Chapter Twenty-Three: A Sales Miracle

After giving his instructions, the president of Xiling Publishing House turned to Wei Xiyue with a hint of regret. "Old Wei, you really do have a discerning eye. If it hadn't been for your insistence, we never would have signed this book. Judging from today's sold-out situation, it's going to be a huge hit."

Although it was still uncertain whether the book could surpass a million copies and become the year's bestseller, Wei Xiyue couldn't help but feel a headache when he thought of that wager clause in the contract.

He sighed. "Sales are no longer a problem, but our agreement with Zhou Zixuan stipulates a royalty share based on sales. If the book exceeds a million copies, we'll have to pay out at a fourteen percent royalty rate. That means the publishing house will be earning a lot less than expected."

The president recalled how skeptical he had been about the royalty-sharing clause at the start and felt a bit helpless. But as someone with vision, his focus wasn't solely on the company's immediate profits; what mattered to him was how to grow and strengthen Xiling Publishing.

"Since the contract's signed, we can't go back on it. Sure, the higher the sales, the higher Zhou Zixuan's royalties. But compared to the two or three hundred thousand copies we originally projected, a million copies means the publisher's income has multiplied several times over. And with the release of Ming Dynasty, Xiling Publishing's influence will take a tremendous leap forward. Remember, this Ming Dynasty series has eight volumes—it'll keep us publishing for a year or two!"

"Exactly! A few million copies is equivalent to our total sales for all books last year," Wei Xiyue agreed.

"And Zhou Zixuan is only a junior high student. If he can write such a bestseller now, just imagine what he'll accomplish in the future. This time, not only should we pay his royalties on time and in full, as stipulated by the contract, but we should also give him a big bonus." The president was looking even further ahead—this was Xiling Publishing's chance to become one of China's top publishers.

Wei Xiyue understood the president's intention; tying Zhou Zixuan to Xiling was the best choice at this moment. If another publisher managed to lure him away, Xiling would regret it deeply.

"All right, I'll handle the communication with Zhou Zixuan. As long as our terms are good, I'm confident he won't switch to another house."

"Good. With Ming Dynasty becoming a bestseller, I bet it won't be long before other publishers go to great lengths to contact Zhou Zixuan. You need to stay alert on this."

"Don't worry, I'll put the word out."

At two o'clock that afternoon, Wei Xiyue called Zhou Xuan.

"Amazing, Zhou Xuan! Did you know? Today, Ming Dynasty sold out in bookstores across the country. You really pulled it off!" Wei Xiyue's mood was clearly exuberant, his hearty laughter ringing out over the phone.

"Haha, now you can rest easy, right?" Zhou Xuan wasn't the least bit worried about the sales.

"Of course we're at ease! And you can be too. We'll follow the royalty plan based on sales—full, on-time payments as per our contract. Plus, tomorrow, we're sending you a bonus."

"A bonus?" Zhou Xuan hesitated. "Does your publishing house give out New Year's bonuses?"

"Not usually, no! This is a special reward to celebrate the phenomenal success of Ming Dynasty. Of course, other employees will get something as well."

"Oh, then thank you, Chief Editor Wei." Since the publisher was giving out bonuses, Zhou Xuan accepted it gladly and without guilt.

"By the way, when will you send the manuscript for the second volume of Ming Dynasty?"

"I'll send it on the first workday after the New Year. When are you planning to publish the second volume?"

"We'll see, probably in March. By then, the first volume will have been out for over a month. Releasing the second book then should be just right, and we'll print at least half a million copies as the initial run."

"Great, let's settle on that." Zhou Xuan felt a surge of excitement after hanging up. It seemed his prediction was right—Ming Dynasty could indeed shine brilliantly even at this time. One or two years of sales could net him ten to twenty million in funds, solving his startup capital problem.

By evening, news that Ming Dynasty had sold out in many bookstores had spread throughout the entire publishing industry.

Rongcheng University of Science and Technology Press.

"Chief Editor, a book published by Xiling today has pretty much sold out in major bookstores nationwide."

"Oh? What's it called? It's been years since we've seen a runaway bestseller like this."

"Ming Dynasty."

"Ah? That sounds familiar."

"Yes, it was actually submitted to our publishing house back then, but Editor Chen rejected it."

Ming Dynasty had been submitted to several publishers at first, only to be turned down directly by the editors. Now that it was a smash hit, the editors who rejected it were feeling the consequences—some even faced criticism from colleagues who seized the opportunity.

"Well, Old Chen does have some limitations in his judgment. With the new century upon us, we need to broaden our minds and not be too prejudiced against new literary genres and styles."

"Why don't we hold a seminar after the New Year specifically to discuss this new type of literature like Ming Dynasty?"

"Good idea. You can prepare the materials for that."

A certain publisher in Jiangnan.

"Xiao Liu, last time you got chewed out by the chief editor because of Ming Dynasty, right?"

"Ugh, must you bring that up? I only said the novel was pretty good and then got grief from the chief for days. Are you just trying to make my life difficult?"

"Of course not! Honestly, I've never liked that guy either. But tonight, you owe me dinner."

"What? You bring up my sore spot and want me to treat you?"

"Shh, let me tell you—something bad's about to happen to the chief editor. Aren't you happy?"

"What is it? Is it related to Ming Dynasty?"

"Of course. Today was Ming Dynasty's national launch, and most bookstores are sold out. Think about the tensions between the chief editor and General Manager Li—hehe..."

"Good! This is really great news. Come on, order whatever you want tonight!"

A leading publisher in the capital.

"This is utter nonsense! Xiling Publishing dares to put out such an unserious historical novel—it's an insult to history. I must write an article criticizing this unhealthy trend."

"Exactly! Today it's Ming Dynasty, tomorrow it could be Tang Dynasty. Where will it end?"

"Right, I'll get in touch with some friends and have them speak out, too."

"Good. If Xiling takes another step, they'll be among the top publishers. We must put a stop to that."

Although many looked down on Ming Dynasty, its sales figures shocked everyone.

On the 26th, reports from various provinces showed that on January 25th, the launch day, Ming Dynasty sold over twelve thousand copies. As word of mouth spread, more and more people bought the book—on the 26th, sales reached over twenty-five thousand copies.

As for the 27th, with it being New Year's Eve, all bookstores were closed.

Zhou Xuan returned home with his parents, joyfully celebrating the New Year.