From street tabloids to the first newspaper of the Republic of China

Almost at the same moment.

The alley near Liulichang in Beiping, the office of the Asia Daily newspaper.

Unlike the gloomy weather in the south, the weather here is sunny and pleasant.

The editing room in the living room of the main house on the first floor was filled with smoke.

The editors and writers sat around the editor-in-chief, Xue Dake, each holding a copy of the "Strange News Report" and carefully reading the latest content.

Now, whenever the imperialists make any move, the *Strange News* newspaper relentlessly attacks them like a mad dog. After attacking Goodnow, it went on to attack Xue Dake, and now even the Preparatory Committee for the Establishment of Peace is under its sights. Their firepower is so intense that one might mistake the *Strange News* for the official newspaper...

It could also be a revolutionary party publication...

However, is writing this "warning bell" titled "What is the Pursuit of the Preparatory Committee?" really courting death?

Xue Dake took the cigarette from his mouth, flicked off the ash, and, holding the copy of the "Strange News Report," read it aloud:

"Mr. Yang has placed all his hopes for saving the country on the appearance of such a 'peerless leader.' This is not academic research, it's fortune-telling, and it's a high-stakes gamble that puts the fate of the nation at stake. Even the old Taoist priests on the street wouldn't dare to say such a thing. We are sorry, but we cannot gamble with you."

After reading it, he put down the newspaper and chuckled a few times.

"Good, well said!"

Ding Fuyan looked up at the sound, somewhat puzzled.

"Lord Xue, why are you laughing? And praising this warning bell?"

Why else? It's just that intellectuals often look down on each other!

It's not wrong to sell one's integrity to a master, but in Xue Dake's eyes, who is eager to be a "subject reporter," the Preparatory Committee for the Establishment of Peace is a "rising star" that steals jobs. Even if they cooperate on a regular basis, he is still somewhat unhappy about it.

The struggle among the imperial scribes is just like that between the eunuchs when the emperor was still alive. In other words, the only difference between Xue Dake and others now and eunuchs is whether they have been castrated or not.

Xue Dake put down the newspaper and leaned back in his chair:

"Why shouldn't I laugh? I'm not the only one being scolded now. Yang Chengzan was scolded, Liang Yinbing was scolded, and everyone is being scolded as a warning. From now on, no one should laugh at anyone else."

"If anyone wants to prove they're capable, they can just yell back."

Fan Zengxiang sneered, and said rather optimistically:

"Master Xue, you can't say that... Yang Chengzan was criticized because he was the head of the Preparatory Committee for the Establishment of the Monarchy; Liang Yinbing was criticized because he wavered between the two sides... What about us? We are staunch supporters of the monarchy. We have already endured all the criticism we deserved. One more article won't matter. I guess people are too lazy to even bother with us."

Everyone chuckled self-deprecatingly.

After all, nothing is more satisfying than seeing a colleague suffer misfortune.

Xue Dake shook his head, took a deep drag of his cigarette, slowly exhaled the smoke, and said:

"Have you ever wondered why this warning only criticizes Yang Chengzan and doesn't mention the Marshal at all?"

Ding Foyan was stunned for a moment:

"What do you mean?"

Xue Da stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, glanced outside, leaned forward, and said in a low voice:

"This person is avoiding the main issue. Yang Chengzan is the head of the Preparatory Committee for the Establishment of the Monarchy. To criticize Yang Chengzan is to criticize the Preparatory Committee for the Establishment of the Monarchy; to criticize the Preparatory Committee for the Establishment of the Monarchy is to criticize the imperial system. But he doesn't directly criticize the Marshal because he knows that if he does, things will get very serious. So, he criticizes him indirectly."

Ding Fuyan frowned:

"So what?"

"Nothing much."

Xue Da Ke leaned back in his chair: "I just think this guy is very smart. He knows his limits, he knows what he can and can't write. Even if we catch him, it will be difficult to convict him."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Fan Zengxiang then asked:

"Who exactly is this person? Have you found out?"

Speaking of this, Xue Dake looked constipated:

"My friend in Shanghai said that just a month ago, this tabloid was publishing erotic content every day, and it was run by tabloid writers from the Qing Dynasty. At the beginning of the month, it suddenly changed drastically, and no one knows the reason behind it. I'm afraid only by finding the person in charge can we find out the truth."

"But... a former Qing dynasty journalist, capable of writing such an article? It's good enough that he didn't join us in advocating for an imperial system!"

"No, so there must be someone behind it!"

"Where is that person?"

"Can't find it! News from the French Concession says the registered address is fake, so finding it will be extremely difficult."

Xue Dake scratched his head in slight frustration: "That means we're fighting a newspaper that's hiding in the shadows, and nobody knows which party or faction is behind it."

The editing room was silent for a few seconds.

Given the current situation, there's no way to even bribe them.

This means that Yuan Yuntai's mission cannot be completed...

If the task isn't completed, the higher-ups won't approve funding; without funding, there's no way to rake in the money...

How can this be done?

"Master Xue, what do you think? Should we respond to this article?"

Ding Fuyan suddenly spoke.

Xue Dake thought for a moment, then shook his head:

No response.

Why?

"This tabloid was never supposed to leave the Shanghai International Settlement; hardly anyone in the world knew about it. But our response last time helped it gain notoriety, and now everyone looking for a spectacle is pulling strings to buy it. If this newspaper manages to leave the Settlement, we'll be in big trouble!"

"Too....."

Ding Fuyan was also able to clearly understand this stakes.

Xue Dake slammed his hand on the table and gave a stern order:

"Not responding is one thing, but this newspaper must not be allowed to circulate in Beiping."

He then looked at Ding Fuyan and commanded:

"Take this newspaper to the Military and Political Law Enforcement Office and tell Lei Zhenchun, that murderous scoundrel, that the newspaper's contents are inflammatory and that public opinion in Beiping must be controlled. The enthronement ceremony is imminent, and we cannot afford any trouble."

Ding Fuyan nodded and accepted.

Xue Dake then said to Fan Zengxiang:

"Go run an errand and deliver a copy to the Preparatory Committee for the Establishment of Peace and Order. Let them figure it out themselves. This is their business, not ours."

After giving his instructions, he stood up and stretched.

Because someone was selling candied hawthorns in the alley outside the newspaper office, and the soft sound drifted into the meeting room through the afternoon sunlight, making him feel happy.

Next, he should head south.

When he went to Shanghai to set up a branch, the Yuan family approved 300,000 silver dollars for him as funding. Half of it was used to establish the Asia Daily branch, and the other half was used to mobilize the press.

The attitude was very clear: he was to manage public opinion in Shanghai.

Whether or not you have the ability is another matter, but now that you have the money, you need to plan carefully how to spend it, one penny at a time...

.......

At midday, the sun was shining brightly on Shifuma Street.

Above the gate of the Prince Ke's Mansion, the signboard for the "Preparatory Committee for the Establishment of Peace" gleamed with a bronze luster in the sunlight.

This mansion is one of the eight iron-hat princely mansions of the Qing Dynasty, namely the Keqin Prince's Mansion.

The first Prince Keqin, Yue Tuo, was the eldest son of Prince Li, Daishan. He was an important general in the early Qing Dynasty and was posthumously granted the title of Prince after his death in the fourth year of the Chongde reign. His title was officially established as hereditary in the forty-third year of the Qianlong reign.

Therefore, this mansion was not built by Yue Tuo himself, but rather by imperial decree of his descendants in Beiping during the Shunzhi reign. Spanning nearly 260 years from the Shunzhi reign to the end of the Qing dynasty, and witnessing the rise and fall of dynasties from their peak to their decline, it witnessed the rise and fall of dynasties. Although not as grand as it was at its height, it was still a magnificent and prestigious residence within the inner city of Beiping.

Today, five carriages are parked in front of this mansion, their carriages painted with the emblem of the Beiyang government. The drivers lean against the carriages smoking, smoke billowing from their nostrils, rising and dissipating in the sunlight.

The five-colored flag of the Republic of China hangs above the gate, but inside the main house sit five people who have been working for the imperial system. There is no greater irony in history than this.

Yang Chengzan sat in the main seat, holding a copy of the "Strange News" newspaper, which he had already read three times.

Behind him hangs a plaque inscribed with "A Talented Man of Unparalleled Glory," written by Yuan Shikai himself and presented as a gift by the State Council.

The price was the essay "On Constitutional Monarchy as a Meaningful Precept," which Yuan Shikai regarded as a profound truth.

Apart from Li Zhuzhong, who was absent from the meeting, the other four members of the Preparatory Committee for the Establishment of Peace sat casually on either side of him. Each of them had a covered teacup on their table, and the fragrant aroma of Longjing tea wafted through the air.

But when it entered Yang Chengzan's nasal cavity, it tasted somewhat bitter.

Desperate to "achieve the merit of following the emperor," he was preoccupied with putting "the art of emperorship" into practice, but before he even began, he was ridiculed.

Damn it, where did these wild fleas come from...?

"Brother Yang, this article is aimed at you."

Uncle Liu Shen spoke first.

Yang Chengzan put down the newspaper and shook his head in dissatisfaction:

"They're targeting us. This person's writing is venomous, every word hitting the nail on the head, making it extremely difficult to refute."

Sun Zhuru chuckled a few times and said:

"Don't be too angry. This newspaper also criticized Liang Yinbing, which is fair. No one gets away with it."

Hu Ying smiled along, appearing very optimistic.

"That's right. I originally thought that with Liang Yinbing standing up, the co-governance faction would be crushed, but now some people are even criticizing him. I guess he's not feeling good about it either."

"Two different things..."

Yan Zongguang finally spoke, his voice aged: "To write with such force, one is no ordinary pedantic scholar. His arguments are somewhat like those of revolutionaries, but more incisive and insightful; his understanding of the ills of the time is beyond the reach of ordinary scholars... Is there a political force behind this? Is it an exile abroad? Or some disgruntled political faction?"

The oldest and most learned person immediately started labeling others, making it seem as if he was going to accuse the "Strange News" of being a "traitor," showing that he knew how to summon an unseen hand.

Everyone looked at Yang Chengzan.

Yang Chengzan took a sip of tea and clicked his tongue:

"We can't find anything. Xue Dake's connections in Shanghai and Shanghai are limited to this newspaper. A month ago, it was a tabloid about sex, and the person behind it was a former Qing dynasty journalist. Almost overnight, it changed its format. It switched to vernacular Chinese, added punctuation, and even changed the content. It dares to write about anything, mainly focusing on people's livelihood and politics."

Sun Zhuru suddenly spoke up: "Could it be that Huang Yuanyong did it secretly?"

Yang Chengzan shook his head and said:

"Huang Yuanyong's writing style isn't like that. He's also pedantic and likes to use allusions in his writing, with a predominantly classical style. This guy's writing is all in vernacular Chinese, and when he does use allusions, they're shallow and crude. If you had to pick someone who's already famous, Liang Yinbing is a better candidate... Besides, Huang Yuanyong is too busy taking care of himself right now, how could he have the time to write this?"

"Who could it be?"

"You ask me? How would I know?"

The six of them suddenly felt like they had entered a dead end.

It's like being in a war, lying in a trench, not even knowing which country your opponent is from, so you can't even show your face.

In other words, it's not even good to retaliate; it's too low-class.

Yang Chengzan thought further ahead and realized the most crucial point:

"This article places us alongside Liang Yinbing, and the reasons behind it are even more perplexing than those of the co-governance faction."

Uncle Liu Shen coughed twice and suggested:

"We cannot stand idly by; we must respond to this article."

"How should we respond? If you do this, won't you end up like Xue Dake, making a scene known to the whole world? Do you think the people will listen to you or the newspapers? If this blows up, the Marshal will definitely hold us accountable."

"There's no need for a direct response. These tabloids have limited influence; it's our newspapers that can determine the direction of public opinion. We should increase our efforts, publish more articles, and thoroughly explain the principles of constitutional monarchy so that the people know that constitutional monarchy is the right path to save the country. At the same time, I think we should use our connections to pressure the French Concession in Shanghai to demand that the Municipal Council shut down the newspapers, arrest the people behind them, and hand them over to Zheng Rucheng in Shanghai for trial."

"this......"

Yang Chengzan hesitated.

This is the normal procedure, but it's somewhat embarrassing to ask him to do something like suppressing scholars with military force.

Sun Zhuru also has low standards and doesn't seem to care:

"I think Uncle Shen is right. The most important thing now is to stabilize public opinion, put pressure on the Shanghai-Nanjing International Settlement on one hand, and explain the rationale for the imperial system on the other. What's wrong with using some methods? Anyway, it's not us who did it, so it won't dirty your hands."

Yang Chengzan sighed, lowered his head, and said:

"I'll go talk to the eldest young master about it... Xue Dake is heading south. Once he gets to Shanghai, there will probably be much less noise..."

"Heading south?"

"Yes, we're going there to open a branch of the Asia Daily. We brought a lot of money with us and plan to make some moves in the press."

"...In your opinion, could the 'Strange News' newspaper have been bribed?"

Hu Ying inquired.

Yang Chengzan glanced at him:

What do you think?

Hu Ying shook her head, pointed to the newspaper, and said with a hint of admiration:

"People who write this kind of article cannot be bribed."

.......

Night, Xidan Hutong.

An unassuming courtyard house, bare in front of the gate, with peeling paint on the vermilion gate and a plaque that reads "Lin Residence" hanging on it.

This is Lin Zhijun's home.

He studied in Japan in his early years, specializing in law and possessing extensive knowledge. After returning to China, he worked in the Ministry of Justice and had a close friendship with Liang Yinbing and others.

At this moment, two people were sitting in the study.

Besides Lin Zhijun himself, there was another man in his thirties, slightly overweight, with a very poor complexion.

Huang Yuanyong.

Each of them held a copy of the "Strange News Report".

Lin Zhijun watched intently, while Huang Yuanyong's gaze was unfocused, as if he were thinking about something else.

"call--"

In the end, Huang Yuanyong put down the newspaper first, took out a cigarette and lit it. The smoke came out of his nostrils, and he felt much more relaxed.

He looked at Lin Zhijun and asked softly:

What do you think?

Lin Zhijun blurted out:

"The description of law in it is quite brilliant, especially this sentence: 'If the law is only used to regulate the people and facilitate the officials, but cannot control those who can really break the law, then constitutionalism will forever be a pie on the wall, something you can see but can't eat.' Even in the legal circles of European and American countries, there are very few such ideas."

Having worked at the Ministry of Justice, he had witnessed many limitations of the law, and it can be said that this article, "What is the Pursuit of the Preparatory Committee?", resonated deeply with him.

Yuan Xiangcheng's wolfish ambitions are now no longer concealed.

The emergence of the Preparatory Committee for the Establishment of the State signifies that the preparatory work has entered its final stage.

He needs to distance himself from Yuan Shikai as soon as possible to avoid losing his integrity.

But what does it mean when a friend comes to him in the middle of the night to show him this?

Lin Zhijun put down the newspaper and tentatively asked:

"Yuanyong, you didn't come to see me just to discuss this article, did you?"

Huang Yuanyong did not answer, but took out a letter from his pocket and placed it on the table.

The envelope was addressed to Mr. Huang Yuanyong, but there was no return address, and the handwriting had an official air about it.

"Who wrote it?" Lin Zhijun asked.

Huang Yuanyong calmly replied, "The Presidential Palace."

Lin Zhijun opened the letter, quickly read it through, and his expression changed.

The letter was short and the wording was so polite that it made one's skin crawl.

The gist of it is that Yuan Shikai gave Huang Yuanyong an ultimatum, demanding that he write an article explicitly supporting the imperial system and then vote in favor of it.

The letter concluded with the sentence: "[The President greatly admires your talent and hopes that you will consider the bigger picture and the overall situation.]"

The subtext is "If you don't understand the bigger picture and disregard the overall situation, you will bear the consequences yourself," and the current predicament is self-evident.

Lin Zhijun carefully put the letter away and asked cautiously:

"Yuanyong, what are you thinking?"

Huang Yuanyong shook his head, his face ashen.

If he knew what to do, he wouldn't act like he was dying.

Lin Zhijun stood up, went to Huang Yuanyong's side, and patted him on the shoulder:

"You know Zhang Taiyan, right?"

"Know."

"So you have to make a decision as soon as possible. He is a veteran of the revolution, and Yuan Shikai would not dare to touch him easily, but you are different."

"..."

Huang Yuanyong fell silent.

Zhang Taiyan was a revolutionary elder and a literary leader. Two years ago, he was lured to Beiping and placed under house arrest for opposing Yuan Shikai. He refused to back down.

But Huang Yuanyong didn't have the same status as Zhang Taiyan. Yuan Xiangcheng didn't dare to touch Zhang Taiyan, so why wouldn't he dare to touch him?

It should be noted that the motto of the Military and Political Law Enforcement Bureau is "If you are wrongly arrested, you cannot be wrongly released." In their skill of fabricating charges, they rivaled the Ming Dynasty's Embroidered Uniform Guard. Dealing with a mere scholar like him was incredibly easy.

Lin Zhijun moved a stool and sat down in front of him:

"I know you've been blaming yourself for what happened a few years ago. But blaming yourself won't help now. You're sacrificing your life to prove your resolve to the world, to prove you still have a sense of duty."

"How can you prove it?"

"Let's go, find a way to leave Beiping, go to Shanghai, go to Hong Kong, go to America, anywhere is fine, sever ties with Yuan Shikai, and don't come back in the short term."

"Sigh...it all came down to this in the end..."

Looking at the copy of the "Strange News," Huang Yuanyong thought of some old friends: "But those wrong things were ultimately my doing. I betrayed the integrity of the newspaper and my conscience. So all these years, when my colleagues scolded me, I responded with silence and survived under Yuan Xiangcheng's coercion and enticement."

Lin Zhijun grasped his hand and said:

"So you should leave now, show your determination and your repentance with your actions, and no one will make things difficult for you!"

Huang Yuanyong finally made up his mind, and his voice became firm:

"I should sever all ties with the Asia Daily and with Yuan Shikai, and make the last bit of use for him. After that, I should go somewhere where no one knows me and spend the rest of my life in repentance."

Lin Zhijun nodded emphatically:

"When do you plan to leave?"

Huang Yuanyong stood up and said before leaving:

"The sooner the better. I want to go to Shanghai first and publicly break with them in the newspapers!"