Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 241 Montiel's Secret Scroll! (Bonus Chapter 2)

Lionel stood up, walked to the window, and watched the pedestrians hurrying by on the streets of Paris.

"George, let's think a little further. What's at the heart of Minister Ferry's education reforms? It's compulsory, free, and secular. What does that mean?"
This means that in the next few years, or even the next decade or so, the enrollment rate of school-age children throughout France will rise sharply, and the population receiving basic education will increase significantly.

He turned around and looked intently at George Charpentier: "There are more schools and students now, and the textbooks are standardized."

So, what's the next inevitable outcome? Selection! Competition!

George Charpentier didn't react for a moment: "Screening? Competition?"

Lionel's tone was very certain: "Of course! High-quality educational resources are always limited. The Sorbonne, the Higher Normal School, the Polytechnic, the Engineering College..."

In order to get into better secondary schools and ultimately better universities, various entrance exams and selection exams will inevitably become increasingly important and increasingly competitive.

He approached Charpentier and lowered his voice: "Where there are exams, there will inevitably be test-taking strategies. As long as exams exist, test-taking strategies will flourish as competition intensifies."

"George, this is truly untapped fertile land, an unseen gold mine!"

George Charpentier struggled to comprehend this somewhat unfamiliar word: "Exam...?"

Born into a wealthy merchant family, he went to university with a letter of introduction all the way, and never had to worry about exams.

Lionel explained, "It's all about studying and preparing for exams. Imagine what would happen if 'Two Children's Trip to France' became required reading for all children and a key part of exams?"
Students need to understand it, analyze it, and memorize it! Teachers need to explain it and create tests to assess their knowledge! But not all teachers can explain it thoroughly, and not all students can learn it on their own.

Lionel paused, allowing Charpentier to process his words, before slowly continuing: "At this time, if there were a book, or a series of pamphlets, that could provide a detailed explanation of the key points and difficulties of these essential readings, analyze their writing techniques and ideological content, and even…"

It predicts how the exam might be structured and provides practice questions and standard answers. George, do you think parents and students would be willing to buy a book like that?

George Charpentier's eyes lit up completely, but as a literary publisher, he was still somewhat unfamiliar with and hesitant about the concept of "exam-oriented education": "This...this sounds...somewhat...utilitarian?"
Furthermore, Leon, writing textbook analyses and test questions... that requires very professional teaching experience, right? Although you are exceptionally talented, you are still...

Lionel laughed, a laugh filled with absolute confidence, even arrogance—an expression rarely seen on his face.

He raised his hand and tapped his temple with his finger: "Teaching experience? George, perhaps in literary creation, I still need to learn from Mr. Flaubert and Mr. Zola."

But when it comes to how to prepare for exams, how to analyze key points, and how to extract every possible angle from a given textbook…

He paused, then patted his chest, his tone resolute: "Believe me, in all of France—and perhaps even the world—there's probably no one better at this than me!"

Georges Charpentier stared at him blankly, suddenly remembering that Lionel had asked him a few weeks earlier to collect questions from recent high school exams...

And then there's the fact that Lionel is the only student from the small town of Montière to have been admitted to the Sorbonne in nearly fifty years...

Although a sliver of doubt lingered in his heart, he was involuntarily captivated by Lionel's confidence and the grand vision he had painted.

George Charpentier rubbed his hands excitedly, his eyes burning as he looked at Lionel: "Lionel! This matter must be led by you!"

No one understands literary analysis better than you, and no one knows those works better than you! You write it! You edit it! The royalty rate is negotiable!

However, Lionel slowly shook his head: "No, George, I will not write these interpretations and questions myself."

George Charpentier was stunned: "Why? Didn't you just say..."

Lionel interrupted him: “I can do it, but that doesn’t mean I have time to do it. George, my value lies not in that. My value lies in… knowing the essence of ‘testing,’ knowing how the test will be conducted, and how the questions will be phrased.”

George Charpentier asked cautiously, "So what do you mean?"

Lionel smiled and said, "I will tell the specific writers from which angles to interpret the text in the textbook, which knowledge points to focus on, what the common question types are, and what the typical thought process is for setting questions..."

I can establish a standardized, replicable writing process and guidelines. Then, you can hire a group of excellent, underprivileged college graduates, or even high school teachers, to write these materials.

George Charpentier suddenly realized: "You provide the ideas and framework, and they are responsible for execution and filling in the content?"

Lionel nodded: "That's right. It's more efficient, cheaper, and can quickly cover multiple subjects and grades."

My individual energy is limited, but the power of a team is limitless.

George Charpentier was utterly impressed. He looked at the man before him, who was much younger than himself, as if he were looking at a prophet.

He was so excited he was almost incoherent: "Lionel...I...I really don't know what to do..."

Lionel smiled. "George, this is a new business. It doesn't require talent and inspiration like literary creation; it requires efficiency and scale."

It will be key to Charpentier's bookshelf establishing itself in the future educational publishing market.

Therefore, I demanded that the royalty rate for this 'New Business' be higher than the royalty rates for all my other novels.

Because it will bring continuous and steadily increasing huge profits.

George Charpentier didn't hesitate for a moment: "No problem! Absolutely no problem! We'll do it your way! We'll sign the contract right away!"

Lionel waved his hand: "Contracts aren't urgent. The most pressing matter is assembling a team immediately while 'Behring' and 'Hachette' are still overwhelmed!"

George Charpentier nodded repeatedly: "Yes! Yes! Yes! You're right! I'll go find someone right away! Someone with good writing skills, a quick mind, and some knowledge of education!"

Paris has no shortage of impoverished but intelligent people like this!

Lionel then got up, put on his coat and hat, and said goodbye to Georges Charpentier.

Before leaving, Georges Charpentier asked, "What should we call this 'booklet'?"

Lionel thought for a moment: "Let's call it 'The Montiel Secret Scroll'!"

“What a strange name…” George Charpentier muttered.

At this point, whatever Lionel said went, and he dared to print it even if it was called "The New Bible".

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Lionel returned home late at night.

Alice was the first to greet him, handing Lionel a bound contract: "Lion, this was specially delivered to our door today by a gentleman..."

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