Chapter 42

"Ah?" Fang Yun leaned out of the carriage window. More than twenty carriages followed behind, all belonging to the scholars of the poetry society.

"It might be a coincidence. Ignore them for now. Let's take Brother He home first," Fang Yun said.

He Yutang hurriedly said, "My home is far from here. I can walk back after we reach your place."

"Let's do this: I'll take you home first, then have Big Ox take you home."

"Alright," He Yutang said.

The hooves clattered as they entered the city, and the carriage slowed down.

Suddenly, a vendor's cry came from the front of the carriage.

"Reading 'The Western Chamber' teaches you how to fall in love, reading 'The Pillow' makes you a great Confucian! Scholar Fang Yun, a student before the Sage, has published a book! Come and buy it! If you buy 'The Western Chamber,' 'The Way of the Sage' and 'The Literary Report' will be sold at the original price!"

He Yutang heard it clearly, turned to look at Fang Yun, and said angrily, "How can someone use your name to sell books? And what about becoming a great Confucian? This is outrageous! Let's get out of the carriage and send them to the authorities. This is too much."

"Cough! Those books are indeed written by me. Now, many book vendors in the city are working with my bookstore," Fang Yun said.

"This..." He Yutang was speechless. He couldn't understand why a student with a bright future before the Sage would use such audacious words to promote his books.

"Reading books costs a lot of money. I can't just sit and eat until there's nothing left. So I wrote two popular novels to sell. I came up with the advertising slogan. Oh, it's called 'advertising' for short," Fang Yun said.

He Yutang was silent for a moment and asked, "Will it affect your studies?"

"No, I only write these popular novels when I practice calligraphy," Fang Yun said.

"That's good. If they are really written by you, I'll buy one too."

Fang Yun said, "If you want to read it, I'll bring the book to the clan school tomorrow."

"Confucius said: 'Do not worry about scarcity but about inequality.' If you give it to me, what will the other teachers think? If I make you give so many books to others because of me, that wouldn't be good. Let's do this: I'll buy your book, and you write a wise saying for me," He Yutang said.

Fang Yun thought this was just a signing, so he said, "Alright."

"Is that advertising slogan also your idea? No one else is as bold as you," He Yutang said, finding what Fang Yun considered ordinary to be shocking.

"Advertising, of course, should be eye-catching."

"What if someone uses your advertising to attack your literary reputation?" He Yutang slowly accepted Fang Yun's explanation.

"I am the bookstore owner, and the management is done by my staff. How can it harm my literary reputation?"

"You have a point."

The carriage approached a small cart, and He Yutang saw the advertisement, which read, "Grand Scholar Li Daxueshi invites you to read next month's 'The Way of the Sage' and the divine article 'The Pillow' in advance." He was so frightened that his face turned pale.

"Fang, Fang Yun, did you really get Grand Scholar Li's permission for this?"

"No, but I believe Scholar Li doesn't care."

"You are really fearless, braver than a demon king," He Yutang shook his head helplessly.

The carriages behind also heard the vendor's cry and saw Fang Yun's name on the sign.

Yan Yue said contemptuously, "You and Liu Zicheng have overestimated Fang Yun. Look at his methods; they are only slightly better than despicable. Who sells books like this? I think he is afraid of poverty. He has barely gained a literary reputation and is already draining the pond to catch all the fish. He won't amount to much."

Guan Yaoyuan looked at the vendor's cart and nodded, "No wonder he comes from a small county and a poor family. He uses many low and vulgar methods to attract attention. If I published a book, I would go directly to the executives of the three major bookstores. Then, three out of ten bookstores in Dahuang Prefecture would promote my book. Selling like this, he can earn at most a few hundred taels of silver a year. What can he do with that? Tell the coachman to follow closely and not lose him."

Yan Yue leaned out and said, "Fang Yun's carriage is right in front, we won't lose him."

Fang Yun's carriage turned several corners and stopped at his home. Fang Yun got off and said to He Yutang, "Farewell, Brother He."

"Farewell." As He Yutang said this, he noticed Fang Yun turning to look back, his face cold.

"What's wrong?" He Yutang got off the carriage and saw many carriages crowded at the alley entrance. People were getting off and walking towards them.

At the front was Guan Yaoyuan, the organizer of the poetry society, with a kind smile, as if nothing had happened. The people behind him looked unhappy.

Behind them were many scholars from the Prefecture Literary Academy, including Gao Minghong from Jixian County, who shouted, "Fang Yun, we were about to leave, but Guan Yaoyuan's carriages kept following you, possibly to harm you, so we followed."

Guan Yaoyuan immediately complained, "You really misunderstood me. I came here to apologize to Fang Yun again. Fang Yun, rest assured, I will immediately promote your literary talent when I return home! I will pay for it myself and print ten thousand copies of your 'Butterfly Lovers in Spring' to distribute to scholars. Do you believe me now?"

Fang Yun was unmoved and said, "Brother Guan, you are too kind. I will publish a collection of poems soon, so there's no need for you to do it. My home is simple, and I have no wine to offer, so I won't invite you in."

As Fang Yun spoke, he saw more people appear at the alley entrance, including a fully armored Ma Man, who was exceptionally tall, holding a giant axe about ten feet long, with eyes like large copper bells.

In front of the Ma Man stood a tall man, but he only reached the Ma Man's chest. The man wore a black robe, was plump, and had a kind face, smiling at them.

Guan Yaoyuan said, "Sigh, you still don't trust me. Well, time will tell. I'll take my leave."

Yan Yue, however, said angrily, "Fang Yun, even though you are a student before the Sage, you are still a child. Guan Yaoyuan has already been so humble, why do you still not let up? Do you look down on us scholars from the Literary Academy? Do you despise us gentry and the Ying Society?"

"Yan Yue, you can talk nonsense, but you can't say anything you want. You and Guan Yaoyuan are playing good cop and bad cop. Do you think we can't see through it?" Fang Yun despised Yan Yue.

Guan Yaoyuan quickly pulled Yan Yue aside, "Say less, let's go. Fang Yun, we'll talk later. I was wrong this time, and I'll apologize with wine next time."

Yan Yue immediately shouted, "Fang Yun, you despicable and shameless person, I'll write a poem for you! Listen well: Living in poverty, you don't know shame, only using your tongue to be a hero, I don't know if you are a child bride or a wife raising a child!"

Everyone was stunned. Yan Yue's words were too vicious. If this poem spread and was embellished, Fang Yun would be seen as an incompetent and selfish hypocrite, and if he were labeled as ungrateful and fickle, his literary reputation would be ruined.

"Scoundrel!" Guan Yaoyuan slapped Yan Yue, making him stagger back and hit the wall.

"You..." Yan Yue seemed afraid of Guan Yaoyuan and lowered his head.

Guan Yaoyuan immediately said to Fang Yun, "Fang Yun, I didn't expect things to turn out like this. I know you are from a poor family, and even the carriage and travel expenses to Dahuang Prefecture were given by others. Although you are poor and live in a simple place, and even sell books in a way that scholars disdain, I believe you have integrity."

Everyone could tell that Guan Yaoyuan was openly attacking Fang Yun.

Before Fang Yun could speak, the plump man at the alley entrance shouted, "Who says that is a way scholars disdain? Our Xuanting Bookstore decides to buy the entire set of book-selling methods from Fang Shuangjia, paying five thousand taels of silver. Additionally, we are willing to pay another five thousand taels of silver for the sales rights of 'The Western Chamber' in the Holy Yuan Continent. If Fang Shuangjia is willing to sign a document to sell all his future works through our Xuanting Bookstore, we can give him an additional five percent of the income! Now, who says Fang Yun relies on a child bride?"

Everyone was shocked. Even if Yan Yue and Guan Yaoyuan came from noble families, they could earn at most seven or eight thousand taels of silver a year. Could Fang Yun's book-selling methods and the sales rights of one book really be worth ten thousand taels? Was this just a show to support Fang Yun?

Everyone carefully examined the man.

All the scholars present were from the Prefecture Literary Academy and often saw the city's notables, so they almost all recognized the man.

"Master Tang!" All the scholars bowed deeply, showing great respect.

Guan Yaoyuan and Yan Yue also bowed nervously to Master Tang.

Xuanting Bookstore was one of the three major bookstores in the Holy Yuan Continent, occupying more than twenty percent of the market. Its shareholders included several semi-saints, and Chen Guanhai was one of them, making Xuanting Bookstore the largest bookstore in Jingguo, occupying fifty percent of the book market.

Xuanting Bookstore had a highest executive in each state, known as the Grand Manager.

A state's largest bookseller was not a big deal, but if backed by multiple semi-saint families, even the state governor or the state academy head would not dare to offend them.

Gao Minghong looked at Yan Yue with glee, "Didn't you insult us poor scholars? Didn't you say Fang Yun couldn't make money? With Master Tang here, what can you say? The sales rights of a book can be worth five thousand taels of silver, and this book can sell for at least two hundred thousand taels of silver."

Yan Yue felt panic. Liu Zicheng had taught him to attack Fang Yun for being lazy and unable to make money, but he never expected Fang Yun to earn more than the entire Yan family. If this news spread, the twisted poem might not harm Fang Yun's literary reputation but instead make more people interested in his novels.

Master Tang looked at Yan Yue and asked, "You are Yan Yue, right? I have seen your father. You look down on Fang Yun? Very well, I give you half an hour. If you can't come up with ten thousand taels of silver in half an hour, I'll beat you up! Then I give you three days. If you can't earn ten thousand taels of silver on your own in three days, I'll break your legs! Old Ma, watch him closely. If he can't write a book as good as 'The Western Chamber' in three days, cut off his legs!"

"Sure," the Ma Man agreed and stared at Yan Yue.

Yan Yue leaned against the wall, pale-faced. He never expected to fail in humiliating Fang Yun and instead be humiliated and face unknown punishment. He had heard many stories about Master Tang, described as ruthless and making a fortune.

Yan Yue felt hopeless.

"It's over. Since he knows my father, he must know I come from a noble family, yet he still dares to cut off my legs, which means Fang Yun can make him a lot of money. He is willing to give Fang Yun ten thousand taels, so he is confident he can make twenty thousand or more from Fang Yun. Will my father face off with Xuanting Bookstore for me? Impossible! He threatened me, a scholar, to show favor to a child. How much does he value Fang Yun!"

Guan Yaoyuan stepped forward and said respectfully, "I am Guan Yaoyuan. My uncle is a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Personnel in the capital, a disciple of the Left Chancellor. This is a misunderstanding. I hope Master Tang will give Yan Yue a chance."

"Do you want to stop me?" Master Tang said menacingly.

"No..." Before Guan Yaoyuan could finish, the Ma Man, standing several yards away, suddenly spat.

The spit flew with a sharp whistling sound and hit Guan Yaoyuan's forehead before he could react.

Guan Yaoyuan screamed, flew backward, and fell heavily to the ground, his forehead bloody and painful