People in Hongwu, from heavenly master to emperor master

Zhang Yi said what Lao Zhu had never said in his heart.

What is the people?
The so-called people should refer to the common people.

But in the struggle between scholar-bureaucrats and kings, the so-called people's hearts often cannot represent the people.

The so-called popular support is just a tool used by the scholar-bureaucrats to coerce the people and the king.

The biggest reason for this is that the entire class of gentry, or scholar-bureaucrats, formed a huge barrier between the common people and the king.

According to Zhang Yi, this is called information gap...

The weapon in the hands of scholar-bureaucrats is the information gap caused by the monopoly of knowledge.

The saying that kings and scholar-bureaucrats share the world once lifted this veil of hypocrisy.

Many people are still proud of this sentence.

It's a pity that Zhu Yuanzhang is an emperor who does not believe in evil, and he insists on changing this situation.

But the road is destined to be difficult.

There are too few people who can understand him or speak for him.

The argument between Zhang Yi and Wang Baobao made Lao Zhu feel the warmth that we are not alone in our ways in the winter.

"Although this boy is angry with me, he still knows how to protect me..."

There was only the emperor in the imperial study, and Zhu Yuanzhang smiled unabashedly.

The most important thing for him is the separation between relatives and strangers. Zhang Yi's attitude of protecting himself is very suitable for Lao Zhu.

"The silent majority...

This sentence is thought-provoking!

Come on, call Zhang Yi over here! "

Zhu Yuanzhang shouted outside the imperial study, and naturally someone took the order and went to look for Zhang Yi outside the palace.

After chatting with Guanyin Nu for a while, Zhang Yigang was caught by Jin Yiwei as soon as he went out.

When the emperor summoned him, his expression became strange.

Originally, he wanted to enter the palace tomorrow, but now that the emperor has found him, it would be better to choose a different day.

Zhang Yi got into the car and headed towards the palace.

At the gate of Chengtian, Zhang Yi met Zhou Tong.

Zhou Tong looked calm and saluted Zhang Yi from a distance.

Zhang Yi returned the gift, and the relationship between the two seemed to have faded a lot.

This is exactly what Zhang Yi wants to see. His relationship with Zhou Tong can be regarded as a fateful friendship.

It's just Zhou Tong's identity. After being raised by Zhang Yi last time, he deliberately kept distance from him.

Jin Yiwei's friendship with other people is a very unprofessional thing to do.

It is also easy for the emperor to be suspicious and not reuse.

He put this little episode aside in the blink of an eye.

From Chengtianmen, pass through Meridian Gate!

After Zhang Yi entered the palace, he came to the imperial study.

"come over!"

Zhu Yuanzhang was looking at the table and thinking deeply. After Zhang Yi came in, before he could salute, he was called over by Lao Zhu.

"The silent majority..."

When Zhang Yi saw those words, he knew that his every move just now was being monitored by Lao Zhu.

It doesn't matter to him, anyway, Zhang Yi knows the virtues of Jin Yiwei.

It would be strange if Wang Baobao's place of imprisonment was not monitored by Jin Yiwei.

“The so-called popular sentiment is not the voice of the people!
Some people use public opinion to threaten the emperor, but in the blink of an eye they go to oppress the people they rely on!
Since I became the emperor, I have also thought about how to use various means to let the voices of the people bypass the scholar-bureaucrats!
It’s just that this matter has a long way to go! "

Zhang Yi was silent. Only Zhu Yuanzhang could do this, and other emperors would probably find it thankless.

Lao Zhu is a different kind of emperor because of his background, he has a natural sense of isolation from the official class.

It’s not that he is very compassionate and loves people.

He has done a lot of bad things.

However, for an emperor with such a background, he was somewhat able to sympathize with the suffering of the people and understand the despair of the people who were powerless to speak out.

How to let the voice of the people bypass the bridge of scholar-bureaucrats.

This is a problem that Zhu Yuanzhang has always wanted to solve.

But easier said than done?

Even in the era he lived in, before the rise of self-media, there was a large group of elites who controlled all discourse.

This matter is never easy, but Zhang Yi must answer the emperor's question.

"What do you have in mind?"

Zhu Yuanzhang had already thrown the question to him. If he didn't answer something, he couldn't make sense.

"Your Majesty has been trying to use public opinion to influence people's hearts these years, right?"

Zhang Yi raised his head and asked.

Before he met Zhu Yuanzhang, he had already vaguely felt that the reputation of the emperor among the people seemed to be getting better.

Lao Zhu's reputation among the people has actually always been quite poor.

This probably stems from the dissatisfaction of the bloody gentry in the south with him.

They dare not rebel or resist.

However, with the pens in their hands, they can weave many stories about Hei Lao Zhu.

After Zhu Yuanzhang learned Zhang Yi's methods, he struck first.

Over the years, Jin Yiwei has written countless jokes about Lao Zhu.

It doesn't matter whether he fights corrupt officials or Xuanwu comes to the world.

In the short story after dinner, the image of Zhu Yuanzhang gradually emerged.

These little stories may become the material of unofficial histories in the future.

This is probably the rhythm of the Ming Dynasty version.

Lao Zhu's approach, in Zhang Yi's opinion, has already regained part of the power of public opinion, but...

He wants more.

Zhang Yi thought for a moment and replied:
"The only way to get around that bridge is to build a new one.

But the cost of this is immeasurable!

Regarding bypassing this topic, Weichen believes that it can actually be divided into two parts!

The first part is how to bypass them and let the people hear His Majesty's voice...

The second part is how to make His Majesty hear the voice of the people! "

Lao Zhu nodded. Among all the knowledge Zhang Yi mentioned, the part about communication was one of the things he valued most.

He has also experienced the benefits through Jin Yiwei's attempts over the years.

Zhang Yi said:
"How to make His Majesty hear the voices of the people has always been a problem!
Your Majesty’s current approach to the Great Edict is actually quite good!
Limited by conditions, it makes little sense to propose other methods unless the current social structure changes...

As for the first type, Wei Chen has some ideas...

Over the years, His Majesty has been integrating information into entertainment through storytellers and operas. This is actually the best way!

And if you feel that it is not enough and want to add more, why not...

How about running a newspaper? "

"newspaper?"

Zhu Yuanzhang repeated it.

"It is something that reports news and comments on current affairs, similar to military newspapers and court memorials! But ordinary newspapers will naturally not report these things related to state secrets!

Instead, it is mainly based on folk news!

In fact, in the college, Pindao students also published some similar reading materials..."

Zhang Yi gave Lao Zhu a general education about the past and present life of newspapers. In fact, the origin of this thing can be traced back to the Di Bao that appeared in the Han Dynasty.

However, government-led official documents similar to newspapers do not focus on dissemination.

What Zhang Yi reminded Lao Zhu was another thing that would only appear in about a hundred years.

Compared with operas, novels, and newspapers, they are another way to spread information, and they can spread more widely...

Since the birth of newspapers, the power of paper media in disseminating information has far exceeded that of literati who wrote banned books.

It can even be said that it was a dimensionality reduction attack.

The only more difficult thing is that the spread of newspapers is also restricted by transportation!

Another point is the terrible illiteracy rate in Ming Dynasty.

However, Zhang Yi also told Lao Zhu the pros and cons. The illiteracy rate could be gradually expanded by increasing the spread of simplified Chinese characters.

Newspapers are short and contain fragmented information, which is more conducive to information being accepted by the people.

After listening to Zhang Yi's introduction, Lao Zhu was ecstatic and said:

"Then I will ask someone to do this right away...

wrong……"

Zhu Yuanzhang also realized a problem. If the government did this, it would be in vain.

After all, Lao Zhu's original intention was to avoid the gentry and scholar-bureaucrats.

"It seems that His Majesty has understood the most important basis of making newspapers, that is, at least some newspapers cannot be made by the government!
Moreover, ordinary people cannot do it, and the qualifications for starting a newspaper must be strictly restricted. This is the basis..."

"You mean, let civilians do it?"

"Yes, what I originally reported was just after-dinner stuff, mixed with some private stuff!
The most important thing for newspapers is to spread information, not to instill ideas!
The information gap between the common people and the scholar-bureaucrats comes from the fact that they have the right to receive information and the right to interpret it!
Can newspapers take away these rights and let people know what is happening in the world hundreds of miles away?
This is the greatest significance of the newspaper itself...

Mountain people as far away as Yunnan can know that the lady in Yingtian Mansion bought a new hand gesture.

Farmers in the north celebrate this year's harvest...

Curiosity is the biggest driving force for human beings to enter.

This kind of joy of sitting at home and knowing the world's affairs may have been numb to people of later generations like Zhang Yi, but for the ancients, it was definitely something that they longed for.

The meaning of communication lies here.

"But, according to you, running this newspaper requires a lot of money..."

Although Zhu Yuanzhang was very moved by Zhang Yi's proposal, he did some calculations and found that running this newspaper was not easy.

Isn't this thing just a simplified version of an intelligence agency?

Do you need anyone to collect information?Who pays for printing newspapers?
According to Zhang Yi, this kind of printing quantity is terrifyingly large.

These newspapers will not be produced out of thin air, paper, ink, labor...

Thinking about it, Lao Zhu's heart ached.

That's not all. If you want the people to know the news from far away, there must be circulation.

What about the cost of circulation?
It’s also huge…

Seeing the emperor's face gradually darken, Zhang Yi couldn't help laughing.

"So, Your Majesty, the humble minister said that it is best for the court not to interfere...

Because this matter can only be maintained based on business logic!
In short, the standard for this model is that it must make money!

But if you want to make money, newspaper sales must be sufficiently guaranteed.

Therefore, it is acceptable to lose money in the early stage. How to make money in the later stage is up to the businessman himself.

I need this license from His Majesty, otherwise if everyone sees me doing it and follows suit, I will not be able to achieve what His Majesty wants, and I will also lose money! "

Zhang Yi naturally showed what he wanted to do, and Lao Zhu was not surprised.

He replied:
"You can try it, I allow you, only you can do it now!

Moreover, if other people run newspapers privately, it is a crime of treason...

I won't take it easy! "

Lao Zhu attaches great importance to anything related to propaganda and public opinion.

Speaking of private newspapers, there was a hint of murderous intent in his eyes.

Zhang Yi got the emperor's permission and smiled.

He originally thought that it would take a few years before he had the opportunity to run a newspaper. Who knew that Lao Zhu directly gave him permission.

"Then I want someone from Your Majesty..."

"Who?"

"Chen Ke!"

Zhang Yi said:
"Shopkeeper Chen should still be in His Majesty's hands. If Your Majesty thinks he is useless, you can actually let him come back!
He has the identity of a bookseller, so it would be best to be the boss of this newspaper!
Pindao's disgusting identity, if he stood in front of the stage, would probably affect the sales of the newspaper!
I'm still counting on those literati to boost my sales..."

He knew where Chen Ke was, but he pretended not to know.

Zhu Yuanzhang pondered for a moment and nodded slightly.

Chen Ke is from Jin Yiwei, so making Chen Ke the boss of the newspaper means that the newspaper is still in the hands of Jin Yiwei.

He gave Zhang Yi a meaningful look.

Does Zhang Yizhi know Chen Ke's current situation? Lao Zhu doesn't know!
However, his arrangements were always just right, making me feel at ease.

"There is one more thing, I beg your Majesty..."

"Say!"

Zhang Yi hesitated and said:
"I would like to ask Your Majesty to pardon the Mongolian princess's slave, so that she can move around freely. I would also like to recruit her into my academy... and teach those women the art of wrestling..."

Lao Zhu immediately laughed when he heard this, with a playful expression:

"You haven't eaten anything in the bowl, so you're only thinking about what's in the pot?"

Zhang Yi laughed:

"Your Majesty misunderstood, I have my own reasons for doing this..."

He recounted what Guanyin Nu had told Wang Baobao, and then said:

"Given Wang Baobao's current state, he will probably lose his temper before I can persuade him to surrender!
Understanding current affairs and giving direct advice are probably his only pleasures!
I would try to stimulate him from time to time, but it wasn't enough!
Guanyinnu herself has no use value if she is imprisoned. It is better to let her go free. First, her freedom can give Wang Baobao enough stimulation.

Secondly, the news she brought back might make that guy change his mind about Daming!
You also know that he has prejudices against both his ministers and His Majesty!
And what if her sister witnessed the changes in Ming Dynasty through her eyes and ears!

Maybe this situation can affect him too! "

Zhang Yi's reasons were high-sounding. Lao Zhu lowered his head and thought about it, and felt that it made some sense.

Zhu Yuanzhang knew about Wang Baobao's situation through Jin Yiwei.

Although he no longer wanted to recruit him at this time, Lao Zhu still had expectations for such a talent.

"Okay, I will go back and make the next order..."

Zhang Yi got what he wanted, chatted with the emperor for a while, and left the palace!
Although Chen Ke won't be back for a while, he can prepare in advance for his plan to run a newspaper.

Helping Lao Zhu's family promote public opinion has never been Zhang Yi's purpose.

But knowledge can be spread through information, which in itself is a matter of immeasurable merit.

The emperor's resolute and resolute temper did not disappoint Zhang Yi!

The next day, messengers from the royal palace appeared in front of the Wang brothers and sisters.

In addition to giving the brother and sister some New Year gifts as usual.

What surprised Guanyin Nu most was that Zhang Yizhen gave her the right to come and go freely.

"Go to Spring and Autumn College to teach women?"

Wang Baobao was also stunned. (End of chapter)