Chapter 169: The Imperial Newspaper

"Why has Your Majesty suddenly come to the Eastern Depot today?"

"If there is something to arrange, you need only send word to your servants—this old servant will see it done properly. There's no need to trouble Your Majesty to come in person." Wang Cheng'en, along with a crowd of agents, led the Chongzhen Emperor and his party to the place where business was usually discussed, saying with a smile.

The agents had offended countless people over the years, and it was only by relying on serving the imperial house that they had been able to throw their weight around to this day. Now that they had finally met their patron and backer, they naturally vied to show their warmth and concern, greeting him as if he were their own father—not a trace of their usual arrogant and domineering demeanor to be seen.

Wherever the current Chongzhen Emperor went, he was buried under a mountain of flattery. At first it felt rather pleasant, but after hearing so much of it he realized it was all the same, and he had long since developed an expression of unruffled composure.

The Chongzhen Emperor unceremoniously sat in the seat Wang Cheng'en usually occupied and said, "This matter is very important. If I do not give the orders in person, I cannot rest easy at heart."

Hearing this, Wang Cheng'en's expression tightened. He thought for a moment and said, "Could Your Majesty be referring to the Fushe affair from last time? This old servant has already given instructions to Chiliarch Li—by now they should have just left the capital region."

"If Your Majesty has additional orders, this old servant can send the mounted agents to catch up with them right now—there should still be time."

"That won't be necessary. Cheng'en, I have great faith in your abilities." The Chongzhen Emperor waved his hand, gesturing for him to lean in close, and said in a low voice: "I wish to establish a Great Ming newspaper, published daily, to inform the common people of the realm of strange tales, great affairs, and small matters occurring throughout our Ming lands in written form. Tell me, Cheng'en, do you have any thoughts on this?"

In truth, the Chongzhen Emperor had long harbored this idea. Previously, he had been too busy trying to save his own skin as he watched himself being squeezed to death by the combined efforts of Courier Xiao Li and Dorgon, and so had no time for it—which was why he had let those Donglin monkeys do their jumping about before his eyes.

Now that the threat of hanging himself from a southeastern branch had been lifted, the Chongzhen Emperor naturally wanted to sort through the affairs that had piled up last year, launch his first Five-Year Plan, and deal with the Donglin monkeys.

The reason the Fushe had been able to reach the point of "wielding court power from afar" was nothing more than four words—the terror of public opinion.

Although the common people of the Ming were not stupid and possessed basic judgment, they still lacked subjective consciousness. Especially those poor folk so simple-minded they defied belief—whoever gave them milk was their mother, and they took every wind as a sign of rain.

Add to that their bone-deep admiration and reverence for the learned, and the Fushe—that pyramid-scheme-like organization of later fame—had actually grown into a gathering place for men of ambition and principle. It was truly exasperating.

Of course, one couldn't do as Little Li did and club every landlord and scholar to death with a single stick—if that happened, the day the Great Ming went down with them would not be far off.

Men like Fang Yizhi and Chen Zilong, renowned in later ages as loyal and righteous, naturally deserved to have their talents put to proper use, given the opportunity to serve the court. But harmful elements like Song Zhengyu and Hou Fangyu—those, of course, one would want to see with heads rolling and blood flowing like rivers before feeling satisfied.

Wang Cheng'en's eyes lit up. He thought to himself, why had he never considered this before? His mind turned rapidly, and he said, "I report to Your Majesty—this plan is workable."

"The people of our realm are simple and ignorant of affairs. The Fushe villains exploit precisely this to delude the people into opposing the court. Once the newspaper is established, bearing the imperial name and backed by the might of the Son of Heaven, the Fushe villains will surely be shamed by comparison and collapse like water rushing downhill."

After Wang Cheng'en finished speaking, the eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, Wang Dehua, who stood nearby, also said, "What Eunuch Wang says is most true. Your Majesty is sagely—using a newspaper to correct public perception, the days of the Fushe villains are numbered!"

"Mm, then let it be called the Imperial Newspaper. As for how often it should be published, what are your views?" The Chongzhen Emperor nodded and asked further.

Wang Cheng'en said, "Your Majesty, publishing once every two days would be the safer course. This old servant's Eastern Depot can gather the personnel, select a location, and collect materials—two days should be enough to have everything more or less prepared."

"The first issue must contain important content—the true dealings of the Donglin partisans must be made clear, so that the people may know the truth." The Chongzhen Emperor thought for a moment, then added, "Also, the actions of the depots and guards in various regions in smashing and suppressing the Donglin academies should be portrayed as righteous and justified. I needn't teach you that, need I?"

"This old servant understands." Wang Cheng'en said respectfully, then suddenly added, "Your Majesty, however, this old servant still feels that when the newspaper is first established, it would be best not to suppress the scholars too harshly—otherwise it may easily provoke backlash from the realm's readers and scholars."

The moment Wang Cheng'en said this, everyone around fell silent. To openly contradict the Emperor's words before all present—only Eunuch Wang would dare.

The Chongzhen Emperor did not fly into a rage as many had expected. Instead, he nodded with great composure and said, "Mm, reasonable. Continue."

In truth, Wang Cheng'en was still somewhat nervous inside, feeling he had been presumptuous, but before the assembled crowd he calmly nodded and said, "Yes, Your Majesty."

"For these many years, the reputation for purity and integrity of the Fushe and the scholars has long spread throughout the realm. Our Imperial Newspaper can proceed step by step. That heretical book was written by Zhang Cai, and this old servant's Eastern Depot happens to possess quite a bit of information about him—this time we can release it all. That will be more than enough to give them a bitter drink."

The Chongzhen Emperor nodded his approval, rose, and walked while pointing at Wang Cheng'en with a smile, saying, "Boiling the frog in warm water? You really are something!"

"What you say does carry some logic to my ears. Proceed as you suggest, but you must not be overly frivolous—there must be solid evidence!"

Wang Cheng'en hastily waved to signal the agents to see them off, and gave an embarrassed smile himself, saying:

"This is all due to His Majesty's excellent guidance. It is because of His Majesty that the Great Ming now enjoys this resurgence. What is this old servant's small contribution compared to that?"

"Hahaha, prepare the carriage—to Kunning Palace!"

News of the Chongzhen Emperor's return to Kunning Palace had long since been announced to Empress Zhou by the servants. When the Chongzhen Emperor arrived, he saw at a glance the Empress standing outside waiting, her belly large with child.

Immediately, the Chongzhen Emperor quickened his steps, supported her, and said, "Why has the Empress come out? Did I not say that since the Empress carries my imperial son, she need not trouble herself with these formalities?"

Hearing the Chongzhen Emperor's words of deep concern, Empress Zhou blushed and said shyly, "Your concubine idles away the whole day in Kunning Palace. If I don't come out for a walk now and then, I'll become dull-witted."

"Haha, the Empress speaks truly. All of you, withdraw." Supporting Empress Zhou as she sat on the couch, the Chongzhen Emperor waved his hand and said.

"Your Majesty, you have not gone to see Noble Consort Yuan lately, and your concubine here is unable to serve Your Majesty properly." Saying this, Empress Zhou seemed to want to say more but hesitated, then said uncertainly, "Perhaps... Your Majesty should select new consorts from among the people?"

Hearing this, the Chongzhen Emperor's face was full of embarrassment, and he rejected it on the spot: "I am not anxious about this—it is the Empress who has brought it up first."

Then, grinding his teeth, the Chongzhen Emperor said, "My affairs have been numerous and complex of late; the matter of selecting consorts from among the people can be set aside for now. As for this Fushe that has so besmirched the imperial reputation—if I do not eradicate it completely, I shall never swallow this bitter anger!"

Empress Zhou knew well the ancestral precept that the inner palace must not interfere in governance. Hearing the Chongzhen Emperor speak thus, she could only nod thoughtfully, lie quietly in his arms, and mention it no more.

Before long, Empress Zhou spoke again: "Your Majesty, Meichuo has reached the age for marriage. Last time Your Majesty did not take a liking to the Imperial Son-in-law candidate—is there anyone suitable this time?"

Indeed, the Princess Changping ought to find a good family to marry into, or else she would become an old maid. Thinking of this, the Chongzhen Emperor lowered his head and asked:

"Does the Empress have someone in mind?"

"The son of Chief Grand Secretary Wei of the current court—he is twenty-eight this year, and a juren by examination. What does Your Majesty think?" Empress Zhou said.

Hearing this, the Chongzhen Emperor immediately shook his head like a rattle-drum, saying rapidly:

"No, no. When the Empress selects an Imperial Son-in-law for Changping, don't only look at those who are pleasing to the eye but useless in practice."

"Let us discuss this another time. Now that the Empress has brought it up, I do have a rather good candidate in mind."