Chapter 918: Wuxiang Morning News

Emperor Ning arranged a marriage for the Qi family, with the Second Miss Qi, Qi Zhaoyun, to be wed as the official wife of Prince Fu, yet the marriage did not take place.

The year before, Emperor Ning summoned Prince Fu back to the Imperial Capital because officials from the Ministry of Rites were concerned that the passing of Mr. Qi would delay the wedding. So, they intended to complete the grand marriage before Mr. Qi’s departure, to ensure the continuance of the royal bloodline.

However, despite the rushed preparations, Mr. Qi ultimately passed away before the wedding could occur, and the wedding had to be postponed for a year.

At this time, Prince Fu, dressed in a black arrow suit, with sword-like brows and starry eyes, exuded a commanding presence. Zhou Kuang and others accompanied him, and everyone, including Prince Fu, had a hard bow and an arrow quiver hung by their saddles.

Riding side by side with him, Qi Zhaoyun, also mounted on a horse, wore a white top, had her hair tied with a coarse hemp rope, and a bundle of white cloth was hung on the horse’s ear.

Prince Fu turned to Qi Zhaoyun and said, "Would you like to take a ride on a painting boat? During the day, the painting boats rest beside Treasure Street, but at night they sail out, lit with hanging lanterns and adorned with fine windows on all sides, looking beautiful."

Qi Zhaoyun softly asked, "Have you, Your Highness, boarded a painting boat before?"

Prince Fu candidly replied, "I have."

Qi Zhaoyun frowned and did not speak.

Qi Zhaoning curiously remarked, "I’ve heard that painting boats are filled with actresses attracting patrons along the river... What was your purpose on the painting boat, Your Highness?"

Prince Fu chuckled, "I was conducting official business. Though the Qinhuai River is over two hundred miles long, the most famous section is the ’Ten-mile Qinhuai,’ spanning from Jubao Gate to Tongji Gate. Among the countless painting boats on this stretch, the ’Late Sun’ is the most renowned."

Qi Zhaoyun softly commented, "Your Highness speaks like a storyteller, intentionally keeping us intrigued."

Prince Fu laughed heartily, "The Chief aboard ’Late Sun’ is a woman about forty years of age, in charge of twelve painting boats, yet not in the business of flesh trade. She has extensive connections in Jinling City, befriending the high and mighty, and often solving troubles that even the regular Jianghu people find overwhelming. It cost me eight hundred taels just to have a chance to board the boat and request a diagram of Jiangnan’s officialdom to recognize the officials across Jiangnan."

Qi Zhaoyun asked curiously, "Does this person truly have the skill to be familiar with all of Jiangnan’s officials?"

Prince Fu shook his head, "Not exactly, as the diagram I acquired is mostly composed of rumors and conjectures. This person merely compiles these rumors. So, how about going aboard with me?"

Qi Zhaoyun shook her head, "Your Highness, a commoner girl like me has no desire to go to such a public place, and it would be better for Your Highness not to go as well, lest it stirs gossip."

Prince Fu agreed, "Then let’s not go. We can go to Chaotian Palace instead; I’ve heard that Daoist Master Zhang Li rode a great Qing Niu from the north, and perhaps he is at Chaotian Palace now."

The sound of hooves faded away from the bridge, and Zhang Xia silently observed Huang Que.

Huang Que’s expression was serene, with no hint of anomalies, but his body was visibly tense.

After a long while, when no more hoofbeats could be heard, Huang Que suddenly turned to Zhang Xia, "Did the Mountain Master arrange this meeting place deliberately, allowing me to overhear their conversation?"

Zhang Xia shook his head, "Boss Huang overthinks. I also didn’t know that Prince Fu would arrive in Jinling today. Moreover, I have no reason to do so."

Xiao Man, beside them, scolded, "What’s wrong with you? You’re blaming Sister Axia for matters related to your own old grievances."

After a moment of silence, Huang Que laughed at himself, "Forgive me; it was my overthinking. Please don’t blame me, Mountain Master. I’ve been living cautiously this year, developing a habit of suspicion."

Zhang Xia smiled, "No worries. Someone once said that a useless disposition never stays with you, and it’s precisely this suspicion that has kept you alive to this day, or else you would’ve perished long ago under the court and Green Forest."

Huang Que bowed, "Thank you, Mountain Master, for your understanding."

Zhang Xia sighed, "It’s a pity about Boss Huang and the Second Miss Qi. I once saw the Second Miss Qi in the Imperial Capital—thin as paper, indicating that she still holds you in her heart."

Huang Que’s gaze drifted across the long Qinhuai River towards the distant Confucius Temple, "Ultimately, the Second Miss Qi and I were never meant to be. She is a daughter of an aristocratic family, and I am but a mud-footed son of a salt vendor. Now seeing her married to Prince Fu, it’s a match beyond the reach of ordinary women, so I needn’t dwell on it."

He shifted the topic, "Mountain Master, the matter of smuggling private salt to the fertile land must be carefully planned..."

Zhang Xia interjected, "Boss Huang, if this succeeds, not only will seventy percent of the salt profits go to you, but our family can also grant you official status."

Huang Que was taken aback, "Official status?"

Zhang Xia spoke unhurriedly, "Boss Huang has studied hard for over ten years, all for the sake of official status. Now, mingling daily with merchants and the Green Forest, perhaps your heart remains unfulfilled. Today I offer you a chance for glory, sparing your descendants from the misfortunes that befall you, how about it?"

Huang Que seemed tempted, "How will you grant me official status?"

"It’s simple," Zhang Xia smiled, "All scholars can wait for vacancies at the Ministry of Personnel; however, ordinary scholars might never fill a vacancy in their lifetime, forced to return home as mere local gentry. Yet, for our family, it has never been challenging."

Huang Que remained silent.

Zhang Xia continued, "As long as you can deal with the Eight Great Merchants, my Zhang Family will offer you a prosperous land as a seventh-rank county magistrate, and you can rise to the position of magistrate within ten years. After that, it will depend on your capabilities. Dedicate yourself to governance, and you might enter the Central."

Huang Que made a swift decision, gritted his teeth, and said, "The Mountain Master and Chen Ji share life and death, so they must be trustworthy. I accept this matter; wait for my news."

With that, he slipped out of the black-roofed boat, leapt onto his own little boat, and headed out of the city.

The boat fell silent, and only then did Xiao Man complain, "What’s with Huang Que? If it weren’t for the young master and Brother Pao supporting him, he’d still be a petty salt vendor. Why does he hesitate, second-guess, and suspect when Sister Axia asks him to do something?"

Zhang Xia watched the small boat leave: "Xiao Man, that is a beheading matter, his hesitation is understandable. Anyone would reconsider such a task."

Zhang Zheng leaned casually in the cabin, chuckling: "This person is ruthless, suspicious by nature—he has the makings of a hero. In prosperous times, he’d be frustrated; in chaotic times, he’s a wildfire."

At this moment, Thirty-two crouched at the stern, curiously asked: "Lady, aren’t we leaving?"

Zhang Xia replied calmly, "Let’s wait a bit."

After ten more minutes, a black-roofed boat sailed over. Without needing a password, a young man jumped onto their boat. Xiao Man pointed at him in surprise: "You, you, you, I’ve seen you, aren’t you the ruffian guarding the back door at Meihua Ferry Crossing every day?"

The young man grinned, "That’s me. Last year Brother Pao pretended to dismiss us, but actually arranged for us to come to Jiangnan. One group followed Huang Que to smuggle salt and seize territory, while another settled in Jinling under the Mountain Master’s orders."

Zhang Xia said warmly, "Are you accustomed?"

The young man replied with a smile, "Returning to the Mountain Master, except for the sweet taste of southern food, I’m accustomed to everything else. We’ve been seizing territory in the Imperial Capital daily; now we just seize bigger territories."

Zhang Xia asked again, "Have the twenty-seven wounded brothers been properly settled?"

The young man nodded, "The disabled are settled in Jinling to do odd jobs and receive double monthly wages. For the deceased, both the person and the silver for compensation are sent back to the Imperial Capital. Those with dependents also receive double compensation."

Zhang Xia thought for a moment, "How is Huang Que?"

The young man paused: "This person’s scheming is deep and ruthless. Somehow, he got a crooked Official Gateway, and within a year, he had one foot in the Seeking Dao Realm. If it weren’t for a group of salt vendors finding their way to his home for a massacre, we’d never know he practiced the Official Gateway, hiding it too well."

Xiao Man widened his eyes, "He’s an Executive Officer? I couldn’t tell earlier! What kind of Official Gateway allows someone to enter the Seeking Dao Realm in just over a year, how is that possible?"

The young man shook his head, "I don’t know. This person is quite strange, with a penchant for killing."

Thirty-two also widened his eyes, "Such a penchant?"

The young man thought for a moment, "It’s hard to tell exactly, the Salt Gang is a mix of good and bad; from time to time, there’s someone who disobeys him. According to the gang rules, they need to be killed as a warning. This could be delegated to the subordinates, but he insists on doing it himself, not bothered by the messy blood. Moreover, when grabbing the territories from other illegal salt vendors, he insists on personally killing them; why would he do that unless he likes killing?"

Zhang Xia shook his head, "Let’s leave that alone for now, how is the book bureau?"

The young man hurriedly said, "We acquired a book bureau on Sanshan Street. The place is spacious enough; we can sell books outside as a cover and print newspapers inside. New movable type and printing presses have been shipped from the Imperial Capital; the old masters who previously made the morning papers have also arrived in Jinling by boat, ready to start anytime. The ruffians who used to sell the morning papers have also been summoned to Jinling, all are clever and trustworthy."

Xiao Man looked at Zhang Xia in surprise, "Sister Axia is going to publish a newspaper in Jinling?"

Zhang Xia responded affirmatively, "Its sharpness, Chen Ji has already demonstrated to the Qi family in the Imperial Capital, perfect for use in Jinling."

The young man laughed, "Mountain Master, give the newspaper a name."

Zhang Xia considered, "Wuxiang Morning News."

The young man thought for a moment, "Alright, I’ll have the master carve the type when I return; these four characters should be carved beautifully... what should we publish, to make the Wuxiang Morning News a sensation? Brother Pao said the most important thing about a newspaper is to draw people’s eyes."

Xiao Man said begrudgingly, "It’s to attract them, not draw eyes."

The young man chuckled, "Same thing."

Zhang Xia pulled out a stack of papers from his sleeve, "Publish this, don’t worry, nothing is more eye-catching than this front page."

...

There will be another Chapter tonight; everyone can see it tomorrow morning.