Although they referred to each other as master and servant, in the host's heart, Song Ziwei was like his own sister, his kin. Song Ziwei's place in his heart was second only to his mother. In the past, if Song Ziwei were bullied, the host would never have dared to stand up for her. But now, Chen Nan controlled the host's body and emotions. Naturally, he couldn't just stand by and watch Song Ziwei be bullied.
"No one is bullying me," Song Ziwei said, wiping away tears from the corners of her eyes with a dejected expression.
"Then why are you crying?" Chen Nan felt baffled. In his memories, this girl wasn't someone who was unreasonable or prone to crying at the drop of a hat.
Song Ziwei looked at Chen Nan indignantly, "Didn't you say you'd never read those adult novels again?"
"That's right!" Chen Nan nodded repeatedly. "Today, I passed a newsstand and saw Master Lan's latest work, but I didn't buy it. Doesn't that show my resolve?"
Song Ziwei's face was filled with anger. "I don't deny your resolve not to read those adult novels, but... but..."
Chen Nan asked cautiously, "But what?"
Song Ziwei's face turned pale with anxiety. She paused for a moment before speaking with anger, "I thought you had turned over a new leaf and completely given up your fondness for those kinds of books."
"But I never expected you to go from a reader to a writer."
"Shameless, utterly shameless!"
"If Madam found out about this, she would surely be too angry to eat."
*Puff!*
Chen Nan almost spat out a mouthful of blood. His face was full of embarrassment. "You... you saw the erotic novels I wrote?"
"Why would you write such books?" Song Ziwei's eyes were full of disappointment.
Chen Nan's smile was bitter. "To make money!"
Those three simple words left Song Ziwei speechless. Her pupils trembled slightly. It was far more shocking than seeing the erotic novels the young master had written before. She had never imagined that the young master would think about making money. She had grown up by Chen Nan's side since childhood. She had heard him say many grand and boastful things, but this was the first time she had ever heard him mention money.
Recovering herself, she said, "If young master wants to be self-reliant, this servant is naturally happy. However, there are many ways to make money. Why must you write such filthy books?"
Chen Nan retorted, "Does writing such books violate the law?"
Song Ziwei replied, "Although it doesn't violate the law, you are the young master of the Chen family and the son-in-law of the Leng family. Aren't you afraid of being ridiculed if people know your identity?"
Chen Nan said dismissively, "As long as I earn money within the bounds of the law, no matter what I do is not degrading."
Song Ziwei had a lot of things she wanted to say. But upon hearing the young master's words, she was suddenly rendered speechless. Yes, life itself was difficult. As long as one earned money without stealing or robbing, any means was not degrading.
After a moment of hesitation, she asked, her voice quivering, "I'm concerned now, can one make money by publishing books?"
Chen Nan's eyes lit up. "Don't underestimate the profession of a writer. They can earn thousands of taels of silver with just a few words. If they write a masterpiece, they can even earn tens of thousands of taels of silver."
As a seasoned book lover, Chen Nan was aware of the status of writers in this world. He had heard that Master Lan's books, on average, earned at least eight thousand taels of silver. Unlike those struggling online writers on Earth, their books were only tens of thousands of characters long. Some were even written while practicing their craft in brothels. They earned a lot, and the writing environment was very pleasant. And most importantly, famous writers like Master Lan could frequent brothels for free. What was even more outrageous was that a woman who had just entered the world of prostitution once had a cameo appearance in Master Lan's work. After that work became popular, that woman directly became the top courtesan in a brothel. Her previous price for a night was two taels of silver, but after becoming famous, it directly soared to two hundred taels. Master Lan had indirectly brought in business...
"So publishing books is that profitable!" Song Ziwei's eyes sparkled. All her concerns vanished when she heard about making money. She quickly fetched the brush and ink to serve. "Young master, it's late and quiet now. I've heard that writers' thoughts flow like a spring at this time. Don't be idle, hurry up and finish your manuscript!"
"???"
Chen Nan was dumbfounded. Your change of demeanor is too fast!
"I... I was just saying that others can make money by writing books. I might not be able to," Chen Nan said with embarrassment. He had had a couple of drinks with Yuan Zun during dinner, and now he just wanted to sleep soundly.
Song Ziwei said, "I read the story you wrote. It's vivid and interesting, and the protagonist's personality is distinct. It's even better than what Master Lan writes and is sure to be a hit." As she said this, a faint blush appeared on her face. This also made Chen Nan look at her with astonishment. The information contained in her words was immense. It meant that when he was not at home, Song Ziwei had read Master Lan's works. *Wuwu!* This girl is no longer pure...
Song Ziwei asked cautiously, "Young master, when you write stories, do you need to practice and cultivate your emotions simultaneously?" She spoke in a voice as faint as a mosquito, her face flushed crimson, and she lowered her head nervously.
"Go back to sleep," Chen Nan said with a stern face. The host, that scoundrel, didn't harm Song Ziwei. How could he, a man of integrity, be a beast? Not only did he not need to cultivate his emotions through practice, but even if he did, with a single command, Leng Qingmei would send Mei, Lan, Zhu, and Ju. He certainly didn't need a tender shoot like Song Ziwei.
After Song Ziwei left, Chen Nan didn't rest either. Since the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone were ready, he might as well continue writing Mr. Bai's story. At least he could finish one-third of it, so that it could be published.
The next day, after breakfast, Chen Nan asked Song Ziwei for ten taels of silver and then left the Leng family. Publishing a book was a complex process, requiring the registration of personal information and obtaining publishing qualifications. These all cost money. In the past, Song Ziwei would not have been so generous. But she had great confidence in the book the young master wrote, so she generously gave him ten taels of silver.
In fact, Chen Nan didn't need to make the trip himself. If he went to the City Lord's mansion and found Steward Tian Bo, these matters could be easily resolved. However, he disliked nepotism and taking shortcuts. Of course, this shortcut was a different kind of shortcut.
Arriving at the Tongcheng government office, Chen Nan found a clerk responsible for reviews and briefly explained his intentions. The other party said, "Tongcheng only has ten publishing quotas per year, but those ten quotas have already been applied for. If you want to publish a book, you should wait until early next year to apply."
Chen Nan frowned. "Is there such a rule? I've never heard of it?" The host had dreamed of becoming someone like Master Lan, so he had inquired about publishing matters, but he had never heard of this regulation. The middle-aged man's lips curled up. "There is indeed such a rule. However, if you want to publish this year, I can get you an internal quota."
Chen Nan raised an eyebrow. "This internal quota must be quite expensive, right?"