Chapter 16

If You Want Money, You Must Work

If one does not experience pain, one does not learn. If one does not invest, one does not profit. If one does not strive, one does not gain. These were words that Sali had often heard in her past world, and in this new world, Lijin had etched them into her memory. At this moment, a similar phrase was running through her mind, constantly pushing her forward: If you don’t work, you don’t get paid… That was the mindset of Lijin, who was working diligently at this very moment. With every movement of the mother of three’s hand, a new character came to life. Her unwavering focus, coupled with the guiding light tracing her strokes, meant she rarely needed to glance at the text for reference. Every passing moment, every breath she took, was valuable, as it was transforming into the capital she would later expand upon, growing into something even greater in the future.

By the end of the Wu hour (11:00 – 12:59) on the second day after receiving the writing commission, she had completed transcribing all three books. Setting down the small Black Pine Brush, the female scholar seated by the window lifted her head, inhaling the fresh air that drifted through the bamboo grove. Being able to work from home suited both her personality and current circumstances perfectly. It was a small but genuine happiness in life. The sheets of paper, left to dry until the ink had fully set, were gathered and arranged according to the page numbers she had meticulously marked. This would make it easier to review and correct errors, as well as allow future readers to reference content with precision—something that set her version apart from the original.

The minuscule coded characters she had included were almost invisible at a glance, blending seamlessly into the text. In time, this would become the signature style of the scholar Yanyi, earning admiration from future calligraphy masters who would adopt and implement it in their own work. Two days had passed. Ning-ning knew that the owner of Yanyu’s Bookstore would have likely finished drafting the contract by now. Thus, she remained at the residence, eagerly awaiting her mistress, rather than venturing out to socialize as she had the day before.

She was confident that her mistress had at least finished transcribing one of the smaller books. However, the sight before her left her more astonished than she had anticipated. Three separate stacks of paper, fully transcribed, lay on the table. A small pile of blank paper remained on the desk by the window. Yet, there was not a single crumpled or discarded sheet—no errors had been made. "Did I keep you waiting long? I got so focused that I lost track of time. You must be tired from standing."

"Not at all, madam. I can endure it. Have you… really finished transcribing all the books?" The maid’s voice trembled slightly, as if she needed her mistress to confirm again that the reality before her was true.

"Of course. It wasn’t difficult at all. Ah, right, I should total the character count for the books before we deliver them to the shopkeeper. Just a moment…" Since Lijin could recall the number of characters precisely, she quickly jotted the figures onto a remaining sheet of paper. She even used the paper to wrap the completed manuscripts together neatly.

"Eighteen thousand nine hundred and forty-two characters. Please pass my regards to the shopkeeper as well." The maid was so stunned by the sheer number of characters her mistress had transcribed that she stood frozen for several moments. Then, she gathered the documents and set off from the residence. Even after boarding the rickshaw, her mind remained dazed. It wasn’t until the driver called out to her upon arrival at Scholar’s Alley that she snapped back to reality. All she could think about was—was it truly this easy for madam to make money? The old saying that knowledge is the greatest treasure might indeed be true. The admiration in the maid’s heart for her mistress deepened immeasurably.

Even the shopkeeper at Yanyu’s Bookstore was left in utter astonishment. His immediate suspicion was that Master Yanyi had hurriedly scribbled down a low-quality transcription just to meet the deadline. However, as he carefully inspected each page, the old man’s eyes widened further and further.

Every character was bold, well-structured, and evenly spaced—perfectly suited for texts on commerce and governance. Each stroke was clear and legible, with no stray ink marks or errors. A protective cover sheet for each book bore the title of the manuscript, but more importantly, beneath the author’s name, a smaller inscription denoted the transcriber’s name—'Yanyi.’ Yanyi of Yanyu’s Bookstore. The names fit together so seamlessly that it almost seemed intentional—as if this maid’s mysterious master had planned from the very beginning to work closely with this bookstore.

The shopkeeper’s thoughts drifted toward the owner of Yanyu’s main branch in the capital. Perhaps this maid’s master was thinking far ahead, intending to leverage the vast connections of the bookshop’s influential proprietor to spread their work throughout the land.

However, as the manager of a small branch, he felt no concern. After spending two ke meticulously reviewing the work, the shopkeeper became even more convinced that he had discovered a hidden gem in this muddy town. Was this not an immense stroke of luck? "I, Ling Wen, have had my eyes opened today. The work transcribed by Master Yanyi is truly flawless. I did not misjudge my decision." The shopkeeper, who had never formally introduced himself before, decided to state his name—an honor for the maid.

"I am Ning-ning, master. Thank you, Shopkeeper Wen, for your kindness in granting my master this opportunity."

"Calligraphy is as valuable as gold. Literature elevates the soul. A scholar like Master Yanyi is undoubtedly worthy of great respect..." Shopkeeper Wen continued his praises for a while before swiftly transitioning to the critical matter at hand—the long-term contract he had prepared. The details of the employment agreement had undergone minor revisions after witnessing Yanyi’s capabilities. From now on, there would be no strict deadline dictating how many pages must be submitted within a set period. Ling Wen had decided to grant full creative freedom to this exceptional partner.

After listening attentively to the shopkeeper’s explanation, the sharp-minded maid nodded with a smile. She collected another three books along with a fresh batch of paper. The deposit remained at two taels of silver per book, and this time, an additional stick of premium ink was included as well.

As a gesture of goodwill, Shopkeeper Wen rounded up the copper coin balance, making the total an even one tael for easier calculations. When factoring in the deposit from the previous batch, Ning-ning was now returning home with earnings totaling seventeen taels of silver from her mistress’s first commission. Two days… In just two days—

Her mistress had earned seventeen taels!

Ning-ning’s confidence soared to its peak. She had no doubt now—her mistress’s promises about securing a prosperous future for their family and a life of comfort would become reality in no time. "Shopkeeper, master... My master wishes to ask—besides copying texts as assigned, would you be willing to accept original literary works authored by my master as well?"

"Your master writes books as well? Hmm… That is difficult to say. But I am not opposed to reviewing them. However, evaluating a manuscript from an unknown scholar takes time. And if it passes assessment, it must then be submitted to the capital for either a purchase contract or a profit-sharing agreement over the long term..." The commercial processes surrounding scholarly texts were far more intricate than selling food, embroidery, or paintings at an auction house. This was because the imperial court regulated the market for high-quality books—not only because it was a lucrative industry, but also due to the high taxation rates and its significance in the kingdom’s intellectual development, aligned with the Emperor’s vision.

Seeing that Ning-ning was struggling to process the latter half of the explanation, Ling Wen smiled slightly. Even after so many years in business, he still found himself as excited as a young man at moments like this. "Let’s do this—if Master Yanyi truly wishes to sell an original book, I would be happy to handle it. I will prepare a written summary of the process in advance. When the time comes, you can take it back to your master."

"That would be troublesome for you, Shopkeeper Wen. I apologize for being slow to understand." She bowed repeatedly, feeling flustered at her inability to recall all the details. In truth, however, Ning-ning was more eager to return home with the first earnings and the next three set of commissions for her mistress.

…..​

After seeing off his daily visitor, Ling Wen gathered the newly transcribed manuscripts and carried them to the back of the shop, where his employees—responsible for bookbinding and restoration—could begin their work.

All Yanyu Bookstore employees were carefully selected and sent directly from the capital. Their wages were exorbitant, as they possessed exceptional skills in bookbinding, decoration, and maintenance. Moreover, they were literate and could assist in verifying the accuracy of the texts.

Though Yanyu Bookstore was a small establishment in this distant city, it was powerful enough to compete with the larger local bookshops. It allowed scholars and officials to rent books for a fee or commission personal copies for private collections. Thanks to its deep-rooted connections with the capital, it commanded the largest share of the scholarly book trade in the entire Shuilong Kingdom. The wealthier one was, the greater their influence—so it was only natural that the bookstore was widely respected. Such was the structure of society in this era. The three books transcribed by Yanyi had been commissioned by two separate customers three months prior... Now, they were being carefully stitched together with thick needles and fine yet durable thread. Their new covers, reinforced with stiff brown paper and wrapped in luxurious golden silk, elevated their value. High-quality pine resin was applied to the book spines for durability. Then, Yanyu’s signature adhesive, a special formula exclusive to all its branches, was used to bind the beautifully written pages to their new covers. "Exquisite... The calligraphy is so powerful. Tell me, is Master Yanyi a scholar or an imperial academy instructor?"

"A nameless scholar for now—but not for long."

"Shall I prepare a fast courier, master?" asked an eager, well-built employee. "Our Nihe branch has not submitted a commissioned transcription in years. We cannot afford to let another bookstore steal the opportunity."

"Before coming to you, I already sent a messenger pigeon. In a few days, the capital will close this deal for us. These three books will be sent through our usual trusted merchant networks within the city."

"Understood, master." Once the young employee had securely wrapped the precious manuscripts, he hurried to the commercial district. The silk-wrapped parcel, en route to the imperial capital, Longhe, incurred an astronomical shipping fee—one that exceeded even the cost of producing the books themselves. What the final price would be for the customer remained unknown…

But what was even more significant was the name ‘Yanyi’, now beginning to surface in conversations among the capital’s elite circles.

The first phase of Lijin’s plan—the rise of the enigmatic scholar—had begun.​