Chapter 196 Unexpected Joy of Selling Books Back Home
After Shi Yuan and his companions transported "Overseas Life Diary" back by waterway, they did not rush to sell it. Instead, they first extracted a few truly useful knowledge points that they had put into practice. With money in hand, they sought out storytellers and peddlers in various places. In just a few days, the story of Sanya spread throughout the land.
Sina Town, Teahouse.
Mr. Bao straightened his long gown, walked slowly to the stage, slammed the gavel, and began to talk about the Records of the Three Kingdoms. He had told this story many times, and the people in the teahouse knew it by heart. Many of them could even recite the storyteller's words in their minds and predict what Mr. Bao's next sentence would be.
"...To find out what happens next, please stay tuned for the next chapter."
After saying this, Mr. Bao did not leave slowly as usual, but instead pulled out a piece of paper from his sleeve and said that he would give away a new story for free today. Everyone was surprised at first, but then happy - they were not tired of the old books, but it was also a happy thing to hear some fresh stories.
Seeing that everyone accepted it, Mr. Bao secretly breathed a sigh of relief: he had been paid for this story. Although the other party meant that it was up to him whether to tell it or not, Mr. Bao still had some professional ethics. He would feel guilty if he took the money and did nothing. Fortunately, the tea drinkers were very accommodating. He read it once, which was enough to justify the money he had earned.
"This story takes place in a seaside town. We don't know what the town was originally called. There was a family named Fang living there..."
The new story doesn't have the rhythm of a storyteller; it's written in plain, simple language, yet it resonates with everyone from the very beginning. Sina Town got its name because it's close to the sea, and the people in the town rely on the sea for their livelihood. The little houses made of seashells, the mended fishing nets and clothes are also part of the daily lives of many people.
"Could this have happened in our town, but it's called Nameless Town because it's not easy to talk about?"
Some people were whispering among themselves, but Mr. Bao pretended not to hear and continued reading steadily.
The plot is very simple and straightforward. It begins with Fang Sanya getting lost while fishing. She then uses various methods to find her way back to land. Shi Yuan and the others didn't have the writing skills to write anything. They consulted several writers but couldn't get a satisfactory story. In the end, they simply gave up and directly extracted a few excerpts from articles as an introduction, and then talked about various tricks throughout the story.
If this article were published in modern advertorials, it would be criticized for not having a map of the Yan Kingdom at all. However, everyone in the teahouse listened very attentively. If they had paper and pen and were literate, they would have wanted to copy down every word of Mr. Bao's article—it was a lifesaver!
Almost every household in Xinlang Town has relatives or friends who risk their lives at sea, but the real skills are only passed down through blood ties. Moreover, due to limitations in their ability to express themselves, many people, even if they sincerely want to teach, can only say vague things like "this way, and then that way," leaving people completely confused. In the end, they still have to figure it out for themselves.
As Mr. Bao said, it was the first time in the small town that everything had been laid out in plain language, so that even illiterate elderly people could understand the story.
Mr. Bao stayed at the teahouse until very late that day. Various techniques were repeated over and over again, and the paper was passed around among everyone. He found someone to copy it carefully, and his voice was hoarse when he got home. But looking at the heavy copper coins in his hand, he didn't feel that he had worked too hard. He even secretly looked forward to the arrival of the next sheet of paper.
This little bit of hardship is nothing; a few more cups of tea will do the trick. What matters is getting the money in your hands.
There are many storytellers like Mr. Bao, and there are many families that need various survival skills. Shi Yuan and others prepared three short stories and spent half a month building up everyone's appetite before finally starting to sell the books.
With Fang Sanya's survival tips as a foundation and the promise of establishing oneself abroad as a way to pique interest, "A Guide to Living Abroad" became an instant bestseller. Wealthy families, drawn by the novelty, bought a considerable number based on the number of people in their household. Poor families, seeing it as a second life, pooled their resources to buy what they couldn't afford. If Shi Yuan and his companions hadn't reserved the quantities they needed beforehand, their parents, who brought their own family's needs, would have been helplessly left out.
"The money from selling the books is all here; now it's time to split the profits."
After exchanging the last batch of books for money, Shi Yuan didn't do anything like delaying for a few days, using the money to make interest, or achieving bloody wealth growth. Instead, he directly gathered the small group back to settle accounts and divide the money.
The profit-sharing arrangement was agreed upon before the money was contributed and the work was done. Later, it was adjusted according to the actual situation. No one had any objections. The accounts were transparent, so the profit-sharing went quite smoothly. Everyone tried hard to remain calm in the face of money, but they couldn't suppress the urge to stand shoulder to shoulder with the sun.
This period has been really tough, but the money I've made is really plentiful!
“I have already hired some able-bodied men to help protect the money. If you are not at ease, you can send someone to find some of your own family members.”
After everyone had counted their money, Shi Yuan thoughtfully brought up the safety issue: "Going out alone with so much money is like a child carrying a golden goblet in the middle of the city. You've already suffered so much hardship. If you come home with your haul and get it sold for nothing, you'll feel like vomiting blood."
"There's nothing to worry about."
"Thank you, Ninth Sister. It is indeed not very safe to go out like this."
"Yeah, yeah."
...
Everyone realized how rash their actions had been. Two impatient people who had walked to the door quietly moved back, saying they believed him, but their actions betrayed their words as they went to find errand runners to bring someone they could trust. Shi Yuan didn't mind this at all—she had done the same thing back then.
Running errands takes time, so everyone started chatting while they had nothing else to do. Somehow, the conversation ended up back to Shi Yuan.
"What are Jiu Niang's plans for the future?"
The young woman, who was the undisputed heir to the family business, took the lead in speaking. She had taken over some of the family business since she was a child, but she had always stayed in the local area. Going to Shanghai to purchase books and sell them was both her first time venturing out and her first time doing a large-scale business. As a result, money flowed into her pockets as soon as she returned.
She believed in her abilities, but was also somewhat superstitious. The successful business deal made her feel that Shi Yuan had some good fortune. As the old saying goes, it's better to do what you know than what you don't. If Shi Yuan was willing to let her share the profits, she wanted to continue partnering with him.
As soon as the heir spoke, the gazes of the other four also turned towards them. The glittering, white gold and silver were right before them; if only there were a little more…
"I plan to go to Shanghai to print another batch of logs."
The book titled "Life Diary Abroad" is too long, so they usually just call it "Diary".
Shi Yuan said frankly, which shocked everyone. Their hometown had a strong business culture, and it was common for people to flock to anything that was profitable. On the day the diary sold well, some people went to Shanghai to order a batch to catch the profits. Shi Yuan hadn't prepared for this, and now it was a bit late.
In addition, the popularity of the diary also boosted the book copying industry. Although the price of the copied copies was not low, it was cheaper than the original. After this copy of the breakup was distributed, the remaining customers were cut off by a large margin. Finally, the storytellers were not to be outdone. The most popular storytelling content at the moment was this diary. People could listen to it for free, so why should they pay to buy it?
"Even if this money is easier to earn than before, you can't just throw it into the water like this."
One of the women held back for a long time, but finally couldn't help but speak up. Although the others didn't echo her, their expressions clearly showed their agreement.
"I know what I'm doing."
No matter how much everyone tried to persuade her, Shi Yuan remained unmoved. Others thought she was blinded by the money she could make from the sale, but Shi Yuan had her own plans.
On a whim, she asked the bookseller to roughly count the buyers and discovered an interesting phenomenon: the number of books purchased by wealthy families who she thought would only buy a small amount, ordinary families who she predicted would be the main buyers, and poor families who should account for a small portion and buy books together by several people were actually about the same.
Shi Yuan felt there must be some reason for this, so he asked someone to investigate the cause. He disguised himself and went to the streets and alleys to ask around. Finally, he finally figured out the general idea: the world is not peaceful!
This may seem like a truism, but in times of peace, officials and wealthy families will only prosper, while in times of adversity, things may change drastically overnight. The path in this book may be a glimmer of hope. Compared to the lifestyle of living in luxury, buying this book in batches is just a drop in the bucket in terms of expenses.
For ordinary families and poorer families with more risk resistance, their ability to withstand risks is almost non-existent. They may find it difficult to survive in their hometown at any time and have no choice but to seek survival in other places. The diary covers both domestic and foreign topics and can be used for both land and water travel. The book may be expensive on its own, but it is quite worthwhile when it becomes a life-saving item.
As for the competitiveness of the currently popular handwritten books... Ordinary books are fine; if you copy a word wrong, it usually won't have too much of a consequence. But with these kinds of papers that carry survival tips, if you make a mistake in a crucial place, such as breaking off the stinger of the manta ray (the ocean currency) instead of its tail, and someone happens to buy it and actually does it as written in the book, a person's life could be lost.
Handwritten copies are indeed cheap, but the money saved might be used to buy your life.
“I’m leaving tomorrow, so you’d better decide before tonight if you want to join.”
As soon as Shi Yuan finished speaking, the atmosphere immediately turned cold. Fortunately, the other five families had already sent people over, so they took their leave on the steps.
The next day, Shi Yuan boarded a ship back to Shanghai alone with her men. Along with her came heavy boxes of gold, which was the money she and her heir had spent on buying books. Her heir had sent her a lot of money that evening, intending to secure a place in this business. Shi Yuan had calculated that this money was at least half of what she had earned from selling books last time.
It's not a major blow to the heirs, but it's a bonus for Shi Yuan. His already tight budget is even more relaxed, allowing him to bring back more logs.
Ships sailed day and night toward Shanghai. After entering the city, Shi Yuan searched for a suitable printing factory while also thinking about the pleas of his elders back home. He inquired about the situation of the middle-aged man and his group, and then he had an unexpected surprise.
"If you want it, take it all for this price."
The stinky-footed patrolman pointed at the logbook he had confiscated from the middle-aged man and his companion, and said with a hint of annoyance.
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