"Let the disciples... prepare to build a newspaper?" Fang Xiaoru was a little shocked.
He had served under Zhu Su for a long time, so he naturally knew how important the establishment of the newspaper was in Zhu Su's plan. If the Imperial College could build a newspaper before, why would the Master and His Highness the Fourth Highness need to appear in person in this public opinion battle?
Relying on newspapers is enough to prevent the likes of Qi De and Zheng Shili from making waves.
Fang Xiaoru didn't dare to be negligent. After thinking about it carefully, Fang cupped his hands and said, "Master, I'm afraid it will be difficult for this disciple to take on this important task."
"If a newspaper wants to be popular all over the world, it must also need some means. If it makes people feel boring, how can anyone be willing to buy it?"
"This is also a kind of knowledge. Although the disciple often debates with others, he knows nothing about how to attract other people's interest... It's not that the disciple doesn't want to help the master, but it's because the disciple has little talent and knowledge and doesn't dare to delay the master. Your big deal.”
"It doesn't matter." Zhu Su smiled. "I will ask Mr. Luo Guanzhong to serialize some stories in the newspaper. Mr. Luo's writing style is enough to make this newspaper popular among the people. But the newspaper cannot only have this kind of entertainment content, but also become our mouthpiece to the people. Let the people know the government's policies and understand the affairs of the world."
"We also need to publicize my new ideas to the people, so that everyone in the world will agree with our proposition. This is the most important. Only by twisting all the knowledgeable people in the world into one rope can we, the Ming Dynasty, be invincible. This matter At present, it seems that only you and Master Song can do it, you are both pure scholars."
"However, Master Song is already old after all, and he is still responsible for the most important task of summarizing new ideas and compiling them into a book. I really can't bear to trouble him with newspapers anymore."
"Only you can take on this matter."
Fang Xiaoru lowered his head and thought for a moment. After a while, he raised his head and said, "In that case, I would like to invite someone to help. Is it possible?"
"As long as it's trustworthy, there's nothing wrong with it?" Zhu Su said with a smile. "Who are you talking about?"
"The one I want to invite... is Zheng Shili, a native of Ninghai, Zhejiang." Fang Xiaoru said.
"Zheng Shili?" Zhu Su frowned. Isn't this Zheng Shili the scholar who incited public opinion some time ago and took the lead in writing a joint letter to Lao Zhu, arguing that the issue of empty seals was an error in national law and not a crime for officials?
Just now, he was arrested by Fourth Brother and slapped in the face on South Street, enduring the anger of the people.
I'm afraid that this person has already been on Lao Zhu's blacklist, and after going through a public trial, his reputation among the people may become bad. By asking him to participate in this matter, could it be that Fang Xiaoru wanted to make the preparation of the newspaper more difficult?
"Master, Brother Zheng is a loyal and upright person. Otherwise, he would not have risked the disapproval of the world. I will rebuke His Majesty with the determination to die." Fang Xiaoru said solemnly. "Brother Zheng has always been talented, ten times better than his disciples."
"With his hard-working heart, as long as he knows about the shortcomings of Kongyin, he will definitely regret it. If he is responsible for everything in the newspaper, it will be like adding more wings to a tiger."
Zhu Su thought about it. Zheng Shili was able to arouse public opinion in Shilin in just a few months, and he was able to network many literati to send a joint letter to Lao Zhu. This shows that this person is indeed talented in manipulating public opinion.
And being able to play with Fang Xiaoru, it seems that it was really because his mind was too rigid that he criticized the empty seal case. Maybe he really didn't have any bad intentions... and Lao Zhu was even prepared to let go of his brother Zheng Shiyuan. After that, wouldn't Zheng Shili, who just submitted a letter, be executed? At worst, I'll just find someone to fish him out when the time comes, and that's it.
"...Yes." After thinking about it, Zhu Su nodded in agreement. "It's just that we need to make sure that he is really interested in the new learning. If he is still willing to support the old learning, then he must not be allowed to do so."
"Yes." Fang Xiaoru looked happy. "Brother Zheng has always been fond of the vigorous and positive new learning and despised the lifeless old learning. He will definitely be willing to help us!"
If there is time to seal the case as a deterrent, there will be no problem in raising commercial taxes. Even if commercial taxes are not collected, the confiscated property of corrupt officials will be enough to fill the national treasury day by day. The master and the apprentice talked for a long time in the carriage about the newspaper office. When Fang Keqin was rescued tomorrow, Zhu Su would go to Lao Zhu to approve the funds to build the newspaper office.
There was no words for the whole night. On the second day, in order to show his closeness, Zhu Su decided to go with Fang Xiaoru to rescue people in the Jinyiwei Prison. The carriage of Prince Wu's Mansion arrived in front of the Jinyiwei Yamen, and it was none other than Jinyi Xiaowei Shaobiao who had fought alongside him before. When Zhu Su saw this old friend, he felt very close to him: "Shao Xiaowei! You and I have not seen each other since we returned to Beijing. It has been a long time since we last met."
"Are you okay here?"
Shao Biao looked a little ugly for some unknown reason. He bowed deeply to Zhu Su, finished the courtesy and said to Zhu Su, "Your Highness and Mr. Fang are here to greet Mr. Fang Keqin?"
"Yes." Zhu Su noticed something was wrong with him, and the joy on his face dimmed. "What's wrong? Why do you look like this?"
"...Your Highness, our commander...did not leave the prison last night." Shao Biao looked embarrassed. He cupped his hands towards Zhu Su again and said, "Your Highness and Mr. Fang should... hurry up and take a look at the imperial prison."
"I'm afraid if it's too late, it'll be too late!"
Zhu Su's expression changed, he looked at Fang Xiaoru, stopped greeting Shaobiao, and hurried to the imperial prison. He was now the prince with real power, and none of the Jinyi guards dared to stop him. When he was about to reach the bottom of the prison, he saw Mao Xiang, the commander of the Jinyiwei, coming up to greet him. He paid homage to Zhu Su regardless of the dirt on the ground of the prison: "My lord, Mao Xiang, commander of the Jinyi Guards, pays homage to His Highness King Wu!"
"How come your Highness is here? The place is dirty and smells bad. I am afraid that I may have bumped into His Highness. Please move to the main hall so that I can entertain you again."
Stopped by Mao Xiang, Zhu Su asked with a straight face, "Mao Xiang, you must have received the imperial edict from your father to change the charges in the Kongyin case, right?"
"Your majestic commander is staying in this prison all night at this juncture. What are you busy with?"
Mao Xiang pursed his lips, as if thinking about what to say, and then said after a while: "I have received your Majesty's imperial edict."
"However, according to your Majesty's imperial edict, the time allowed for the prisoners to leave the prison is today. In compliance with your Majesty's wishes, I am trying the case of the prisoners all night to ensure that nothing is done by mistake..."
Zhu Su's face instantly darkened, and Fang Xiaoru's expression also became horrified. Seeing Mao Xiang's selfless look, Zhu Su felt chills in his heart.
Mao Xiang obviously didn't want the Kongyin case to be settled so easily, and wanted to seize the last moment to force the prisoners to kill more people.
So that this empty seal case will continue to stir up even bigger waves!
(End of chapter)
