This incident came suddenly, but Xia Shang also treated it as a major event that must be done.
According to Xia Shang's personality, he should not have made any bets, but after spending many days with Jiangnan, he still regarded this girl as his student in his heart, and wanted to teach her well. Therefore, before that, it was inevitable to take measures to establish authority.
Sai Jiangnan didn't take this matter to heart. She thought that the master was bound to lose. That sister was a famous talent in the whole Jiangnan, one of the "Seven Beauties of Jiangnan". Even the imperial scholars did not dare to compete with her in piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, let alone a young boy who was unknown and without profit?
Jiangnan rolled his eyes and asked with a smile: "Tomorrow's matter is tomorrow's matter. But what do you want to do today?"
Xia Shang smiled: "What do you want to do?"
"Why not copy "Dream of Red Mansions"? I wonder what it is about after the eighth chapter?"
"This..." Xia Shang deliberately dragged out the ending sound, and Sai Jiangnan's eyes almost popped out in anxiety, "It may be a little difficult."
"Ah?" Sai Jiangnan's face changed immediately, "Why is it a little difficult? Didn't we agree before that the student copied it a hundred times, and the teacher told me the content afterwards?"
"Don't be anxious, listen to me." Xia Shang drank a sip of tea slowly, "Although we have rules in place, the current situation is that Mr. Cao didn't tell me the rest of the story!"
"Mr. Cao? Mr. Cao Xueqin who wrote Dream of the Red Chamber?"
"That's right."
"Why didn't you ask about the rest of the story in advance?"
"I've already asked, but he doesn't want to talk anymore. What can I do?"
"Why don't you tell me about it out of the blue? So many people are waiting!"
"What did you say? What do you mean so many people are waiting?"
Sai Jiangnan covered her mouth guiltily and shook her head: "No...nothing. Where is Mr. Cao Xueqin? How about I go with you to invite him?"
Xia Shang Gu Sai Jiangnan was worried: "Oh! This is really difficult to handle. It's useless for you to go, maybe Mr. Cao won't see you at all."
"Why?"
"You still have the nerve to ask me why? Look at what you have done! Yesterday I went to ask Mr. Cao, and Mr. Cao took out a manuscript and questioned me, asking me if I would make a profit from his story. He said that this manuscript would cost fifty taels of silver, and he was very angry, so he refused to tell me the rest of the story."
"Ah?!" Sai Jiangnan was anxious, "What should I do? I don't know what's involved!"
"So... It's not that it can't be solved. Mr. Cao said that now someone is making a profit from his story, The subsequent stories must be told to him only if someone gives him money. "
Sai Jiangnan thought for a while and felt that he had earned so much money. For the sake of the future, it would be okay to give him some silver temporarily: "I wonder how much silver Mr. Cao wants to tell the subsequent chapters?"
Xia Shang showed embarrassment: "Forget it. Mr. Cao's request is a bit too much, and he wants a lot of money."
"Sir, just tell me, any amount is fine."
"Do you really want to pay?"
"Really!"
"Okay. Mr. Cao said that if you want to know what will happen next, please give me 3,500 taels of silver."
"Puff!"
Jiangnan was drinking water, and he immediately spat it out when he heard the price.
"How much?"
"Three thousand five hundred taels."
"Then, then, then... Is Mr. Cao a bandit? Why doesn't he rob so much silver?"
Xia Shang shrugged: "Indeed. I also think it's a bit too much, so let's not ask about the subsequent chapters."
"Wait!" Sai Jiangnan gritted his teeth, "Sir, let me think about it."
Xia Shang didn't say anything else, but wanted to see how much silver this silly student could give him.
Sai Jiangnan racked his brains to weigh the pros and cons. After thinking about it, he felt that he couldn't be bound by petty profits. People say that you have to have a long-term vision when doing things...
But he only made three thousand seven hundred taels in total, and he wanted three thousand five hundred taels in one bite...
Forget it, at least there is still money to be made. One investment, unlimited returns!
"Sir, wait a minute."
After saying that, he went to the boudoir alone.
Back in the boudoir, Xiao Cui just exchanged the cash for silver notes, and was happily thinking about asking the young lady to save 180 taels for her to buy a dowry in the future.
Who knew that the young lady returned to the room and took all the silver notes without saying a word.
Xia Shang never thought that this silly student could really take out 3,500 taels of silver. He had prepared a set of bargaining arguments, but it seemed that they were useless.
When Jiangnan returned to Xia Shang and took out the silver notes, the painful expression on his face was really wonderful, as if he was raped by the man in front of him.
"Sir, after I give you the money, Mr. Cao won't go back on his word, right?"
"Of course."
"No, I still have to meet Mr. Cao in person, hand over the money and the manuscript."
"You are such a cunning girl! Don't worry, Mr. Cao has prepared everything. The manuscripts from now on to the fifteenth chapter are in my hands. If you pay me, I will give you all the manuscripts."
As he said that, Xia Shang took out the manuscripts he had prepared a few days ago from his sleeves and shook them in front of Sai Jiangnan.
Sai Jiangnan's eyes lit up: "Is it really the manuscripts from the ninth to the fifteenth chapters?"
Xia Shang didn't say much, and took out a few pages for her to see.
After reading them, Sai Jiangnan's concerns disappeared and she gave the banknotes to Xia Shang.
Xia Shang also gave all the manuscripts to Sai Jiangnan as promised.
After completing the transaction, Xia Shang happily put the banknote into his arms and said with a smile: "Since we have the manuscript, let's copy the book."
"Sir, I have to go to see that sister today, why don't we stop here today?"
Xia Shang had the same idea, how could he not agree?
The master and the apprentice agreed to the same thing, and soon dispersed today's class, each of them busy with their own things.
After taking the manuscript, Sai Jiangnan found that he had a lot of things to do.
He had to invite Sister Zhixiang to an appointment tomorrow, and he had to quickly ask someone to copy the new manuscript, and the number had to be more than before, so that the loss could be recovered.
After sorting out his thoughts, he was about to go out when he suddenly realized that something was wrong.
He said before that he didn't know the subsequent chapters, but he took out the manuscript immediately after paying the money. Comparing the handwriting carefully, it was exactly the same as the previous handwriting, and it was clearly written by him.
Recalling the previous conversation, I thought about it for a while. It was obviously full of loopholes. Why didn't I hear it at that time? !
"Oh! This damn thief! I was deceived!"
With a cry, the good mood of the day was gone in an instant.
The money has been paid, and it is useless to complain. The only thing I can do now is to sell the manuscript quickly and make more money!
"Damn hooligan! Big liar! Tomorrow! Tomorrow I will make you look good."
At this time, Xia Shang had arrived at home. He closed the door, swaggered and slapped the banknote on the table, and asked arrogantly:
"See? It's not a matter of minutes for me to make money. What is the purpose of the women of our Xia family?"
Qin Huairou and Yazhi were also overjoyed when they saw the banknotes in front of them. They forgot to be shy and responded in unison: "The husband (young master) is responsible for making money to support the family, and we are responsible for being beautiful."