As Jing Zhe was talking to Chen Jiannan, the waiter brought the dishes over. Seeing Jing Zhe calling Zhang Xiaoyu to eat, Chen Jiannan, who was about to leave, couldn't help but ask, "President Jing, I heard that you have a very good relationship with Master Pei of Kunlun Mirror?"
"Of course!"
Jing Zhe said.
Zhang Xiaoyu was already sitting at the table, but she looked listless and didn't seem to have much of an appetite.
"Is Lady Pei of the Kunlun Mirror or President Jing's sister?"
"Yes, that's my fourth sister."
Jing Zhe said proudly.
Having received an affirmative answer, Chen Jiannan asked curiously, "If that's the case, why did President Jing return from Kunlun Mirror so quickly?"
Jing Zhe was concerned about his reputation, so he naturally wouldn't say that he went there and ended up having a bad time. Instead, he said, "Sect Leader Pei did ask me to stay overnight, but you have to understand, it was our first time there, and it was late at night. It was already quite a disturbance. If I were to stay overnight, that would be very inconsiderate!"
Chen Jiannan nodded and then asked, "It's normal not to let them stay overnight, but President Jing arrived right around mealtime. Didn't they provide a meal?"
"Sect Leader Pei was very hospitable and kept inviting us to stay for dinner, but I wasn't hungry at all, so I declined."
Just as Jing Zhe finished speaking, Zhang Xiaoyu picked up a chicken leg and put it in his bowl. He hadn't eaten well on the way there at noon, and Jing Zhe was already starving. He subconsciously stuffed the chicken leg into his mouth and wolfed it down. He didn't look like he wasn't hungry at all; on the contrary, he looked like he hadn't eaten for many days!
Jing Zhe was already hungry, and after eating the chicken leg, he couldn't stop. Chen Jiannan wanted to interject, but Jing Zhe was so engrossed in eating that he hesitated several times before finally getting a chance to speak when Jing Zhe spat out the bones: "President Jing, didn't you say you weren't hungry?"
Jing Zhe's hand, which had just picked up the beef, froze in mid-air, then slowly lowered, his face serious.
"Editor-in-Chief Chen, when I was little, there was an old lady next door who lived to be over a hundred years old. Do you know why?"
"..."
Chen Jiannan was taken aback at first because the topic was too far off. However, after he realized what was going on, he was still very curious. After all, in this era, due to the limited medical level, seventy or eighty years old was considered a long life, let alone over a hundred years old.
So he immediately asked, "Why?"
"Because of this old lady..."
Jing Zhe glanced at him, and slowly squeezed out four words from his mouth, which was stuffed with chicken legs—
"Mind your own business!"
"..."
Chen Jiannan froze on the spot. He wasn't stupid, he was just a bit slow at times. How could he not understand Jing Zhe's meaning at this moment?
Isn't that just saying he's meddling in other people's business?
Jing Zhe seemed worried that Chen Jiannan might not be able to understand his implication, so he reminded him, "Editor-in-Chief Chen, although you are still young, you should try to live to be a hundred. If you live to be seventy or eighty, that's your own problem!"
"..."
Chen Jiannan only hesitated for three seconds before speaking.
"Um... thank you for your concern, President Jing. I will definitely try my best to live a few more years. Oh, President, I just remembered, I still need to go back and study the contents of the first issue of the Kunlun County branch newspaper. I won't disturb you and Miss Zhang's meal here any longer."
After saying that, Chen Jiannan didn't want to stay a moment longer and slunk away.
"Pfft~"
After Chen Jiannan closed the door and left, Zhang Xiaoyu, who had been listless and depressed, couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"My husband is so mean! Editor-in-Chief Chen was just being kind by asking if we had eaten, and you said those things about him!"
Zhang Xiaoyu's eyes narrowed into crescent moons as she covered her mouth and laughed.
Seeing that Zhang Xiaoyu's mood had improved, Jing Zhe praised Chen Jiannan in his heart, thinking to himself that he was finally of some use.
"I care about him too, I care about his health, and haven't you seen him thank me?"
After Jing Zhe finished speaking, he also put some food into Zhang Xiaoyu's bowl: "Xiaoyu, eat quickly!"
"Um."
Zhang Xiaoyu responded sweetly, seemingly having forgotten her earlier unpleasantness. However, her bright eyes were darting around, as if she were lost in thought.
...
Zhang Xiaoyu got up early the next morning.
Still gentle and virtuous, Zhang Xiaoyu helped Jing Zhe dress and wash up. As they ate the breakfast brought by the servants, she said, "Husband, with the government's advance publicity and Prefect Chen's full assistance, opening branches and stores in Kunlun County is actually too easy."
Jing Zhe ate the egg that Zhang Xiaoyu had peeled and nodded.
"So our most urgent task is to recruit more people and let them learn for a few days. By the time the first issue of the newspaper is published, they will have basically graduated. At that time, just like in Ruzhou, each department can leave people behind, and everyone can continue south to Jiangling. Think about it, it won't take long at all, maybe even three or four days."
After listening to Zhang Xiaoyu's words, Jing Zhe thought about it. Prefect Chen had already found a place. Indeed, as long as they recruited some new people and let them go through the newspaper distribution process, the first issue of the newspaper would be published, and the effect would be seen. Once they calculated it, the Kunlun County branch would be considered a success. It really wouldn't take more than a few days.
Seeing Jing Zhe nod, Zhang Xiaoyu smiled and said, "So, my husband, you don't need to stay in Kunlun County any longer. It would be better to head directly to Jiangling. After all, opening a branch of the Da'an Newspaper in Jiangling is much more difficult than in other places."
If my husband could go to Jiangling beforehand to make some preparations, we could meet up with him more quickly once we've finished our work in Kunlun County. Otherwise, I'm afraid it will take much longer!
Zhang Xiaoyu's suggestion was not without merit. After all, in terms of the entire An Kingdom, Jingzhou was number one in terms of xenophobia, and Jiangling was number two. However, if we were to rank the literary style, Jiangling, located in the Jiangnan water town, would undoubtedly be number one.
Jiangling has been home to many scholars and writers since ancient times; in fact, a large portion of the civil officials in the imperial court came from Jiangling.
There's a saying that if you randomly hit someone in Jingzhou, that person might become an official. But if you apply that saying to Jiangling, it means that if you randomly hit someone, they'll be able to compose poems and lyrics. This shows how much the people of Jiangling love poetry.
The newspaper published by Da'an Newspaper is a print publication with a literary section. Its sudden arrival in Jiangling would make the local people feel like they are "showing off their skills in front of Guan Yu".
Therefore, no matter how you look at it, opening a branch of the Da'an Newspaper in Jiangling was the most difficult. This is why Emperor An said that as long as the branch in Jiangling was successfully opened, the branches in other places could also be successfully opened.
Setting up a branch office in Gangneung is too difficult, so making thorough preparations in advance has become a top priority.
————
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