Madmen don't keep diaries

Chapter 152 151 Afternoon Tea and Newspaper Office
A rich bitter taste spreads on the tip of the tongue.

Xiyaoer resisted the urge to spit it out and swallowed it down her throat in one gulp.

She remained calm and put the cup back on the table: "It's just okay."

Xiong Guiyuan did not expose the truth and calmly pushed another cup in front of Xiyaoer.

"Then try this, Lonia black tea. It has a lighter taste, you might like it."

Xi Yaoer picked up the cup as she was told, blew on it and took a sip, and the bitterness in her mouth was diluted a lot.

Xiong Guiyuan introduced: "This black tea is very famous in the Western Continent. It is a specialty of the Lonnia Empire. I have acquaintances there, so I can get some regularly."

"Have you been to the Western Continent?"

Xiyaoer said in surprise.

Xiong Guiyuan waved her hand and continued, "Through maritime trade, Longnia black tea entered the East Continent as a specialty product. It was highly sought after by the nobles of Xuan Nation, and the price was astonishing—in other words, one gold pillar could buy two coins of tea."

Xiyao'er's hand trembled and she almost dropped the teacup.

Xiong Guiyuan chuckled softly, "So for the ladies of the nobility, Lonya black tea is a rare luxury. If the hostess can serve Lonya black tea to the guests at an afternoon tea party, it must be a very proud thing."

These were beyond Xiyao'er's comprehension. She stuttered a bit, "What... is afternoon tea?"

Xiong Guiyuan nodded and said, "This is what I want to teach you."

"With Father Feng's current status and popularity, when he moves to the upper city, there will undoubtedly be many people willing to make friends with him. And as the Feng family's... hostess? You should learn these social etiquettes in advance."

Hearing the word "hostess", Xiyao'er's eyes lit up: "Learn, I will definitely learn well."

Xiong Guiyuan had already firmly grasped the rhythm of the conversation, so she no longer had to be polite.

Xiong Guiyuan crossed her legs relaxedly, revealing her tight, fair calves beneath her cheongsam. "Afternoon tea is a social custom that came from the Western Continent. It's also a common pastime for the ladies of the nobility. Familiar ladies would gather together to chat and enjoy refreshments."

Xiong Guiyuan changed the subject: "But you absolutely cannot treat this as a form of entertainment. You must know that when you are out there, you represent Father Feng's reputation. Your every word and action may affect other people's views of Father Feng."

"And the seemingly casual chatter among the women can actually reveal a lot of secrets."

Xi Yaoer was a little nervous after hearing what she said: "Well, then you should tell me in detail."

"No rush, we have to take it slow."

Xiong Guiyuan gestured for her to be patient. "You have a lot to learn. Dress, talk, manners, eyesight, there are many things you need to learn."

“Start with the simple things first.”

Xiong Guiyuan pointed to the various drinks on the table.

"Besides coffee and tea, what other drinks are popular at uptown gatherings?"

She introduced them one by one: "Hot chocolate, wine, champagne, brandy, hot milk, freshly squeezed juice."

"Try them all and remember their flavors and names. I happen to have a party this afternoon. If you come with me, I can introduce you to some people."

……

If Feng Xiuhu knew that these were what Xiong Guiyuan taught him, he would definitely regret sending Xi Yaoer here.

Unfortunately, he didn't know that he and Mike had already arrived at the newspaper office.

Standing on the street, Feng Xiuhu was chewing a piece of buttered bread in his hand, his mouth filled with the aroma of wheat and butter.

"not bad."

Feng Xiuhu sucked her fingers and said, "But I don't think it's as delicious as the meat pie from Dicheng."

Mike expressed his doubts. "There's good food in Dicheng too?" Feng Xiuhu wiped his hands on Mike's clothes. "I'll take you there to try it later—you haven't tried rat meat yet, have you?"

Mike was horrified and said, "Rat meat!? Is that something humans eat?"

Feng Xiuhu clapped his hands. "I wasn't used to it at first, but it tastes really good. It tastes a bit like chicken, but it's a little finer."

Mike gagged.

Feng Xiuhu laughed and said, "Don't look down on us. Rat meat feeds most of the people in Dicheng. At least they know how to be grateful and call rats Mr. Gray—unlike you people in Shangcheng, who call Dicheng people rats."

If they continued talking about this topic, Mike would start to vomit again, so he quickly led Feng Xiuhu into the newspaper office.

They had changed their clothes before coming, otherwise the priest uniforms would be too conspicuous.

The atmosphere inside the newspaper office was much more lively than Feng Xiuhu had imagined.

The air was filled with the pleasant smell of ink.

Sunlight streamed into the hall through the glass windows. The rustling of turning pages and the noisy sounds of conversation intertwined together. Staff members were busy shuttling between desks, and everyone's face was filled with concentration and urgency.

The space was filled with the hum of printing presses, and Mike said that was the noise coming from the printing workshop.

In the printing workshop, amid the clicking sound of gears, workers are sweating profusely and busy operating the machines. They turn the cranks by hand to evenly apply ink on the printing plate, and then feed the wet paper into the machine to print out the latest newspapers.

In the office, reporters sat around a long wooden table, their pens dancing quickly and skillfully on the paper, writing down story after story. Their faces were stained with ink, but the enthusiasm in their eyes remained undiminished.

The editors on the other side of the room also lit kerosene lamps in broad daylight, and in the light, they wore glasses and carefully proofread each manuscript, making changes from time to time with scissors and glue to ensure that it met publishing standards.

Feng Xiuhu was surprised by the atmosphere in the newspaper office.

This is the most "normal" place he has seen since he came into this world.

It does not have the stench of the lower city, nor the lifelessness of the factories; it is not as absurd as the lower city, nor as extravagant as the upper city.

Why is that?
Feng Xiuhu may need to think about this question for a long time.

"Qian Guangtong!"

A man with messy hair like a chicken coop greeted Mike.

The man with the chicken-coop hair jokingly said, "You're so slow today. Such a big thing, and you're from the church, how come you weren't the first to deliver the news?"

Mike laughed dryly twice.

Feng Xiuhu asked him, "What's the big deal?"

Mike whispered, "What else could it be? There's only one big thing happening in Upper Town today—something about the sanctuary."

Feng Xiuhu suddenly realized - it was not Mike's fault that he was slow, but because it involved both him and Feng Xiuhu. At that time, Mike was in a hurry to report the news to Feng Xiuhu, so how could he have the mind to deliver the news to the newspaper?
Mike nodded at the busy crowd in the hall. "Look, they're busy printing today's evening paper. If nothing unexpected happens, the news about the Upper Town Cathedral will definitely be on the front page."

Feng Xiuhu had been observing for a long time: "The newspaper is so well-informed, is it because there are so many reporters?"

Mike explained: "There are more 'messengers' and 'tongues' than reporters."

"Most of the people who spread rumors are small-time people who want to make money. As long as they have valuable information and know a messenger, they can sell the information to the messenger, who will then bring the information back to the newspaper."

"I'm the messenger. The extra income I told you about before is from this role. Big or small things, gossip, anything valuable and eye-catching, I can sell to the newspaper."

"I can't say exactly how many gossips there are in the Upper City, but I do know that gossip from nobles' houses, officials' houses, even churches, temples, and dukes' houses, can eventually be delivered to the newspapers."

PS: Why is the newspaper office different from other places in Fancheng? Maybe it’s because this is a place with real potential.

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(End of this chapter)