Strange Tales

The Great You Dynasty had a flourishing cultural atmosphere.

Even the porters carrying sacks at the docks and the waiters serving tea in teahouses could mostly read a few characters.

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Therefore, novels had become popular.

Selling calligraphy and writing books was definitely a good business.

Xia Dong pondered for a moment and decided on the theme to write: Tale of Liu Yi.

This world itself was filled with many strange tales of Dragon Kings, water spirits, and fox immortals, so writing about such themes would not seem out of place.

In his previous life, Tale of Liu Yi was a masterpiece of Tang Dynasty legends.

To ensure this book would be a hit in this world, Xia Dong did not simply copy the original work's somewhat restrained classical prose. Instead, he adapted it to a style more suited to this world.

In addition, Xia Dong incorporated some techniques from web novels in his previous life.

The opening vividly portrayed the arrogance and cruelty of the Jing River Dragon King's second son and the tragic abuse suffered by the Dragon Girl, maximizing the hatred value. Then, it depicted the male protagonist Liu Yi's righteous indignation and impassioned denunciation of the powerful. The plot then took a sharp turn as the Qiantang Dragon Lord, upon hearing of his niece's humiliation, transformed into a crimson dragon and burst forth to punish the Jing River Dragon King's second son. Xia Dong described this scene with great visual impact and grandeur, making the writing flow with exhilarating satisfaction.

At the end, the scholar, neither humble nor arrogant, refused the generous reward, finally earning the Dragon Girl's family's approval. He ultimately won the beauty's hand, achieved immortality, and left everyone feeling deeply satisfied.

The paper, brush, and ink were readily available at home.

With his profound literary foundation and his current extraordinary energy and wrist strength, Xia Dong's writing flowed as if divinely inspired.

In just three days and nights, an improved version of Tale of Liu Yi, sprawling and filled with dramatic twists and turns, sprang to life on paper.

When it came to the signature at the end, Xia Dong paused slightly. He did not use his real name but instead wrote three characters with a hint of meaning: Gouchen Ke.

Sanhai Bookstore, the largest printing shop in Pingyang County.

This morning, Xia Dong specifically changed into the robe symbolizing his scholar status and walked directly into the bookstore.

Ancient society had distinct social classes, and this robe was the best pass.

The initially arrogant shop assistant, upon seeing a young scholar, immediately put on a smile, respectfully ushered him to a private room in the back, served him good tea, and invited the bookstore's manager.

The manager, surnamed Qian, was always shrewd.

When he first heard that Xia Dong was there to "sell a manuscript," he was somewhat dismissive.

After all, it was common for pedantic scholars to bring incomprehensible poems and songs to try their luck, but the results were almost always dry and dull.

However, out of respect for Xia Dong's scholarly title, he opened the manuscript with a smile.

Yet, after reading only the beginning, Manager Qian was completely engrossed.

The strange tales of the Great You Dynasty were mostly narrated in a straightforward, dry, and stiff manner. But Xia Dong's Tale of Liu Yi began with a strong conflict and suspense. The language was semi-classical and semi-vernacular, easy to understand yet not lacking in elegance. Especially when Manager Qian read the part where the Qiantang Dragon Lord furiously attacked, he couldn't help but slap his thigh and exclaim, "Satisfying!"

Having worked in this industry for many years, he could tell from the writing style of this novel alone that Xia Dong was an extraordinary talent rarely seen in a century.

"Scholar Xia is truly talented! Such ingenuity is simply unheard of!" Manager Qian's tone changed from polite to enthusiastic, his eyes gleaming.

Xia Dong picked up his teacup and gently skimmed off the foam, his expression calm. "Manager Qian, you are an expert. Let's dispense with the pleasantries. I wish to sell this book outright. What is the remuneration?"

After a fierce negotiation, Manager Qian, knowing this book was destined to sell well, directly offered fifty taels of silver as remuneration.

The annual expenses for a household in the city were no more than twenty taels of silver. One could imagine how much Xia Dong had spent on practicing martial arts previously.

Xia Dong did not haggle. The influence of Sanhai Bookstore was, after all, limited to Pingyang County. Even if this book sold well, it would only make money within the county.

As for outside the region, there were plenty of pirated copies printed and sold privately, and there would be no one to sue.

There was no copyright law in the Great You Dynasty.

Therefore, fifty taels of silver was a considerable remuneration.

Moreover, Xia Dong had no intention of continuing to cooperate with Sanhai Bookstore.

This was merely his stepping stone, a way to prove his ability to write books.

He had a more suitable collaborator in mind.

So, Xia Dong, under the pen name Gouchen Ke, signed a document with Manager Qian and sold Tale of Liu Yi to him.

With these fifty taels of silver, he should be able to significantly improve his mastery of the Crane Shadow Step.

After receiving the money, Xia Dong continued to go into seclusion to consolidate his cultivation and practice the Crane Shadow Step.

Regardless, he needed to improve his strength first. This would give him more confidence in his actions later.

After he went into seclusion.

In just a few days, Pingyang County was abuzz.

Tale of Liu Yi swept through the teahouses, taverns, and docks of the entire county with an unstoppable momentum.

"Splendid! Splendid! That wicked little dragon of Jing River deserved to have his skin and tendons stripped by the Qiantang Dragon Lord!"

"Young Master Liu is truly a model for us scholars. Even when faced with the treasures of the Dragon Palace, he maintained his principles. No wonder even the Immortal Dragon Maiden fell for him!"

The woodblock carvers at the bookshop worked day and night, and the printed booklets were snapped up before they even had a chance to warm the shelves. Storytellers on the street treated this novel as their scripture. Every day, when they clapped their striking block, the teahouses would be packed to the rafters to hear the tale of the "Dragon Maiden's Gratitude," with even the lowliest laborers willing to save half a copper coin from their bread just to listen.

The price of paper in the county town even rose a few coins due to the increased printing of the "Tale of Liu Yi."

The name "Gouchen Ke" had completely become the focus of discussion in every corner of Pingyang County.

And this wave of enthusiasm inevitably swept into a refined mansion on the east side of the county town.

Incense smoke curled in the study.

An elder with white hair and beard, radiating vigor, was wearing a pair of Western-imported reading glasses, poring over the first edition of the somewhat yellowed "Tale of Liu Yi" in his hands, word by word.

This person was the renowned Lord He of Pingyang County. He had once served as an Official of the Ministry of Rites in the capital. After retiring, he returned to his hometown and earned the deep respect of the county magistrate and even the prefect. Currently, Lord He was undertaking the task of compiling the "Pingyang County Gazetteer" for the county yamen.

Compiling the county gazetteer was a great undertaking that would benefit the local community and leave a lasting legacy in history. Chapters on astronomy, geography, and customs were already in place, but the "Records of the Strange" volume had given Lord He a terrible headache.

Pingyang County was by the sea, and legends of aquatic monsters and spirits were abundant, which was a crucial part. However, the scholars in the county either dismissed such records as heresy, something "the Master did not speak of," and wrote them perfunctorily, or their writing was so dry that they turned fascinating supernatural events into dull accounts, completely lacking any spiritual essence and failing to reflect the character of Linyuan Prefecture.

"What fine writing... what excellent structure!"

Lord He put down the book and couldn't help but stroke his beard in admiration.

Although this "Tale of Liu Yi" was a work of fiction, its descriptions of the rules of the aquatic Dragon Palace and the habits of spirits, while seemingly fantastical, secretly adhered to human principles and order. More importantly, the righteous spirit and unrestrained freedom emanating from the text were far beyond what ordinary pedantic scholars could produce.

"To write about the strange so vividly and with such educational merit..." A glint flashed in Lord He's eyes. "If only this 'Gouchen Ke' could be invited to pen the 'Records of the Strange' volume for the county gazetteer, why worry about failing this great task?"

He immediately turned to the butler standing by his side and said in a deep voice:

"Help me investigate this Gouchen Ke. Regardless of whether he has any official title, invite him over with the utmost courtesy. Tell him this old man has something to request."