The Nian family bustled with activity early in the morning.
"Big Brother, your body isn't well yet, why are you going hunting on the mountain again!" Xingyun anxiously grabbed Xuan Yi's sleeve, blocking his exit.
Xuan Yi looked down at his third brother's pleading face and said helplessly:
"Third Brother, be good, let go."
Xingyun shook his head, knowing he couldn't persuade Xuan Yi. He tugged at Xuan Yi's clothes while shouting inside:
"Second Brother, come out quickly and manage Big Brother!"
Before Nan Qing could enter, Nian Jiaojiao arrived first. She glanced at Xuan Yi, who had his bow and arrows equipped on his back, and said:
"Your injury isn't healed yet, there's no need to rush out. What if you encounter danger on the mountain again?"
Regarding Nian Jiaojiao's words, Xuan Yi calmly replied:
"My injury is not serious, and I am familiar with the mountain paths. Such a thing will not happen again."
Nian Jiaojiao still shook her head:
"That won't do. Since I'm in charge of this household, I won't allow the injured to run around."
Hearing Nian Jiaojiao say this, Xuan Yi frowned and stood still in silence.
Seeing that the two were about to reach an impasse, Nan Qing, who had entered at some point, spoke:
"Big Brother, there's no need to rush to earn money. I still have a painting, which should be enough for us to get through this winter."
Xingyun quickly said:
"Second Brother, that's... How about we think of another way..."
Upon hearing this, Nian Jiaojiao understood. It turned out the family was short on money. Previously, only Xuan Yi could earn money for the family. Now, if he rested, there would be no economic source at all.
She pondered for a moment, a plan immediately forming in her mind. She looked at the three brothers and said:
"This way, let me handle the earning of money. Xuan Yi, you rest."
Hearing Nian Jiaojiao say this, all three stared at her, their suspicion evident.
Nian Jiaojiao gave a wry smile, knowing that the original owner was a financial black hole, only knowing how to leak money, never earning it. So, their suspicion was normal.
However, she still calmly said to Xuan Yi:
"Three days. Give me three days. If I can't earn any money by then, I won't stop you from going out."
Seeing Nian Jiaojiao say this, Xuan Yi no longer insisted.
As soon as he took the bow and arrows off his shoulder, Xingyun happily took them from his hand, as if afraid Xuan Yi would change his mind if he was a moment slower.
After lunch.
Nian Jiaojiao sat at the desk and began to brainstorm. She had already decided to earn money for the family by writing novels. Yu Chuan and Xingyun sat by the bed, seemingly sewing some clothes.
The Great Yue Dynasty was quite tolerant of books. As long as one didn't write anti-establishment material, no one would interfere with whatever was written.
The best-selling novels on the market were roughly romance novels or erotic novels.
The former were mostly aimed at the male market, while the latter were mainly for the female market. Of course, the latter also did well in the male market.
Hmm... As a newcomer, she naturally had to start with popular novels...
However...
Romance and erotica swayed back and forth on the scales. Finally, Nian Jiaojiao settled on a book.
"The Butterfly Lovers"
This novel, as one of China's Four Great Folk Legends, had countless classic film and television versions adapted from it in her era. Therefore, she was very familiar with the plot.
However, in this world, this novel could not be written verbatim. She had to swap the identities and positions of the male and female protagonists to fit the views of this world.
With the outline in her mind, Nian Jiaojiao picked up her pen and wrote the title and introduction.
In the introduction, Nian Jiaojiao posed three rhetorical questions to pique the readers' interest.
He was a scion of a noble family, yet he frequented the academy. What were his intentions?
She was a commoner, yet she was exceptionally talented and virtuous.
They met and lived in the same room. What kind of sparks would fly between them?
What would be the fate of their feelings, entangled between the three of them?
Through these questions, Nian Jiaojiao first highlighted the novel plot of a man in the academy, then gave readers room for imagination, and the final love triangle was naturally favored by men.
Next, Nian Jiaojiao continued to write:
Moonlight white, wind clear, flowers fragrant,
Window sheer, lamp green, twin shadows peer.
Night deep, all creatures quiet,
Only the sound of reading from the west tower.
Through storms and shared hardship, always together,
Helping and encouraging each other, fellow travelers.
Childhood sweethearts, innocent and pure,
Hearts in sync, true confidants.
Days and nights together, seasons pass,
Unknowing Yingtai's true gender.
When they emerge from the water, the deepest longing is known.
...
...
Smiling, asking the world, what is love?
Bound by life and death, with no regrets.
No fate to grow old together in this life,
We'll recount our past in the next.
Not together in life, but united in death,
Journeying together on the road to the underworld.
Transforming into butterflies, they dance gracefully,
Forever in love, without end.
In the verses, Nian Jiaojiao naturally changed "Yingtai's feminine form" to "Yingtai's masculine form." After finishing the long poem, she let out a long sigh of relief, stopped writing, and admired the entire introduction with satisfaction.
See!
Doesn't this raise the bar!
Perfect!
Nian Jiaojiao stretched her neck and looked at the darkening sky outside. She encouraged herself mentally.
Nian Jiaojiao!
Go for it!
You must finish this novel today!
As Nian Jiaojiao picked up her pen to continue writing, Xingyun, who had finished cooking, came in to remind her to eat. She didn't even look up, telling them to eat by themselves and that she wouldn't be having dinner.
The plot was unfolding in Nian Jiaojiao's mind:
Once upon a time, in Shangyu, Zhejiang, there was a man from the Zhu family named Zhu Yingtai, also known as Zhu Jiudi because he was the ninth child. He was intelligent and beautiful from a young age, and well-versed in poetry...
Zhu Yingtai, in order to help his friend Liang Yu pursue true love, disguised himself as a woman and entered his own eighth sister's bridal sedan chair to marry Liang Yu. He was exposed at the wedding and could only flee the scene...
Nian Jiaojiao was writing the version from the TV series starring Dong Jie and He Rundong. Although the male lead in that version was criticized by many at the time, it had to be said that the plot in that version was the most complete and left the deepest impression on Nian Jiaojiao.
Nian Jiaojiao continued to write: "Don't be afraid, Yingtai! Big Sister is here to save you!" Liang Shanbo, dressed in purple, leaped into the river and carried the person named Zhu Yingtai to the shore...
The sky had completely darkened. At some unknown time, the oil lamp on Nian Jiaojiao's desk had been lit.
"Wife, it's time to rest."
It was Nan Qing's turn today, so Nan Qing sat by the bed waiting for Nian Jiaojiao.
Nian Jiaojiao shook her head, "Wait a moment longer. Let me finish this part."
Because this version had many subplots, she had already used more than thirty sheets of draft paper just by reaching the part where Zhu Yingtai fell into the water.
The plot was rich. For such a story, Nian Jiaojiao planned to sell it in parts, labeled 1, 2, 3... to bookstores.
As a new author, her first novel wouldn't sell for an ideal price.
But she believed that once the first book was sold and became a hit, the price of the subsequent ones would naturally increase.
It was late at night when Nian Jiaojiao finished writing up to the point where Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai arrived at the academy gate. She finally put down her pen and prepared to go to bed.
The two of them lay on the bed. Nian Jiaojiao lay rigidly at the edge of the bed.
Oh my god!
This was a future perverted overlord!
Lying next to him, she felt so awkward!