Volume One: River City Song Chapter 15: The Marketplace Is a Battlefield (Part One)
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Qingfeng Tower was the finest restaurant in Jiangcheng County. Its food, wine, and service were all the best available, and naturally, its prices were the highest in the entire city as well. A banquet on the top floor, the fourth, could easily cost more than ten taels of silver—nearly enough to cover an ordinary household’s expenses for a year or two.
Today, such a banquet had been laid out on the third floor of Qingfeng Tower. Those attending were the proprietors of the city’s various bookshops, while the host was naturally Gu Yuezi. The two sides had been acquainted for many years and shared a deep friendship, so none of them could very well decline his invitation. Before nightfall, the proprietors of all six bookshops in the city had arrived. They exchanged greetings with Gu Yuezi and Manager Wu, who were waiting outside, then went straight up to the third floor and took their seats.
Only after reaching the upper floor did they discover that a young man had already been waiting at the table. He greeted them with a smile, clasping his hands in salute. The men exchanged glances and saw the same confusion in one another’s eyes. Clearly, none of them knew him. Could he be a younger member of the Gu family? Yet they had never heard of such a person. And if he truly were a junior of the family, he would never have been so discourteous as to wait upstairs before his elders arrived.
Amid their various conjectures, the proprietors took their seats. As dish after dish and jug after jug of fine wine were served, the atmosphere gradually grew relaxed and lively. Greetings and toasts followed one another until someone finally raised his cup and looked toward Li Ling.
“And who might this young gentleman be?”
“Allow me to introduce him,” Gu Yuezi said with a smile. “This is Young Master Li Ling. He has two identities. First, like all of you, he is also a proprietor of a bookshop here in Jiangcheng County…”
The others stared blankly. Apart from their own establishments, was there another bookshop in the city?
At last, a proprietor in his thirties, a man named Chen, recalled something. Looking at Li Ling, he said, “Could you be the proprietor of the Li Family Bookshop on East Slanting Street?”
Li Ling smiled and nodded, as though he had not heard the ill intent in the man’s words. “That would be me, Manager Chen. That bookshop belongs to my family.”
“Hmph!”
This time, Chen was not the only one displeased. The other proprietors gave low snorts as well. They had long been resentful of Li Ling’s practice of renting out books, but had refrained from causing him trouble out of consideration for his status. They had never expected him to come straight to their faces today and offend their eyes. How truly irritating.
Sensing their hostility, Li Ling showed not the slightest trace of unease. Instead, he raised a cup and saluted them all with a smile.
“I am naturally well aware that you esteemed seniors have certain reservations about me. Indeed, for various reasons, my shop can only survive by renting out books, and this has reduced your business to some degree. For that, I shall first offer you my apologies.”
With that, he drained his cup in a single gulp. Then he poured himself two more cups and finished them both, making his contrition perfectly clear.
His manner was certainly dashing, but Li Ling had underestimated the impact of alcohol on the body. This eighteen-year-old body had never drunk before, and after downing three cups of strong liquor in quick succession, the alcohol took effect at once. His face flushed crimson, and he gave two low coughs. He could only hurry to his seat and eat a few mouthfuls of food to suppress the rising intoxication.
Seeing that the others had not softened much, Gu Yuezi once again tried to smooth things over.
“Gentlemen, please hear me out. I have mentioned only Young Brother Li’s first identity. He has a second as well. He is none other than Carefree Master, the author of The Investiture of the Gods, a book that has recently taken Jiangcheng County by storm.”
At that, the men, whose faces had been gloomy moments before, changed color once again. One of them cried out in astonishment, “What did you say? He wrote The Investiture of the Gods? Is that truly the case?”
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“Of course it is. Would I have someone falsely claim to be Carefree Master?”
“If that is so, then we have even less reason to accept it. The Investiture of the Gods has been running for months, and the royalties alone must have earned you more than your bookshop. Why, then, do you still insist on breaking the rules and stealing our business?”
Gu Yuezi immediately let out a sigh. “That is a long story. Young Brother Li was driven to such measures by the need to survive.”
He then briefly explained the circumstances of Li Ling’s family. The account moved all the men deeply. None of them had imagined that Li Ling’s situation was so desperate. Seen in that light, his actions became understandable after all. He had merely been trying to repay the debts left by his father and keep himself alive.
Li Ling seized the opportunity to rise once more and bow to them all.
“I am young, and I had only just entered the book trade, so I failed to think matters through. I hope you esteemed seniors will not take offense. I promise that once I have repaid the debt, I shall never again engage in book rental.”
He had spoken so earnestly that the elders could hardly continue pressing the matter. One after another, they declared that it was nothing and let the issue pass. The mood at the table consequently grew more cordial. Cups crossed in endless succession, laughter and conversation filled the room, and harmony returned.
When the wine had reached its midpoint, the forthright Manager Chen finally spoke.
“Manager Gu, surely you did not invite us here merely so that we could meet Young Master Li?”
With that question, the others also set down their cups and looked toward Gu Yuezi. His expression immediately became solemn. He met each of their eyes in turn before nodding.
“Manager Chen is right. I invited you here today to discuss a matter of great importance, one that concerns the rise or fall of the book trade in Jiangcheng County.
“You have surely heard that the Wan Family Publishing House from Hengzhou Prefecture recently opened a branch in our city. What you do not know is that they have already set their sights on the Gu Family Publishing House. They intend to seize control of the entire book trade in Jiangcheng County!”
“Then what do you propose, Manager Gu?”
“My proposal is simple. I want all of you to stand with the Gu Family Publishing House and resist their invasion together. For instance, each of your bookshops could refuse to sell the books printed by the Wan Family Publishing House. Before long, they would have no choice but to withdraw.”
“This…”
The proprietors exchanged glances, each displaying an expression of difficulty. After giving a low cough, Manager Wang said, “Manager Gu, you know that besides selling books published by your establishment, our bookshops also obtain books from merchants outside the county. The Wan Family is naturally among them. Is it not unreasonable to ask us to boycott them outright?”
Gu Yuezi hurriedly explained, “I am not asking you to stop selling their books altogether. I merely ask that whenever the Gu Family can print the same titles, you no longer order those titles from the Wan Family. You could also place their books in inconspicuous corners, making it impossible for their business to prosper. Surely that much can be done?”
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The men still did not agree to his request. Each wore a troubled expression, as though weighing the matter carefully. Li Ling watched them and knew that it was time for him to step forward. He gave a light cough to draw their attention, then said, “Esteemed seniors, allow me a few words.
“All of you are my seniors, and you have been in business longer than I have been alive. I would not presume to lecture you on matters of commerce, but there is one thing I must point out: the marketplace is a battlefield. Do not be misled by the appearance that the Wan Family’s entry into Jiangcheng County is merely competition between two publishing houses. The interests involved reach far deeper than any of you imagine.”
“Young Master Li, are you not exaggerating the danger?” Manager Wang shook his head disdainfully.
“Absolutely not,” Li Ling replied at once. “There is ample precedent. You should all know that Jiangcheng County is already the Wan Family Publishing House’s fifth target within this prefecture. What do you suppose the book trades in the previous four counties look like now?”
When no one could answer, he continued on his own.
“The publishing houses that once existed in those four counties either went bankrupt or were swallowed up by the Wan Family. In the end, the Wan Family Publishing House was left as the sole dominant force.
“Perhaps at first, the other people involved in the book trade—the bookshops, the authors, and the craftsmen who carve printing blocks—could all obtain substantial benefits from them, just as the Wan Family has promised you recently. But have you ever considered what will happen once they truly become the monopolist controlling the book trade of an entire county? Will they still offer you such generous benefits?
“The Wan Family did not enter the publishing business out of charity. Ultimately, they are here to make money. So, in my opinion, that will be the moment when they reclaim every benefit they previously granted you, principal and interest alike.
“Indeed, if I were the one in charge of the Wan Family, I could simply open bookshops here myself and sell books at prices far below yours, just as they are dealing with Manager Gu’s publishing house. I could drive you into utter desperation until you had no choice but to close your doors. And all of this would be the consequence of your choosing to cooperate with them from the beginning and forcing the Gu Family Publishing House out of business.”
This time, the proprietors’ expressions finally changed. Several of them even fell into deep thought, clearly accepting Li Ling’s reasoning.
Manager Wang raised another objection. “But as I recall, there is currently only the Gu Family Publishing House in Jiangcheng County. How would that differ from the Wan Family monopolizing the trade?”
“The difference is enormous. You have known Manager Gu and the Gu Family Publishing House for many years. Do you not understand what kind of man he is? In terms of appetite and ambition, can Manager Gu truly compare with the Wan Family?
“As the saying goes, a large shop bullies its customers. At present, the two sides are evenly matched, and that is why you can coexist peacefully. But if the Wan Family replaces them, do you think your several bookshops will be able to stand against them? As I said, all they need do is invest their own money in opening several bookshops, and they can force every one of you to close.”
After a pause, he continued earnestly, “So, gentlemen, in my view, the benefits before your eyes are certainly worth pursuing, but the future matters even more. You must look farther ahead. As I said, the marketplace is a battlefield. When the enemy holds the advantage, only by joining forces can the weak overcome the strong and sever the Wan Family’s claws before they can sink into Jiangcheng County. Otherwise, you will regret it too late.”
At that, Gu Yuezi rose once more and clasped his hands.
“Gentlemen, you should all know what sort of man I have always been. If you help me this time, I will surely repay you in the future. For the sake of our shared home, and for the sake of the scholars and craftsmen whom the Wan Family may oppress, I beg you to join hands with me!”
As he spoke, he bowed deeply.
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