As soon as Lin Zezu stepped into Songshan Bookstore, Manager Wang, who had been dozing off behind the counter, was startled awake by the commotion. He rubbed his small eyes and immediately beamed with a smile.
"Young Master Lin, what can I do for you today?"
It was a wonder that Manager Wang still remembered him.
"Manager Wang, I'm just browsing. I'll let you know if I need anything."
"No trouble at all, no trouble! Please, go right ahead!"
Lin Zezu glanced at the books spread across the book table; they were all elementary primers, which failed to hold his interest, so he headed straight for the bookshelves opposite.
The shelves were stocked mostly with hand-copied manuscripts of the Four Books and Five Classics. There were virtually no printed or annotated rare editions to be found.
Lin Zezu searched carefully, not missing a single volume, but the result left him disappointed.
Not a single book on law or history was in sight. He only managed to find a travelogue titled *Wandering Notes* and signed with the pen name Xiaoyao, which was essentially a modern backpacker's diary recording sights and experiences along the journey.
There was also a popular fiction piece called *Zhou Sheng and Niangniang*. Lin Zezu opened it, flipped through two pages, and couldn't read any further.
It was the same old cliché of scholars and beauties, and written in Classical Chinese to boot.
Popular fiction was meant for light entertainment—didn't the readers find it exhausting to read in Classical Chinese?
By this time, Manager Wang had walked over to Lin Zezu's side.
"Is Young Master Lin interested in popular fiction? This is a masterpiece by Master Fusheng."
"It sells exceptionally well both here in Linjiang County and in Huainan Prefecture. This is the third batch my Songshan Bookstore has brought in, and this is the very last copy left."
Lin Zezu didn't have the heart to let Manager Wang's pitch fall flat, especially since he would soon need Manager Wang's help finding books on the history and laws of the State of Wu.
"How much is this novel?"
"Young Master Lin, it's not expensive at all, only one tael of silver."
Lin Zezu inwardly scoffed at the idea that this wasn't expensive, but his expression remained unchanged as he picked up the travelogue instead.
"How about this one? It's much cheaper, only three hundred cash."
"Then I'll take it. Sorry to trouble you, Manager Wang."
"By the way, Manager Wang, do you have any books on the history or legal codes of the State of Wu?"
Manager Wang's face stiffened for a second before he quickly resumed his beaming smile.
"You jest, Young Master. Histories and legal codes of the State of Wu are only available for purchase in the Prefecture City."
"Let alone our humble Songshan Town, even Linjiang County doesn't stock them."
"Then can I place an order through you?" Lin Zezu pressed on, unwilling to give up.
"It's not that I'm unwilling to help, Young Master Lin. Our main branch in the Prefecture City does have them, but... it's just that... well... these books are terribly expensive."
"How many taels of silver would it take?"
"If we were to collect a complete set, it would easily cost over three hundred taels of silver."
"Ah, that expensive?!"
Startled by Manager Wang's quote, Lin Zezu cupped his hands in a polite bow.
"Pardon my ignorance, Manager Wang!"
"You're too kind, Young Master Lin! Your dedication to your studies commands my utmost respect."
"Your copy of *Wandering Notes* has been wrapped up, Young Master Lin. That will be a modest three hundred cash."
Lin Zezu pulled the copper coins from the money pouch Fugui had given him and settled the bill.
"If you truly need historical records and legal codes, Young Master, you could collect them one book at a time."
"When I return to the main branch in the Prefecture City next time, I can bring them back for you. Our main branch is called Jianxian Bookstore."
"Whether in Linjiang County or the Prefecture City, our reputation is well known, and our prices are absolutely fair."
"Many thanks for the guidance, Manager Wang. I was only acting on a whim just now; if the need arises, I shall trouble you again."
Thinking to himself that he only had a little over fifty taels of silver left in his pocket, Lin Zezu decided he had better secure his daily bread first. It seemed that making money needed to be put on the agenda immediately.
Yet for the moment, he couldn't sort out a clear path. He had worried about money in his past life, and here he was doing the exact same thing in this one!
He looked up at the sky and half wished a bolt of lightning would strike him and send him right back.
The blue sky was so pure!
Lin Zezu stepped out of Songshan Bookstore and strolled at a leisurely pace toward Hu's Grain Shop diagonally across the street.
"Young Master! Young Master, please hold on!"
There was practically no one else on the street right now. Lin Zezu turned around and saw a young beggar of about ten years old following closely behind him.
Calling him a little beggar wasn't entirely accurate. His clothes were ragged and somewhat dirty, and his hair was unkempt, matted into dirty locks. It was hard to tell when he had last taken a bath, though his face was relatively clean, with a pair of bright, piercing eyes.
"Little brother, were you calling me just now?" Lin Zezu asked uncertainly.
"Yes, Young Master. I saw you come out of the bookstore. I have a book here—would you like to buy it?"
The young beggar spoke quickly and timidly, then clamped his mouth shut, his eyes filled with hope.
Lin Zezu looked the boy up and down, guessing that he had probably stumbled upon a book accidentally dropped by some scholar.
However, with his mind currently occupied with inquiring about grain prices at Hu's Grain Shop, he had neither the time nor the inclination to humor a young beggar.
Lin Zezu pulled three copper coins from his money pouch and held them out.
"Little brother, if you're hungry, take these and buy a few steamed buns to eat."
"I'm not begging! I'm not a beggar! I don't want your money!"
As if touched by an electric shock, the young beggar recoiled two steps. Looking stubbornly aggrieved, he pulled a blue cloth bundle from his chest and began untying it as he spoke.
"This is a book written by my father."
With that, the boy flicked open the cloth bundle with a few quick motions, took out a book, and handed it to Lin Zezu.
Lin Zezu took the book from the young beggar. The first thing that caught his eye were three large regular-script characters: *Atlas of Geography*.
Lin Zezu was startled. In ancient times, privately drawing maps was a capital offense; in severe cases, even execution of the nine familial exterminations would not be going too far.
He opened the pages. They were indeed hand-drawn maps. Although they couldn't compare to modern maps and the hand-drawing was somewhat crude, upon closer inspection, he confirmed that this was a commercial trade route map.
The cartographer had added mountains, rivers, and topography to the trade route map, enlarged the scale using prefectures and counties as units, and made the place names even more detailed.
Seeing this, the rock in Lin Zezu's chest slowly settled. Even so, it still violated official taboos, so he asked with an impassive expression, "Little brother, why didn't you sell this to a bookstore?"
"Young Master... Young Master, I didn't dare go to a bookstore..."
By the end of his sentence, the young beggar looked like a deflated ball, but he quickly raised his head again and said in a firm voice, "My father said this book is priceless."
"Then where is your father?"
"Gone! Last year when we were crossing the river, he fell off the boat and drowned!"
For a moment, Lin Zezu couldn't tell whether the young beggar was telling the truth.
"Little brother, I can buy this book if the price is right. But I want the complete set—there should be a second volume. Where is the lower volume? Can you sell that to me as well?"
"Thank you, Young Master."
"Don't thank me yet, little brother. Answer my question first."
"Young Master, do you think you could give me three taels of silver?" The young beggar asked uncertainly, yet brimming with hope.
"Very well. And where is that lower volume?"
"Oh, oh... It's at the temple, right there in the dilapidated temple to the south. Young Master, please come with me, and I'll get it for you."