165, Acacia Seeds (Please Order All)

Yuhikaku is very efficient.

After three or four days.

A sample book was sent to Bai Gui, and the time of the first issue was informed.

"This sample book is good..."

Bai Gui nodded, looking at the professors' joint recommendation on the cowhide cover, he felt that it was quite impressive.

"The Japanese version of this book will be released soon, but I also need to handwrite a copy of the Chinese version and hand it to Mr. Zhu..."

He spread out the manuscript of "Climbing the South Peak of Huayue" given to him by Mr. Zhu, looked at the ink on it, sighed, and was speechless for a long time.

The Japanese manuscript of "Guns, Germs, and Steel" is about 300,000 words.

With the Japanese reference, his translation speed will not be too slow.

It's okay to write a novel about the Qin Empire. Although it uses ancient times to illustrate the present, it is just a historical novel with depth. It has little impact on China, and it doesn't matter whether it is translated or not. But Guns, Germs, and Steel is different. The Japanese version will be released soon, so the Chinese version must be sent back to China and given to Mr. Zhu...

An answer to Mr. Zhu.

This is the relationship between master and apprentice!

One or two days later.

Bai Gui opened the private letter handed to him by Bai Xiuzhu, and as usual, he greeted her first, without any overly mushy words. Although Bai Xiuzhu grew up in Japan, she also received Chinese education, so she would not express her love so explicitly.

The general idea of ​​the letter was to ask Bai Gui to study hard in Japan and be determined to study. She also mentioned that she had recently met one or two good friends under the introduction of her cousin Wang Yufen, including the eighth daughter of the Jin family, Jin Meili, who was naturally innocent, kind and lovely...

Wang Yufen was the third daughter-in-law of the Jin family.

In addition, near the end of the letter, she mentioned that her brother Bai Xiongqi officially served as a member of the Privy Council.

"I have been studying hard recently and have become Professor Bai Shi's student. I just wrote a novel a few days ago. The single volume will be on sale in a few days. I will give it to you then..."

Bai Gui wrote lines of small characters on the letter paper with a brush.

He was used to using a fountain pen when writing in Japan, but he still kept writing with a brush when replying to letters from home.

The price of sending a letter from Japan to Yanjing is not low, about two or three silver dollars.

The embassy can be slightly cheaper.

However, this is much cheaper than telegrams, which cost hundreds of silver dollars.

But... it is obvious that he and Bai Xiuzhu are not short of money, and they can write three or four letters every week.

After this letter is written.

Bai Gui put it in an envelope and wrote the address.

He pondered for a while, took out some plain white letter paper, ground ink and wrote.

The date written in the letter this time is two or three days later than the previous one.

After a while.

The letter paper was filled and put into another envelope.

"Xiuzhu replies too frequently. I study literature and martial arts every day, and I have to write books. How can I have time to reply one by one... Besides, I certainly can't tell you everything about Japan..."

Bai Gui felt a sense of guilt inexplicably.

At first, he could reply to Bai Xiuzhu's letters one by one, but after a long time, he was inevitably a little negligent.

He sighed, wrapped the single volume sent by Yuhi Pavilion with parcel paper, and put it together with the second letter.

When I have free time, I will go to the embassy to mail the letter.

Although it is said that the letters are sent at the same time, the embassy cannot send letters every day. Instead, when there are more letters sent home, they are sent in batches at a certain time, so the interval of one or two days is normal.

It is the same when I arrive at the post station in China. Gu

I will not send a letter for every letter that comes.

When Bai Gui sorted out the letters sent by Bai Xiuzhu and repacked them, a red bean slipped out of the envelope.

Red bean, that is, red bean.

He shook his head, smiled, and put the red beans back into the envelope.

Red beans grow in the south, and they sprout in spring. I wish you would pick more, as this is the most nostalgic thing.

Red beans are indispensable for writing love letters.

This is the romance of the ancients.

…

The first issue of "Guns, Germs, and Steel" was sold as promised soon.

Just like the first time Asahi sold the first volume of The Great Qin Empire, Yuhikaku also advertised in various newspapers. The news headlines were "The Great Qin Empire author Bai Meihe's new work, recommended by all professors", "Bai Meihe's new work, not to be missed", "Explanation of the great work of human history"...

The titles are all very eye-catching!

But the gimmick alone is not enough, and people who buy newspapers to read have long been tired of these gimmicks.

"A new work by Bai Meihe, the author of The Great Qin Empire? Interesting..."

"If it can be unanimously recommended by so many professors, the content should not be too bad."

"Do you think Bai Meihe has a background? It was fine that The Great Qin Empire was recommended last time, after all, it was written with strength, but this time it was recommended by so many professors? Does he have any background behind him?"

"..."

Some people questioned it, and some people praised it.

But it has become popular.

Yuhikaku still has its reputation, and the first edition was sold in major bookstores in Tokyo.

"This time the novel was not serialized in newspapers. Those who can come to buy it are all called by the pen name. Although the sales are a little worse than the last time, the prospects are very good..."

Bai Gui is still holding a book signing event during the first few days of the first publication.

After hearing Nakajima Nobuo report to him about the sales of the first edition in other major bookstores, he did not feel disappointed at all. He smiled and said so.

The advantage of newspaper serialization is that it can accumulate a lot of readers during the serialization period, and when the single volume is released, there will be people who support it. However, directly publishing novels undoubtedly lacks a process of accumulating readers, and readers do not know the content of the novel. At this time, sales depend entirely on the hard power of the writer.

Bai Gui has the momentum of the first and second volumes of the Great Qin Empire being serialized in newspapers, and there are many loyal readers. Many people recognize his pen name, so although the number of people who come to buy books is not as many as when the Great Qin Empire was first published,... he can sell thousands of copies in Tokyo in one day, which obviously shows that his appeal is not weak.

Word of mouth is constantly fermenting.

The first volume is of good quality, and everyone is still skeptical about the second volume that is released..., but the second volume is still of good quality, and readers dare to buy the third and fourth volumes just by looking at the pen name!

"Editor-in-Chief Bai has a free and easy personality, which is admirable."

Nakajima Nobuo nodded.

He has been in the industry for so long and knows this truth, but there are really not many people like Bai Gui who can keep calm and talk and laugh when the sales on the first day of the first publication are cold.

"I also bought a copy of Guns, Germs, and Steel today. I've read it and I think it will definitely be a hit..."

"It just takes time..."

He added.

Having been an editor for a long time, he has a certain prediction of which books will be a hit and which won't.

After a while.

Yamada Mitsuko came in and reported the news, saying, "Today, Professor Shiraishi and some professors from the Faculty of Literature at the University of Tokyo recommended this novel to their students. Tomorrow's sales will definitely explode!"