Chapter 1276: Chapter 1274: Return to Jinshan Temple Once More
The sky was slightly bright, and a ready-made clothes shop in Chang’an City opened its doors.
Benefiting from the recent hustle and bustle in Chang’an City, business in the shop improved considerably compared to usual. Many people from foreign nations, after arriving in Chang’an City, always need to acquire a set of clothes that fit the Great Tang style, right?
However, as soon as the shop’s errand boy opened the door, he immediately turned back and rushed inside, urgently shouting, "Shopkeeper! Something’s wrong, something happened!"
"Why panic? Now, my Great Tang is the Heavenly Empire, and Chang’an City is under the Human King’s feet; what major event can occur?" The shopkeeper seemed quite calm as he walked out and said.
"Shopkeeper, you should take a look outside. It’s the Wan’s Cloth Shop opposite us. They, they..." The little errand boy quickly said.
Wan’s Cloth Shop is just opposite our shop. As the saying goes, colleagues are competitors. The six or seven ready-made clothes shops in the vicinity form a certain scale, and many people from Chang’an City prefer to come here to buy new clothes.
Although everyone says it’s a win-win situation, there is competition among each other. Hearing that something seems to have happened at the ready-made clothes shop opposite, the shopkeeper also walked outside.
When the shopkeeper reached the entrance of his shop and looked across the street, his whole person seemed frozen as if he’d been hit by the Immobilization Technique.
Early in the morning, the entrance of his shop was deserted. Other nearby ready-made clothes shops were gradually opening their doors, but the Wan’s Cloth Shop opposite hadn’t even opened yet, and there was already a line formed outside.
A rough count showed at least twenty people, and more importantly, more people were gathering continuously.
"What, what exactly is happening? Why has Wan’s business suddenly become so good? Could it be that they are giving away their silk for free?" The shopkeeper was stunned by the situation opposite and pondered quietly to himself.
Just as this shopkeeper was secretly amazed, Wan’s Cloth Shop finally opened.
The people lined up at the door rushed in like bees.
The staff at Wan’s were busy, and Boss Wan Sanqian watched the bustling scene in his shop, unable to contain his smile.
He didn’t expect that by biting the bullet and spending a thousand silver on an advertisement space, the effect would be so good.
Indeed, following the Emperor’s strategy is never wrong!
"Boss Wan, your business is truly booming! Could it be that your silk is being given away for free today?" A familiar voice rang out not long after, and Wan Sanqian looked over to see the boss from the cloth shop opposite coming over.
"Oh, Boss Shen, what are you talking about? How could I give away silk without any reason? Are we going to starve our whole family?" Wan Sanqian greeted him and, in a good mood, joked with him.
"Not giving away for free? Then why is everyone grabbing your goods as if they don’t have to pay? Have you perhaps fed them Soul-Bewitching Soup?" the shopkeeper laughed, pointing at the lively situation inside the shop.
Although there is competition in private, the shopkeepers of these ready-made clothes shops generally get along on the surface.
"This..." Wan Sanqian knew why the shopkeeper opposite came, and after hearing his inquiry, he hesitated a bit.
However, he had no intention of hiding it and said, "Boss Shen says I’m giving away the silk for free, but it’s not an exaggeration because I’ve already invested a thousand silver into it beforehand, specifically buying an advertisement space at the Mahjong Saint competition!"
It’s not that Wan Sanqian doesn’t want to hide this fact; it’s just that it can’t be hidden at all.
If he didn’t say anything, these customers would be asked a few questions once they went out, and the reason would immediately be revealed.
Given this, he might as well say it proactively to appear open and honest, right?
"Advertisement!? Is the effect really that good?" Hearing Wan Sanqian’s words, this shopkeeper was secretly surprised.
He knew about the advertisement issue, but upon considering actions requiring hundreds or even thousands or tens of thousands of silver for advertisement spaces, the shopkeeper weighed it over carefully and felt the investment was too large and risky, ultimately deciding against it.
Unexpectedly, the effect turned out to be this good?
Moreover, the number of people buying clothes is only so many, and due to the advertisement, Wan’s snatched many customers away, naturally affecting his own and other ready-made clothes shops’ businesses.
If you don’t advertise, you can’t even protect your original business anymore.
...
It’s not just about the ready-made clothes shops; various industries have seen noticeable changes due to advertisements.
After all, for the people of the Great Tang, advertising is still a novelty, so it looks particularly intriguing. Since the prices are about the same, it’s natural to trust something they’ve heard of.
Merchants seeking profit, with the advertisement effect gradually manifesting, naturally, those remaining advertisement spaces immediately became objects of contention.
Later, these advertisement spaces were even auctioned off by relevant officials.
In an instant, a large amount of silver coin flowed into the Ministry of Revenue, causing the officials there to smile with delight.
Regarding the aspect of commercial advertisements, the main attraction was for merchants, but on the other hand, the common people were more concerned about the distribution of audience tickets.
The Emperor had already randomly selected ten thousand common people, gifting these entrance tickets to them, naturally sparking enthusiasm in countless people.
Those who didn’t get tickets were certainly disappointed, but seeing the people around them receive tickets, they all understood that these tickets were indeed distributed randomly and not actually seized by those with power and influence.
After all, the eyes of the populace are bright.
As Jiang Liu anticipated, after receiving entrance tickets, families with slightly better conditions, having at least solved their hunger and warmth, embraced the idea that this was a rare opportunity not to be missed.
But for many impoverished households, they couldn’t resist the high prices offered by others, selling the tickets for money which was considered a windfall.
As the days grew closer to the end of the final two preliminary competitions and the start of the official matches, the price of entrance tickets was being driven up.
Until a wealthy Esquire, unconcerned with money, called out thirty taels of silver to buy a single entrance ticket, the price stabilized at around thirty taels of silver.
Thirty taels of silver, for many common folks, could practically sustain the family’s needs for an entire year!
...
Dong dong dong!
On this day, Jinshan Temple near Chang’an City opened its gates early, as the temple bell rang out, distant and heavy, awakening the small village at the foot of the mountain.
"Host, in recent days, the number of believers coming to the temple to burn incense is noticeably less," Xuanming said as he ate breakfast, addressing the old host Faming.
"It’s because the matter of the Great Tang Cup and the Mahjong Saint competition in Chang’an City is attracting a lot of attention, leaving few people to come and burn incense!" Xuanwu, hearing this, spoke out.
After these words fell, Xuanwu, Xuanming, and Xuankong all directed their gaze at the old host Faming, with an implicit expectation in their eyes.
"Amitabha, toys ruin aspirations; the world is addicted to them. You all must avoid the clamor and peacefully meditate in the pure land of this temple to possibly see the true Buddha..." The old host Faming clearly understood the meaning of his disciples’ looks and, after chanting a Buddhist name, spoke.
This statement rejected the thought of going to Chang’an City to see the excitement, and the three lowered their heads, remaining silent.
"Old host, your words are mistaken!"
However, at this moment, a clear voice echoed, and soon after, dressed in a blue Buddha’s robe, Jiang Liu walked straight into the temple door, sitting down next to the dining table.
"Jiang Liu? You, you’re back?" Watching Jiang Liu come in and sit down, Xuanming’s eyes widened with surprise and joy, shouting in disbelief.
"No, you should address him as Holy Monk Xuanzang!" Xuanwu followed up, correcting with a word.
"You’re both wrong; this is the Sandalwood Merit Buddha! The Buddha has appeared!" Xuankong joined in, standing up as if to kneel in worship before Jiang Liu.
"Senior Brother Xuankong, what are you doing?" Jiang Liu immediately held Xuankong back, saying.
Though he had now achieved Buddhahood and reached the Great Luo Late Stage, high above the rest, he had never forgotten the time when he, as a youth, thought himself devoid of Buddhist destiny and intended to leave the sect and become secular. Senior Brother Xuankong secretly taught him the Arhat Fist from the Buddhist Sect’s martial arts, a kindness Jiang Liu kept in mind.
"Liu’er, why have you returned? Has the Journey to the West for Scriptures been completed?" Faming looked at Jiang Liu with somewhat cloudy eyes, seemingly unperturbed by Jiang Liu’s current cultivation level and identity.
"The Journey to the West is not yet complete; it is estimated to take another three to four years!" Jiang Liu replied upon hearing.
Upon speaking, Jiang Liu paused momentarily and followed up by saying, "Old host, perennial meditation, even if the meditation cushion becomes worn, won’t reveal the true Buddha. Only by experiencing worldly splendor and witnessing the trials of sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy can one truly perceive the Buddha!"
As Jiang Liu’s words fell, Xuanwu, Xuankong, and Xuanming’s eyes all fell upon the old host Faming.
Now that Jiang Liu had returned and pleaded for them, something would likely change, right?
"Amitabha, Liu’er, your words are full of Buddhist wisdom, so let it be as you said!" Faming chanted a Buddhist name, nodded, and said.
"Here are four guest tickets; when the time comes...," as the old host Faming nodded, Jiang Liu brought out four audience entrance tickets.
"Uh, no need, just give them to your three senior brothers. The old monk has already signed up for the Mahjong Saint competition and has been shortlisted..."
Jiang Liu: "..."
Xuanwu, Xuankong, Xuanming: "..."