Chapter 72 I Want All of Jiangnan to Read My Story

The success of the super waterwheel solved the problem of spring irrigation in Jiayu County.

Chu Chongjin seized the opportunity and ordered Yan Ziche to simplify the waterwheel blueprints, print them into a booklet, and distribute it to various prefectures and cities in Jiangnan for widespread application.

For a time, the Ninth Prince and Princess Anguo's prestige in Jiangnan reached its peak.

The people even spontaneously built a shrine for Mu Yu, with incense burning every day, calling him the "Little Water God of Koi".

This continuous flow of faith solidified Mu Yu's blessed pond, stabilizing its water level at an extremely high level.

The price she paid was that she started sleeping more than before.

On this day, to celebrate the completion of the waterwheel and to reward the Xuanjia Army for their hard work, Chu Chongjin specially arranged for the newly appointed prefect to host a banquet at his residence.

At the banquet, one dish once again caught Mu Yu's attention.

It was that jade fish scale jelly that made her "lament that her life had been wasted."

This time, however, it's strawberry flavored.

The delicate pink fish scale jelly, adorned with bright red strawberry pieces, looks incredibly appetizing.

Mu Yu held a silver spoon in one hand and a small bowl in the other, her little mouth bulging as she ate, looking like a hamster.

Mu Fang, Chu Chongjin, and the others couldn't help but laugh at her satisfied little face.

"Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you." Mu Fang affectionately wiped the jam from the corner of her mouth.

Mu Yu swallowed a large mouthful and sighed contentedly.

"It's so delicious!"

She poked at the remaining fish scale jelly in the bowl with her spoon and suddenly said something out of the blue.

"Fish scale jelly is made by adding fish scales and many other ingredients."

"A waterwheel is made by adding pieces of wood and lots and lots of bamboo tubes."

"It takes one person plus many, many people to defeat the bad guys."

She raised her head and looked at Chu Chongjin.

"Ninth Brother, do we now connect so many people together?"

Children's innocent words, however, caused the adults present to fall into deep thought.

Xiao Beichen was confused: "What are you saying, Xiaoyuer? We've always been together."

Yan Ziche's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

He understood what Mu Yu meant.

Whether it's fish scale jelly or a waterwheel, both involve organically organizing and connecting scattered elements in a certain way, thereby unleashing a power far exceeding that of a single individual.

And everything they are doing in Jiangnan now—disaster relief, pacifying the people, and promoting waterwheels—is actually a process of "connection."

The people's hearts, which had been scattered by the disaster, were reunited.

"The princess is right!" Yan Ziche slammed his hand on the table excitedly. "We need to connect not only people, but also information!"

Chu Chongjin looked at him.

"Ziche, what do you mean?"

"Let's start a newspaper!" Yan Ziche said decisively.

"Start a government gazette!"

Everyone present was stunned.

The Imperial Gazette was an official document used by the imperial court to convey government orders. How could local governments have the right to create one on their own?

“No, it’s not an official gazette,” Yan Ziche explained. “We can call it ‘New Trends of Jiayu’ or ‘Jiangnan Times’.”

"The government does not publish decrees; it only publishes things that the people care about."

"For example, the construction methods and usage tips for waterwheels."

"For example, the spring epidemic prevention prescription provided by Xie Zhiwei, the grandson of Doctor Xie."

“For example…” Yan Ziche glanced at Mu Yu, who was licking her spoon, and laughed, “We could serialize ‘The Legend of the Koi Water God’!”

"Write down all the stories of how the princess warned of piping, stopped the flow with a single finger, purified the assassin, and gave a definitive answer with a single sentence!"

"In this way, not only can our good policies and benevolence be spread throughout Jiangnan as quickly as possible, but the image of the princess as an 'auspicious' deity can also be thoroughly rooted in people's hearts!"

"In this way, any slander and rumors spread by people like Sikong Ming will be completely exposed! This is the real solution!"

An unprecedented light shone in Chu Chongjin's eyes.

What a brilliant Yan Ziche!

What a great "connection information"!

If Mu Yu intuitively pointed out the core of the "organization," then Yan Ziche devised a complete, feasible, and powerful execution plan.

If we don't occupy the battleground of public opinion, the enemy will.

Previously, they were merely passively debunking rumors, but Yan Ziche's proposal was to take the initiative and firmly grasp the power of discourse in the entire Jiangnan region!

"Alright!" Chu Chongjin decided immediately, "This matter will be entirely in your hands!"

"The Prefectural Governor's Office will fully cooperate in printing and distribution, providing manpower and funds as needed!"

Mu Fang clapped his hands and laughed.

"I'll send another hundred elite Xuanjia soldiers to act as 'deliverymen' to ensure that this copy of the 'Jiangnan Times' is distributed throughout all the prefectures and counties of Jiangnan within three days!"

A brainstorming session sparked by fish scale jelly gave birth to the first truly independent newspaper in the Great Chu Kingdom.

Unbeknownst to everyone, the wheels of history were gently pushed forward by a greedy little koi carp.

A few days later, the first issue of "Jiangnan Times" was published.

The front page headline, in bold, reads: "A divine gift descends from the heavens, relieving the worries of thousands of acres with a single cart: A detailed explanation of the construction method of the super waterwheel!"

Next to it is an extremely detailed waterwheel structure diagram drawn by Yan Ziche himself.

The second version is the first chapter of "The Legend of the Little Koi Water God": Fighting the Tiger King, Subduing the Divine Beast, Princess Anguo Shows Her Power for the First Time.

The story is full of twists and turns, making it captivating.

The newspaper caused a sensation in Jiangnan as soon as it was published.

Countless people eagerly passed it around; those who could read read it aloud, while those who couldn't gather around to listen with great interest.

Farmers, especially those struggling with irrigation, were overjoyed to receive the newspaper and immediately gathered the village carpenters to begin making a copy.

The story of "The Little Water God of Koi" became the latest material for storytellers, spreading throughout the streets and alleys of Jiangnan.

Mu Yu's blessed pond receives a steady and continuous stream of golden faith power from all directions every day.

Her "Dragon Gate progress bar" thus slowly but steadily rose by one small bar.

The situation in Jiangnan is more stable than ever before.

Chu Chongjin looked at all this, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

He decided to add fuel to the fire for this city that had survived the catastrophe.

"Pass down the order," he said to the prefect, "that the Qixi Festival will be in three days."

“The prefectural governor’s office funded a grand Qixi Lantern Festival in Jiayu County.”

"Let all the people take to the streets to see the lanterns, celebrate the festival, forget the disaster, and welcome a new life."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

As soon as the decree was issued, the entire Jiayu County was in an uproar.

Everyone is filled with anticipation for the upcoming lantern festival.

Mu Yu was no exception.

She heard about the grand scale of the lantern festival from Su Wan'er.

"...At that time, the whole city will be filled with all kinds of lanterns, including rabbit lanterns, lotus lanterns, and very long dragon lanterns!"

"The river is also filled with wishing lanterns, like stars falling from the sky into the water, it's so beautiful!"

Mu Yu felt a strong urge to join in as she listened to Su Wan'er's description.

Although she cannot see, she can imagine.

It must have been a lively, warm, and delicious scene.

She decided that she, too, would become a lamp.

A unique lamp.