"Lan Ke?"

"Records of Strange Things?"

After hearing what Shopkeeper Ye said, the students became very curious.

Immediately, someone took out some money and bought the book. When other students came forward, they were stopped by the man cautiously. It was obvious that he did not want to share the book with others.

The students were indignant, but they had no choice but to buy the books with their own money.

“Found it!”

Suddenly someone exclaimed, and after looking carefully, he nodded thoughtfully.

“So that’s the story… I understand!”

In the backyard of the bookstore, Fan Sizhe saw this scene and immediately realized what was going on.

“It turns out to be business expansion!”

Fan Sizhe's face was full of excitement, and he lowered his voice and spoke to Fan Xian.

Fan Xian smiled slightly but did not respond.

Beside him, Prince Jing's son Li Hongcheng also asked his guards to buy him a copy of "Records of Strange Things" and just started reading it quietly.

After reading the story of Lan Ke, he couldn't help but marvel: "So this is what Lan Ke means. No wonder those four words have such profound meaning. Looking at them, it seems like the passing of time and the changes of years."

Fan Sizhe was very curious and asked quickly, "What do you mean? Let me see."

Li Hongcheng smiled and said, "This story is about a woodcutter named Wang who went into the mountains to chop wood one day. On the way, he met two immortals playing chess. He stopped to watch. After the game was over, the woodcutter went to get the axe by the stream, only to find that the axe handle had rotted."

Fan Sizhe was so absorbed in listening that he couldn't help but ask, "And then?"

Li Hongcheng continued: "Then the woodcutter came out of the mountains and returned to his hometown. He found that his hometown had also changed dramatically. The woodcutter asked someone and learned the truth."

Fan Sizhe asked quickly: "What's the truth?"

Li Hongcheng said with emotion: "While he was watching chess for a moment, hundreds of years had passed in the outside world!"

Fan Sizhe asked curiously, "How could this be?"

Fan Xian smiled and said, "Because the woodcutter accidentally entered the fairyland, and one day in the fairyland is equal to a hundred years in the human world."

Fan Sizhe was fascinated: "There is such a saying, it's really interesting... Wait, that's not right, since one day in the immortal world is equal to a hundred years in the human world, then the woodcutter was just watching chess for a while, so it should be only a few years in the human world at most, how could it be hundreds of years?"

Seeing Fan Sizhe's argument, Fan Xian said with a frown on his face, "When I said you have three thousand hairs, do you really have three thousand?"

Fan Sizhe understood what he meant, but still smiled awkwardly: "Then I have to count first..."

Fan Xian rolled his eyes at him, then chanted softly, "The woodcutter is returning home, his axe has rotted in the wind, only the stone bridge remains, still towering in red."

Li Hongcheng's eyes lit up, and he cupped his hands and said, "Brother Fan's poetry is amazing. I admire him."

After saying this, he smiled and handed the "Records of Strange Things" in his hand to the guard.

"Interesting, interesting. I didn't expect that I would have such an unexpected surprise when I came here today."

"Brother Fan, do you have any similar stories?"

Fan Xian smiled and said, "Of course there are. Here is also a copy of Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio. Your Highness can take it back to your residence and keep it for entertainment."

After seeing off Prince Li Hongcheng of Jing, Fan Xian glanced at the students in the bookstore who were either flipping through books or copying handwriting, smiled slightly, and turned to walk into the meeting room in the backyard.

Fan Sizhe quickly followed his footsteps and said excitedly after entering the door: "Brother, when are you going to write another book? Why didn't you tell me in advance so that I can promote it for you!"

Fan Xian glanced at him and shook his head, saying, "I didn't write this book."

Fan Sizhe curled his lips and said, "Okay, okay, okay, if you say it's not, then it's not, but you have to tell me, are we the only ones who can sell this book?"

Fan Xian smiled and said, "Of course."

Fan Sizhe then smiled and said, "That's good. Please wait. I'll go outside to see how the book is selling and whether it can be compared with our signature Red Mansion."

After saying that, Fan Sizhe walked out the door excitedly.

…

…

That night, Fan Xian got the account book from Shopkeeper Ye.

It has to be said that in this era of extreme lack of entertainment activities, strange novels such as "Records of Strange Things" and "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio" can indeed attract the attention of most people.

In just one day, the sales of these two leisure books were more than three times that of Dream of the Red Chamber!

After all, the latter still has a certain reading threshold, while the former is more like those folk tales that people talk about with relish.

Even illiterate people can enjoy listening to stories as long as there is someone to help them tell them.

Of course, literary works like Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio are by no means just strange stories.

The saying "his writing about ghosts and monsters is superior to others, and his criticism of corruption and cruelty is deep to the bone" refers to Pu Songling, the author of Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio.

But Fan Xian sold this book not to criticize current social ills, but to promote the legends of gods and ghosts in the book so that the people of Qing Kingdom would have a certain understanding of gods and ghosts.

Therefore, Fan Xian deliberately deleted many metaphors of great literary value and focused only on describing magical and strange stories.

It is also for this reason that the Eighth Department of the Supervisory Yuan, which is responsible for managing the printing of books, was able to approve the book.

Of course, "Records of Strange Things" and "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio" are just the beginning of Fan Xian's plan.

His real trump card is actually another chapter-based novel about gods and demons that has not yet been released - "Journey to the West"!

However, this novel is adapted from the story of Xuanzang's journey to the West to seek Buddhist scriptures, and the Buddhism involved in it does not exist in this world.

Therefore, Fan Xian still needs to make some modifications to make the dynasties in the story closer to reality, and by the way, use this book to introduce Buddhism and Taoism... as well as the Heavenly Palace hanging high above the nine heavens!

…

…

Imperial Palace, Imperial Study.

Emperor Qing frowned slightly and looked carefully at the handwriting he was copying.

After looking at it for a while, he threw the scroll aside, glanced at Eunuch Hou and said, "You said that the four words 'Lan Ke Bookstore' are extremely mysterious and cannot be described by mortals. Is this... true?"

Eunuch Hou said respectfully, "It is absolutely true. I saw it with my own eyes. It is absolutely true."

Emperor Qing frowned and glanced at the scroll: "But from what I see, that's all..."

Eunuch Hou said ashamedly, "My writing skills are poor, not even a fraction of what that master has. If Your Majesty is interested, you can summon Master Fan to the palace tonight and have him bring the plaque to you."

Emperor Qing seemed moved, but after a little thought, he shook his head.

"Fan Xian's bookstore has just opened. It would be inappropriate for me to put up a plaque for him at this time. It would be better if you accompany me out of the palace after some time so that I can go and see it in person!"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Eunuch Hou bowed respectfully. The reason he said this was actually for Fan Xian's own good.

If he hadn't said that, given Emperor Qing's character, he might have really asked Fan Xian to deliver the plaque.

Emperor Qing signaled Eunuch Hou to take the copied calligraphy away, and then picked up the book "Records of Strange Things".

"The story is very interesting, but writing this kind of strange story is a bit off-topic."

Emperor Qing shook his head and commented: "It's far inferior to the Red Mansion!"

Eunuch Hou was waiting respectfully at the side, pretending not to hear.

But Emperor Qing obviously had no intention of letting him go: "Eunuch Hou, what do you think the Fan family is thinking? Fan Xian opened a bookstore on his own, and Fan Jian submitted two memorials to me, saying that he wanted to resign and return home..."

Eunuch Hou's heart tightened, and he said respectfully: "This...maybe he is tired of the infighting in the officialdom."

Emperor Qing shook his head and said calmly, "If the Fan family really intends to withdraw from the court and live in seclusion, the first thing Fan Xian should do is to cancel his marriage with Wan'er, but I don't see that he has this intention."

Eunuch Hou said quickly, "I am an old and stupid servant. I really can't understand why the two Master Fans are like this."

Emperor Qing glanced at him, shook his head and stopped talking.

Not long after, he suddenly asked again: "Where is the Northern Qi delegation?"

Eunuch Hou said respectfully, "We have entered the border of our Qing Kingdom. It is estimated that we will be able to enter the capital in half a month."

Emperor Qing nodded and said calmly, "In the past few days, Prime Minister Lin has repeatedly recommended Fan Xian to take on important tasks. It just so happens that he was involved in the Niulan Street assassination, so let him go to the Honglu Temple and serve as a deputy reception envoy!"

Eunuch Hou bowed respectfully and slowly left the imperial study.

…

…

Another day passed, and Fan Xian drove to the Supervisory Office again.

At this time, all the officials in the court had already known this Fan Tisi.

Almost all the officials he met along the way would greet Fan Xian by bowing.

Fan Xian responded with a smile, and then met Chen Pingping under the guidance of Wang Qinian.

After dismissing everyone, Fan Xian couldn't wait to ask, "How is the news spreading going?"

Chen Pingping glanced at him and smiled, "Are you anxious?"

Fan Xian thought about it, then shook his head and said, "There's no rush. My actions here will also take some time to develop."

Chen Pingping smiled and said, "Then let's wait a little longer... I have already lit the fire, but when it will spread into a big fire depends on what the princess does."

"The eldest princess?"

Fan Xian was stunned for a moment. Even though he had read the future plot, he couldn't figure out how this matter was related to the eldest princess.

Chen Pingping smiled and asked softly, "You have met Zhu Ge, the head of the first department, right?"

Fan Xian nodded: "I have seen him."

Chen Pingping smiled and said, "You should also know that he secretly defected to the princess."

Fan Xian finally reacted and nodded, "I do know."

Chen Pingping stood up from the wheelchair, stretched, and then walked to the clusters of wild flowers with his hands behind his back, and spoke leisurely with his back to Fan Xian.

"If we directly spread the news through the Supervisory Commission, it would leave too much trace."

"So, I secretly revealed the news that you are a descendant of the Ye family to Zhu Ge. Since the princess is so anxious to get rid of you, she will naturally get this news from him."

As he spoke, Chen Pingping turned around, looked at Fan Xian and said calmly, "You should know that when the whole city was hunting your mother, the charge was that the Ye family was guilty of treason. Later, when I returned to Beijing with the emperor, although I avenged your mother, the emperor did not, in name, vindicate the Ye family. Instead, he spared no effort to erase all traces of your mother's crimes over the years."

“Therefore, in the eyes of the eldest princess who does not know the truth, Ye is still guilty of treason.”

"Now, seeing that your wedding with Wan'er is approaching, the princess is powerless to stop it."

"Just then, she suddenly got the news that you are Ye Qingmei's son. What do you think she will do?"