Early the next morning, Ying Zheng received a memorial from Li Jian, requesting to retire and return to his hometown.
After all, he has become the laughing stock of Xianyang City, and this official has no shame.
In fact, Li Jian is not old yet and is in his prime.
But Ying Zheng understood and agreed.
Li Jian didn't feel much joy in his heart. After all, he had committed a big crime: interfering in the selection of the crown prince.
Your Majesty will let you go now, but when Master Fu Yao comes back and the truth comes out, I'm afraid he will have to be convicted again.
Therefore, after Li Jian returned home, he didn't even think about cleaning up his clothes. As for returning to my hometown, I didn't even mention it.
After resigning, he officially closed his door and sat at home in a daze all day long.
He was waiting, waiting for Mr. Fu Yao to come back, and then give himself the last blow.
On this day, Li Jian was in a daze, and suddenly the housekeeper Li Jia came.
He said cautiously: "Sir, there is someone outside asking to see you."
Li Jia had to be cautious. Li Jian's mood has been very unstable recently, and he is desperate for life from time to time. When talking to him, you have to take care of his emotions.
Li Jian slowly raised his head and looked at Li Jia with bloodshot eyes.
Li Jian saw that his master's eye sockets were sunken and there were two big dark circles. Within a few days, he had become skinny and covered with bones.
This look made him both scared and distressed.
"Sir, there is someone outside asking to see you." Li Jia said again.
Li Jian's voice was hoarse: "Who is it? I don't see anyone."
Li Jia said: "It's a reporter from the General tabloid."
Li Jian's eyes suddenly shrank, and a sharp light flashed in his eyes that were already darkened.
"Invite them in." Li Jian said coldly.
Li Jia shuddered in his heart. He felt that his master seemed to have murderous intentions.
However, those bastards really deserve to be killed.
Reporters from the General tabloid were brought up.
He coughed dryly and looked at Li Jian flatteringly: "General, my name is Gou Zai."
Li Jian said nothing and looked him up and down.
Suddenly, Li Jian turned around, took down the sword from the shelf behind him, then pulled out the sword at an incredible speed and slashed at Gou Zai's head.
Gou Zai was so frightened that he screamed and shouted randomly: "General, please spare my life, General, please spare my life..."
Li Jian's sword paused.
He put the sword on Gou Zai's neck and said quietly: "I am no longer a general. Thanks to you, I have lost my official position."
Gou Zai trembled and said: "Little man, this is what the little man does. The little man has no hostility towards the general."
Li Jian laughed angrily: "I was ruined by you, and you actually said you have no hostility towards me?"
Gou Zai sighed: "It is not the villains who harm the adults, but the people in Xianyang City."
"The common people like to see the general's embarrassing things, what can a villain do? If the general can be like a banished immortal, upright and not afraid of his shadow, and be loved by others, can the villain write your embarrassing stories? Even if he writes it, the people of Xianyang will agree ?"
Li Jian was furious: "So, you blame me?"
He swung his sword and struck Gou Zai on the head.
Gouzai screamed repeatedly: "General, general, I have something to say."
Li Jian put away his sword and asked, "What else do you want to say?"
Gou Zai said cautiously: "General, you are already white now. If you kill me, you will probably lose your life."
"I'm just a small person, and it's not a pity to die. But the general fought all his life and made great achievements. He didn't die on the battlefield, but he died because of killing me. Isn't it unfair?"
Li Jian stared at Gou Zai. He was silent for a while, and then smiled coldly: "Do you think that I won't kill you? I have put life and death aside for a long time. I can't survive this life." How long."
"Why don't you go on the road with me before you die?"
When he said these words, Li Jian suddenly felt a sense of joy in his heart.
A kind of broken can, broken, I will harm others if I can't survive.
Gou Zai suddenly smiled, and he said mysteriously: "You villain, I know why the general can't live anymore."
Li Jian sneered: "You know shit."
Gou Zai said with a smile: "General, is it because you have lost face and can't survive? Everyone in Xianyang City thinks this is the case, but the villain knows it is not the case."
"The reason why the general cannot live is because of another thing, another big thing, which makes the general must die."
Li Jian's heart trembled.
Gou Zai smiled proudly: "General, this villain was sent by the Banished Immortal. The Banished Immortal asked me to show you a way out."
Li Jian's mind suddenly became alive.
He put away his sword and asked, "What's the way out?"
Gou Zai said: "I'm afraid the general also knows that he has taken great pains to banish the immortals for your lords. We have worked out the mutual aid fund for courtiers so that your lords will have no worries."
"But there is a prerequisite for joining the courtiers' mutual aid fund, which is that only courtiers who have never committed a crime are allowed to join. If someone buys the courtiers' mutual aid fund when something is about to be revealed, isn't that cheating others?"
Li Jian frowned and said unhappily: "Are you here to tell me this?"
Gou Zai smiled and said: "It's not just that. After hearing about your Excellency, the Exalted Immortal wanted to help you, but the rules are the rules, and you cannot make exceptions because of Your Excellency."
"If I let you successfully buy the courtier's mutual aid fund, if something happens to you later, the courtiers will definitely think of it. By then, the credibility of the courtier's mutual aid fund will be gone."
Li Jian frowned: "So?"
Gou Zai said: "So, Exiled Immortal has come up with another way for you. Let you authorize our general tabloid to publish an autobiography for you."
Li Jian was stunned: "Autobiography?"
Gou Zai said: "Yes, this is our first one in Great Qin. This autobiography is written in the name of the general. In fact, it is just a name. We reporters can write it for you."
Li Jian asked in confusion: "What's the benefit of this autobiography?"
Gou Zai said: "Now that the general is in Xianyang City, it is very popular. As long as the general's name is in the newspaper, the price will be 30% more than before."
"While this enthusiasm has not subsided, we plan to save an autobiography for the general within three or two days and make another round of money."
"The money earned can be divided into 30-70."
Li Jian frowned: "You used my name to write your autobiography, but you only gave me 70%?"
Gou Zai laughed dryly: "Seventy percent is ours, the general only has 30%."
Li Jian: "..."
What the hell...
Gou Zai saw that Li Jian wanted to refuse, so he said seducingly: "General, think about it. When Mr. Fu Yao comes back, won't the general's affairs be hidden? That snapping knife will be taken sooner or later."
"After the general is defeated, what will happen to the remaining family members, these orphans and widows? Let them go with the northwest wind? Will the Li family decline from now on?"
Li Jian hesitated.
Gou Zai continued: "General, does he know how much Mr. Fu Yao's comic strips sold for?"
Li Jian shook his head.
Gouzai said a number.
Li Jian's eyes suddenly widened and he asked nervously: "Really?"
Gou Zai nodded and said: "Of course it's true. Since the words banished immortals and poor literati have been introduced, don't mention them anymore. Scholars can also make a lot of money."
Li Jian couldn't help but feel a little emotional.
Gou Zai continued: "General, the sales volume of your autobiography will definitely not be as good as Mr. Fu Yao's. But now is the time when you are popular. If you promote it properly, you can also make a huge income."
"Although only 30% of it is taken away, it is enough to ensure that the family has food and clothing. The young master in the mansion can use this money to choose a good school, hire a smart master, and take the imperial examination seriously. In the future, your mansion will become prosperous again. ?"
Li Jian nodded: "What you said makes some sense."
Li Jian was tempted.
So he asked Gou Zai, "How many days will it take you to finish your book?"
Gou Zai said: "Two or three days will be enough."
Li Jian said in surprise: "Isn't this my autobiography? It can be written in two or three days to describe my life?"
Gou Zai smiled: "Nominally, it is a record of the general's life. Does the general think it is a step-by-step, honest record? No, there have been enough generals' lives published in the general tabloid recently."
"We just need to splice those articles together, make them slightly coherent, and it will be a book."
Li Jian's eyes widened: "But, those biographies are all fake."
Gou Zai chuckled: "Is it a lie? Who knows? As long as the general says it is true, who can refute it?"
"Is there anyone who knows your life better than you, the general?"
Li Jian was almost furious: "The article in your tabloid, General, is completely slandering me. It made me look ridiculous and embarrassing."
"Why should I admit that it is my autobiography? I am going to die. Do I have to bear such a reputation?"
Gou Zai coughed dryly and said to Li Jian: "General, this is your fault. Think about it, do you think that if you don't admit it, the people won't think so?"
Li Jian was stunned.
Gou Zai added: "What's the use of a false reputation behind your back? Can it be used as food? If we write it according to the truth, how diligently the general kills the enemy, how loyal and patriotic the general is."
"But the common people don't like to read such stories. In the end, your book won't even cover the printing costs. After you click, how will the orphans and widows live?"
After talking for a while, Li Jian fell silent.
Gou Zai said earnestly: "So, our book must be written in a more exciting way. It must be written in a way that attracts people's attention. In this way, people will buy the book and like to read it."
Li Jian's lips moved, and then he said: "But...but."
Gou Zai sighed: "That's all. If the general insists on disagreeing, then forget it. I'll take my leave."
Gou Zai turned around and left.
Li Jian stopped him.
He gritted his teeth and said, "That's it, I agree."
Gou Zai took out a piece of paper from his body with a smile: "In that case, General, please give me your fingerprints?"
This is a licensing agreement.
Li Jian took a rough look at it and felt that the content inside was a bit harsh, but...he was already dying anyway, so he didn't care anymore.
Gou Zai then said: "General, if we make you more miserable, do you agree? At that time, we can give you a higher share, 40%."
Li Jian agreed.
After all, the first step has been taken, and the rest is easy to say.
Gou Zai told Li Jian his plan again.
Once this book is released, it will definitely be a hot seller. But over time, people will definitely get used to it.
By then, Master Fu Yao should have returned. After Master Fu Yao returns, Li Jian must be killed.
And Li Jian's death will definitely cause a sensation among the people.
By then, the book will be ready for a second wave of sales.
Li Jian was amazed when he heard this, and said involuntarily: "Mr. Gou, you are really... worthy of your reputation."
Gou Zai took the contract and left happily.
The book took shape faster than he imagined and was written that night.
It is written in the first person and looks like Li Jian's self-confession.
He started writing from Li Jian's childhood until he resigned from office.
It is filled with extravagance and jealousy, portraying Li Jian as a vulgar and dishonest person.
The title of the book is also very nice, called: The First Half of Life.
After the manuscript was completed, Gou Zai gave a generous gift to the publishing office and arranged the review of the manuscript to the front.
Once approved, printing will begin immediately.
On the third day, sales started on the streets of Xianyang.
Just as Gou Zai expected, the book has been released and has caused a rush.
Countless people want to see what Li Jian's life is like.
Li Jian naturally knew the sales situation of this book. After all, Gou Zai came to announce the good news every day and told Li Jian how much money he could get.
Li Jian thought about the wealth and felt very comforted, feeling that he had given an explanation to his relatives.
But when I think about the content in the book, I feel my heart tremble and I just want to die quickly.
Finally, Master Fu Yao returned to Xianyang City.
Li Jian breathed a sigh of relief, finally able to lift the burden off his shoulders.
He showered, changed clothes, washed his neck and waited to be caught.
After waiting for a day, nothing happened.
After waiting for two days, nothing happened.
After waiting for five days, there was still no movement.
Li Jian couldn't wait any longer.
Death is not scary, waiting to die is scary.
He sent a family member to Shangjun's courtyard.
The family was gone for three hours and came back when it was dark.
As soon as he saw Li Jian, he happily announced the good news: "Congratulations, master, congratulations, master."
Li Jian asked excitedly: "Are you finally going to kill me?"
The family member said: "That's not true. The banished immortal said that he felt that his master was a little pitiful, so he helped others to plead for mercy. Mr. Fu Yao was magnanimous and decided to forgive his master's fault and not pursue the case."
"In other words, the master doesn't have to die."
After hearing this, Li Jian sat on the ground blankly.
After a long while, he raised his head, and said with a half-smile, half-cry, half-smile, "I don't have to die? Is this a good thing? But those books outside... I would rather die than live."
Li Jian covered his face and started to cry.
