The encyclopedia project canât be handled right now.
Ye Muyuâs new book, therefore, will focus on silk products to tell a story.
For a story to be appealing, it must be melodramatic.
In the new book "Silk," the main characters are a male and female pair of cousins who, after the familyâs decline and the death of their parents, each inherit a family shop.
But the male cousin believes that, as a man, the female cousin should hand over her shop to him to allow him to expand the business under the pretext of family development.
This female cousin is inherently independent and has a knack for commerce; the familyâs business was left to her by her parents, and she wouldnât willingly give it to her cousin. Besides, sheâs planning to marry and have children with her surname, particularly as sheâs discovered her silk products are becoming outdated and need improvement by incorporating other advantages.
Dedicated to family development, she approaches her male cousin multiple times to explain, but he remains unwilling.
Moreover, this male cousin grows exasperated with her persistence and outright hires thugs to kill her, intending to eliminate her.
Unexpectedly, at a critical moment, the female cousin pulls him down with her, and both end up severely injured.
They narrowly escaped being wiped out by their competitorâs family.
After barely surviving, their souls swap.
The female cousin entered the male cousinâs body, and the male cousin entered the female cousinâs body, exchanging genders.
Following their initial shock, the female cousin starts gradually expanding the familyâs assets, while the male cousin, due to his female identity, faces numerous obstacles and experiences firsthand the hardships of being a woman.
Especially when the female cousin sarcastically repeats the male cousinâs previous remarks like "You, a woman..." during each encounter, making the male cousinâs mood even more stifled.
Not to mention heâs also subject to lessons about female virtues from the familyâs elders.
This novel carries a strong satirical tone; Ye Muyu realizes that attempting to elevate womenâs status wonât necessarily succeed solely by her efforts. The crux lies not in menâs resistance; rather, most women are raised from birth with the education to support husbands and teach children.
What matters most to them is how many children they can bear for their husbands, and when Ye Muyuâs novel is published, it will likely face resistance from many, with only a minority experiencing liberation.
Given this foresight, Ye Muyuâs intention is not merely wishful thinkingâexpecting women to rise solely because of one book.
Instead, she focuses on writing about silk manufacturing and similar topics.
Meanwhile, the Emperor has already arranged for people to go south to collect cotton and build factories.
Ye Muyu, naturally, wonât miss this opportunity to profit and gain fame.
Gaining fame is for self-protection.
Earning money, obviously, is to improve quality of life; no one would complain about having too much money.
Once this novel is released, it might provide job opportunities for some women.
After all, silk products are an area women excel in, unlike the traditional industries in Great Chu, which are predominantly male-focused.
Ultimately, those who are strong can riseâwithout ability, societal norms canât be altered even if perceptions change.
Ye Muyu chooses a gradual approach.
The bookstoreâs business is thriving, and Ye Muyu is now not particularly lacking in money.
Ever since the phonetic books sold like hotcakes in the County City and Prefectural City near the capital, the news spread, and people have proactively approached Yonghe for business discussions.
Steward Luoâs progress has been exceptionally swift; in less than a month, heâs already expanded Yonghe Bookstore to cover half of Great Chuâs territory.