Linxia

Chapter 165, Advertisement

When Dong Zugao left by boat, Fang Lin came to Xu's house.

"Haha, Brother Fang, you're back? When did you come back?" When seeing Fang Lin, Xu Kuo Lao was extremely enthusiastic, and patted his shoulder with his big hand like a palm leaf fan, causing it to hurt. "Stay for dinner this morning. I didn't drink enough last time, so you have to make it up to me this time."

"I just returned to the city yesterday. I cleaned up my house and went to the store to check it out. That's why I finally had time to come visit today."

If Dong Zugao hadn't invited me to dinner as a farewell dinner yesterday, I should have come here last night.

Fang Lin chatted about some gossips before returning to the village, and then got down to business: "The manuscript of the second part of Romance of the Three Kingdoms has been completed. Brother Xu, I plan to release it soon."

After hearing this, Xu Kuo Lao's smile faded and he became serious. He suddenly said, "Then don't forget the character card you promised."

puff!
Fang Lin almost spit out a mouthful of wine. He thought the other party was going to say something, but he didn't expect it to be a character card: "Don't worry, Brother Xu, I won't forget this."

"That's good, otherwise wouldn't my brothers underestimate me?"

The two discussed the sale.

Fang Lin attached great importance to the second part of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms". To go from a small capitalist at present to a big capitalist in the future, deep savings are needed. This is a solid step that cannot be missed.

"By the way, don't look for Feng Qingji for the printing of the manuscript this time. That guy has complicated connections, so don't let him leak the information again." Xu Kuo Lao was also very dedicated and gave the instructions.

"Thank you, Brother Xu, for reminding me. I plan to buy a printing house myself for this printing."

Feng Qingji does have character flaws. Fang Lin cannot wait for something to happen before trying to remedy the situation. What he should really do is to take preventive measures in advance and resolve hidden dangers in the bud.

This is also good for the other person. If you truly care about the past relationship, you should not give him the opportunity to make mistakes.

"However, as a consolation, I won't give the first print run to them. When the second batch is printed, I can give them some orders."

Fang Lin had already made arrangements: "After all, even if we buy a printing house, the production capacity will probably be insufficient when we expand the printing. It's a good opportunity to let them help share some of the burden."

Even a piece of toilet paper is useful, let alone a person? Everything has its use, so just use its strengths and don't expose its weaknesses.

"It's the right thing to do, to give you a sweet reward after a beating. Brother Fang has already thought of this. It seems that my reminder is unnecessary."

"What are you talking about, Brother Xu? We came here to discuss this matter, to find out the gaps and fill them together!"

Fang Lin started talking again: "The first volume of Romance of the Three Kingdoms has been pirated in many places, causing us to lose a large part of our profits. This time, I plan to improve this situation."

"Because only after we release the book and they buy a copy of it can they take it back and pirate it. So I plan to invite booksellers from other places before the release, select a distributor in each prefecture, and negotiate in advance... The other party will take the book back in advance, and there will be ten days or half a month of reaction time, which is enough for them to get the biggest bite of the pie in the prefectures... In addition, we can also authorize the genuine product to enhance the publicity..."

He paused, and then continued, "Of course, Daxia is a vast country, and many prefectures have poor economies, which do not provide the conditions for popular novels to sell well. Many places are also too far away, and it takes months just to travel. Therefore, we cannot control piracy in other places for the time being, but we can still consider this method in the Jianghuai area, which has a developed economy and well-connected waterways."

"Brother Fang, what's wrong with your brain? This is a good idea. I think it can work, but there are still some details to consider."

Xu Kuo thought for a moment and gave an example: "For example, I am a bookseller in Fengyang Prefecture, and I agreed to sell only in Fengyang Prefecture. But after I get the books, I send people to Yingtian and Lin'an Prefectures to grab the business of other distributors. How should you deal with this?"

"I have thought about this as well. Initially, I wanted to borrow the power of Prefect Pu, but Prefect Pu can only manage our Huai'an City, and his deterrence outside is greatly weakened. Later, I thought that I could investigate in advance and choose reputable booksellers. If something goes wrong once, they will never refuse to cooperate in the future. Another option is to form an alliance with the booksellers in the city to jointly boycott things that break the rules. Of course, these only increase the cost of breach of contract for the other party, and are not enough to impose sanctions. So I thought about finding a family with power in the Jianghuai area to cooperate with. If this bookseller does not follow the rules, I will make the other party pay a heavy price..."

Fang Lin expressed his thoughts.

"Brother Fang really has a plan. However, I have power in Jianghuai, so Brother Fang thinks too highly of me. I still have some influence in Huai'an, but I can't help much in other places."

"No, I have another suitable candidate. If I go there to discuss cooperation, I might be able to solve the printing house's problem at the same time..."

Fang Lin told him his plan. Originally, he wanted to discuss these things with Dong Zugao, but Dong Zugao had to go to Beijing in a hurry to take the imperial examination. The same was true when he discussed it with Xu Kuolao. Xu Kuolao also had a sharp vision. The two of them discussed and perfected it, and a complete plan gradually took shape.

……

After leaving Xu's house, Fang Lin went straight to Fan's house.

Thanks to the reputation of selling the secret recipe of perfumed dew last time, Fang Lin was quickly led in after the doorman informed him and met Fan Qingzeng in the reception room.

To be honest, the Fan family has been targeted by Han Yuanjing recently, and they were in a state of panic because of the strange field incident. It was only because Fang Lin came and they had already established a good relationship that Fan Qingzeng was willing to take the time to meet him. If it were someone else, he might not have been so gracious.

"Is Manager Fang here?" Fan Qingzeng invited him to sit in the reception room. The two of them ordered tea from the tea cabinet and asked the servants to make it.

Fang Lin exchanged a few pleasantries before asking, "Master Fan, how is the Xianglu business going recently?"

"Are you regretting your decision now that my Fan family is making money?"

Fan Qingzeng picked up the teacup and took a sip, his eyes slightly narrowed. Nowadays, the fragrance dew business is an important industry of the Fan family. If outsiders dare to covet it, it will be a fight to the death.

"However, in my past dealings with Fang Lin, he knew his limits, so it shouldn't be that serious."

He thought so and continued, "The cost of Xianglu is high, and my Fan family has also invested a lot. In addition, Xianglu is not well-known, and it needs to be opened up bit by bit. That is, my Fan family has some connections, but it is still extremely difficult..."

This implies two points. First, the cost of the perfume is high and you cannot afford it. Second, our Fan family has connections and can open up the situation bit by bit, but you can't.

Fang Lin naturally understood the meaning of the words, but his expression remained unchanged. He smiled and said, "I am here to solve Mr. Fan's problem. If Mr. Fan's perfume becomes famous and is sought after in all parts of Daxia, it will definitely be of great benefit to the promotion of the perfume business. I wonder if this is what you are thinking, kid?"

"That's right. Little friend Fang, do you have a solution? Please teach me." Fan Qingzeng said, putting down his teacup and sitting upright. As long as Fang Lin can bring him huge benefits, what's wrong with being a student? As long as he gives a lot, being a grandson is not a bad idea. Although he felt that Fang Lin could not solve his own difficult problems, since Fang Lin came and dared to speak, it must not be empty talk. Therefore, some expectations emerged in his heart, hoping that Fang Lin could give him a surprise.

"Mr. Fan, you are too polite." Fang Lin shook his head and suddenly changed the subject: "I have finished writing the second part of Romance of the Three Kingdoms and will be preparing to release it soon..."

"This is a good thing...wait!" Fan Qingzeng suddenly widened his eyes and felt a flash of lightning in his mind, but for a moment, he couldn't say anything.

Fang Lin stared into Fan Qingzeng's eyes, smiled and said lightly: "If we insert a promotion for Fan's fragrant dew in the second part of Romance of the Three Kingdoms and make it known widely, it will be considered as 'advertising'. What do you think, Mr. Fan?"

"How can it be like this? How can it be like this? Yes, it can be like this!"

After hearing this, Fan Qingzeng felt as if his mind had been opened up, and he was stunned for several breaths. Suddenly, he slapped his hands and said, "Wonderful! This method is really wonderful!"

Fang Lin smiled calmly, his expression peaceful, and explained the benefits of this method in more detail: "If the second part of Romance of the Three Kingdoms is as popular as the first part after its release, the reputation of Fan's fragrant dew will surely spread all over the world along with the second part of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Moreover, the advertisement of Fan's fragrant dew can be inserted into the book, which shows its style and will surely be sought after. By then, the Fan family will not need to work hard to open up the situation. Instead, countless dignitaries in the prefectures of Daxia will want a bottle of Fan's fragrant dew but cannot get it. In this way, why should Mr. Fan worry about not expanding his business?"

The big pie and the prospects depicted really made Fan Qingzeng envious. If it was really as Fang Lin said, it would truly open up the situation and save a lot of effort. Just as Fang Lin said, at that time it would not be his Fan family begging others, but others begging his Fan family.

At the same time, he had doubts about whether Fang Lin might have had a little influence on Han Yuanjing's attack on the Fan family. Now, all these doubts disappeared.

'Although Prefect Pu, Han Yuanjing, and Master Ou are birds of a feather, and Fang Lin is close to them, he is just a pawn. I previously suspected that Fang Lin had some influence on the Guitian case. Now that I think about it, if that was the case, why would Fang Lin come to cooperate with me and offer benefits to my Fan family?'

"That's right. In the Guitian case, Han Yuanjing attacked more than just my Fan family. Moreover, Han Yuanjing is as stinky and hard as a stone in a toilet. How could he be willing to be a knife for others? Or Fang Lin? Not at all! Not at all!"

At this moment, all the grudges and doubts in Fan Qingzeng's heart were gone. He really liked Fang Lin and thought that he was a really good young man. The only pity was that he had to get married. Otherwise, he could have married a legitimate daughter to him!

Fang Lin could see some of the other party's thoughts and knew that in the previous Gui Tian case, the other party might have a little doubt about him. This trip was also intended to eliminate this hidden danger. After all, Tian Xuan was pregnant, and he really didn't want to take any risk at all.

"The Fan family's secret method of making fragrant dew has high costs and limited production, which is a natural limitation... Moreover, the Fan family easily made money in the fragrant dew business, and correspondingly, other aspects would lose motivation, such as smuggling in Liaodong, which could delay the Tartars' southward movement and buy me more time; and overseas business, which would cut off the Fan family's future retreat," he thought to himself.

"What a good idea. Let me put it this way, Shopkeeper Fang. Insert an advertisement for my Fan family's fragrant dew in the second part of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. I won't let you suffer any loss. Three... no, five thousand taels of silver." Fan Qingzeng said generously.

Nowadays, there is no such form of linked advertising, and the price is really hard to calculate, but it is not that outrageous. It is more of a reward for the other party's advice.

"As long as we can achieve what Fang Lin expected... no, half, or even one-tenth or one-twelfth of the effect, I don't know how much my Fan family can earn. Compared with the five thousand taels of silver given, it is simply not worth mentioning. When my Fan family eats meat, we have to let our friends drink soup. This is also a thousand gold for horse bones."

"Besides, this boy is a talent and worth winning over. If we give him enough benefits this time, he will think of our Fan family again if there are any good things in the future. Not to mention that if the publicity effect of the second part of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" is good, there will be the third and fourth parts, and we will continue to cooperate in the future."

As the head of a large family, Fan Qingzeng naturally has a broad vision and knows one thing very well: if you want the horse to run, you have to let it eat grass.

"Thank you, Mr. Fan." Fang Lin smiled.

Five thousand taels of silver was a lot of money. The profit from the first part of Romance of the Three Kingdoms was not even that much. However, he had a clear conscience taking the money.

If the desired advertising effect is achieved, what does this little money mean?

"Mr. Fan, I have two things I'd like to ask for your help with regarding the release of the second part of Romance of the Three Kingdoms," Fang Lin asked.

Fan Qingzeng calmed down after hearing this. Only if the second part of Romance of the Three Kingdoms sells well can it have a better publicity effect. This must be the reason why the other party came. He waved his hand and said, "Manager Fang, please go ahead."

"The first thing is, in order to keep the manuscript confidential, I am not confident in handing it over to other printing houses, so I would like to ask Mr. Fan to introduce me to a printing house."

Fan Qingzeng thought about it and realized that this was indeed the case. The genuine edition would have advertisements engraved on it, while the pirated edition was made by someone else who took the book and re-engraved it, so advertisements might not be engraved on it. He immediately made a decision and said, "Printing house? My Fan family has two. If Manager Fang wants them, just give them to Manager Fang."

"Mr. Fan, you are very polite, but how can you take advantage of such a big bargain for nothing? You should buy it at the market price!"

"That's fine, but I'm worried that when Manager Fang first takes over the management, there will be some confusion, which will cause the manuscript to be leaked, which will not be good. This time, let my Fan family assist in the printing!"

"Thank you very much." Now that the second part of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" is on sale, Fang Lin and the Fan family have the same interests. The Fan family is even more dedicated than he is. He can rest assured to let the Fan family assist in printing.

You know, the people in the Fan family are not as easy to talk to as him. If they dare to have evil thoughts, it will really kill people, especially those who have a well-organized family.

"The second thing is that I plan to select distributors in various cities in the Jianghuai area... I would like to ask Mr. Fan to contact them and support them and stand up for this."

"This is my duty. If anyone breaks the rules, let the Fan family entertain them."

Fan Qingzeng narrowed his eyes as he spoke. He had been bullied by Han Yuanjing a lot recently and had accumulated a lot of resentment in his heart. However, Han Yuanjing was a weakling and he had no way to attack him. But if anyone else dared to touch him, they would be courting death.

No wonder he cares so much about it. The greater the influence of the second part of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the better the advertising effect will be. Helping Fang Lin is actually helping the Fan family themselves.

Fang Lin listened with a smile on his face. The Fan family must be powerful in the Jianghuai area, otherwise how could they promote the fragrance dew business?
"This time, with the Fan family's influence in Jianghuai, the number of people who dare to use tricks and means is likely to be much smaller, and the last link is also made up." He was slightly happy.

Afterwards, Fan Qingzeng warmly invited him to dinner, hoping to deepen their relationship, but Fang Lin declined on the grounds that he was preparing for the release of the second part of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Fan Qingzeng still sent a sedan chair to see him off.

Sitting in the sedan chair, Fang Lin thought to himself: "It is always the best way to make friends more and enemies less. In the matter of the sale of the second volume of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, my enemies are the booksellers from other places in the Jianghuai area. Everything else is a force that can be united, even the Fan family, who is regarded as an enemy, can be the object of unity."

'All these preparations now are like building a dam to store flood water. When the second part of Romance of the Three Kingdoms goes on sale, it will be like opening the floodgates and releasing the water. It will surely flow thousands of miles, boundless and unstoppable. Everything that stands in the way will be crushed to dust.'

……

(End of this chapter)