Chapter 928: Story, Books, and People

The old man watched Ji Yuan, excited for a while. It wasn't until Ji Yuan spoke that he seemed to relax the tight string within him, responding with a still slightly emotional voice.

"Yes, yes, it's destiny that I, Yi Shun, can see you again, honored sir! It was my family's great fortune to presume to ask for your calligraphy back then and receive your gift. Oh, please, sir, come inside, come inside!"

Though over ninety, Yi Shun's mind remained remarkably clear. He understood that given the situation when he first met the gentleman and their current encounter, Ji Yuan likely preferred his immortal identity not be revealed. Therefore, he merely showed appropriate respect, refraining from exclaiming "Immortal Elder" or kneeling in prostration.

Yi Sheng, standing nearby, felt a jolt. Seeing his father's reaction, he knew his earlier suspicions were correct. He immediately echoed his father's invitation, urging Ji Yuan to enter the shop.

Meeting them at this moment, Ji Yuan felt a certain karmic connection with the Yi family. He didn't decline, directly entering the shop with the father and son. The clerks and customers inside looked curiously towards the entrance, wondering who the shop owner was greeting with such solemnity.

Everyone assumed the visitor must be a highly learned and respected scholar. In the Great Zhen dynasty, erudite individuals were held in high esteem, so such a deferential welcome for a great sage would not be an exaggeration.

"Elder Yi, who is this gentleman?"

A customer inside the shop, who was selecting an inkstone, asked, and the old man turned to Ji Yuan.

"May I ask, how should I address you, sir?"

Ji Yuan didn't conceal his identity, answering with a smile.

"My name is Ji Yuan. Most acquaintances call me Mr. Ji."

Mr. Ji? Some customers in the shop pondered, trying to recall which renowned scholar went by the name Ji Yuan, but they couldn't remember. They concluded he might have some local recognition but wasn't widely known.

"Sir, there's a quiet room inside. Please, come in for some tea!"

Yi Sheng intended to invite Ji Yuan further into the inner hall, but Ji Yuan was looking at the merchandise in the shop and waved his hand.

"No need. As it happens, I'm running low on paper, so I'll just buy some here in your shop..."

As he spoke, Ji Yuan looked at Yi Shun. He had bought paper from this very shop before, but at that time, it was during Ji Yuan's most destitute period, when he couldn't even afford decent Xuan paper.

"Paper? Yes, we have plenty! We have all the fine paper you could want, sir. Not only famous Xuan paper from various regions of Great Zhen, but also high-quality paper from all corners of the world stored in our warehouse, varying in thickness, color, flexibility, and scent. I will bring some out for you to choose from!"

Without needing his father's instruction, Yi Sheng busily set to work. Besides the paper on display, he and a clerk retrieved all the paper from the storeroom, placing stack after stack on the counter for Ji Yuan to examine.

Ji Yuan watched with interest, but as Yi Sheng brought out box after box, from plain wooden ones to lacquered boxes and even those with gold-threaded edges, Ji Yuan immediately felt that he didn't need overly expensive paper; something ordinary and usable would suffice.

Before Yi Sheng could bring out all the varieties of paper, Ji Yuan reached out and placed his hand on a plain wooden box.

"No need to trouble yourself further. I'll take this kind of paper, a whole box of it. I'll pick it up when I leave. By the way, weren't you offering tea in a quiet room? I happen to be a bit thirsty."

"But..."

Yi Sheng tried to say something more, but his father interrupted him.

"Sir, please come inside!"

After Ji Yuan and his father had gone inside, Yi Sheng bowed to the curious customers nearby and apologized.

"My apologies for the disturbance, esteemed guests. This is a distinguished visitor to our home. Please continue browsing for what you desire. You few, put the paper back in its place."

The shop assistants could only watch their employer's retreating back, grumbling inwardly, as the wooden boxes filled with paper were quite heavy.

In the quiet room within the shop's inner hall, Ji Yuan observed the decor. Besides some hanging calligraphy and paintings, there was a large character piece prominently displayed, spelling out "Evil cannot triumph over righteousness."

However, this calligraphy was certainly not written by Ji Yuan. The character he had penned originally was on a small piece of paper, less than a foot on each side, whereas in this quiet room, a single character alone was as large as his entire original paper.

All of this was naturally a temporary arrangement for Ji Yuan's benefit. As soon as Ji Yuan sat down in the quiet room, a quick calculation revealed the general situation of the Yi family.

"It seems that calligraphy has been well-preserved in your home all this time?"

The old man, sitting opposite Ji Yuan, replied with emotion.

"The calligraphy you bestowed, sir, has always hung in the study of our old family home, serving as an encouragement to future generations of the Yi family. Oh, please, sir, have some tea. This is the renowned Pre-Rain Tea, a genuine product of the Pre-Rain Tea Garden in Desheng Prefecture, quite rare indeed!"

Ji Yuan smiled as he drank the tea. The taste was very familiar to him; whenever he was at Ju'an Pavilion, the Wei family would send it during the appropriate season. However, it had indeed been a long time since he had tasted fresh tea leaves.

"Elder Yi, do you know that the four characters 'Evil cannot triumph over righteousness' were not originally intended for you?"

The old man put down his teacup, showing no offense.

"Of course, I know. The events of that day are still vivid in my mind. You had originally bought a piece of paper, written on it, and then left, evidently intending to give it to someone. But that person didn't appreciate the gesture, which is how it ended up with me... To be frank, I once tried to find that person, but it was years later, and even asking others, no one remembered who was supposed to be waiting outside the shop back then. Sir, who was that person?"

Ji Yuan shook his head.

"Just a deceased person. By now, their soul has long returned to heaven and earth. Many people in the world resent fate, believing their misfortunes are due to bad luck, lacking family background or noble benefactors. While that's not entirely wrong, why did that person, like then, break faith with me? Why couldn't they wait a moment longer?"

Elder Yi Shun and his son Yi Sheng both felt a surge of emotion and a sense of good fortune. If that person had waited patiently back then, would the calligraphy have ever come to the Yi family?

"In truth, even without this calligraphy, your Yi family would have had the foundation to build your fortune. My calligraphy is merely an external thing, simply a helping hand."

The Yi family patriarch, of course, didn't take this literally, but he felt it was Mr. Ji acknowledging the Yi family, which gave him a degree of self-satisfaction.

Like old friends reuniting for a chat, Ji Yuan discussed a range of topics with them, from scholarly matters to daily life, and didn't forget to talk about national affairs and listen to the Yi family's aspirations.

"So, your Yi family has not only expanded your stationery and antiques business to this scale, but you've also opened bookstores across various regions, with ambitions to spread the culture of Great Zhen throughout the land. Very impressive."

"Haha, though we engage in commerce, we are not driven purely by profit; at heart, we are still scholars! Although the Yi family's publishing houses are privately operated, they have some official backing, and the books we publish are all timeless classics."

Yi Shun spoke with full confidence, but his son, Yi Sheng, felt a touch of shame.

"What a coincidence. Speaking of publishing, perhaps there's something you could help me with."

"Mr. Ji's affairs are our Yi family's affairs. As long as it doesn't go against our conscience, sir, just give the order!"

"Indeed, sir, just tell us what you need!"

Ji Yuan nodded with a smile at the immediate assurances from the Yi father and son. This saved him a crucial step. To spread something across the world, he needed someone who could not only write stories but also tell them compellingly.

Ji Yuan didn't stay too long at the Yi family's large shop. He politely declined their invitation to entertain him at their Beijing residence and left the shop, heading in the direction he had intended to go earlier.

He walked straight into the inner city, heading towards a teahouse. Even before entering, the powerful crisp crack of the storyteller's gavel "silenced" the bustling teahouse. A storyteller, with graying hair but not appearing very old, began his first lecture of the day with robust energy.

"Last time, we spoke of the Martial Saint Zuo Wuji, trapped deep within the demon lair, with countless demons waiting to feast on our human flesh and drink our human blood. It was at that very moment that the long-hidden Martial Saint, a cold smile on his face, emerged with powerful, confident strides..."

Hearing this familiar voice, Ji Yuan couldn't help but smile.

Regarding attaining enlightenment and writing heavenly scriptures, Ji Yuan felt he could be considered a notable figure in the world. However, when it came to crafting stories, especially captivating ones with emotion, even he, a celestial being admired by mortals, was not as skilled as Wang Li. Indeed, among countless immortal cultivators, few could surpass Wang Li in this regard. Of course, it would also be best to have endorsements from influential figures: mortals, immortals, Buddhists, ghosts, and deities. Ji Yuan even thought of the one he played chess with, like that fellow hidden in the Moon Azure Mirror last time—didn't he very much want to win Ji Yuan over?