Chapter 28

Regarding the book "The Dragon and Tiger Battle in the Capital," there was once a discussion when it was first serialized in "The Great Wulin." Even today, all the readers present are fans of Yishui An and Han Shuo, but a small portion of them have come into contact with this novel. In an era when traditional martial arts stories are gradually fading away, the appearance of such a story indeed brought a fresh perspective to many people.

"The readers and media friends present should not be hearing the title of this book for the first time. When this novel was first serialized in 'The Great Wulin,' it was hailed by critics as the 'beginning of the new school of martial arts.' You can find more details online, but I want to responsibly say that if you are a martial arts enthusiast, if you have a dream about the world of martial arts, or if you are a reader, pay attention to this book and its author."

Lu Yichou paused technically, then continued in an encouraging tone: "I am not exaggerating or boasting, because you will soon be able to verify my words through harsh reality. At that time, you will understand that I am recommending a genius author to you today, one who conquers readers with his skills rather than his abs."

The very direct sarcasm quickly aroused the sensitive nerves of the journalists present. After a burst of laughter, Lu Yichou continued: "I believe everyone understands a principle: as authors, our survival always depends on our works!"

"Mr. Lu, is the author of 'The Dragon and Tiger Battle in the Capital' present today?"

The journalists on the scene were not interested in the work or the 'new school of martial arts.' They needed news, they needed scoops.

Lu Yichou smiled appropriately and shook his head, saying: "He is not here because he feels he is still young. Of course, the most important reason is that he is very busy. The Children's Day special issue of 'The Great Wulin' will feature a serialized new martial arts novel by him." Lu Yichou looked around the audience with a moved expression and added: "I have read a few chapters of the manuscript. I will only provide you with eight words: 'A grand feast, no comment yet.' You can read it yourself. Don't worry about my intentions, because after 'Qianhong,' 'The Great Wulin' will no longer be sold in sealed packages. You can freely browse this novel in bookstores, just remember the name 'Guxiongsheng.'"

Lu Yichou's flawless response showcased his literary businessman side to the fullest. He skillfully avoided the pursuit of why Guxiongsheng was not present, subtly advertised Guxiongsheng and his Children's Day serialized "Seven Swords," and the promise of no sealed packages was a natural businessman's adventurous psychology and absolute trust in Guxiongsheng.

At this time, Guxiongsheng, who was "still young" and "very busy," was sitting in front of his computer, watching the press conference live. After receiving Tang Nan's invitation, he refused without hesitation. He had no special reason for this, just an instinctive unwillingness to be exposed to the public.

Of course, achieving this required some persuasion. The cunning Lu Yichou assigned the task to Tang Nan, forcing him to persuade Guxiongsheng as the company's top leader. He knew that if Guxiongsheng refused, there would be no better way to change his mind, and by making Tang Nan do it, he subtly considered the factor of Mi Hu.

This could not be hidden from Guxiongsheng, who had read countless books and had the souls of two lifetimes in his body. So he bypassed Tang Nan and directly found Lu Yichou, explaining his wishes. He didn't need to threaten strongly; a simple "I will not go, no matter what" was enough. Lu Yichou, a shrewd person, knew that when dealing with smart people, the simpler the better.

So the process was very simple. Liu Jingtong, holding his mother's authorization letter and a bank card his father had left in a drawer, came to Qianhong's headquarters alone. After meeting Lu Yichou, he first expressed his wish and determination not to attend the press conference, then signed the contract and received the money.

In fact, the day after they parted ways at Keji Jicheng, Lu Yichou had called Liu Jingtong to sign the contract first. As a veteran publisher, this was a rare move. However, Liu Jingtong still appeared at the agreed time, not to show off, but to convey a message to Lu Yichou: he would always keep his word.

Building trust is the foundation of all cooperation.

After reluctantly compromising, Lu Yichou had to make some minor adjustments to the press conference, removing the "young genius author Guxiongsheng's grand entrance."

There was another issue: although Liu Jingtong had his mother's authorization letter, as a minor who lacked full legal capacity, signing the contract was a challenge.

"You should know that signing a contract with you is invalid," Lu Yichou said frankly.

Liu Jingtong smiled: "You should be able to see that I have the cognitive ability for this, and our cooperation is based on mutual trust. Society needs a spirit of contract, but there are always exceptions. Conversely, you have probably seen many cases where people signed contracts but did not cooperate later."

Lu Yichou pondered for a moment and then decisively signed the contract with Liu Jingtong. Liu Jingtong was right; if it were just about the contract, Han Shuo would have been poached by other publishers many times. Even Yishui An, who always took days to read contracts, was not entirely bound by them. If they wanted to breach the contract, there would be people willing to pay the penalty.

Moreover, this seemingly mature young boy was hard to doubt.

In the end, Guxiongsheng did not attend the press conference, but he signed a contract with Qianhong and became worth over 500,000 yuan!

...

The Qianhong Culture press conference lasted about two hours, and the company very humanely left half an hour for fans to interact with their idols, taking photos and getting signatures...

Liu Jingtong turned off the video, rubbed his temples, and the ding ding ding sound rang out. Mi Hu's raccoon head icon was bouncing happily.

"You spent so long, and you didn't even show up?"

"Given what you know about me, there shouldn't have been any surprises."

"I guessed you might not go... But Yishui An went, and Lu Yichou couldn't persuade you, which was a bit surprising. By the way, the contract..."

"It's already signed. I was just about to tell you. I'll treat you to dinner this weekend, and I still owe you an Apple."

"Why do you sound like a nouveau riche? (smiley face) A dinner is fine, the Apple can be skipped."

"Don't be so formal with me. It's my first time being so rich. Give me a chance to show off in front of a beautiful girl. And don't forget, you're still my girlfriend."

"Cut it out. But Lu Yichou's talent for signing people is indeed a marvel in the industry. He's famous for being steady, accurate, and ruthless. He signed Han Shuo and Yishui An for two million each, causing a huge stir in the publishing world."

"Courage and vision are the two essential qualities of an excellent businessman."

"(Left humph right humph) Yeah, without vision, how would he have discovered you, this oddity? By the way, what do you think of Han Shuo's magazine name?"

"It's good, but I think Mingyueguang is also nice."

"Can you use it for your magazine in the future?"

"I already have a name in mind."

"Can you tell me? (shy face)"

"Who is 'me'?"

"(Hit face)..."

"Ha, I have two options: 'Huashan Lunjian' and 'Shujian Lu.' Which one do you like better?"

"Why Huashan Lunjian? Why not Taishan Lunjian or Songshan Lunjian?"

"..."

"Speak!"

"Huashan Lunjian is a reference from the story of Guo Jing and Huang Rong I told you before. You'll understand later."

Mentioning Guo Jing and Huang Rong, both fell silent, lost in thought. A minute later, Mi Hu changed the topic: "By the way, do you know the other meaning of 'Yuanshangcao'?"

Liu Jingtong smiled mysteriously: "Uh... not suitable for children, especially not for young girls."

"(Angry) Don't keep me in suspense!!"

"Okay, you need to change the parts of speech of the three characters. The first two become adverbs of place, and the last one... cough, are you sure you want to know?"

"Liu Jingtong, are you asking for a beating?"

"I understand, if I don't say, I'll get beaten, and if I do, I'll still get beaten. The last character is a verb. Think about it yourself, oh, don't think about it."

The curious girl, after hearing the explanation from the shameless boy, seriously pondered it. Suddenly, she blushed and angrily typed: "Liu Jingtong, you low, despicable guy."

"... Sigh, I told you."

"Low, super low... I don't want to have dinner with you."

"Didn't you notice that I'm innocent?"

Mi Hu sent an angry emoji.

"Alright, I agree with you, this name is very low. When I realized it, I was also angry."

"You have the dirtiest mind, you won't be angry."

"Floating world, fleeting joy, the world laughs at my low and crazy, I respect the world's wisdom, the world is awake, only I am a fool, as awesome as you, you see through me, awesome!"

"………………???"

"'The Dragon and Tiger Battle in the Capital' is about to be released, remember to buy it. Come to me for a signed copy."

"Shameless product placement!"

...

"The Dragon and Tiger Battle in the Capital" was released as scheduled.

There was no explosive rush to buy, but the book's sales were far from cold. Besides the loyal fans from the serialization, new martial arts enthusiasts kept joining the purchasing ranks.

Then came the online discussions about the story. Readers did not hold back their praise for the final tournament in the novel. The tragic love story of Lou Wuyi, Zuo Hanying, and Liu Mengdie also earned sympathy and sighs from most readers, though some could not accept it.

In short, under artificial guidance, the discussion cloud around "The Dragon and Tiger Battle in the Capital" quietly rose, and hardcore martial arts fans vaguely sensed the arrival of a new trend.

The climax of the discussion was pushed by a history professor from Yanjing University. On the third day of the book's release, he published a review article in the school newspaper, mainly discussing the role of heroes and the masses in history. He mentioned "The Dragon and Tiger" as an example, though he used it as a counterexample, he still affirmed the literary value of "The Dragon and Tiger" and quoted the media and publisher's slogan "the beginning of the new school of martial arts."

Since then, the four words "new school of martial arts" finally gained official recognition.

...

"The Dragon and Tiger Battle in the Capital" was released on May 26th, and by June 1st, it had sold nearly 100,000 copies. In the domestic publishing market, a book selling 30,000 copies is considered a bestseller, and "The Dragon and Tiger Battle in the Capital" exceeded expectations.

At the same time, the Children's Day battle between "Children's Literature," "The Great Wulin," and "Ding Xiaoshuo" officially began. Han Shuo's "Yuanshangcao" was delayed by half a month due to the cover not passing the review.

The sales competition among the three magazines did not result in the tight race predicted by the media and netizens. Shuke and Beta, driving a plane and a tank, left the other two so-called competitors far behind.

Children's Day truly belonged to the children!

"The Great Wulin" and "Ding Xiaoshuo" now faced the question: who would be the second?

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