After returning to Kyoto, Ji Yun'an published another book, "The Record of Demons and Spirits," which mainly tells the story of unresolved love between humans and demons.
The story of Journey to the West has become a well-known tale among the people of Kyoto after a long period of dissemination. However, even the best stories lose their appeal after being heard too many times.
Ji Yun'an's new "Demon Spirit Record" has once again piqued the curiosity of many people.
The book's various poignant love stories have won the hearts of many women.
Ji Yun'an found Zhao He, the young master of Yunxuan Teahouse. Zhao He greeted Ji Yun'an very warmly: "Young Master Ji! I heard you're getting married. Congratulations!"
Ji Yun'an smiled and said, "We're getting married."
Getting married would be incredibly expensive. Ji Yun'an had some savings, but it still felt insufficient. He wanted to buy a house in Kyoto and separate himself from the Ji family. However, Kyoto's property prices were far higher than elsewhere; they were extremely high.
The old lady seemed very worried about him and wanted to help him with the wedding expenses. However, his uncles and aunts were not too happy about it. If he could solve it himself, Ji Yun'an did not want to trouble the old lady too much.
This is my new Demon Spirit Record. I'll be troubling Mr. Zhao He again when it's released.
Zhao He smiled and said, "No trouble at all, no trouble at all, I couldn't be happier."
Having learned from the cautionary tale of Journey to the West, Zhao He had high hopes for Ji Yun'an's Record of Demons and Spirits. Back then, Yunxuan Teahouse made a fortune because of Journey to the West, and although several years had passed and the story had become somewhat old, it still had many loyal listeners.
"Young Master Yun'an, your fiancée is quite something!"
Ji Yun'an smiled. Recently, the whole roasted lamb at the Prince's mansion has become very popular, and it seems that the roasted lamb has even caught the attention of His Majesty.
It is said that His Majesty once went on an incognito visit to the Prince's Palace to taste roasted whole lamb. Whether it is true or not is unknown. Originally, many people seemed to think that his decision to marry Chen Xiaomai was somewhat foolish, but now many people seem to think that he got a good deal and was quite prescient.
"Wheat is inherently very powerful."
Zhao He smiled. If he hadn't heard the rumors about the Emperor and the whole roasted lamb, Zhao He would have thought Ji Yun'an was just blinded by love. However, with the rumors about the Emperor, Zhao He thought Chen Xiaomai was really something else.
"It seems that the prince has bestowed quite a lot of wheat as a reward."
Zhao He thought to himself: Ji Yun'an's father seems quite dissatisfied with Xiaomai, and seems to be planning to stand by and watch this marriage. Previously, when Chen Xiaomai and Ji Yun'an got engaged, Zhao Heng had expressed his dissatisfaction quite a bit. However, Chen Xiaomai has the prince as her backer, so she doesn't need to care about Zhao Heng's thoughts. Ji Yun'an thought to himself: Xiaomai having money is Xiaomai's business; as a man, he should still work hard to earn money to support his family.
I hope that "Demon Spirit Record" will be a big hit, so that I won't have to hold my wedding in such a restrictive manner.
When he sold Journey to the West before, he was still a novice and not very well prepared. Originally, Journey to the West could have sold for more money. This time, Ji Yun'an is well prepared and is very confident in the new Demon Spirit Record.
Zhao He flipped through the first three chapters of the Demon Spirit Record and said, "It's a very good story! As expected, Yun An, your work is truly extraordinary."
Ji Yun'an thought to himself: This story was still told by Lu Lin, but it was a bit fragmented. Ji Yun'an combined it with the storybooks he had read before and put it together. Ji Yun'an thought that Demon Spirit Record should not be as good as Journey to the West, but it should still sell well.
Having obtained the storybook, Zhao He went to find the storyteller at the teahouse. After the original storyteller of Yunxuan Teahouse left, Zhao He brought in a newcomer and forced him into the role.
The storyteller at the teahouse today is the same greenhorn he was back then. However, after a few years, he has become quite skilled. In addition, he was the first person to tell the story of Journey to the West, so he has gained considerable prestige thanks to the story.
The storyteller in the shop was also very excited when he heard that Ji Yun'an had brought over a new storybook.
The Wei family.
"Qiyu, you went to Shaxian. Did you find anything?" Wei's father asked with his hands behind his back and a stern face.
Wei Qiyu nodded and said, "Yes! I've gained a lot." He had been to the hot springs, eaten roasted whole lamb, and seen many different things.
Father Wei snorted and said unhappily, "What have you gained?"
Wei Qiyu said somewhat awkwardly, "It wasn't a big gain, not worth mentioning." Talking about what he ate and played would only invite criticism.
"He does nothing but play all day long. Ji Yun'an is so young, yet he has already made a lot of money."
Wei Qiyu nodded and said, "Yes! But Yun'an had no choice, he was poor! I have you, Dad!"
The Ji family is indeed wealthy, but they haven't divided the family property yet, and the money is all in the hands of the elders. If Ji Yun'an wants money, he'll have to do it himself.
Wei's father said with exasperation, "You good-for-nothing."
Wei Qiyu, resting his chin on his hand, said, "Ji Yun'an's Demon Spirit Record seems to be selling quite well lately!"
Father Wei nodded and said, "It should have been sold by now. That kid must have made a lot of money. I heard he's looking for a house in the capital. He probably wants to move out of the Ji family with Chen Xiaomai."
Wei Qiyu said with some surprise, "Is that so!" After returning to Kyoto, Wei Qiyu was busy bragging to his friends there, and he was not very clear about the situation on Ji Yun'an's side.
Wei Qiyu thought to himself: Chen Xiaomai's situation is rather special. The elders of the Ji family are already considered open-minded, but the Ji family is, after all, a large and complex family. Chen Xiaomai probably can't handle it.
Wei's father looked at Wei Qiyu with disappointment and said, "Look at him, so young, and he's already thinking about buying a house in the capital."
Wei Qiyu smiled and said, "Father, I'd like to move out, but I'm worried you'll be lonely by yourself."
Wei's father scolded, "You brat, I've heard that the whole roasted lamb in Shaxian is pretty good. Do you know how to make it?"
"No," Wei Qiyu replied without hesitation.
Wei's father glared at Wei Qiyu and said, "Useless thing."
Wei Qiyu: "..."
He's not a chef, so it's normal that he can't cook. "Dad, if you want to eat roast whole lamb, I'll go ask Brother Xiaomi for some seasonings? That should be able to make it taste a little bit like that."
Wei Qiyu did want to invite Xiaomai to cook the sheep, but since Xiaomai was a guest of honor of the prince, the prince might be unhappy if he found out.
A few days later, Prince Cheng summoned Chen Xiaomi and gave her 1,000 taels of silver.
Chen Xiaomi said excitedly, "Your Highness, you are too kind. You have already given us so many things. Xiaomai and I feel unworthy of them."
Chen Xiaomi was still quite envious of the taels of silver, but she couldn't accept something for nothing. If she received too much, she would feel guilty. Prince Cheng waved his fan and said, "That's not the case. This silver was given by His Majesty."
Chen Xiaomi asked with some surprise, "Your Majesty?"
There's still a big difference between a prince and an emperor. Upon suddenly hearing "Your Majesty," Chen Xiaomi's heart couldn't help but pound.
Prince Cheng nodded and said, "His Majesty visited the Prince's residence incognito a few days ago. After eating the whole roasted lamb, he thought it was quite good. His Majesty felt that Chen Shao and his entourage had made a great contribution to the country by developing such a delicacy, so he rewarded them with a thousand taels of silver."
Chen Xiaomi said with some surprise, "This is a gift from His Majesty! His Majesty has also eaten roasted whole lamb."
Prince Cheng nodded and said, "Yes! His Majesty really likes this whole roasted lamb."
Chen Xiaomi thought to herself: Back then, when Lu Lin handed over the curved plow, he only received two thousand taels of silver! If we're talking about contributions to the country, the curved plow is the real contribution to the country. After its promotion, grain production has increased in the past two years.
In contrast, roasting a whole lamb was merely a way to satisfy the appetites of some high-ranking officials and nobles.
Of course, His Majesty might not think that way. Although the curved plow made things easier for some farmers, it had little to do with His Majesty. Even if there were famines in many places, the nobles in the capital would still live in luxury, with plenty of fish and meat.
The curved plow is for farmers, but Your Majesty can also try this whole roasted lamb.
Chen Xiaomi blinked and said, "Your Majesty is too kind. This whole roasted lamb is just a dish, nothing special." Prince Cheng said dismissively, "That's hard to say. His Majesty's intention is to list whole roasted lamb as a national dish, so that when foreign envoys come, they can broaden their horizons and know the profoundness of our country's cuisine."
Chen Xiaomi: "..." It sounds like roasted whole lamb is really amazing.
Knowing that the silver was a gift from the Emperor, Chen Xiaomi naturally accepted it. Having been poor since childhood, Chen Xiaomi valued silver highly. Although she had become wealthy in recent years, no one would complain about having too much silver.
"By the way, has Xiaomai's marriage been settled yet?"
Chen Xiaomi thought to herself: It's really great that the prince still remembers Xiaomai's marriage. He thought that the prince, who had obtained the recipe for roasted whole lamb, had long forgotten about it.
Chen Xiaomi shook her head and said, "Not yet."
Getting married in such a large family is quite troublesome. First, they need to find an auspicious day, and then there are a series of other things to do. The Ji family has chosen three dates, but the earliest one is two months away. Chen Xiaomi figured that it seemed he wouldn't be able to go back to Shaxian in the short term.
When she came out, Chen Xiaomi didn't know that getting married would take so long, and she couldn't help but worry about Lu Lin.
Prince Cheng nodded and said, "Marriage is a matter of great importance and should be taken seriously."
Ji Yun'an's "Demon Spirit Record" caused another sensation. This time, Ji Yun'an was better prepared. Although "Demon Spirit Record" was inferior to "Journey to the West" in terms of storytelling, it sold very well.
The Records of Demons and Spirits contains many stories of lovesick men and women.
In modern times, where self-reliance and self-improvement are pursued, such stories have gradually been phased out. However, in ancient times when feudal ethics prevailed, these stories were very much to the liking of young ladies in their secluded chambers.
The Record of Demons and Spirits contains many stories about foxes.
The fox spirit in the story is described as having both love and morality, which led many wealthy families in Kyoto to keep foxes as pets, causing the market price of white foxes to skyrocket.
Ji Yun'an's "Demon Spirit Record" sold over a thousand copies in a short time, earning him nearly a thousand taels of silver. Zhao He glanced at Ji Yun'an with some envy and said, "Young Master Ji, you're really making money fast!"
Ji Yun'an smiled and said, "It's alright."
Zhao He looked at Ji Yun'an and said, "Young Master Ji, your story is quite good, but your studies are more important."
Ji Yun'an nodded and said, "Thank you for reminding me, young master. I understand." Many great scholars believed that all other pursuits were inferior, only studying was noble. Although his storybooks were popular, many people felt that they were not worthy of high art. However, what could he do when he was short of money?
When Zhao Heng heard about the Record of Demons and Spirits, he was displeased, feeling that Ji Yun'an was neglecting his duties and indulging in strange ghost stories, wasting his talent.
Zhao Heng was not only displeased, but also somewhat jealous, as Ji Yun'an's ghost stories were very popular among the nobles in the court.
The concubines and the Empress Dowager all loved the stories written by their son. In addition, Ji Yun'an also made a fortune from these stories.
Zhao Heng had witnessed the bustling scene of storybooks being sold in teahouses; many people bought several at a time, and they must have made a considerable profit.
"Yun'an seems to have made quite a bit of money selling books lately!" Liu Qingmei said.
Zhao Heng said sullenly, "I heard that he's raising the betrothal gifts for that little Shuang'er, Dao." She's just a fool, why bother with all this trouble?
Liu Qingmei frowned, her heart filled with intense jealousy. "I heard that Xiao Shuang'er's whole roasted lamb won the Emperor's favor? The Emperor rewarded her with a thousand taels of silver?"
When the prince handed over the silver to Chen Xiaomi, there were servants in the prince's mansion present, and the news spread immediately.
Zhao Heng nodded. It is said that roasted whole lamb has been designated as a national dish. The imperial chefs in the palace have obtained Lu Lin's recipe for roasted whole lamb, and they are currently studying how to improve it.
He's clearly just a fool, yet he managed to win the prince's favor—that's an incredible stroke of luck, like he's burned incense for generations! But he's even managed to alarm that one person! The Prince Cheng is merely a leisurely prince; that one is the true ruler of the land!
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