Chapter 185

Li Qingzhi’s appetite was as good as ever.

He stayed home for meals today, and with a guest visiting… Chang Zhan not only brought some rice back from the school but also specially fried some pancakes.

Then… Li Qingzhi ate two large bowls of rice and a whole plate of pancakes.

Qian Changsheng, with his poor health and weak appetite, usually couldn’t eat much in a day. However, today, perhaps influenced by Li Qingzhi’s hearty eating, his own appetite improved significantly… He ate twice as much as usual in one meal.

Li Qingzhi still thought he hadn’t eaten enough: “Changsheng, you need to eat more, especially meat, to get healthier.”

He was helping Qian Changsheng recover using his special abilities, but it also required Qian Changsheng to have adequate nutrition.

Qian Changsheng replied, “The doctor told me to eat lightly.”

“Eating lightly doesn’t mean you can’t eat meat. You can have more chicken, duck, and fish,” Li Qingzhi said.

The naturally raised, pollution-free chickens and ducks of this era were beneficial.

“Alright,” Qian Changsheng smiled. He had never had much appetite before, but now… he actually felt like eating meat.

The marinated dishes from Juewei Zhai were especially delicious to him. After finishing the meal, Qian Changsheng left.

After Qian Changsheng left, Li Qingzhi started writing.

Governor Zhang eagerly awaited the new chapters of “Traveling Alone” every day!

But lately, he had been very busy and could only manage to write three to four thousand words a day at most.

This was because this book was difficult to write.

Books like “Children’s Stories Collection” were easy for him to write in his spare time. But “Traveling Alone” was different.

He couldn’t afford to be careless with this book; every detail had to be meticulously considered.

While Li Qingzhi was writing, Qian Changsheng returned home in a sedan chair.

Qian Changsheng’s formal name was Qian Yi, but due to his poor health, his family called him “Changsheng” (meaning longevity).

Qian Fugui’s wife, the first lady of the Qian family, was a slightly plump woman with a round face.

Her family was also in business, but not as wealthy as the Qian family. She had been attracted to Qian Fugui’s looks when she was young and had made a great effort to marry him.

Though she felt melancholy for a few years due to their childlessness, she was generally satisfied with her life.

After her marriage, her family’s business went downhill, and the Qian family had to help them out. Moreover, unlike her chaotic maiden family with many issues, the Qian family was small and straightforward.

Her father, after becoming wealthy, had taken six concubines and had more than twenty children with various women!

Most importantly, even at fifty, Qian Fugui remained handsome!

Over the years, Qian Fugui had treated her well, and the Qian family, feeling guilty towards her, respected her greatly… She managed all the affairs of the Qian family with confidence.

The second lady of the Qian family had a sharp face. She had been very slim and delicate in her youth but had become plump over the years.

Despite being heavier than the first lady, her sharp face made people perceive her as thinner.

Her family was ordinary; her father was a poor scholar who hadn’t even passed the imperial exams. She married the second master of the Qian family purely for her looks.

Both women cherished Qian Changsheng dearly, treating him like their own child.

Given the scarcity of heirs in the Qian family, even the second master had taken a concubine but had no children, eventually giving her a dowry to marry her off like Qian Fugui.

Today, they worried about Qian Changsheng being out but eagerly greeted him upon his return: “Changsheng, how was your day?”

Qian Changsheng smiled and recounted the day’s events.

Their thoughts turned to Li Qingzhi: “We must visit A Zhi soon.”

“He’s grown so much in the blink of an eye!”

“I watched him grow up…”

“Mother, Aunt, I want to go to the school again tomorrow,” Qian Changsheng said.

“Changsheng, your health…” they worried.

Qian Changsheng replied, “I felt no discomfort after today’s outing; in fact, I feel much lighter, and my appetite has improved!”

“Yes, young master ate quite a lot today,” his attendant chimed in, recounting all that Qian Changsheng had eaten at noon.

The first and second ladies of the Qian family were overjoyed and agreed to let him visit Li Qingzhi again tomorrow.

Meanwhile, at Chongcheng Primary School, Li Qingzhi placed twenty sets of “Children’s Stories Collection” sent by Shen Family Bookstore in an empty dormitory and hung a sign outside reading “Reading Room.”

Although his students couldn’t read these books yet, they would be able to one day.

He could collect books and let those interested read them.

The “Children’s Stories Collection” wasn’t just one book. Li Qingzhi had written about 100,000 words, and Shen Family Bookstore had divided it into three books with illustrations for printing.

At this time, books generally had larger characters, and a book couldn’t contain too many words to avoid being too thick, which would make binding and reading difficult.

In the provincial city, Governor Zhang sent the latest manuscript of “Traveling Alone” to the Shen family.

He wanted Shen Family Bookstore to print it quickly.

Shen Zhilan shared the same thought; in fact, he had already started printing!

He planned to print the first volume as soon as they reached 50,000 words, and they were almost there!

“This book’s advice on chicken and duck farming is quite insightful!” Mrs. Shen remarked as she read “Traveling Alone.” “This author knows so much, not only about agriculture but also about raising poultry!”

“Indeed!” Shen Zhilan agreed. Initially, he thought the book was fictional, but after consulting with farmers, they found the agricultural methods described to be excellent!

Even the advice on raising chickens and ducks seemed practical.

Shen Zhilan believed that once the book was published, people would try the farming methods described.

Especially the poultry farming!

Juewei Zhai’s business was so good that people from nearby villages traveled to Chongcheng County to sell their chickens and ducks… This year, the prices of poultry in the provincial city had risen.

Many people wanted to raise more chickens and ducks now!

After Mrs. Shen reviewed the manuscript, Shen Zhilan sent it to the printing workshop, where the workers said, “Boss, the manuscript already has enough content to bind into a thick book…”

Shen Zhilan saw that with the added punctuation, the printed pages were ready for binding into a substantial book.

“Then start binding, and we’ll sell it as soon as it’s ready!” Shen Zhilan ordered immediately.

He was confident that “Traveling Alone” would sell well!

Using punctuation was an innovation by his bookstore, which might even make it famous!

At Shen Family Bookstore, a group of workers busied themselves.

They were in good spirits.

Previously, the bookstore had fewer workers, and many were hired specifically for printing “The Refugee Chronicles” due to a shortage of manpower.

After finishing “The Refugee Chronicles,” they worried about being dismissed, but the bookstore had continued with “Children’s Stories Collection,” and now the new book by Qiongdu Sanren was ready.

They hoped the Shen Family Bookstore would always have work for them!

These people busied themselves, and in just two days, they had bound 3,000 copies of “Traveling Alone.”

This time, there was no need to send books to the capital, so the Shen Family Bookstore only printed 3,000 copies. However, if the demand exceeded the supply, they could print more.

Upon learning this, Shen Zhilan immediately had the Shen Family Bookstore start selling the book.

During this period, the scholars in the provincial city had been discussing the “Children’s Stories Collection.”

The book was written in a simple style, but the stories were interesting, suitable for children, and conveyed moral lessons…

When scholars gathered, they couldn’t help but mention: “Li Zixiao’s book is really good!”

“I heard he wrote it especially for his own children? This year is the provincial exam, and instead of focusing on his studies, he wrote this book?”

“He has a photographic memory and is very knowledgeable, unlike us who need to study day and night!”

“This book is truly excellent. My children love it.”

“My children love it too.”

…

Li Qingzhi was already quite famous, and his reputation had grown even more. Children in Jiang’an Province were well aware of him.

Some scholars, discussing this matter, sighed: “My child thinks I’m not as good as Li Zixiao because I can’t write such stories!”

“Brother Zhang, we are in the same boat!”

“My child even sleeps with this book!”

While these scholars were chatting, a young man came in from outside: “Gentlemen, I have some big news!”

“What news?” The crowd was very curious.

The newcomer said, “I heard that the Shen Family Bookstore has printed Qiongdu Sanren’s new book, and it will be on sale tomorrow!”

“Is that so?” The scholars were both surprised and delighted.

Although Qiongdu Sanren’s books were unconventional, they always caused a stir… Everyone felt his books were profound.

Now that he had a new book, they definitely wanted to check it out!

However… Wasn’t Li Qingzhi at odds with Qiongdu Sanren? Li had just written a new book, and now Qiongdu Sanren had one too.

Once Qiongdu Sanren’s new book was released, everyone would surely focus on his book, and Li Qingzhi’s storybook might be forgotten.