On the stone-paved path outside the courtyard, upon seeing someone in the study, Song Anhao skipped over.
"Is my sister inside?" His eyes were sparkling, full of joy.
He had thought she wouldn't be back until noon, but to his surprise, she had already returned.
The maid respectfully replied, "The County Princess has just returned."
"Come in." As soon as the maid finished speaking, Song Jinzhao's voice came from inside.
Song Anhao immediately pushed the door open and walked in. "Eldest Sister, I have something to tell you."
As soon as his bottom touched the seat, he pushed the book in his hand in front of Song Jinzhao.
"This was written by a scholar I know. I want to publish a book for him."
The Record of Unjust Grievances
A mystery novel?
She turned to the first page.
It told the story of a scholar in Suining Prefecture named Shao Dengke, who had his abdomen cut open and his heart dug out on his wedding night...
After reading the first story, Song Jinzhao leaned back in her chair in surprise.
It featured investigative methods similar to Sherlock Holmes, with a plot full of twists and turns.
One must know that the current detective storybooks on the market mostly featured perceptive government officials or the ghosts of victims appearing at the door for justice.
This Record of Unjust Grievances could be considered an overwhelming strike of superiority; it was hard to imagine it was written by an ancient person.
Seeing Song Jinzhao staring at the storybook in silence for a long time, Song Anhao smugly leaned closer.
"Eldest Sister, isn't it written very well?"
Song Jinzhao looked at him. "Where did you find this person?"
Receiving her approval, Song Anhao's confidence instantly surged.
He straightened his back and said exultantly, "Half a month ago, I went to the teahouse to buy some pastries and happened to run into someone pitching his own storybook to the shopkeeper, so I stopped to watch for a while."
"The shopkeeper said the storybook written by Liu Ziyuan was a mess and terrible to read, and drove him out. I picked up the storybook and took a look, and I was instantly captivated."
"I thought he wrote exceptionally well, so I asked him to write a few more stories to compile into a book. When it is printed and sold in bookstores, it will definitely make a lot of money."
Saying this, he took out a piece of paper covered with the names of bookstores.
"Moreover, I found out that there is only one printing workshop in Suining City capable of making books. They only print books used by scholars. Very few bookstores in the city sell storybooks, so the market is completely vacant. I want to seize the initiative."
Looking at his raised chin, Song Jinzhao smiled.
"Have you ever thought about why this part of the market is vacant?"
Song Anhao replied, "There are very few people in the city who like to read storybooks. They are used to going to teahouses to listen to storytellers. The printing workshops are unwilling to specially carve blocks for printing just for a few customers because it's not cost-effective."
"But the situation is different now. Brother has governed Suining City very well. There will be more and more commoners in the future, and the demand for storybooks will also grow. Entering at this low point will definitely be profitable."
Song Jinzhao's lips paused slightly, a dark glint flashing through her eyes.
Specially carving blocks for printing... She had almost forgotten about movable type printing.
"Even if the population increases, most of them are illiterate. The growing demand you mentioned might take five years or even longer."
Song Anhao held up The Record of Unjust Grievances.
"If few people buy it in Suining City, we can sell it outside first. There are no bandits on the roads now, so the cost of transporting it out is very low."
"Besides, I asked someone to inquire about it. The storybooks sold in Songzhou City are all about love and romance, and the buyers are all women deep in their mansions. But what Liu Ziyuan writes is different; both men and women can read it. When the time comes, there will definitely be many buyers."
Song Jinzhao looked at the book title. "You just said Liu Ziyuan is a scholar. Will he not take the imperial examinations in the future?"
Being so familiar with the imperial laws and able to describe criminal investigations in such detail, it was impossible for him to have no aspirations for an official career.
Song Anhao shook his head regretfully. "Liu Ziyuan is missing two toes on his right foot, so he cannot participate in the imperial examinations."
Song Jinzhao's expression paused slightly.
"Was he born with it?"
Song Anhao shook his head again.
"He was injured by robbers on his way to take the provincial exam. He is a child scholar and used to teach people in the town. Later, his students became fewer and fewer. Unable to make a living, he thought of writing storybooks to make money. Unfortunately, no one appreciated the stories he wrote. The teahouses in Suining City are too set in their ways."
Song Jinzhao took the storybook and looked at it again.
"Since you are betting on him, you must hold him firmly in your hands."
"Sign an exclusive contract with him so that the storybooks he writes in the future can only be sold to you. It would be best to buy another printing workshop to print them yourself."
Song Anhao's eyes lit up, and his grin grew even wider than before.
"Eldest Sister is right. I will go find him tomorrow to sign an exclusive contract."
"I also thought about the printing workshop. The Xue family's printing workshop belongs to Sister Zhuzhu's family. I have already agreed with her to buy the bookstore and the printing workshop together for eight hundred taels of silver, including taking over all the workers inside. Now I am still short of six hundred taels of silver."
Song Jinzhao smiled sweetly. She was not angry at her brother for acting on his own; instead, she felt very proud.
To be able to think of so much at the age of eight and even dare to take practical action, this was already very impressive.
"Alright, Eldest Sister will provide this six hundred taels of silver for you." After saying that, she went back to her room, took out bank notes worth six hundred taels of silver, and handed them to Song Anhao.
"After the transfer of ownership, find a time to take me to the printing workshop to have a look. Also, I want to meet Liu Ziyuan."
She had to determine whether this person was a time traveler, and whether he could only write detective storybooks or if he could write other things as well.
Song Anhao took the bank notes and ran off happily.
"I am going to find Sister Zhuzhu right now. Tomorrow we will go to the printing workshop."
