Chapter 16: Trying to Sneak a Peek at the Drafts Folder

Zheng Sanniang, having encountered someone who had also read the book for the first time, did not stand on ceremony and replied, "Indeed. When I saw Chu Muxue poisoning the medicine, even though I knew Lady Chu was highly skilled in medicine, I couldn't help but worry for her."

"Chu Muxue is both foolish and vicious. She thought her schemes were flawless and was smug about her plots, little knowing that there is always someone better; Lady Chu had already seen through her treacherous plans," Lu Hongzhuo said with satisfaction.

"Master Lu, you are the owner of this bookstore. Have you read the subsequent chapters?" Zheng Sanniang asked, probing Lu Hongzhuo since she couldn't get an answer from Xu Chengyue.

Xu Chengyue acted as if she hadn't heard, calmly taking a sip of the plum juice served by a servant.

Duke Zheng scrutinized the cup in his hand, his gaze fixed on the osmanthus blossoms floating in the purple-red liquid, while he quietly pricked up his ears to eavesdrop.

Caught off guard by her inquiry, Lu Hongzhuo looked at Xu Chengyue for help. Seeing that she did not look up, he stammered, "My... my father is still the master here. I can hardly claim to be the owner; you jest, young lady."

Although he was indeed the one managing things at present, could he say that? Certainly not, not while Lady Xu was still present.

Zheng Sanniang retracted her gaze with a sense of disappointment, saying, "My apologies, I was being unreasonable."

"It is just that Chu's father is truly detestable—ungrateful, heartless, worse than a beast. And yet, he is Lady Chu's own father. I do not know how she will choose," Zheng Sanniang sighed, genuinely worried for the character.

Duke Zheng fell into deep thought, his brow furrowing. "Perhaps he is not Lady Chu's biological father. Otherwise, why would he be so indifferent to his own daughter? The book only mentions that Lady Chu resembles her mother, but says nothing of her father. Could that be a hint at the truth?"

As a man who doted on his own daughter, he could not fathom how anyone could be so cruel to their own flesh and blood, hence his bold speculation.

No sooner had the words left his lips than the three people at the table turned to look at him in unison.

"Father, didn't you say you hadn't read this book, and that it was a gift forced upon you by a friend?" Zheng Sanniang asked, puzzled.

Lu Hongzhuo was astonished, his mouth slightly agape, never expecting that this stern, serious-looking nobleman would also be reading such a book.

Xu Chengyue was impressed. This idea was far too advanced; it seemed Duke Zheng would be well-suited to the life of a writer—he had quite the imagination! However, he had guessed wrong; she really had written them as biological kin. It was precisely that blood bond that made the hatred so bone-deep and tugged more effectively at the readers' emotions.

Duke Zheng snapped out of his reverie only to realize he had spoken his thoughts aloud for everyone present to hear.

How detestable! Where was his dignity now!

Fortunately, it was not a major issue; one of them was his own daughter, and the other two did not know he was the Duke of Zheng.

Duke Zheng, unaware that he had already been "decoded" by Xu Chengyue, secretly congratulated himself.

"Why is it that you can read it, but I cannot?!" Duke Zheng glared with his tiger-like eyes, trying to sound righteous, failing to hide the fact that he was all bark and no bite.

"Father, I never said that. It was you who refused to admit it, insisting you hadn't read it," Zheng Sanniang teased, unafraid of his posturing.

This rebellious daughter! Undermining him to his face! He would never plead her case to her mother again! Duke Zheng was nearly driven to apoplexy.

"Enough. The business is done; let us head home," Duke Zheng said, feeling he had lost all face and wanting to leave immediately.

"Father, why get so worked up just because you were teased a little?" Zheng Sanniang was in the middle of a lively conversation and had no desire to return, pouting with dissatisfaction.

Xu Chengyue watched the interaction between father and daughter with amusement. Zheng Sanniang was clearly a child raised in the palm of her father's hand, steeped in affection, and entirely unafraid of him.

She couldn't help but feel a tinge of envy. Her own relationship with her father in her previous life could only be described as stiff; after she graduated and became independent, they rarely contacted each other beyond the monthly allowance she sent.

Her father wouldn't even spend that money, saving it instead to buy a house for her younger brother's marriage. Such a thing as fatherly love did exist in this world, but it was never directed at her.

Unable to resist her father's insistence on leaving, Zheng Sanniang had no choice but to follow him. Before departing, she thanked Xu Chengyue once more.

Watching the father and daughter being escorted by servants to their carriage, Xu Chengyue then took her leave of Lu Hongzhuo.

With servants loading several chests filled with silk onto her carriage, Xu Chengyue returned home laden with a handsome reward.

Having achieved such a great harvest, Xu Chengyue had originally wanted to wander the West Market to buy everything she had wanted before but couldn't afford. However, the chests piled on the carriage were a cumbersome burden, making travel difficult. Furthermore, silk was a hard currency in the Tang Dynasty, and displaying such a large quantity of exquisite silks and satins on the street was eye-catching and unsafe, so it was better to transport them back first.

With money in hand, all was well, and Xu Chengyue was in high spirits. She particularly favored one bolt of pink silk; it felt like flowing water to the touch and revealed delicate, subtle patterns under the sunlight. She had long coveted a pink round-collared robe, and at last, she could afford one.

.

Jian Hang, having nothing to do, accepted an invitation from a classmate to attend a literary gathering. He regretted it as soon as he arrived.

It was a group of "talents" who spoke better than they sang, thinking highly of themselves, yet possessing little real talent—they were only good at posturing.

Just then, they finished one topic and began to discuss the next. Someone brought up a subject.

"Do you gentlemen know of a book recently released by the Shanhai Bookstore?" the man asked, playing coy.

"How could we not? It is that—alas, I am ashamed to even utter the name. The forced sales are absolutely detestable!"

*It's not quite forced sales, at most it's forced giving,* Jian Hang thought to himself.

"I hear it sells exceptionally well, with people even queuing for it. People these days, instead of reading the words of the sages, actually hold such unsightly trash as their guiding principle."

"A vulgar object intended to pander to the masses, and it deserves to be printed in a book? I previously thought this Shanhai Bookstore was different from the typical profit-seeking merchants, but it reeks of copper—it turns out they are all cut from the same cloth."

"The person who wrote this must be illiterate and lacking in ambition, with eyes only for short-term gain."

"It is truly nauseating. I even had my own essays printed and sold by that Shanhai Bookstore. Now that I think of it, to have them come from the same place as that evil book is a profound disgrace."

"Who here hasn't? Why don't we all agree to stop printing our works at that Shanhai Bookstore in the future? Let's give them a taste of our power so they know the consequences," someone proposed.

"Exactly so! I second that!"

"I agree as well!"

"I..."

One after another, the people chimed in.

Jian Hang clicked his tongue in disdain. The sour, envious faces of these people were truly ugly; weren't they just jealous that someone else was making money? They spoke as if they were acting on behalf of heaven.

Seeing that the group was getting carried away, Jian Hang decided to stop participating and slipped away quietly.

On the way back, he pondered whether he should inform Yue Ming, the author of the book. It wasn't that he cared all that much, but if the author were to be discouraged and stop writing, his younger sister would have nothing to read, and wouldn't she then pester him? Jian Hang found a ready excuse for himself, firmly refusing to admit he was actually concerned.

.

When the letter arrived, Xu Chengyue had just received her newly made light pink round-collared robe, which featured a dark green silk belt tied at the waist, its ends hanging naturally.

The outfit was simple yet elegant, the combination of pink and green perfectly harmonious. Xu Chengyue admired herself in the mirror, wearing a turban with a flower tucked into her hair. She looked like a charming, spirited young lady.

"Young Lady, a letter from a reader has arrived. Would you like to read it now?" Qiulu took the letter box sent by Master Lu.

"Yes, read it now." Xu Chengyue was in a great mood and couldn't wait to hear the praise from her readers.

The first letter was indeed exactly that, and Xu Chengyue was left feeling thoroughly delighted. However, the next letter was entirely different. As she finished reading it from beginning to end, her brows slowly furrowed.

Someone wanted to boycott her? Had she already become such a target of envy?

This wouldn't do. She had to tell Master Lu; they were partners. These scholars likely held considerable influence among the literate, and if this escalated, both of them would be ruined.

Xu Chengyue quickly boarded her carriage, and the carriage drove all the way to the Shanhai Bookstore.

When she arrived, Lu Hongzhuo was inspecting the printing of the next volume. He was slightly surprised by her unusual attire and bowed with a smile, "Lady Xu, you look dashing today; you will surely capture the hearts of many young ladies."

Xu Chengyue returned the bow, but having no heart for jokes, she said urgently, "Master Lu, something is wrong. Some scholars are uniting to boycott us."

"Boycott? How so?" Lu Hongzhuo's expression changed, and he asked anxiously.

"I read a reader's letter which said he attended a literary gathering where many people loathe my book and think poorly of the Shanhai Bookstore. They have decided not to entrust their works to be printed by the Shanhai Bookstore in the future, to let us know the consequences." Xu Chengyue handed the letter to Lu Hongzhuo.

Lu Hongzhuo scanned the contents of the letter according to her words, his expression turning strange.