Flowers in full bloom

Hualei stopped worrying about it, thinking that if she couldn't think of anything to drive, she could just rent it out. In seven or eight days, it will be the Moon Worship Festival, which is the Mid-Autumn Festival in the previous life. Nowadays, society attaches great importance to this festival. Before the day comes, many activities are held on the street, such as worshiping the moon, lighting lanterns, guessing riddles, etc.

The noble families also held various chrysanthemum appreciation banquets, golden osmanthus banquets, etc. However, these had little impact on Hualei and her brother. Because they were still in mourning, they could not go out and play as they pleased, let alone go to other noble families' homes, and Hualei did not know them.

However, Zhenzhu received many invitations from young ladies from aristocratic families. Madam Han asked her to take Qingge out for social events. After all, they were almost the same age and they needed to see each other. Madam Pei also took them out many times. This was the most basic social interaction between aristocratic families. Although Zhenzhu didn't want to go, she couldn't resist the advice of Madam Pei and Madam Han, so she hadn't come to Qihuayuan for more than ten days.

On the tenth day of August, the Marquisate also held a Golden Osmanthus Banquet. Madam Han asked Zhenzhu to invite the young ladies of various noble families in the capital to the Marquisate as the legitimate daughter of the Marquisate to appreciate the osmanthus and have an osmanthus banquet. The so-called osmanthus banquet is a variety of food made with osmanthus, such as osmanthus cake, osmanthus wine, and osmanthus cake. It is said that the young ladies invited are basically girls of marriageable age who are of equal status to the Marquisate and have no marriage contract.

Hualei took Xiaoyuan back to Qingyun Lane the evening before the holiday, just like before. As soon as she got off the mule cart, Uncle Fu told her about the news that the North City Printing House had sent over this morning, asking her to go to the printing house as soon as possible to discuss something with her, but he didn't say what it was. He thought Hualei should be back in the evening, so he didn't go to the Marquis' Mansion to look for her.

The next day, Hua Lei took Xiao Qun directly to the North City Printing House. When they arrived at the printing house, the guys had just started working. Manager Liu had just arrived, and the two went to the discussion room together. As soon as Hua Lei sat down at the long table, Manager Liu took out a contract from the locked cabinet behind him and placed it in front of Hua Lei, saying,

"Miss Hua, please take a look. This is a contract for a bookstore that sells books used in the imperial examination. This is the contract that was signed after our boss reported to the higher authorities for approval after you proposed the idea of ​​printing books used in the imperial examination last time. The first batch should be printed after the Moon Worship Festival. By then, we will find one or two bookstores in various districts of Shangjing City to serve as the special sales points for books printed for the imperial examination. Our boss has secured this for Miss Hua because of our friendship with her. If Miss Hua has read the contract and has no problem with it, please sign it. From now on, Huaji Bookstore will be the only special sales point for books printed for the imperial examination in Dongcheng District.

Without this contract, other bookstores cannot sell the books printed for the imperial examinations, because they are worried that the quality of the imitation books will be uneven, which will cause problems with the principles of the books. But Miss Hua, you should also know that because they are books for the imperial examinations, the regulations are very strict. The purchase price and sales price of all the books for the imperial examinations are unified, and the profit is very thin. Moreover, even if imitation books appear outside in the future, the purchase price is lower, Huaji Bookstore cannot purchase them from other places. If this situation is discovered, Miss Hua will be in big trouble, so Miss Hua should pay attention to this."

Hua Lei was very happy when she heard this. Although it was a little different from what she expected, as the only bookstore in Dongcheng District that sold books for the imperial examination, the benefits of this were obvious, because this contract represented official recognition. Huaji Bookstore had only been open for half a year, and getting official recognition was like eating official food. Although the profit was very thin, the volume was large. Hua Lei signed her name on the contract readily.

Then he asked cautiously, "Manager Liu, have the bookstores in Xicheng District been confirmed? If not, can I recommend a bookstore I know?"

"This..." Manager Liu hesitated. "Manager Liu, how about this? I know you are in a difficult situation. Can I tell my friend about this and ask her to come to the bookstore to talk to you in person? You can take the opportunity to test it. If it works, that would be great. If it doesn't, there is nothing we can do. We should follow the rules above and never embarrass your boss, the printing house, or you, okay?"

"That's fine. Have your friend come as soon as possible." Manager Liu nodded. Hua Lei thanked Manager Liu and came out of the printing house. After thinking carefully, she didn't rush back to Qingyun Lane. Instead, she took the freshly-made contract and went straight to the nearest private schools with which she had signed contracts. After showing the contract to the deans of the private schools, she asked them if they would be willing to have Huaji Bookstore and grid copy paper delivered to their doorsteps if they printed books for the imperial examinations in the future.

When the dean heard this, he thought it was a good thing. Since the price was the same, Huaji Bookstore would help deliver the books to the door, which would also be convenient for his private school. So he readily agreed, wrote a supplementary agreement, and both parties signed it. Hua Lei thanked the dean for his trust and went directly to the next private school. Because they had already cooperated, Huaji Bookstore had been very abiding by the contract during this period, and all the private schools that had signed contracts with Hua Lei signed supplementary agreements. In one day, all the private schools in several districts of Shangjing City were settled.

Tell Uncle Fu not to buy buns for the next few days, and go to the private school in the suburbs with Xiaoqun to sign the agreement first. Uncle Fu agreed.

After dinner, Uncle Fu sent Hualei and her brother to the back door at the northeast corner of the mansion. Back at Qihua Courtyard, Qingying told him that the mansion was holding a golden osmanthus banquet today and invited young ladies from aristocratic families to dinner at noon, so the kitchen was too late, so the dinner at Songhe Courtyard was cancelled. Old Madam Pei had already eaten dinner and was walking in the small garden to digest the food.

Hua Lei changed her clothes and took Qing Ying to Song He Yuan to talk to Madam Pei about something. On the way, she met Rong Jin who was coming to Qi Hua Yuan. After hearing Hua Lei say that she had something to do with Madam Pei, Rong Jin also turned back and went to Song He Yuan with Hua Lei. When they arrived at Song He Yuan, Madam Pei had just returned from a walk in the small garden. After Hua Lei greeted her, she took out the contract given by Manager Liu of the printing house from her cloth bag and spread it in front of Madam Pei. Rong Jin also leaned over to take a look. After reading the contract, they were both stunned. Hua Lei did not wait for them to ask in detail, and directly told them the whole story from beginning to end, including the recommendation of Zhenzhu Bookstore.

"You said it was you who proposed that the imperial examination books be printed by the printing house?" Rong Jin screamed. "Don't you know that the court has been arguing about this for several months?" Hua Lei was stunned. She really didn't know this. How could she, a peasant girl, know about what was going on in the court?