Fourth Anniversary Summary! Gentleman and Sword Maiden readers, come chat!
I'm not asking for monthly votes in this chapter.
Screw monthly passes! We're not online beggars, shamelessly begging for monthly passes everywhere we go.
I just finished writing an extra 10,000 words a day. I'm going to take a shower and then catch up on some sleep.
Halfway through making it, I suddenly remembered that today is Children's Day!
June 1st.
Four years ago today, on June 1st, 2020,
Because of his hobby, Xiao Rong uploaded the first chapter of "I Have a Sword Immortal Wife" on Qidian.com, titled "This Person Is Like a Rainbow".
At the time, I never imagined that four years later, on Children's Day, I would be sitting in front of a computer writing this chapter.
It feels like a lifetime ago.
From my sophomore year of college until now, I'm 18.
For four whole years, I typed out one book, "Sword Maiden," and another, "Gentleman," totaling 4.7 million words, word by word.
I dare say that even though my writing may be met with a barrage of criticism, every single word I typed was the best I could achieve at the moment it was written.
Many brothers say that I like writing about water and details. It's because I have an obsessive-compulsive feeling that every word in the book must meet my personal standards of satisfaction. So, the words I write are naturally very "heavy" and verbose. I even have to go back and polish and revise them in an obsessive-compulsive way.
Often when I'm taking a shower, I'll suddenly rush out of the bathroom, grab my phone, open the background app, and edit a single word that I just thought didn't make sense when I reviewed it in my mind.
I'm not saying this to praise myself, but out of helplessness.
So Xiao Rong is actually a very internally conflicted person.
This was mentioned in the final chapter of the Sword Maiden's story.
A work is always influenced by the creator's personality.
This is especially evident in Sword Maiden, which is also the work that Xiao Rong feels most guilty about. I've dragged it down. In my heart, it's absolutely the best in the world. Although many people criticize it, it's still Xiao Rong's favorite. (My eyes are a little sore as I write this.)
Getting back to the point.
The gentleman is slightly better off, as he is less influenced by the creator.
Xiao Rong summarized and reflected on all the painful problems and setbacks he encountered with Jian Niang before finally putting pen to paper, hence the title "practice piece".
So compared to Sword Maiden, a story whose ending I never imagined, I had already conceived the ending of Gentleman's story when I started writing it.
It also chose a fictional Tang Dynasty court setting during the Wu Zhou period, creating a "small but beautiful" worldview.
Anyone who has read Sword Maiden knows that a low-level martial arts world like Gentleman's World, if placed in the Xianxia-oriented Sword Maiden, would be like a secular dynasty on a certain continent, or a blessed land nurtured by the treasures of a sect on a certain mountain.
The protagonist of "Gentleman" is, compared to the protagonist of "Sword Maiden," the one least like Xiao Rong.
Aside from XP, I tried my best to avoid any influence from my personal style on him.
Unless it's due to Xiao Rong's personal experience leading to a narrow plot concept, thus limiting the protagonist's performance in a more exciting and character-appropriate way, this is an unavoidable situation.
He has his own personality!
Regarding the main character's personality, there's one point that Xiao Rong seems to have never mentioned in the book.
The protagonist of the novel is based on a combination of Zhang Mazi and Faust.
Therefore, his temperament is both rational and romantic, both pessimistic and optimistic, both tormented and resolute.
Zhang Mazi and Faust are very similar.
They all embraced their personal dreams and desires with the collective interests and cause.
Therefore, in the process of accomplishing their mission, they did not abandon their personal desires, but rather actively embraced them while simultaneously serving the people.
This is the realization of shared values.
Therefore, in some parts of the story, Xiao Rong unconsciously and tirelessly rambles on:
Is it the heart of one person and the heart of millions, or the heart of millions and the heart of one person?
Xiao Rong really didn't want to bring up such a grand and boring topic in the novels that people read for entertainment and amusement.
What values are imparted in private work?
But I can't help but ramble on occasionally, so please forgive me. Just consider it as an uncontrollable stream of thoughts.
I really like a word mentioned in a comment from a discerning reader.
Humanistic care.
The main character has a humanistic spirit!
He will always help the weak, whether they are weak or strong!
Whether there are many people or few people, he will always stand on the side with more people!
Isn't this exactly what Zhang Mazi and Faust did throughout human history?
This allows some readers to slightly feel this effect when they turn off the screen and pause after reading for a while.
As the author, I am already very satisfied.
Actually, compared to Zhang Mazi, the protagonist who is serious about important matters but not so serious about trivial matters is more like Faust.
Zhang Mazi is too "high-minded". If we take him as the standard, gentlemen will not be able to write. The simplest problem at hand is that the feelings between men and women will not be able to be developed.
Therefore, "Faust" is used to reconcile the conflict.
Faust was originally a learned old scholar who had spent his life studying and longed to enjoy the exciting life outside.
He made a deal with the devil, gaining a young body as if he were reborn to embrace life.
Faust did not seek the afterlife, but only cared about the present.
Having experienced love, loss, and betrayal in this world, he chose to unite his personal desires with the collective cause, striving to do things that benefit the people.
But with the devil's "help," Faust failed and even unjustly killed a farming family. He was so guilty that he went blind.
Finally, in his old age, he was buried by the devil who dug a hole in the ground.
The sound of shovels striking stones made him, blind and delirious in the grave, mistake it for the sound of free people working diligently on the land, building peaceful and prosperous homes.
So Faust, with a satisfied expression, uttered words like "This life is enough," thus rekindling the initial pact and surrendering his soul to the devil.
But just as the devil was about to take his soul, an angel descended, saved his soul, and took him to heaven.
This is a very interesting story.
Xiao Rong actually quoted this as well. In the first volume, the protagonist said to someone that what he liked most was the sound of everyone working together to control the flood on the Zheyi Canal construction site during the day.
What he hates and suffers from most is being called "Master" by others.
It was also a subconscious tribute to Faust.
Aside from the main character's design,
There are also main storylines, perspectives, pacing, techniques, and so on.
In terms of writing methodology, Junzi has made significant improvements compared to Jianniang.
However, there are also some unsatisfactory aspects, as many readers have pointed out.
Take the latest climax as an example.
The scene where the Xingzifang Buddha collapses and Lin Cheng and others are beheaded.
Many people feel that Lin Cheng, Wei Shaoqi, Wang Lengran, and others died too easily and too quickly, and it wasn't satisfying enough.
In retrospect, this was a discrepancy in expectations arising from the author's perspective versus the reader's perspective.
From Xiao Rong's perspective as an author, he felt that resolving all conflicts and contradictions and smoothing out all information gaps within a chapter, using just a few lines of text, could provide a quick and intense sense of satisfaction.
However, one point was slightly overlooked: from the reader's perspective, the emotions in this passage were not fully conveyed, or rather, not fully released.
There are two reasons.
Firstly, Lin Cheng, Wang Lengran, and Wei Shaoqi died too quickly; it was a guess, but not certain that the protagonist was responsible.
Imagine if the protagonist made a dazzling appearance in this chapter, and the reader followed his first-person perspective, getting immersed in the story and defeating the enemies who were filled with regret and fear under his powerful strength. Wouldn't that be more satisfying?
Because of the protagonist's first-person perspective, readers will subconsciously immerse themselves in the story, fill in the blanks in their minds, and be moved by the emotions.
Instead of the protagonist being absent and the enemy already defeated before the emotions could be stirred up.
Secondly, the protagonist's actions are kept secret from the reader from beginning to end.
This includes the scene where the protagonist looks up at the old stone bricks under the bridge when he returns to the city from the front line, then the scene where he repairs the west gate, and then the scene where he gets stuck in the Great Buddha's treasure room [Dingjian].
These were all done in secret, with only foreshadowing and groundwork laid, without being fully revealed.
In the words of a friend after listening, Xiao Rong has even deceived the readers. She not only deceived the villains but also the readers' perspective, failing to properly exploit the information gap.
So, apart from a few readers who noticed the foreshadowing and the protagonist's intentions beforehand, many readers were completely confused about this part, making all sorts of guesses about the protagonist's actions, and were preparing to read the later chapters for explanation.
However, from Xiao Rong's perspective as the author, I felt that I had written it clearly enough. At first, I was even prepared not to explain and to start the victory settlement directly... but my friend reminded me.
This way of writing isn't satisfying enough.
Therefore, we need to change our mindset and consider issues from the reader's perspective rather than indulging in self-indulgent authorial views.
But Xiao Rong was really satisfied with this part; aside from the water element, its concept was ingenious and interesting.
It even has a touch of allegory. (laughs)
Xiao Rong borrowed the climax technique from the newly released movie "Zhou Chu Eliminates the Three Evils," yes, that famous scene of "headshot in the auditorium."
There is a movie review online that reads:
Why is it that the protagonist always manages to get a satisfying headshot, and even after being buried alive like Superman, he comes back to life, escapes from his coffin, and goes to the auditorium to headshot the villain?
Because the "gun" in the movie is not just a gun, but also an elegant ceremonial object.
Once the protagonist overcomes the "greed, ignorance, and anger" that form the main conflict of the entire film, the "gun," which serves as a ritual implement, is used for judgment and for ending things! Therefore, it is infallible, hitting the head every time! That's why the protagonist's resurrection is like that of a superhero!
If the "greed, ignorance, and anger" in the plot are not overcome, the "gun" will never hit anyone, it will always miss, and the conflict will never be resolved.
It does not follow the logic of reality, but rather the logic of film and television art.
The same applies to the 【鼎剑】!
In the climax of the storyline where the Buddha statue collapses and Lin Cheng is killed, it is not only a powerful divine weapon, but also a "ritual object," just like the infallible gun mentioned above.
It is even the highest-ranking ritual vessel in the entire book.
Its appearance signifies judgment.
As the representative of feudal imperial power, the empress who can win the hearts of millions with her own will, as long as her golden body remains unbroken, the [Dingjian] cannot do anything to her, and even cannot do anything to Lin Cheng and others who represent her will!
So, when was the Empress's invincible body broken in this part of the story?
It begins when the protagonist declares in public, "Your subject will die rather than obey the imperial edict!"
The Wang family mother and son died tragically because they were forced to have the statue made.
Then, the ministers of Xunyang Prince's Mansion, Yuan, Yan, Chen, and others who had originally obeyed the imperial power felt guilty and withdrew from the statue-making, refusing to be accomplices.
Finally, Rongzhen, the Empress's most loyal female official, doubted herself as the Xingzifang Buddha was nearing completion. He hesitated and turned to find the protagonist.
Step by step, they peeled away the empress's golden body like peeling an onion.
Therefore, in the climax of the Buddha's collapse mentioned earlier, the Dingjian appears as a "ritual vessel".
The people who were protected by the Empress's majesty and golden body, and who were pushing forward the costly and exhausting Xingzifang statue project by Lin, Wei, Wang, and others, were doomed to die!
So all that was needed was to write a few lines about the simple act of cleaning, like chopping melons and vegetables. At the time, Xiao Rong felt that writing even a second longer would be a waste of the preceding setup.
The plot progression and underlying artistic logic of this section were very enjoyable for Xiao Rong to write, making her feel passionate and animated.
But what about the results?
As mentioned earlier.
It's not enjoyable enough; those who watch it quickly don't feel immersed, feel confused, or just give a perfunctory "oh."
Only a few readers nodded in approval, thinking it was alright.
So... it's just self-indulgence.
Ideals are lofty, but reality is harsh.
Upon closer examination, this part of the plot, apart from borrowing from the film in terms of "artistic logic,"...
In its use of deceiving the reader's perspective to build up the story, it borrows from the climactic scene of killing the emperor in the novel "The Son-in-Law".
However, Xiao Rong is not mature enough in evoking the emotions of readers other than those who are into profanity.
In a way, this plot is somewhat similar to the scene in "A Song of Ice and Fire" where Cersei, after being humiliated and paraded through the streets, blows up the cathedral with wildfire and wipes out her enemies.
It was also a climax, an unexpected event, and a moment that cleared away all contradictions and conflicts.
However, this technique of "deceiving the audience" is only suitable for film and television works, which can make the audience exclaim that it is wonderful.
Novels that are not well-suited to a written medium.
Because readers need to fill in the blanks with their own imagination.
Film and television works can directly present the images, saving the audience the trouble of filling in the blanks with their imagination. Not to mention, there are background music and other means to fully evoke emotions... In any case, it is definitely more convenient than written works.
Therefore, if this part of the story were presented visually, it would certainly be more powerful and impactful than written words.
The visual appeal and atmosphere are satisfactory.
It's suitable as a script for film and television adaptation; it would definitely be excellent.
However, a flaw is a flaw. As a novel, if the climax isn't exciting enough, it's flawed, and there's no way to fix it afterward.
The reason, in summary, lies in the writing style.
Therefore, the most important thing to focus on next in the book "The Gentleman" is the improvement in its writing style.
Writing style, writing style, writing style!
The plot is fine; as a "ritual weapon," the Dingjian will surely face its magnificent judgment later on.
However, the only criterion for judging a writer's skill is how to create a sense of satisfaction.
There have actually been similar improvements recently.
This is the settlement of gains after the climax that I'm writing now.
Xiao Rong didn't just throw everything away; instead, she integrated it into the interesting storyline, which not only prolonged the satisfaction of the harvest settlement but also laid the groundwork for the next part of the story.
So far, it seems alright.
Actually, these shortcomings weren't entirely noticed by Xiao Rong herself; she has two good friends to thank.
One is "Honey Princess," and the other is "Nuclear Peace Watcher," both authors. I won't reveal the pen name of the latter.
Xiao Rong currently shares an apartment with them; she's their roommate, cough cough, but they don't fence.
Let me talk about life.
Looking back over the past four years, I spent the first two years writing about sword girls without any fandom or much change. The most memorable year was last year.
Last year, 2023, Xiao Rong had three major gains.
One of them was writing about a gentleman in January of this year. The results were pretty good. I was writing it part-time, and at the same time, I had you guys, my best book lovers.
One of them got over a failed online relationship.
Lastly, I met my colleagues, Honey Princess and "Nuclear Peace Watcher".
This year has been incredibly fruitful.
As mentioned earlier, due to his introverted and withdrawn nature from reading novels since childhood and his dedication to writing books in college, Xiao Rong is a small-town youth who is prone to self-destruction.
But these two friends don't fight each other at all, and being with them always gives me positive energy.
Yes, always!
They also corrected many of my biased and self-defeating beliefs.
On the contrary, I might be the one consuming them.
However, as a friend, I sometimes give them the maximum emotional support, hehe.
Xiao Rong is from Jiujiang, Jiangxi; Mi Zhi Ji is from Hangzhou, Zhejiang; and He Ping is from Daqing, Northeast China.
Three people who grew up in different environments are very different, yet they get along and complement each other in a strange way.
We often eat street food together, chat about writing, or go out to gather material and inspiration when we're stuck on a piece of writing late at night.
From Honey Princess, I learned that one should not be fussy about details, be generous, and not dwell on small gains and losses.
Suddenly I remembered that the last time he saw me using the little stool he used to stand on while he was live-streaming and typing, a few days later he came upstairs early in the morning with a package, laughing and saying it was my package, and asked me to guess what it was. Hehe, what a good buddy.
He Ping is a voracious reader, earning him the nickname "Wang Yuyan of Online Literature." Talking with him has taught me a lot of expert knowledge.
At the same time, I also learned from him the straightforward and honest nature of Northeastern men.
From this perspective, women can go to hell! Bro, you smell amazing! (laughs)
However, both of these boys come from wealthy families, so if they don't write books, they'll just have to go back and inherit their "billions in assets."
Damn it, this small-town youth almost clenched his teeth to pieces, thankfully they didn't, otherwise he would have had to swallow them whole...
Getting back to the point.
On the 4th of last month, during the double monthly vote period, Honey Princess took the lead and joined everyone in casting a wave of monthly votes, pushing Gentleman to the top.
Looking back now, the results were excellent. The data was more than four times that of previous months, and my fellow editors were very surprised, saying that my book was starved for exposure because it hadn't received enough attention before.
This month, Miji and Heping were the first to invest, and Xiaorong was actually a little panicked, feeling that the winds were rising and the waves were surging. However, Heping said to me in his unique Northeastern accent:
Xiao Rong, you need to understand that you will only grow if you stand in that position and experience massive exposure and data fluctuations! Which great author wasn't honed through a storm of massive exposure?
color!
Upon hearing this, a surge of emotion welled up in my chest, gradually transforming from a subtle feeling into a powerful one.
Damn it, I'm off to write now, so I can be shameless enough to ask you guys for monthly votes!
Last night I promised to work until the third watch, but I accidentally fell asleep and only managed to catch up at noon. When "Nuclear Peace" came out this morning and saw me, he patted my shoulder with a sigh and said, "Xiao Rong, your second godfather is very disappointed in you."
hateful.
That's truly inhuman.
Let me reiterate: although they are loyal to each other, I am still their godfather. Please be aware of this!
Because the brothers of Junzi and Jianniang are my adoptive fathers. (Confirmed)
Junzi and Jianniang have a group of their best book friends.
Many readers have said that the novels "Junzi" and "Jianniang" are not suitable for further reading.
Yes, because Xiao Rong was once a left-behind child who would hide under the covers all night reading "knife-printed" completed online novels, immersing himself in fantasy all day long.
Now that I'm older, I've started writing, and from beginning to end, I've subconsciously focused on the experience of reading the whole book in one go. I'm even reluctant to reach the end too soon and close this fantasy journey.
"The Gentleman and the Sword Maiden" is a love letter written to every lonely reader who is similar to himself.
The day I finish writing this book, I will personally hand it to you.
Finally, let's look back on the past four years.
I didn't do anything.
I left behind two books, made a few friends, and met you all.
Happy Children's Day! May you stay forever 18.
Let's end with a line from Lu You's "Jiannan Poetry Collection":
In the autumn of the Jia Chen year of Chunxi, I watched the tide rise at sea and happened to moor my boat at the gate. I then strolled around again with my cane, as if it were a different world.
(End of this chapter)
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