Chapter 62

Paper mill on the outskirts of Ganzhou.

The workers were busy at the moment, and several of them were transporting batches of newly made paper to another house.

Inside the house, a group of scholars were sitting at their desks copying the Five Classics.

A scholar dipped a brush in ink and wrote a few large characters on the snow-white paper. This was the main text of the scripture. He then changed his brushstrokes and wrote two lines of small characters at the back. This was a note on the main text of the scripture. What was copied this time was the official "Five Classics Commentary", which was different from the sample given to Lin Shuge at that time. This time it was supplemented with annotations by great scholars.

After the copied manuscript is dried, it is sent to the next room, where the craftsmen are engraving the characters. The craftsmen were carving patiently with their carving knives. One craftsman was very creative and suggested dyeing the plate to make a more exquisite book.

When Lin Shuge heard about it, he immediately rewarded him. As expected, rewards lead to good ideas, and the concept of a hardcover edition was even conceived.

Qian Wancai led a group of merchants to watch outside. He was full of pride and pointed at the printed sample and said, "What do you think of this book?"

The merchants were already dumbfounded by what they had just seen. One merchant swallowed his saliva and said, "Is this what County Magistrate Lin wanted to do?"

Qian Wancai glanced at him and raised his hand to straighten his sleeves. "Of course, do you have anything else to say?"

Liu Fu said: "Look at what Boss Qian said. County Magistrate Lin has never lied to us before. We will always follow what County Magistrate Lin says. County Magistrate Lin told us to go east, and we..."

A merchant interrupted him and said, "Old Liu, shut up. I want to ask Mr. Qian, what does County Magistrate Lin think?"

Qian Wancai was calm and composed. He pondered for a moment, looking at the merchants with anxious faces before he said, "Mr. Lin is naturally thinking about everyone's business, otherwise he wouldn't have brought out this secret method again. Don't you agree?"

The merchants nodded in agreement.

"So what County Magistrate Lin meant is that we should still follow the method of papermaking. If you are interested, you can add your name here. If not..."

"I'm interested, I am interested. Who wouldn't be interested in such a method? Boss Qian, you are joking." A merchant said anxiously.

"Then you all can come and add your names. Those who have finished writing can send their own craftsmen to learn." Qian Wancai said while tapping the contract on the table.

The merchants immediately crowded around to sign. Some merchants stood far away and whispered to each other, "What a happy event! I used to have a bookstore, but it didn't do well so I just used it to sell paper. Now I have this, what is it called, printing, so I can open another bookstore."

Moreover, making and printing our own paper saves us a lot of trouble.

Another merchant said, "I'm different from you. The paper I make is sold to other counties. I was hit the hardest this time. If all the paper is lost, I will have to starve with my family. And it's ready-made."

He licked his lips and laughed again. "Tsk, tsk, who would have thought that I can now sell both paper and books. I want to see which county prints books as fast as ours."

The merchant lowered his voice and said, "Our County Magistrate Lin is a man of extraordinary talent. I wonder if he will be promoted directly when County Magistrate Li's term is up?"

Another merchant said, "I think it's pretty close. I heard that Envoy Wei also praised County Magistrate Lin highly. It would be a natural thing for him to appoint County Magistrate Lin as the county magistrate."

Qian Wancai saw that the merchant in front had already signed and went back happily to choose craftsmen. He coughed lightly, and the two of them ended the conversation and ran over to sign their names.

When Qian Wancai came to Lin Shuge with the signed paper, he had already finished his shift and returned home, and was playing with Xiaobai.

Xiaobai grew very fast and could already run. His fur was smooth and his paws were soft. Lin Shuge was holding him and burying his head in his belly, but Xiaobai didn't want to, so he scratched his head with his claws, messing up his hair.

Hearing the knock on the door, he poked Xiaobai on the forehead, straightened his hair, and then got up to open the door.

As soon as Qian Wancai came in, he saw that County Magistrate Lin, who was usually well-dressed, had messy hair, making him look more approachable.

"Sir, it has been done and the merchants have signed." Qian Wancai handed the contract to Lin Shuge.

After Lin Shuge took it, he carefully checked it and found that there was no major problem. He said, "Thank you for your hard work, Boss Qian. After signing the agreement, you can ask the craftsmen to go to your place to learn first. You can discuss the shareholding and dividends with them when they go to the county government tomorrow."

"Yes, sir." Qian Wancai replied.

Seeing that it was getting late, he said goodbye and left.

Lin Shuge watched him leave, thinking about what he had discussed with Xu Yu. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he heard the rhythmic meow of a cat.

Xiaobai was waiting for Lin Shuge to play with him, but when no one showed up for a long time, he ran out with his short legs, meowing.

Lin Shuge picked up the cat, touched its belly, and thinking that it might be hungry, he mixed some chicken with goat's milk and put it on a plate.

Seeing Xiao Bai wolfing down his food, Lin Shuge said with a smile, "Eat slowly. I'm not trying to snatch it from you."

Xiaobai didn't understand what he said and just kept eating.

Lin Shuge ignored it and made himself a simple meal.

The next day, Lin Shuge went to Haoranzhai early in the morning.

Haoranzhai was still busy. A clerk was asking the workers to move the newly printed books in. When he saw Lin Shuge, he immediately smiled and said, "Mr. Lin, my master has been waiting for you for a long time."

Lin Shuge followed him to the inner room, where Xu Yu was casually flipping through a book.

"Mr. Lin, the county magistrate, has arrived at the perfect time. Please take a look at this booklet." He handed the book to Lin Shuge.

Before Lin Shuge even opened the book, he started to talk nonstop: "This person is a talent. Although his writing is not solemn and elegant, his words are interesting and his stories are novel. He is really well written."

Lin Shuge nodded and read through the book quickly. It was a story about gods and immortals. It created a group of fictional characters and combined them with traditional mythological records. It was written in a popular, interesting and refreshing way.

Seeing that Lin Shuge was fascinated, Xu Yu smiled slyly and said, "Guess who he is?"

Lin Shuge closed the book and saw that he was smiling like a fox who had stolen a chicken. He said honestly, "I don't know about that."

"Oh, is there anything in this world that you, County Magistrate Lin, don't know?"

Seeing Lin Shuge looking at him unkindly, Xu Yu whispered, "He is a scholar from the next county, but he is over fifty years old."

Over fifty? Lin Shuge thought the writing was quite witty and thought it was written by a young man.

"I have already spread the word that I am asking for manuscripts at a high price. These scholars usually live in poverty. Those in our county are not so bad. They can go to school to teach or work as copyists. Their lives are acceptable. Those in other counties are not so good. Look, they are over fifty years old and have read a lot of books, but unfortunately they have never held any official position."

Lin Shuge asked curiously: "How did you convince them?"

Xu Yu gestured, "I gave them a price they couldn't refuse, and I promised them that I wouldn't spread any information about them. Besides, it's a serious story, not something that's offensive to morality. Haven't you seen that fairy tales are popular among the people in recent years?"

Xu Yu said it well. Fairy tales were popular in this era, and people believed in fairy figures such as the Queen Mother of the West. Some people, seeing that she was a single goddess, gave her a spouse, the King Father of the East. After that, the story spread, and folk sacrifices often worshipped the two gods together.

After the death of some wealthy nobles, the stone reliefs and brick reliefs in their tombs depicted vivid immortal figures and an imaginary immortal world, expressing their hope that they could go to the immortal world after death.

That's why Lin Shuge asked Xu Yu to test the waters with fairy tales first.

"After you have read it, ask the county clerk to check it again, and I will ask the craftsmen to print it."

"Okay." Lin Shuge was about to leave with the book in his hand, but was stopped by Xu Yu again.

"By the way, I'm still looking for someone to rehearse the play you mentioned, and I'm also looking for someone to write the script. I'll invite you to watch the first show then."

That’s right, Lin Shuge not only asked Xu Yu to find a group of people to write novels, but also prepared to let him rehearse plays, in order to thoroughly enrich the cultural life of the people of Ganzhou.

Most people were busy making a living, so no theatrical style had been developed in this era. There were only some sacrificial Nuo dances. Lin Shuge planned to let the people of Ganzhou experience the spiritual enjoyment early.

"That's a deal." Lin Shuge turned around and said with a smile.

After Lin Shuge left, Xu Yu came out from the inner room and called to the waiter, "Send someone to look for it again. Make sure to find someone who is smart and suitable."

The waiter responded and ran out quickly.

Xu Yu was walking around the bookstore by himself. After listening to Lin Shuge's suggestion, he opened up a small area for reading in the bookstore. A clerk was helping customers register their book borrowings, and students were reading quietly around him.

He looked at it quietly for a while, then turned and came out. The batch of books that arrived today were very exquisitely bound and had illustrations inside. Xu Yu casually pulled one out from the bookshelf.

This was newly printed from the paper mill. Xu Yu touched the "Picture of the Sage Transmitting the Book" which was outlined with delicate lines. It depicted the sage and his disciples, each with different expressions. It was a very beautifully painted picture.

These merchants have a lot of capable people under their command.

"Master, someone is looking for you." A waiter came over and said in a low voice.

Xu Yu motioned him to take the person into the inner room. The waiter responded and went to lead the person in.

When Xu Yu arrived, he saw a young man standing with his hands behind his back. After hearing the noise, he turned around.

"I heard that Boss Xu wants to find someone who can write legendary stories?" the man asked.

Xu Yu looked at him with a smile. He was dressed like a scholar and had a clear and upright look, like a man who was well-read.

"Exactly."

"I wonder if I can catch Mr. Xu's eye?" he said with some scholarly airs.

Xu Yu immediately became interested. He poured a cup of tea for the scholar and said, "What are your abilities? Tell me about them."

"I am Lu Yuechuan." The scholar picked up the tea.

Lu Yuechuan?

"Are you Lu Yuechuan?" Xu Yu sat up from his chair in surprise.

The Lu family of Wei County, everyone knows that the Lu family of Wei County is the largest family in the entire county. The Lu family has lasted for several generations, and their ancestors can be traced back to the pre-Qin period, so they have a very deep foundation.

The current head of the Lu family, Lu Henian, is a great scholar of the time and has countless disciples. Lu Yuechuan, as the direct descendant of the Lu family, was a rare talent of his time. His poems and essays were widely praised, but it was said that he did not care about fame and fortune and loved traveling.

Why are you here?

Lu Yuechuan admired his expression for a while before saying, "I'm here to look for someone. I heard that you guys in Ganzhou have produced a lot of things that I haven't seen before, so I came to take a look."

Looking for someone? Who are you looking for? How did you find me here?