Chapter 341: Xie Yuan's Selection

What does the writing on that mean?

It reads: "Xie Yuan personally selected the pencils, they've arrived!"

Who is Xie Yuan again?

You don't even know that? He's the president of our North Border Academy— the most learned person in the world!

The Xie clan— the Xie clan famous all over the world! You don't know that?

I don't know......

The Xie in Wang, Xie, Cui, Li— Xie Yuan is the president of the top academy, Qingyang Academy, and our Great King invited him to the North Border Academy...

Oh~? Oh…! So this pencil was recommended by Mr. Xie?

It's definitely good— they sell for sixty wen each, much cheaper than brush pens, and you don't even need ink!

And Xie Yuan still knows how to choose!

Xie Yuan: ……

Zhou Huang strained his ears, trying to manage his expression. His face showed blatant curiosity— if it weren't for Xie Yuan's strange complexion, he really would have wanted to interview him, wondering where exactly this was selected from, it looks quite strange!

A pencil that doesn't need dipping in ink!

... Come on, line up to enter the store— left in, right out! Those who want a free pencil, please come this way. Everyone look, the stone tablet is engraved with the Thousand Character Classic. Today the new shop opens; if you can recognize five or more characters, you can get a free pencil, one chance per person, no repeats. Those who repeatedly take advantage will be blacklisted on Zhuque Avenue.

That's right, the Great King opened a new stationery shop.

To promote literacy in the North Border and then select talent, the Great King's first step is to drive down the cost of education.

Inside, the pencils and various notebooks are divided into several grades, mostly inexpensive. The basic pencils and notebooks are sold straight at wholesale price— the Great King doesn't make a penny here. If someone buys a pencil, the clerk will even tell them what it's made of; it's practically telling each person individually— if you're capable, you'd better go home and copy it right away, to drive down the import cost as well.

In Youzhou, even a cheap brush used to cost three hundred wen, and ink was even more outrageous— no upper limit. After all, literacy was a pastime of the aristocracy; ordinary commoners couldn't even dream of it, and everyone looked upon it with awe.

Now it's settled— one pencil plus two snow‑white notebooks for two hundred wen.

With a purchase of two hundred wen, the Great King also throws in a rubber eraser as a free gift.

At this price, ordinary folk can grit their teeth and afford a copy; even if they send their kids to school, they won't just stare helplessly— at least they can get hands‑on practice writing.

He didn't even want to go to Xie Yuan Tavern, heading straight for the North Border King's Mansion without looking back.

The shops the Great King opened already stretch nearly half a street— some make money, some just draw crowds. The Great King has also grown calm, leaving the stationery shop to the Chief Steward, so he doesn't need to worry about it.

As soon as morning court ended, he rushed to Suiyu Hall, dismissed the little eunuchs trailing behind him, and sneakingly drew his Tai'a Sword.

The Great King wiped out at Dragon Head, and after reflecting on the pain, he decided to drill himself to death, practicing his Tai'a Sword Manual to wipe away the shame.

All these maneuvers made even the bear look bewildered, constantly glancing backward, wondering if someone was trying to steal the Great King's treasure.

Bai Ze: '……Those who don't know would think this sword was stolen, its origins obscure.'

The Great King picked a secluded corner of the garden, sat cross‑legged on the ground, solemnly placed the sword on his lap, and then took out his Tai'a Sword Manual.

"You don't understand— its appearance is hard to explain. My You Wang Sword, compared to it, is only good for digging dirt. Anyone who can tell quality sees at a glance that it's extraordinary, but I haven't figured out how to catalog it yet."

"How do you catalog your other weapons, and how are you going to catalog this one then?"

"Was it bought overseas at Zhao Zhu Pavilion? No, no, no! Too ordinary— not worthy of the Great King's treasure sword. Even the lowest spec…… the Great King, in a dream, debated with an Immortal Elder, and if he answered rightly, the old immortal would give him a divine weapon to pacify the North Border."

Bai Ze: '……It's a shame not to write a picture book.'