Xiangye

Chapter 17 Humanoid Cornucopia

"Tuktuk." Someone knocked on the door and pulled it open. Outside was his nephew Yu Shiyuan who was holding a tray.There are steaming steamed buns and millet porridge on the palm tray, as well as a small dish of fermented bean curd.

"Second Uncle, this is breakfast made by my nephew."

Yu Xingyan said Boss Yu angrily: "You are a handsome man, when you cook, you must have bought it outside, but you came to deceive me."

Yu Shiyuan chuckled: "Second Uncle, you are too serious about being a human being. If you have breakfast delivered, you can enjoy it happily. Why do you ask the truth... Hey, why are Second Uncle's eyes full of red threads? Sleep well? Did my nephew find a craftsman to print books overnight, did she bother you?"

While talking, he quickly put the breakfast on the table.

Yu Xingyan: "Shiyuan, it's good if you come back. Uncle likes to be lively. There is no one in this house, and it is deserted."

"You want someone to serve you. I'm afraid that my nephew will stay in the bookstore for a while, and you think I'm an eyesore... Hey, the manuscript of "Journey to the West". Rabbit eyes. If you read the thousands of words manuscript over and over again, you must have already recognized the beauty of it?" Yu Shiyuan was originally a bookworm who loved to read idle books. Yesterday, he saw Gao Wen's " Chapter 1 of Journey to the West is really amazing.Moreover, he has been walking in the circle of booksellers in Xi'an all year round, and he is very familiar with the market.How can I not see the benefits of this book, but also know that this book is absolutely original and has not yet been printed.

If this manuscript is seen by other bookstores, wouldn't they be the first to grab it?

So, making a decisive decision, Yu Shiyuan immediately tore down the manuscript, drove away the audience, and excitedly took the manuscript to see his second uncle.Unexpectedly, the second uncle actually returned the book, and even quarreled with the author, tearing his face.

I have no choice but to ask my second uncle to read it again.At that time, the second uncle was angry, and after reading the manuscript, he still refused to accept it, which made Yu Xingyan very disappointed. He was thinking of another way to persuade this stubborn old man this morning.

Now seeing "Journey to the West" on the desk, and looking at the red eyes of the second uncle, he understands everything.

"What's so good about it, I don't think there's anything good about it?" Yu Xingyan said, "It's just an ordinary story."

"Hehe, yes yes yes, it's just an ordinary story." Yu Shiyuan smiled and said: "Actually, this book is very long, and it is impossible to start with a storm. Writing a story is the same as writing an article. What is important is the beginning, succession, and transition. It can’t be too steep. This kind of book is like an old wine. When you first drink it, you don’t feel any surprises, and you even feel that it’s not strong enough. But you only need to wait for a while, and the flavor will come up like a big river. The tide is coming, wave after wave, and you will be immersed in it, and you can no longer extricate yourself."

"As long as you know books, why don't you write one if you are so capable?"

"Second Uncle, I'm a good reader... no, I'm a good bookseller. But if I'm asked to write, it's like rushing ducks to the shelves. It's said that there is a priority in learning, and there is a specialization in art."

"By the way, your description is also apt, and this book is indeed so... Hey, I am old and my eyes are blurred, so I can't compare to you young people." Boss Yu sighed: "Gao Wen's book is really good, It’s hard to extricate yourself from just one chapter.”

Hearing that the second uncle finally admitted that this is a good book, Yu Shiyuan danced with excitement: "Uncle knows that this is a good book, so hurry up and ask Mr. Gao to bring the following chapters, and we will catch up with work in a few days." , He engraved one or two thousand copies. Haha, based on two taels of silver per copy, that is 4000 taels of silver. After deducting the cost, 3000 taels is still there. No, no, no, no matter what, you have to engrave three or four thousand copies to be worthy Such an excellent work. As soon as this book comes out, you, Second Uncle, will become a rich man in Hancheng."

Hearing what my nephew said, Yu Xingyan, Boss Yu took a breath of air: That's right, why didn't I think of this.As long as such a book is engraved on one page, it will be several thousand taels of net profit. If we open the door to do business, isn't the figure a fortune?As for the rest, it doesn't matter.No matter how hideous Gao Wen looks, as long as he can make money for the old man, he is a cornucopia of activities.

The old man didn't know what evil he had fallen into, but he had a bloody quarrel with the man surnamed Gao, and even drove him away in anger.

……

Thinking of this, Yu Xingyan regretted so much that he wanted to die.

Looking at the nephew who was still baring his teeth and claws in excitement, he didn't get angry, and scolded: "You little bastard, you only know how to mess around outside all day, and you only go out for a month or two. If you knew it earlier, I wouldn't give it to you." It's wages."

Yu Shiyuan: "Second Uncle, why are you talking about me again?"

Yu Xingyan said Boss Yu bitterly: "If you didn't come home, if you could come back one day sooner, I wouldn't be able to offend Gao Wen like that. I'm going to be so angry, I'm going to die!"

"Ah, so that's how it is. It's a big deal. It doesn't matter if you offend Mr. Gao. At worst, let's come to the door and say something nice in person, and then give some more embellishments. Mr. Gao's anger is smooth, and the matter is considered to be over. Anyway, he wrote this novel in exchange for money, not giving it to anyone, he will give it to whoever gives more money, business belongs to business, as for personal grievances, it is nothing in front of money. If it is not convenient for you, second uncle, when the time comes You just need to show up, bow your head and let your nephew do the small things!"

Only then did Yu Xingyan show a smile on his face: "You little bastard, you can give it if you think about it, so that's fine, but..." Thinking of something, he became sad again: "It's a pity that the old man only cared about arguing with Gao Wen yesterday, and only knew His name, as for where his home is, but we don’t know anything, how can we visit him?”

"Second uncle, don't worry, Hancheng is only a little bigger, and there are a few scholars, so you can always visit it.

"That's right, that's a good idea. The old man also learned from the county. He is a well-known teacher. Most of the scholars in Hancheng know each other. If they ask, they will come out." Yu Xingyan, Boss Yu's brain started.

Judging from the current market situation, in the city of Xi'an, a book of 10 to [-] characters costs only four taels of silver to polish the pen.Where is Xi'an, the ancient capital of thirteen dynasties, with a population of several [-], and the market is more prosperous than Hancheng.If it were replaced by Hancheng, a storybook would cost three taels of silver.

Considering that "Journey to the West" is really well written, let's give it five taels of silver!
As Shi Yuan said just now, when the time comes to print three or four thousand copies for him, it may be a profit of tens of thousands of taels of silver.If it sells well, the second and third editions can be printed... When the time comes... My God, how can I count the money, and how should I store it?

Is it possible that those old Xi'er who want to learn from the Shanxi Shanxi Merchants dig a cellar at home, melt the silver, pour it in, and condense it all over the ground, so that even if a thief is caught, it cannot be stolen.

You can also learn from Zhang Jun in the Southern Song Dynasty, casting silver into big round balls.Hey, that's a good idea.

Zhang Junnai was one of the four generals of ZTE in the Southern Song Dynasty, the other three were Yue Fei, Han Shizhong and Liu Guangshi.Zhang Jun was greedy by nature. When he was alive, his family’s silver piled up like a mountain. In order to prevent it from being stolen, Zhang Jun ordered people to cast the silver into a big silver ball of 1000 taels. They can't help it.

It seems that the old man is going to be prosperous, Shi Yuan also said that the old man will be a rich man in Hancheng as soon as this book is published, he is really blind.At that time, I, Yu Xingyan, will be a rich old man even in Xi'an Mansion, even if I start with tens of thousands of taels of silver.Marry him with more than a dozen concubines, build a big house, and buy thousands of acres of fertile land.For every meal of sesame oil pancakes, eat one and throw one away... The old man is old and has no children, so he can inherit Shi Yuan's name so that he can inherit the family business.

There was a layer of rosiness on his face, and his eyes were full of happiness.

In fact, the business of Linlang Pavilion Bookstore has not been good in the past few years, which probably has something to do with my poor book selection.Many of the printed books couldn't be sold, and they piled up a whole room, making people feel depressed.It was only after my nephew came to help me that things got better again.

Now, the God of Wealth Bodhisattva puts a big red book in front of him, how can he let it go.If God doesn't take it, he will be blamed.

He stroked the short beard of his chin mechanically and quickly, intoxicated in the dream of money, and smelled like copper, and he didn't have the refined aura of the county school student at all.

Haha, haha, money, beauties, fertile land, and luxurious houses!
There are all these books, the ancients do not deceive me.

"Second Uncle, Second Uncle, what's wrong with you?"

The nephew's cry woke him up from his dream, and Yu Xingyan coughed and said, "Close the door, pull it up, let's go!"

"Where are you going?" Yu Shiyuan asked.

"Nonsense, of course, let me find out who this Gao Wen is."

Yu Shiyuan: "Second Uncle, this shop is closed, it's our business."

"It doesn't matter if you don't open the door for a day if the business is lingering. If this "Journey to the West" flies away, the loss of this old man will be great."

Since Gao Wen had already decided in his heart that Gao Wen was a scholar, it was easy to find someone.

Anyone who studies like this must go to school, and there will be a teacher.Generally speaking, a gentleman who can enter a private school and teach at least must have the reputation of a scholar.You can't even pass the test of fame, so what qualifications do you have to be a teacher, pass on human ways, and solve people's confusion?

As for juren, they are all called juzi masters, they can be officials, and they are not short of money, so naturally they look down on mere mere Shuxiu.

Hancheng is quite large, but in fact there are only so many scholars, and if it is narrowed down to the circle of scholars, there are even fewer people.Hancheng has a total population of over 2000, and only [-] people can read and write. As for the registered scholars, there are only about [-] people.This shows how precious the number of scholars is, and how difficult it is to obtain fame, especially in areas with underdeveloped culture and education like Shaanxi.

Unlike the large cultural and educational counties in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, it is common for a county to produce thousands of talents.Every year, there are too many scholars who sign up for the provincial examination, and there are not enough places.No, the yamen has to try one more time.Only after being admitted, you are eligible to enter the examination room of the Tribute Academy in the provincial capital.

Among the more than 100 scholars in Hancheng, there are Boss Yu's same year, and there are also classmates from the county school, and they have to go back and forth on weekdays.

But after a busy day, he asked many people, but when it came to Gao Wen, everyone was at a loss and said they didn't know or heard of it.

At the same time, those scholars knew that Boss Yu was the owner of the bookstore, so they actually asked him: "Brother Yu, I heard that there is a new book out now, with a monkey as the main character, and it tells the story of Bao Xuanzang, a monkey traveler, who went west to learn Buddhist scriptures. It is said to be very interesting. I don’t know the title of the book, do you have an engraving? If so, please ask someone to send a copy, so that I can see it first.”

After finishing speaking, he added another sentence, and said with a low smile: "We have read too many Fengyue books in your place, and we are tired of reading them. It is not bad to change the taste, but it can hardly relieve our fatigue."

It's fine for one person to ask this question, but Yu Xingyan became nervous when the tenth classmate, Lao Xiu, asked this question.

Not to mention that Gao Wen couldn't find anyone, if he gave the manuscript to other bookstores, wouldn't this humanoid cornucopia end up in someone else's house?

This is absolutely intolerable.

(End of this chapter)