Chapter 17

Arranged by the Anonymous Scholar

As soon as the silver taels were stacked in front of her, Lijin felt as if she were the main character in the countless stories that would unfold from this moment onward. The extraordinary power she had received, while not as flashy or capable of performing miracles from the outset like other characters she had read about in countless tales, was still remarkable. The power she possessed was undoubtedly a form of cheat code. The goal of earning one tael of gold per day no longer seemed as difficult as she had initially thought. After inhaling the scent of the pile of money on the table to her satisfaction, Ning-ning carried them off to be stored in the wooden chest beneath the bed as usual. The personal maid of this household also received two additional ingots, serving as funds for errands or for purchasing food to replenish the desolate kitchen of the residence.

Now that income was flowing in, along with a long-term employment contract that ensured stable earnings, Lijin began to envision personal real estate investments. That place would become her new home for herself and her child, once all the turmoil between her and Wei Yongjian had come to an end. Thus, with a little over two months remaining, Lijin's goals became clearer. She set her own earning target at two taels of gold per day—a considerable amount, yet she disliked setting goals that were too low.

If one is to be human, one must aspire high, striving for a future better than before. Only then would life have a strong driving force. She was determined to work harder, endure more than before. But after thinking it through, did she really intend to settle in the city of Nihe City? After much contemplation, the mother of three remained undecided. Part of her recognized that it was a relatively reasonable choice. The Nihe River had a direct route leading to the city of Longhe—although the distance was somewhat far, it was still far more convenient than spending time traveling by carriage. While this city was indeed far from prosperity, it could still be considered a decent place.

The only lingering issue that could cause long-term problems was Wei Yongjian’s old family. A husband consumed by lust was not someone she wished to maintain relations with in the future. The plan for a definitive separation had already been carefully considered in her mind. However, there was still no guarantee that the other party would not pursue and harass her—especially considering that this place also harbored venomous serpents like Ningjian and Meiying. She did not wish to simply separate and create unnecessary issues; divorce was the only solution. Reputation and social standing meant nothing to her, but they were important to her three young children. Perhaps... she needed to urgently acquire power through the written words formed by her brushstrokes. The plans within the mind of the forgotten mistress of the manor remained unknown to anyone, not even those closest to her. During the late summer through the end of autumn that year, a vast flow of golden taels poured into the chests of that household.

Every two days, Ning-ning had to sneak out of the manor. She had become a regular business partner at the Scholar’s Alley—whether it was purchasing high-quality paper in bulk or acquiring the finest ink for her master.

The Yanyu Bookshop also benefited from this partnership with the exceptional calligrapher Yanyi. What was once a two-storefront shop in the Scholar’s Alley had now expanded to four. All of this was made possible due to the direct support from the grand master of Yanyu in Longhe City. Their primary income no longer came from merely lending books to scholars for study. Instead, they now earned their revenue by producing high-quality manuscript copies, which were swiftly distributed to customers across the province at an unmatched speed compared to all other Yanyu branches in the vast Shuilong Kingdom.

Having proven her skills for over a month, consistently producing flawless work, the wages of the mysterious scholar Yanyi doubled. Every day, the master of the maid, Ning-ning, could now copy twenty thousand characters, generating four taels of gold per day. The more she received the golden glow of these ingots, the stronger Lijin felt. She now enjoyed a good life, making the most of her time, working hard while being able to lovingly embrace her children every day. No matter what hardships they faced or what oppression they endured, she turned those grievances into fuel, driving herself to push forward toward her goals at an accelerated pace.

As the last month of autumn approached, the six-volume literary collection that Lijin had meticulously compiled from all the knowledge she had gleaned through manuscript copying finally took shape in exquisite form.

The Compilation of Governance

From the Texts of Li Wen, Shui Zhong, Guang Shan, Jiu Li, and Jin Guang

 By Yanyi

It was a challenge for a scholar. The study of governance was a precious body of knowledge, widely debated among intellectuals. Moreover, it was a core subject for the imperial examinations, held every two or four years for those seeking to serve in the royal court.

Although she preferred to write imaginative novels infused with engaging insights, Lijin chose instead to target the vast market of the aristocracy with this series of texts. She could smell the wealth and the social ripples that would reach even Nihe. But what she truly sought was fame and a foundation of power. Yet, deep down, she could not deny that these six beloved volumes of hers would also bring her an immense fortune in golden taels. However, such valuable works had the potential to become a double-edged sword. Who were Li Wen, Shui Zhong, Guang Shan, Jiu Li, and Jin Guang? How distinguished were they? She did not know for certain. She only knew that they had authored numerous texts that formed the core of scholarly study. And nearly every book they had produced had passed before her eyes.

She could only hope that this gamble would yield results... The first page of every volume contained a reminder, urging scholars to open their minds to new knowledge. Endless learning was the true essence of a scholar—not clinging to old ideas and resisting all change. A nation that sought progress could not afford to remain stagnant, refusing transformation. This was the philosophy of Yanyi, a mysterious scholar... The six volumes, still awaiting their final elegant bindings, were handed over to Master Wen by Ning-ning’s trembling hands. Over the past two months, her mistress had made her learn to read to a certain degree. As a result, seeing the names on the covers of these six books sent shivers through her. The owner of the Yanyu Bookshop was no different...

“This... This... You... You...” The middle-aged shopkeeper repeatedly glanced between the six volumes and the familiar face of the maid who had been sent to him so often. His trembling hand pointed at the books. The names of the five great scholars and the titles of these six volumes sent chills down his spine.

“My... My master compiled them to make the concepts easier to understand, to debate potential issues, to organize the content into a more fluid sequence, and to add case studies for analysis... Um... Something like that, master.”

“You... Are you certain that Master Yanyi has approved this?”

“Yes, master.” The maid responded despite the ambiguity of the question. “Will the verification process take long? In the meantime, may my master submit new works for consideration?”

“Our copyist contract remains unchanged. Ah, that reminds me—my master has a new proposal. Please deliver this letter to Master Yanyi.”

“As for the verification process, I expect it will be completed after the New Year. Winter is approaching, and the transportation routes will close within a month once the snow begins to fall. The books must be sent to the capital for assessment. Let your master plan accordingly.” The tightening schedule posed a logistical challenge, but the route between Nihe and Longhe was still the most convenient in the northern region. While taking in the situation, Ning-ning observed Shopkeeper Wen’s mannerisms as he carefully cradled her mistress’s six volumes, as if afraid they might break apart.

But her observations were interrupted when she suddenly remembered—there were still two additional stacks of manuscript copies wrapped in cloth that she had carried along. “Master, master... Here are two more copied volumes from today. Please review them.”

“Ah... Thank you very much. Give me a moment; I will retrieve the basic contract for book sales so we can settle the payment at the same time.” After disappearing into the back of the shop for a while, Shopkeeper Wen returned, smiling as usual. The expressions of the three employees working in the back confirmed that he hadn’t been imagining things—the six volumes authored by Yanyi were nothing short of extraordinary.

The esteemed maid received four taels of gold, three taels of silver, and a handful of copper coins. As usual, she took two more copied volumes for her master before stepping out, leaving the shopkeeper standing there, lost in thought as the cold wind brushed against his shoulders. He couldn’t help but wonder—did the mysterious master of the maid named Ning-ning know just how renowned they had become in the world of calligraphy and manuscript copying? The dozens of books copied over the past few months had spread across every bookstore and the residences of nobles throughout the land. Some even claimed that, though the content remained unchanged, the powerful strokes or the emotions conveyed in the calligraphy made studying and reading more engaging for scholars.

The price of books written in Yanyi’s brushwork was nearly double the market rate, yet scholars and high-ranking officials alike were willing to pay. Many of them even queued up and personally signed contracts at the main branch of Yanyu in the capital.

The sudden influx of revenue, thanks to Shopkeeper Ling Wen’s discovery in Nihe City, greatly pleased the head of Yanyu. So much so that he sought to draft a new contract to grant greater benefits to the diligent yet enigmatic scholar.

The letter Shopkeeper Wen entrusted to Ning-ning detailed a revised agreement—henceforth, each character penned by Yanyi would be compensated at three copper coins. Additionally, a special offer was included: Yanyi could accept urgent commissions at a premium rate of five copper coins per character at any time, simply by informing Shopkeeper Wen. The power that Lijin sought was beginning to flow into her grasp.

Though still somewhat unstable… it was a source of undeniable pride.

Now, all that remained was to see just how much of a storm these six volumes would stir.