Wentang

Chapter 414 Best Sellers
"Old Zhang, what do you think these scholars are crazy about? Why are they running to Longshou Mountain every day? Isn't the academy's enrollment already over?"

Outside the north gate of Chang'an City, an old melon seller looked at the scholars passing by in groups of three or four, and whispered to the vendors next to him.

"You don't know about that, do you?" This question hit Lao Zhang's itching spot, and he said triumphantly:
"My neighbor's brother-in-law's aunt's cousin's sister-in-law's third uncle's baby is working in the back kitchen of Longshoushan Academy. I heard from him that Qing Shuihou wrote a book, and these people are all for that book."

"What kind of book can fascinate so many scholars. I heard that he is a disciple of a fairy. Do you think that book is about how to become a fairy?" The old melon seller said excitedly.

"Nonsense, you old bastard understand please." Old Zhang said contemptuously: "The method of becoming a fairy is a family heirloom. If you don't pass it on from the male to the female, how can it be passed on to the outside world. This book is to explain the meaning of the saint. words."

"What are the words of a sage?" The old melon seller asked with a sneer.

"I don't understand this, the sage is naturally the Son of Heaven. This book is a book dedicated to explaining the words of the Son of Heaven." Old Zhang said while waving his hands and spitting droplets.

"What's the explanation for the saint's words? Can't others understand?" the old melon seller asked in puzzlement.

"The sage is the son of heaven, and the words he speaks are so profound and mysterious that ordinary people can't understand them at all. Qing Shuihou is the son-in-law of the celestial being and the son-in-law of the sage, so he can understand it. So he wrote a book to explain the words of the sage for everyone. "Old Zhang said as it should:

"These scholars all want to be officials, so they naturally want to study the words of the sages. That's why they went to Longshoushan Academy to ask for this book to read."

"Oh, so that's how it is." The old melon seller said with admiration on his face, "Old... Brother Zhang is really well-informed, and I have a lot of experience."

As more and more bits and pieces of the Analects of Justice were leaked, the book's repercussions grew.Until one day, one of the volumes was circulated through unknown hands, which completely detonated the drama.

Everyone could no longer bear the days when they could only hear three or five scattered sentences every day, and gathered outside the gate of Longshoushan Academy, hoping to find out more news.It would be even better if you can buy a complete set of books.

This situation was beyond Yue Shan's expectation. He never expected that the ancient people's pursuit of books was already so eager.

To be honest, he has no plans to engage in hunger marketing. The reason why it has not been published until now is that the printing efficiency is too low, and it took more than [-] days for light engraving and engraving.It also takes a lot of time to print, cut and bind later.

Up to now, he only has a few hundred sets of Analects of Confucius.

Originally, he planned to accumulate tens of thousands of copies and push them to the market at one time, but now it seems that he can't wait.

So he asked people to carry these printed books to the gate of the academy and sell them to those scholars who blocked the gate.

Yueshan didn't intend to make money from these books, so they sold them very cheaply, and only charged a cost price, even so, it cost fifty cents.

The Analects of Confucius is just 20 characters, which is the content of a book in later generations.However, in ancient times when brush characters were used as the standard, a book was only tens of thousands of characters, and any more would be too thick and inconvenient to read.

Therefore, this set of Analects of Confucius and Justice was divided into five volumes, each with more than [-] characters, and the cost price was in the early forty yuan.Of course, the cost will be further reduced as the printing volume increases.

However, when Yue Shan sold the books, he directly used a whole number, fifty words a set.

Fifty coins may not sound expensive, but it is a huge sum of money for seventy to eighty percent of families in this era.

Think about when Yueshan first crossed over, the whole family had only four copper coins in deposit except for the three thatched huts given by the court, so you know how much money there is.

Therefore, the so-called poor families in ancient times were at least well-off families, and ordinary people had no money to study.

Pens, inks, papers and inkstones are expensive, books are hard to buy even if you have money, and ordinary people can't afford a few books even after a year of hard work.

This situation changed only after the Song Dynasty. Confucianism dominated the world and vigorously promoted the academy system.Coupled with the advancement of technology and the reduction in the cost of pens, ink, paper and inkstones and books, children from ordinary families can also afford to read.

Since then, the humble family has also included the common people.Therefore, those who ridicule Song Confucianism must also look at the two sides of the matter, not just the shortcomings.

In the prosperous Tang Dynasty, the poor family refers to the class of small landlords, and ordinary people do not even have the qualifications to be a poor family.

Closer to home, more than 400 sets of books were sold out in less than two hours, so the outside was still crowded with people who wanted to buy books.

It was not until Yu Zhiming stood up and repeatedly emphasized that there was no stock left, but some people still asked when the stock would be available.

Yu Zhiming didn't know this, he could only answer that the book printing shop had been printing day and night, and no one knew how much was printed every day.

But if you are interested, you can come early tomorrow morning, and the printed ones will be sold tomorrow morning.

Then a surprising scene appeared. Many scholars who were about to leave turned back and found a place to live at the door.

When the news reached Yue Shan's ears, he was surprised again: "What you said is true? Those people are just waiting at the door like this?"

"Yes, there are already more than 30 people waiting in line." Yu Zhiming said excitedly.

"Will this... be dangerous?" Yue Shan asked worriedly.

"Principal, don't worry, it's just autumn, and the temperature isn't low at night, so nothing will happen. If you're really worried, I'll send them a blanket in the evening." Yu Zhiming said.

"Okay, let's do it like this, we must remember that no scholar should be allowed to have trouble at the gate of the academy." Yue Shan urged.

After a few more instructions, Yu Zhiming went down to do some errands, while Yue Shan wandered around the academy by himself.To be honest, he is also very hyperactive, and he can wake up laughing at night when he sleeps, but he can't show it in front of people, he can only vent it by spreading it.

The bookstore prints day and night, but this amount is simply a drop in the bucket for the "hungry" scholars. Just after moving out every day, a cup of tea is sold out.

But this situation was alleviated soon, but the reason made Yue Shan dumbfounded.

"You said other printing houses are also printing this book?" Yue Shan asked in surprise.

"Yes, I have already inquired, and all the printing houses in Chang'an City are selling your "The Analects of Confucius and Justice." Yu Zhiming said, "Do you think I should take someone to warn them?"

"No need." Yue Shan shook his head hastily, and said: "How about this, you send someone to check all the books printed by these printing houses, let them go if the quality is qualified, and warn them if they are shoddy."

(End of this chapter)