Volume 1: Past and Present Chapter 11: Sweeping Across Jiangnan

  I've struck it rich!

  This was Qin Kan's first thought after walking out of Tang Yin's room.

  The idea made him want to jump up and shout "Yes!" a few times.

  Du Yan tried every means to find out what Qin Kan was up to, but in fact, Qin Kan was indeed up to this.

  It sounds good to call it "borrowing the east wind", and it doesn't sound good to call it "borrowing a chicken to lay eggs".

  Tang Yin's poetry and painting are both unparalleled. If some of the most famous phrases that can be passed down for thousands of years were added to his already dazzling aura, then the economic benefits generated by selling these poems in the market would definitely be a staggering figure.

  This is also why Qin Kan chose to borrow a chicken to lay eggs rather than pretend to be a talented person himself.

  Someone like Qin Kan, who is completely unknown and has even been stripped of his honors, would not be praised by the scholars of Jiangnan if he were to flaunt a large collection of classic phrases. Instead, he would face the collective beating of the entire literary circle.

  Fame is something that can be seen and felt. If the saying "three years of silence, one cry shocking the world" were to happen in real life during the Ming dynasty, it would absolutely not end well, because the jealousy of scholars is heavier and more vicious than that of women.

  But if these immortal lines were written by the number one talented scholar of Jiangnan, the meaning and result would be vastly different.

  Tang Dynasty's great talented writers wrote so many immortal poems that are normal and logical.

  Give all the honor and halo to Tang Yan, Qin Kan doesn't mind taking this loss, what he values is not a reputation, but real silver coins.

  Pure and noble knowledge, in his eyes can be measured with silver, realists value actual benefits.

  Making a fortune is something that should be done sooner rather than later. On the road to prosperity, one should gallop without stopping, and if necessary, kill Buddha with Buddha. Otherwise, it would be extremely irresponsible to one's own future glory and wealth.

  Out of Tang Yin's room, Qin Kan took the freshly baked excellent poem manuscript and rushed out of the inn. After inquiring, he found a bookstore called "Yanmo Fang" in the west of Shaoxing City, and the owner of the bookstore was surnamed Huang.

  Huang Zhanggui was also a scholar with no prospects for official career advancement, so he simply abandoned his dignity and went into business.

  The two men didn't say much when they met, and Qin Kan directly handed him a poem manuscript signed by Tang Yin.

  Huang Zhongcai took it over and had only flipped through two pages when he looked up to the sky and tears began to fall, just like Tang Dazhongzi, at a 45-degree angle.

  "Life is but a first meeting... What a beautiful poem, Tang Xianyu indeed deserves to be the number one talented scholar of Jiangnan." Huang Zhanggui's eyes were filled with sorrow.

  Nalan's grandfather is quite sinister...

  "Is poetry beautiful?"

  "Beautiful, too beautiful! Tang Yin's talent..." Huang Zhuangju tried to find the highest praise to describe Tang Yin, but unfortunately, after being in business for a long time, his cultural level had degenerated. He let out a deep sigh, and though he didn't say anything more, his expression deeply conveyed his admiration and emotion, just like having just eaten a refreshing pill, wearing light gauze and experiencing first love together on the beach, it was very captivating.

  Qin Kan shifted his gaze away, he really didn't want to define this twisted and pockmarked old face as "enchanting".

  "Can Tang Jiayuan's poetry manuscript be published?"

  "Of course, if this poem can't be published, who in the world has the qualifications to become a book? Life is just like the first sight..." Huang Zhuanggui cried again, he's an emotionally rich boss, his first love story must have been very bumpy.

  "Alright, how much will you pay?"

  "Huh?"

  Qin Kan patiently explained: "Publishing a book requires paying royalties, just like eating at a restaurant requires paying for food. It's only natural and reasonable, can't not pay the money?"

  Huang Zhuanggui blinked his tearful fish-bubble eyes, and for a long time he didn't come back to himself.

  It's clear that he is still immersed in the beautiful and melancholic realm of "life being like first love", unwilling to return to reality.

  "When you're discussing such a great work, you...you actually talk to me about money, you, you're simply..." Huang Zhuang's face turned red with rage, as if his daughter had been raped, and he was so angry that he couldn't speak.

  Such a elegant and refined poem suddenly got related to something yellow and white, Huang Zhanggui couldn't accept it emotionally.

  Qin Kan misunderstood his meaning, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he said coldly: "......Do you want to cheat each other?"

  He swore that if Huang dared to say yes, he would definitely punch his dog head with one fist.

  Fortunately, Huang was a clever man and he quickly sensed the murderous intent in the air, so he soon regained his composure.

  "I'll print a thousand copies and give Tang Jieyuan one hundred taels of silver as a gratuity."

  "Print 5,000 copies and give me 200 taels of silver. For every additional 1,000 copies printed, give me 50 taels more. If it sells well, then it's settled; if not, I'll change to another publishing house. In Jiangnan, the land of Wenchang, there are as many publishing houses as hairs on a cow..."

  Huang Zhuanggui hastily pulled him back and said with a bitter smile: "Brother, business is something that takes time to discuss, why the rush?"

  "I couldn't help but rush..."

  "Why?"

  "Tang Jieyuan is now lying in the inn, starving to the point of being on his last breath. Wait until I get the money back and eat, or else not only will we not meet again for the first time in our lives, but also this will be our final farewell."

  Huang Zhuangju hesitated for a moment, then stamped his foot: "Alright! Two hundred taels!"

  "Sign here, stamp here, pay money, thank you."

  Shaoxing has gone crazy, Suzhou and Hangzhou have gone crazy, Jiangnan has gone crazy.

  A few days ago, Tang Yin, the number one scholar of Jiangnan, published a book called "Bo Hu's Poetry Collection". Every poem in the collection is a masterpiece that can be passed down for thousands of years. All buyers were overjoyed and some scholars were even moved to tears.

  A true genius, a pride of Jiangnan literati!

  Among them, "Life is like first love" made many ladies in the boudoir infatuated and tearful.

  Since the founding of the eight-legged essay by Taizu Emperor, the literati and Confucian scholars of the Great Ming have been exhausting their brains for the eight-legged essay. This style is really not a good thing, it restricts people's thinking, making them unable to jump out of the strange circle of the eight-legged essay. It is only an instrument for the emperor to strengthen his rule, resulting in the lack of freedom in the literary style and thought of the common people. Therefore, since the founding of the Great Ming, there have been few poems and essays that can be passed down for thousands of years. It cannot be said that this is not a retrogression of civilization.

  In such a grand environment, there is actually a collection of poems, all of which can be called excellent sentences, all of which can be passed down for eternity, how can it not make literary people go crazy and chase after it?

  Tang Yin's name once again spread throughout the streets and alleys of Jiangnan, he became a great god.

  When the world was in a flurry, Qin Kan hid in his room at the inn, with a hint of sarcastic smile on his handsome face, contentedly... counting his silver.

  So much money!

  The poetry collection was a huge success, and the bookstore owner Huang had to reprint it again and again. The silver coins were delivered one time after another. After deducting 40% for Tang Yin, Qin Kan alone got 60%, which added up to more than 300 taels.

  The first bucket of gold in life, dazzling his eyes, the dazzling silver light like clouds in heaven, comfortable, peaceful...

  Bang!

  The door was kicked open by someone.

  A slender and tall figure appeared in his eyes.

  Qin Kan's eyelid twitched and he subconsciously wrapped his arms around the pile of silver on the table.

  The newcomer is an old acquaintance.

  "Come to grab money?" Qin Kan's face didn't look very good.

  "No."

  "What did you come here for?"

  "Pay a visit."

  Qin Kan pointed at the door that Du Yan had kicked and was now on the verge of collapse, calmly saying: "You call this way 'visiting'?"

  Du Yan pouted: "Fine, I'll compensate you."

  Qin Kan sighed and said: "Big sister, I've already given you the fine silver, aren't we even now? Why are you still looking for me?"

  "I just wanted to see if that talented young man from Jiangnan was killed by you."

  Today's Du Yan seems to be not very sunny, the momentum of kicking the door is weaker than usual, Qin Kan feels very unaccustomed, she should be more overbearing.

  "Upstairs, first door on the left after turning, third room. Please close the door when you leave, thank you," Qin Kan said calmly.

  Du Yan didn't have her usual fiery temper, but instead let out a weak sigh, got up and closed the door, then sat down on a stool in the room.

  Qin Kan's face twitched, she really didn't take herself as an outsider...

  A lonely man and a widow living together in one room, isn't she afraid of tarnishing her reputation? What did your father teach you?

  Du Yan swept a glance at the silver on the table and calmly said, "You've embezzled so much silver again?"

  Qin Kan gave her a strange look.

  This girl is not quite normal today, with a hint of sorrow hidden between her eyebrows that cannot be concealed.

  Was he beaten when he was fined?

  Qin Kan couldn't help but indulge in the wicked thoughts that emerged from his heart.

  Du Yan sighed softly, as if in thought: "You're a resourceful person..."

  Qin Kan pursed his lips and said nothing.

  This woman's face clearly says "trouble", if you get involved with her, her troubles will likely drag you in.

  It's better to maintain a purely hostile relationship without getting too familiar with each other...

  Qin Kan didn't speak, Du Yan's pretty face was tightly closed, and she refused to open her mouth again, but she didn't leave either. The two sat opposite each other, falling into an awkward silence.

  Bang!

  The door was kicked open again.

  Qin Kan let out a long sigh: "What day is today, why are everyone's visiting methods so extraordinary?"

  Tang Yin appeared before him with a collection of poems in his hand, trembling all over, pointing at Qin Kan and stuttering.

  "Why? Tell me why!" Tang Yin gritted his teeth and growled, his face twisted like a fried dough twist from a breakfast stall.

  "What's going on?" Qin Kan was calm and composed.

  "Why didn't you discuss with me before publishing this poetry collection?"

  "Who says there's no room for negotiation? You've even signed the contract..." Qin Kan waved a copy of the agreement in front of him.

  "You..." Tang Yin's words were cut off, and he immediately became angry, saying: "Is it I who wrote 'The Life is but a Moment of First Meeting'?"

  "Of course it was you who did it."

  "Is it also something I did, biting onto the green mountain and refusing to let go?"

  "Of course."

  Tang Yin burst out completely, grasping Qin Kan's collar with one hand, his face red with rage, waving the poetry collection in his hand extremely ferociously: "Then this 'A Group of Geese Under the Mountain' is also written by me?"

  PS: Unconsciously recommended... I have some good news to share with everyone, starting tomorrow, there will be two updates a day. Even if there aren't two updates, I'll try to maintain the word count of two updates.

  I hope everyone votes with joy, spreads the word and celebrates with firecrackers.