“Don’t cut in line!” beep!
“Will I be able to buy it today?” ding!
“I came late yesterday and it was all sold out.” whoosh!
A novel featured even in Jobo. A colorful heroic story recognized by the Literary Association. To buy it, there’s always a line at the first floor of Tea Bookstore. tap tap tap!
The second floor of the Tea Bookstore has also become known as a place for fans to burn off their unrequited love for The Rise of the Tang Family, always packed to the brim. shhhhhh!
“I admit that Du Eung-hyang was pure. However, it is also true that she has sold her smiles to other men throughout her life. On the other hand, Gu Suk-Jung showed her smiles only to Tang Jung, her true love. Isn’t she the real courtesan?” zinger!
Lately, the most passionate participant in the Tea and Book Club meetings was definitely Hwang Seong’s younger brother. Who knows when he cursed The Rise of the Tang Family? gasp!
A newbie at the Tea and Book Club, Hwang Seong’s brother passionately laid out his reasoning to someone from the Hubei First Courtesan faction. bam!
“Ugh….” groan!
One man from the Hyang-a faction looked as though he had been struck by lightning from Hwang Seong’s brother’s words. zap!
“So hurry up and dump the woman who sold her smiles to other men, and come back to the arms of the woman who smiles only for you!” whoosh!
Hwang Seong’s brother smiled at the man in front and subtly nudged him a Suk-Jung tea set. clink!
“Are you wavering right now?” twinkle!
Hwang Seong was shocked as he watched them and asked. wow!
“I-I’m a little shaken.” shudder!
“This kid! Are you being played by the newbie’s fallacious arguments? Listen closely. When Tang Jung poured a drink for Du Eung-hyang while she smiled, did Tang Jung fall for her?” pow!
“No.” ding!
“Indeed. Tang Jung didn’t fall for Du Eung-hyang’s looks. The same goes for Du Eung-hyang. He fell for her because Tang Jung understood his true inner self.” smirk!
“That’s right.” nodding!
“To call it a courtesan just because she smiled once! The Sichuan First Courtesan faction is nothing but shallow people who can’t see past the exterior, only valuing appearance. Our Hyang-a faction, on the other hand, is made up of true courtesan advocates who genuinely appreciate inner beauty.” mic drop!
“I-I almost fell for it.” gasp!
The man who received the sermon seemed to have a great epiphany, patting his chest. thump thump!
“Brother! You’re being too harsh. Are you saying the inner beauty of Sichuan First Courtesan is overshadowed by some mere courtesan?” shocked!
“Isn’t it only natural?” snicker!
“I can’t stand that even coming from you, brother!” squeak!
“Are you challenging me? I must have failed to teach my younger brother properly until now!” thud!
“Cough!” cough cough!
I coughed once to grab everyone’s attention and pointed at the door with my finger. point!
“The store owner said one more commotion will get you all thrown out. Let’s keep it down.” whisper!
“I could have made my move with just a little more….” sigh!
“The Hyang-a faction won’t be swayed by that much.” snicker!
“No matter how much you dissuade those around you, the trend won’t change. Look at that board over there.” point!
Hwang Seong’s brother pointed at the popularity vote status board. I followed his hand to gaze at what had become the source of the recent issues. squint!
This is a problem. Quite the issue. dilemma!
Is Du Eung-hyang lagging because she’s of Joseon blood? Or is it because she’s a courtesan? In the popularity vote for The Rise of the Tang Family, though not a huge gap, Gu Suk-Jung was noticeably ahead. alarm!
“I haven’t given up yet. Just as Tang Jung won’t give up, I won’t give up on Du Eung-hyang either.” determination!
Right. Don’t give up. Please. plead!
“Isn’t Du Eung-hyang bound to lose in the end? Ugh. I’ve got no money, so I guess I’ll have to drink ice Americano instead of Hyang-a coffee. Hey, store owner! One ice Americano over here!” clatter!
Hwang Seong’s resolve is good, but it’s seriously problematic. sigh!
Even in a popularity vote, if the gap between the two grows too wide, the commercial value diminishes. If people think it’s an insurmountable gap, some will give up. thinking!
In fact, those in the Tea and Book Club have been increasingly showing such reactions lately. jitters!
Should I try another method? There’s a way to only show the results of the day and conduct the total voting in a blind vote. ponder!
With this, the gap wouldn’t be properly grasped, so they would still buy it. But how do I deal with the rumor that has already spread about the gap? sweat!
Like a school trip recreational instructor shouting that today’s special set voting scores are doubled. I could proceed with that. But wouldn’t that be too ruthless? sweat drop!
While I was pondering, an unexpected visitor arrived. bang!
“Is this the Tea Bookstore I heard rumors about? It’s quite well decorated.” wow!
An old man led a group to the Tea Bookstore. whoosh!
“Oh? Isn’t that…?” gasp!
“Club Leader! What brings you here?” surprise!
The person visiting the Tea Bookstore was the Club Leader of the Yichang Merchant Association. He was the one who helped during the Tang Family pirate incident. thank you!
“I just dropped by to see your face on my way. A popularity vote, huh? That’s a marketing strategy I never thought of at my age.” chuckle!
The Club Leader glanced at the popularity vote status board and then smiled at me. smile!
“It’s just a little method to gauge the reactions of the readers.” wink!
A marketing strategy, huh? It’s just a supplemental means to assist the beloved courtesan battle of the readers. wink!
“Ho ho! You’re quite the amusing young man. Stirring a commotion here in Yichang with your mouth, hands, and mind.” chuckle!
The Club Leader knows my true identity. gulp!
I had to emphasize that I needed his help! Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to receive help without revealing that I’m Ho Pil. sweat!
“I’m not sure how to repay your high praise.” bow!
I bowed politely to express my gratitude to the Club Leader. He seemed to appreciate it, nodding his head while looking at the popularity vote status board. nod!
“Tsk tsk. How can the Hubei First Courtesan be trailing behind the Sichuan First Courtesan?” confused!
“Haha. I too feel regretful about that.” sigh!
If the gap continues to widen like this, the popularity vote will wither. warning!
As I looked at the status board, the elder said something unexpected. surprise!
“I’ll buy 1,000 sets.” shock!
“What?” eyes wide!
“This kid seems to have poor hearing. I’ll order 1,000 sets of Hyang-a coffee!” gasp!
The elder pointed at the Hyang-a coffee, saying he would end this popularity vote with that determination. determination!
“Wait, you’re from the Hyang-a faction!” realization!
“Ohhhhhhhh! Doesn’t this mean an overwhelming victory instead?” joy!
“Today, the Tea Bookstore hit the jackpot.” champagne pop!
1,000 sets? If I get this, I could finally stop worrying about the voting. Writing the votes for 1,000 sets slowly could make this look like a thrilling race instead. tada!
Moreover, a staggering sales figure of 1,000 sets. At this rate, I could close shop for the day and enjoy a delicious meal with Hwa-rin on a day off. yum!
But. sad!
“I’m sorry, but I have to refuse that order.” decline!
I must not accept this order. I refused the elder’s order with an immediate response. no!
“Why?” confused!
The Club Leader looked puzzled as he asked me. question mark!
“Ho Pil, the author, wants to see multiple responses, not to see the results swayed by one person.” determined!
“I heard there are people ordering multiple sets?” wonder!
“That’s just someone drinking several cups a day or buying for others. Ho Pil doesn’t want the voting to end this way.” clear!
“Ho Pil can do that. But why can’t you, Merchant Kang?” challenge!
The Club Leader was testing me, suggesting that while I could take such a stance as a writer, why I wouldn’t as a merchant. smirk!
“I can do the same.” deflect!
“Why is that?” question!
“This voting promises to gather the public’s opinions. While it may seem like a small marketing strategy, I believe a merchant must not break their trust.” promise!
Honestly, even as I say this, merchants are not supposed to always be truthful and sincere, and should not resort to cheap schemes. wink!
I’m not a wandering barbarian who doesn’t care about reputation. I’m the store owner of the Tea Bookstore. proud!
Although the special set is being sold to check the heroine’s popularity among readers, there’s no need to build an unfavorable reputation for that. no way!
“Many keep their integrity yet fail to make a fortune. Isn’t it a loss to miss such an opportunity?” sigh!
“That’s because they don’t know how to walk the right path.” smirk!
“How can they not know how to walk?” eyebrow raise!
“Big profits smile upon those who walk paths they have never tread with no fear. I’m confident that I can lead the way better than anyone else.” determined!
Having succeeded once, I’ll continue to achieve my second and third successes. Both as Ho Pil and as Kang Yoon-ho, the owner of the Tea Bookstore. victory!
Even if I’m resorting to shallow schemes, I cannot commit an act that will ruin my reputation. no way!
“Hahaha! Truly! You’re a rare young man these days!” applause!
The Club Leader looked at me with pride. smile!
“I feel sorry to refuse your kind intentions.” regret!
“Not at all. I’d be happy to save some money myself. Oh, by the way! I’ll be heading to Wuhan today.” trip!
Suddenly bringing up a travel destination. confused!
“You’re going quite far.” wonder!
“I’m meeting with Jang No-ya from Man Geum Battlefield. I should be able to bring back quite the interesting story.” anticipation!
“Please take good care of the Tea Bookstore’s matter.” wink!
One of the biggest creditors of this Tea Bookstore is Jang No-ya from Man Geum Battlefield. We’re doing well, so please don’t suddenly send a debt collection team! laugh!
“I’ll do just that. And if I can’t drink all 1,000 cups myself, I’ll tell the staff below to drink regularly. That’s fine, right?” chuckle!
“You’re always welcome.” grin!
“Alright, I’m off. Take care!” bye!
“Farewell!” wave!
I called Hwa-rin, who was working hard in the printing room, to send the Club Leader off. Thinking about the sales from those 1,000 sets, my stomach felt a little uneasy. grumbling!
After the Club Leader left, thanks to the overwhelming votes from the staff below, the popularity vote flared up again. whoosh!
“200 votes difference!” cheer!
“Finally, a 100 votes difference!” party!
“Wait! Why did it increase to a 130 votes difference?” confusion!
“Today, it’s an 80 votes difference!” shock!
Thanks to this, it seems I can continue selling the special set until the third volume is released. relief!
——————
“Let’s have a great day of sales today too!” cheer!
With sales continuously soaring, it seems my rising reputation and Hwa-rin’s debt repayment will go smoothly. yes!
The situation at the Tea Bookstore is thriving every day. boom!
“I hope it continues like this.” wish!
I hope no one throws a wet blanket on this atmosphere, and that good days keep repeating. But that thought was short-lived. Was my wish too selfish? gasp!
An unwelcome visitor appeared whom I desperately hoped wouldn’t. groan!
“Who wrote this?” demand!
Holding up The Rise of the Tang Family and asking for the author. sniff!
With distinctly visible purple hair, the same color as Lady Tang’s hair. gasp!
The man standing rigidly before me was from the Sichuan Tang Family. gulp!
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