The Wildly Popular "Dream of the Red Chamber" (5)

After leaving the Liusheng Bookshop and seeing everyone gathered there, one of the five scholars called out to them, "All of us here misunderstood the owner of the Liusheng Bookshop, Boss Yan Liusheng."

"Boss Yan Liusheng was right. This novel called 'Dream of the Red Chamber' really is the best novel in the world, without equal."

After speaking, the scholar held the ten-chapter volume of "Dream of the Red Chamber" high up for everyone to see.

"All five of us scholars have read 'Dream of the Red Chamber,' and we all agree that it was well written—truly, extraordinarily well written."

"So when Boss Yan Liusheng of the Liusheng Bookshop said he was selling this ten-chapter volume of 'Dream of the Red Chamber' for two taels of silver, the five of us thought it wasn't expensive. We even thought it was too cheap."

"Because now that 'Dream of the Red Chamber' has been published, its standing in literary circles will be epic, and it will shake the world of fiction to its core. That isn't something money can measure."

"Even if this ten-chapter volume of 'Dream of the Red Chamber' sold for twenty taels of silver, I wouldn't think it expensive."

"Most importantly, the person who wrote 'Dream of the Red Chamber' is a local from our own Stone County. That's a source of pride for us Stone County scholars! Our Stone County will surely go down in history because of 'Dream of the Red Chamber.'"

The scholar grew more excited as he spoke, and the other four grew more excited as they listened. Without realizing it, they shouted, "Our Stone County will surely go down in history because of 'Dream of the Red Chamber'!"

"The five of us swear as scholars that if 'Dream of the Red Chamber' really is the kind of novel that fishes for fame and reputation, may our futures be ruined from this day forward and may we cut ourselves off from official careers."

Hearing the five scholars swear such an oath left everyone present stunned and slack-jawed. These five scholars were highly respected in Stone County, yet they had sworn such a solemn oath over a single novel, "Dream of the Red Chamber." Heavens above! My immortal's plank of a behind!!! It seemed that "Dream of the Red Chamber" really was well written and worth two taels of silver for a ten-chapter volume.

"The five of us have each already spent two taels of silver to buy a ten-chapter volume of 'Dream of the Red Chamber.'"

"Although we just read those ten chapters of 'Dream of the Red Chamber' inside the Liusheng Bookshop, the five of us are going home now to read it carefully several more times."

"Because 'Dream of the Red Chamber' is so profound, we need to read it carefully several times."

"Fellow scholars, sorry, but we'll take our leave first. We'll get together again when we have time. We're off..."

With that, the scholar left with the other four. They walked away at great speed without so much as looking back, looking as happy as if they had passed the imperial examination and become jinshi—or rather, even happier than that.

The scholars present watched the five scholars they had recommended to enter the Liusheng Bookshop leave so happily and cheerfully. For a moment, they were utterly dumbfounded, all of them in disarray in the wind.

The other common people present were deeply disappointed, because now there was no spectacle left to watch. It was utterly boring.

Just then, a scholar shouted, "Come on! Hurry to the Liusheng Bookshop and buy 'Dream of the Red Chamber'! I want to see for myself whether it's really as well written as those five scholars said!"

In fact, these scholars already believed what the five had said, because no scholar could make an oath that made light of his own future.

In ancient times, people feared and dreaded solemn oaths from the depths of their hearts. What was more, this oath had come from the mouths of five scholars respected in Stone County, so its influence among their fellow scholars went without saying.

The scholars all swarmed into the Liusheng Bookshop, frightening Boss Yan Liusheng out of his wits. He thought they had come in to smash things and rob the shop!

As it turned out, he had scared himself for nothing. The scholars had come in to buy the novel "Dream of the Red Chamber," and Boss Yan Liusheng was overjoyed.