The masters from the three academies were in disbelief and stepped forward to check the books.
They picked out a book at random and checked it out. They found that the paper of each book they pulled out was very good, not shoddy, and the handwriting was very good. There were no ink marks or typos on the pages. They were pleasing to the eye and had a faint scent of ink. It makes people feel relaxed and happy.
The books were bundled in bundles, with twenty books in each bundle. They did not count such a large amount of books, but since the other party dared to ask them for the remaining silver, they figured the number of books was correct.
The expressions of the three people became ugly.
Where did the people in Wenyuan Study Studio find paper-printed books?
Shopkeeper Liu ignored the expressions of the three of them as if they had eaten shit. He flipped through the account books with a smile, pretending to know nothing and greeted them: "Lushan Academy has ordered 10,000 books, paid a deposit of 1,000 taels, and still owes the balance. Four thousand three hundred and twenty taels. Zhiyuan Academy ordered 5,000 books, paid a deposit of 500 taels, and still owed a balance of 3,670 taels. Wuya Academy ordered 5,000 books, and also paid a deposit of 500 taels. Two deposits, and the remaining balance is two thousand one hundred and sixty taels."
The books ordered are different, and the prices are also different. Lushan Academy ordered 10,000 books, but most of them were the Four Books and the Five Classics, because the Four Books and the Five Classics are common books, and the editions have already been arranged in the study, so there is no need to re-typesetting or proofreading. So the price per copy is cheap. Even if you order 10,000 books, you only need more than 5,000 taels.
Other books have not been printed, so they need to be typed, proofread, and even re-engraved, which is more time-consuming and labor-intensive. Moreover, the quantity ordered by the other party is small, so the price of each copy is naturally high.
Due to various reasons such as the backwardness and monopoly of papermaking and the absence of printing, books in various countries during this period were very expensive.
And because there are few people buying books, and most of the people who can buy them are people who are not short of money, the profit of a book is higher than you can imagine, otherwise the previous bookstore would not be willing to give out 150 yuan. The high price of a copied book.
Because by selling one book, the study can earn back at least several hundred and fifty ren. If it is some rare books, it can even earn back dozens or hundreds of 150 ren.
It's just that the more precious the books, the less they are circulated outside.
Especially some unique copies, those aristocratic families have the largest collections, but these are their heritage and are necessary conditions for future generations to become talented, so they are generally not taken out.
That's why Shopkeeper Liu is so happy when he receives a big order of 20,000 copies these days. Twenty thousand books can make a profit of more than 10,000 taels.
The reason why shopkeeper Liu didn't suspect that this was a trap and someone wanted to harm the study was because the amount of compensation demanded by the other party when signing the document was also very reasonable, which can be said to be benevolent and righteous.
The contract document stated that if the ordered quantity of books was not handed over as scheduled after half a month, only five hundred taels would be compensated.
The compensation amount demanded by the three academies is all five hundred taels. Compared to the total value of the books they ordered, five hundred taels is really not worth mentioning.
So shopkeeper Liu felt that they were sincere in ordering the book.
I didn’t expect it to be a trap!
People were worried that their newly opened small study would not dare to accept the order if they saw the compensation amount was too high, so they deliberately set an acceptable range.
Or the other party thinks that the bounty of 1,500 taels can directly allow their boss to pay all their wealth, and they will not be able to take out any more.
Unexpectedly, there is someone behind their boss, and there is so much paper in the city.
The shopkeeper of Lushan Academy was the first to come to his senses. He smiled and said: "I came here to see if all the books we ordered are ready. Since they are all ready, I will go back and bring someone over to check. If there is no problem, then Transport away.”
People from the other two academies also said similar things.
Shopkeeper Liu couldn't help but laugh: "Okay, then go back and find someone to come over!"
The three people left in a hurry.
~
Shopkeeper Liu went back to the backyard to resume his duties and told the other party what he said.
All the brothers laughed.
Ruojiang: "You deserve it!"
Ruohe: "Do you think the other party will pay the remaining silver and take the book away? A few thousand taels is not a small amount."
Ruo Hai: "You know how to do it, you've already paid a thousand taels as a deposit, so you can't give us the advantage in vain. The other party has a paper-making workshop that earns a lot of money every day, and his family has a big business, so he shouldn't take a few thousand taels lightly."
Ruoshui: "I'm not sure. If we put it all back, we will have to pay several thousand taels. They probably won't be willing to give us a discount. With these few thousand taels, we can open a few more study rooms in other cities."
A few thousand taels is not a small amount. Even for a noble family, it is a large amount of money. If you take it out at once, it will be enough to break the bones of a declining noble family.
If they don't come and transport it back, they won't be able to get back the 1,500 taels they paid in total.
The book is gone, and the fifteen hundred taels are gone as well. It can be said that the loss is heavy.
After all, one thousand five hundred taels is not a handful.
If the weak family cannot buy paper this time and cannot print 20,000 books, they will have to pay 1,500 taels, which will be a real disaster for them.
Ruochuan smiled and said: "Whether they transport it back or not, we won't lose. It's best to transport it back. With a few thousand taels, a papermaking workshop can be built."
"Fifteen hundred taels can also be used to build a smaller paper-making workshop."
Ruoshui: "I don't have one thousand five hundred taels, and the account for buying paper has not been settled yet."
There are several large carriages of paper, and the most expensive Lianshi paper, which costs 780 taels just to buy the paper.
~
The problem of weak brothers is also the problem of the other party.
When the other party learned that Wenyuan Study could hand over 20,000 books on time, he was so angry that he overturned the table!
"Check, find out for me who is selling paper to the people in Wenyuan Study. If you let me know, no paper from our papermaking workshop will be sold to them in the future."
Several large carriages of paper entered the city. The people guarding the city definitely knew that this matter was not difficult to investigate.
In the evening, the other party's people found out who delivered the paper to Wenyuan's study.
Early the next morning, the masters from the three academies came to pay the money and cart away the 20,000 books.
Can't afford to offend!
You don't want to spend thousands of taels to buy your opponent's books and increase your opponent's strength.
I can't afford to be offended at all!
Ruokawa: "I'll go home and tell my mother and Xuan Bao the good news. I'll also pay the money for the paper."
The brothers naturally have no objections.
So far, 20,000 copies of the book have been sold, making a profit of several thousand taels!
It’s like a dream!
More than two months later, the first sheet of Lianshi paper, as white as snow, was finally peeled off the newly built paper wall by Ruoxuan.
Mrs. Xuanyuan gently touched the delicate and silky white paper, "This paper is better than those made by those two companies!"
Mrs. Lei nodded: "It's not just good! It's so much better! Those who didn't know better thought it was made of silk."
Aunt Yuhua said with a smile: "When this paper comes out, the people in those two families will probably panic."
Shopkeeper Gu: "Haha, no, this time it will definitely be more panic than buying 20,000 books!"
Ruoxuan said happily: "Hurry up and send the paper to the study to sell it to make them panic even more!"
Happy New Year!
