Ouyang Ping, in a moment of desperation, let out a dry laugh and said, "Our Ouyang family will consider lowering prices in the near future..."
His insincere explanation still earned him a round of white-eyed stares from the crowd.
Liang Xiao smiled and said, "Then I ask Lord Ouyang not to interfere with this marquis's bookstore selling books. Otherwise, this marquis will definitely impeach you to His Majesty for personal revenge!"
The crowd urged Ouyang Ping to leave.
Ouyang Ping gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice, "Wait! Marquis Anguo has so many books, selling them isn't convenient. Our Ouyang family is willing to purchase them at a high price and resell them for you!"
Liang Xiao raised an eyebrow, "You want to be my distributor? Why should I agree to you?"
"Shameless!" the common people shouted in unison.
If this were the case, wouldn't they, ordinary citizens, only be able to buy Liang Xiao's books at a marked-up price from the Ouyang family!
Ouyang Ping calmed himself and replied, "Our Ouyang family can purchase at an increased price! Merchants seek profit. Didn't Marquis Anguo say the current price is profitable? What? Are you scared? Since you want to prove that you can be profitable, then your books, our Ouyang family will buy as many as you can print, until you can't print anymore!"
Ouyang Ping emphasized the words "can't print anymore" with great force and a look of contempt.
He and Ouyang Ji planned to retreat to advance. Firstly, it was to prove that the cost of printing books was indeed high. Secondly, they had predicted that Liang Xiao was selling books at a loss, intending to force Liang Xiao to keep printing books at a loss. When Liang Xiao's bookstore went bankrupt, they could then resell the books purchased from Liang Xiao's bookstore at a high price!
After all, Liang Xiao's book prices were truly cheap. The Ouyang family wouldn't even need to spend five to six hundred wen per book on printing; they could directly buy from Liang Xiao, saving money and achieving two goals at once!
Liang Xiao frowned, looking at Ouyang Ping as if he were an idiot.
He could tell that Ouyang Ping was convinced that he was only temporarily selling at a loss to gain market share from the Ouyang family.
Seeing that Liang Xiao did not respond, Ouyang Ping finally burst into laughter, "Marquis Anguo dares not accept the order? Then you shouldn't be here misleading people and slandering our Ouyang family for low printing costs!"
Ouyang Ping really wanted to reveal the true cost of printing books for his family and expose Liang Xiao's lie, but doing so would mean they could no longer maintain their exorbitant book prices!
Furthermore, Liang Xiao's earnings from selling wine were all used to buy land and hire farmers in Yan Prefecture. He definitely wouldn't be able to sustain the bookstore's losses!
Liang Xiao surveyed the crowd.
The common people looked at Liang Xiao with eager eyes, pleading, "We beg Marquis Anguo not to agree!"
They had also started to believe Ouyang Ping's deceptive words, as the book prices were indeed ridiculously low, unprecedented!
Even Jian Qinwan and Yue Lian frowned slightly.
The profit margin on Liang Xiao's book prices was very low. If he sold them to the Ouyang family, wouldn't that be helping the enemy and disappointing the common people?
Liang Xiao finally responded, "Our Ouyang family will buy as many as you have? Do you dare to have your father and you represent the Ouyang family to sign a book purchase contract with me?"
The crowd's hearts tightened: Was he going to agree?
For a moment, more than half of the people looked disappointed!
Their respected Marquis Anguo had ultimately been unable to resist the coercion and temptation of the Ouyang family!
Ouyang Ping said with a serious expression, "As long as you dare to sign, and as long as your books meet the quality standards, my father and I have discussed it beforehand, and we can sign a contract with you!"
Liang Xiao nodded, "Since it's an all-you-can-buy offer, it's natural that larger quantities receive better prices."
"What?" the crowd exclaimed in surprise.
It was one thing not to sell to them, the common people, but now he was going to offer discounts to the enemy?
Ouyang Ping chuckled, "Then what price does Marquis Anguo hope to set for each book?"
Liang Xiao said without hesitation, "Elementary readers at two hundred and forty wen each, and the Four Books and Five Classics at three hundred wen each."
As soon as he finished speaking, a wave of laughter erupted throughout the venue.
Ouyang Ping was stunned and angered, "Didn't you say larger quantities get better prices, why did you double the price!"
"Better prices for larger quantities, of course, benefit me. Do you think this marquis is doing charity for you? No negotiation. Take it or leave it!" Liang Xiao said with a curl of his lip.
He had already calculated the cost of printing books for the Ouyang family, and this price was just right!
Ouyang Ji gritted his teeth, "We want them!"
The common people looked at Liang Xiao, their disappointment deepening.
It seemed he was still a merchant after all, with profit triumphing over kindness...
It seemed the cost of printing books was more than three hundred wen...
Liang Xiao loudly declared, "The Ouyang family wants to buy all of this marquis's books. This marquis will state the ugly truth beforehand, and at the same time notify the common people throughout the land: once the Ouyang family refuses to purchase, they must publicly announce their inability to acquire more. At that time, this marquis will sell these books to the public at a price not exceeding one hundred and fifty wen each!"
The eyes of the crowd lit up: He still wanted to sell them?
Ouyang Ping's heart sank: If Liang Xiao announced this, and the common people would later buy books at this price, then the books purchased by the Ouyang family from Liang Xiao could not be sold for more than Liang Xiao's price!
This would turn into a tug-of-war, and whoever collapsed and surrendered first, the Ouyang family or Liang Xiao, would be utterly defeated!
Ouyang Ping's hand, hidden in his sleeve, trembled violently, and he finally nodded, "No problem! I want to prove that you are just engaged in a price war, and the actual printing cost per book is far higher than three hundred wen!"
Upon hearing this, Jian Qinwan and Yue Lian behind Liang Xiao almost burst into laughter.
"Did everyone hear that!" Liang Xiao asked.
"Marquis Anguo, hold on!" the commoners below cheered Liang Xiao on.
If Liang Xiao fell, the book prices would return to their original state, and the common people would still be unable to afford books!
The Ouyang family's financial resources were not much less than the Duguan family's, as they controlled bookstores nationwide.
There were a total of nine types of the Four Books and Five Classics on-site, priced at one hundred and fifty wen each, and the "Shi Zhou Pian" and "Cang Jie" at one hundred and twenty wen each, double the price, with ten thousand copies of each.
A total of thirty-one thousand eight hundred taels!
To demonstrate his resolve and fearing that Liang Xiao might sell these books to the common people on the spot, Ouyang Ping immediately had his retainers inspect the books and then took out three hundred and twenty silver notes to pay: "The remaining two hundred wen, consider it a reward for Marquis Anguo!"
The crowd couldn't help but roll their eyes at Ouyang Ping, and even Jian Qinwan looked down on him.
This person was indeed well-prepared. The all-you-can-buy offer was probably their ultimate trump card. Even if Liang Xiao didn't agree, the Ouyang family could still prove their high printing costs and quell public anger!
As expected of someone from a noble family, their scheming was deep.
But he had misjudged the capabilities of this "flower thief," believing his printing costs were also high...
Jian Qinwan cast a glance at Liang Xiao with her beautiful eyes, feeling inexplicably happy.
Liang Xiao glanced at Ouyang Ping and smiled, "You should take it to reward the workers in the Ouyang family who are about to be unemployed. Consider these few carts loaded with books as this marquis's gift to you."
Ouyang Ping's heart trembled, and he was speechless.
Because Liang Xiao treated the bookstore workers too well, the workers in the Ouyang family's bookstores in the capital were already causing trouble!
"Later, have your father come to sign an agreement with this marquis. It must be cash on delivery every time. Whenever your Ouyang family stops buying, this marquis will immediately resume sales at the original price!" Liang Xiao said seriously, but he was secretly delighted.
Ouyang Ping nodded with a cold face and had his retainers and workers push the carts away.
"Marquis Anguo..." the commoners looked at Liang Xiao expectantly.
Liang Xiao cupped his fists towards the crowd and said, "Everyone, rest assured! I, Liang Xiao, promise here that I will maintain this book price, and soon it will be available for sale in all parts of the country!"
"All over the country!" the crowd exclaimed in shock.
Ouyang Ping, far away, trembled all over and sneered, "A mantis trying to stop a chariot, overestimating itself!"
This brat still wanted to compete with their dozens of large bookstores across the country??
In the carriage, Liang Xiao held the silver notes, looking innocent, "Giving money to an enemy proactively, I've never seen such a strange request in my life!"
Yue Lian and Jian Qinwan sat to Liang Xiao's left and right, laughing heartily.
"Next, it's just a matter of how long the Ouyang family's idiots can hold on, and then the newspaper should be ready to open for business!"