could afford to spend a tael of silver on a storybook.

More importantly, they were illiterate and couldn’t read them anyway.

 

Now that there was a chance to listen to a story for free, everyone felt it was a great deal.

They were all very interested.

And as Si Yun narrated, murmurs of discussion arose from the crowd.

“Oh my god, that marquis is awful!

After getting Cui Niang’s money, he abandoned her and even had her killed!”

“And that mother of his is horrible too!

Cui Niang was so good to her, and this is how she repays her!”

“Thank goodness Cui Niang has the heavens’ blessing and gets a second chance.

Hey, Si Yun, what happens next?

Hurry and read!”

“Yes, yes!

Hurry and read!”

 

Everyone urged her on.

Si Yun smiled and continued reading.

At first, she had thought the master was just writing for fun.

But now it seemed this storybook was much more interesting than the scholar-and-beauty ones sold on the market.

Could the master be planning to sell it?

 

But Si Yun quickly pushed the thought aside.

That wasn’t any of her business.

She would just follow the master’s instructions and finish reading these few pages.

 

Thinking this, Si Yun continued.

“Cui Niang returned to the time not long after she had first married into the Marquis’s household.

At this point, her family’s wealth was still in her own hands…”

 

Five pages might seem like a lot, but it was only a few thousand characters.

It had just gotten to Cui Niang’s first crisis after rebirth: she loathed her past-life husband and refused to sleep with him again.

Wei Lan’s fifth page ended abruptly there.

But everyone had a look of wanting more.

Some were still immersed in the story, not yet snapped out of it.

 

Suddenly, a voice came from behind Si Yun.

“How did Cui Niang avoid that ingrate husband of hers?”

 

Si Yun was startled.

She turned her head and saw Xi Ye standing behind her.

“Miss Xi Ye?

You came too?”

“I heard there was a story to listen to, so I came to join in.

But you haven’t finished the story yet?”

Xi Ye asked.

 

Si Yun smiled.

“The master wrote this story.

It seems the master hasn’t finished it yet, so I don’t know what Cui Niang did.”

“Oh dear, why didn’t the master give you a few more pages?”

“Yeah, what happens next?

I’m dying to know!”

“Maybe someone should go ask the master?”

“Are you crazy?

Who would dare?”

“Not me, not me.

Si Yun, if the master gives you more later, don’t forget to tell us!”

“Exactly, exactly.

This is such a cliffhanger!”

 

One by one, the maidservants were hooked by Wei Lan’s plot.

Xi Ye was the same.

She actually quite liked reading storybooks.

The northern border was bitter and cold; the only form of entertainment she had in the military camp was storybooks.

But the six or seven she had brought with her were practically worn out.

She hadn’t expected the master to write storybooks.

From now on, she wouldn’t lack for stories to read.

 

Si Yun completed her task and went to Wei Lan’s door, knocking carefully.

“Master, this servant has finished reading to them.”

 

Wei Lan stopped writing and looked up at Si Yun outside the door.

“Come in.

What did they say?

I want the truth, not flattery.”

“They all loved it.

They were just asking me how Cui Niang fights back next.”

Si Yun quickly replied.

 

Wei Lan nodded.

“Alright.

Leave my manuscript and go about your business.”

“Yes, master.”

Si Yun neatly stacked the manuscript back on Wei Lan’s desk, bowed, and left.

 

Wei Lan continued writing her draft.

She wrote a few more ‘face-slapping’ scenes, estimating that was probably enough for one volume, and then stopped.

 

She checked the time; it was still early.

If she went to see Lu Zijin now, her wife would probably still be busy.

Wei Lan decided to go a little later.

 

She had been sitting for a long time writing, so she decided to take a stroll in the courtyard.

 

But unlike usual, as she walked around the courtyard, the maidservants and servant boys all seemed to be sneaking glances at her.

They didn’t dare look directly, just stealing sidelong glances.

 

Finally, Xi Ye couldn’t hold back any longer.

She hesitated for most of the day, then came over and bowed to Wei Lan.

 

Wei Lan looked at her, puzzled.

“What is it?”

 

Xi Ye smiled sheepishly at Wei Lan.

“Master, can we read the rest of that storybook?”

 

Wei Lan nodded.

“I’ve almost finished the first volume.

Go get it and read.”

“Thank you, master!”

Xi Ye’s eyes lit up.

 

Wei Lan was surprised for a moment, then reminded her, “I’ve numbered the pages.

Don’t mess them up.”

“Alright.

This subordinate understands.”

Xi Ye immediately replied, then ran towards Wei Lan’s bedroom.

Soon, she came out with the following pages.

 

The young maidservants in the courtyard had nothing to do.

Seeing Xi Ye with the new installment of the storybook, they quickly crowded around.

“Guard Xi Ye, can we see it too?”

“Can you even read? ‘See it’…”

“Isn’t Si Yun here?

Si Yun, please, read us a bit more!”

“Yeah, yeah!

Read us a bit more!”

 

Seeing that Wei Lan in the courtyard didn’t object, Si Yun took the pages from Xi Ye and began to read.

 

Fuqu Pavilion immediately fell silent.

The servants gathered around Si Yun, who held Wei Lan’s manuscript and continued reading.

 

The corners of Wei Lan’s mouth lifted.

She hadn’t expected to discover a new skill besides carving jade.

And this skill was specifically developed to annoy Chen Zhou.

Wei Lan was in a very good mood.

Watching the servant boys and maidservants exclaiming as they listened to the story, Wei Lan felt this storybook of hers should sell for a good price.

 

Those few pages were soon finished by Si Yun, ending right at the part where the marquis and his mother were subtly pressuring the female lead to hand over her wealth.

Wei Lan hadn’t written the next part yet, leaving it as the hook for this volume.

 

Xi Ye took the manuscript from Si Yun, thanked Wei Lan again, and then returned the manuscript to her.

 

The maidservants in the courtyard were also discussing the plot of Wei Lan’s storybook.

“The marquis and his mother are so evil.

If Cui Niang doesn’t hand over her wealth, they’re going to frame her for adultery with another Qiankun.”

“Oh no, what will happen?

How will Cui Niang escape this?”

“I don’t know.

Only the master knows.”

“The master is amazing.

The story is so good!”

“Yeah, yeah.

No wonder the young lady dotes on the master so much.”

 

After listening to the story, Matron Li urged the young maidservants back to work.

But in their spare moments, they still eagerly discussed the story.

 

Wei Lan felt she had chosen the right direction.

The scholar-and-beauty tropes were too cliché.

This kind of revenge and career-focused story was much more exciting.

 

She looked at the sky, estimated the time, and thought that if she strolled over, it would be about dinner time.

 

Thinking this, Wei Lan took her manuscript and, accompanied by four maidservants, headed to Jingchen Courtyard.

 

Previously, Lu Zijin had suggested providing a sedan chair for Wei Lan’s courtyard, but Wei Lan had refused.

After all, carving jade required long hours of sitting; walking to Jingchen Courtyard was good exercise.

 

When she arrived at Jingchen Courtyard, the maidservants inside all bowed to Wei Lan.

 

Qing Zhi quickly came over.

“Master, the young lady is out inspecting the dyeing workshops and hasn’t returned yet.”

“Okay.

I’ll wait for her in the bedroom.”

Wei Lan thought for a moment and went into the bedroom.

 

She placed her manuscript on the round table and lay down on the soft couch to rest.

Ice was still placed in the room to cool it down, making it very comfortable.

 

Before long, Wei Lan actually fell asleep on the soft couch.

Qing Zhi had originally wanted to ask if Wei Lan would like to eat first, but seeing her asleep, she didn’t dare disturb her and withdrew.

 

***

 

Time passed.

When Lu Zijin finished her work and returned, the sky was already dark.

She had been busy all day and was so tired she didn’t even feel like eating.

 

When she arrived at Jingchen Courtyard, Qing Zhi came over.

“Young lady, the master is here.

She’s asleep on the soft couch.”

 

Lu Zijin nodded, the fatigue on her face easing a little.

That’s right.

Her little Qiankun was so clingy; after a few days without seeing her, she must have missed her, right?

 

Thinking this, Lu Zijin walked towards the bedroom.

 

She had Qing Zhi light the lamps in the bedroom, and then she saw Wei Lan lying on the soft couch, sleeping soundly.

 

Lu Zijin looked at the sleeping Wei Lan with tender eyes, feeling that today’s exhaustion had faded by more than half.

Wei Lan’s sleeping posture was very beautiful, even a bit cute.

 

Lu Zijin couldn’t help it; she reached out and gently touched Wei Lan’s cheek.

 

Wei Lan hummed, pressing her cheek into Lu Zijin’s palm and nuzzling, then groggily opened her eyes.

“Wife!

You’re back!

You must be exhausted?

Out all day.”

 

Lu Zijin pinched Wei Lan’s cheek and smiled.

“I’m fine.

Seeing you makes the tiredness go away.”

 

Hearing this, Wei Lan’s eyes curved in a smile.

She propped herself up to sit, then, as if remembering something, pulled a stack of silver notes from her pocket.

Her gaze was bright as she looked at Lu Zijin.

“Wife, this is seventy thousand taels I earned from selling jade.

Our warehouse was burned, so take this silver to cover the emergency.”

 

As she spoke, Wei Lan, her eyes shining, pressed the silver notes into Lu Zijin’s hands.

 

Lu Zijin was stunned for a moment, looking at the stack of silver notes, then at her little Qiankun who still seemed half-asleep.

She felt a warm current flood her heart.

 

Lu Zijin took the silver notes and asked softly, “You’re willing to part with it?”

 

Wei Lan nodded eagerly.

“Mm-hmm, it’s all for you, wife.”

 

Seventy thousand taels was no small sum; it was enough to buy several large mansions and plenty of land and shops.

Wei Lan had just given it to her outright.

 

Lu Zijin felt a warmth in her heart.

Her family was gone, but her little Qiankun was also her family.

 

Lu Zijin leaned in and kissed Wei Lan’s lips, just a light peck before pulling back.

“How are you so good?”

 

Wei Lan looked up at Lu Zijin and smiled, her fingertips tugging at the hem of Lu Zijin’s skirt and shaking it gently.

“Wife, just one kiss?”

 

Seeing Wei Lan’s expectant expression, Lu Zijin leaned down and kissed her again.

This kiss was urgent and hard.

Wei Lan had brought it upon herself.

 

After kissing for a good while, Wei Lan, unable to breathe, reached out and gently pushed Lu Zijin.

 

Lu Zijin finally pulled back.

She sat sideways on the soft couch, looking at Wei Lan, who was dazed from the kiss, her eyes misty.

Lu Zijin smiled.

“The household has silver.

I’ve already sorted out the warehouse situation.

But since you’re being so good, I’ll keep this seventy thousand taels for you, okay?”

 

Wei Lan nodded.

She still had two thousand taels of private savings hidden away, enough to spend.

Giving the bulk to her wife was fine.

“Okay.

I’ll do whatever you say, wife.”

Wei Lan snuggled closer to Lu Zijin and hugged her.

 

Lu Zijin also reached out and hugged Wei Lan back.

“Have you been waiting long?

Do you want to bathe first or eat first?”

 

Wei Lan thought for a moment.

Lu Zijin had just come back, and it was so hot outside; she definitely wanted to bathe first.

So Wei Lan decided to bathe first too.

“Let’s bathe first then.

Wife, can I sleep here tonight?”

Wei Lan leaned in and kissed Lu Zijin’s lips, shaking her and acting spoiled.

 

Lu Zijin was amused.

“Alright.

The entire Lu residence is yours.

You can sleep wherever you want.”

“You’re so good, wife.”

Wei Lan replied sweetly.

 

Lu Zijin quickly called Qing Zhi in and had her arrange the bathing.

 

Soon, servant boys brought in buckets of water.

 

Lu Zijin touched Wei Lan’s cheek.

“Go bathe in the next room.

Come back here to eat.”

 

Wei Lan nodded.

She had just woken up, had sweated, and was a bit tired, so she went to the next room to soak.

 

As Lu Zijin soaked in the tub, she thought to herself: Her little Qiankun was completely different from others.

She could earn so much silver.

Any ordinary Qiankun would have long since refused to be a live-in wife.

But Wei Lan gave all the silver she earned to her.

Lu Zijin shook her head with a smile.

 

A Qiankun this good needed to be kept close.

She couldn’t let anyone else lure her away.

 

The two took about the same time to bathe.

After their hair was dry, Wei Lan went to Lu Zijin’s bedroom.

 

Lu Zijin had already tidied up and was sitting at the table, looking at a dozen or so pages of paper.

These were the storybook pages Wei Lan had written today.

 

At first, Lu Zijin hadn’t thought much of it, but the more she read, the brighter her eyes became.

Seeing Wei Lan enter, she quickly asked, “Master, where did you get this manuscript?”

 

Wei Lan smiled at her, obediently moved a round stool, and sat beside Lu Zijin.

“I wrote it today.

I went to see Xiao Nanyan this morning to sell jade.

On my way back, I passed by Chen Ji Bookstore and saw a lot of people scrambling to buy books inside.

I went in to join the fun and bought a few storybooks.

But their storybooks weren’t good.

When I got back and flipped through them, I felt that even the stories I could make up were better than theirs.

So I just wrote some.”

 

Lu Zijin looked at Wei Lan with an indescribable expression.

Not only could her own Qiankun carve jade, she could also write storybooks?

 

Lu Zijin felt a sudden sense of crisis.

A Qiankun like Wei Lan, there probably wasn’t another one in the entire Great Zhou.

She absolutely had to keep a close eye on her and not let anyone else lure her little Qiankun away!

 

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