Chapter 257: If Only I Were a Little Less Proud

One hour costs one to two wen?

That is, at most two wen per hour, and it could even be one wen.

Li Shimin and Empress Changsun are somewhat incredulous.

It's not that the price is high; it's that the price is too low.

A day has twelve shi chen; if a poor‑born youth aspires to pass the imperial exams, the time spent studying could occupy more than half of the day, at least four shi chen.

If calculated at two wen, a day would total eight wen.

What does eight wen mean?

These few copper coins aren't even enough to buy a Half Roasted Duck.

Yet with those eight wen, one can study four shi chen in Chen Yan's library; ten days, eighty wen; a hundred days, only eight hundred wen—less than one guan.

Empress Changsun feels that scholars across the realm are going crazy.

This is no joke.

Because Chen Yan has almost duplicated all the books the Imperial Family had collected, many of which are things an ordinary person could never encounter in a lifetime.

But now, with just two wen one can find them in Chen Yan's library.

What reason do scholars across the world have not to go mad?

And Chen Yan's action could produce how many talents for the Tang Dynasty, giving how many previously hopeless people a chance to shine?

Empress Changsun cannot imagine.

"Two wen—could that be too cheap?" Li Shimin frowned.

He is also not very clear how much Chen Yan spent building the library, but he knows the figure must be considerable.

Leaving aside materials, just the labor costs are a huge expense.

If the cost is to be recovered at two wen, when will that happen?

Li Shimin strongly supports Chen Yan's approach; after all, he has always wanted to cultivate poor‑born youths, and the library's appearance is like timely rain to him.

But Li Shimin also does not wish for this to delay the development of Weinan County and affect the original plan.

Because whatever one does, money is indispensable.

Such a huge financial outlay, with the day of recoupment far off, also worries him.

"It won't happen."

Before Chen Yan could speak, Empress Changsun shook her head first, saying with emotion, "His Majesty, don't forget that Zi An's library is no smaller than a palace, with three stories up and down."

"I, your humble servant, think that the space inside the library used for storing books is only a small portion; the rest should be entirely for scholars to read."

"Based on the size we saw initially, a library accommodating three thousand people is no problem."

"Three thousand?" Li Shimin scoffed, "Even if three thousand, what does it matter? Even if full every day, it only earns a few tens of guan."

"It's not even as good as the tavern we casually invested a thousand guan in back then."

"His Majesty, actually several tens of guan is already a lot," Empress Changsun said helplessly.

Perhaps having spent so long with Chen Yan, Li Shimin now looks down on even a few tens of guan a day.

One should know that Li Shimin once lived a miserable life, selling his daughter and snatching his son's money for a tavern whose profit was unknown.

Now he despises even a few tens of guan a day.

A few tens of guan a day becomes several hundred guan in ten days, and over a thousand guan in a month.

Didn't Chen Yan say that?

The library need not make profit; it only needs to recoup its cost.

A few thousand guan a month would recoup the cost in just a few years; from any angle, that's quite good, right?

But Empress Changsun didn't want to confront Li Shimin directly, knowing the man can be extremely childish and stubborn about face, so she gave Chen Yan a look.

Chen Yan instantly understood, smiling, "His Majesty, a few tens of guan a day is indeed little, but my library does have people."

"Having people means there is demand; demand brings profit opportunities, especially when they are scholars coming to read."

"They need paper to study, right? Ink, right? And pens are indispensable, right?"

"You ask, do they buy these outside, or can they purchase them right inside my library?"

"...... I see," Li Shimin was silent for a moment, beginning to understand Chen Yan's point.

The library indeed doesn't make money, but as long as it can attract a large crowd, the chance to earn money is inevitable.

"Your little tricks are indeed many; I must admit I'm impressed," Li Shimin laughed and scolded, then added, "But thanks to your tricks, you little one... sometimes you're actually quite good."

"Isn't that so?" Empress Changsun nodded, "Having Zi An is a blessing to the Imperial Family, and also a blessing to the Tang Dynasty."

Having been in contact for so long, Chen Yan constantly creates surprises for them, as if nothing in the world can trouble him.

Unwittingly, the situation of the Imperial Family and the common people gradually improves.

During this period, even Li Shimin himself feels grateful.

He is grateful that when he first learned Chen Yan had struck Gao Yang, he did not, in a fit of rage, slash Chen Yan with a sword.

If Chen Yan were gone, they might now still be flustered over the flood disaster, worrying how to deal with the victims.

Unlike now, when the flood outbreak was handled with preparation, the people suffered little loss and are busy rebuilding homes.

And Li Shimin collected an unknown amount of money; the treasury, which mice previously wouldn't even visit, became overflowing, giving him the energy to sweep away various factions in the Court and promote his confidants.

For Li Shimin and his wife, who have suffered terribly since ascending the throne, this is beyond imagination.

Like a dream.

"......"

Chen Yan seems a bit embarrassed, shyly saying, "Excuse me, excuse me, hehe."

Li Shimin: "......"

What is this sudden urge to strike someone?

Empress Changsun stroked her forehead, shook her head and smiled wryly, "You, you, if you could be a bit more proper, that would be nice."

"Alas!" Li Shimin reached out, "Guanyin Maid, that remark is mistaken."

"I, for my part, think Zi An is quite fine as he is now—young, full of vigor, energetic; why be so proper?"

"A lad not yet twenty—does he have to be like Ke Ming, like Xuan Ling and the others?"

"That's quite fine."

Empress Changsun was startled, then gave a slight nod, "Indeed, my words were off; young people should have youthful vigor."

Chen Yan was about to speak when Li Shimin patted his shoulder and said, "Full of vigor, energetic—that's good, nothing more; I won't blame you for anything either."

"It's as if I never asked you to be so courteous in private."

"Of course, if you could bother me a little less, that would be even better."

Chen Yan was startled, then hurried, "His Majesty, you can't just say that casually, ha."

"I have never been angry with you, nor have I ever intended to anger you; you must not baselessly slander me."

"Defamation, that's defamation!"

"So what then?" Li Shimin chuckled angrily, "You want to go to the Government to accuse me?"

Chen Yan: "......"

"This… of course not…"

"You won't waste any words?" Li Shimin sneered, "Whether you're angry with me, you know that yourself."

"Do you need me to explain each thing to you?"

Hearing that, Chen Yan finally mustered courage, "Um… no need at all!"

"......."