Ji Shan was impressed by Xu Yuan's thinking after reading only the opening preface, and was also impressed by his determination.
Reading his first piece, "Origin," he traced the wind from the tip of the green duckweed and explored the waves among the ripples. The clarity of its context, the exquisiteness of its prose, the fluency of its words, and the profoundness of its understanding made him marvel, sigh, envy, and admire.
How many classics must have been read and how many theories must have been sifted through to forge such a profound article with a profound meaning and expressive language, not to mention that there are forty-nine such articles.
Xu Jiang said that this was his masterpiece, and it was no exaggeration. If he had not put in so much effort, he would not have been able to write this article.
Thinking of this, and remembering his untimely death, I can't help but feel sad. If he were still alive, his name and achievements would surely be famous in the world, and he would surely have a place among the wise and capable people of his time.
If he were still alive, would there be more than these forty-nine chapters?
It's a pity, lamentable, hateful, and worth pursuing. How can anyone be willing to accept this?
Ji Shan wiped his tears while turning the pages.
The others were also fascinated by the manuscript. Du Hui looked around for a pen to circle the manuscript, but seeing that it was a unique copy, he did not dare to dirty its surface. He hurriedly asked Xu Jiang to cut paper and grind ink, and he wanted to copy it.
Lou Jing and Yuan Zuzhi were not only impressed by his literary talent, but also by his calligraphy, which was so impressive that it could move clouds and reach the sky. They could see his heart from the words and his spirit from the writing. His great spirit was contained in his writing, which was transformed into this exquisite article.
Deng Yuechuan exclaimed, "This article is like a towering tree, inheriting the wisdom of ancient philosophers and sages, integrating the brilliance of hundreds of schools of thought, encapsulating the essence of thousands of theories, and encompassing the myriad evolutions. Since I began reading books, I have never seen a book that covers grammar and literary theory as comprehensively and inclusively as this one."
Li Tongxue agreed with his teacher's words and added, "These articles not only summarize the theories of others, but also offer unique insights into the format, subject matter, rhetoric, purpose, and function of various literary styles, and how to standardize, select, increase, decrease, express, and develop them. They are thought-provoking."
Zeng Zhui and Zhong Lu, one impatient, the other tepid, encountered this kind of writing. The former wanted to read it in one breath, while the latter wanted to chew on every word carefully. In the end, courtesy to elders and tolerance for the younger generation were no longer a concern. Zeng Zhui reached out to turn the page, and Zhong Lu slapped him so hard that the back of his hand turned red.
The tea flowed in and out, and everyone finally finished reading the books in their hands. Then they stood up to stretch their muscles and exchanged books with their neighbors.
"Good book, good book."
"Only after reading this book did I realize how lazy I was. I feel ashamed."
"I'm not bragging, this book will become a classic that will be passed down through the ages."
The gentlemen gathered together to discuss.
Du Hui called Xu Jiang over and asked, "Are you planning to publish this book?"
Xu Jiang bowed and said, "Sir, I have a good opinion." Then she said bluntly, "I have invited you all here today to have your opinion on this book and see if it can pass the Imperial College's inspection."
"Why not?" Yuan Zuzhi said hurriedly, "I just regret that we met so late." Then he complained, "Why didn't Shopkeeper Xu bring out this book earlier? We've wasted so much time."
"The timing wasn't right," Xu Jiang explained. "At first, I didn't understand the situation in the capital. Later, because of the overwhelming pressure from the successor sage, and my own unstable foundation, I didn't dare to act rashly."
This set of books was extremely important to both her and her master. Since she had just arrived and her future was uncertain, she did not dare to take any risks with it, so she first used "New Collection of Elementary Education" to test the waters.
If she had not been lucky enough to meet Du Hui and then Hu Xu, this set of "New Collection of Elementary Education" would certainly have remained unknown until now, and the manpower and financial resources she spent on it would not have made any profit at all.
From this, we can imagine what the situation would be like if this set of "Tracing the Origins of Cultural Context" was published first.
Now that Jisheng has been investigated, the bookstores in the capital are in ruins, and her bookstore has also become somewhat famous. In addition, with the profits from "New Collection of Elementary Education" and the accumulated connections, it can be said that the time, place and people are all right, and it is a good time to publish a book.
Du Hui knew her situation thoroughly, and understood the pros and cons and the current opportunity, so he asked, "Do you still want the Imperial College to supervise the printing of this book?"
Xu Jiang pondered for a moment and said, "I'd like to hear your opinions."
What did they think? Everyone looked at each other in confusion.
Li Tongxue asked, "Besides leaving the Imperial College, does Manager Xu have a better option?"
Lou Jing said: "There is indeed a better choice."
Yuan Zuzhi also nodded, "It depends on whether Shopkeeper Xu is willing to give it up."
Zeng Zhui asked blankly, "What are you willing to give up?"
Du Hui explained: "Give up your name, give up your wealth, give up your books."
Zeng Zhui was even more confused. "Teacher, what kind of riddle are you talking about?"
Du Hui glanced at him expressionlessly. How could he still be so slow after teaching him for so long?
Facing his disgusted look, Zeng Zhui felt a slight headache and quickly stood away.
Li Tongxue finally understood, "Does Shopkeeper Xu want an official engraving?"
Hearing this, Zeng Zhui suddenly realized.
"Can this book be officially printed? Should it be officially printed? Please give me some advice, gentlemen." Xu Jiang looked at Du Hui.
Du Hui replied, "If this book is to be officially printed, it must undergo preliminary review by the Imperial College, then be submitted to the Ministry of Rites for review. After passing the Ministry's review, it must be reported to the Minister of Chancellery. Only after receiving their approval can the Imperial College print it. The procedures involved are complex, and the multiple levels of review and reporting alone will take a considerable amount of time. If it is merely a supervised printing, then the Imperial College will only need to review it on its own, then report it to the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry will approve it."
Lou Jing continued, "Although the official printing is strictly controlled and takes a long time, once it is approved, this book will not only become a textbook for the Imperial College, but will also be distributed to public schools and academies in various prefectures, counties, and villages. Its impact and significance, both for the book and your teacher's reputation, cannot be compared to the official printing."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
