Ten days later, in the west city of Chang'an, Zuo's tomb was visited.
Two women wearing curtains and hats walked into the fourth door.
Among them, a slightly younger woman found a large and noisy group of people gathered in the tomb ceremony hall. She was startled and said, "How can there be so many people?"
Another older woman looked inside and saw that among the group of people, there were elegant scholars in green robes and belts, as well as a young lady from a wealthy family with gold hairpins and fine clothes.
A group of people crowded in front of the counter, rushing to say something to the store, as if they were asking for some books.
The older woman said to the maid next to her: "Go to the shop and tell me that the Xiao family's wife is here."
The maid nodded, pushed her way through the crowd, and finally made her way to the front of the counter, where she spoke a few words to the store owner.
After a while, the maid came back and said to the older woman: "The store invites the two ladies to go to the back room to talk."
The two women looked at each other, bypassed the crowd, walked through the back hall, and arrived at the back room where the classics were stored.
After waiting for a stick of incense, a polite middle-aged man in his late forties, sweating profusely and panting, walked into the door.
I saw him walking over in embarrassment, holding his hands towards the two women and saying, "Ms. Xiao, Mrs. Xiao, I'm sorry to keep you waiting for so long."
The young woman known as Mrs. Xiao looked the store up and down and asked, "Why are there so many people in your store today?"
The shopkeeper smiled bitterly and said: "Those people all come here for the story."
The shopkeeper then said: "You two, wait here a moment. We have got the book you were looking for earlier. I will go get it right now."
After saying that, the store owner turned around and entered the warehouse.
After a while, the middle-aged man came out with a thick book and said: "Please take a look at Sima Changqing's collection of poems."
Mrs. Xiao took the book, flipped through a few pages, nodded and said, "This is a large collection of poems. Some of them are hard to find, but the shopkeeper has troubled himself."
The shop owner smiled and said, "Ms. Xiao, you're very polite. We take care of Mr. Xiao on weekdays. If you two ladies have something to do, you should do your best."
Mrs. Xiao turned around and told her maidservant to take out the copper coins used to buy books.
Mrs. Xiao couldn't help but asked: "What kind of storybooks did those people in the store buy?"
The shopkeeper looked at her and asked: "You two ladies don't know yet? In recent days, there is a storybook called "The Romance of the West Chamber" in the tomb book store in Fangli, Chang'an City, and there are many buyers."
"I heard that the engraving list has been scheduled for after March."
Mrs. Xiao blinked her eyes, looked at Mrs. Xiao and asked, "Sister, have you heard of The West Chamber?"
The latter recalled it carefully for a while and finally shook his head.
Madam Xiao turned around and asked the shopkeeper: "Do you still have that storybook in the shop? I want to buy one."
The store owner shook his head and said, "It's been sold out a long time ago."
"The Romance of the West Chamber is a Newspeak version with many authors and not very famous people. I heard that when it was first printed, less than three hundred copies were published."
"In my store, I only got thirty copies because of favors."
"How could I put it in a store, but in just half a day, it was all sold out."
Hearing this, Mrs. Xiao was even more curious and said repeatedly: "Does the store owner know the author? Or is it a carving workshop?"
"If I have some extra copper coins, I can just buy one."
The store owner said helplessly: "I really can't buy it in Fangzhong, Chang'an."
"Someone who did something good even produced a copy of The West Chamber. As soon as each copy was copied, people bought it. Now it is even more expensive and has no market."
Mrs. Xiao smacked her tongue after hearing this and said, "Are those words really that good?"
The shopkeeper looked out the door and whispered to Mrs. Xiao: "To be honest, I also saw it. It's really fascinating."
Mrs. Xiao looked at the shop owner, smiled slightly, and said, "The shop owner is a book lover. After looking at such a good story book, I am afraid he left one behind, right?"
The shopkeeper was stunned when he heard this, and said bravely: "There is indeed another copy here."
Mrs. Xiao stretched out her hand and said urgently: "Hurry up and take it out, let me and my sister take a look."
Mrs. Xiao said kindly: "Don't worry, owner, we are just observing and will not tell others."
The shopkeeper thought for a while and said, "You two, wait a moment."
After saying that, the store owner turned around and left again.
When he came back, the shopkeeper took a book wrapped in silk and placed it on the desk in the back room.
Seeing the shopkeeper opening the layers of silk fabrics, Mrs. Xiao couldn't help but feel itchy and kept urging her to hurry up.
Under the silk cloth, a book with a slight fragrance of ink appeared in front of the two girls.
Mrs. Xiao gently read the title on the cover: "The Romance of the West Chamber."
Mrs. Xiao couldn't wait to open the book, starting from the first page, and read as she read: "The sorrow of spring makes the horse's hooves busy, the wind and clouds have failed, the book and sword are floating in all directions, and the Yellow River is unknowingly..."
It only took the two girls more than half an hour to read this thin book, The West Chamber.
When Mrs. Xiao raised her head again, her face was filled with happiness: "The writing is really good."
Mrs. Xiao: "It's indeed very good."
Mrs. Xiao: "I like Cui Yingying the most. She dares to love, hate and is unswerving."
Mrs. Xiao sighed softly: "Cui Yingying exists in the world, but Zhang Sheng is hard to find."
Madam Xiao looked at the last page again and asked: "Why is this story book gone after the seventh fold? I always feel that there should be more at the end."
Mrs. Xiao turned around and said to the maid: "Please ask the shopkeeper to come again."
After the maid left, not long after, the shopkeeper walked in.
The latter looked at the two girls and asked with a smile: "How is it? This novel of the West Chamber deserves to be described as exquisite and fascinating, right?"
Mrs. Xiao nodded and said: "What the store said is true. No matter the poems, lyrics, melody or plot of The West Chamber, it is a masterpiece that has never been seen before. No wonder so many people are rushing to buy it."
Mrs. Xiao asked impatiently: "Seller, this book only has the first 30% off. Is it possible that you have hidden the pages at the back?"
The store owner quickly waved his hand and said, "Second Lady, you made a mistake. I heard that there are three volumes of this book. Only the first volume has been printed. The last two volumes must still be engraving, right?"
When Mrs. Xiao heard this, she stamped her feet anxiously: "Which engraving company? Tell me!"
The shopkeeper said helplessly: "Second Lady, you are not the only one who wants to find that engraving."
"I heard that many people in Chang'an City have blocked the engraving workshop and are urging them to print the complete volume of The Romance of the West Chamber."
Madam Xiao wanted to say something more, but she heard Madam Xiao beside her say: "Stop making trouble for now, look here."
Mrs. Xiao looked over as she was told and saw the name of the author written on the title page of the storybook of The West Chamber.
On the names of the six chief writers, there was a strange post named "Recorder".
After seeing the name of the recorder, Mrs. Xiao opened her eyes wide and asked in disbelief: "Zhou Hengcai?"
Mrs. Xiao frowned and said nothing.
Mrs. Xiao thought for a long time before she said, "Sister, maybe you have the same name?"
