Chapter 36

"Brother Gao, Brother Lin." Fang Yun smiled and greeted the two people.

"Brother Fang!" The two men, along with several other scholars, walked over, each with a friendly smile, carefully examining Fang Yun.

Fang Yun, hearing Gao Minghong address him this way, knew he was showing their good relationship to others. In reality, the two had only met once, but Fang Yun wouldn't expose him, as it was a harmless matter.

"This is Fang Yun, the famous Fang Shuangjia, known throughout the country. I won't introduce him much. Fang Yun, these are all classmates from the Prefecture Academy. You will also come to the Prefecture Academy in the future, and we will study the Holy Way together. Come, let me introduce them to you one by one. This is Wang Shoukui from Ting County, who was once a top scholar."

Wang Shoukui waved his hands and said, "Who doesn't know that with Fang Yun around, no one can be called a top scholar? Minghong, you are defaming me. Hello, Fang Yun, I like your 'End of the Year,' you are a true man!"

"Brother Wang, you are too kind," Fang Yun smiled.

Then, Gao Minghong introduced everyone to Fang Yun one by one.

After the introductions, Gao Minghong said, "You may have heard in Jixian County that students from various academies can form their own 'societies.' We are the representatives of 'Lishan Society' in the Prefecture Academy. Lishan Society is the largest society for commoners, with a history of a hundred years. Many of its senior members now hold high positions, such as the current Minister of Rites and the Prefect of Huangping Prefecture, who were once members of Lishan Society."

"I have long heard of the reputation of Lishan Society," Fang Yun had heard of Lishan Society before, knowing that these societies were similar to the famous Donglin Party and Fusha in the Ming Dynasty, being literary societies where scholars studied and discussed politics. Over time, they developed strong political purposes, becoming the雏形 of political parties.

There were many literary societies in the ten countries, roughly divided into commoner and noble families. They were internally opposed but cooperated externally.

Noble families, wealthy families, and families of sages and the Kong family were collectively called noble families. Prominent families could be considered either noble or commoner, while ordinary large families and common people belonged to the commoner class.

Lishan Society was not only the largest commoner literary society in the Prefecture Academy but also had a branch in the State Academy, which was the true Lishan Society. The Lishan Society outside the State Academy was actually a branch.

However, the power of commoners was ultimately limited. The largest literary society in Jiangzhou was the "Ying Society," which gathered all the noble students and more than half of the prominent students in Jiangzhou. In terms of wealth, influence, and literary status, it surpassed Lishan Society. Many outstanding commoner students would be invited by Ying Society.

Gao Minghong said, "We sincerely hope you will join Lishan Society, but rest assured, we will not force you or set a deadline. It's entirely up to you when and whether to join Lishan Society. As for Ying Society, some people want to invite you, but due to Liu Zicheng's strong opposition, Ying Society will not invite you. Other literary societies know they don't have the qualifications to invite you."

"Thank you, Lishan Society, for considering me. I will seriously consider it. Although Ying Society is good, I am ultimately a commoner," Fang Yun said.

Wang Shoukui whispered, "Don't say we are trying to recruit you in front of General Fang Shouye. You are his nephew, so you are also half a noble. He should hope you join Ying Society."

"Uncle is Uncle, and I am me," Fang Yun smiled.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Fang Shouye's reputation was too fearsome, even burning down a pawnshop of the Liu family, so they dared not provoke him.

Gao Minghong handed over a red invitation and said, "Dàyuan Prefecture holds two literary gatherings on the first day of the fourth month, the day of Start of Summer, one at noon and one in the evening. The noon gathering is only for scholars, occasionally including a few famous child scholars. The evening gathering is for those with the rank of juren or higher, and a few scholars may be invited, but they need to be recommended by a jinshi or an official of the seventh rank or higher."

Fang Yun took the invitation and said, "Thank you, Brother Gao, and Lishan Society for the invitation. I will definitely attend the noon gathering in two days."

Fang Yun appeared eager to go, but he really didn't want to, as there were too many literary gatherings on the Holy Yuan Continent.

There were literary gatherings for every season, every festival, every rain, every snow, after the imperial exams, for merchants promoting their goods, for scholars publishing books, for famous scholars holding gatherings, for the anniversaries of semi-sages, and even for people celebrating their birthdays. The variety was endless.

Now, few people knew Fang Yun's address, so he was very peaceful. Otherwise, with his reputation, the invitations he would receive in these few days could be sold by the pound as waste paper.

"Good. Since you still have to teach here, we won't disturb you. After the Start of Summer literary gathering, we will drink and discuss poetry together. Of course, drinking with you is enough; we dare not discuss anything in front of you."

Everyone smiled kindly, not contradicting him, as they all sincerely admired Fang Yun's talent.

"I am just a child scholar and younger than all of you. Don't defame me," Fang Yun joked, imitating Wang Shoukui's tone.

Everyone laughed again, thinking that Fang Yun was neither arrogant nor proud and would surely become a great man in the future. Since their positions were not opposed and there was no conflict of interest, they naturally wanted to strengthen their ties with him.

Fang Yun saw the scholars off, and after they left the clan school gate, Gao Minghong coughed lightly and said, "The senior members of Lishan Society in the State Academy asked me to pass on a message. Liu Zicheng and his followers are slandering you within Ying Society, defaming your character. The senior members of Lishan Society have defended you. Unfortunately, the Liu family is powerful, and your reputation in the State Academy is very poor. Apart from the Fang family speaking up for you, most people remain silent. We suspect that Liu Zicheng wants to harm your literary reputation. You must be very careful."

Fang Yun had already learned from Zhou Zhubu that Liu Zicheng and Liu Zhi were secretly plotting against him, so he said, "Thank you, Brother Gao. I will be careful."

After seeing off the scholars, Fang Yun returned to the classroom and continued to read the classics silently. At noon, he went to the Three Flavors Bookshop.

Liang Yuan had already taken 5,000 copies of "The Western Chamber," promotional flyers, and bookmarks from the printing workshop and placed them in the bookshop's warehouse. He took some out and placed them on the shelves, but there was no promotion yet, and none had been sold.

Fang Yun had a meal with everyone at the Three Flavors Bookshop and then went home.

For two days, everything was calm, and soon it was the first day of the fourth month, the day when "The Holy Journal" and "The Literary Gazette" were released.

At dawn, dozens of people with hand carts stood outside the eastern gate of the academy, some sent by bookshops, others preparing to buy "The Holy Way" and "The Literary Gazette" to sell.

Dàyuan Prefecture was so large that people living nearby often didn't want to walk far. Adding five coins for "The Holy Way" and one coin for "The Literary Gazette" could be sold, and selling other books could earn a good income every month.

Compared to the past, those buying books for bookshops remained the same, but 80% of the book vendors had changed.

More than twenty book vendors wore neatly uniformed white clothes, with four powerful black regular script characters on the front and back.

Three Flavors Bookshop.

Next to the Three Flavors Bookshop, there was a line of small characters: "No. 17 Mingli Street, the best novels in the world are here!" At the end of the characters was an artistic "Fang" trademark, very unique and memorable.

These book vendors, in addition to their uniformed clothes, each had a banner on their hand carts, with "Fang Yun, the top scholar of the Holy Way, presents 'The Western Chamber' for sale" on the left and "University Scholar Li Daxueshi invites you to read the next month's 'The Holy Way' masterpiece 'The Pillow Record'" on the right.

Below the banner hung an advertisement written by Fang Yun.

On both sides of the hand carts were prominently written "Three Flavors Bookshop," and the carts were half empty, the other half filled with "The Western Chamber" and "The Pillow Record" combined editions, each book with a bookmark.

Other book vendors and bookshop clerks were greatly impressed. What was this? Using the name of University Scholar Li Daxueshi to promote at the academy gate? Either they were courting death or had a strong background.

A book vendor hurried to a book vendor in uniform and asked, "Why are you dressed so strangely? Which bookshop is Three Flavors Bookshop?"

The man said proudly, "Our Three Flavors Bookshop is opened by Fang Yun, the top scholar of the Holy Way, with the support of the Dàyuan Fang family and a university scholar. We have signed contracts with the Three Flavors Bookshop, with a monthly base salary of one tael of silver, and the more books we sell, the higher the commission. Not only is it stable, but we earn more than before. In the past, except for the three days when 'The Holy Way' and 'The Literary Gazette' were released, how much could we earn? In the future, we can not only sell 'The Holy Way' and 'The Literary Gazette' but also the books from the Three Flavors Bookshop."

"Is there such a good thing? Can I join? My books sell very well, and I can earn 700 to 800 coins every month, and this is not every day."

"I have seen you sell books before. If you can find two more book vendors to write recommendation letters, you can join our Three Flavors Bookshop. Wait a moment, I will write a recommendation letter for you." Saying this, the man took out paper, pen, and ink from the cart and wrote a simple recommendation letter.

"Thank you, brother." The man handed over a large coin, which was yellow in color and inscribed with "Ten Coins."

"You are welcome."

Soon, all the book vendors not in Three Flavors Bookshop uniforms left, and even the clerks working for other bookshops came to inquire.

At six o'clock, a group of servants and attendants arrived, lining up behind the book vendors.

These servants and attendants were very surprised when they saw the banners and asked about the content and price of "The Western Chamber" and "The Pillow Record," to which the book vendors patiently responded.

A 50-coin, 150-page popular novel was not expensive.

"Is this book really by Fang Shuangjia? My young lady likes his poems very much."

"Look at us, we spent so much money on new clothes, dared to sell books at the academy gate, and it can't be fake. No. 17 Mingli Street is the Three Flavors Bookshop. If you don't believe it, you can check."

"Oh, that's right. With University Scholar Li Daxueshi's guarantee, I will buy one. I believe my young lady will like it." A middle-aged woman said.

"I will buy one too. My young master has always praised Fang Shuangjia."

In no time, more than twenty books were sold, all because of Fang Yun's literary reputation and the name of University Scholar Li Daxueshi.

By 6:30, the bookshop outside the academy was crowded with people buying "The Way of Literature" and "The Literary Gazette," and more and more people saw the advertisements of the book vendors.

As the bookshop was about to start selling, ten ox carts, just out of the printing workshop, were linked together and slowly passed by the bookshop.

Each ox cart had banners and horizontal banners, very eye-catching.

A person stood on the ox cart and shouted, "Read 'The Western Chamber' to talk about love, read 'The Pillow Record' to become a great scholar!"

...

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