Aoyama

Chapter 513 News
Make money?

Striving for power?

Xiaoman didn't understand how this ridiculous newspaper had anything to do with power; she was only curious: "How do you gain power?"

The man handed the pipe to Erdao, and while Erdao was stuffing tobacco into his mouth, he explained, "Do you think our boss is a traitor who sells out his country for personal gain?"

Xiaoman retorted angrily, "Of course not, those are just rumors circulating in the streets."

The man chuckled: "Someone bribed a storyteller to spread this story in the teahouse. Now that the rumors have spread, even if our boss had a hundred mouths, he wouldn't be able to tell the truth... But the newspapers can. They can not only clear our boss's name, but they can even turn black into white."

Xiaoman was skeptical: "Is it really that effective? You haven't even made it yet and you're already making a guarantee, as if you've already seen this thing before."

The brother smiled but said nothing.

Zhang Xia was quick-witted and soon figured out the crux of the matter: "I suddenly understand why the Gelaohui said Chen Ji was too bold. This thing is indeed taboo. The people can be made to follow it, but they cannot be made to know it. Since ancient times, officials have never wanted the people to know too much. Yet this thing can accomplish great things for the country, but it can also cause the collapse of rites and music... Chen Ji, are you doing this to clear your name?"

Chen Ji shook his head: "I don't care about my reputation."

Zhang Xia asked in confusion, "Why is that?"

Chen Ji was silent for a moment: "If Lord Zhang wants to implement new policies, this item can help him. I promised to help Lord Zhang in front of the Meridian Gate, but I'm afraid the opportunity will be few and far between. With this item, if someone tries to harm Lord Zhang again, it may not be Lord Zhang who gets into trouble."

Zhang Xia suddenly asked, "Have you found a way to save the princess?"

Chen Ji hummed in agreement.

Zhang Xia understood that Chen Ji wasn't starting the newspaper for himself, but rather to repay a favor she had received from people outside Chongli.

Chen Ji's infamy was actually a shield for Zhang Zhuo; those who bribed the storyteller to oppose his return to Yuancheng were originally targeting Zhang Zhuo.

If newspapers had existed back then, public opinion wouldn't be dictated by outsiders. To implement new policies, one would have to offend the entire nation; having newspapers as a backup would significantly increase the chances of success.

Now, Chen Ji knows how to rescue the princess; it's only a matter of time. He wants to leave something behind before leaving Ning Dynasty and help the Zhang family one last time.

After a moment of silence, Zhang Xia smiled and said, "Thank you, and I wish you a speedy rescue of the princess."

Chen Ji looked at the gangsters: "Ink and movable type cannot be made overnight, but only by doing these two things well can we run a good newspaper. In addition, the articles published in the newspaper must be carefully considered, and we must choose the ones that the people are most interested in."

The man stood up and said, "Don't worry, I've already figured out what news to write in the first newspaper. It's sure to cause a sensation in the capital."

Chen Ji smiled and said, "We'll wait and see."

Just then, a servant came to report from outside: "Young master, the manager of Gu Fu Lou is here to see you again. Should we bring them over?"

Xiaoman panicked and, without waiting for Chen Ji's reply, pulled the little monk outside, saying, "Young master, you don't need to pay attention to them. I'll take care of them."

Chen Ji didn't care, but looked at Zhang Xia: "You need to be involved in running the newspaper, after all... this thing will be handed over to you in the future."

Zhang Xia agreed: "Okay."

……

……

The next morning.

Xiaoman woke up to the sound of running water. As she carried the little black cat out of the room, she saw Chen Ji rolling up his sleeves and pouring water from the wooden bucket into the vat.

At first, she wasn't used to Chen Ji carrying water every day, but now she's used to it.

Xiaoman asked, "What would you like to eat for breakfast, young master? I'll make it for you."

Chen Ji put down the wooden bucket and said with a smile, "No need to trouble yourself, let's go to Liulichang to eat."

Xiaoman asked curiously, "Young Master, are you going to Liulichang today? What's so great about those bookstores? They're all places where pedantic scholars like to hang out."

Chen Ji explained, "I need to go find something; it's important."

Xiaoman gave an "oh" and kicked open the door to the little monk's room: "Get up!"

The three of them left the Chen residence and headed south. As soon as they exited Xuanwu Gate, they smelled the sour smell of cow dung and soy milk mixed together, along with the aroma of fried dough rings.

Chen Ji went straight to Wenchang Bookstore in Liulichang this time. He remembered that during the imperial examinations, this was the bookstore that printed and sold literary collections of poems to the inner city every day.

Yesterday, the bookstore owner said that this was the store with the most typos and misprinted books.

Wenchang Bookstore was much larger than Baoxiang Bookstore, with eight large doors that opened simultaneously. There were twelve wooden boards in front of the doors listing the books. Six of them listed the existing books, and the other six listed the books that had just arrived that day.

The main hall was bustling with people, all of whom were scholars and literati who had come to search for editions from previous dynasties, rare and unique copies, and meticulously collated editions. Some were engaged in lively discussions, while waiters served hot tea. There was also a tea-tasting area in the backyard, making this bookstore a veritable gathering place for scholars.

Chen Ji didn't chat with anyone, but silently flipped through the books, searching for clues. Xiao Man followed beside Chen Ji listlessly, showing no interest in reading: "Young master, when will the newspaper you mentioned yesterday be published? I want to see if that gangster was exaggerating."

As Chen Ji flipped through the book, he explained with a smile, "Making something new takes time. It would be good if you could finish it within a month. If you're bored, take the little monk out for something to eat. You don't need to wait for me here."

Xiaoman's eyes darted around: "Is it okay?"

Chen Ji said without turning his head, "Go, go."

As expected, the books at Wenchang Bookstore did indeed have problems.

As far as he knew, the Four Dreams of Bianliang was exclusively available at Wenyuan Bookstore, but surprisingly, copies of the Four Dreams of Bianliang could also be found at Wenchang Bookstore. However, the printing was crude, the paper was cheap, and the cover read "A Dream of Yellow Millet," but inside were the contents of "The Four Dreams of Bianliang." This was clearly a pirated copy of this era...

In addition, there are various fake first editions and original editions.

Information transmission was limited in this era; even poems that spread far and wide might lose their original meaning over time. Take, for example, the most famous work, *Jiangshan Youji*, which records Li Jiangshan's travels throughout his life. However, by the thirty-second year of the Jianning era, the original manuscript had been severely fragmented. An early handwritten copy by a scholar named Ji Xian is the closest to the original and is exceptionally precious.

If this edition could be found, people would buy it for tens or even hundreds of taels of silver, let alone a few.

But in Wenchang Bookstore, a whole shelf was filled with Ji Xian's copy of Jiangshan Travelogue...

In addition, there are fake finely engraved editions, imperial editions, rare editions, and manuscripts, all of which are of high quality and low price.

Chen Ji muttered to himself, "Isn't this Ningchao Biquge?"

The Military Intelligence Bureau is a tightly organized organization and must have one or more single-line channels for transmitting information. They have gone to great lengths to develop covert espionage methods such as the reverse-spelling method and the hidden-character method, and they would never abandon them casually.

There must still be people using it.

Chen Ji spent from dawn till dusk flipping through the pages, only returning to the Chen family home when the first evening drum sounded. The Wenchang Bookstore was too large, and his search for information required meticulous detail, so his reading was slow.

I flipped through more than twenty books in a day but found no trace of the hidden text.

Chen Ji was not discouraged. The next day, he took Xiao Man and the little monk out again and stood in the Wenchang Bookstore all day. The manager of the Wenchang Bookstore was very generous. He was not angry that Chen Ji was only looking and not buying. He even had a servant bring hot tea and snacks and invited Chen Ji to find a chair in the backyard to look at the books at his leisure.

However, Chen Ji politely declined, always standing in the most open spot where he could observe the location of everyone who came and went at will.

There was no success the next day either.

The third day...

The fourth day...

The twelfth day...

By the seventh day of the sixth lunar month, Chen Ji had already looked through most of the books in the Wenchang Bookstore, but he still couldn't find any trace of the Military Intelligence Bureau's message. As a result, he began to doubt whether this clumsy method would actually work.

On the eighth day of the sixth lunar month, Chen Ji went out to fetch water as usual. This time, Xiao Man stayed in the courtyard reluctantly and said, "Young master, you can go ahead. I really can't walk around anymore. I used to envy those first-class maids who could go out to buy things every day, but now I realize that this is also a hard job."

Chen Ji smiled and said, "If you don't want to go, then stay home and look after the house."

Xiaoman asked curiously, "Young Master never reads books before, why has he changed his ways today?"

Chen Ji didn't answer and went out alone.

But as he passed through the side door, he always felt that the servant was looking at him strangely, as if there was something hidden in his eyes. When his gaze followed him, the servant quickly looked away.

Chen Ji left the house with suspicion and walked all the way to Liulichang. There he saw Mei Huadu carrying a backpack slung across his shoulder, which contained a thick stack of yellowed bamboo paper.

A group of scholars and literati surrounded a stick, whispering among themselves while holding a large sheet of bamboo paper in their hands.

"I never expected that he and Miss Zhang had this story. Is it true or false?"

"If what this damned Beijing Morning Post says is true, isn't the man from Wuxiang County a heartless and fickle person? He is engaged to Miss Qi."

Chen Ji's face immediately darkened.

He squeezed forward, handed the stick five coins, and took a newspaper from the other man.

The front page of the newspaper prominently featured the headline: "A man from Wuxiang County enters Jingchao with a narrow escape from death; Miss Zhang Er storms the White Tiger Hall in Xijing."

Chen Ji raised an eyebrow. He clearly remembered telling the Gelaohui (a secret society) members, "First, find the most famous person in the capital, find the person the common people are most interested in, report on their gossip, and sell the newspaper first." The Gelaohui members also confidently said, "I've already thought about what to write in the first newspaper; it's sure to cause a sensation in the capital."

So this news is about him being a member of the Gelaohui (a secret society).

Chen Ji glanced at the scholars and literati around him, who were talking about it with great interest. Putting everything else aside, it had indeed caused a sensation in the capital.

(End of this chapter)