Chapter 322: Left Hanging

Yan Liqiang sat on the master seat in one of the manor’s lounges, looking at the silent group hanging their heads dejectedly. He smiled and took a sip of his tea before he broke the silence. “There’s no need to feel so down, everyone! Our newspaper is a new thing. We’ve done a pretty good job for selling 318 copies on the first day. 318 sounds just like ‘the desire to prosper’ [1], and that’s a really an auspicious number. If we can sell more than three hundred copies today, we may be able to sell thirty thousand or even a hundred thousand in the future…!”

“Well… According to the youths selling our newspapers, the crowds in the teahouses, restaurants, and on the streets were quite curious about what they were selling. Several people approached them, but not many bought one in the end. They were only asking, and some even commented that six copper coins for a copy was too expensive. Quite a few them were trying to get a discount…” Xu Enda reported awkwardly.

“Tell them we are not giving discounts. These newspapers will be sold at no less than six copper coins each!” Yan Liqiang shook his head. “The ink and paper needed to produce a copy already costs about three copper coins. This excludes the operating costs. If we want to continue this, then we must make money to ensure the sustainability of this business. We’re not going to make any losses, remember that!”

“Got it!” Everyone nodded.

Yan Liqiang turned his gaze to Hu Haihe and encouraged him, “Haihe, keep up with what you’re doing. The information gathered for the first issue was good. Now that the newspapers for today have been sold, you may reward the informants who provided the news. Don’t leave any of them out. After they receive the money and are well aware of our credibility, I’m sure they will work even harder for us!”

Hu Haihe nodded, “Understood, I will distribute the payments tomorrow!”

“The guards you hired today were pretty good too. It’ll be necessary for us to have a group of guards to help out when needed and ward off thieves and the like from our newspaper office too. Let’s hire ten of them for now!” Yan Liqiang rubbed his chin, then looked at Fang Beidou. “I will leave this to you, Manager Fang. See if you can hire a group of former Imperial Cavalry Unit members. We’ll offer them wages that can compete with those guards from the wealthy clans in the city!”

“Alright. I think we don’t have to limit it to former members from the Imperial Cavalry Unit. Many people are looking to put food on their tables in the Imperial Capital. Anyone with skills and capabilities should do!”

Meeting Fang Beidou’s gaze, Yan Liqiang immediately understood the subtle message he was trying to convey. If the guards of the newspaper office were entirely made up former members of the Imperial Cavalry Unit, then these people might easily form a clique that would be difficult to manage. Therefore, adding some outsiders in the mix would make it a lot easier to manage.

“I’ll leave this matter up to Manager Fang then. Ten is only a tentative figure. When our publishing company grows, we’ll have to deliver the newspapers on time to the other cities in the Four Regions aside from the Imperial Capital. In that case, we’ll need to open up other branches in the cities and hire more assistants. By then, we may need several hundred guards. All of you will probably be bringing two guards with you whenever you go out and it won’t be easy for ordinary people to meet you. For example, when that time comes, Haihe, you won’t be looking for news and information because they will come to you instead. Anyone who wishes to print anything on our newspapers will need to pay us with at least a starting price of a hundred taels of silver. Those merchants and wealthy clan members will have to line up to meet you.”

“Also, Enda, Little Wu, and the rest should get some experience in managing a distribution center. Soon, each of you will be given a branch to manage. Just the newspaper sellers alone will consist of a hundred or so people. As for our writers, I’m sure people will come poach you to write for them by offering a fortune when you all become famous. By that time, all of you will be the doyens of the newspaper industry in the Great Han Empire. With such rich experience, writing a famous book will be an easy feat.”

Looking at the big picture that Yan Liqiang painted, everyone’s dull eyes gradually lit up as their depression slowly lifted.

This was the most basic trick of using visualization for motivation. Yan Liqiang used it a lot in his previous life. Back in his previous world, he heard of a certain CEO who started his e-commerce venture in China with a group of employees who were willing to work every day without pay. He managed to do this by gathering them together and then asking them to imagine how they would spend the year-end bonus of five million yuan. Everyone took turns sharing their plans. The discussion grew more and more cheerful. In the end, everyone was motivated enough to work without even being paid. This was how the CEO got through his toughest time…

Upon seeing the fighting spirit and vigor return to everyone, Yan Liqiang smiled at them. “Alright, thank you all for your hard work today. Get some early rest. We will resume work tomorrow. Carry out your own tasks and responsibilities as usual. We will sell the first issue for another six days. When the second issue is out, we will take back all the copies of the first issue.”

Fang Beidou waited for everyone to leave the lounge before turning back to Yan Liqiang with a slight frown. “This won’t do. If we’re only making such low daily sales, then our publishing company will be losing money every day and we won’t be able to last much longer. Based on the thing you mentioned just now… something about the breakeven point, we’ll need to sell at least five thousand copies a week to barely avoid making a loss. We’ve got to think of something…”

Yan Liqiang smiled confidently and asked Fang Beidou a question. “Do you think many people listen to storytellers in the Imperial Capital?”

“Of course. If not, why would there be so many storytellers in the teahouses and restaurants in the city? It’s like what you said, the Great Han Empire doesn’t have any other forms of entertainment apart from storytelling and operas!”

“Right. Then for the next few days, you should go gather some information from the storytellers in the Imperial Capital city and get to know them first…”

“Why?”

“I will give you something in two days. You will know by then!”

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“Are the storytellers even relevant to our newspaper?”

“Haha, of course they are relevant. Let me leave you hanging first. By the time this is settled, all the storytellers in the Imperial Capital city will be the promoters of our newspaper. By then, we don’t have to worry about selling our newspaper…”

Fang Beidou only looked at Yan Liqiang in bewilderment, unable to understand what he was going on about. “You can’t tell me now?”

“Well, it’s hardly worth mentioning now. There’s no use explaining it to you with words. Allow me to make some preparations and you will know in due time!” Yan Liqiang stood up while speaking. “I will find you again two days later in the evening. I still have to settle some matters in the Imperial Capital city tonight. I’ll leave the publishing company in your hands for the next few days! I’ll be going now!”

Fang Beidou saw Yan Liqiang off at the exit of the manor. He stared after his disappearing silhouette, feeling like a curious cat. He simply couldn’t figure out how Yan Liqiang could possibly boost the newspaper sales through the storytellers in the city.

Was he planning to pay those storytellers to shout their newspaper slogan?

The idea was denied as soon as it popped into Fang Beidou’s mind. These storytellers were prideful scholars. Any of them with a slight reputation wouldn’t accept being paid to brag for others because they wouldn’t want to tarnish their own reputations. Even if Yan Liqiang had this idea, it wouldn’t work out. Why was he so confident that he would be able to make those storytellers comply then?

……

Yan Liqiang left the newspaper office at the foot of Mount Longqi. His footsteps were swift like a running carriage. It didn’t take him long to reach the southern gates of the Imperial Capital. He went through the gates and headed to the Gan Provincial Guild Hall.

This time, he wasn’t stopped at the guild hall’s entrance. Unfortunately, Lu Peien wasn’t in, save for the steward from Lu Residence that followed him here from the Imperial Capital. The steward told him that Lu Peien was out for a dinner party tonight and that he wasn’t informed on what time he would return. Hence, Yan Liqiang requested the steward to relay the time to Lu Peien for their meeting in two days before he left the guild hall.

……

Ten minutes after leaving the Gan Provincial Guild Hall, Yan Liqiang bumped into a group of people who just came out from a restaurant he passed by on his way back to Deer Villa.

The group was none other than Xu Lang and his gang. Yan Liqiang even saw a few familiar faces.

Xu Lang and the others didn’t seem to expect to bump into Yan Liqiang as soon as they exited the restaurant, and it was the same for Yan Liqiang. Both parties were taken aback when they met each other face-to-face.

Since Yan Liqiang didn’t have any intention to get involved with Xu Lang or start any fights here, he only shot a glare at them and then left without saying anything.

However, it seemed like Xu Lang and his group didn’t plan on letting Yan Liqiang leave just like that.

Picking his teeth with a toothpick, Xu Lang narrowed his eyes and called out to Yan Liqiang, “Hey, brat. Hold it right there…”

Yan Liqiang turned a deaf ear to him and continued walking away.

The expression on Xu Lang’s face immediately turned ugly. He cast a glance at a servant-looking man beside him. The man who was about two meters tall with a Herculean physique immediately understood his intention. He strode toward Yan Liqiang and reached out to grasp his shoulder while cursing, “Hey brat, are you deaf? Brother Xu called you! Are your damn ears working…?”

It went without saying that the man didn’t manage to grab Yan Liqiang’s shoulder. When his hand was about to touch his shoulder, Yan Liqiang leaned slightly to the side to evade it as though he had grown a pair of eyes on his back. At the same time, his hand shot out like a sharp claw that latched onto the man’s wrist.

Yan Liqiang looked at the burly man. “Mind your language. Also, we don’t know each other so don’t touch me…”