Chapter 28: A Chance Encounter

After working together for so long, Gou Ye had come to understand Master Hu’s character well. The previous books he’d written had already made Master Hu a considerable profit. Now, seeing the manuscript of a new story, Master Hu would never let him take it to another bookshop, no matter what.

Since that was the case, Gou Ye no longer stood on ceremony. “Master Hu, the terms of our partnership remain unchanged—the same as we previously agreed: you pay me ten taels of silver per manuscript. However, I must raise my share from thirty percent to forty percent per copy sold, and the extra payment for meeting the monthly quota at the end of each month must also be increased by ten taels. You know I now run a shop as well, and finding time each month to write means I often stay up until midnight. Look here—” Gou Ye pointed at his own head, “—my hair is almost all gone. As for the completion bonus, we’ll negotiate that at the end. Rest assured, Master Hu, after working with you for so long, I won’t ask for an outrageous sum.”

Master Hu could only sigh. He had expected Gou Ye to demand more, but Gou Ye had him completely tied down, leaving him no room to maneuver. Still, there was no use arguing further. He had indeed earned a tidy sum thanks to Gou Ye, so if the price had to go up, so be it. He would simply invest in another printing press to boost sales, and the extra silver he paid would soon come back to him. With this in mind, Master Hu cheerfully signed the new contract with Gou Ye.

A few days later, the bookshop’s entrance was graced by a scene unlike any before: on one side, fans of “Shooting the Condors” showed their support, while on the other, advocates for the new novel rallied. Both parties had split over their feelings about the Quanzhen Sect. One group stood behind Guo Jing and defended the sect’s reputation; the other condemned Quanzhen for bullying young Yang Guo and driving Grandmother Sun to her death—hardly the behavior of a righteous sect. The two sides quarreled fiercely, nearly coming to blows.

This time, “The Celestial Swordsman’s Companion” was even more popular than “Shooting the Condors.” Nearly everyone in the county had bought a copy, and even rival booksellers could not help but praise it after reading. Watching their own shops wither, they desperately pondered how to survive. No one could understand Master Hu’s stroke of luck in meeting Gou Ye. “Why can’t such fortune fall to me?” one bookseller sighed softly.

“Have you seen Master Gou at the shop today?” A young woman sat by the window, reading “The Celestial Swordsman’s Companion,” her eyes longing to the east. Who else could it be but Wanxiang?

“I haven’t seen Young Master Gou lately. The last time was when he brought that servant girl, but he hasn’t come since.”

Wanxiang sighed gently. “Very well, keep watching. If he comes in person, let me know at once.”

“Yes, miss.”

After her maid left, Wanxiang murmured to herself, “Why can’t I meet such a talented man?”

All of this, of course, was unknown to Gou Ye, who, apart from scribbling away at his manuscripts, had been busy overseeing the construction of his new house. Thanks to the efforts of Dali and the others, the foundation was finally complete, though much work remained. Gazing at the sky, Gou Ye could only hope for fewer rainy days in the weeks ahead.

Everything proceeded in an orderly fashion. That morning, Gou Ye went to Yun Niang’s home.

“Auntie, good morning.” Gou Ye greeted her, then pulled Yun Niang aside. “Hurry and get ready. Come with me into town. It’s been days since we last visited; I wonder how the shop and the bookhouse are faring.”

Yun Niang shook her head, disappointment in her eyes. “Brother Gou Ye, I can’t go with you today. Mother was coughing again last night, and I’m worried about her. I’ll stay home and care for her.”

Though Yun Niang’s mother insisted she was fine, Gou Ye knew family came first. He let Yun Niang stay behind to look after her mother and set off for the county town alone.

He hadn’t visited the shop in a while and wondered how Caisheng was managing. As soon as he reached the alley’s mouth, he saw a long line outside his door—a sight that filled him with joy. Business was still booming after all this time. Humming a cheerful tune, he approached the shop.

On seeing him, Caisheng quickly put down his work and came out to greet him. “Boss, you’re here. What do you think?”

Gou Ye waved him off. “No need to stop—keep busy. I’m just here to look around. We can check the accounts later.”

So the shop assistant hurried back to his tasks, and Gou Ye, with nothing else to do, began conducting a little market research—asking each person in line for suggestions, requests, and opinions on the flavors.

Just then, a young girl approached him. “You must be Gou Ye, Young Master Gou?”

“That’s right. And you are?”

“No need to remember me. My mistress wishes to see you. She sent me to ask if you would grant her an audience.”

An audience? Gou Ye bristled at the challenge. Who did she think she was? Was he supposed to be intimidated by a simple meeting? He followed the girl all the way to the doors of a brothel. Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat as images of Yun Niang’s anger flashed through his mind, and he hesitated to step inside.

The young girl snickered. “What’s wrong, Young Master? Are you afraid? My mistress said that if you’re too scared, you might as well turn around and go home.”

Gou Ye shot her a look, snorted, and strode into the brothel. Inside, it was quiet—likely because it was daytime—not the raucous scene he’d seen on television. The first floor was a grand hall, the upper floors private chambers, all decorated in garish pinks and pastels that left no doubt as to the nature of the place.

From the second-floor railings, a number of women leaned over, peering down curiously at Gou Ye. His reputation in the county preceded him, and even the brothel’s women had heard tales. They all knew he had a beautiful companion—who would have thought he’d come here?

One woman teased, “Young Master Gou, are you here for pleasure? Come to me, I promise I’ll take good care of you!”

Another chimed in, “Me too! Young Master Gou, choose me—I’m far more skilled!”

Though Gou Ye had traveled through time from the 21st century and seen plenty on television, experiencing it in person was another matter entirely. He blushed deeply, unable to answer their jests, and hurried after the young servant to a chamber door.

“Miss, Young Master Gou has arrived.”

“Please, come in, Young Master Gou.”

He hesitated at the threshold until the door creaked open. There stood Wanxiang, her long dark hair cascading down her back, dressed in one of the dresses Gou Ye himself had sold. She was stunning, radiating grace and charm, her lively eyes full of thoughtful mystery. At the sight, Gou Ye found himself momentarily holding his breath.