Chapter 8: Doing business again? Fan Sizhe is ecstatic!

As soon as the princess left Prince Wei's mansion, brother and sister Fan Ruoruo and Fan Sizhe also came in from the back door.

Compared with the eldest princess and her two companions, Fan Ruoruo was more calm when she came in, and it was obvious that she was very familiar with the Prince Wei's Palace.

"It's really lively here today. Are all the people from Kyoto here?"

"Your Highness, what are you going to do with these gifts? Do you want me to help you?"

Before anyone was seen, Fan Sizhe's excited voice reached the center hall.

"Fan Sizhe, if you continue to behave unruly like this, I will use family rules."

As soon as these words came out, Fan Sizhe immediately trotted into the hall and hid behind Li Chengde.
"Sister, why am I so unruly?"

"Your Highness, aren't we all family? Can't I be more casual in my own home?"

Fan Ruoruo's ears quickly turned red, and her eyes glared, "Don't talk nonsense in front of His Highness, come here!"

Fan Sizhe walked over mumbling, "I can see through your affairs, why are you still pretending..."

But before he could finish his words, Fan Ruoruo grabbed Fan Sizhe's ear and asked, "What did you say?"

Fan Sizhe's face suddenly changed, and he quickly knelt down and begged for mercy, "Sister, I won't dare to do it again!"

Fan Ruoruo then turned around and saluted Li Chengde, "Fan Sizhe acted rudely, it's my fault for not disciplining him well, please punish me!"

Li Chengde smiled calmly, "Ruoruo, you and I have known each other for so many years, so let's skip these false formalities."

Fan Ruoruo shook her head, "Etiquette cannot be abolished."

Then, she glanced at Fan Sizhe who was kneeling on the ground, "Why don't you thank His Highness for pardoning your crime?"

Fan Sizhe looked miserable and said reluctantly, "Thank you, Your Highness, for sparing my life."

Fan Ruoruo then motioned for him to stand up, "Will you dare to act so presumptuous in front of His Highness next time?"

Fan Sizhe rolled his eyes and ran towards Li Chengde's position, "Next time, I will dare to do it again!"

Fan Ruoruo's eyes went dark, and she was about to pick up a weapon and beat him up, "Fan Sizhe, you are so brave, aren't you?"

Fan Sizhe quickly said, "Your Highness, save me!"

Li Chengde smiled helplessly, "Okay, I called you here today for something serious."

After saying this, Fan Ruoruo's face straightened and she took out the account book she carried with her, "This is the income and expenditure of each store in the city last month. Your Highness, please take a look."

In recent years, the Fan siblings have helped Li Chengde open many shops in Kyoto. Fan Sizhe is in charge of checking the account books, while Fan Ruoruo is in charge of managing the account books.

I report to him regularly every month.

So in the eyes of outsiders, the three of them have very close interactions.

"I'm confident that you can do the work." Li Chengde did not take the account book. "Today is for another business. I hope you can do it as soon as possible."

When it comes to doing business, Fan Sizhe's eyes light up and he immediately becomes excited.

"Your Highness, if you have any business, just give it to me. We have known each other for so many years. Your Highness knows how I handle things. I am very reliable!"

This is true.

Fan Sizhe is very sensitive to numbers. Once there is a problem in the accounts, he can often discover it at the first time, thus indirectly avoiding unnecessary losses to the store.

The reason why Li Chengde gave the account book to the two siblings was closely related to this reason.

"Take a look at this." A stack of papers appeared out of thin air in Li Chengde's hand.

Fan Ruoruo was already used to this and didn't find it strange, so she took it on the spot.

Then, she couldn't look away!
The reason is simple: the story is so exciting that it instantly attracted her!
In her early years, she was sent to her hometown in Danzhou by her father, Sinanbo Fan Jian, to stay for a period of time.

There she met her illegitimate brother and heard the story of the Red Mansion.

However, before going to Danzhou, she had already met the Fourth Prince in the palace and heard many interesting stories from him. So, in her eyes, the illegitimate brother was indeed very talented, but still not as talented as the Fourth Prince.

Although her brother who lived far away in Danzhou later sent her a copy of Dream of the Red Chamber, she still stubbornly believed that the Fourth Prince could never be surpassed.

The manuscript in her hand now just confirmed her thoughts. The Fourth Prince was indeed different from others!
Unlike "Dream of Red Mansions", this book by the Fourth Prince has a grand narrative and magnificent scenes, which makes it a refreshing read.

The poem at the beginning alone sets the grand tone for this book.

Then, in the first chapter, a very short space was used to portray the chaotic situation of the last years of a dynasty, with treacherous officials in power.

What followed was the Yellow Turban Rebellion and the Peach Garden Oath of Brotherhood. The story is compact and fascinating.

Judging from the subject matter, this book seems more suitable for men to read.

But in fact, even a woman like her would read it with great interest and would not find it boring.

But just as Fan Ruoruo saw the exciting part, a few lines of big words caught her eyes, "To know what happens next, please listen to the next chapter..."

Fan Ruoruo quickly looked at Li Chengde, "Your Highness, what's the rest of the story?"

Li Chengde pursed his lips and said, "No hurry, what do you think of this book?"

Fan Ruoruo said without hesitation, "This is a wonderful book that is destined to be passed down through the ages!"

After saying this, Fan Sizhe's eyes suddenly lit up, "Your Highness, this business can be done!"

"Since it is the most amazing book in the world, wouldn't those readers be going crazy trying to get it?"

"We can sell it a little more expensive than ordinary books, but not much. Let's say one volume is thirty taels of silver. This is just the printed version sold to ordinary readers."

"If we find some artists to draw a few more paintings, the price of fifty taels wouldn't be too much."

"Then prepare a batch of handwritten copies and have your name signed personally. Who among the officials in Kyoto would dare not buy into it?"

"The starting price is one hundred taels, and the auction is limited in time. Then we will make a fortune!"

Fan Ruoruo immediately reprimanded him, "Fan Sizhe, stop messing around. How can the price of the wonderful book written by His Highness be measured?"

Fan Sizhe was so excited that he couldn't stop talking. "Sister, I don't like what you said. If it's a good book, then everyone in the world should read it!"

"Since they want to read it, we can't just give it to them for free, right?"

"The templates for printing are free, right? The paper for printing the book is free? The craftsmen in charge of printing are free, right?"

"These are all costs, and we can't pay them for those who want to read the books."

Li Chengde nodded, "Well, what Sizhe said makes sense. I just want him to sell books."

Fan Ruoruo's attitude changed immediately, "Since that is what His Highness meant, then it must be correct."

Fan Sizhe quickly teased her, "Sister, you are being unreasonable. You were arguing with me just now, but when His Highness said he wanted to start a book-selling business, you changed your mind?"

Fan Ruoruo glared at him and said, "Your Highness is a man of foresight. How can his ideas be the same as yours?"

Li Chengde smiled and said, "Ruoruo is right. How boring would it be to just sell books?"

"I have prepared three versions. One is the half-vernacular and half-literary version you have in your hands. It is aimed at the vast majority of readers."

"There is also a type that is purely in classical Chinese, which is for older scholars to read."

"The last type is in pure vernacular. I plan to put it in major restaurants and give it to storytellers to tell to the general public."

"Of course, there is also a special version that turns some scenes into opera, which can be more widely spread."

Fan Ruoruo looked thoughtful, "Your Highness, do you want everyone in Qing Kingdom to be able to understand this book?"

Fan Sizhe's idea was completely different from hers. "Sister, I think you are overthinking it. His Highness is obviously trying to make as much money as possible from this book!"

"Your Highness, leave this matter to me. I promise to help you get it done!"

(End of this chapter)