In the bookshops and art stores, the first volume of a novel written by Zheng Qiru, the top-ranked scholar, was on display everywhere.
In the largest bookstore in the capital, Zheng Qiru himself was present, holding a book signing.
However, everyone was puzzled by the title "She Returns After Five Years."
And on the book cover were written five characters that translated to "Chasing Wife: Crematorium."
"What does it mean? Chasing a wife, why chase a wife?"
"Why cremate while chasing a wife?"
"Did her husband die?"
People couldn't understand it, but when they opened to the first page, the curious scholars and wealthy young men were stunned.
The first page contained several excerpts:
'Her complete trust and devotion to him were repaid with nothing but a divorce paper.'
'On her birthday, with a high fever and not a penny to her name, she was heartlessly driven out of their home...'
'Five years later, she returned, even more powerful and wealthy than he, who was once the richest man in the capital, with millions in silver to her name.'
'As he looked on with regret, she walked past him with their twin children who bore his features, coldly tossing out a sentence.'
'Gu Aotian, the children will take my surname. I merely borrowed your seed.'
'I don't need to marry into wealth, I can create my own fortune!'
The scholars and rich young men standing in the bookshop, who had come to admire the top scholar's writing, were now thunderstruck!
What was this?
What on earth was this novel about?
Heavens, such an unconventional woman!
They hadn't even read further, but just these excerpts on the title page made their scalps tingle.
This woman in the book was forceful in her words and actions, her personality devoid of gentleness, even trampling her husband underfoot.
"Has Zheng Qiru gone mad?"
"Is there no one to rein in the top scholar? Does the Emperor know? Does the Ministry of Personnel know? Is no one going to stop this nonsense?"
The scholars and wealthy young men had initially been uninterested when they discovered the top scholar had written a novel, thinking his ink wasn't worth collecting if he wasn't focusing on proper scholarly pursuits!
But now, they were all provoked by these short phrases on the title page.
"So this is 'Chasing Wife: Crematorium'? Did she cremate her ex-husband? Or did the woman cremate herself?"
The scholars and rich young men rolled up their sleeves, unable to resist picking up the thin volume and continuing to read.
They had to see just how outrageous Zheng Qiru's book was, intending to curse him thoroughly!
But as they read on, their grumbling grew quieter, while the speed of their page-turning increased.
"Selling herself to bury her father... all in white, the wind blowing past, how pitiable she looks."
"There's even such a thing as a contractual marriage? This wealthy gentleman becomes physically uncomfortable when touching women, so he's long refused to marry. His grandmother, at her wit's end, threatens suicide, forcing him to reluctantly agree to wed."
"But as soon as he goes out, he's attracted to this woman who sold herself. By her side, he sleeps soundly for the first time, revealing he suffered from insomnia..."
"He falls in love with her, without even realizing it himself."
These melodramatic plot points, common in modern CEO romance novels, were entirely new to ancient readers!
Although melodramatic and featuring a strong female lead, the fast pace of modern web novels, their satisfying plot twists, and outlandish premises captivated these scholars and rich young men who had initially come to the bookshop intending to criticize harshly. They read it in one breath, without stopping, to the very end!
They read every word without skipping, and when finished, they were left wanting more, but also more irritated.
"What's going on? Couldn't the latter part of this novel be better? Did the ex-husband really get cremated?"
"She even invited handsome actors to perform at home, deliberately provoking her ex-husband, right?"
"I don't believe she has absolutely no feelings left for Gu Aotian."
"What? It ends with 'To know what happens next, please stay tuned for the next installment'? It's not finished!?"
"No way, where's Zheng Qiru? Did they reconcile in the end, or did she end up with someone else!?"
"He likes her too, he just didn't use the right methods. They should get back together."
Zheng Qiru, who had been sitting in the largest bookshop, had prepared himself to be scolded by men and criticized by some pedantic scholars. Instead, he found himself surrounded by people demanding to know the novel's ending.
"Did Gu Aotian die in the end? I can't accept that!"
"Where's the rest of the story? Zheng Qiru, you must be hiding the remaining handwritten manuscript! What's the ending? I must see it today!"
A crowd surrounded Zheng Qiru, who felt embarrassed.
He didn't know the ending of the story either!
The Emperor had only given him the outline up to chapter 120, and this first volume only went up to chapter 70.
According to the Emperor, there were still over 200 chapters to come.
Zheng Qiru truly had no idea how the story would develop.
"Well..." Zheng Qiru looked at the eager, curious faces before him, sincerely admiring Emperor Xiao Yunzhou. How did he come up with such an extraordinary story?
"Everyone, I don't know either."
The people in the bookstore nearly cracked Zheng Qiru's skull open.
Zheng Qiru hurriedly backed away, "The final fate of Miss Su depends entirely on her. I'm just the writer, but the characters' endings are determined by the characters themselves."
Miss Su referred to the novel's female protagonist.
"Are you kidding? You wrote it, how can you not know?"
"Miss Su? She's already married with children, why still call her 'Miss'? Are you saying they never got back together in the end?"
The men in the bookshop were furious, "So you mean Gu Aotian is the one in the crematorium? You really cremated him?"
Zheng Qiru coughed lightly. The Emperor hadn't said, but he also felt that things didn't look good for Gu Aotian.
After all, Miss Su was so formidable, why would she need Gu Aotian?
Was it for his bad temper, or for his insomnia?
Zheng Qiru looked at the men in the bookshop and sighed, "One begets two, two begets three, and three begets all things... Gentlemen, let nature take its course. Don't be impatient. When I write to that point, you'll naturally know."
"!"
"...!"
"You rascal!" Zheng Qiru's words set the bookshop into an uproar.
Someone rallied the crowd, "Brothers, I know where the top scholar Zheng Qiru lives. From today on, if he doesn't finish writing, I'll camp outside his door!"
"Count me in!"
"Damn you, Zheng Qiru! If you don't give Gu Aotian a proper resolution, I won't leave either. I'll sit at your house too!"
Zheng Qiru's mouth twitched.
He never imagined it would turn out like this.
The bookshop, already mostly frequented by male customers, was now packed with men in an uproar.
Most of the men cursed while reading, engrossed in the story but unwilling to put it down.
Just as Zheng Qiru was worrying about his inability to influence women, the commotion from the bookshops and storytelling at teahouses began to spread to the women as well.
Many male customers who just read and left without buying books were increasing, but more and more female customers were making purchases.
"So during those five missing years, she saved the princess and was taken into the palace to study together!"
"The emperor was grateful that she saved the princess and, seeing her kindness and ambition, adopted her as his goddaughter!"
"When she returned after five years, she had become a princess herself!"
The female customers read on with excitement, "No wonder she came back with so many guards in the second chapter and taught those managers and in-laws who used to bully her a lesson!"
"Ah, all daughters should aspire to be like Su Chuchu!"
[Pfft... So the emperor dad and I ended up becoming the female lead's blessing.]
[Well, well, the female lead even shares my name.]
Xiao Chuchu finally finished reading the first volume with Xiao Yunzhou's help.
Jiang Li from the Ministry of Revenue was also beaming with joy, "Your Majesty, our capital's bookstores are about to sell out completely."
"We need to urgently print more copies!"
"The first batch of books being shipped to Chu State should arrive at their capital tomorrow!"
Xiao Chuchu's eyes sparkled, [Roar, let this fire of web novels—ahem, I mean, the fire of women's rise—spread far and wide!]
But Jiang Li from the Ministry of Revenue soon frowned, "However, Your Majesty, many men today only read without buying, not willing to spend a single coin..."
Now, whoever doesn't spend money is the enemy of the Ministry of Revenue!
Xiao Yunzhou was displeased upon hearing this. Although the book was written for women, the fact that not a single man was willing to spend money on it made the men of Jing Country seem extremely stingy.
It's worth noting that most of the laborers in Jing Country were men.
The majority of income sources came from men.
If all these men were unwilling to spend a single coin, it would be very difficult for the national treasury of Jing Country to generate revenue.
As Xiao Yunzhou was pondering this, he heard his daughter's inner thoughts start to chatter.
[Since we've already released the first volume of a female-oriented romance novel.]
[We should also release a male-oriented cultivation fantasy with an overpowered protagonist, like the one I drew last time, "The Fastest Cultivation in History".]
[Chapter One: Obtaining the Celestial Herb]
[Chapter Two: Drawing Qi into the Body]
Xiao Yunzhou's eyes lit up.
