Jian Zhaoxing

Chapter 491 Bookstore Conflict
Lin Zhiqing's feelings are very complicated right now.

She increasingly felt that her choice was right, and that she wasn't the only one in the world fighting for women.

At the same time, Wang Shuyi's sobs grew louder:

"Sir, sir! Wake up, sir!"

After a brief shout, there was a burst of crying.

Lin Zhiqing's heart tightened.

Almost there, was it just a little bit?

What if, in the not-too-distant future, she could open up a bookstore in Dasheng that women could enter?
A strong sense of sorrow welled up in Lin Zhiqing's heart for no apparent reason.

As Wang Shuyi's crying gradually subsided, Lin Zhiqing quietly left the courtyard.

Back in the lobby, Lin Yangyang keenly sensed that something was wrong with Lin Zhiqing.

She picked up a book at random and bought it, then left the bookstore with Lin Zhiqing.

"Qing-meimei, what happened? Why do you look so distraught?" Lin Yangyang asked.

Lin Zhiqing pursed her lips and recounted the story of that gentleman.

After listening, Lin Yangyang remained silent for a long time, then let out a heavy sigh.

As Lin Zhiqing slowly moved forward, she heard Lin Yangyang softly say "What a pity."

Lin Zhiqing felt a mix of emotions.

She knew that Lin Yangyang absolutely believed in her and that she could win more opportunities for women to make decisions, which was why she sighed with regret.

This trust weighed heavily on Lin Zhiqing's heart, igniting a fighting spirit even stronger than before.

"Cousin, let's go to the restaurant up ahead and meet up with Wang Shuyi later." She composed herself and cheered up again.

"Okay." Lin Yangyang nodded.

The two walked up to the second floor of a restaurant on the street and stared intently at the bookstore.

Before Wang Shuyi could come out, a commotion suddenly came from downstairs.

"Get up! How dare you stop us? Don't you even open your dog eyes and see what's going on?"

"Hmph, Dasheng's hospitality is truly terrible."

"I'm in a good mood today, so I brought my beloved concubine out to join in the fun. If you won't let her in, are you trying to disrespect me?!"

Upon hearing this voice, Lin Zhiqing narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Hmm, this voice sounds familiar. I feel like I've heard it somewhere before," Lin Yangyang recognized it too.

"A Liang person!" Lin Zhiqing replied simply, then leaned out of the private room window and looked downstairs.

Sure enough, the group of Liang people wearing pointed hats were standing in front of a bookstore, arguing with the bookstore's servant.

The Liang envoy stood at the back of the procession with a glamorous woman, his face showing a hint of impatience.

The servant's face had turned pale with fright, and his voice was trembling:

"Gentlemen, it's not that I don't want you to go in, but the laws of Dasheng stipulate that women are not allowed to enter bookstores."

"Gentlemen, please have mercy on me and don't make things difficult for me!"

"Making things difficult for you?" The leader of the Liang people was quite dissatisfied: "We are not people from Dasheng."

One sentence was enough to silence the servant.

The man from Daliang shoved the servant aside and headed into the bookstore.

The bookstore owner quickly stopped the person:
"Sir, please have mercy! Our small bookstore cannot bear the consequences of breaking the law."

"In that case, sir, please tell me what kind of calligraphy or painting you wish to obtain, and I will have someone find it and deliver it to you. How does that sound?"

"How is it? Nothing at all!" The Liang man was extremely impatient.
"We came here to have an artist paint a portrait of my father. Do you expect us to have it done on the street?"

As he spoke, he tried to force his way in again.

"Bang!" Lin Yangyang slammed her hand on the table: "Outrageous! These people don't even respect the laws of my Great Sheng?" Even if they didn't agree with the law that women couldn't enter bookstores, the people of Great Liang were so aggressive that it was the ordinary people who would suffer.

"Cousin, let's go." Lin Zhiqing called to Lin Yangyang and got up to walk downstairs.

The two quickly left the restaurant and were about to squeeze into the crowd when they heard the voices of the Liang people.

"Women are not allowed to enter bookstores, so why was she allowed in?"

Lin Zhiqing frowned and quickly squeezed into the crowd.

Then she saw Wang Shuyi, who had somehow emerged from the bookstore on the other side, being grabbed by the wrist by a man from Daliang, her face showing great panic.

The Liang man stood his ground: "Do you think I can't see it? This is clearly a young woman."

"If she can go in, but we can't, you're clearly looking down on us, the people of Daliang!"

The sound grew increasingly shrill.

The people from Dasheng didn't know how to refute her, and they all stared at Wang Shuyi.

Wang Shuyi tried her best to cover her face, but she still attracted the attention of the Dasheng envoy.

The Liang envoy narrowed his eyes and gestured for his men to stop arguing.

The scene suddenly became quiet.

The Liang envoy stepped forward and, upon catching sight of Consort Wang's face, narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Whose daughter are you?"

He could tell at a glance that Wang Shuyi had an extraordinary bearing and was no ordinary woman.

Wang Shuyi was both shocked and frightened, but she remained rational and did not answer.

The Liang envoy's gaze deepened, and he grabbed Wang Shuyi's chin, his brows relaxing slightly: "I never imagined that Dasheng would have such a beautiful woman."

“Since you are not going to speak, come back to the Sifang Pavilion with me.”

As he spoke, he waved to the people behind him.

The man behind her chuckled maliciously, his eyes filled with lewdness. He grabbed Wang Shuyi's wrist and pinched her chin to examine her closely.

He looked as if he were examining a product.

The onlookers avoided eye contact, and not a single person dared to step forward to stop them.

Lin Yangyang gritted her teeth: "These bastards, how dare they harass a woman from Dasheng in the street!"

As she spoke, she stepped forward to uphold justice.

"Wait!" Lin Zhiqing grabbed Lin Yangyang's wrist: "Cousin, don't be impulsive!"

"If we rush out now, the Liang people will have something to use against us."

They were dressed as men, and it wouldn't be good for them to cause trouble in public.

Most importantly, Wang Yuan values ​​face and etiquette; if Wang Shuyi's matter gets out, it will be troublesome.

"Let's follow them and find a chance to rescue them." Lin Zhiqing pulled Lin Yangyang aside.

Seeing that the Liang people were leading Wang Shuyi toward the East Market, Lin Zhiqing and Lin Yangyang quickly followed them.

Seeing that there were fewer and fewer people around, Lin Zhiqing said, "Cousin, try to distract those four guards. I'll go find the envoy."

"Qing-mei, you can't handle him." Lin Yangyang disagreed with this arrangement.

Lin Zhiqing shook his head: "You forgot, I still have the jade flute, I won't suffer any losses."

"Hurry up, or we'll come into the government's sights."

Lin Yangyang gritted her teeth: "Okay, I'll come back to you right away."

As she spoke, she picked up a small stone from the ground, leaped into the air, and climbed onto the roof.

As Lin Yangyang's voice faded away, a sharp shout suddenly rang out: "Watch out, there's an ambush!"

Then, a series of disordered footsteps reached the rooftop and faded into the distance.

Lin Zhiqing took a deep breath and slowly stuck his head out to look in the direction of Wang Shuyi and the Liang envoy.