Man Tang Huacai

Chapter 209 Paving the Way

Imperial City, Secretary Province.

Chen Xilie hurried to the newspaper office and was surprised to find that the new Di newspaper was already being printed.

The engravers are already engraving spare templates for simultaneous printing, and the craftsmen are folding the newly printed newspapers, a busy but orderly scene.

"How can it be so fast?"

Chen Xilie couldn't believe it. He quickly stepped forward and grabbed a newspaper. It looked like it was actually a new Di newspaper.

The first piece of news was that Li Jie, Li Guan's son, was the heir to the throne of King Xu. Looking at the second piece of news, Li Guan plotted to suppress his brother's son and was not granted the title. He was convicted and demoted to the Duke of Ying State and dismissed from his official position.

After that, a judgment was published by the late "Qing Qian Scholar" Zhang. In short, it was said that the succession of a father to a son was a matter of course and his nephew was not allowed to cheat.

"Father shows off his son Mu, a rite of passage that lasts for thousands of years; inheritance from ancestors is the way to be passed down from generation to generation. If the flesh and blood are dull, the beauty of the dove will prosper; if the blood attributes are different, where can the son of a cockroach be sent?"

Chen Xilie looked familiar, and then remembered that the question he asked during the civil service examination was based on this sentence, and he himself wrote it down for Xue Baiqian at that time.

Looking at the next few messages, some talk about farming. They excerpted it from "Essentials of Qi Min" and added detailed explanations. They talked about how to treat cattle and sheep diseases, how to use dung to grow millet, and how to prevent and control pests; others said Regarding literary affairs, students were reminded again that they can borrow books from the East Campus; and finally, there were many praises and praises.

The duplicate copies of the Di newspaper were still full. Chen Xilie could not figure out how Xue Bai could produce such a complete engraving in just one or two days.

Unexpectedly, when he asked, Xue Bai said it.

"Simple, only three or four Shiwen are current, and the rest are prepared in advance. For example, there are several sets of engravings of "Essential Art of Qi Min"."

"That's really the case. The others are not Shi Wen."

"Engraving is also very particular, how to arrange it, how to divide it into sections, and some of the pages use movable type directly. There is a lot of knowledge involved. If Prime Minister Zuo wants to know, we can find an opportunity to explain it slowly."

Chen Xilie smiled and waved his hand and said: "The saint has planned to set up another newspaper academy. I, the secretary and the young supervisor, will not be able to take care of it soon, not to mention that the staff is still busy with errands. We might as well talk about where Mr. Xue wants to go if he gets promoted. High position?"

In fact, what he wanted to talk about more was who he wanted to recommend to take charge of the affairs of the newspaper institute after Xue Bai left.

Li Linfu already had very mature ideas about the official position in the newspaper academy. It is planned to have one Yuanzhi, an official of the fourth rank; two Yuan Cheng, an official of the sixth rank; four chief editors, starting from the seventh rank; editors, reviewers and other officials, starting from the ninth rank; the rest are officials and craftsmen .

The director of the academy can probably only be appointed by a saint to be in charge of review and supervision. Li Linfu knew this well. What he wanted to find were the official positions of director and editor-in-chief, which were really responsible for doing things, and they must be in his hands.

And Xue Bai's cooperation is also crucial. He was the first to create Di Bao. Whether the recommended officials can get the approval of the saint, Xue Bai has a very important say; editors, reviewers, officials, craftsmen, etc. must continue Use the existing ones; in addition, the distribution channel of Di Bao is still in Xue Bai's hands.

It is crucial that these issues are settled.

"What does the left prime minister mean?"

"When one first enters an official position and is appointed as a local official, the captain of Ji County is the best. Is Mr. Xue interested in Ji County of Taiyuan?"

"There is no rush." ​​Xue Bai said: "I am young and have little qualifications. It is better to study more with Zuo Xiang in the Secretariat Department."

Chen Xilie smiled and said: "You are a talented number one scholar, what else can you learn from an old man like me? It is better to be promoted early to avoid long nights and dreams."

Xue Bai was too lazy to talk to him and said, "After finishing this issue of the Di newspaper, I have to accompany you to Huaqing Palace. Please forgive me for not being able to accompany you."

Chen Xilie was still waiting to say anything more, but when he saw this guy turning around to leave, he couldn't help but become anxious.

After Xue Bai has been with the Huaqing Palace for a few months, he is afraid that he has finalized the official candidates for the newspaper office with the saint. By then, Yang Dang will have direct access to the saint and control public opinion. This is definitely not an outcome acceptable to the right prime minister.

"The Chang'an County Lieutenant is really bad and against the rules. Apart from that, what else are you interested in? I will fight for you."

At this time, Xue Bairuo believed Chen Xilie. When the left minister changed his mind, he had to be passive again, so he still did not disclose it. He only said: "You don't have to worry about me, left minister. I will think about it again."

~~

In the wine shops and teahouses of Chang'an City, there are still vendors selling folk tabloids, often targeting well-dressed drinkers.

These people who want to make friends with the powerful are most interested in the private affairs of the powerful, and it is difficult to find out about them even if they try their best to find out.

Just as the contents of the popular "Tianbao Shiwen" were circulating, the official newspaper quickly overturned the gossip.

Since the saint can allow Li Guan's son to inherit the title, it is enough to prove that the rumors are false.

……

After handling this matter, Xue Bai went to meet Du Jin again.

"You are not partial at all." Du Jin said: "You completely suppressed the news in our people's newspaper."

"Not showing favoritism will prevent people from suspecting that the People's Daily is also run by us."

"Is there really no doubt?"

"Maybe." Xue Bai said: "But if I want to spread rumors, I shouldn't use newspapers, which will make everyone doubt me, as long as you leave no traces."

"Don't worry." Du Jin said, "I have bought a bookshop a long time ago. The craftsmen in the bookshop are the ones who use the woodblocks. Their skills are average. After printing the newspaper, these people have all been sent to Yangzhou."

"What about the divergent channels?"

"I hired a group of people to deliver the newspapers to several restaurants and teahouses and asked them to help distribute them. I didn't avoid Fengweilou. They had experience with Di newspaper and they were very willing."

"Ten bucks a piece?"

"We confiscated the money, but after all, the government did not require free delivery. Restaurants and tea shops also have to make profits from it."

Xue Bai was very cautious and asked: "Where is the person who delivered the newspaper?"

"Hired, we haven't seen anyone from the beginning." Du Jin said: "I didn't deliberately lead Li Qiu or Chen Xilie. Let Beiya go and check, they can't find us."

"Then who published "Pearl Birthmark"?"

"I listened to you and sent this story to several booksellers. Some of them polished it and published it and sold it for money. It has nothing to do with us."

"Don't worry, all the clues have been cut off."

As he said that, Du Jin felt slightly proud and said: "And I copied all the contents from the rumors they spread. Not a single word is our opinion. How can we be traced?"

"That's good."

What they did was nothing more than to publish what Li Qiu and Chen Xilie had done, transforming it from word-of-mouth fantasies into real words, concrete and exaggerated, and combined the two independent things into one, ahead of time. presented to the emperor.

~~

Beiya prison.

"Here I go, I think those two children are not my brother's biological children, they must be the result of an affair between Xu and someone else. Since there is no evidence, I asked the steward to go to the back house of the palace to lay out false evidence... I admit this."

Li Qiu lowered his head with an unlucky look on his face and said, "But I didn't spread the rumors. I don't think the people who had an affair with the Xu family were Li Zhen and Zhang Bian. It should be someone else."

"Who?"

"I don't know." Li Qiu said.

"Then have you spread any rumors about Xu's affair with anyone?" Chen Xuanli asked, "To be honest, I can find them all."

"Have."

"What did you say?"

"Just because Mrs. Xu had an affair with someone, the child is not my brother's."

"So simple? No one even knows the adulterer's name?"

Li Qiu was stunned for a moment and said, "Why are you so detailed?"

Chen Xuanli asked: "Do you know that Li Zhen, Li Xuan, Zhang Bian, Xue Bai and others have said that they want to prevent you from seizing an heir?"

"Know...know."

"So, when you spread rumors, you accused them of having an affair with the Xu family?"

"This……"

Li Qiu never thought about whether the servant's work would turn out like this. He just felt that Chen Xuanli was a bit verbose. He admitted the most important charges and still bothered with these trivial matters.

Chen Xuanli asked again: "Who did you find to publish those newspapers?"

"I...I didn't find anyone to publish the newspaper."

"Ask me again." Chen Xuanli's face turned grim, "Who did you find the newspaper for?"

Li Qiuzheng didn't know how to answer. Suddenly, a guard came in a hurry and reported a few words to Chen Xuanli.

~~

"Reporting to the saint, I have found the source of the rumor."

"explain."

"Li Guancai fell ill, and Li Guan bribed a group of idle men to go to various restaurants in Qingmen to spread rumors that Xu was having an affair with someone; but the rumors about Zhang Bian and Xue Bai were spread by someone else...I have verified it, and it is indeed true. Two groups of people.”

"Who?"

"Chen Zhen bought a group of scoundrels in Nanqu, Pingkangfang. One of them followed Xue Bai and said everywhere that 'the number one scholar has a close relationship with Mrs. Guo Guo'."

"Who is Chen Zhen?"

"He is the son of the left prime minister."

Li Longji was not surprised at all, and asked with a calm expression: "Where did Chen Xilie publish the newspaper?"

"The people who originally distributed the newspapers didn't take any money from them. They haven't been found, so they must have withdrawn... Presumably, it's not unusual for the left prime minister to be in charge of the Secretariat and publish some newspapers."

"I'm just curious." Li Longji asked lightly, "Since he is in charge of the Secretariat Province, why does the newspaper he publishes be so poorly made?"

Chen Xuanli didn't know whether the saint's words were angry or sarcastic, so he responded cautiously: "I don't know."

"No need to check anymore."

"According to the order."

Gao Lishi couldn't help but wonder and asked: "Why did the saint put it down so gently?"

"It's just those thoughts, boring." Li Longji said lightly: "Li Qiu even wanted to seize the title left by his brother, while Chen Xilie saw the power of the newspaper office, and the two hit it off. General Gao, look, flies are flying around , what else could it be for?" "Is it the Prime Minister Zuo who publishes reports for the Ying Kingdom?" Gao Lishi was surprised: "But the Prime Minister Zuo and King Si Xu are officials in the same Yamen, and they have a harmonious relationship..."

Halfway through, he smiled bitterly, shook his head, and said with emotion: "This old servant understands the reason for this matter. It is a saint who has unique insight."

"It's too transparent, and it loses a lot of interest."

"No wonder the saint wants to separate the Press Court from the Secretary's Office." Gao Lishi said: "It turns out that the left prime minister is prohibited from getting involved in the Press Court."

Li Longji smiled lightly, and once again showed the expression of standing in the clouds, looking down at all living beings, and understanding everything.

All the ministers were very keen and realized the power of publishing newspapers and wanted to seize it. Like a group of dogs pushing and shoving, looking at the bones in his hand, but he is not in a hurry to throw the bones out. He needs to see which dog is loyal and which is not.

Occasionally for a moment or two, Li Longji also considered the roles of Li Zhen, Zhang Bian, Xue Bai and others in this matter.

However, he saw clearly and knew that Xue Bai only wanted to exchange the power of publishing newspapers for a promoted official position, and had already been seeking an official position through the Yang sisters. Li Zhen and Zhang Bian were his favorites.

In this way, it is already clear what result he wants.

"General Gao, please draw up a few decrees on the appointment of officials. If you continue to pass on the decree, you will go to Huaqing Palace tomorrow..."

~~

Fengwei Building.

Du Jin turned over, looked at Xue Bai curiously, and asked: "Actually, I don't fully understand yet. If we work hard to do this, the benefits will be too little, right?"

"Using Li Qiu's fraudulent attack to seize the title, you can frame the two prime ministers to prevent them from causing trouble to me?"

"It's too risky." Du Jin, who knew Xue Bai best, said: "If it is just for this purpose, there is no need to do this. In fact, the safest way is to be honest with the imperial concubine."

"Let you try to publish a private newspaper? It's just a small test."

"I originally planned to pursue it slowly, but because you wanted to do this, I had to avoid it for a while. What else is the purpose?"

Xue Bai said: "There's nothing wrong with it. This is a way to test the clan's reaction and make friends with a group of people."

"Ok?"

"Li Wei from the Taichang Temple Ceremony. His father Li Yixun was framed by Li Qiu. I can win his favor by doing this. In addition, many people in Zongzheng Temple also hate Li Qiu."

"They didn't know it was us."

"I printed the Di newspaper." Xue Bai said matter-of-factly: "As soon as the Di newspaper comes out, pay close attention. Li Qiu was demoted and dismissed from office, which is very satisfying, isn't it?"

Du Jin asked, "But what's the use of making friends with these clan members?"

Xue Bai smiled slightly, looking a little mysterious.

He rarely hid things from her, but he was not in a hurry to reveal everything about this matter. He muttered: "We have offended Li Heng to death, and the clan still has a lot of say in the matter of abolishing the establishment."

"Thinking so far ahead?" Du Jin bit Xue Bai's shoulder and asked, "I think you want the heart of Li Guan's widow, Mrs. Xu, right? She will definitely be grateful to you once the newspaper comes out. Extremely sad, maybe I wish I could commit myself to you."

Xue Bai shook his head, but he really hadn't thought about this aspect.

Du Jin refused to let him have the energy to please Mrs. Xu, so she whispered in his ear: "I want to eat alone..."

~~

The next day, to the sound of morning drums, Xue Bai walked through the streets of Chang'an and arrived at Mrs. Guo's house.

At the gate of the mansion, servants were coming in and out, and they were all busy preparing their luggage. Although Lishan Mountain was not far away, they brought all the utensils they needed and filled many carts with them.

When they arrived at the inner courtyard, they saw Mingzhu waiting for Yang Yuyao to comb her hair. Qinglan had already prepared herself and was standing aside holding a package.

"You concubine, let her put the package down and pick it up after a while, she won't be tired."

As soon as Xue Bai arrived, Yang Yuyao made fun of Qing Lan.

She was wearing men's clothes today because she sometimes had to ride a horse on the road. She stepped forward and hugged Xue Bai's arm and asked, "Am I so good-looking?"

"Better handsome than me."

"Pah, are you already busy with your official duties? But so many things happened unexpectedly."

"I finished last night."

Yang Yuyao felt relieved. She was a caring person and said softly: "Then when the road is flat, you can sleep on the carriage for a while."

Xue Bai said: "It is better to be cautious at this time. I will accompany you as Tai Lecheng, and I will come to find you secretly when I get to Lishan Mountain."

This is because Yang Yuhuan has already arranged for Tai Lecheng to accompany him, and he has no reason to follow Yang Yuyao's carriage.

"Come over that night, and I'll help you get rid of the fatigue."

Yang Yuyao said softly, turned around and assumed the posture of a male fox, and ordered: "Let's go."

……

The residences of Yang Zhao and the three Yang sisters are all in Xuanyangfang. In addition, Yang Zhao is now very effective in managing the Taifu, so he also moved the residence to the south of Xuanyangfang. This time, five Yang cousins ​​and sisters were required to drive with them, arranging their carriages and horses like a fight against the rich.

Suddenly, the scene was spectacular.

The five teams of carriages and horses of the Yang family are decorated in different ways. From a distance, they are all hung with red silk cloth. But when you look closer, you can see that the five red colors are different, like clouds and clouds gathering together, like the glow of hundreds of flowers.

The servants accompanying him were all well-dressed, but what was more eye-catching were the maidservants, who were dressed in colorful silks, showing their arms as white and tender as lotus roots. They were wearing a dazzling array of jewelry, and the fragrance from their bodies filled Chang'an.

In this way, they left the city all the way, and then joined the imperial guards outside the city.

Looking around, I saw flags all over the sky, like a war.

Xue Bai rode away from the Yang family's motorcade and soon became trapped among the officials, unable to find the location of Taile Department.

"Xue Lang, what are you looking for?" Zhang Bian asked as he lifted the curtain in a luxurious carriage.

"Go back to the temple, sir, I can't find the team from the Taiyue Department."

"I'll take you there."

Zhang Bian was overjoyed. He immediately said goodbye to his wife, got out of the car and got on his horse.

However, he did not take Xue Bai to find the team from Taile Department, but quickly got together with Si Qi Wang Li Zhen, Si Xue King Li Qi and others.

"Look, who I brought here."

"Xue Lang did a great job. Once the newspaper comes out, can he still spread rumors about teaching Li Qiu a dog thief?"

Li Zhen was particularly enthusiastic about Xue Bai, as if they had suffered together through this incident.

"You're welcome, King Qi. I was just doing what a minister should do."

"Li Qiu stole the chicken but lost the rice." Li Zhen looked very happy and said: "I have just accepted the order, do you know what official position I have now?"

Xue Bai pretended to be stunned and asked, "But... Lantai Taishi and Secretary Supervisor are in person?"

"Hahaha, exactly!"

Li Zhen looks up to the sky and laughs, her movements are free and open-minded, she really looks like Li Longji.

After saying that, he waved to the successor King Xue, Li Xuan, and asked: "Guess again, what position does my third brother hold?"

Xue Bai looked over and saw that Li Xuan was just smiling slightly, looking very calm and restrained.

"King Xue has been appointed Zong Zhengqing?"

"good."

"Congratulations to King Xue."

Li Xuan nodded and said: "Xue Lang is really smart. You and I should get closer to each other in the future."

"I can't ask for it."

"It would be nice if Li Qiu vomited out all the titles he had earned over the years." Li Zhen smiled, and then said, "Do you know who the secretary, the young supervisor, has been?"

"Isn't it always the left prime minister?"

"The saint sympathized with his hard work and appointed Wei Shu as secretary and supervisor to take charge of the compilation of books."

Xue Bai responded: "The Prime Minister Zuo is indeed working too hard."

Everyone continued to chat, and then they talked about a small matter.

"Prince Qing was determined to find an official position for his heir, and he finally got it this time."

"I heard that Li Qiu was promised secretary eunuch." Zhang Bian said, "But now he belongs to King Qi, right?"

"What you lose in the east is what you gain in mulberry trees." Li Zhen said: "The sage appointed Li Qiu as Wei Qing."

"Really?" Zhang Bian pondered for a moment.

"As for the position of palace eunuch, it was given to Li Chenghong. You see, brothers Li Guan and Li Qiu, one is dead and the other is demoted, everyone is happy."

"Yes, everyone is happy."

Several clan dandies laughed.

Xue Bai drove his horse to deliberately fall behind them and only smiled along with them.

In this matter, he only paved the way for the future a little bit, without getting any obvious benefits, and no official position fell on him.

Of course, he wasn't looking for this official position...

　The second chapter will be later, don’t wait~~ I recommend a book "The Thief", everyone can read it~~

　　

(End of this chapter)