Despite the low number of views, Li Daoxuan noticed that the first episode of the short series already had several reviews. More importantly—every single one of them was positive.
He clicked on the comments and read them one by one.
"The fight choreography in this video is extremely realistic."
"Damn, my scalp went numb watching this. They're actually killing people."
"The ancient military formations are recreated with frightening accuracy."
"It really feels like watching a real battlefield."
"That actor playing Xiao Tianzuo—he definitely has genuine martial skills."
There were only a few scattered reviews, but among them, not a single negative remark could be found. All praise. Such unanimity was rare.
Li Daoxuan nodded slightly to himself.
The reception isn't bad. I'll wait and see how the next episodes perform.
The rest would depend on Thousand-Faced Queen M continuing her work. There was no point rushing her.
Recently, Li Daoxuan had been focused on matters of culture. Thinking along those lines, he decided to take a look at developments in the cultural industry. With a shift of thought, his shared perception jumped to the cotton-thread Dao Xuan Tianzun talisman hanging on Gao Shan's chest.
Gao Laba's son—Gao Shan.
At this moment, Gao Shan was in Yan'an Prefecture, standing at the entrance of a newly renovated, officially opened, large-scale bookstore.
The signboard above the door read: New Village Bookstore.
The meaning was obvious—the brand-new Gao Family Village.
Gao Family Village already had a village-run bookstore, personally managed by San Shier. Chengcheng County also possessed a sizable bookstore overseen by Principal Wang.
After careful consideration, Gao Shan decided that the main branch of the New Village Bookstore should be established here, in Yan'an Prefecture.
He wanted to innovate, expand outward, open new markets, and truly take off from this location.
The decoration of the bookstore had cost an enormous amount of silver. It was the kind of expenditure no ordinary young man could afford. However, behind Gao Shan stood Gao Laba.
And Gao Laba's wealth had always been something of a mystery.
He never told anyone how much money he made selling rice noodles. No one really knew.
It was only when Gao Shan decided to embark on this business venture that people finally realized just how unfathomable Gao Laba's financial strength truly was.
Li Daoxuan swept his gaze across the entire bookstore.
The interior was lavishly furnished. Gold leaf adorned many of the decorative elements, giving the space a bright and dignified appearance. The windows were made from large, seamless panes of glass, transported all the way from the glass factory in Gao Family Village, allowing sunlight to pour freely into the store.
The bookshelves were crafted entirely from top-grade timber, coated with fine lacquer. At their corners, artisans had carved delicate patterns and ornamental designs, meticulous and refined.
Li Daoxuan immediately recognized that the modern bookstore concepts he had once discussed with Gao Shan had been thoroughly absorbed and put into practice.
Following those ideas, the bookstore was divided into distinct areas: one section devoted to book displays, and another furnished with tea tables—clearly separating the "sales area" from the "reading lounge."
Within the sales area, the shelves were further subdivided with great care. Textbooks, novels, comic books, and reference materials were each arranged in their own sections.
At this point, several customers had already entered the store and begun browsing.
All of them appeared to be people of some means—at the very least, they were not the kind who worried about where their next meal would come from. After entering, nearly all of them headed straight toward the textbook section.
Most had come to purchase the Four Books and Five Classics, planning to study diligently in preparation for the imperial examinations.
One young scholar browsed for a while before selecting a copy of The Great Learning. He flipped it open, examined it closely, and nodded in satisfaction.
"Shopkeeper," he said, "I could already sense how impressive this bookstore was from outside. Now that I'm inside, it's even more remarkable. The paper quality of this book is excellent, and the printing is superb. Truly marvelous. It's far better than the copy of The Great Learning I bought previously."
Gao Shan smiled and stepped forward.
"My friend," he asked, "since you already own a copy of The Great Learning, why purchase another?"
The scholar let out a helpless sigh.
"My younger brother is too mischievous," he explained. "He knocked over my inkstone and ruined several of my important books."
Gao Shan responded sympathetically, "Ah, that is truly unfortunate. It seems your home study environment is not ideal."
The scholar sighed again, even more deeply this time.
"With three younger brothers and two younger sisters at home," he said, "once they start making noise, the house turns into utter chaos."
"In that case," Gao Shan suggested, "why not read here instead? Over there is our reading lounge. It's quiet and elegant. You could read while enjoying some tea—wouldn't that be most pleasant?"
The scholar looked toward the reading lounge.
Inside, several tea tables were arranged neatly, each separated by partitions, forming small, independent spaces. It truly was an excellent environment for reading and studying. His eyes immediately lit up.
Gao Shan continued, "There's another benefit as well. If you suddenly need to consult other reference books, you can easily retrieve them from the sales area."
The scholar clapped his hands.
"Brilliant! Simply brilliant!"
He hurried into the reading lounge, claimed a tea table, ordered a pot of the cheapest Eagle Tea, and soon became completely absorbed in his book, oblivious to everything else.
Li Daoxuan chuckled silently.
Not bad. Not bad at all. Gao Shan really understands what he's doing.
Thanks to Gao Shan's arrangements, before long, several scholars had taken seats in the reading lounge, each immersed in their studies.
The more introverted scholars quietly read on their own. The more outgoing ones, however, would actively approach other tables, sit down, and open their books.
"My esteemed friend," one might say politely, "these few lines are somewhat unclear to this humble junior. Might I trouble you for some guidance?"
The scholar being addressed would immediately straighten up, pride evident on his face. Scholars of this era were rarely modest when it came to their learning. Once invited to explain, they would eagerly assume a posture of authority.
"Ah, these lines," he would begin, "their meaning is as follows…"
What followed was inevitably a long discourse filled with quotations from the classics and elaborate explanations, enough to fill several pages.
After receiving instruction, the questioner would naturally express his gratitude.
"My friend, we are truly fated to meet," he would say warmly. "Today, I must treat you to some tea. Shopkeeper, bring us your very best!"
Gao Shan would answer promptly, "Of course. One pot of special-grade pre-Qingming Longjing, coming right up."
Upon seeing the bill, the scholar would be momentarily startled—it was expensive, nearly twice the price charged by ordinary teahouses.
But after giving it some thought, he would reconsider. The decor, the atmosphere—weren't these several times better than any regular tea shop? Paying double the price seemed entirely reasonable, even conscientious.
Thus, the scholarly atmosphere in the reading lounge steadily grew thicker and richer.
Li Daoxuan reflected inwardly:
Once news of this place spreads, I'm afraid nearly all the scholars and students in Yan'an Prefecture will gather here. This will naturally form a cultural center—an excellent outcome indeed.
Gathering scholars together to study and discuss was far better than having them labor in isolation. It was much more conducive to nurturing truly capable individuals.
Just then, a large group of people appeared at the bookstore entrance.
Leading them was Chen Qiyu, Governor of Yansui, followed by guards, attendants, and various retainers.
As soon as he entered, Chen Qiyu burst into laughter.
"Oh! Oh! Oh!" he exclaimed. "So the bookstore has finally opened! I wanted to visit while it was still under preparation, but now it's officially open. Congratulations—my sincere congratulations!"
The scholars and students inside all turned their heads at once.
The Governor!
They were startled, yet at the same time, an inexplicable excitement welled up within them.