Chapter 238 Changbai Marriage
The Great Zhou Dynasty’s official newspaper was published every five days.

Summarized and released by the Jinzouyuan.

The memorials submitted by officials from various routes, prefectures and states were collected, the unimportant ones were condensed, and the important articles were copied in full, and then submitted to the cabinet and the emperor. After the bigwigs had discussed it, they were distributed by the Jinzouyuan and delivered to local officials through the post stations.

The summary of the content is the general content of the court report.

The report in Yang Wenyuan's hand at this time was the political developments of the Zhou Dynasty court in the previous five days.

Promotion, transfer, replacement and retirement, it can be said that there is everything.

The books of saints are meant to be read, but if you want to get things done in officialdom, you still need time.

It was obvious that Yang Wenyuan focused his attention on the official newspaper.

Thanks to the improvement of papermaking technology, paper in the Great Zhou Dynasty was not as valuable as before. This was a breeding ground for redundant officials and also led to the proliferation of tabloids.

As the only official newspaper of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the content of the Dibao was related to the developments in the court. Any slight revelation would cause heated discussions among the people.

You know, in this Internet age of advanced information and entertainment, even the slightest national development can make people discuss it heatedly and it is an enduring topic after dinner.

What's more, in the ancient society where information was scarce, the contents of the official reports were mouth-watering.

It is a topic of conversation among literati and poets after drinking.

It is a way for local officials to understand the court's trends.

It is the compass for wealthy businessmen to come with gifts.

It is also a reference material for poor students to write essays.

However, faced with huge demand from the public, the Jinzouyuan simply ignored it.

Our court reports contain a lot of court policies and guidelines, which are specially provided to officials. Do you common people want us to copy another copy for you?
How many do you have?

In addition, the official report still needs to be "finalized", which means it needs preliminary review. It must first go before the god of river crabs to make sure it is clear before it can be sent out.

As time went by, various demands could not be met, and then what followed was the rise of various tabloids.

As we all know, small workshops are willing to produce explosive materials.

If the censor reports things based on hearsay and needs to rely on rumors, then the tabloids are like hungry perverts. From the moment they see you on the street for the first time, no matter your gender, you are already unclean.

The contents of the court reports obtained through various channels, as well as some memorials that were banned from being disseminated by the court, natural disasters, man-made disasters, entertainment gossip and other information were all reported in the tabloids.

Such unorthodoxy also makes tabloids popular among the people.

Since the content of tabloids depends entirely on the words of the publisher, it is often difficult to distinguish between true and false. Sometimes, for the sake of sales or other reasons, the authors will fabricate facts, which will inevitably affect the image of the government and the stability of its rule.

Therefore, the court and the people at large deeply detest the existence of tabloids.

"It is fabricated out of thin air, and it is used to create something out of nothing. It is circulated everywhere, misleading people."

Therefore, the court was very strict in cracking down on tabloids.

The punishment may be a fine at the least and imprisonment at the worst.

But there is a saying that goes, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

What’s more, tabloids are mobile vendors that use text as a medium.

Therefore, even though the Zhou Dynasty court was displeased with tabloids and cracked down on them many times, it was still unable to eradicate them. As a result, tabloids were not only not completely killed, but even became increasingly rampant.

Of course, this was inevitably caused by the enemy countries such as Western Xia and Northern Liao who fanned the flames behind the scenes.

But more often than not, it was because the court did not pay much attention to it, or felt that tabloids were just minor issues and not worth mentioning.

In any case, the existence of tabloids is a problem that causes some headaches for the Zhou Dynasty.

Although the imperial court knew that the existence of such illegal newspapers was detrimental to its rule, due to the limitations of the times, they could not clearly understand the horror of news mouthpieces, especially the unique official newspaper such as the Dibao.

No one has discovered its horror yet.

Or it could be that the current court bulletins were too formal and rigid, with no awareness of guiding public opinion between the lines, causing them to ignore the inflammatory power of words.

Yang Wenyuan, who has been in the Internet for many years and is an outstanding student in the UC Shock Department, knows clearly the power of guiding texts.

In a small sense, it is to stimulate readers' emotions; in a big sense, it is to manipulate people's hearts and spread ideas.

And it is a long-term, unilateral and authoritative rendering!

Therefore, Yang Wenyuan set his sights on the official newspaper.

"If I could set up a private newspaper under the official newspaper..."

If nothing else, at least there is no problem with sales.

After all, the output of official reports is pitifully small.

The official reports in Bian Jing were first supplied to the cabinet ministers, then to the Privy Council and the six ministries, then to the chief officials, and only then could it be the turn of others.

If you are not a high-ranking official in a purple robe, it is almost impossible to get a copy.

Even the Shujishi who were called "reserve prime ministers" could only circulate one book among so many people, which shows their real purpose.

If you want it, you have to go to the Jinzouyuan in person to copy it.

The private newspapers were not as sophisticated as the official newspapers.

Trade quantity for quality.

There is no need to use expensive Sansheng paper like the Dibao paper, just Huanhun paper (paper made from old paper as raw material) can be used.

While selling like hot cakes, it also satisfied the thirst for information among local officials, ordinary gentry, and common people, and played a role in communicating between the upper and lower levels.

It can be said to kill two birds with one stone.

However, these are all Yang Wenyuan's plans for the future. Now he is still an unknown person among the civil servants, and during his time as a Shujishi, he cannot hold other official positions concurrently. He can only wait until the academy is disbanded in three years to have a chance.

When the academy is closed, if he can stay in the Hanlin Academy as a compiler or editor, he will have an official status and can hold other official positions like other officials in the Hanlin Academy.

Places like Jinzouyuan have a strong literary nature and are a good place to go.

Thinking of this, Yang Wenyuan couldn't help but fantasize.

"In fact, the Silver Desk is not bad. After all, everyone who works in the writing field knows that the auditor is everyone's father!"

The Yintaisi was the place where the final version of the imperial gazette was reviewed and it was in charge of the memorials from all over the country and was responsible for sealing and rejecting them.

Not only does it hold the power of river crabs, the Yintaisi also has the function of rejecting erroneous memorials from ministers and returning inappropriate edicts to the emperor.

Of course, it still depends on the dish.

"Donghuan, let's go eat!"

Yang Wenyuan and Changbai were not much different in age, and they were treated as brothers before they married Hualan. Therefore, except for calling each other brother-in-law and brother-in-law in front of the Sheng family, they interacted normally at other times.

"okay!"

After saying this, Yang Wenyuan put down the report in his hand, rubbed his aching waist and began to stand up.

"Is there anything new in this court bulletin?" Changbai glanced at Yang Wenyuan, who had been reading the court bulletin for almost the whole morning, and couldn't help but ask.

Changbai could understand if a local official who was unaware of the political situation was so fascinated by the official bulletin. However, Changbai was a little confused as to why Yang Wenyuan, a scholar at the information center, was so engrossed in it.

"You don't understand, I'm missing the past." Yang Wenyuan said with emotion.

"Although I never read a newspaper in my previous life."

But this didn't stop him from showing off, since Changbai wouldn't understand anyway.

Changbai and Yang Wenyuan have been together for a long time, and they have become more or less accustomed to their brother-in-law's irrelevant remarks, so they just ignore them and let them go in one ear and out the other.

Side room.

Yang Wenyuan and Changbai each took out the lunch boxes they brought in the morning, which contained the lunch prepared by their families in advance.

While putting food on the table, Yang Wenyuan shook his head and sighed:

"Alas, people's hearts have really changed and the world is in decline!"

Yang Wenyuan couldn't help but feel emotional.

When I was first selecting students, hot meals were delivered to me every day.

Now that I have been selected by the museum, my status should be more honorable than before, but it turns out that my grandfather and grandmother don’t love me anymore. They only come to send me off every few days, depending on their mood and whether it’s convenient for them.

Before the college entrance examination, she was treated like a treasure and people called her "Little Sweetie". But now that the selection is over, people immediately despise her and call her "Mrs. Niu".

Changbai looked helpless:

"Please don't complain. I think the father-in-law who has been helping to lead the way has become quite dissatisfied after a long time. You can ask him to be quiet for a few days."

Yang Wenyuan slapped the table lightly and said confidently:
"I paid for it!"

Every day when delivering meals, you can earn one string of silver just by leading the way back and forth. Others would be scrambling to get this deal.

Besides, the customer is God, don’t you understand?

Well, Changbai really didn't understand, but Yang Wenyuan didn't care and just turned to say:

"By the way, I heard from Madam that Gu Tingye has already been arranged to marry Miss Yu, and the wedding date will be around next spring. What about you? You are a newly-appointed Jinshi, and you have also been selected as a Shujishi, so you must consider this marriage carefully."

"But have you kept your eyes on him?" Yang Wenyuan continued to ask.

If Jinshi are sought-after commodities, then a young and unmarried Shujishi like Changbai is as valuable as the Hebi and Suizhu, and any family with a certain status would want to take a lick of her.

For example, most of the Shujishi in the same class as them and the three in the first class had already arranged their marriages during this period, some of them were political marriages, and some even made a joke of divorce in order to have a good in-law to help them in their official careers.

Changbai immediately laughed awkwardly.

During this period, many matchmakers and ladies came to the house to look for the man, but these people who came to the door on their own initiative couldn't even get past Wang Ruofu, let alone Sheng Hong and Old Lady Sheng. So even though he was a rare commodity, he still had no specific candidate to look at.

"The family hasn't been settled yet."

Changbai placed all the dishes on the table, wiped the bowls and chopsticks, and said calmly:
"But marriage is decided by parents and matchmakers. The elders in the family will help to arrange it. I will just listen to them."

Changbai knew clearly that his marriage was a political marriage that was linked to his family and his future career, so he did not take the initiative.

"You don't have anyone in mind?"

Yang Wenyuan took the chopsticks handed to him by Changbai, rested his chin on his head, looked at the calm young man opposite him, and asked:
“Marriage is a serious matter and it affects your future prospects, but if you can find a wife who is satisfactory and not just a mediocre one, you can live a happy life.

Look at me and Gu Tingye, we both didn’t listen to our family elders.”

"..."

Changbai paused, and suddenly he realized something.

How did I end up playing with Yang Wenyuan and Gu Tingye?

Yang Wenyuan didn't know that his words had successfully made Changbai reflect, so he just continued:

"This marriage is a matter of one's whole life. You are the eldest son in the family. If you don't marry a virtuous wife, it will cause unrest in the family and bring disaster to the family. That would be the most fatal thing."

Changbai rubbed his brows in distress:

"What is the purpose of all this talk?"

"hey-hey!"

Yang Wenyuan suddenly laughed, took two steps at a time and came forward, saying attentively:

"As the saying goes, fertile soil should be cultivated by oneself, and fertile water should not flow into the fields of outsiders. What do you think of my sister?"

"What?" Changbai was immediately surprised and suspicious.

But before he could wrap his mind around who Yang Wenyuan was talking about, he heard Yang Wenyuan continue to bombard him:

“Needless to say, my sister’s background is naturally worthy of your status.

He was also very handsome and famous in the city of Bianjing.

She is also virtuous and kind, and as lively and active as your sister. "

Yang Wenyuan counted on his fingers and listed Yang Ruijin's advantages one by one, which made Changbai stunned. Finally, Yang Wenyuan slammed the table and came to the final conclusion.

"From this perspective, you two are simply a perfect couple made in heaven!"

"Are you talking about Sister Rujin?" Changbai finally reacted.

Yang Wenyuan immediately lost his temper and said unhappily:

"Who do you think you are?"

Changbai looked helpless:

"I treat Sister Rujin as my sister, but to suddenly tell her this..."

Changbai looked embarrassed, and a shy look appeared on his usually calm face.

Looks like you're blushing?

"I didn't say I didn't allow you to treat her as your sister!"

Yang Wenyuan always kept in mind the task that his aunt, Mrs. Chen, had given him before he set out today.

We must sell Yang Ruijin to Changbai!
"Although it's not easy to say this outside, but in my eyes, your sister is sometimes treated as my younger sister!" Yang Wenyuan said without blushing or panting.

I, Yang Wenyuan, dare to tell the truth!

"But……"

Changbai was still embarrassed, but before he could say anything, he was interrupted by Yang Wenyuan.

Yang Wenyuan looked out the door for a while, and seeing that there was no one outside, he came forward and whispered to Changbai:

"Tell me, what do you think about my sister that is not to your liking? We are all brothers, there is nothing to be embarrassed about. If it is really inappropriate, then I will not mention it again from now on."

This is the method of retreating in order to advance!

Changbai's mind was like paste at this time. He had no ill feelings towards Yang Rujin before, so he said vaguely:
"There's nothing wrong with Sister Rujin, but..."

"That's it!"

Yang Wenyuan stood up suddenly as if he had obtained a precious imperial sword, and said in a loud voice:

"Since you don't hate my sister, then you have no objection to this marriage."

Changbai opened his mouth slightly, but couldn't speak for a long time.

Is this what I meant?
He wanted to refuse, but the scene of playing polo with Yang Ruijin suddenly popped up in Changbai's mind.

"Second Brother Gu, then I will go with you later?"

The girl has a bright smile and her melodious laughter is as pleasant as a spring.

At that time, I just thought she was pretty and a playful and lively girl next door, and I couldn't sense any other meaning.

Or are you unaware?

But at this moment, Changbai was stunned.

I could only hear Yang Wenyuan's voice continue to come from my ears:
“You are fine here, and you just said that the marriage is arranged by the elders alone, so you don’t have to worry about this matter!
Mrs. Wu will come to discuss it with my father-in-law and mother-in-law!"

(End of this chapter)