After tidying up and dressing himself, Lin Wanrong, accompanied by Old Master Dong, carried dozens of small booklets and arrived at the examination site to observe the situation. Lin Wanrong, in his vanity, gave this endeavor a grand name, calling it "exploratory marketing." Of course, he had to spend some effort explaining the concept of marketing to the eager-to-learn Qiaoqiao.
Today was the last day for the Xiao family's servants to sign up, and tomorrow marked the official start of the examination. Therefore, talents from all corners, literate or not, flocked to the scene. Not only were there locals from Jinling, but also talents from Hangzhou, Suzhou, Yangzhou, Zhenjiang, and other places. The registration site was surrounded inside and out, making it nearly impassable.
Similar to the scene from yesterday, prospective servants and scholars formed two separate queues, each registering on their own, clear and distinct. The order here was relatively good, with no instances of chaotic cutting in line, probably because everyone present was a civilized individual.
Having attracted so many talents, the charm of Miss Xiao from the Xiao family was extraordinary. However, what was even more alluring should be the massive industry behind her.
The Xiao family must have been aware of the influx of so many talents, but they neither supported nor opposed it. It was unclear what they were up to – were they after talents or servants, or perhaps both?
However, the more attention the Xiao family drew, the more Lin Wanrong liked it. Anyway, he was here to take advantage of the chaos and make a fortune.
Lin Wanrong's target was these charming scholars. Seeing them dressed neatly and with great demeanor, he felt that the pricing of five taels of silver for his booklets was too low.
As for those prospective servants, brothers, it's not that I look down on you, but this is the reality of society. If you want to pursue romance, you first need to earn more money.
Lin Wanrong found a fair-skinned scholar and approached him, whispering, "Brother, would you like a good book?"
Lin Wanrong took out the small booklets from his embrace and swiftly waved one in front of him, allowing him to see the beautiful face of Miss Xiao on the cover. He then swiftly stashed it back into his embrace.
Sure enough, the fair-faced scholar's eyes lit up, and with caution, he glanced around before lowering his head to Lin Wanrong, saying, "Brother, do you have a colored version?"
Colored version? Lin Wanrong was momentarily stunned, and then he understood. This guy mistook him for someone selling inappropriate content.
Lin Wanrong immediately became furious. How could he, with his handsome and graceful appearance, be mistaken for selling such things? Although he did have quite a collection of playboy magazines and the like, it wasn't his primary means of livelihood. This fair-faced guy clearly had some issue with his judgment, and it seemed he wasn't a good character.
But truth be told, what Lin Wanrong had in his embrace did look a lot like those colleagues selling DVDs at Zhongguancun Computer Market.
Lin Wanrong was truly frustrated. He just wanted to give this fair-faced guy a punch, but thinking of Old Master Dong watching him from a distance, learning how to market, he had to launch the first strike no matter what.
Lin Wanrong gritted his teeth and said, "Brother, let's discuss those things privately. We not only have colored treasures from the palace circulating, but also imported versions from the Kingdom of Japan – treasures that span generations, involving fathers and daughters, mothers and sons. The postures, the expressions, tsk tsk, I guarantee you've never seen anything like it."
The fair-faced scholar immediately blushed, his hands rubbing together. The gleam in his eyes, or rather, his lack of subtlety, made it clear that he was indeed a lascivious individual.
"However, the most important thing now is that I want to solemnly recommend to you this rare edition that circulated internally within the Xiao family. Please have a look—"
Lin Wanrong once again took out the small booklet, and the image of Miss Xiao on the cover immediately caught the attention of the fair-faced pervert. "This is—" he exclaimed with excitement, but immediately covered his mouth, the surprise in his eyes visible even to a blind person.
"Yes, this is Miss Xiao. This is a rare edition obtained at a high price by a junior servant in our household. Look at this portrait, how exquisite. I can responsibly tell you that this is the first time Miss Xiao's portrait has been revealed. You are the first person, apart from me, to see this portrait. Take a look at the content inside; it's absolutely genuine, with no deception. Today, our fates align, brother. I'm in urgent need of money, and I'm willing to transfer this treasure to you at the lowest price."
Seeing the glint in this guy's eyes, Lin Wanrong knew he had a chance. He quickly seized the opportunity and said, "Look at this portrait, so delicate. I can assure you that this is Miss Xiao's first portrait to be revealed. You are the first person, aside from myself, to see this portrait. Now, take a look at the content inside – it's absolutely authentic, with no deception. Today, our destinies have converged, my friend. I'm in urgent need of funds, and I'm willing to sell this treasure to you at the lowest price."
The fair-faced scholar only asked, "How much?"
"Ten taels of silver, and I can't go any lower." Lin Wanrong, seeing that the bait had been taken, felt confident. Besides, this guy had annoyed him earlier, so he decided to double the price.
Not as much shock as expected; this guy just furrowed his brows and said, "It's a bit expensive. Can you lower the price a bit more?"
Lin Wanrong was overjoyed. Indeed, it was a rare find. He had Lin Wanrong in his pocket. Lin Wanrong shook his head firmly and said, "My friend, this is a good thing circulated within the Xiao family. It's priceless, and I paid a hefty sum for it. Ten taels of silver is already the lowest price, and you know, once this thing is sold to someone else, everyone will be scrambling for it."
The guy's face showed some hesitation, and Lin Wanrong pretended to be helpless, not speaking further and turning to leave.
"Wait, my friend, please stay." Dressed as a scholar, Qiaoqiao, who had been observing Lin Wanrong for a long time, called out to him, eyes gleaming at the small booklet in his hands. Clearly, she was also a discerning individual.
The fair-faced scholar, unaware that this was a trap, panicked and hurriedly caught up with Lin Wanrong, saying, "I was here first. I was here first, my friend. I want that booklet of yours. Here's ten taels of silver; please take it."
Lin Wanrong and Qiaoqiao exchanged a glance, both full of smiles. Lin Wanrong accepted the ten taels of silver, and Qiaoqiao secretly gave him a thumbs up.
Regretfully, Qiaoqiao left, and a chubby scholar who had been
observing Lin Wanrong and the fair-faced guy for a long time hurriedly caught up with him. "Brother, may I ask what good thing you just gave to Brother Li?"
Lin Wanrong was puzzled. "Who are you—"
The chubby scholar quickly said, "I'm good friends with Brother Li—"
Lin Wanrong suddenly understood. These two guys were classmates, and now, for Miss Xiao, they had become competitors, surely not wanting the other to outshine them.
Lin Wanrong relayed the conversation he had with the fair-faced scholar, and naturally, the chubby scholar became interested. However, this guy was quite ruthless in bargaining. Lin Wanrong quoted ten taels of silver, and he directly cut it to five.
Lin Wanrong, without any intention to negotiate with him, just turned around and left.
Sure enough, the guy hastily stopped Lin Wanrong. "Brother—"
And thus, a deal was made for ten taels.
Seeing that several other scholars had noticed the commotion, Lin Wanrong was secretly delighted. He ran to Old Master Dong, wiped off some sweat, and said, "***, I underestimated the market's purchasing power. Uncle Dong, let's raise the price – ten taels of silver per piece."