Chapter 157: Good things are coming
Half an incense stick of time later, the carriage stopped at the gate of Wen'anbo's mansion.
Princess Zhaoyang talked about business: "Tomorrow, the steward of my mansion can move into the charity hall, recruit female workers, and arrange all the miscellaneous chores. In the second half of the month, we can officially take in homeless children."
Du Qingtang had forgotten about the charity hall earlier, so naturally she had not chosen a suitable deputy manager. But it was not a big problem. She had an afternoon and could take her time to choose.
"I'll also have my deputy steward go over there tomorrow," Du Qingtang said calmly. "Thank you, Arong, for your hospitality today. I'll take my leave now."
Princess Zhaoyang responded with a smile, her brows relaxed: "Xianyu, I am very happy today."
Du Qingtang was stunned for a moment, then curled his lips: "Me too."
Princess Zhaoyang never put on airs and was very knowledgeable. She could handle any topic, whether it was daily matters or government affairs and people's livelihood.
Talking to her is undoubtedly a pleasure.
It is true that Princess Zhaoyang is not as lively and cheerful as she appears to be. At least, she is willing to spend this much time on Du Qingtang, which is already very rare.
Princess Zhaoyang's smile deepened, and she asked in a solicitous tone, "Next time you're free, would you mind going to Ningxiang Tower for some treatment?"
She knew that Lord Du was in charge of the Ministry of Works, and now there was another research institute. He was busy with paperwork all day long and was inevitably overwhelmed.
She also had important tasks to do. She had to capture the spies scattered throughout Daxia, and enter the palace through a secret passage every night to handle memorials for her father. Her level of busyness was comparable to that of Lord Du.
The two of them are busy with their own things, and I'm afraid they only see each other a few times in a year.
But what she said yesterday was not false. Princess Zhaoyang really liked Lord Du in front of her.
Being with Lord Du, she could forget her hatred, all her worries, and be truly happy.
Therefore, she was willing to take time out of her busy schedule to meet Lord Du and chat with him about everything under the sun, which could be considered a combination of work and rest.
Du Qingtang hesitated for a moment, then readily agreed: "Okay."
Compared with other girls of the same age, she lives a rough life and doesn't care about care and maintenance.
If you have that much time, you might as well handle more official business or read more books.
However, Princess Zhaoyang invited him so kindly that Du Qingtang couldn't refuse, so he just took it as a way to relax.
Du Qingtang added, "If I have time, I can send someone to deliver a visiting card to the Princess's residence, okay?"
"It's a deal." Princess Zhaoyang curled her eyes, looking extremely happy.
From beginning to end, she never mentioned Lu Jianshan.
She didn't say anything, and Du Qingtang didn't ask.
Through these contacts, Du Qingtang knew very well that Princess Zhaoyang was a very rational woman. Like collecting stamps, she kept a bunch of beautiful musicians in the princess's mansion so that she would not lose her mind and fall for an old man like Lu Jianshan who gossiped behind people's backs.
This is the most basic trust as a good friend and future subject.
......
When Du Qingtang entered the mansion, Du Qingqin and his wife happened to come back from outside.
When they saw her, the couple greeted her with a smile.
Du Qingtang slowed down his pace, walked side by side with them, and asked casually, "Have you found the shop?"
Du Qingqin nodded, a smile forming in the corners of her eyes. "What a coincidence! We just happened to run into a fur trader we'd worked with before. When he learned we were looking for a shop, he introduced us to one of his friends."
"His friend has to return to his hometown to observe three years of mourning for his deceased mother, and he's planning to sell his shop."
"Your brother-in-law and I went to take a look. The shop is located in the south of the city. In addition to the storefront, there is also a small warehouse and kitchen. The kitchen is a bit simple, but it has everything. We can have lunch directly in the shop and save running back and forth and wasting time."
My eldest brother-in-law is a simple and honest man who is taciturn. He didn't say anything until his wife finished speaking. Then he added, "The main thing is that the price is fair. Unlike those people before, they just asked for exorbitant prices when they heard we spoke with foreign accents, and treated us like they were taking advantage of us."
"That's fine." Du Qingtang paused. "No matter where you are, there are always people who take advantage of outsiders by relying on their local roots. But don't worry, I'll take care of everything."
Xiajing is full of powerful people, and there are all kinds of nepotism and people who rely on others for power. Du Qingtang had no intention of hiding his relationship with the girls of the Du family from the beginning.
Du Qingtang knew that seven out of ten officials in the court wanted to kick her out of the court and get rid of her as soon as possible.
They disobeyed her and were wary of her, but they could do nothing but watch her climb higher and higher.
Because she is strong enough, domineering enough, and despicable enough.
If you mess with her, you'll be prepared to become the second Liang Wangjin.
Similarly, if you provoke the Du family, you must be prepared to be chased and bitten by them until you die.
Du Qingqin heard the hidden meaning of the youngest child and felt mixed emotions: "Is this okay? Will it cause you trouble?"
Du Qingtang shook his head and said comfortingly: "You two are not troublemakers. It should be the other party who is in trouble."
The couple felt relieved, and Du Qingqin was filled with gratitude: "Thank you very much for the jade."
Du Qingtang waved his hand: "There's no need to thank me between you and me."
Du Qingqin stopped thanking him and turned to talk about other things: "Xianyu, let me tell you, I signed a contract with the store owner before, and when I came out, I happened to see a carriage knock down a man and a woman."
Du Qingtang paused slightly.
"When the people around them saw them fall, not only did they not help, they laughed non-stop." The eldest brother-in-law scratched his head. "I thought the Xia Jingdu was a refined man, and those two were dressed richly, so they should care about their reputation. But after they got up, the woman slapped the man and cursed him. It was so unpleasant that even a country boy like me couldn't stand it."
Du Qingqin smoothed her long hair that fell on her chest. "I was curious for a moment and couldn't help asking the shopkeeper what they were laughing at. He said that the man and woman were a couple, the prince and princess of the Wenyuan Marquisate, who lived east of the city."
"The Wenyuan Marquis's Mansion was originally a Duke's Mansion, and it was only three generations old that it was demoted. By this generation, the Wenyuan Marquis was a playboy who only knew how to eat, drink, and have fun, and none of his collateral branches had any future."
"Fortunately, Marquis Wenyuan gave birth to a handsome son, who was favored by the daughter of a concubine of the Prime Minister, who promoted him to an official position."
Du Qingtang raised his eyebrows slightly. No wonder the woman looked somewhat like Cao Xingcan. It turned out that they were half-sisters.
"This wife of the Crown Prince is a tough one. Relying on her family's influence, she married into the Wenyuan Marquis's mansion for over ten years. She only gave birth to a daughter, and she also forbade the Crown Prince from taking a concubine."
The eldest brother-in-law couldn't help but retort: "What's wrong with my daughter? My daughter is considerate, my daughter is good, I like my daughter!"
Du Qingqin rolled her eyes and said unhappily, "That's a marquis's mansion. A son must inherit the title."
Although she also felt that daughters were the same as sons, that was the way the world was, especially for powerful families.
They would rather give such a huge family fortune to a concubine's son than to a legitimate daughter. Isn't this a tragedy?
"Seeing that the prince of Wenyuan was nearly thirty and childless, his wife became anxious. She bought a decent woman and told him to keep her a secret from his wife and raise her away. When she gave birth to a son, she would bring him home. By then, it was too late, and his wife couldn't just throw the child away."
Du Qingqin said this, deliberately keeping the question in suspense: "Guess what happened?"
Du Qingtang boldly guessed: "The Crown Prince's wife found out that the Crown Prince had a mistress and abandoned the child?"
Du Qingqin tutted and patted the youngest's arm: "You guessed it right, but not completely."
Du Qingtang: "What do you mean?"
The eldest brother-in-law couldn't help but interrupt: "She killed all the concubines and children."
Du Qingtang: “???”
Du Qingtang: “…”
"This incident caused a huge uproar in Xiajing City at the time, to the point where everyone knew about it, even women and children. Although the Prime Minister finally intervened and gave the concubine's family some money, and the incident was resolved, many people still recognized the Prince and his wife of the Wenyuan Marquis's mansion because of it."
Du Qingtang was a little confused.
Cao Xuanjiao is still as arrogant and domineering as ever, ordering Lu Jianshan around and even fighting in the street. It goes without saying that the Wenyuan Marquisate succumbed to Cao's tyranny and did not pursue Cao Xuanjiao's fault.
That good girl was also miserable. She was bought by the wife of Marquis Wenyuan. Perhaps she had to become a concubine. She herself was beautiful but had a tragic life, and her own son was also lost.
And there is Lu Jianshan.
Du Qingtang was not curious about the story of his meeting with Princess Zhaoyang. If he knew the story, he would probably be so disgusted that he would not be able to eat.
From what Lu Jianshan said to Princess Zhaoyang, it can be seen that he probably had his brain damaged by reading too much. He was pedantic, conservative, and unable to change his ways. He was even more annoying than those old Confucian scholars.
He has his cake and eats it too, he is irresponsible and self-righteous.
It's good for two bad guys to be a pair, so they don't come out to harm others.
Du Qingqin sighed, "Everyone looks down on that couple. They take advantage of the fact that the law doesn't punish everyone, so they just watch the fun openly."
The eldest brother-in-law shook his head repeatedly and said in a muffled voice, "They treat them like monkeys, but I also find it quite funny. The prince's wife beat and scolded them, but the prince didn't dare to talk back. He covered his face with his sleeves and ran away so fast!"
Du Qingtang couldn't help but laugh as he casually explained, "Most of the noble families in the capital have been around for hundreds of years. They have a large population, a mixed bag of good and bad people, and there's a lot of bad things going on within them. There are very few families with a truly upright reputation."
Du Qingqin deeply agreed: "Anyway, I have broadened my horizons today. Some people have noble status, but live worse than pigs and dogs. Their hearts, livers, spleens and lungs are all black."
As they were talking, the three of them walked to the main courtyard.
Just as Du Qingtang was about to enter, Du Qingqin suddenly remembered something: "Xianyu, my birthday is on the ninth day of the eighth month. Let's ask Xiaowu and Xiaoliu to come over, and the whole family can sit down and have a lively meal."
"Sure." Du Qingtang had no objection. "I'll send someone to pick them up then."
Du Qingqin responded, looking as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.
Seeing her like this, Du Qingtang raised his chin slightly and said, "What do you want to say, big sister? You can speak frankly."
Du Qingqin cleared her throat. "Xiaowu...actually, when Guo Qian's hand was crippled and he couldn't continue to take the imperial examination, we all urged her to take this opportunity to divorce him. We persuaded her and she went back to discuss the divorce with Guo Qian, but the next day she said she didn't want a divorce."
Du Qingtang frowned: "Why?"
Du Qingqin frankly said, "Xiaowu said she asked the doctor, and Guo Qian's hand is not completely disabled. He is a juren, and if he is lucky, he might even be able to become a candidate official with a leisurely job, with nothing to do all day and just sitting and drinking tea."
Du Qingtang: “…”
Although there are many idle positions in the court, how could Guo Qian be so confident that the government would choose him, a juren with disabled hands, over the countless juren with healthy limbs waiting for vacancies?
Du Qingtang finally understood why Du Qingmei was still stuck in the Guo family's mess and refused to divorce even though Guo Qian was crippled.
It turns out that this bastard Guo Qian had painted a rosy picture for Du Qingmei, and it just so happened that Du Qingmei had an extraordinary obsession with becoming an official's wife.
The two hit it off immediately, which is why Du Qingmei tolerated Guo Qian's family in every way, and even did not fall out with her sisters and become increasingly distant from them.
Du Qingtang didn't know what to say, and then he heard Du Qingqin continue, "I've never dared to tell you, but this time Guo Qian's parents and his mistress came to Beijing together, probably because they want you to find him a job."
Because it was just a suspicion without any evidence, she didn't want to destroy the already precarious relationship between the sisters, so she chose to remain silent.
Du Qingtang: “…”
She acted with impunity in the court because she was impeccable, because she was always right and innocent.
Du Qingtang could guarantee with confidence that, apart from the little secrets she hid in Shaoqing Mansion, no matter how the officials investigated, they would not be able to find any fault with her.
Helping Guo Qian to seek a job is tantamount to handing evidence to political enemies.
Du Qingtang could imagine the memorials flying onto the desk of Emperor Qingyuan like snowflakes afterwards.
——It’s all about impeaching her.
Du Qingtang rubbed his brows, the joy he had felt while being with Princess Zhaoyang completely vanishing. He said expressionlessly, "Don't worry, big sister. Even if fifth sister begged me, I wouldn't agree."
Du Qingqin knew that the youngest brother had his own plan, and privately thought that this was a good thing. As the eldest sister, she had to treat everyone equally and could not help the fifth brother bully the youngest brother.
Besides, if you really want to talk about it, it was Xiaowu who was not honest.
"I'm just reminding you, just in case... you should be mentally prepared." Du Qingqin patted her stomach and said, "Your brother-in-law and I have been running around outside all morning and haven't even eaten. My stomach has been rumbling for a while, so I'm going back to eat first."
Du Qingtang nodded, sat alone for a while after entering the room, and asked the maid to call Nanny Huang.
The servants in the Wen'an Marquis's Mansion were all sent by Emperor Qingyuan from the Palace Bureau.
Meng Fang had been serving in the imperial court, but he was not as trusted by Emperor Qingyuan as Fu Rui. Since the Wen'an Earl's Mansion was short of a housekeeper, he volunteered to leave the palace and come here.
In addition to Meng Fang, the chief steward, there are four assistant stewards and four steward maids, and the rest are ordinary maids, servants and maids.
Nanny Huang is one of the managing nannies.
She and Nanny Fang had previously served the old concubine in the palace. When the old concubine passed away, the Wen'an Earl's Mansion happened to be short of staff, so they came here.
Du Qingtang asked Meng Fang, and learned that it was this Madam Huang who was ordered to teach He Ruxuan, and it seemed that she had some powerful skills.
There are many orphans in the charity house, and there must be some naughty and troublesome ones among them. We need a deputy manager who is strict enough and can keep the place under control.
Du Qingtang originally planned to examine the four managing maids one by one, but he suddenly learned about the Guo family's plan from Du Qingqin. He lost all mood and was too lazy to bother examining people, so he directly chose Maid Huang.
Nanny Huang quickly arrived at the main courtyard and bowed after entering, saying, "This servant greets the master."
Du Qingtang didn't waste any time and went straight to the point: "Princess Zhaoyang and I jointly built a charity hall. Your Highness will provide a manager, and I am still short of a deputy manager."
Huang Ma Ma understood the hidden meaning of her master's words and was delighted. Without saying a word, she knelt down and kowtowed, "Thank you for your appreciation, master. I will definitely help manage the charity hall in an orderly manner and spare you and Your Highness the trouble!"
Although being the deputy manager of the charity hall means I can no longer continue to be the managing nanny of the Earl's Mansion, but there are gains and losses.
The charity hall was built by the master and Princess Zhaoyang together, so the master must have spent a lot of time and effort on it.
As long as she did her job well, satisfied His Highness and the master, and won the master's favor, after another ten or twenty years, perhaps the master would allow her to enjoy her old age in the Earl's Mansion.
In this way, she can die with peace of mind.
Du Qingtang's expression eased slightly as he instructed, "Tomorrow you will move to the charity hall and help the manager recruit female workers."
"yes!"
Nanny Huang kowtowed again and retreated happily.
Du Qingtang put the bad things behind him and went to the study to practice calligraphy.
I have been very busy with official duties recently. When I think about it carefully, I haven't practiced calligraphy for two months.
Calligraphy is a technical skill, and only by constant practice can one improve.
It just so happened that she also needed to calm her mind through calligraphy.
In the evening, the Du family sisters and brothers-in-law who had been working outside returned home one after another.
Du Qingzhu was the last to come back, with scratches on the back of his hand, oozing bright red blood.
When everyone saw this, their faces suddenly changed.
Du Qingtang frowned and asked, "What's going on?"
Du Qingzhu sniffed and muttered, "On the way back, I was trying to avoid a stray cat that was crossing the street. The carriage crashed into a tree, and the back of my hand hit the corner of the table."
Du Qingqin asked anxiously, "What about other parts of your body? Are there any injuries anywhere else?"
Du Qingzhu shook his head like a rattle: "No, it's just this one injury, just a corner of the carriage was damaged."
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness! Thank goodness!"
"Be more careful next time."
Du Qingju took out the medicine box and applied medicine to Du Qingzhu.
Du Qingzhu smiled and said, "I know. I didn't expect that little wild cat would suddenly appear."
Du Qingtang propped up his chin and said, "Your carriage is broken. How are you going to go out tomorrow?"
She assigned a carriage and a driver to each of the girls in the Du family, but since everyone had to go out, the carriages were all occupied.
Du Qingzhu blinked: "Isn't Xiaoba going to the free clinic? I'll go out with her then."
Du Qingju had no objection: "But I can't guarantee when the free clinic will end."
Du Qingtang took over the conversation: "I will be off duty at twilight hour, and I will pick up Seventh Sister on the way then."
"Then I'll have to trouble Xiao Ba and Xian Yu!" Du Qingzhu was about to laugh when Du Qingju sprinkled medicine powder on the wound. The pain made her shiver and gasp, "Ouch! It hurts! Xiao Ba, are you trying to murder my own sister?!"
Du Qingju glanced at her unhappily, but slowed down her movements.
After treating the wounds, everyone moved to the dining room.
On the way, Qin, Qi, Shuhua and others talked about the progress of visiting each other's shops.
In addition to Du Qingqin, Du Qingshu and his third brother-in-law also successfully found a suitable shop and signed a lease.
Just wait for the official stamp and get the deed, then you can hire craftsmen to repair the shop.
Everyone congratulated him, and after eating and drinking, Du Qingtang answered questions and resolved doubts for the younger generation in the family, and then everyone dispersed.
Du Qingtang returned to the main courtyard and went straight to the study.
She suddenly thought that the court might be able to publish newspapers.
In an era when the Internet was not very developed, newspapers allowed people to know what was happening in the world from morning to evening.
The imperial court can use newspapers to promote government decrees and related policies, which will help enhance the people's dependence on and trust in the imperial court, and local people will not be kept in the dark by local officials.
All in all, there are many benefits, and the national treasury can also take the opportunity to make a fortune.
Du Qingtang rummaged through boxes and drawers, found a charcoal pencil, selected the most common newspaper page in his memory, and hand-painted it on rice paper.
After finishing all this, it was almost the hour of Hai.
He had to go to court at dawn tomorrow, so Du Qingtang spread the hand-painted newspaper flat on the desk and let it dry naturally. After washing up, he turned off the lights and went to bed.
Have a good night's sleep.
-
The next day was August 1st.
At the morning court session, Du Qingtang mentioned the court's publication of newspapers.
"...In addition to publishing government decrees to let the people know your majesty's benevolence and love for the people, you can also write short stories of several hundred words based on the regulations in Daxia law, explaining what crimes someone has committed and how they were punished. Publish these stories in every issue of the newspaper. This will deter the people and reduce the crime rate to a certain extent."
"If a certain lord has made a contribution, the court can publish his achievements in the newspaper as a reward."
“Similarly, if a certain lord makes a mistake, his crime can be published to show the court’s impartiality in enforcing the law.”
"You may publish interesting stories from various ministries and departments. If you, my Lords, mind, you may use pseudonyms."
"In addition to the above content related to state affairs, we can also publish poetry, calligraphy, and paintings, such as passages and translations from the Four Books and Five Classics, so that the people can familiarize themselves with their meanings and learn about etiquette and reason."
"I think we can also publish works such as strange stories and legends in a serialized form to attract more people to read and ensure a stable sales volume for each issue of the newspaper."
"The most crucial point is to publish the portrait of the criminal wanted by the imperial court on it, so that the people of the world will know what the criminal looks like. This way, they can be apprehended as soon as possible."
Du Qingtang held a tablet in his hand and spoke eloquently. Afterwards, he took out a hand-drawn newspaper and said, "The above is my humble opinion on the newspaper. I have also drawn the general layout of the newspaper. Your Majesty, please review it."
Someone was specially assigned to take the newspaper and present it to Emperor Qingyuan.
Emperor Qingyuan picked it up and saw a huge "Shock! The Minister of Works is like this..."
Emperor Qingyuan: “…”
The corner of Emperor Qingyuan's mouth twitched. In order to persuade him to publish the newspaper, Du Aiqing also took the risk.
However, this title is indeed very eye-catching and can easily arouse people's interest in reading.
After reading it, Emperor Qingyuan circulated the newspaper to all officials.
Officials who saw the headlines on the front page of the newspaper said: "......"
The newspapers were circulated quickly, and Emperor Qingyuan said loudly: "My dear ministers, please feel free to speak your mind."
"I think this newspaper is very good. If used properly, it can bring the ruler and his subjects, and the ruler and his people, closer together."
"If we publish his achievements in the newspaper, wouldn't that mean everyone in the world would know what Zhang has done? Zhang agrees to publish the newspaper!"
"Besides, as an official of the Ministry of Justice, I know that those wanted criminals are more cunning than loaches. If their facial features are made known to the world, someone will definitely be able to spot them, report them to the authorities, and bring them to justice!"
"Your Majesty, I support the publication of the newspaper!"
"I support this as well!"
"I second the motion!"
Looking around, it is shocking that eight or nine out of ten officials agree with the opinion.
As an official, every one wants to win a good reputation and leave a good name for himself during his lifetime and after his death.
Du Qingtang's proposal undoubtedly touched the sore spot of all officials.
They wanted to become famous and go down in history, so they agreed wholeheartedly.
"Wen Anbo has finally done something good that benefits all officials."
"If my name and achievements are fortunate enough to be published in a newspaper and spread to the world, then the hatred I incurred from the official registration system may be wiped out."
"Oh! I bought you off with just a little favor. Have you forgotten that not only your achievements but also your crimes will be exposed to the public?"
There was a sudden silence in the Golden Palace, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
All the officials looked at each other in confusion.
After a long pause, an old man stiffened his neck and said, "As long as you reflect on yourself every day, exercise self-discipline, fulfill your duties, and avoid using your official duties for personal gain, then only your achievements will be published in the newspapers, and no mistakes will be recorded in the official register."
It was really because the idea proposed by Du Qingtang was too tempting, making them forget Du Qingtang's gender and Du Qingtang's bad behavior, and their minds were full of achievements and fame.
"That's right, Master Zhang is absolutely right. As long as you don't make any mistakes, your faults and crimes won't be recorded in official registers or newspapers."
The officials who held opposing views were so angry that their faces turned red and their necks became thick, and their gray beards stood up.
Fence-sitter!
They are all a bunch of fence-sitters!
I'm so angry too!
Du Qingtang: “…”
Emperor Qingyuan observed this, put his fist to his lips and coughed lightly, suppressing a smile as he said sternly, "Since all of you, my dear ministers, agree to publish a newspaper, then from today on, the court will establish the Xiasheng Newspaper Office. The headquarters will be located in Xiajing and will be jointly managed by the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works. Local newspaper offices will also be established, known as branches, and will be managed by local officials."
The so-called "Xia Sheng" means the prosperity of Daxia, which is full of Emperor Qingyuan's infinite expectations for Daxia.
"Do you have any objections to the above?"
Du Qingtang and Minister Qi stepped out and said in unison, "Your humble servants will obey your majesty's command."
Eighty to ninety percent of the officials said in unison: "Your Majesty is wise!"
About 10 or 12 officials said: "I don't agree! I have objections!"
Unfortunately, no one cares whether they agree or disagree.
The officials standing on the opposite side of them had already been dazzled by the big promises made by Du Qingtang. They were so excited and encouraged that they almost raised their arms and shouted "Long live the emperor".
After the morning court session ended, Du Qingtang ignored the death stares from the opposing officials and walked out side by side with Minister Qi, while discussing matters related to the Xiasheng News Agency.
"The typesetting and printing of the newspaper will be handed over to the Ministry of Industry. What do you think, Lord Qi?"
It would be best if both parties have a clear division of labor, cooperate with each other, and do not interfere with each other.
Qi Shangshu certainly had no objection. The Ministry of Works had many craftsmen, making it just the right fit for the job. "Then the Ministry of Revenue will be responsible for drafting the newspaper manuscript, as well as its subsequent distribution and sales."
"Qi will later arrange for someone to draft the manuscript. After review, it will be submitted to the Ministry of Industry for typesetting and printing. We will first try to publish a newspaper in Xiajing to see how the people respond, and then make improvements based on this."
Du Qingtang smiled slightly: "Then I will wait for good news."
Du Qingtang and Minister Qi parted ways at the entrance of the Ministry of Revenue. When they returned to the Ministry of Works, they summoned Doctor Su from the Yuheng Qingli Division and handed over the matter of Xia Sheng's report to him.
Doctor Su was a fifth-rank official and was not qualified to attend the morning court.
I was so excited to learn from the Shangshu what a newspaper is and what it will publish.
If newspapers publish the achievements of officials, does that mean that those officials who are nearly fifty years old and have worked as small soldiers for most of their lives will also have a chance to be known?
Doctor Su was completely dazed, but he still expressed his loyalty to the Minister of Works: "Don't worry, sir. I will personally supervise the typeset and printing of the newspaper so that the people of Xiajing can see it!"
Du Qingtang was very pleased to see that he was in high spirits, as if he had been injected with chicken blood.
It’s great to be energetic!
She can use her energy with confidence and boldness.
Doctor Su suddenly felt a chill on the back of his neck, as if he had been tricked by someone. He raised his hand and touched it twice, then bowed and said, "Then I will take my leave first. I will not disturb you from your work."
Du Qingtang held the ink stick and ground the ink, moved two piles of documents half a person's height to a place where he could reach, prepared tea, picked up the pen and dipped it in ink, and started to deal with the documents.
Because we have a day off, there are a lot of official documents today.
There are seven stacks of them, each half a person's height.
Du Qingtang: “…”
This amount could bury her completely.
Du Qingtang took a deep breath, and the pen flew out a shadow, trying to deal with all seven piles before the end of his shift.
On the other hand, an imperial decree was announced to the world regarding the establishment of an institute by the imperial court to recruit skilled craftsmen from all over the world.
When the news spread, the craftsmen in the Ministry of Works did not feel much. After all, they all worked under the Shangshu, and if the Shangshu really needed them, he would just give them orders.
Instead, the craftsmen among the people had different opinions about this imperial edict.
"In other words, as long as you pass the assessment of the institute and become a researcher at the institute, you will be considered an official of the Ministry of Industry?"
"Although I'm only a ninth-rank official, those higher-ups can crush me with a flick of their fingers, but it's still an official position, and I deserve to be called an official when I'm out in public."
"So you want to give it a try?"
"The head of the institute is actually Wen Anbo, a woman..."
Before she could finish her words, she was interrupted: "So what if she's just a woman? Don't forget, Wen Anbo invented the fire gun and many other things that benefit the people. He's a thousand times, ten thousand times more powerful than you!"
"Just because the head of the institute is Wen Anbo, I have to sign up and give it a try!"
It is obvious that Du Qingtang has a better reputation among the people than in the court, and is deeply respected and loved by the people.
The people were grateful to her for offering potatoes and sweet potatoes, which provided them with food. Even in times of famine, they could survive by relying on potatoes and sweet potatoes until the famine ended and the crops came in abundance.
In addition, cowpox saved people from the suffering of smallpox.
Even if you have not been vaccinated for various reasons and unfortunately get infected with smallpox, you can still recover with Tianju Drink.
Everyone knows that Wen Anbo and the Lord of Deyang are sisters. The people love Du Qingtang and are even more grateful to her.
Not to mention that Du Qingtang was once the top scholar in the imperial examination. The people have a natural admiration for scholars, especially those who are good at reading.
So on the first day the decree came out, the registration office of the research institute was packed with craftsmen who came to register.
At the end of the day, the clerk in charge of registration was almost worn out from writing. When the final count was made, there were more than 1,700 people.
These are only those who live in Xiajing and the surrounding villages and towns. Once the imperial edict is spread to every inch of land in Daxia, I believe that more craftsmen will come here to contribute their own efforts to the construction of Daxia.
The gong sounded, and the clerk came to report.
Du Qingtang was very satisfied when she learned the number of people who had signed up. Coincidentally, she had just finished processing the last document. She raised her hand to rub her stiff shoulders and neck, tidied up the messy table, and went straight out of the palace to the Food Fragrance Pavilion.
The carriage stopped at the entrance of Shixiang Pavilion. Du Qingzhu had been waiting for a long time. She stood on the steps and waved at her, smiling: "Present the jade!"
Du Qingtang responded and looked past Du Qingzhu into the Shixiang Pavilion.
The decoration is similar to the Shixiang Pavilion in Qingyuan County and Shaoqing Prefecture. It has been almost renovated and is expected to be completed in three to five days.
"Come here, go home."
"Great! Time to go home!"
Du Qingzhu said something to the craftsmen who were still busy inside, asking them to remember to close the door before leaving, and ran towards the carriage with her skirt lifted.
The goose yellow skirt fluttered up and down as Du Qingzhu ran, like a gorgeous blooming forsythia.
"Run slower, don't fall." Du Qingtang warned helplessly. The scratches on the back of his hand had not scabbed over yet.
Du Qingzhu nodded, stepped on the horse stool and got into the carriage nimbly. Without caring about his image at all, he sat opposite Du Qingtang with his legs spread out and drank the cold tea in two gulps.
"Huh—comfortable!" Du Qingzhu squinted his eyes and sighed, "This damn weather is too hot. I have to run around, and the sweat on my body never dries up."
Du Qingtang pinched the teacup with two fingers: "When are you planning to open?"
Du Qingzhu hummed softly, "About mid-month, after my eldest sister's birthday."
Du Qingtang understood what was going on. He tapped the carriage with his finger and it started to move out. "You can make your own arrangements. It would be best if it's a day off. I'll go and show my support for you."
"Then I won't be polite with you. I'll reserve the best private room for you." Du Qingzhu agreed with a smile, "Since we have to wait for a day off, let's do it on the tenth day of August."
Du Qingtang nodded, and listened to Du Qingzhu chattering about how to promote the franchise, occasionally responding once or twice.
......
"Master Ning? Master Ning!"
Ning Yucheng suddenly came back to his senses and looked around.
His colleagues from the Ministry of Rites were staring at him, and one of them asked curiously, "What are you thinking about? Why are you so absorbed?"
Ning Yucheng's eyes flickered, and he said apologetically, "I just suddenly remembered that my mother's medicine is almost finished. I'm afraid I have to break my promise today and won't be able to attend the literary gathering with you all."
Colleagues were naturally filled with regret; they still counted on Ning Yucheng to support them, but—
"It's okay. Your mother's health is more important."
"The literary gathering is held once a month, and you can attend any time. But your mother's medicine cannot be delayed, so Lord Ning, you should go as soon as possible."
Ning Yucheng bowed and trotted towards the nearby clinic.
The officials of the Ministry of Rites looked at his receding back and sighed.
"Lord Ning is handsome, capable, and well-educated. Unfortunately, his family is poor, and he has a bedridden mother."
"The year Lord Ning took the imperial examination, he was chosen as a husband from the bottom of the list. His husband was a famous and wealthy merchant in Xiajing City. The merchant had originally admired him very much, but after hearing about his mother's situation, he gave him some money and had his servants politely send him away."
"It is said that the Minister also intended to marry his young daughter to him, but in the end, it was abandoned because of Madam Ning."
"What a pity! If he had married the Minister's youngest daughter, Lord Ning's future would have been limitless. He would not be just a clerk now."
"Although Lord Ning is nearly thirty and still unmarried, his filial piety truly impresses me. It is precisely because of this that I am willing to open my heart to him and become his close friend."
"The same goes for Fan."
"The literary gathering is about to begin, let's go quickly."
"Let's go."
The group walked away talking and laughing, while on the other side, Ning Yucheng bought some medicine, pinched his empty purse, his jaw tensed for a moment, and then he returned the same way carrying the medicine bag.
Ning Yucheng stopped at the door of Shixiang Pavilion, looked up at the three-story magnificent restaurant, looked down at the cuffs of his official robe that were washed white, and walked in.
However, just as he reached the door, he was stopped by the craftsman behind the counter who was hanging the menu: "Sir... Sir, the Food Pavilion is not open yet and is not accepting customers for the time being."
Ning Yucheng stopped here, bowed, and asked with a warm smile, "Excuse me, sir, what is the name of the owner of this Food Fragrance Pavilion?"
The craftsman's eyes grew alert, but he didn't show it on his face. He turned and hung another menu on the wall. "Why are you asking this?"
Ning Yucheng remained calm as he said, "I was off duty two days ago, passing by here and noticed that the owner of this Food Fragrance Pavilion bore a striking resemblance to an old friend of mine. We had exchanged letters for years, but last year we suddenly lost touch. I missed him so much that I had the audacity to approach and ask him about it."
The craftsman was still skeptical, and worried that because of him, the two old friends would not be able to meet again. He hesitated for a moment, and reluctantly revealed a little: "The owner of the Food Fragrance Pavilion is named Du."
A glimmer of light flashed across Ning Yucheng's eyes. He thanked the craftsman and turned to leave.
The craftsman scratched his head and muttered, "He hasn't told me whether it is or not."
Ning Yucheng walked back to his home in the west of the city.
The Ning family was poor, and Ning's mother was bedridden all year round, requiring her to take medicine all year round. Ning Yucheng's salary could not cover the cost of the medicine, and he had to give money to others for writing on a daily basis, which could only barely cover the expenses, and he could hardly save any money.
Ning Yucheng pushed the door open and walked in. The sound of Ning's mother coughing came from inside the room.
He ignored Ning's mother's heart-wrenching cough, carried the medicine bag into the cramped and dim kitchen, and boiled medicine for Ning's mother.
Ning Yucheng placed the medicine pot on the stove and stared at the flame licking the pot, but before his eyes appeared the image of a pretty woman wearing a goose yellow dress and smiling like a flower.
And Wen Anbo, who was always ruthless but smiled at the woman.
They both have the same surname Du and somewhat similar facial features...
Ning Yucheng exhaled and walked out of the kitchen.
Ning's mother stopped coughing.
Or rather, she fell asleep while coughing.
Ning Yucheng walked into Ning's mother's hut, stopped by the kang, and looked down at his mother who was skinny and looked very sick.
He slowly stretched out his hand and clamped his palm around his mother's throat.
Just a little force would allow her to end this long and endless pain.
No.
This can't be done.
If she died, he would have to observe mourning for three years.
Three years later, is there still a place for him in the Ministry of Rites?
At least until...
Ning Yucheng thought of the woman's brilliant smile and his eyes flickered slightly.
-
The head of the Ministry of Revenue spent two days writing the manuscripts required for each page of the newspaper and handed them to Minister Qi for review.
Because this is the first issue of the newspaper, we need to be extremely cautious, and relatively speaking, Minister Qi’s requirements are also higher.
After reading several manuscripts, I only kept two and sent the rest back for rewriting.
This process was repeated twice until the sixth day of August when the final draft was finally completed.
Minister Qi personally delivered the manuscript to the Ministry of Works and handed it to Du Qingtang. "Master Du, please take a quick look and see if the content meets your requirements. If not, I will take it back and ask them to make further revisions."
Ministry of Revenue Director: #_$*#......
Dirty words.jpg
Du Qingtang looked through them one by one and said, "It's pretty good. No need to change it."
Minister Qi breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good, that's good."
Not only was the person in charge troubled by the manuscripts these days, he was also very troubled by them. He even dreamed at night that he was reading the manuscripts and scolding several of his subordinates until they cried loudly. It could be said to be a very terrifying nightmare.
Du Qingtang put down the manuscript and asked in a soliciting tone, "Master Qi, I plan to print 50,000 copies of the first issue of the newspaper, and distribute them to the people for free for the next four issues. I will charge for them starting from the sixth issue."
Minister Qi's thoughts turned, and he clapped his hands in praise, saying, "Master Du, this is a brilliant plan. The people have read five issues of the story in a row. If they want to know the sequel, they can only continue to buy newspapers."
"That's right." Du Qingtang nodded. "I will arrange for the craftsmen to start typesetting and printing, and strive to deliver the first issue of the newspaper to the Ministry of Revenue before the Mid-Autumn Festival."
Minister Qi smiled and said, "Lord Du has always been quick and efficient in his work. I will then wait patiently for good news at the Ministry of Revenue."
After Minister Qi left, Du Qingtang summoned Doctor Su and asked him to arrange for the typesetting: "Hurry up, this official wants to see the finished product tomorrow."
"yes!"
......
Three days passed in a flash, and it was Du Qingqin's birthday.
After the morning court session, Du Qingtang went straight to the Ministry of Works.
The birthday party was in the evening, and she had to finish all the official business before leaving work.
Du Qingtang had just sat down when Minister Ma walked in with a stack of documents and said, "Congratulations, Your Excellency."
Du Qingtang: “?”
Du Qingtang was confused for a moment, then confirmed that he hadn't made any major moves recently that would shock the government or the public, so he asked directly, "What are you congratulating me for?"
Minister Ma said with a smile, "Congratulations to your sister and Lord Ning of the Ministry of Rites on their impending wedding."
Du Qingtang: “…???”
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