The next morning, the square was packed with people.
Almost everyone was dressed in fine silks and satins!
These distinguished guests came from all over, even from the Daliang Kingdom.
Everyone wanted to witness firsthand how the An Guohou of Daqian, with his "Yi Zui Bai Nian," would sell out.
Grand Tutor Gongyang He refused to attend this grand event, but he still sent Dugu Xiao and others to participate and observe the situation.
King Nan, Xiao Chang, sat in the southwest corner, smiling, but inwardly seething with anger.
The more popular Liang Xiao became, the more uncomfortable he felt!
To recruit Liang Xiao, the future son-in-law, into his service? It was simply wishful thinking!
At this moment, Xiao Feng and Xiao Chan also looked on with cold faces at the unparalleled figure on the high platform.
It was him, who had stolen their Princess Ningshuang!
Originally, their father, the King, and the Grand Tutor had proposed "keeping benefits within the family" and "strengthening ties," suggesting one of them could become the驸马 (imperial son-in-law) and later share the princess among brothers.
However, the Emperor suddenly issued an imperial decree, granting Liang Xiao an additional five thousand households, and then officially announced to the world that Liang Xiao was designated as the future 驸马, which became a celebrated tale of the time!
Liang Xiao on the high platform was the epitome of success in Daqian, while the two brothers were in stark contrast: one confined to the King Nan's mansion, and the other having lost an arm…
Gongsun Ye was busy with military preparations, sending Shi Liuyun to attend in his stead, to avoid suspicion.
Zhuo Zifang had also considered avoiding suspicion, but to enhance Liang Xiao's influence, he personally attended the event.
Liang Xiao on the high platform wore a serious expression, with a pile of "Yi Zui Bai Nian" placed behind him.
Zuo Wushang had already disguised himself and was hiding at the back of the crowd, quietly observing the high platform from a distance, his gaze fixed on Zhuo Xun.
"So alike. I wonder what kind of face is beneath the veil. If it's just a veil, anyone could look like it…" Zuo Wushang’s heart surged with emotion.
This young girl, when wearing a veil, looked so much like his wife and younger sister-in-law, Zuo Jing.
"No, it's impossible. Daqian doesn't even spare our young compatriots, so how could they let a former dynasty's princess go?"
Recalling the siege and massacre back then, Zuo Wushang couldn't help but feel a surge of hatred.
They had originally intended to lie low and wait for opportunities, perhaps living as wealthy commoners for a lifetime. But that siege had dealt them an unbearable, fatal blow. The remnants of the Daheng Kingdom suffered heavy losses, with seven or eight out of ten gone!
His own sister-in-law had also committed suicide as a result, incinerated into ashes in the flames!
This was a hatred etched into his bones, enough to make him pursue the cause of restoring the nation until his last breath, without regret!
"Looking at the boxes behind An Guohou, there must be over a thousand already?" He Jingyun called out loudly.
Liang Xiao nodded and said, "Prefect, you have sharp eyes! Considering that I am new to Jiangnan, this is my first time selling 'Yi Zui Bai Nian' here, and there are so many attendees, I should sell a bit more. This time, I will sell two thousand jars!"
Two thousand jars of "Yi Zui Bai Nian"!
The entire crowd gasped.
Ouyang Sheng's vision darkened, and he almost fainted.
Wouldn't that mean he would make another million taels!
When would this bookshop's war of attrition end?!
If this continued, would the Ouyang family have to count their purchases of "Yi Zui Bai Nian" on their fingers from now on?
Ouyang Sheng was on the verge of tears.
"An Guohou, the thousand jars of 'Yi Zui Bai Nian' you sold in the capital came with two poems. Selling two thousand jars in Jiangnan with only two poems seems rather unfair, doesn't it?" A corpulent merchant from the Daliang Kingdom expressed his dissatisfaction.
Liang Xiao was taken aback: "Who said I'm only including two poems?"
The entire crowd cast looks of surprise at Liang Xiao, noticing that the guards had brought over four wooden boards with Xuan paper hanging on them.
Liang Xiao wasted no more words and immediately picked up his brush to write four poems.
"Spring Dawn," "Quiet Night Thoughts," "Ode to the Willow," "Painting"!
"Spring sleep, I knew not dawn…" "Before my bed, the bright moon shines…" "Dressed in jade, a tall tree grown…" "From afar, the mountain's colors show…"
As the crowd recited the four poems, they clapped and cheered.
"Seemingly simple, yet their artistic conception is unique and profound, with unusual perspectives. Excellent poems!" Many talented scholars and beautiful ladies applauded and praised.
"As per the old rule, these poems that I write will never be written a second time once they change hands, even if the writing itself disappears!"
Everyone below looked on with burning eyes, their excitement palpable.
As long as they bought "Yi Zui Bai Nian" and drew a key line, they had a chance to break even!
Many people here wanted to buy a few jars of "Yi Zui Bai Nian" and try their luck as gamblers.
If they drew a key line, selling it for several thousand taels should be no problem, right?
Liang Xiao's release of four poems at once did not diminish their value.
The Battle of Luzhou Defense, the mobilization of General Tian, the verbal sparring with scholars at the Jiangnan Spring Banquet to drive away King Nan, the public trial with sharp discernment… these events that took place in Jiangnan had already propelled Liang Xiao's reputation to a new peak.
According to the appraisals of antique dealers, even if Liang Xiao were still alive, as long as it was confirmed that there was only one original copy of these poems, their value would be over twenty thousand taels of silver!
After Liang Xiao's death, these would truly become his final works, and their value would only soar.
Zhuo Zifang surveyed the surroundings, seeing the wolf-like eyes of the crowd, and couldn't help but curl his lips.
He now had every reason to believe that if these people could get their hands on one of these poems, they might even burn incense and worship every day at home, make straw effigies, and curse Liang Xiao for his early demise…
Liang Xiao was also under immense pressure.
Different regions nurture different people. The scholars and ladies of Jiangnan were known for their delicate emotions.
Below, in addition to the wolf-like eyes, there were waves of infatuated maidens, reminding him of the fervent "fangirls" in his previous life.
Wait, why did some of the young scholars also have infatuated expressions?
To avoid being challenged to a duel, Liang Xiao was already considering which way would be safest to leave after the event.
The four girls were heavily protected. Jian Qinwan gazed at Liang Xiao on the platform with deep affection, still maintaining her verbal stubbornness: "There are so many men and women who like this guy, the pressure is immense."
Yue Lian couldn't help but chuckle, and Zhuo Xun nodded repeatedly.
They had already noticed Ye Qingyi, sitting beside He Qiushui and Gu Pingting, gazing at Liang Xiao with adoration.
In contrast, the two women, He and Gu, were much more normal, appearing to be merely admirers.
From a distant tall building, the leader and the Pope of the Hui Chun Sect, Yan Jun, both masked, sat opposite each other, their cold, emerald eyes fixed on Christie in the crowd.
"I heard that the princess from the Western Regions also has blonde hair and blue eyes?" the leader said coldly.
"The Western Regions are close to the Kushan Dynasty, so it shouldn't be unusual, right?" Yan Jun replied.
The leader remained silent, narrowing his eyes.
She couldn't clearly see Christie, who was wearing a veil, nor could she see the upper half of Christie's face. However, there was one thing that no one present knew better than her.
Their race, with blonde hair and blue eyes, didn't actually originate from the Kushan Dynasty, but from a much more distant land…
Why were there blonde-haired, blue-eyed princesses in Daqian's Western Regions?
The leader pondered for a moment, then suddenly awoke, her heart sinking: "Could it be that…"
"Leader, what is it?" Yan Jun asked.
The leader's tone was serious: "I fear it will be difficult to approach Liang Xiao and the others. Send someone to keep an eye on that Western Regions princess; it would be best if you could get her face drawn!"
Yan Jun looked confused, but still nodded silently, glancing at the leader's emerald eyes inadvertently.
However, Yan Jun also couldn't show his face here and could only send someone to handle the matter first.
The two thousand jars of "Yi Zui Bai Nian" were progressively bid up by the customers present, who immediately paid with banknotes, eagerly counting them.