Chapter 29: The First Newspaper Appeared

"It's me!" Zhao Huan pointed to the sky and said, "I am a man of the Emperor." He had thought that after revealing his identity, the little girl would trust him, but unexpectedly, she became even more cautious. Her wariness carried a deep sense of guardedness.

"Why? Are you worried about something?" Zhao Huan asked her.

"It's nothing," she replied, not saying much, and then asked, "After we finish eating, can we leave?"

Zhao Huan frowned, but quickly understood, and said, "What is it? Are there officials after you?"

"It's nothing!" The girl was clearly very concerned and did not reveal the truth to Zhao Huan, instead repeating, "After we finish eating, we can leave, right?"

Zhao Huan nodded. Since she did not wish to speak, he let her be.

"Yes, you can take them away after the meal," Zhao Huan said calmly.

An awkward silence filled the air.

When the food arrived, the children devoured it ravenously—they had not eaten such delicious food in a long time.

By the time they finished, Yue Fei had returned as well. Things were exactly as Zhao Huan had predicted: beneath the statue of the Old Lord, there was a layer of soybean seeds. Each day, Li Xiaoyao had his men sprinkle "celestial water" around them—which was really just ordinary water—and these seeds had sprouted, lifting the statue higher.

Now that the matter was settled, Zhao Huan no longer concerned himself with Li Xiaoyao. Yet the events of the day left him thoughtful; in this era, information was scarce, and those with ill intentions could easily use such opportunities to deceive the ignorant populace, sowing seeds of instability.

"It seems an official press is needed," Zhao Huan murmured quietly.

Yue Fei shook his head and asked, "Press?"

Zhao Huan explained, "A kind of gazette, published by our imperial house. Once distributed, it would be posted everywhere, so that the grassroots people can learn about imperial affairs firsthand. This way, charlatans like Li Xiaoyao will have less chance to sow confusion among the masses."

Yue Fei was not merely a straightforward military man; he immediately grasped the necessity of such a thing and said delightedly, "That is an excellent idea! If implemented, I am certain it will win the praise of the people."

Zhao Huan nodded and said, "We've seen enough for today—let us return to the palace. Cheng Dafu, summon Li Gang, Zong Ze, and others to the Imperial Library for a council."

He was a man of swift action; once an idea struck him, he intended to carry it out at once.

By this time, the children had finished eating. Seeing Zhao Huan rise, they knelt and kowtowed, crying, "Thank you, uncle!"

Zhao Huan nodded, accustomed to such displays. He glanced at the little girl; seeing she still had nothing more to say, he departed with Yue Fei and the others.

After Zhao Huan and his party left, the girl's curiosity about his identity grew, and she asked the innkeeper, "Boss, who was that man?"

The innkeeper shook his head and replied, "I don't know, but he must be someone important—I didn't even dare look him in the eye."

Someone important? The girl forced a wry smile. How important could he be? And even if he were, what did it matter? These officials always shield one another.

Standing outside, Zhao Huan turned to Yue Fei and said, "Find two clever men and have them keep an eye on the children."

Yue Fei nodded and hurried off to carry out the instruction. Zhao Huan called him back and reminded, "Be sure to protect them. Their fathers gave their lives for the Empire."

On hearing this, Yue Fei nodded vigorously. As a general, he felt a natural kinship with the families of fallen soldiers.

Back at the palace, everyone gathered in the Imperial Library for a meeting. Now, Zhao Huan deeply felt the burdens of being Emperor. He had once imagined he could go wherever he pleased, do whatever he wanted, possess any beauty he desired. Now, it was clear that reality was far different. External threats loomed from the Jin, internal corruption plagued the government and military. The Disaster of Jingkang hung overhead like a sword, allowing him not a moment's rest.

Zhao Huan shared his thoughts with several ministers.

"Your Majesty, it is a fine idea," said Zhu Shengfei, Minister of Revenue, "but our greatest problem is the severe shortage of funds. If we are to establish these newspapers in every province and county, the expense will be enormous."

Zhao Huan was displeased and retorted, "No money again? What about the funds seized from Tong Guan’s household? Are they all gone?"

Zhu Shengfei replied sorrowfully, "Almost. The Armory Department devours money like a beast; it spends tens of strings of cash daily. Perhaps we should limit its expenses?"

"Absolutely not!" Zong Ze stepped forward. "Minister Zhu, research in the Armory Department requires funding. Every coin is earmarked; each transaction is recorded by a dedicated officer. Not a single penny has been pocketed privately. If you cut our funding, how can we continue our research?"

"Your Majesty," said Li Ruoshui, Minister of Rites, "I believe there is no need to establish these so-called newspapers. After all, few in the Great Song can read or write. Even if we send newspapers to the provinces and counties, few would understand them."

"Ah, what you say is not quite accurate," Zhao Huan waved his hand. "Even if only one person can read, he can share the news with others. Besides, your concern is easily solved—when the newspapers arrive, we can assign someone to read them aloud. Everyone can understand speech, surely."

Seeing that Zhao Huan was determined to push forward this newspaper, the ministers agreed it was a good idea, but they remained cautious about such a novelty.

"Your Majesty, our most pressing issue is funding. If that is solved, all other problems are minor," said Li Gang.

Zhao Huan nodded, handed the newspaper template to Li Gang for circulation among the ministers, and asked, "If I can resolve the funding issue, can the press be established?"