All Heavens Strategy Game

Chapter 48. Reputation and Prestige? A story from a fairy tale has come true!

A cold wind swept across the street corner, stirring up the snow on the ground and also fluttering the scholar's thin clothes.

Lin Qingyun's pale face flushed even more with excitement. He leaned forward slightly, lowered his voice, but spoke with unwavering certainty to Su Mingwei: "Brother, my plan is simple—money is a small matter. As long as your fame spreads, why worry about not making money? So I want to use these wolf pelts to help you become famous!"

"Famous?" Su Ming raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, in our Great Zhou, fame equals power, fame equals connections."

Lin Qingyun's eyes gleamed with a burning light, as if he were proclaiming a worldly truth: "If an ordinary person does not take the imperial examination, he will only ever be an unknown commoner."

"But if you have fame and reputation, then it's a different story."

He counted on his fingers, listing them one by one: "Positions like village head, militia battalion commander, local headman, militia training instructor—these are things that ordinary people can never even dream of."

"But if you gain enough fame, local elders and county officials will actively recommend you, and a position will be easily within your grasp!"

"If his reputation were even greater, and it reached the prefectural government, the local officials would recommend him as a candidate for the civil service examination and report it to the higher authorities."

Lin Qingyun's voice suddenly rose, filled with an almost manic longing: "That is to soar to the sky and leap over the dragon gate!"

'

Su Ming listened in silence without interrupting.

What the scholar said was reality.

In this era of limited information and rigid hierarchy, reputation was indeed one of the few ways for ordinary people, besides the imperial examination, to break through class barriers.

If you have no reputation, anyone can crush you with a single step.

If you gain fame and attention, then everyone will have to consider your status.

"So—" Su Ming slowly began, "how do you plan to use these wolf pelts to help me become famous?"

"These wolf pelts are the best articles!" Lin Qingyun's eyes lit up, and he spoke faster, with the excitement unique to a scholar: "Brother, think about it, a pack of vicious wolves in the mountains wreaks havoc on the countryside, killing and injuring countless people, leaving them in dire straits and suffering unspeakable misery."

"At this moment, a man—a true warrior—rushed up the mountain alone and wiped out the entire pack of wolves!"

""

He spread his arms wide, as if depicting a magnificent scene: "What a remarkable feat! This is a heroic act of ridding the people of a scourge and protecting the region!"

"On the one hand, their superior martial prowess is admirable;"

"On the other hand, he fought against evil and maintained order, earning the love and respect of the people."

"It's hard not to think about this reputation!"

When he got excited, Lin Qingyun took out a crumpled piece of paper with worn edges from his pocket and carefully unfolded it in the cold wind.

The paper was covered with tiny characters written in varying shades of ink, clearly indicating that it had been revised repeatedly.

"Brother, what is your surname? What is your birth order in your family?" Lin Qingyun had clearly already written these articles and was just waiting to add names. He looked up and asked, his eyes full of anticipation.

"Su Ming is the third in line," Su Ming answered truthfully.

"Good! Su Sanlang!" Lin Qingyun was overjoyed. He immediately took out a brush carefully wrapped in an old cloth from his pocket, licked the frozen tip of the brush with his tongue, and quickly added a few words to the paper.

He then handed the paper to Su Ming with both hands: "Brother, please take a look!"

4

Su Ming took the paper, which still carried the warmth of the scholar's body, and looked down at it.

The paper was clearly divided into several sections, each beginning with "Chapter X," resembling a complete storybook.

Chapter 1: The Wolf King is born, unifying the wolf pack and leading his vicious wolves to wreak havoc in the region, becoming an invincible tyrant of the mountains and forests.

Chapter Two: The Wolf King Descends the Mountain, Killing Several People; Four Hunters Go Up the Mountain to Eliminate the Menace, But Their Bodies Are Gone, Causing Sorrow and Emerging Everyone in Danger.

]

Chapter Three: Women dare not go up the mountain to pick vegetables, charcoal sellers dare not go up the mountain to chop firewood, hunters dare not go up the mountain to hunt, every household keeps their doors tightly shut, the wolf king wreaks havoc on the village, but can it stop the children from crying at night? Who can rid the scourge of this menace?

Upon seeing this, Su Ming frowned slightly.

Although somewhat exaggerated, it is generally realistic.

You can continue reading—

Chapter Four: Su Ming, son of a hunter, bids farewell to his newlywed wife to avenge his blood feud. Alone with only a knife, he ascends the mountain at night to ambush and kill a pack of wolves, causing the wolf king to flee.

Chapter Five: Su Sanlang chases the wolf king in the dead of night; a blizzard blankets the sky, the wolf king is beheaded, and the great scourge is finally eliminated.

[Chapter Six: My love, my love, you haven't returned for a day and a night. I fear you've already perished in the wolf's belly. I'm willing to go with you. My fiancée, unable to wait for her beloved, jumped into a well and committed suicide.]

[Chapter Seven: Su Sanlang Returns in Broad Daylight, the Wolf Pack is Gone, Evil is Eradicated, the People are at Peace, and the Citizens Line the Streets to Cheer, Erecting Longevity Tablets and Monuments to Commemorate His Heroic Deeds. What is a hero? Su Sanlang is one!]

Chapter Eight: Su Sanlang returns home late, his fiancée is dead, their love severed, the hero sheds tears at the dry well, and spends his remaining years with the well.

Su Ming: "————"

He held the paper in his hand, remaining silent for a full three breaths, momentarily at a loss for words.

What the hell is this written?

Fiancée? Jumped into a well? Love ended tragically? And he "spends his life with a dry well"?

"How about it? This is the 'famous story' I tailored just for you!"

Lin Qingyun completely ignored Su Ming's strange expression, instead explaining with a serious and even smug look, "With just this storybook, it's naturally hard to convince people."

"There are too many similar stories in the streets and all the people hear them. They just treat them as amusement and don't really admire a fictional character."

"But we're different!" He changed the subject, pointing to the pile of wolf pelts on the donkey cart, especially the silvery-white wolf king pelt, his voice becoming excited: "We have solid evidence!"

"Just imagine, when I stand at the busiest street corner in the county town, telling the story in front of everyone, using my silver tongue to bring this story to life."

"And right next to me are these dozen or so genuine wolf pelts, especially this one."

He carefully stroked the wolf king's pelt, as if touching a sacred object: "This is such a huge, such a rare silver-white wolf king's pelt! Who wouldn't believe it? Who would doubt that this is a fabricated story? These wolf pelts are irrefutable proof!"

"Especially this huge wolf king pelt, it silently tells everyone who hears the story: Look, the hero in this story is real! His name is Su Sanlang!"

Lin Qingyun grew more and more excited as he spoke, a sickly flush rising on his pale face: "This is a win-win-win situation, brother!"

"Firstly, I can earn some money to make ends meet by telling stories, which helps me in my immediate crisis."

Secondly, once these wolf pelts are associated with a story of a hero slaying a vicious wolf, their value changes entirely! They are no longer ordinary animal hides, but "witnesses of a hero," "trophies of victory in ridding the people of a scourge!" The higher the reputation, the greater the value of these pelts. They might only sell for twenty or thirty taels now, but once Su Sanlang's name spreads, the price will skyrocket, easily reaching two or three hundred taels!

"Thirdly, and most importantly—"

He stared intently into Su Ming's eyes: "You, Su Sanlang, will gain real fame!"

"This reputation cannot be bought with money, and it is more valuable than money!"

"If this goes through, isn't this a deal worth a thousand taels of silver? Even more than that!"

Su Ming did not answer immediately. He held the piece of paper covered with "stories" in his hand, his fingers gently stroking the rough surface of the paper.

It must be said that this scholar's mind works very quickly.

His plan was essentially a meticulously planned "hype".

By using real, impactful "material evidence" (wolf skin) and an artistically crafted "story" full of dramatic conflict, a highly contagious "hero" image can be created in the shortest amount of time.

This is remarkably similar in underlying logic to the spread of stories from the past, such as "lying on ice to catch carp," "Kong Rong giving away pears," and "Sima Guang smashing the water jar."

They all use a story that is easy to spread and conforms to mainstream values ​​to package and enhance a person's reputation.

If implemented properly, this plan is indeed highly feasible.

The wolf pelt's value can be maximized, and the person can also gain much-needed fame.

With a reputation comes social capital, which will provide more room for maneuver in the future, whether it's seeking an official position in the village or dealing with possible retaliation from Constable Yang.

Yang Zhengyi, the head constable, is an official. If you want to face his revenge, being an ordinary citizen won't do!

only----

"Your story is way too far-fetched."

Su Ming raised his head, looked at Lin Qingyun, and said calmly, "What fiancée jumped into a well? What do you mean by living in a dry well? I'm not married yet, so where would I get a fiancée?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Qingyun was not embarrassed at all; instead, he smiled, a smile that carried a knowing understanding of the ways of the world: "Brother, you don't understand this."

"What do ordinary people like to hear most after meals? They certainly like to hear about heroic deeds, but if a hero is just a hero, then it lacks flavor."

"A hero's story needs a touch of tragedy, a hint of regret, and something that evokes sighs and lamentations; only then will it be meaningful, memorable, and widely known!"

He lowered his voice, as if imparting some secret: "Everyone loves this! The hero defeats evil, but leaves behind a regret that can never be undone. That's what makes him unforgettable, what makes him seem real, and what makes him more sympathetic and admirable."

"That 'fiancée who jumped into the well' is the perfect finishing touch!"

Su Ming understood after hearing this.

This scholar was well-versed in communication studies and popular psychology.

He knows what kind of stories are most touching and most likely to spark discussion and spread.

Although the methods are somewhat opportunistic and even carry a hint of contrived pathos, in this era, this may be the most effective way to "create momentum."

Don't worry about whether this is a tactic or not; tactics win people's hearts!

Seeing that Su Ming remained silent and did not directly dismiss it as absurd like the others, Lin Qingyun felt relieved, knowing that the other party had taken it to heart and was even tempted.

But then he changed the subject, his excitement fading slightly, replaced by a hint of seriousness: "However, brother, my plan has a flaw, a fatal flaw."

"What defect?" Su Ming asked.

"That's you." Lin Qingyun looked at Su Ming and said slowly.

"I?"

"Yes, it's you." Lin Qingyun sighed, his tone becoming serious. "A story is just a story, something made up."

"Your first weakness is your physical strength."

"6

"The Su Sanlang in the storybooks can kill a wolf pack in one night with just a knife, killing more than 20 vicious wolves and chasing down the ten-foot-tall silver-white wolf king. He is a hero in the storybooks."

"But in reality, who would believe that a boy who looks—well, rather thin—could possess such extraordinary abilities? Especially with such a large, silver-white wolf king at the same time?"

He shook his head with a wry smile: "This is too unbelievable. How could a real person do something like this? A person facing a wolf alone is a life-or-death situation. The terrifying power of Su Sanlang in this story only exists in fictional tales."

"However—" he changed the subject: "This weakness is nothing. As long as no one can expose it on the spot, and as long as these wolf pelts are truly here, then the truth is on our side. The wolf king's pelt is silent ironclad evidence, which can shut up the mouths of the vast majority of people."

"If you don't take action, no one can truly expose you."

"The real fatal weakness is the second one." Lin Qingyun's expression grew even more serious, even tinged with worry: "These wolf pelts—they shouldn't all be yours alone, right?"

"I guess it must have been all the able-bodied men in your village who went out together, set a trap, and paid a considerable price, possibly even losing lives, to hunt down this entire pack of wolves."

"These wolf pelts are the common property of your entire village, right?"

He stared intently into Su Ming's eyes: "What I'm afraid of is that if I use these wolf pelts to promote you and make you famous, the news will spread back to your village and cause resentment and envy among the villagers."

"If at that time someone stands up and says that the wolf was killed by everyone working together and that the credit belongs to everyone, and that you, Su Sanlang, are nothing but a fraudster who takes credit for others' work and steals fame—then everything will be over."

Lin Qingyun's voice lowered, carrying a heavy sense of foreseeing tragedy: "Others will know that you are lying, that you are using everyone's hard-earned achievements to gild your own reputation."

"At that time, you will not only fail to gain fame, but you will also be utterly disgraced and become a hypocrite despised by everyone!"

"This is the real catastrophe!"

After saying that, he let out a long breath, as if a huge burden had been lifted, and just stared at Su Ming expectantly, waiting for his reaction.

This was the biggest hidden worry in his plan, and also a potential problem that he had to make clear in advance.

Cooperation must be based on honesty and addressing potential problems.

If Su Ming can resolve these hidden dangers, then this plan will definitely be feasible. This requires Su Ming to discuss it with the villagers in advance.

Su Ming laughed.

So, this scholar thought all those wolf pelts were obtained by the whole village hunting together?

At this moment, Su Ming heard Lin Qingyun's well-reasoned plan. In addition, the scholar had obviously observed him selling wolf skins for several hours in advance, and even planned and wrote the story in advance. All of this was to stand up and persuade him to cooperate with him.

He was so well prepared; he had already devised all his plans before he even stopped me, which proves that this scholar is a rare talent.

If at first Su Ming only intended to listen to the other party's plan, now Su Ming is prepared to cooperate with this scholar.

Seeing that Su Ming was not speaking, Lin Qingyun assumed that Su Ming was unhappy and thought that these two flaws were too great, and was even prepared to refuse to cooperate directly.

However, to Lin Qingyun's surprise, the young man in front of him did not panic, ponder, or show any difficulty after hearing these words. Instead, he smiled gently.

The smile was faint, yet it carried an indescribable composure, and was even a little... funny?

"So that's what you were worried about." Su Ming shook his head, his tone as calm as if he were drinking a sip of plain water.

"Brother Lin, you're overthinking it. Neither of these are problems."

"Not a problem?" Lin Qingyun was taken aback, and subconsciously asked, "Why?"

Then the boy standing by the donkey cart turned slightly to the side, looked at him calmly, and then revealed a fact in a calm, almost indifferent tone: "Because, those wolves in the mountains, including this wolf king, were indeed all killed by me alone in a day and a night."

The cold wind seemed to stand still at that moment.

The hustle and bustle of the street corner faded away.

Lin Qingyun's expression froze.

He blinked, wondering if he was hallucinating from the cold.

A person?

A day and a night?

Kill all twenty-odd wolves, including the wolf king?

The scholar was initially bewildered, but then an overwhelming sense of absurdity and amusement welled up inside him.

I—I was just making up a story, and I exaggerated it a little to make it more convincing.

How could I have actually taken this person seriously?

He looked at Su Ming's face, still bearing the traces of youthful immaturity, pale from injury and exhaustion, and then at his not-so-robust, even somewhat thin, frame—

One person killed the wolf king? And with the entire wolf pack?

Why don't you say you're a celestial being descended to earth, or the reincarnation of a mountain god?

Lin Qingyun opened her mouth, wanting to laugh, but then felt it would be impolite.

He wanted to refute it, to tell the other party that this boast was outrageous, to remind them that they were discussing a legitimate collaboration, not fabricating an even more absurd story.

However, just as he was organizing his thoughts and preparing to subtly point out that the other person was "too immersed in the role," he saw Su Ming, who was standing opposite him, suddenly move.

The movements were very light and casual.

Su Ming casually lifted his left foot, which was lightly resting on the snowy ground, and then gently stepped down again.

"Smack."

A soft, crisp sound, almost drowned out by the cold wind.

Lin Qingyun didn't pay attention at first; he didn't even understand what the other person's action meant.

Are you tired of standing and want to stretch your legs?

still----

His thoughts came to an abrupt halt.

Because his eyes were fixed on Su Ming's feet.

The moment Su Ming's boot sole made contact with the hard, frozen cobblestones, compacted by footsteps and streaked with ice, "crack!"

A crystal-clear, teeth-grinding cracking sound suddenly rang out!

Centered on Su Ming's left foot, the thick bluestone slab beneath his feet, which had remained unscathed despite being trampled by carriages and pedestrians, was instantly covered with spiderweb-like cracks!

The cracks spread wildly, instantly expanding to a radius of several feet!

Immediately afterwards—

"Snap! Snap-snap—!"

"6

More cracking sounds rang out!

The hard bluestone slab completely cracked and collapsed under Su Ming's seemingly casual step!

Gravel and ice shards flew in all directions, revealing the black permafrost below!

A clear footprint, several inches deep, was prominently imprinted in the center of the broken stone slab!

A cold wind swept by, raising fine stone dust.

Lin Qingyun stood frozen in place, like a sculpture encased in ice.

His mouth was agape, his eyes wide open, staring intently at the terrifying footprint. Then he slowly raised his gaze to the boy who had withdrawn his foot, his expression still calm, as if he had merely stepped on an ant.

All thoughts, all words, all the absurdity, and that faint smile were crushed to dust at this moment by the footprints deeply imprinted on the bluestone slab.

The wind on the street corner seemed even colder.

Lin Qingyun was so cold that a chill seeped from the very marrow of his bones.

"This—this—"

He looked as if he had seen a ghost, and made a soft "ho" sound in his throat, but he couldn't say anything.

This gentleman...

I just made up a story.

You—you're serious?!

The sheer power to crush such a thick stone slab with a single stomp proves that the other party was not lying; he truly killed the wolf pack and the wolf king!

At this moment, Lin Qingyun stared at the young man before him, speechless, only then realizing the desolation of reality:

turn out to be----

The heroes in storybooks can actually exist in real life!

And it's right in front of me!

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