Chapter 165: Chapter 165: Marketing
Feng Shuyu had already arranged for a young maid to wait for Ming Lingyi at the entrance. Upon seeing her, the maid led Ming Lingyi directly to the top floor.
Before heading upstairs, Ming Lingyi parted ways with Ming Chengyu.
"Since you’re here on proper business, don’t mind me," Ming Chengyu said. "It’s a perfect chance for me to pick out a few books from the bookstore for your restaurant. Consider it a gift from your older brother to his sister. After all, our Yuan Niang has built up such a large restaurant all by herself in Shangjing City, and as her family, I haven’t helped at all."
Ming Lingyi couldn’t possibly refuse his half-serious, half-joking words.
"Then, Brother, after you’ve chosen the books, you must remember to wait for me," Ming Lingyi said.
Ming Chengyu couldn’t help but chuckle. ’How could I possibly leave my sister behind without her knowing, especially after I’ve only just found her?’
"Don’t worry," Ming Chengyu said.
Only then did Ming Lingyi feel at ease and follow the young maid upstairs.
Feng Shuyu was on a small terrace on the top floor, a level above the third floor. Normally, no one but she herself was ever allowed up there.
Ming Lingyi marveled inwardly. Once she reached the top, her field of vision opened up considerably.
This was different from the high towers inside the Imperial City. Vermilion Bird Street was located between the eastern and western markets. From such a prime location, one could take in the view of the markets on both sides, which were bustling with life and worldly charm.
"Boss Feng," Ming Lingyi said with a smile as she walked over.
A teacup had already been set for her at the table where Feng Shuyu was sitting.
"Boss Ming, you’re here. Please, have a seat," Feng Shuyu said. "Try this camellia tea. You can’t find it anywhere else. If you like it, Boss Ming, you can take some with you when you leave."
Ming Lingyi sat down and took a sip, her eyes showing her appreciation. "What a unique flavor."
"It seems you quite like it, Boss Ming. You must take some back to your residence when you leave." After saying this, Feng Shuyu brought out the main item for their meeting and handed it to Ming Lingyi. "This is the official gazette we’ve printed. What do you think, Boss Ming?"
As Ming Lingyi took the official gazette from Feng Shuyu, she was taken aback for a moment.
Unlike the soft paper she had imagined, this private "official gazette" in her hands was much thicker and quite stiff, not something that could be easily crumpled or bent out of shape.
"This..." Ming Lingyi was amazed. "What kind of paper is this?"
Feng Shuyu smiled and explained, "Our workshop mostly produces hardcover books. The clients who come to us for printing want their books to last a long time, ideally to be passed down to future generations. Therefore, their requirements for the cover material are different from most books on the market. Initially, a client suggested a harder cover to better protect the pages inside. Our workshop tried many materials, even animal hides, before finally settling on the one you’re holding, Boss Ming."
Feng Shuyu didn’t elaborate on the specifics of the material.
Ming Lingyi understood that this was likely a secret of Guanwen Hall’s workshop, and she wasn’t tactless enough to pry. In any case, judging by the feel of it, this official gazette seemed to be made from countless sheets of soft paper pressed together. Although it was just a single, light page, it had a remarkable texture and felt very different in her hand.
Furthermore, when Ming Lingyi looked at the layout and printing, she saw there were no superfluous decorations. The layout of the three poems was pleasing to the eye—not at all flashy.
If she brought it closer, she could smell the rich fragrance of ink.
"This is incredible," Ming Lingyi couldn’t help but exclaim. ’It just goes to show that you should leave professional matters to the professionals.’
She had previously considered hiring scribes to copy them by hand, which would have been the cheapest option.
But now, holding the official gazette from Feng Shuyu, Ming Lingyi was very glad she had chosen to partner with her.
Seeing Ming Lingyi’s satisfaction, a smile appeared on Feng Shuyu’s face as well.
"Then I’ll have someone display these at the entrance of our bookstore right away," Feng Shuyu said. "I’ve even written the sign. For these three days, the official gazettes won’t be for sale. They will only be given as a gift with a purchase of five silver taels or more at our bookstore."
Ming Lingyi nodded. This was something she and Feng Shuyu had already agreed upon.
"With the private seals of two high officials and the Emperor on it, I’m sure we won’t have to worry about attracting customers." As Feng Shuyu said this, she couldn’t help but look at Ming Lingyi and make a gesture of admiration.
When they had first discussed it, they hadn’t thought of stamping the judges’ private seals on it. But yesterday, Ming Lingyi had someone deliver three different private seals.
Li Yun’s private seal had been urgently commissioned. It was different from any he had used before, and even had small characters specially carved on it, indicating it was only for use in judging the poetry.
Ming Lingyi had thought of this yesterday while preparing the Dragon Boat Festival gift boxes for her restaurant. She planned to make a small seal to stamp on the gift boxes so that they would be instantly recognizable.
Plenty of people already knew the items were from Ming’s Restaurant, but there were still some who didn’t.
The same principle applied to the poems in the official gazette.
Many people knew that these were the poems selected from Ming’s Restaurant’s recent competition, but some still didn’t. They also didn’t know that the judges were two court officials and the ruler of the nation.
If they wanted to promote it, of course, they had to make sure everyone knew.
So, Ming Lingyi had quickly sent word to the Lord Governor and Lord Shaoqing to ask for their harmless private seals, and then she had asked Li Yun for a seal as well.
After they were sent to Guanwen Hall, Feng Shuyu was very cooperative, arranging for a rush job to have the three private seals added to the official gazettes.
This way, by displaying the official gazette and hanging up a sign with a conspicuous notice, it would be difficult not to attract attention.
One of Feng Shuyu’s people went downstairs to make the arrangements, while Ming Lingyi and Feng Shuyu remained on the open-air rooftop, brewing tea by the stove.
Neither of them said much, but both were quietly waiting for the reaction from the bookstore below.
Liufang Bookstore was already in a street-facing location on Vermilion Bird Street, so its daily foot traffic was immense.
And today, as soon as the sign Feng Shuyu had prepared was hung at the entrance—reading "Enthusiastically recommended by the Holy Emperor, the Lord Governor of Jingzhao Mansion, and the Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice"—every literate commoner who passed by found the temptation and curiosity irresistible, and they all swarmed toward Liufang Bookstore.
As for those who couldn’t read, when they saw so many people heading toward a single bookstore, they couldn’t help but pull someone aside to ask what was going on.
"Hey, you don’t know? Liufang Bookstore has printed poems that were personally reviewed by the Holy Emperor himself! They even have the Holy Emperor’s private seal on them! Just think, when do common folk like us ever get to see the Holy Emperor’s private seal? And now you can not only see it at Liufang Bookstore, you can even take it home! I’ve got to hurry over there!"
