Chapter 19

In the Great Song Dynasty, the prosperity of the commodity economy gave rise to a wide variety of intermediaries. Among them, brokers played a crucial role in the drafting of contracts. To this end, the imperial court enacted specific laws to regulate market order, with the "Brokerage Law" establishing strict standards and oversight for their professional conduct.

As a profession, the primary duty of a broker was to provide intermediary services to both parties of a transaction, facilitating the deal's completion. Brokers often wandered through the streets and alleys, maintaining good relationships with people from all walks of life. This allowed them to gather more information about potential trades, act as matchmakers for buyers and sellers, and help locate suitable trading partners, enabling both sides to finalize transactions in a relatively short time.

More importantly, in the contracts signed during commodity transactions, the broker served as a witness, ensuring the legality and fairness of the deal. This increased transparency and credibility, thereby reducing the occurrence of fraudulent activities. Consequently, people nowadays, regardless of the size of the transaction, would draw up contracts and seek out a broker to act as an intermediary.

"I am Jin Sanwan. I am very grateful for the trust shown by Master Zhu and Young Lady Yang in allowing me to take full charge of drafting this contract."

Broker Jin, true to his name, sported a row of large, yellowish gold teeth. He spoke in a crisp, professional manner. Upon entering the room, he greeted Zhu Xu first, asked for Yang Manniang’s name, and then introduced himself with a beaming smile. Naturally, the introduction was primarily for Yang Manniang’s benefit, as Zhu Xu was already one of his long-time clients.

Broker Jin’s full name was Jin Sanwan, and he was a rather well-known broker in the vicinity of the Imperial Street. He was the third generation to carry on the family business, boasting an excellent reputation and his own brokerage firm, the Jin Family Brokerage, located on Cattle Row Street near the Daxiangguo Temple. This was why Zhu Xu generally turned to him whenever a contract needed to be drawn up at his shop.

Broker Jin produced a contract in triplicate and handed it to the two of them, saying courteously, "This is the draft of the contract I have prepared. Please take a look and see if you have any objections. If you do, I shall revise it."

Yang Manniang nodded, took the contract, and carefully examined its contents. The document stated that she would permanently assign the full copyright of her novel, *The Overbearing Prince Fancies Me*, to Zhu Xu’s *Vermilion Bird Gate Gazette*. As for remuneration, she would be paid forty wen per thousand characters until the novel was completed. During this period, Yang Manniang was required to ensure there would be no unjustified interruptions to the updates and that the story must be finished; otherwise, she would have to pay a penalty of fifty taels of silver. Conversely, if the publishing house breached the contract, they would similarly have to pay Yang Manniang a penalty of fifty taels of silver.

Everything was transparent and fair, with no convoluted or hidden clauses. After a moment of reflection, Yang Manniang nodded. She lacked the leverage to bargain and, being in a weaker position during negotiations, she could not demand too much. After all, even if she had requested more, the other party would not have agreed. However, after some thought, Yang Manniang proposed a small condition:

"All signed contracts shall be limited only to this novel, *The Overbearing Prince Fancies Me*. Whether any future novels I write will be serialized in the *Vermilion Bird Gate Gazette* shall be entirely my own decision."

To this request, Zhu Xu readily agreed: "You are, of course, free to choose the seller for any future novels. If you are worried, Young Lady Yang, we can also write this into the contract."

Even if Yang Manniang had not spoken up, Zhu Xu had no intention of purchasing her future works. After all, that was a question to consider only if a novel became successful enough to cause a surge in paper prices—a status he did not believe *The Overbearing Prince Fancies Me* possessed.

"Very well, then let us write it in. I have no other objections."

Following Yang Manniang’s request, Broker Jin refined the contract once more. Yang Manniang nodded and wrote her name with a brush. Dipping her finger into the vermilion paste in the box, she pressed her thumbprint onto all three copies of the contract. Broker Jin and the proprietor, Zhu Xu, followed suit, pressing their prints and signing their names.

With that, the contract was concluded. Broker Jin left first, taking the third copy of the contract to the local government office for filing.

Yang Manniang received her copy of the contract, along with the first installment of her payment. At forty wen per thousand characters for twenty thousand characters, it came to exactly eight hundred wen. This sum was fifty wen more than her three-month salary working at the Fan Tower.

"Congratulations, Young Lady Yang. You truly show that women are no less capable than men!" Looking at the young lady before him, dressed in a worn sheepskin coat and maintaining such a calm demeanor, Zhu Xu could not help but exclaim. He truly had not expected that he would one day be signing a contract and cooperating with such a young girl.

"I hope you will keep your word, Young Lady, and keep the secret of the advertisement until I have placed it in my newspaper," Zhu Xu urged before Yang Manniang left, looking somewhat uneasy.

"That goes without saying, Master Zhu, rest assured. While I may not be a noble gentleman, since I have signed the contract, I will naturally keep my promise," Yang Manniang replied with a nod.

Clutching the eight hundred wen—a small fortune—to her chest, she left the *Vermilion Bird Gate Gazette* office feeling deeply satisfied. It was now the first quarter of the You hour, which, by modern standards, was around five o'clock in the afternoon. Yang Manniang hummed a tune, feeling in high spirits as she walked down the South Street of the Pan Tower.

Looking at the dazzling array of shops on both sides, she couldn't help but touch the eight hundred wen threaded together in her pocket, her heart blooming with joy. The feeling of having money was truly wonderful!

Since she had earned money, she naturally couldn't go home on an empty stomach. Having risen at five in the morning, it had been nearly eleven hours since she last ate properly. When Yang Manniang had gone to the *Vermilion Bird Gate Gazette* earlier, she had been hungry and had merely eaten a baked potato brought from home. That little bit of food had long since been digested, and her stomach was now growling.

She spent ten wen at a small eatery on the nearby Cattle Row Street called "Granny Su’s Meat Pies" to buy two freshly baked mutton and scallion pies. Being close to the Imperial Street and the South Street of the Pan Tower, the rent here was not cheap; if business were poor, the shop could not survive. Therefore, anyone who could open a shop here to sell snacks had genuine skill, and neither the taste nor the hygiene could be faulted. In a sense, this was a form of "strict selection."

The mutton and scallion pie, as the name suggests, was made with flour, scallions, and mutton. The crust was golden and glistening with oil, fragrant and slightly spicy. The dough was thin and crisp, with a crunchy exterior and a tender, juicy interior, overflowing with the aroma of scallions. Taking a bite, it was absolutely delicious! The freshness of the mutton and the rich aroma of the scallions blended together, leaving a lingering, wonderful aftertaste.

Yang Manniang could not help but sigh with contentment. Since arriving in the Great Song, aside from a small dish of tofu stewed with meat she had eaten during the staff meal at the Fan Tower, this was finally the second time she had tasted meat. Why was this meat so delicious?

Yang Manniang devoured one of the mutton and scallion pies, finally satisfying the craving that had been building up ever since she had transmigrated. Of course, having earned money, she did not forget the promise she had made to her younger brother and sister at home. After all, her opportunity for success would not have been possible without the support of her second brother, Yang Shilin, and her third sister, Yang Pannian.

Yang Manniang was not stingy; she spent another twenty wen to buy four more mutton and scallion pies to take home, asking the owner to wrap them up for her.