CHAPTER 362: CHAPTER 349 MU YUANXIU’S GOOD SUGGESTION (1)_2

Li Yuzhu stood up, "I’ll go see him."

When she was about to turn around, she saw Chai Eying looking at her eagerly. Li Yuzhu laughed and said, "I’ll tell big brother that you’re waiting for him here at the lady’s place."

After speaking, Li Yuzhu left with a smile.

Chai Eying lowered her head, blushed, and smiled gently.

Li Yuzhu was an old acquaintance at the County Magistrate Mansion.

Furthermore, the County Magistrate knew her family’s status and treated her and other members of the Li Family as honored guests, so the servants in the mansion dared not neglect her.

She could go wherever she wanted with freedom.

Li Yuzhu headed straight to the study in the County Magistrate’s residence.

Although Li Yuzhu could move freely in the mansion, out of courtesy, she did not rashly disturb the County Magistrate while he was meeting with Li Xingmao and Mu Yuanxiu.

She stood in the corridor outside the study waiting.

Waiting was boring, so Li Yuzhu started to admire some of the flowers and trees planted outside the corridor.

She didn’t wait too long before someone came over calling her.

"Yuzhu?" The voice was surprised, filled with joy.

Li Yuzhu turned around and looked at the person with a smile, "Yuanxiu? What brings you here?"

Mu Yuanxiu looked at her gently and said, "Big brother came to the county town for business, and I came to the county town to find someone. We met halfway and came together."

"Is my big brother still in Lord County Magistrate’s study?" Li Yuzhu tiptoed to look towards the County Magistrate’s study.

The door was open, but there was no one in the outer room, indicating that people were in the inner room.

Mu Yuanxiu said, "They’re discussing the construction work on the river. It seems like it will take a long time. Don’t wait; you’d better head back first."

Li Yuzhu nodded, "Alright, I’ll head back first."

She turned around to leave.

Mu Yuanxiu followed her.

He looked at her back and said, "What have you been busy with recently in the county town? How are those books selling?"

Li Yuzhu glanced back at him with a smile, "I left it to Li Lixing. That kid is quite capable now. In just three days, eighty out of five hundred books have been sold."

Mu Yuanxiu was surprised, "Oh? He’s that impressive?"

"I taught him some methods," Li Yuzhu smiled.

Mu Yuanxiu laughed, "What methods?"

Li Yuzhu explained to Mu Yuanxiu how to sell the books.

After the books arrived in the county town, Li Yuzhu didn’t plan to rely on the County Magistrate’s influence but instead brainstormed with Li Lixing about ways to sell the books.

She had to attend a banquet at the Zhao family, so she didn’t have the time to sell books with Li Lixing.

Thus, she gave some ideas to Li Lixing, who went to sell them with Qin Hu.

There are two leisure spots in the county town, a lake and a waterfall bamboo forest slope.

During the hot days, many people would take their families to these two spots to cool down and relax in the evenings.

Qin Hu loaded the books onto a cart and headed there, hanging a sign that read "free reading trial."

He set up a small hourglass for timing.

The time was about five minutes.

For young children, five minutes is far from enough to finish a book with twenty illustrated pages and a story.

Older children could read five or six pages, while very young children turned only one or two pages before time ran out.

Qin Hu announced that time was up and started collecting the books.

Children from wealthy families, captivated by the story, would immediately pester their parents to buy the books.

For families who could afford carriages and palanquins, a hundred coins was a mere trifle.

Some families with multiple children even bought several books at once.

Apart from selling at these two places,

Li Yuzhu also suggested to Li Lixing to sell them at the academy.

There was a Confucius Institute in the county town.

It was a government-run school.

There were over a hundred children of various ages.

Qin Hu stopped the cart at the entrance of the Institute, set up a stall with books, and like elsewhere, used a small hourglass for timing.

Children here recognized more characters and had a stronger ability to appreciate illustrations, but they read more slowly.

As a result, Qin Hu and Li Lixing made quite a few sales again.

Li Yuzhu also advised them to offer five sheets of premium letter paper for those who referred others to buy the books.

The cost of these papers was less than two coins.

Yet, they could earn an additional hundred-coin book, making it worthwhile.

Wealthy young ones scoffed at the rebate of five sheets of letter paper, so Qin Hu sweet-talked them.

He entertained the children into happily agreeing to refer others.

Poorer children, who could use five sheets of letter paper to write five letters, welcomed such an unexpected gift.

Thus, over two days of setting up a stall in front of the Institute, Li Lixing and Qin Hu sold fifty books.

In front of one of the county town’s markets, a stage was set up, and a renowned opera troupe from the State Mansion was performing, said to be singing for seven days.

Li Lixing and Qin Hu decided to set up a stall near the opera stage to sell books again tomorrow.

There would be even more people there.

Mu Yuanxiu nodded with a smile, "You all have great ideas; they’re selling so fast." He paused and then asked Li Yuzhu, "Yuzhu, you said you’re busy with other things, what else?"

When it came to other matters, Li Yuzhu frowned, "There are two things, one is not urgent. The other is very urgent; it’s Sister-in-law Chai’s grandaunt, she’s ill."

Mu Yuanxiu noticed Li Yuzhu furrowing her brows.

He looked at her in surprise, "Is there any illness that you can’t handle?"

Li Yuzhu laughed, "I have medical skills, but I’m not an Immortal. If I could cure every illness, there would be no deceased in this world."

Mu Yuanxiu was startled, "That’s true. I mean, what kind of illness could possibly trouble you?"

Li Yuzhu sighed and said, "There’s a kind of illness that people get as they age. It’s due to some abnormalities in the brain that cause people to gradually lose memory, completely forget those around them, become incoherent, easily agitated, and mentally diminished. They’ll act like infants, wetting themselves and undressing without any sense of shame. Ultimately, it leads to a complete bodily breakdown, where they’re bedridden and unable to take care of eating, drinking, or excreting matters, and they’ll die in a very undignified manner quickly."

Mu Yuanxiu said, "I’ve seen an old man like that before. During his life, people just said he was confused. Is that considered an illness?"

Li Yuzhu said, "It is an illness. Some elderly people get it, some don’t. Old Mrs. Zhao has this illness, whereas our village chief’s father is almost seventy and yet Grandpa Qin’s body is so robust, he even weaves baskets to sell at the market."

Mu Yuanxiu said, "But you just said it’s incurable."

Li Yuzhu said, "It can’t be fully cured, but it can be treated to some extent so the patient doesn’t become so confused that they recognize no one. Old Mrs. Zhao has been kind to Sister-in-law Chai, and Sister-in-law Chai doesn’t want her to forget people around her. She asked me to cure Old Mrs. Zhao, but the Zhao Family claims Old Mrs. Zhao isn’t sick and has only invited a witch to ward off evil."

Mu Yuanxiu laughed, "Is this what you’re worried about?"

"Yes, the Zhao Family ignores Old Mrs. Zhao, making Sister-in-law Chai anxious, and I can’t help but feel bad. She even gave me a couple of gold ingots." Li Yuzhu recounted the strange events of the birthday celebration day.

Mu Yuanxiu chuckled and said, "I have an idea that will make the Zhao Family rush to treat Old Mrs. Zhao."

Li Yuzhu was delighted, "Oh? Mu Yuanxiu, quickly tell me."

"It’s simple, just spread the word that Old Mrs. Zhao has saved up a large sum of money. You and Sister-in-law Chai can concoct a figure that’s much more than the Zhao’s actual wealth. Given Old Mrs. Zhao is already somewhat muddled, the Zhao Family will surely panic if they fear losing the hidden money, prompting them to actively seek treatment for her."

Li Yuzhu’s eyes widened as she laughed and grabbed Mu Yuanxiu’s shoulder, shaking it, "Mu Yuanxiu, you’re amazing! This idea is brilliant."

Mu Yuanxiu blushed, looked around, and whispered, "Li Yuzhu! We’re in public, be more refined!"