Volume One: A Farmer at Dawn Chapter 63: Cutting Costs

As soon as those words were spoken, everyone fell silent.

It is often said that women, with their long hair and short vision, lack insight. Yet Wang Cuicui was different; she always considered aspects others overlooked.

Chuliu nodded with satisfaction.

His grandmother had never attended a single day of school, yet she saw more clearly than learned scholars. She always worried first, rejoiced later, reminding the family not to fall into the trap of temptation. This was what Chuliu admired most about her.

He had unwrapped all the gifts and laid them out on the table, hoping the whole family would understand the stakes involved.

No pie falls from the sky.

Today, many people scrambled to bring him gifts because he was the youngest candidate at the academy. The wealthy do not lack money, but they do need stepping stones. They had foreseen his boundless prospects and hurried to pave the way in advance. Whether they would need him in the future was secondary; what mattered was expanding their connections.

Yet Chuliu had no choice but to accept the gifts from the wealthy.

Such is the way of the world. With his current abilities, he could only follow custom.

But his family’s views on money must not change.

He was only a scholar now. In the future, when he became a provincial graduate or even a metropolitan graduate, countless people would rush to deliver money to his family.

If their perspective on wealth was not set right, sooner or later, he would be smothered by flattery and fall into the mire.

Chuliu spoke at length.

Xie Gensheng could not fully grasp his grandson’s grand principles, but he understood from his words that his grandson did not wish to become a corrupt official.

“Chuliu, let me say this now—never will we hold you back, and you must not become a corrupt official. Otherwise… the Xie family will have no grandson like you…”

For once, Xie Gensheng took the lead.

Rural folk suffer much oppression and loathe corrupt officials with all their hearts.

...

Three days later, Su Laibao arrived with gifts to offer his congratulations.

“Shuxian, will you go to the prefectural academy or the county academy?”

Both Xie Shuxian and Su Biao qualified for the prefectural academy, but the county magistrate had visited. If the magistrate wished to retain him, Shuxian would have to show respect.

“Uncle Su, definitely the prefectural academy. You should let Su Biao go there too,” Chuliu explained. “The prefectural academy is larger than the county academy, with broader resources and better teaching. The provincial exam in three years will be held in the prefectural city. Studying at the prefectural academy is the wisest course.”

Su Laibao’s thoughts aligned with Chuliu’s, though he wished for Chuliu to accompany his son in their studies. Wherever Chuliu studied, he would send Su Biao to study as well.

“Shuxian, I will accompany you both through the prefectural academy. When you report to the academy in August, I will open a general store nearby,” Su Laibao said, smiling awkwardly, “I won’t move the grain business to the prefectural city yet. Business needs connections, and the grain merchants there are bound to be exclusionary. As long as I can look after you, profit does not matter…”

“I know little of business, Uncle. You make the decisions,” Chuliu replied.

Su Laibao saw through Chuliu’s modesty.

Focused on the imperial examinations, if Chuliu were to venture into business, he would surely become the greatest merchant in Dayan.

After pondering a moment, Su Laibao added, “Shuxian, you’re gifted at writing storybooks. You’ve stopped for the exams these years, but if you have spare time at the academy, could you write again?”

He hoped to spark a storytelling craze in the prefectural city.

Chuliu understood Su Laibao’s intent. After thinking for a moment, he said, “Uncle Su, I recall you once printed and sold ‘Legend of the White Snake’ and lost money. Have you thought about making money that way?”

Su Laibao perked up instantly.

“Shuxian, tell me your idea!”

Chuliu smiled, “Uncle Su, buyers of storybooks must be literate; that is, storybooks are targeted at scholars.”

Su Laibao’s interest was piqued, and he eagerly recounted his previous failures selling books.

Scholars typically read but do not buy. Even in bookshops, they browse rather than purchase, and selling books in a general store, if it offends their dignity, can ruin business.

“Uncle Su, my suggestion concerns your future general store in the prefectural city. Imagine placing a few storybooks—how many new customers might that attract…”

Su Laibao suddenly understood, “You mean, selling storybooks is secondary; attracting customers is the real goal?”

“That’s part of it,” Chuliu said slowly. “But the most important aim is to have them willingly buy the storybooks—better yet, to scramble for them.”

“This…” Su Laibao was full of doubt.

Chuliu smiled, “Uncle Su, how do storytellers in the entertainment halls get their audience to pay willingly to hear the tales?”

Su Laibao thought for a moment, “You mean, make the stories shorter?”

He immediately shook his head, “Not wise. If the book is too thin, scholars will flip through and finish it easily, and naturally won’t buy it.”

“They will buy. I’ll make them develop the habit of paying,” Chuliu said. “We won’t print single storybooks; we’ll print newspapers.”

“Official Gazette?”

Su Laibao frowned deeply.

The Gazette was like an official document, meant for local officials. Such papers did not earn money, and printing them could invite trouble.

After voicing his concerns, Chuliu shook his head and explained.

The newspaper he meant was not the Gazette.

Such entertainment newspapers were everywhere in his previous life and had massive audiences.

He could not fail to make a splash.

Once fame was established, he would use all sorts of gimmicks to make the papers catch fire.

When Chuliu finished explaining his concept, Su Laibao saw its potential, but he still had doubts.

“In that case, we’ll need more carved printing blocks and longer printing times... the costs are too high…”

Chuliu laughed, “Then we simply lower the costs!”