gnovel Chapter 7 Xiu Mu
Chapter 7 Xiu Mu
After six days of continuous work sorting through official documents, most of the old scrolls piled up in the county government's warehouse have been properly organized. The remaining scattered and miscellaneous scrolls will be completely cleared out in another two or three days.
With the documents in perfect order, the official appearance of Chenliu County Government Office was immediately transformed.
In the past, it would take officials half an hour to find a single old file, but now they can retrieve it in a short time by following the signs and registers.
Villagers and village heads who came to handle business no longer had to wait long, and the efficiency of government affairs was greatly improved, giving the officials a lot of extra free time.
This change left the officials and clerks with extremely mixed feelings towards Shen Zhong'an, the newly appointed acting registrar—a mixture of love and hate.
What they love is that their workload has been greatly reduced, and they no longer have to bury themselves in piles of papers and suffer unspeakably; what they hate is that the chaotic documents of the past, which allowed them to make money through shady means, have been cut off, leaving them with much less room for ambiguity and profiteering.
By this time, Shen Zhong'an had served as the acting registrar of Chenliu County for a full nine days.
Today happens to be a ten-day rest day, which is the statutory day of rest for officials of this dynasty.
Thanks to Shen Zhong'an and Tang Geng's deliberate concealment, Wang Dianli and other officials were unaware that the two knew each other, and should have avoided suspicion on their days off.
However, Chenliu is neither too far nor too close to the capital. Renting a carriage alone would be quite expensive. It was common for two or three officials to share a donkey cart or horse-drawn carriage to travel to the capital together. It would be strange for someone to rent a carriage alone.
So Shen Zhong'an and Tang Geng, along with two minor officials from the Household and Criminal Offices, pooled their money to rent a two-wheeled donkey cart and set off from the county government office at dawn.
Along the way, the four chatted only about local customs, farming, and rural anecdotes, never touching on the political struggles between the old and new factions in the imperial court, nor discussing personnel disputes in the county. They kept their distance just right.
The car traveled smoothly, kicking up dust along the way. After an hour and a half, it was noon when they finally entered the capital region.
The four men had different purposes for their trip. Tang Geng was going to a bookstore to find some books on criminal law, while the other two had their own private matters to attend to. When they arrived at the city gate, they bowed to each other and went their separate ways.
The first important thing upon arriving in the capital was to settle the accounts with Zhou, a talented woman from the Book Club, regarding the revenue sharing of the story of "Du Shiniang".
After bidding farewell to everyone, Shen Zhong'an headed straight for the secondhand bookstore near Sangjiawazi.
As soon as he entered the bookstore, Shen Zhong'an took out a letter he had already written and was about to ask the shop assistant to deliver it to Consort Zhou when a hurried yet joyful greeting came from behind him. The voice was unfamiliar yet somewhat familiar.
"Brother Bai! I've finally been waiting for you!"
Shen Zhong'an looked in the direction of the voice and saw that the person who came was Zhou Cairen of the Sangjiawazi Book Club, whom he wanted to contact.
"Mr. Zhou, it's been a long time," Shen Zhong'an said, bowing slightly.
"Brother Bai, you've finally shown up!"
Zhou Cairen sighed, her face a mixture of joy and resentment.
"Du Shiniang consists of six chapters. These six chapters alone put Li Zao on the top of the Peony Pavilion, and several bookstores came to him wanting to publish and sell his work."
As agreed beforehand, I left a note at the bookstore, but the clerk said no one has come to pick it up.
I went to the address of Xingguo Temple that you had given me, but it was already deserted. I was so anxious that I ran around in circles.
There was no other way but to come to this bookstore every day and wait patiently. I waited for three whole days, and finally, Brother Bai, you came!
When Shen Zhong'an took up his post in Chenliu County, he thought he would only have ten days to rest and then he could contact Zhou Cairen to change his contact information. He never expected that "Du Shiniang" would become so popular. In just a few dozen days, it became so well-known that everyone in the streets and alleys had heard of it.
Although it was an unintentional mistake, Shen Zhong'an still bowed and apologized.
At this point, Zhou Cairen was too busy praising Shen Zhong'an to get really angry over such a small matter, and she quickly dismissed the issue with a single sentence.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the two walked side by side toward the teahouse where they had first met.
Half a month later, the teahouse remains clean and quiet.
I found a seat by the window facing the street, ordered two cups of coarse tea, a plate of fried beans, and a plate of steamed pears.
After the tea server left, Zhou Cairen took out a small blue cloth bundle from her bosom, opened it, and inside was a thread-bound account book and several loose pages filled with the number of sessions and the amount of money, which she spread out on the table.
"Brother Bai, let's not waste any more time. Today, let's check the profit sharing with you. The accounts are all recorded here, and every penny is clear. Please take a look."
Shen Zhong'an raised his hand and opened the account book, while Zhou Cairen explained each item in turn.
"For the first lecture, we tested the waters and only arranged a small booth for 300 people; from the second lecture onwards, every session was packed, so we moved to a medium booth for 500 people."
The average ticket price was 800 coins, and the minimum tip was 600 coins, while the maximum tip was as much as 3 taels of silver.
After five days of performances, the host saw that the show was very popular and directly moved it to the Peony Pavilion to test the waters. The attendance rate was as high as 80%.
The remaining performances were all scheduled at the Peony Pavilion, which has 1,200 seats. Each performance was always 70-80% full, and the ticket revenue for each performance was nearly 10 guan. Tips were often three to five taels, and sometimes as many as ten taels.
After deducting 30% for operating costs including the venue, labor, and furnishings, the remaining profit was divided equally: 30% to the storyteller Li Zao, 30% to the storytelling association, and 40% to be paid after all other expenses. The total amount due was 82 taels of silver.
Even though he had already heard about the grand occasion of "Du Shiniang" from Tang Geng and had some guesses in his heart, Shen Zhong'an was still secretly shocked when he heard the details. As the acting registrar of Chenliu County, his monthly salary was only twelve strings of cash.
Even without eating or drinking, it would take seven months to accumulate this amount.
If it were an ordinary craftsman in Bianjing, even if he worked hard all year round without eating or drinking, he might not be able to save up this much.
"Du Shiniang" has only been out for thirteen days, yet it has already reaped such a huge profit. Given its current popularity, it is no problem for it to remain popular for another half month, and the subsequent revenue will still be considerable.
However, a story of only a few thousand words could earn more than eighty taels of silver in half a month, which is only slightly less than the price of a thousand gold coins per word.
The accounts were clearly recorded, with every transaction documented. Shen Zhong'an checked each page meticulously and, finding no errors, signed the accounting contract.
Zhou Cairen immediately took out a heavy cloth bag and pushed it in front of him.
Shen Zhong'an weighed the contents in his hand and carefully put it into his pocket. This first division of accounts was now complete.
With the most important financial accounts settled, Zhou Cai then brought up another important matter.
"Currently, four other bookstores are eyeing 'Du Shiniang,' all wanting to take on the printing and distribution. The heads of each store are already waiting at Qingfeng Tower, hoping to discuss the matter with Brother Bai in person and finalize the printing contract. If Brother Bai is interested, shall we go over there now?"
Leaving the nameless teahouse, head south along the Imperial Street, cross the Longjin Bridge, and soon you'll see a three-story wooden building with a colorful gate bearing the "Qingfenglou" wine flag and lanterns hanging from the eaves. From afar, you can smell the refreshing aroma of their homemade jade marrow wine.
The two climbed the steps, and there were already people waiting in the private room on the second floor facing the street. Zhou Cairen stepped forward and gently knocked on the door. A voice answered from inside. She pushed open the curtain and entered. The heads of the four bookstores had already gathered.
"Gentlemen, this is Mr. Bai Xiaosheng, the author of 'Du Shiniang'..."
Zhou Cairen spoke first, introducing them with a smile.
"Brother Bai, this is Manager Rong of Rong Liulang Bookstore, this is Young Manager Yin Xiaoer of Yinjia Bookstore, this is Supervisor Li of Li Family Classics Shop, and this is Master Zhang of Master Zhang Bookstore."
The four men rose and bowed in greeting, each with a different tone and personality.
Rong Liulang was composed; Yin Xiaoer had lively eyes and a light tone; Li Jianpu had an arrogant expression; and Zhang Guanren was gentle and refined.
Shen Zhong'an nodded slightly in return, then strode to the head seat and sat down without hesitation, gesturing to everyone, "No need for such formalities, please sit down."
Before Shen Zhong'an arrived, the group in the private room were chatting happily, discussing the popularity of "Du Shiniang" at the Peony Pavilion or the recent situation of Bianjing bookstores. Their tone was relaxed, and laughter could be heard from time to time.
But now that everyone has taken their seats with Shen Zhong'an, the atmosphere has instantly changed, and a tense atmosphere has quietly spread.
The four men each had their own agendas and wanted to secure the copyright for "Du Shiniang," but due to considerations of personal relationships, none of them were willing to make the first offer, fearing that revealing their true intentions would put them at a disadvantage.
For a moment, the only sound in the private room was the soft clatter of tea being poured into cups. The group chatted idly, their conversation always revolving around "Du Shiniang," with every word praising Shen Zhong'an, but no one mentioning the terms of the collaboration.
Since the four shopkeepers weren't in a hurry, Shen Zhong'an was even less so. He picked up the jade marrow wine cup on the table and took a sip. He would respond to whatever they said, and if he really didn't want to talk, he would just smile and nod.
"Mr. Bai, my Yin family will state our terms first!"
This stalemate lasted for about fifteen minutes. Finally, Yin Xiao'er, young and impetuous, lost his patience and abruptly stood up.
"Thirty strings of cash will be paid upfront for the buyout! Profit sharing will be one coin per book. My Yin family specializes in storybooks; we'll have the woodblocks in three days, the books on the market in five, and our shelves in Bianjing's teahouses and theaters within ten!"
With Yin Xiaoer taking the lead, Supervisor Li immediately followed suit.
"The Yin family's offer is too low. My Li family's book shop will buy it out for fifty strings of cash. It will be available in ten days, with an initial print run of four hundred copies. We have ample funds and the proofreading and printing will be reliable. We will definitely not lose out, sir."
Mr. Zhang then spoke up: "My Zhang family has bought out the property for sixty strings of cash, but we have connections in the officialdom. We can put it into academies and government bookstores, and it will also help you gain fame among scholars."
Rong Liulang waited until everyone had finished speaking before slowly saying:
"I have been running my business at Xiangguo Temple for over thirty years, publishing countless classics and historical novels. My carving and collation skills are among the best in Bianjing. Half of the books in the Prefect's mansion are from my family. Only my family can match his style."
Such a masterpiece as "Du Shiniang" is not bought out by my Rong family. We will only share the profits, taking two coins from each copy and paying an additional eight strings of cash as a writing fee.
The proofreading was personally overseen by a certain person, using the finest hemp paper, inscriptions by renowned calligraphers, and woodblock illustrations, a testament to the scholar's literary talent.
"Manager Rong is wrong!" Yin Xiao'er immediately added, "Mr. Bai's 'Du Shiniang' is popular in the entertainment districts and among the common people. Although your shop's carving is exquisite, it's a bit slow to catch the fire. My Yin family will take two coins from each copy, plus ten strings of cash as a commission!"
"To haggle over a penny or two is petty," Supervisor Li sneered. "My Li family will buy it outright for eighty strings of cash, with silk binding, proofread by a professor from the Imperial Academy, exclusively for the literati, and we'll also give away fifty additional hardcover copies to help the professor gain fame!"
When the price of eighty strings of cash was announced, everyone's faces darkened.
The Li family's wealth was well-known in Bianjing's bookstores; if it came down to a contest of wealth, who could rival them?
"Manager Li is incredibly wealthy, but Mr. Bai is clearly a government official who operates incognito and only seeks stability."
Official Zhang spoke slowly and deliberately.
"My Zhang family does not seek quick success or compete in wealth, but we can ensure that your official reputation is secure and your publications are safe. We can even ask Scholar Fan to write a preface for you, so that you can have a respectable and secure position."
"Climbing the social ladder by currying favor with the powerful is no real skill." Rong Liulang's expression darkened slightly. "My Rong family has built its reputation on thirty years of trust, plus a four-stringed tael fee. Within three years, if there is any unauthorized printing, I will take full responsibility to protect our rights. You needn't trouble yourself, sir!"
"My Yin family will also contribute! A total of thirteen strings of cash for the manuscript fee. From now on, for all your new works, we will increase the fee by 30% and give you priority in submitting them. We only ask for this one chance!"
"Ridiculous!" Supervisor Li raised his voice again, "I'll add another twenty strings of cash, making it a hundred strings to buy out the entire operation. The first print run will be one thousand copies, distributed throughout the ten counties surrounding the capital. A short biography will be included as a supplement to the book, and I'll even fund a collection of your personal storybooks. All new works will be bought out with priority!"
"No need to argue..." Master Zhang's tone was calm, yet it dominated the entire room. "I will buy it out for eighty strings of cash. Although the price is not as high as that of the Li family, I can get the preface from Scholar Fan, the official document from the Imperial Academy, and the favor of Prime Minister Lü. I will handle all of the above matters by myself. You only need to sign, and you will have nothing to worry about."
"..."
The four shopkeepers each held their own version of events, engaging in a fierce debate, with one criticizing the other and the other refuting him, none of them willing to back down an inch.
Shen Zhong'an sat in the main seat and waited for the four people's argument to subside before he slowly spoke.
"Gentlemen, please be patient. I have a question, and I would appreciate it if you could answer it truthfully."
The four shopkeepers immediately fell silent and all looked at Shen Zhong'an.
"If you were to acquire the printing rights to 'Du Shiniang,' would you intend to sell it as a standalone book, or combine it with other popular vernacular stories on the market for a collection?"
Upon hearing this, all four of them were taken aback.
This issue may seem simple, but it involves printing costs, distribution channels, and target audience, and cannot be taken lightly.
"Mr. Bai's question is appropriate." Rong Liulang spoke first. "My Rong family plans to publish 'Du Shiniang' as a standalone book, mainly distributed through the Xiangguo Temple bookstore in Bianjing, and then gradually sent to Chenliu, Weishi and other counties in the capital region, targeting scholars and wealthy young men."
"My Yin family makes simple, lightweight books, and we distribute them to the Sangjia Wazi, the entrances of various brothels, and the book stalls on the streets and alleys. Wherever the storyteller Li Zao tells his tales, our books will be sold there. We mainly target the common people, and we sell in large quantities and make quick profits!"
"My Li family will create a collector's edition for the literati, combining 'Du Shiniang' with two or three elegant legendary stories into a small collection, bound with silk and meticulously proofread, and sold exclusively to scholars and students of academies."
"My Zhang family also intends to compile this article into a separate book, but it will not be circulated in the market. It will only be used as a book for leisure reading in government offices and will be sent to Kaifeng Prefecture and county offices in the capital region for officials to read in their spare time."
The four companies have completely different focuses: Rong Liulang takes the route of high-end scholars, Yin Xiaoer takes the route of mass market sales, Li Jianpu takes the route of collecting and making a name for itself, and Zhang Guanren takes the route of government channels. They do not conflict with each other.
"Du Shiniang" could be licensed to four different companies, allowing each to get what they need without affecting the others, which would be a win-win situation.
However, the first three bookstores were fine, but Zhang Guanren's bookstore was the only one that Shen Zhong'an had already ruled out in his mind ever since he mentioned "Scholar Fan" and "Prime Minister Lü's Residence".
Both Fan Xueshi and Lü Xiangfu were high-ranking officials of the old party.
While Empress Dowager Gao is still alive and the old party is in power, they seem to be enjoying great success. However, once Empress Dowager Gao passes away and Emperor Zhezong assumes personal rule, he will inevitably purge the old party completely.
At that time, all those associated with the old party, regardless of whether they have a tendency towards party strife, will be regarded as collaborators with the old party, using the old party's power for personal gain, and will be included in the old party's wing.
If a writer has even the slightest connection with the old party, he might only be demoted or silenced, and could still turn his life around.
However, Shen Zhong'an is currently the acting registrar of Chenliu County. Two years later, after passing the selection examination, he will become a formally appointed official of the imperial court. If he is associated with the old party, he will be dismissed from his post at best, and exiled or demoted at worst, and his family members may also be implicated.
Choosing Zhang Guanren's bookstore was definitely not a wise choice. We must not sow the seeds of such great disaster for a little money.
"I appreciate Manager Zhang's kind offer."
Shen Zhong'an looked at Master Zhang, cupped his hands in apology, and said...
"I have always disliked getting involved in officialdom, and I am afraid of tarnishing the reputation of Scholar Fan and Prime Minister Lü's family, and I am also afraid of causing unnecessary trouble for my own family. I can only disappoint Manager Zhang this time."
Zhang Guanren's expression changed slightly. He wanted to persuade him again, but seeing Shen Zhong'an's firm attitude, he knew that further words would be useless, so he had no choice but to give up in frustration.
After seeing Zhang off, Shen Zhong'an turned to the three shopkeepers: Rong Liulang, Yin Xiaoer, and Li Jianpu.
"The three managers' plans each have their own focus and do not conflict with each other. I am willing to authorize the printing rights of 'Du Shiniang' to each of them respectively, so that they can print and sell according to their own plans without interfering with each other."
They thought they would have to fight to the death to gain power, but Shen Zhong'an was so insightful that he allowed all three of them to get what they wanted.
The three immediately clasped their hands in agreement and thanked him repeatedly.
Subsequently, the four finalized the details of the cooperation on the spot. Rong Liulang, Yin Xiaoer, and Li Jianpu each printed according to their own plans, only discussing profit sharing and not buying out the business. Each of them would pay an additional twelve strings of cash as a commission for authorization.
After some discussion, the three shopkeepers took turns signing their names and paying the fee on the spot. Shen Zhong'an suddenly found himself with a hefty sum of thirty-six strings of cash in his sleeve.
Including the previous profit sharing from the brothels, in just one hour, Shen Zhong'an transformed from an incorruptible clerk into a man of considerable wealth.