Seeing Jing Zhe's excited expression, Emperor An was also very pleased.
Jing Zhe helped Emperor An so much that Emperor An didn't know how to reward him in a way that would make him feel it was fair.
Even Andy felt that no matter what he did, it was insignificant compared to what Andy had done for him.
He granted himself immortality, ensuring his place in history and becoming the greatest and most enlightened monarch in the history of Anguo. Emperor An felt he had no way to repay this favor, so he could only offer up his pardon.
Fortunately, he liked it very much.
This made Emperor An feel much better.
"This get-out-of-jail-free card is yours!"
Emperor Andi handed over the token.
"Your Majesty, to the best of my knowledge, since the founding of the nation, this pardon has never been bestowed upon anyone. What virtue or ability do I possess to deserve such an honor?"
Jing Zhe said modestly.
"If I say you can take on the responsibility, then you can take on the responsibility! Didn't you say that you cultivated your internal energy to protect yourself, and that you used your internal energy for me? Then I'll give you a pardon, and you won't have to worry about protecting yourself anymore!"
Emperor An waved his hand dismissively.
"Your Majesty, isn't this inappropriate?"
Jing Zhe smiled broadly, saying it wasn't good, but he had already reached out and taken the get-out-of-jail-free card, holding it with great delight.
Emperor An: "..."
Although Jing Zhe's behavior was shameless, it was in line with his usual style. If he had actually yielded, Emperor An would have been uncomfortable. Moreover, seeing that he genuinely liked the pardon, Emperor An felt relieved.
"Are you really sure? Leaving tomorrow?"
Jing Zhe nodded: "It's decided, Your Majesty! Besides, I already arranged things at the newspaper yesterday. The Dream of the Red Chamber story is still being serialized, so there's no worry about a lack of readers. I'll just have my second sister go over and keep an eye on things."
Emperor An thought about it and nodded in agreement.
He thought again that Yu Xiangrong was in charge of the Dream of the Red Chamber story, and when Jing Zhe left last time, Zhu Xinning was in charge of the newspaper office, while Zhang Xiaoyu of Wenxiangju was in charge of newspaper distribution.
Looking at it this way, it seems this newspaper is really going to be controlled by the Jing family; either he's in charge or his woman is.
But Emperor An never showed any concern. Although the newspaper was powerful, it had no way to threaten the court. Moreover, based on his understanding of Jing Zhe, the boy had no other ambitions except for being lecherous, greedy, and a bit sarcastic.
That's enough.
However, since her own daughter is also his woman, she should also take charge of this newspaper!
So he said, "Many of the newly recruited Grand Secretaries of the Baohe Academy come from prestigious families. It's inevitable that some of them will be unruly when they first join the newspaper, especially those you left behind. Their official positions are not high, and with you not around, they are prone to causing trouble."
Then, changing the subject, he said, "How about this? Mo Chen doesn't have much to do in the palace. We can have her go to the newspaper office to keep an eye on things whenever she has free time. That will also have a certain deterrent effect!"
"..."
Emperor An's intentions were truly profound. By involving Su Mochen in the newspaper's operations, he not only facilitated her relationships with other women but also ensured her position in Jing Zhe's heart.
Emperor Andi felt he was heartbroken over his daughter's situation...
Jing Zhe was also speechless.
With his status and reputation, what fool would dare to cause trouble at the newspaper office? The last person to cause trouble was Wu Pin, the grandson of Wu Xianyong, the Vice Minister of War. In the end, he wiped out the entire Wu family, which was quite tragic.
With such a cautionary tale, who would be so stubborn?
All I can say is that Emperor An had his own agenda, which Jing Zhe understood but pretended not to.
"Then thank you very much, Your Majesty!"
Emperor An waved his hand with satisfaction and said with a smile: "To set up branches, we only need to set up branches in four places: Jiangling, Kunlun County, Jinxi, and Ruzhou. However, there is no need for Jinxi. After the Jinxi matter is pacified, setting up a branch there will be a piece of cake."
Jing Zhe nodded and asked, "Your Majesty, where do you think would be a suitable first stop for me?"
Emperor An thought for a moment and said, "Jiangling."
Jiangling is the largest city in the south, and due to its advantageous terrain and climate, with numerous waterways and abundant grain production, it is also the wealthiest city in Anguo besides Jingzhou.
Jiangling, a land of plenty in the south, was also the place where the literary culture of Anguo flourished. Because there were many scholars in Jiangling, it was also the place that Emperor An valued the most.
The more literati and scholars a place has, the more open-minded it is, and the less compliant it is. Therefore, it is reasonable for Emperor An to regard Jiangling as the most important place.
At this point, Emperor An explained, “Jiangling has many literati and scholars, and its literary atmosphere is even more flourishing than that of Jingzhou. It is much more difficult to open a branch of a newspaper there than in other places because there are many schools there, and they are also the most exclusive. If you can make a name for yourself there, it will be much easier to open branches in other places!”
Jing Zhe nodded but didn't reply, listening to Emperor An continue.
“Jiangling is the farthest from Jingzhou. You can go there first, and then the journey back will be much easier. However, this is just a suggestion. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide. After all, opening a branch office is something you are best at!”
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Alright, I won't keep you any longer. You should leave tomorrow and go back as soon as possible. Oh, and don't forget to visit Mo Chen before you leave."
Jing Zhe nodded in agreement and stepped out.
...
Even if Emperor An hadn't said anything, Jing Zhe would still have gone to find Su Mochen. Although he had decided to leave tomorrow, he hadn't had a chance to tell his women yet. In fact, only now could he understand why Liu Jinghong or Murong Xi would choose to leave without saying goodbye.
Because the feeling of parting is truly unbearable, if he could, he would like to leave quietly to avoid experiencing that painful feeling again.
But he couldn't; he was afraid they would strangle him to death...
"Leaving tomorrow?"
Su Mochen was somewhat surprised after hearing this.
"Yes, the branch office matters still need to be handled, and the sooner the better. The sooner they are completed, the sooner I can come back."
"Um."
To Jing Zhe's surprise, Su Mochen nodded, his expression remarkably calm: "It's better to leave early, otherwise if you stay a few more days, Second Sister and Xiaoyu might both be pregnant!"
They say they don't care, but they do care deep down.
After saying that, he laughed and said, "By the time you return from outside, the matter in Jinxi should be over. Then you can ask Father for my hand in marriage, and I can have your child!"
Although she spoke in a serious tone, her face still secretly turned red.
Jing Zhe gently stroked her head, then spoke at length with Su Mochen before finally saying, "Mochen, come with me out of the palace. I'll invite Xiangrong to my home later too."
Su Mochen smiled and shook his head: "No need. You've been here for so long, I won't go back with you. You should spend your time with them! I'll take you back tomorrow morning!"
"..."
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