Linxia

Chapter 135, Big Profit

When the booksellers in the city united tacitly and prepared to follow the trend and pirate "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", someone came to Xuan Mo Zhai, and it was Zhong Zongdian who wrote "Popular Romance of the Song Dynasty Restoration".

Fang Lin took time out to meet him.

"The last time I saw him was at a debate conference, where Manager Fang refuted him with just a few words. I knew then that Manager Fang was no ordinary person. Sure enough, now that Romance of the Three Kingdoms has been published, he has become famous all over the world," Zhong Zongdian exclaimed.

"Your Excellency is too kind. I'm sure Zhong Tongsheng didn't come here to talk about this, right?" Fang Lin asked, as he stared into the other person's eyes and asked since there was no such thing as congratulations between them.

"Of course." Zhong Zongdian stopped beating around the bush and said what he meant: "Shuxiang Pavilion is planning to take the lead in counterfeiting Manager Fang's "Romance of the Three Kingdoms". I also tried to persuade them, but the Hong brothers didn't listen... I came here to make my position clear to avoid Manager Fang's misunderstanding."

The Hong brothers told him about this because they wanted him to write a review for the pirated version of Romance of the Three Kingdoms to help readers understand it better. Ultimately, it was for sales.

Fang Lin glanced at the man and found him very interesting. He asked, "Your copy of The Popular Romance of the Restoration of the Song Dynasty is on sale at the Book Pavilion. Shouldn't it be the same copy as the Hong brothers'?"

"To be honest with you, Shopkeeper Fang, I know that Shopkeeper Fang has the support of the prefect behind him. On the other hand, the Hong brothers are blinded by greed and want to do nothing but blame others. They made this stupid move... I am afraid that Shopkeeper Fang will punish me in the future."

Zhong Zongdian spoke frankly, which shows that he is a smart man.

"So that's how it is." Fang Lin laughed in silence.

"Manager Fang, do you think that what I did was a bit of currying favor with the powerful and opportunistic?" Zhong Zongdian asked bluntly.

Fang Lin also answered frankly: "That's what you said."

"Haha, I was right about Manager Fang. He is indeed a wonderful person."

Zhong Zongdian was not angry. He clapped his hands and smiled, then explained: "To borrow a phrase from the Hong brothers, business is business, and it is just business. I write books, they pay me, I get the money, and they get the books, so the money and goods are both paid. When I learned that the Hong brothers wanted to pirate "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", I also advised them not to do so. I have done my best. I can't let them jump into the trap just because we cooperated in a business. There is no such reason in the world!"

"Of course, I shouldn't fall into the trap with you. Coming to tell Mr. Fang seems to be fickle and adding insult to injury."

He sighed and said, "I also think this is not appropriate, but Brother Fang is to blame for this..."

"Oh?" Fang Lin sat upright, waiting for his words.

"As the saying goes, a gentleman sees the opportunity, and a wise man knows his fate. When my "Popular Romance of the Restoration of the Song Dynasty" was sold on the same day as Fang's "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", I lost miserably, and I knew that I couldn't do anything. Speaking of which, I consider myself an expert in this field. I wrote novels about loyalty and filial piety, and I fought my way out of the crowd. Otherwise, I wouldn't have become a representative of retro and conservative literati. Compared with Dai Zongqi, Zhuang Yuqing, Rong Cailin, Li Gongru and others, I think I am better than them in terms of novels. I can be said to be the best of the best, one in ten thousand. Therefore, I was valued by the Hong brothers and published "Popular Romance of the Restoration of the Song Dynasty"..."

Zhong Zongdian said this, looked at Fang Lin and asked: "Manager Fang, compared to ordinary people, I can also be called a genius, right?"

"Yes." Fang Lin nodded.

"But even so, I only gained the qualification to stand in front of Shopkeeper Fang. Shopkeeper Fang's Romance of the Three Kingdoms versus my Popular Romance of the Restoration of the Song Dynasty was as easy as chopping melons and vegetables. The winner was immediately clear. My past reputation was all gone, and Shopkeeper Fang became famous..."

Zhong Zongdian said these words with a complicated expression. He deeply felt the disparity in the world and felt that things like talent were really unreasonable.

"But later I came to terms with it. There are 150 million people in Daxia. Even if we pick one out of 10,000, there will be 15,000 people. This is true for the imperial examinations, and it is also true for writing popular novels."

He smiled bitterly and said, "I am not complaining when I say this. On the contrary, I feel honored to have a duel with Manager Fang. Manager Fang will be remembered in history in the future, and I, as a stepping stone, may also be recorded in history... Manager Fang's talent is truly admirable to me. I really want to make friends with a person like Manager Fang, so today I am taking this opportunity to come here to get close to him."

"This person is quite capable. I just took the opportunity to test him, but he was neither embarrassed nor angry. His response was as gentle as spring breeze and rain. Not only did he dispel the bad impression of being a snitch, but he also secretly flattered me and brought us closer."

Fang Lin pondered secretly, and was cautious in his heart, but smiled and said: "It was just a joke before. Thank you, Brother Zhong, for reminding me. Fang is grateful here."

No matter what, since the other party came to tell him, he had to acknowledge this goodwill.

"Manager Fang, you are too kind. I think Manager Fang is confident. I think even if I don't say anything, it won't cause any harm... Let's not talk about this. Today, Manager Fang and I will only exchange popular novels."

It seemed that Zhong Zongdian really came to discuss the creation of popular novels. After exchanging some ideas, he said goodbye and left.

……

Fang Lin knew that the piracy of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" could not be prevented. After the half-month window period, the second batch of reprinted "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" had just been sold for five or six days, just as Zhong Zongdian said, piracy led by Shuxiang Pavilion began.

He asked someone to keep an eye on it, and as soon as pirated copies appeared, news spread immediately. Xu Kuolao, Dong Zugao, and Prefect Pu also found out about it. They all wanted to help.

Xu Kuo Lao asked if they wanted to do something illegal, so he could send gang members to warn them, but Fang Lin declined. Dong Zugao also had an idea, saying that he could contact his classmates to surround those shops, but Fang Lin declined as well. Prefect Pu hinted that the other party was not in the right, so they could take official action to prevent the situation for a while, but Fang Lin also declined, saying, "Why use a butcher knife to kill a chicken? Since it is a commercial competition, we can just use commercial means."

First of all, publicity was conducted in the city to make the concept of Xuan Mo Zhai's authentic products deeply rooted in people's hearts - the author of "Water Margin" was a person from the end of the Yuan Dynasty and had long passed away, while Fang Linke, who brought "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" to this world, was still alive and well. The concept of being the only authentic version could easily be recognized by the public.

Then, they used the marketing tactics of later generations, such as author signatures, random exquisite gifts, discounts, draws for purchases above a certain amount...all kinds of means were thrown out bit by bit, trying to maximize the potential of the first part of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" and eat the biggest and most abundant piece of the cake.

These methods are undoubtedly extremely useful. For readers, when they hear the word "pirated", they will subconsciously think that there are some mistakes or omissions in the content. When the price difference is not much, or even lower, why buy pirated books when you can choose genuine ones?
Not to mention, Xuan Mo Zhai’s genuine books, as well as various interesting promotions!
This dazzling combination of punches left the booksellers in Huai'an City helpless. They couldn't even compete if they wanted to - books are cheaper the more they are printed. Xuan Mo Zhai has the largest shipment volume and the lowest cost, so they can't even compete on cost.

At this time, a huge rock hit the book business community in Huai'an: the instigator, Shuxiang Pavilion, who contacted the city's book business and led the piracy, lost the support of the Hong brothers in the government office - this government official was hooking up with a book business like the Hong brothers, what kind of good stuff could he be? If you are determined to investigate such a person, you will find out for sure.

This is Pu Zhifu's warning to the city's booksellers. As the saying goes, the word "official" has two mouths. A county magistrate can ruin a family, and a prefect can wipe out a family. Pu Zhifu is a good official, but that doesn't mean he has no temper. If you really think that Pu Zhifu is someone who can be bullied, you are totally wrong.

The calm and nonchalant warning from Prefect Pu was like a bolt from the blue to the city's booksellers. This warning made the city's booksellers realize that there is indeed no legislation against pirated novels. But you have to look at whose territory this is on. Can a dignified prefect really not control some of you booksellers?
The Hong brothers, who were the first to be affected, were frightened. Regardless of losing money, they immediately stopped selling pirated copies of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. They also brought gifts and went to Xuan Mo Zhai to apologize to Fang Lin. Other booksellers in the city also restrained themselves greatly... Of course, there were smart booksellers who, seeing that they could not make progress in Huai'an, decided to sell their books elsewhere. Prefect Pu could only manage Huai'an, but could he also manage books outside Huai'an?
When they went to other places, these booksellers also used Fang Lin's combination of punches when selling pirated copies of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", learning from the barbarians to defeat them, and used this method against booksellers in other places.

It’s true, when you are hit by Fang Lin’s combination of punches, you feel really miserable, but when you use this set of punches against others, it feels great from head to toe.

Fang Lin had anticipated this and did not feel any sense of loss or resentment. After all, this was only the first part. Being able to successfully achieve the predetermined goal and eat the biggest and most delicious piece of cake in Huai'an City would already be a major victory.

Furthermore, these pirated copies were not without benefits. These booksellers brought "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" out of Huai'an Prefecture and spread its reputation, which made things much easier when it came to the next installment.

Moreover, as Romance of the Three Kingdoms was brought out of Huai'an Prefecture, it caused a craze wherever it went, and the fame of the author Fang Lin also spread, gaining a huge reputation. In the next one or two years, he truly reached the level of "Don't worry about having no friends on the road ahead, everyone in the world knows you".

……

The overall situation in Huai'an City has been resolved by cracking down on piracy. It has been almost a month since then, and it is time to pay wages.

Because Fang Lin was hoarding goods crazily, and the market was going crazy, "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" was sold out, and pirated copies were subsequently suppressed. Therefore, this month, excluding printing costs, operating costs, money borrowed by Xu Kuolao and Fang Lin, etc., the net profit still reached a terrifying 1,800 taels!
——In just over a month, he made a terrifying profit of three or four times the capital.

This is still Fang Lin's clear distinction between public and private affairs. He took a hundred taels of royalties for his novel manuscript because he was not well-known at the beginning. For the second part, the asking price would be much higher.

Fang Lin set the rule that 3% of the net profit each month would be shared as a reward. This month, Huang Di, Chai Yiwei, Geng Shi, and Liu Hongwen received a reward of 13 or 14 taels of silver alone, which was three or four times their wages.

"Linzi, isn't this too much?" Geng Shi looked at the seventeen taels of silver in his hand, including wages and rewards, and said in disbelief.

Before, when he was in the grain shop, even though he worked hard to rob grain, he only earned two taels of silver a month, but it was much better than working at the dock. But when he came to Xuan Mo Zhai, it was not as tiring as when he was in the grain shop. In the first month, he actually earned eight or nine months' wages from the grain shop!

"Linzi, did you calculate correctly?" Huang Di also said this. He knew that the wages this month would not be too little, but no matter how high his estimate was, he could only imagine that it would be about ten taels of silver. He didn't expect that it would be 70% to 80% more than the estimate.

"Yes!" Chai Yiwei also scratched his head: "One month is equivalent to the previous half a year, so much money, I don't know how to spend it."

"This is really a lot." Liu Hongwen was shocked when he held the heavy silver. In the past, Manager Liu only gave them and their spouses ten taels of silver a month for expenses, but his salary and bonus this month were almost twice that amount.

……

"You calculated correctly. The rewards were agreed upon in advance. I will not break my promise. However, don't be too happy too soon. This month, business is better due to the release of the first volume of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The rewards will drop next month. You should be mentally prepared."

Fang Lin explained this principle in advance and said with a smile.

"It's natural, we understand."

"Yeah, if I'm not busy this month, I'm sure I'll make less money. That's as it should be."

"Come on, come on, Linzi, you take a rest, I'll do it!"

……

After receiving their wages, Huang Di, Chai Yiwei, Geng Shi, and Liu Hongwen were all encouraged and worked very hard. They replenished the bookshelves and kept them full. They cleaned the floor of the store spotlessly. Customers who came in were all shocked by their enthusiasm.

Fang Lin didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and quickly called for a stop and asked them to behave normally.

……

After paying Huang Di and his four employees, Fang Lin came to the back and gave Tian Xuan 15 taels of silver: "Sister Xuan, you have worked hard. Here is your salary for this month."

Tian Xuan cooks in the store, takes care of logistics, and sometimes goes to the front to provide support. Her job is no easier than the other four, so the salary she receives is not excessive.

"Brother Lin, we are one family, why are you paying me wages?" Unlike Huang Di and other employees, who wanted to do it but were too embarrassed to do so due to their friendship, Tian Xuan was really sincere.

"Stupid!" Fang Lin scratched Tian Xuan's nose: "Public is public, private is private, this store is not mine alone, Sister Xuan, how can I let you work for nothing? Oh, by the way, don't use your own money to buy groceries in the future, use the store's account."

"I understand." Tian Xuan understood this truth, rubbed her face against Fang Lin's palm, and chuckled, "Then Lin brother, please save it for me, it's too much! You used to give me one or two taels every month, and I couldn't spend it all. I was afraid of losing it if I saved it!"

The financial power of the family was controlled by Fang's mother. The money that Tian Xuan earned from mending clothes was saved by Fang's mother, but she confiscated Fang Lin's wages. Fang Lin gave Tian Xuan one or two taels of silver every month, but she rarely spent it and just saved it.

"Sister Xuan, the couple quarreled over whether to pay wages or not. How could they be like you, refusing to ask for money?"

Fang Lin took Tian Xuan's hand and put the money on it: "I just want to say, take a look at what you like and think about spending it."

To Tian Xuan, he is her sky and everything to her. Life seems to revolve around him. She doesn't have any strong interest in other things, even watching plays and mostly accompanying her family. He hopes that Tian Xuan can have some hobbies of her own.

"Okay!" Tian Xuan thought about it, but still couldn't find anything she could spend money on. She looked at Fang Lin and prepared to buy some cloth to make him a piece of clothing.

The one she liked was Fang Lin, so spending money on Fang Lin, whether making clothes for him or anything else, made her much happier than spending it on herself!
……

(End of this chapter)