When the news of the patent law came out, the people in Chang 'an City did not take it seriously. However, when the news of copyright came out, the literati and scholars in Chang' an City cheered.
"Copyright!"
Many of the scholars couldn't help but feel proud. This was the dream of all the scholars in the world. All along, the main purpose of writing poems was to become famous, and there was no profit at all. It was fine if it was an ordinary scholar, but it was the same even if it was a Mohist with a stunning poem.
However, once the copyright of literati was finalized by the patent law, any publication that wanted to publish their poems would have to pay the relevant fees. For literati, money was a small matter. More importantly, it was a kind of recognition, a kind of glory.
"Copyright! Kong Yingda was bought over by Mo Jiazi just like that! "Wei Sian said in disbelief in the Confucian magazine's station.
From his understanding, once the patent law was enacted, the Mo family would obviously benefit the most. As the leader of the Confucian school, the Kong Family would not sit by and do nothing. He did not expect that they would be so easily bought over by a copyright.
Yu Zhining could not help but sigh, "The Mohists have grasped the weakness of the literati. With copyright, the literati can gain both fame and fortune. No one would reject this. Brother Kong has no choice but to go with the flow."
"It's just a small fee!" Wei Sian could not help but snort with a look of disdain.
Yu Zhining shook his head and said, "Although this amount of money is not much for us, it has become a way to make a living for the poor literati.
Although the fee is small, it can take a long time! If a literati had a good reputation, the fee he received in his lifetime would definitely be a large sum, not to mention the copyright 50 years after his death. It could be considered as leaving a way to make money for future generations.
"Then should we still campaign against the patent law in the Confucian magazine?" Chief Editor Ma frowned. Originally, he had already asked people to write articles to criticize Mo Jiazi in order to oppose Mo Jiazi's patent law. He did not expect that the sudden appearance of copyright would disrupt their plans.
Yu Zhining shook his head helplessly. If it was before, they could still make things difficult for the Mo Jiazi. However, Mo Jiazi had added copyright into the patent law. If the Mo Journal objected, the Confucian Journal would have offended a group of scholars. This kind of self-destructive behavior was not something a wise person would do.
"Chief Editor, it's not good. Mo Magazine has issued a request for contributions from the world's literati." Suddenly, a Confucian magazine editor came to report in shock.
Hearing this, Chief Editor Ma laughed angrily and said, "This is the biggest joke in the world. We scholars are the disciples of the Sage. How can we side with the Mo Family? Mo Jiazi is just asking for humiliation."
Chief Editor Ma wasn't worried about the Mo Journal's poaching. Confucian journals were the orthodox journals of Confucianism. How could the world's literati switch to the Mo Journal? Wouldn't that be a joke to the world? In the end, the one who would lose face would still be Mo Jiazi.
The editor who came to report smiled bitterly and said, "Chief Editor, you might not know this, but the Mo Journal's request for contributions is a paid request. All the literati in the world can send their poems over. The Mo Family will open a poetry column. If the submitted poems are accepted, each poem will be calculated according to the word. Each word will cost at least 100 copper coins. If the poem reaches the level of Mo Jiazi's poem, the highest price will be 1,000 copper coins per word."
"1,000 copper coins per word!" Wei Sian couldn't help but exclaim. Even if it was a five-character quatrain with fewer words, it would still cost 20 copper coins. If it was a seven-character quatrain with more words, it would cost 112 copper coins.
However, if one were to ask the Mo Journal if the 112 copper coins were worth it, of course it was. A poem that could reach 1,000 copper coins per word would definitely be a peerless masterpiece. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that such a poem was worth 1,000 copper coins per word.
The editor who came to report nodded and said, "Miscellaneous and folk songs have more words. Each word is from 10 copper coins to 100 copper coins. On policy, it is from 1 copper coin to 10 copper coins per word. Even the legendary poems are priced at 1,000 copper coins per word."
"The Mo Journal is going against us!" Chief Editor Ma sucked in a breath of cold air. Before this, literati would definitely lean towards the Confucian journals if they wanted to publish. However, under the temptation of the Mo Journal's large sum of money, it was likely that a large number of literati would lean towards the Mo Journal.
"This is simply preposterous. Chief Editor Ma, immediately publish an article in the Confucian journals and tell all the literati in the world that our Confucian journals are also paying for contributions. We definitely can't let Mo Jiazi surpass us." Wei Sian said with vigor. Although it was a little painful to pay the literati in the world, if the Confucian journals didn't do anything, they would definitely be roped in by all the literati in the world. After all, the price of 1,000 copper coins per word was not a small sum.
Yu Zhining sighed slightly and said, "If the Confucian journals are also collecting contributions, then we will be falling into Mo Jiazi's trap."
"What do you mean, Lord Yu?" Wei Sian couldn't help but be stunned.
Yu Zhining explained, "The reason why Mo Jiazi is willing to spend so much money to promote a paid contribution isn't to target the Mo Journal, but to increase the value of literati's copyrights and promote a patent law that is beneficial to the Mo Jiazi. If the Confucian journals are also collecting contributions, then wouldn't they be falling into Mo Jiazi's trap and increasing the value of their copyrights and helping Mo Jiazi instead?"
"Why don't the Confucian journals and the Mo Journal go against each other? We are collecting contributions without paying!" Wei Sian asked cautiously.
Yu Zhining snorted coldly and said, "The Mo Journal has the largest circulation and is paying. When the time comes, the best poems and essays in the world will be submitted to the Mo Journal. In less than half a year, the Mo Journal will be able to squeeze the Confucian journals out of business."
"That can't be! Our Confucian journals are the orthodox Confucianism! "Chief Editor Ma said with some surprise.
"That can't be. In front of money, what's the use of a so-called false reputation? Those who submit contributions are seeking fame and fortune. Those who don't seek fame and fortune are saints that only appear once in five hundred years. Once or twice, others will let you use it for free, and your Confucian journals will make a fortune. How can you not have any objections? "Yu Zhining said loudly.
Wei Sian couldn't help but say angrily, "So, no matter what the Confucian journals do, it will be wrong!"
Yu Zhining nodded and said, "That's right. This is Mo Jiazi's overt scheme. Even if you collect contributions, you will only be able to win over a portion of literati. There will still be a considerable number of literati who will submit to the Mo Journal!"
"Why is that?" Wei Sian was about to collapse.
"How many articles can a single Confucian journal publish? How many literati are there in the world? Those who submit to the Confucian journals will make a fortune, while those who haven't been adopted will suffer. How can the remaining literati not have any objections?" Yu Zhining spread out his hands and said.
"Mo Jiazi, what a good scheme!" Wei Sian said hatefully. The copyright was simply killing two birds with one stone. By bribing the literati in one fell swoop, they would be able to pass the patent law that was beneficial to the Mo Family, and also let the Mo Journal out of its predicament.
Chief Editor Ma couldn't help but sigh. There was still a layer of worry in his heart. If they were to collect contributions for a fee, although the Wei family's financial resources were extraordinary, Wei Sian was still the second son after all. The wealth that he could control was limited. How could he compare to the wealth of the Mo Family Village? Not to mention, the other party had Mo Jiazi, an expert at turning stone into gold. This time, the Confucian journals would definitely be at a disadvantage in the battle between the two families.
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