Chapter Thirty-Three: The Membership Plan

Before long, Fat Zhang led Professor He over, carrying two small jars of wine in his hands.

Upon seeing them, Feng Yuan hurried forward, “Your student greets you, teacher. I had originally intended to host you at a restaurant tonight, but today I happened to acquire a rare large black dog. I thought it might be beneficial for you, so I quickly had Zhang Zhen invite you here. I stayed to prepare everything properly, hoping to welcome you at home. Forgive me for not coming to your residence in person.”

“Oh, don’t mention it. Between teacher and student, there’s no need for such formalities!” Professor He smiled warmly at Feng Yuan; after all, Feng Yuan was his benefactor now, and he wouldn’t dare put on airs.

“Haha, thank you for your understanding, teacher. Please, come take the seat of honor!” Feng Yuan spoke respectfully, then led Professor He toward the stone table in the courtyard. There, a large pot of stewed dog meat was already laid out, steaming and fragrant, its aroma making mouths water before even tasting it.

Professor He, proud of his status, found himself a bit undone by the sight of the delicious food, his eyes fixed eagerly on the pot of stewed dog meat, barely able to contain his anticipation.

Fat Zhang was even worse; the sound of him swallowing could be heard all the way out on the street.

“Even before tasting, the scent intoxicates! Feng Yuan, your stew is excellent—color, aroma, flavor all in harmony. I can hardly wait to try it!” Professor He laughed, voicing his true feelings.

“Teacher, please do have a taste. I’ll pour you a drink!” Feng Yuan smiled at Professor He.

“Very well, I’ll sample it first!” Without further ado, Professor He quickly picked up his chopsticks and began eating.

“I’ll try it too!” Fat Zhang couldn’t wait any longer, grabbing a large piece and stuffing it into his mouth, eating heartily.

Feng Yuan did not rush, smiling as he watched the pair. He broke open the yellow clay seal on the wine jars, unsealed them, poured the wine into a kettle, and then filled three cups, one for each of them.

“Mmm, delicious! Truly a delicacy of the mortal world. Feng Yuan, you must try it too!” Professor He’s eyes shone as he spoke, clearly pleased.

“Teacher, if you find it tasty, please eat more. This dog is no ordinary animal—its entire body is pure black, save for golden fur atop its head. Rumor has it that such a creature is a ‘golden fate’ among dogs, seen only once in a hundred years. Eating it is highly nourishing, surpassing even thousand-year ginseng. Teacher, you work tirelessly, teaching by day and guiding by night. Dog meat is the perfect remedy for your fatigue, so I specially invited you here today!” Feng Yuan smiled at Professor He.

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Professor He was no stranger to subtleties; he understood Feng Yuan’s innuendo. Having married several concubines, he was already struggling in certain respects. Hearing Feng Yuan’s words, he was overjoyed, “Good, good! You’ve shown great thoughtfulness, Feng Yuan. I have not misjudged you. You will surely have a bright future! Come, let’s eat!”

The three gathered around the table, eating and drinking together. Hu Xiao did not join them, staying in the kitchen, for in this era, servants and women were not permitted at the table. Though she usually dined with them, today, with Professor He present, she took care to avoid causing offense, for the old scholar was rather traditional.

There was no denying it—Hu Xiao’s stewed dog meat was superb. The meat itself was fragrant, and combined with various seasonings, stewed until tender, it melted in the mouth, bursting with savory juices that made it impossible to stop eating.

Soon enough, the large pot—six or seven pounds of meat—was polished off by the three, leaving them still wanting more, so delicious was the meal.

Professor He could not help but sigh, “The ancient saying goes, ‘dragon meat in heaven, donkey meat on earth,’ but today I believe it should be, ‘dragon meat in heaven, dog meat on earth!’”

Clearly, Professor He was thoroughly satisfied.

“Indeed, teacher, you are absolutely right!” The other two nodded in agreement, regretful only that there was none left; the remaining portions would go to Hu Xiao. Otherwise, Feng Yuan felt he could have eaten another pound himself.

After lunch, Hu Xiao came out to clear the table and brewed a pot of coarse tea. It was time to discuss business.

Professor He began, looking at Feng Yuan, “Feng Yuan, the academy is now crowded with readers. Do you have any solutions?”

“Teacher, I haven’t thought of anything yet, but I’d like to ask—does the queue for books at the academy affect the students, or cause any negative impact that might harm the academy’s reputation?” Feng Yuan asked.

“Not for now. After all, this is an academy—having people come to read is a good thing. But the overcrowding is not ideal.” Professor He replied.

“If it doesn’t cause problems, then let’s not intervene. In fact, we want it crowded!”

“Why?” Fat Zhang looked at Feng Yuan, puzzled. Professor He was equally confused.

Feng Yuan smiled at the two, “This is a marketing strategy. People have a psychological tendency—the more others queue up to buy something, the better they believe it must be. So this situation works to our advantage; it draws more readers to our novels, and we can earn more money.”

“Yes, that makes sense! You’re brilliant!” Both men looked at Feng Yuan with newfound admiration.

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“That’s nothing,” Feng Yuan smiled, continuing, “Teacher, are there any vacant rooms left in the academy?”

“There are, but they’re not as large—only half the size of the current space. What do you need them for?” Professor He asked.

“Hehe, I have an even more profitable idea!” Feng Yuan grinned mischievously at the two.

The prospect of making more money made both men stretch their necks in anticipation, waiting eagerly for Feng Yuan’s proposal.

Feng Yuan looked at them and spoke slowly, “Though our academy is filled with poor students, there are also quite a few from wealthy families. We can earn another round from these affluent students!”

“How will we do that?”

“It’s simple. Everyone’s waiting to read the novel, but only one chapter is released each day—not nearly enough, and they’re eager for more. So, we’ll let them read ahead, but for a fee. We’ll establish a membership system—those who pay one tael of silver per month can read two days’ worth of content in advance, and get a penny off each novel purchased.”

Feng Yuan explained.

Both men frowned, looking at Feng Yuan, “Will that work? One tael of silver is a considerable sum. Will they pay?”

“Hehe, we should not use a poor man’s mindset to guess the thoughts of the wealthy. If the rich spent money like the poor, they wouldn’t be rich, nor would it distinguish their status. To us, one tael is a lot, but to the wealthy, it’s like a penny. As long as spending brings them happiness and satisfaction, and affirms their position as unique, they’ll pay. Especially for wealthy students—their money comes from their families, they don’t know the hardship of earning it. So to them, spending one tael is no different from spending a penny. What they care about is the result, not the price.”

Feng Yuan said.

“Hmm, that makes sense,” Professor He nodded.

“I think you’re right!” Fat Zhang agreed.

“No time to waste—let’s try it now. I have some manuscripts ready in my study!”

“Really? Let your teacher see them first!” Professor He exclaimed with excitement; he was a loyal fan of “Shrouding the Heavens.”