I studied in modern times

Chapter 943 Public Opinion (1)

As the winter solstice approaches, the city of Bianjing has entered into a festive atmosphere.

This is the happiest day for all the children.

Because, during the Winter Solstice, the custom is to wear new clothes.

Even the poorest families will find ways to buy new clothes for their children.

This year, there are two more things - new shoes and a new hat.

This was unimaginable in the past.

shoe!

Especially cloth shoes, they are very expensive!

A pair of ordinary cloth shoes would cost at least three to five hundred coins.

Moreover, shoes are consumables. A pair of cloth shoes will break after two months of wearing.

If you are not from an official family, how can you afford it?

Hats are even more expensive!

A cloth crown usually costs seven or eight hundred coins.

Even if it is old, it is worth three or four hundred coins.

Therefore, in the past, ordinary people would just wrap their heads with a piece of cloth and make do with it.

But in today's Bianjing City, this situation has changed.

Because a huge amount of silk cloth is being supplied to the market.

The emergence of this cheap, durable and strong fabric directly reduced the cost of shoes and hats.

Especially the shoes!
Nowadays, the price of a pair of cloth shoes on the market has dropped to around one hundred coins.

The price of children's shoes fell to less than seventy cents.

This was completely acceptable to the people of Bian Jing.

At this moment, Liu Anshi was buying shoes at a shoe store next to the official residence where he lived.

As the Right Censor of the dynasty, he naturally bought leather boots.

A pair costs more than three strings of cash!

But he has money!

So, he ordered several pairs of leather boots in this shoe store without any bargaining. He agreed with the owner of the shoe store to pick up the shoes one day before the Winter Solstice Festival. He took out Jiaozi and paid five strings of coins as a deposit, and then signed the contract.

Liu Anshi was about to go home, but at this moment, he heard the voice of a newspaper boy hawking his wares at the intersection outside the shoe store.

"Sell newspapers! Sell newspapers!"

"Today's latest Bianjing news!"

"Right Minister Liu Anshi impeached Left Prime Minister Lu Gongzhu and Minister of the Imperial Court Li Chang..."

Liu Anshi narrowed his eyes and thought to himself, "Sure enough! This tabloid is well-informed!"

He was also a reader of the Bian Jing Xin Bao and knew that this tabloid was very powerful and could get hold of any news.

The best part is that once it starts reporting, it will spread throughout the entire Bianjing city in an instant.

The influence on public opinion is incredibly strong!

Two months ago, thanks to the exaggeration of the Bian Jing Xin Bao, a corruption scandal involving clerks in the prefecture was discussed by public opinion, which made people determined to take drastic measures to cure the disease.

As a result, more than 80% of the powerful officials in the entire prefecture were purged.

Dozens of clerk families who had been rooted in the prefecture and counties for decades or even hundreds of years were either imprisoned or exiled.

At that time, Liu Anshi watched the entire process from the occurrence of the case to the exaggeration and then to the court's determination to cleanse the prefecture.

It can be said that benevolent and noble people are inspired by it, while treacherous and villainous people will have nowhere to hide.

At that time, Liu Anshi was extremely excited.

What he knew was that he had found a fast track to fame.

As long as his name appears in the Bian Jing Xin Bao.

So, everyone will ask - what did Liu Gong do?

At this time, all he had to do was publish his impeachment in the Bian Jing Xin Bao.

His good reputation will be known throughout Bian Jing and then spread throughout the world.

Just like Fan Wencheng!

Just like Han Zhongxian Gong!

Fan Wencheng was not afraid of power and fought resolutely against the treacherous prime minister Lu Yijian.

Duke Zhongxian of Han was concerned about the country and the people, and dismissed four ministers with a piece of paper.

He grew up listening to the stories of Fan Wencheng and Han Zhongxian.

Naturally, I also yearn to be like these two sages, to be famous throughout the world, respected by all people, and then to embark on the broad road of assisting the king and father, and ruling the world!
And now...

He succeeded!

Liu Anshi clenched his fists, but still tried to maintain his composure.

He took a deep breath, then turned around and looked at the street outside the store.

Then I saw two newsboys wearing blue cloth robes, cotton hats, and cotton shoes. They were each carrying a bag filled with money and holding a thick stack of tabloids in their hands, selling them along the street.

"Sell newspapers! Sell newspapers!"

"Today's latest Bianjing news!"

"Right Minister Liu Anshi impeached Left Prime Minister Lu Gong and Minister of the Imperial Court Li Gong..."

Liu Anshi walked forward calmly and asked a newspaper boy who looked older in a calm tone, "What's in today's tabloid?"

Upon hearing this, the newsboy looked at Liu Anshi and, noticing his scholarly attire, replied, "Let the official know..."

"Today's Bian Jing Xin Bao published on its front page the full text of the impeachment of the Left Prime Minister Lu Gong and the Minister of the Imperial Court Li Changzhi by the Right Censor Liu Anshi..."

"Attached to the article is a commentary article by Hu Feipan, the editor-in-chief of the Bianjing Newspaper!"

Liu Anshi smiled and nodded.

But I couldn't help feeling proud in my heart.

The Bian Jing Xin Bao had the so-called 'Editor-in-Chief Hu Feipan'.

This person is quite mysterious, but it is said that he has a strong background. Even the prime minister of the capital dares to comment on him, and no one has ever caused trouble for him.

His reputation in the city of Bianliang was mixed.

People who like him like him very much, while people who hate him make many jokes about him.

For example, Liu Xun, the secretary of the Central Secretariat, once made up a joke about this person: What is a flying disc? It is the dog's food bowl! Where the bowl is, there the dog is!
The purpose is to satirize that the editor-in-chief of the Bian Jing Xin Bao's commentary articles waver in stance and attitude, and he lacks the character of a scholar, let alone the moral integrity of a scholar!

But no matter what the outside world thinks, Hu Feipan still goes his own way.

Therefore, many of Liu Anshi’s friends privately believed that this Hu Feipan was probably not one person, but several different people.

Otherwise it’s hard to explain his mental state—it’s too split!
Liu Anshi was thinking about these things in his mind, and he just listened to the newsboy saying: "The title of my Bianjing New Newspaper's commentator's article is - When will the speculation end?"

"I think that the Right Honourable Minister's impeachment and slander of the Prime Minister without any reason is not what a gentleman like the Chief Justice should do!"

Liu Anshi's face suddenly turned red and his expression stiffened. He felt a dull pain in his chest and his breath was stuck in his throat, making him feel uncomfortable.

In order to vent his feelings, he clenched his fists and raised them up, and at the same time, he looked at the two newsboys with his eyes wide open, ready to scold them for their nonsense and teach this ignorant boy a lesson for not knowing etiquette and shame and making irresponsible comments about the magistrate!

But when the words came to his lips, he swallowed them back.

The hands also dropped.

Because he saw the military shop at the entrance of the street not far away.

The charcoal fire was burning in the soldier's shop.

Two soldiers from Kaifeng Prefecture were sitting around a charcoal fire, warming themselves by the fire while drinking and eating.

Who doesn't know that the newsboys who published the Bian Jing Xin Bao were all orphans brought by refugees from military bases and counties all over the country?
They have no parents and live on the streets.

The owner of the Bian Jing Xin Bao felt sorry for him and adopted him.

When the former acting governor of Kaifeng, Cai Jing, learned about this incident, he was deeply moved and ordered the officers and soldiers of the Kaifeng Prefecture's left and right patrol inspectors and the Kaifeng Prefecture's Records Office to treat the newsboys as their own children and nephews and protect their safety, on the grounds that they were orphans with no one to rely on and were very pitiful.

In the first year of Yuanyou, Wu Anchi, the son of the former Prime Minister Wu Chong, was discovered and arrested on the spot by a patrol officer because he slapped a newsboy in the street.

After the incident, it even alarmed the current emperor.

The emperor issued an edict, severely criticizing Wu Anchi, saying that he had no knowledge of scholar-officials, and ordered him to enter the Imperial Academy to receive further education in the classics of the sages.

The son of a prime minister became a disgrace to all scholars in the world and was directly expelled from his hometown!

Afterwards, it was said that the newsboy who was slapped by Wu Anzhi, under the leadership of the people from the Bian Jing Xin Bao, beat gongs and drums all the way and delivered a plaque with the words "Helping the Poor and Rescuing the Needy" to the military shop where the captain was.

He also acknowledged the captain as his adoptive father, and from then on he would visit him during every festival.

More importantly, the captain was rewarded by Kaifeng Prefecture for this.

It is said that he was promoted three times in one year, and now he is the Inspector General of the Left Army of Kaifeng Prefecture, and he has also been given a temporary official position in the third shift!
It can be said that he has embarked on a road to success overnight!

Since then, newsboys have become an untouchable taboo in the city of Bianjing.

When the left and right inspectors and the registrar of Kaifeng Prefecture encountered a case related to newspaper boys, their enthusiasm and motivation were as if someone had bullied their own children.

Liu Anshi didn't want to become the second Wu Anchi, nor did he want to be expelled from the ranks of the literati.

He took a deep breath, suppressed his inner restlessness, took out five copper coins from his pocket, and said to the newsboy, "Give me a copy!"

He wanted to see what the Hu Feipan that the dog was holding was talking about!

The newsboy was frightened by him and quickly took out a tabloid from his hand and handed it to him. At the same time, he took the copper coins from Liu Anshi's hand, counted them carefully, put them into his own bag, and then quickly pulled the younger newsboy towards the military shop not far away.

When Liu Anshi saw this, he pursed his lips and then spat fiercely on the ground.

Then, he took the tabloid and quickly read the so-called commentator's article signed by Hu Feipan.

His expression became increasingly stiff.

"The rotten sheep-headed Hu Feipan!"

"How dare you slander and defame me like this?!"

"How can you, with the light of the bright grass, surpass the brightness of the sun and the moon?"

"I will become the emperor and ban you from the world!"

So hateful!

Civilian tabloids not only interfere in government affairs.

They even interfered with the law enforcement of the Censorate and criticized the supervision of the prime minister by the Censors.

What do you know?
The laws and regulations of our ancestors, the censors, and the officials who reviewed the situation reported matters based on rumors.

Even if it is finally proved to be false, it is not a sin.

after all……

There is always a hole without a smoke!

If the prime ministers have no guilty conscience and act uprightly, why should they fear impeachment by the censors?
This is the essence of the balance between big and small, and the mixing of different opinions!

but……

Liu Anshi raised his head and looked in the direction where the two newsboys left.

He knew that the circulation of the Bian Jing Xin Bao was generally between 40,000 and 50,000 copies.

If it hits a hotspot, the number could reach 60,000 or even 70,000.

Therefore, before this evening, the content of today's Bian Jing Xin Bao article will be spread throughout the entire Bian Jing city.

If he doesn't find a solution quickly, then before dawn tomorrow, Hu Feipan's slander and defamation will occupy the center of public opinion in the entire Bianjing.

by that time……

Everything will be hopeless!
He will be condemned by thousands of people and become a traitor to the country.

Therefore, he must find a way to save himself immediately.

Who can save him?
It can only be the Bian Jing Yi Bao, whose influence is comparable to that of the Bian Jing Xin Bao!

Thinking of this, Liu Anshi immediately went home, then rode his horse towards where Fan Zuyu lived.

He needed Fan Zuyu to introduce him to a leading figure in the Bian Jing Yi Bao.

In Liu Anshi's understanding, the Bian Jing Yi Bao was founded by Sima Kang, the son of the benevolent Prime Minister Sima Wengong.

Now, Sima Kang has returned to his hometown to observe mourning.

However, its influence on the Bian Jing Xin Bao should still be there.

And Fan Zuyu was Enxiang's disciple.

He must know and know the person who is currently in charge of the Bian Jing Yi Bao.

It is even possible that the Bian Jing Yi Bao is managed by the successor of this benevolent minister!
……

Wenfu.

Wen Yanbo closed his eyes and listened to Wen Jifu reading the contents of the Bian Jing News.

When Wen Jifu finished reading, the old master laughed and said, "Young people nowadays are so impatient!"

"Not calm at all!"

"But I don't know that if you move too fast in the officialdom, you can easily fall off a cliff!"

"Look!"

"I'm afraid few people will be able to pass the test this time in the Censorate!"

Wen Jifu listened, not quite daring to believe it. He looked at his old father and asked, "Sir, is it more than that?"

Wen Yanbo smiled and said, "Since Fu Qinzhi (Fu Yaoyu) was appointed as the Regent, the Central Office has been short of staff. Why do you think so?"

"Brother Zhong (Wen Yiqing, the ancients used the order of brothers as Bo, Zhong, Shu and Ji) once told me that the Empress Dowager deliberately left the position vacant and wanted to select a Zhongsi who was close to her to be appointed..." Wen Jifu looked at his old father and asked, "Could it be that Brother Zhong's information was wrong?"

Wen Yiqing held the title of "Gengmen Tongshi Sheren" in the Tongjiansi. Although it was only an honorary title and he did not participate in the actual work of the Tongjiansi, he had to report to the palace every day to deal with the work, so he was always exposed to some sensitive matters.

"Hey!" Wen Yanbo laughed: "Then why didn't the Empress Dowager appoint a Zhongsi?"

"Ever since the Empress Dowager retired to the Qingshou Palace, the Central Office has been short of staff for the past few months?"

Wen Jifu was stunned.

Yes, when the Empress Dowager was in charge of government affairs, she had plenty of time to pay homage to a Zhongsi.

According to Wen Yiqing, he even heard in the Tongjiansi that several ministers were successively included in the list of ministers to be appointed to the Qingshou Palace.

But later, there was no further news.

After the Grand Empress Dowager retired to the Qingshou Palace, Empress Dowager Xiang of the Baoci Palace also had plenty of time to choose a minister she liked, appoint him as the Zhongsi and put him in charge of the Censorate.

But Empress Dowager Xiang seemed to have no interest in this at all.

The ministers in the capital didn't seem to care about this matter.

For so long, no one has submitted a petition to ask for the appointment of a Zhongsi.

The Zhongsi is one of the four entrances.

Like the other three positions - Acting Governor of Kaifeng Prefecture, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and Hanlin Academician.

Not to mention long-term vacancies, a vacancy is almost always filled immediately.

For example, after Cai Jing was dismissed from his post as acting governor of Kaifeng Prefecture, the next day the emperor appointed Qian Xie, the Secretary of the Central Secretariat, as acting governor of Kaifeng Prefecture.

and so……

Wen Jifu looked at his old father: "Sir, why is this?"

Wen Yanbo looked at his silly son, smiled, and explained: "The Empress Dowager cannot appoint a Zhongsi who is close to her..."

"The Empress Dowager Xiang is unwilling to be appointed as the Minister of Internal Affairs!"

"The ministers do not talk about the affairs of the Central Ministry..."

"Fool, think about it, who stopped the Empress Dowager?
"Who is it that makes the Queen Mother unwilling to accept the appointment? Who makes the ministers afraid to speak of the affairs of the Central Office?"

Wen Jifu seemed to have thought of something, his eyes widened, and he looked at his old father: "What the lord means is..."

"As long as you understand it in your heart!"

(End of this chapter)