Chapter 53: 【Some Issues with the Book】

【Some Issues with the Book】

To answer the questions regarding the scattered preaching and discussion in the writing.

Uh, originally, after the wolf-killing arc ended, there was a subplot involving the Chongzhen Emperor concerning the imperial court, as well as a subplot about commoners involving Song Jinyin and the Xing family. These two plots were meant to mirror each other, contrasting and reflecting the class and ideological conflicts of the time. It was planned to be over twenty to thirty thousand words.

But at the time, everyone felt the pacing was sluggish, so I deleted it and merged it into the straightforward summary in [Chapter 50]. Looking at it now, that was also a failure; it still affects the reading experience. Discussions, preaching, and chicken soup are, in the end, pale.

But there is no way around it now. That plot has already been deleted, and since the last time I deleted it, I haven't dared to add subplots, which has caused some fragmentation in the characters' states of mind and growth! Furthermore, because of the long delay in the subplots, they haven't been inserted, making the initial subplots seem very abrupt.

From the very beginning, the main plot and subplots of this book were intended to advance in parallel. For example, when writing about Chongzhen in [Chapter 11: The Eighteen Sons], it wasn't just to derive the "Li" character from the "Eighteen Sons" prophecy; it was actually laying the groundwork for several things:

1. The Fifth Imperial Prince: The Fifth Imperial Prince is tied to the "demanding of military pay by the nobility" and serves as an introduction to the Zhou Kui incident.

2. Empress Zhou: The "incident of the nobility demanding military pay" allows us to interpret this woman. Through the collaboration between the inner court and the outer court, there is a certain possibility that she was standing for the Fushe. Even if it cannot be proven that she stood for the outer court, the fact that she passed messages to the outer court through inner court Eunuchs reveals that the struggle in the imperial court at that time was terrifying and severe: palace relatives, inner court Eunuchs, and outer court officials were all exchanging information!

Even if these three did not form an alliance, it at least proves they were exchanging information, or rather, sharing information. Sharing information naturally created a certain possibility for an alliance.

Suppose, just suppose, the three of them joined forces in an alliance; then who were they trying to resist?

It is obvious: the Chongzhen Emperor, Zhu Changhao!

An Empress, a wife, unable to be of one heart and mind with her own husband, further highlights the helpless situation of Chongzhen being isolated at the time, which in turn led to his greater suspicion and tendency to kill later on.

3. Consort Tian leads to Chen Yuanyuan. Chen Yuanyuan is a medium to introduce the character Wu Sangui later on. At the same time, it refutes the lie by Wu Weiye that "he flew into a rage for a beauty." The truth is that many descendants of the Fushe whitewashed Wu Sangui, turning the grave error of treason into a joke about infatuated men and women, lowering the severity of the crime, and even gaining some favor among women. Rationally, he is a sinner, but emotionally, he became a hero... This rhetoric is truly damnable!

4. Princess Zhaoren.

5. Wang Dehua of the Directorate of Ceremonial.

Although it has undergone major deletions, many of the setups are actually still buried. They haven't been revealed yet, so they seem bloated and redundant. For example, this [Chapter 52: Tobacco] is definitely too scattered and redundant, but it actually has a subplot echo. Wait until I insert the subplots to reveal it...

Of course, there are many plots I have deleted, such as the fact that the uncle of "Xu Lifang" is Xu Dingguo, who was enfeoffed as the "Marquis of Pingnan" by the Qing Dynasty; or the introduction of Yuan Kaitai from the "Small Yuan Camp" of Yuan Shizhong, who has decent combat power, through [Beheading]; or Wang Tingxing, who uses a Han name but is actually Haixi Jurchen; and the resume of Zhou Yin, which echoes Jin Guofeng, who died in battle at Beishangang in the tenth month of the twelfth year of Chongzhen.

Some old friends know that I am a taciturn person in real life, even a bit socially anxious. When the book reviews weren't open a while ago, I replied to them, but during this period, I don't know how to reply. I'm afraid of not being clear, afraid of arguing, and afraid of making readers unhappy...

Now, how should I put it? My mindset has become somewhat indifferent, because this book has basically flopped!

At 130,000 words, the collection has just passed one thousand. Usually, books go on sale at 200,000 words, so the new book period is basically coming to an end. With these numbers, there is no possibility of subscriptions. I have no illusions anymore.

In terms of writing, the main reason is still my own lack of ability.

Actually, many things the readers say, I can think of and understand as soon as they are mentioned; but I just can't write them well. I thought about it all the way home from work today; this is just a lack of ability! There is really no way to sugarcoat this.

Secondly, the pacing is not well-grasped, and the writing is not smooth. Perhaps I shouldn't have deleted the subplot plots. If I had inserted the subplots earlier, everyone would have been able to see many things. They were written to be useful; they were echoing the subplots or had intersections with the subplots, so it wouldn't be as confusing as it is now.

But the problem is, if I don't delete them, the pacing becomes a big problem, so there is no solution. This is still a major flaw in my own ability; I cannot find the right methods and techniques to balance "excitement" and plot setup.

Another point is from the perspective of a writer. When I write, it involves many layouts for characters in the later stages, so in many places, I spend time and ink, or even add events for supporting characters to appear, to strengthen their characterization. For example, the character Xiao Juzi, from her first appearance to her later familiarity, is a continuous and detailed process. Some readers have scolded me many times for this supporting character, and they might have even dropped the book.

I think by writing this way, readers can subconsciously turn the image of a supporting character from trivial and one-sided to gradually three-dimensional and solid, planting a flesh-and-blood image, so that the supporting character can in turn help push the main plot.

For example, can these small arcs or plots like [Teaching and Writing], [Killing Wolves], and [Picking Persimmons] be glossed over? Yes, they certainly can. One sentence, two sentences, or three sentences can convey the information.

But in this way, the character image of Xiao Juzi would be very thin. On New Year's Eve in the twelfth year of Chongzhen, she is a crucial trigger. Her image is too thin, and I am worried that I won't be able to move the plot.

The above are some misunderstandings between the writer and the readers. I feel that I am enriching the characters and the plot, while everyone feels that I am padding the word count... Of course, many capable authors do not have these problems that I mentioned, so in the end, this is a problem of personal ability. I have to admit it; there is no intention of whitewashing or making excuses.

I've rambled a bit; everyone can just read it in their spare time. As for me, I will still do my best to write, and at the same time, I hope for a slightly better return, although it is basically slim at the moment. After all, royalties are the source of motivation for writing (this is not selling misery, not asking for tips, etc.; there is no need for that. Results are the hard truth).

Suggestions, opinions, and errors—feel free to bring them up. If you aren't satisfied with what you're reading, feel free to scold me.

Best wishes.