986 Projection Starting To Take Shape (1/2)
Over ten tables were set inside the tea shop. At the time, all the tables were already fully seated, even the gaps in the aisles were filled with guests holding a cup in their hands as they waited with their heads raised. It was incredibly crowded, just like when the temples held community opera performances.
For civilians of the lower middle economic class whose lives were simple and boring, listening to the storyteller read the newspaper had become a pleasure that was incredibly hard to come by. At the very least, it was more cost-effective compared to drinking. They could still afford to head there and listen to the newspaper-telling every other day. Moreover, after they returned home, they would receive the best of welcomes from their neighbors around their streets. They would return and retell the interesting and colorful world of Wulin Jianghu as well as the issues from other places that were actually far away from but seemed quite close to them to their neighbors, adding color to their otherwise dull lives.
Qian Ping'an saw a scene like that the moment he stepped into the tea shop. However, he seemed a little dazed as his thoughts floated elsewhere, He did not seem to pay attention to the things happening in front of him.
”I heard from Dongjia before that the four major rice businesses in the capital are making an alliance to deal with the foreign food products coming into the capital. They hired assassins and Wulin experts and even colluded with the officials of the imperial court to return the price of rice to its normal level. It looks like over a dozen lives have already been lost. Quite a lot of food merchants have died…”
”And the day before yesterday, the Wulin Express published the letters of Tan Hai, the president of the Five Southern Provinces Rice Association, and stated that he was working with the Southern Sea Heavenly Sword Lin Zu, to enter the capital and visit the former prime minister…”
”In the past dozen years, there haven't been any grandmasters across the Jianghu, and the Southern Sea Heavenly Sword and Sad Godly Palm are among the few who got the closest. Based on what was stated in the Wulin Express, it doesn't seem like this rice dispute will be resolving any time soon…”
”The Tan Gang has been pretty temperamental as of late. They would get into fights just after a few words of exchange. Chen Xiucai from the street entrance said that it's only a matter of time before they rebel, asking for meals…”
Information that Qian Ping'an learned about recently kept spinning in his mind. The reason he was dazed was due to the fact that he had an impulse, an impulse to try something. Many things seemed to be happening all over the world, the Wulin Express always reported things as if it were the era where success was brimming, and it gave people a miraculous hope just like spring.
The Chen Family's rice shop looked like it only had hardships ahead of it, ”It doesn't look like this job of mine will last very long. Should I continue working as an employee of another shop and bide my time before becoming a manager? To live my entire life seeing only the sky within my four walls? Or should I give it a go outside, to catch this wave and ride this era of success?”
”If I go and make a living outside, what should I do? I've never learned martial arts before, and I don't really have much money.”
”Yeah. The products in the South and North of the capital are getting cheaper. And if I remember correctly, my hometown doesn't really have these things. That's right, the teleportation circles exist only in the big cities. Should I buy some southern products with cash and credit and bring them there?”
Pa!
The crisp and clear sound of the wooden block rang across the room. Qian Ping'an could not help but shudder as his thoughts returned to reality.
He raised his head and saw that Mr. Storyteller had picked up the Wulin Express.
”It is just as the old saying went, `The longsword is ruthless, but the man isn't, even if it were the Awakening Celestial Sword himself, he could not avoid secularism. Today, we'll talk about some of his love affairs,” Mr. Storyteller said as he stroked his bread while swaying his head.
Everyone suddenly looked awake and spirited. For them, love affairs and the like were much more interesting than anecdotal events across Jianghu.
”Chapter one. Disillusioned and falling in love with the Lake Fairy, a sexual encounter of the Yin and Yang that forged a sword.”
…
”Chapter two. Passing Hua Mansion; sword shines in the depths of the night; Ascending the courtyard to flee under the moon.”
…
”Chapter three. Feelings from the highest-class courtesan as she helps Xiao Meng navigate the roaring waves in the sea of bedsheets illuminated by a lightless red candle.”
...
This edition of the Wulin Express published three chapters of stories, and it made Qian Ping'an and the others really agitated. It was just too bad that the stories ended too quickly, and there was no continuation. They hated the fact that although the penmanship was remarkably enchanting, in crucial areas, things were simply written off, leaving them no room to release the pent up tension as their blood pumped from listening to the stores. It was just like picking the top courtesan from the pleasure house, taking off their pants, only to find out that the sun was already up and everything was just a dream.
But could the newspaper publish an article like that? Could it ever reach the great hall of elegance?
Everyone was slightly confused at that moment. It was a rather conservative era; still, only erotic arts and obscene songs and poems at the brothels were famous for their explicitness, it was extremely rare for such things to exist in an establishment like that.
After leaving the tea shop, the stories still remained in Qian Ping'an's head. He kept fumbling about in his bed as he could not fall asleep. He kept thinking about the future developments of the story, imagining and outlining images of the various beautiful fairies in the story. He could not wait until it was morning again so that the serialization inside the Wulin Express could be updated.
An unprecedented freshness stimulated the people. Furthermore, with Shang Jiuming's extreme perseverance, the voice of all the naysayers who argued that public morality and human hearts were going downhill as they were no longer what it used to be, were suppressed.
”Chapter 12. Xiao Meng's first encounter with the Emperor Demon Queen during a mission; taking off the white gown to become naked to act as the Celestial Demon.”
...
”Chapter 14. A hidden arrow, falling into the forbidden palace twice; becoming a hero, the Awakening Celestial Sword saves the damsel.”
…
It finished again during the key moments… Qian Ping'an was anxious. He really wanted to bring the author over and have him write the next 70 to 80 chapters. At the same time, due to his trust in the Wulin Express, he really admired the Awakening Celestial Sword, Xiao Meng. His swordsmanship was outstanding, and he moved between multiple stylish beauties, winning the hearts of many of them. He was simply a winner in life.
”It's too bad I'm not the Awakening Celestial Sword…” Qian Ping'an lamented as he walked out of the tea shop.
At that moment, a person walked out from a dark corner and was suddenly in front of him without making a sound. He lowered his voice and said, ”Do you want the continuation?”
”What continuation?” Qian Ping'an asked without a clue.
”The continuation of the Awakening Celestial Sword and the Emperor Queen's relationship referring to 36 intercourse styles together. No deleted paragraphs, for only five copper pieces!” the person looked left and right before answering cautiously.
Qian Ping'an's heart jumped and immediately answered, ”I'll take it!”
As they talked, he had already grabbed five copper pieces from his pockets and bought the thin booklet.
”Remember, the other continuation series are all fakes. Only Xiao Gao Hermit's words are rich and colorful,” the person left those words after collecting the copper pieces before leaving in a hurry, looking for his next client.
Qian Ping'an was very agitated. He grabbed tightly onto the booklet and returned home with swift footsteps. He then locked the door and lit his candles before flipping through the pages.
”Fuck, I don't know how to read. Why the fuck did I buy it!?” Qian Ping'an let out a roar of exasperation.