Chapter 784 Bookstore and Books

"Artificial life form? What are you talking about?" Mo Yun asked with confusion on his face.

"No, it's nothing." Xia Fan skipped the topic and said, "Tomorrow is the day of departure. Unfortunately, except for Suzaku, the other machine beasts have no time to accept the transformation."

"This is not a big problem," Mo Yun shrugged, "As long as you can capture a port, subsequent supplies will be sent to Yama continuously."

After accumulating a lot of experience in inland shipping, the Machinery Building Bureau was able to build simple cargo ships for crossing the strait. Naval training has also cultivated a group of fledgling ocean-going sailors. Regardless of whether they can assume the responsibility of naval warfare, they are more than enough to control cargo ships.

The next day, Noah's tree boat slowly left the east coast of Jinxia and headed towards the depths of the sea as usual.

Due to the need for strategic secrecy, necessary camouflage and cover-up were carried out during the preparation and assembly of the team. For example, all the machine beasts were shipped in wooden boxes, and the soldiers were dressed as fishermen to board the ship. Therefore, few people knew the destination of the Noah this time. It's not a fishing ground, but Yama Island across the sea.

The tree boat not only carried the fully armed Jinxia 1st Division, but also most of the elite alchemists from the Privy Council. Qian, Yan Qing, Du Yelong and others stayed in Jinxia as guardians, monitoring Qixing's every move.

Operation Overlord officially kicked off in this quiet atmosphere.

…

The people of Jinxia City had no idea about the war that was about to break out.

In the eyes of most people, today is another peaceful and comfortable day. The market area has been crowded early with merchants who come to select the best fish, and there are also residents in teahouses and restaurants. Many migrants have been in Jinxia for a while since they settled there. As time goes by, they will be surprised to find that they don’t have to worry about their future life all day long like they did in the past. Whether it is the jobs provided by the port or the small workers recruited by street shops and inns, they all follow the minimum wage standards set by the Secretariat. With this standard of salary, as long as they are willing to work hard, they can save a lot every week. Money comes. In addition to the necessary food to fill their stomachs, the money also allows them to pursue things other than survival, such as delicious refreshments and new clothes.

The topics people discuss are no longer how much rent the government collects, whether there will be major disasters or forced labor this year, but gradually become where to work, how much the salary is, and whether there are benefits. If you can say that you serve in the Secretariat, you will definitely attract a burst of envy.

Of course, not everyone is getting better and better.

Shopkeeper Zhang of Fengming Bookstore is an exception.

"It seems like not many people are coming today." The waiter sat lazily by the door of the shop, holding a hand of melon seeds and eating them, and said, "Uncle Zhang, why don't we close today so I can go out for a walk. "

"It's closed, you know it's closed!" Shopkeeper Zhang glared at the other person. This guy also had a surname of Zhang and a distant name. He was his distant nephew, so he was so insignificant. However, the advantage of letting him be a waiter is also obvious, that is, he does not have to pay another salary, and he only has to pay for food and housing.

When it comes to salary, shopkeeper Zhang can't help but feel a twinge of pain. The Secretariat first vigorously promoted new banknotes, and then stipulated that the salary of Jinxia City recruitment should not be less than 500 per month. Anyone who violated the regulations would be fined more than ten times as long as they were reported to the Secretariat. Five hundred converted into silver taels is not a small amount. In the past, a salary that could be met with only a few dozen copper coins and rice porridge now required several taels of silver. This price difference was nothing short of adding insult to injury for the declining Fengming Bookstore.

"If I close down, what will you eat? You'll still be eating melon seeds on the street. Do you know this is a bookstore? The bookstore pays attention to an elegant style. How can anyone come to patronize me if you look like this?"

"Come on, everyone knows that no one has read the books you sell. Even if I burn incense and chant sutras in front of the store, it will be useless." Zhang Yuan curled his lips, "Uncle, I'd better close the shop early, so I can go to the port somewhere." Not only can you make a lot of money, but you can also enjoy the support of the government. Isn't it better than being a waiter? "

"You...rebelled!" Shopkeeper Zhang stamped his feet repeatedly.

Zhang Yuan sighed, this was not the first time for such a dispute, "I'm just telling the truth, uncle, why don't you understand? When you didn't join the school's bookseller side, you were destined to be defeated. After all, the people don't agree with each other. You can't win against them in an official battle."

Shopkeeper Zhang was confused.

These were the words he least wanted to hear.

However, he also knew that what the other party said was true. Nowadays, if you want to ask what is the best-selling printed matter in Jinxia City, it is undoubtedly Shenjin Weekly, followed by school textbooks. As for ancient scriptures and poetry classics, no one cares about them in just a few months. Even the bookstore's most prosperous business in the past - poetry collections printed by readers at their own expense and written at gatherings. There is no trace now.

The Secretariat had originally invited Fengming Bookstore to participate in supplier negotiations, but when shopkeeper Zhang heard that a large deposit was required and that the Secretariat would obtain a portion of the bookstore's shares, he ultimately did not sign the agreement. This store is regarded as the ancestral business of the Zhang family that he inherited. How can he give it to others in his own hands?

Of course, his judgment of the battle situation was also one of his biggest mistakes.

Shopkeeper Zhang never expected that Princess Guangping would not only gain a firm foothold in Shenzhou, but also completely overthrow the original government, making the Affairs Bureau the new ruling yamen.

Old books could not be sold, and it was not his turn to print and sell new books. Fengming Bookstore became an outlier in the bustling atmosphere of Jinxia.

"I know you are reluctant, but it is better to suffer a short pain than a long one." Zhang Yuan advised, "The main business of the bookstore is printing, but the printing house behind you has not been open for two months. Do you still expect to turn things around one day? Unless Her Royal Highness the Princess falls, um——"

Before he finished speaking, the shopkeeper rushed over and covered his mouth.

"If you want to die, don't drag me down!"

"Ahem..." Zhang Yuan broke free, "I use this to describe the impossibility of this matter. Uncle, you can tidy up these rooms and open a small restaurant. As long as the house is there, what you do is not inheriting the family business?"

This made the shopkeeper hesitate.

Catering is indeed the most prosperous business in Jinxia City recently. Even if the baked pancake soup noodles are well made, they can attract a large number of customers willing to pay.

At this time, there was a clapping sound outside the front yard, as if someone was knocking on the door plaque of the bookstore.

Is there a customer coming?

But why didn't he just come in?

Without thinking too much, the shopkeeper pushed his nephew and said, "Go and have a look." He straightened his clothes and pretended to be calm and at ease and sat back at the counter.

A moment later, Zhang Yuan walked back from the street, touching his head.

There was no one else following him, but there was an extra book in his hand.