Chapter 148: News from the Newspaper Office

Stepping out of the Chengxiang Hall, Gao Yanfu very sensibly produced a small pouch and respectfully handed it to Fu Lai, saying, "This humble servant thanks Eunuch Fu for recommending me to the Highness!"

Fu Lai grinned, reached out, and accepted the gift. "Since you now serve the Highness, you must work diligently from this day onward. If the opportunity arises, there will be major deeds to accomplish in the future."

"Then I shall rely heavily on Eunuch Fu in the days to come..." Gao Yanfu said with an expression of utmost deference.

Seeing his attitude to be so favorable and sensible, Fu Lai nodded. "Off with you then. Remember to report here early tomorrow morning."

After bowing and taking his leave, Gao Yanfu walked to a secluded spot before letting out a long, heavy breath.

Unable to suppress the joy in his heart any longer, a broad smile finally bloomed across his face.

To serve under this Princess meant that his days of hardship had truly come to an end!

Early the next morning, as Gao Yanfu arrived outside the gates of the Chengxiang Hall, he was greeted by the rushing sound of wind being split by a weapon.

Glancing up inadvertently, he caught sight of the Princess herself in the garden, gracefully wielding a spear-staff as it danced up and down around her.

Gao Yanfu remained silent, assuming a deferential posture as he waited by the entrance.

Before long, Shangguan Wan'er and Princess Yiyang walked out side by side. Spotting them, he hurriedly bowed and greeted, "Greetings, Your Highness!"

As for Shangguan Wan'er, he momentarily found himself at a loss as to how to address her.

In terms of status, she was a servant just like him. Yet currently, she also served as the editor of the newspaper office. However, since the newspaper office was not an official court post, he could not simply address her as Editor Shangguan.

Normally within the palace, when encountering such a favored person close to royalty, one would address them respectfully as "Elder Sister" to show closeness.

That, however, was only appropriate when alone; with Princess Yiyang right by their side, such an address was entirely out of the question.

Perhaps perceiving the hesitation on his face, Shangguan Wan'er offered a gentle smile. "No need to be so restrained. In the future, you may simply address me as Shangguan."

"Understood!" Gao Yanfu replied hastily.

Upon arriving at the newspaper office, Princess Yiyang set to work drafting articles and processing news sent in from various regions.

Shangguan Wan'er, meanwhile, took Gao Yanfu to the Directorate of Palace Crafts to retrieve the movable type, subsequently instructing him on the procedures for typesetting and other operational details.

Not long after, the young eunuchs arranged by Fu Lai arrived as well. None of them were literate; their sole responsibility was to handle the printing process itself.

With only two sets of movable type currently available, the four of them would take turns working to maximize efficiency.

Gao Yanfu's tasks were not particularly difficult, consisting mainly of arranging the movable type and conducting careful inspections after each print run.

Confirming that he fully understood his duties, Shangguan Wan'er returned to join Princess Yiyang in reviewing the reports dispatched from various prefectures and counties.

***

It was another day of court audience, and Li Yuetchen was once again listening to the news broadcasts alongside Shangguan Wan'er in the corridor.

Recent state affairs had lacked any major events worthy of attention, yet one particular piece of news managed to catch Li Yuetchen's eye.

Persia had been conquered by the Arab Empire, and the Persian King Peroz III was on his way to the imperial court to petition for Great Tang's protection.

Hearing this news, Li Yuetchen pondered for a moment. The Arab Empire... was that the region of Arabia?

In truth, Great Tang originally maintained a Persian Protectorate General over in those lands, but the distance was simply too vast for effective control, making it essentially little more than a tributary state.

Since the Persian King was making the trip this time, he was undoubtedly coming to plead for military reinforcements. Such a move was entirely unsurprising.

Great Tang was widely acknowledged as the preeminent superpower among the surrounding nations, and with great power came great responsibilities. Generally speaking, whenever turmoil struck neighboring countries, Great Tang was expected to assume the role of a mediator.

At the same time, in exchange for the annual tribute offered by neighboring states, Great Tang bore the obligation of shielding them from external aggression.

At this thought, Li Yuetchen glanced toward her father seated upon the Dragon Throne, a trace of quiet worry stirring within her.

Her father spent his days fixated on surpassing the former Emperor and outshining his predecessors.

Now that the agricultural crisis had been initially resolved, the empire was poised for takeoff.

Should he get carried away in a moment of imperial pride and grant the Persian King's request to dispatch troops, things could quickly become rather troublesome.

Truth be told, an excessively vast territory held no genuine benefits for the current Great Tang, as population size remained its Achilles' heel—such immense lands were simply impossible to govern effectively.

According to the national census of the third year of Yonghui, the recorded households stood at three million eight hundred thousand, with a total population of roughly twelve million.

Even now, factoring in unregistered vagrant households, Buddhist monks, Daoists, and slaves, Li Yuetchen estimated the total national population still fell short of twenty million.

The territory of the current Great Tang was already vast—far larger than it would be more than a thousand years later—making the improvement of people's livelihoods the absolute top priority.

Still, it was not her place to offer such advice to her father, as these were matters reserved for an emperor's consideration. No matter how deeply favored she was, she knew better than to test the Emperor's bottom line on such issues.

***

On the twelfth day of the eleventh month, the Persian King Peroz III arrived at court, and Li Zhi received him in the Xuanzheng Hall.

Taking advantage of the moment while Peroz was detailing his plight to Li Zhi, Li Yuetchen peeked out cautiously from behind the folding screen to catch a glimpse of the Persian monarch.

Brown hair, blue eyes, an aquiline nose, prominent brow ridges, and large ears. Combined with a thick beard that practically covered his entire face, he looked rather furry and somewhat endearing.

***

Peroz recounted his experiences in halting, unpolished Tang literary Chinese, pleading with Li Zhi to send troops to his aid.

Li Zhi, seated upon the Dragon Throne, nodded gently. "This matter is of grave importance. Allow Us to confer with Our trusted ministers before giving you an answer."

Despite his words, judging by Li Zhi's expression—at least according to Li Yuetchen's understanding of her father—he had no intention of dispatching troops whatsoever.

This outcome caught Li Yuetchen somewhat by surprise; she had initially assumed he might actually choose to fight.

Li Zhi turned his head slightly and caught sight of his daughter in the corridor, her hands resting atop her head forming the shape of a heart, her face beaming with a radiant smile.

At the sight of his daughter's playful antics, Li Zhi smiled softly and declared the court session adjourned.

Walking side by side with Wu Zetian into the corridor, Li Yuetchen happily skipped over to take both of their hands.

Shangguan Wan'er, having no time to tidy away her brush and paper, hastily stood up and bowed.

Li Zhi waved his hand to dispense with the formalities and prepared to leave with Li Yuetchen in tow.

Li Yuetchen waved farewell to Shangguan Wan'er. "Wan'er, you head back first. Today I'll be mooching a meal at the Yanying Hall."

"Understood!"

"This girl! How can you use such a crude expression?" Wu Zetian turned her head with a mild reprimand.

Li Yuetchen giggled. "Oh come now, Mother, I was only joking..."

Upon returning to the Yanying Hall, Li Yuetchen skillfully set about boiling water to brew tea.

Nearby, Li Zhi picked up a pair of health-preservation iron balls. "Did Chen'er look so pleased just now because she heard that We have no intention of sending troops?"

Li Yuetchen pondered briefly before answering honestly, "Persia lies at a tremendous distance, and our Great Tang soldiers would likely suffer from the unfamiliar climate and water. Why mobilize a massive army over such a distance?"

"Hmm, your thoughts happen to align with Our own," Li Zhi said with a gratified smile. "Knowing that you cherish the lives of Great Tang soldiers brings Us great comfort."

"Hehe... I wasn't thinking quite that deeply," Li Yuetchen replied with a chuckle, stepping behind Li Zhi to gently massage his shoulders. "I merely hope that one day Great Tang will enjoy crystal-clear rivers, calm seas, and abundant harvests year after year."

Li Zhi grinned broadly, his fingers gently rotating the iron balls in his palm. "Splendid sentiment!" The court diarist seated nearby furiously brushed down notes, recording the dialogue between father and daughter; perhaps one day, this conversation would find its way into the official annals of history.

After chatting and massaging her father's shoulders for a while, Li Yuetchen hurried over to do the same for her mother.

Wu Zetian leaned back into her chair with evident pleasure, enjoying her daughter's massage while picking up a memorial to read.

She cared not a whit whether the daughter standing behind her happened to catch a glimpse of the contents; the Emperor had allowed her to attend court and listen to state affairs since childhood, so reading memorials was of no consequence.

In truth, Li Yuetchen had little interest in such matters, but since her vantage point afforded her a clear view, she casually read along just as if she were perusing a newspaper.

However, the very moment Wu Zetian unfolded the memorial in her hands, Li Yuetchen's eyes widened involuntarily.

A few particular characters stood out with startling clarity: Prince Jiang, Li Yun, and his son, the Prince of Runan, Prince Wei, are plotting rebellion...

Though astonishment surged within her, Li Yuetchen's hands did not miss a beat, continuing her massage of her mother's shoulders.

Wu Zetian paused momentarily as well, then gently patted her daughter's hand to signal her to stop, before rising to walk over to Li Zhi's side. "Your Majesty, have a look at this memorial."

Noticing her grave expression, Li Zhi retrieved his spectacles from the side, put them on, and unfolded the document to read it word by word.

Though Li Yuetchen could not see the full contents, a heavy sense of depression settled in her heart: Well then, it seems the countless palace coups recorded on the internet regarding the Tang dynasty were probably true after all.

Yet, on second thought, to launch a rebellion at a time like this—was the perpetrator completely devoid of common sense?

After finishing the text, Li Zhi wore a stern expression, though he appeared less angry than simply perplexed.

Wu Zetian remained silent beside him, awaiting his decision.

After a brief spell of deep thought, Li Zhi raised his head and commanded, "Someone come! Summon the senior ministers!"

Hearing that major affairs of state were about to be discussed, Li Yuetchen promptly stood up to take her leave.

"Chen'er, if you wish to listen, you may stay," Li Zhi offered.

Li Yuetchen shook her head vigorously. "Better not. If I remain, I'm afraid it might give the ministers cause for overthinking."

That reasoning made sense, so Li Zhi nodded and permitted her to leave.

Stepping out of the Yanying Hall, Li Yuetchen gently tapped her own forehead with a silent sigh of resignation.

Judging by her father's attitude, there was bound to be something suspicious about this entire affair, but Li Yuetchen had no desire to probe deeper.

An emperor's mind was best left unguessable.

***

How this matter was ultimately resolved remained unknown to Li Yuetchen, nor did she bother to inquire, continuing instead to busy herself with her own affairs.

Yet, because she paid her daily respects to her parents, certain fragments of information inevitably reached her ears.

As December rolled around, Li Yuetchen attempted to piece together the clues she had gathered, and the resulting picture suggested that her father harbored serious doubts regarding the authenticity of the treason charges.

He had merely dispatched an emissary to summon Prince Jiang, Li Yun, along with his son, to the capital so the matter could be clarified face-to-face.

Li Yuetchen, too, found the rebellion claim highly improbable; acts of treason required favorable timing.

With Great Tang currently enjoying an era of peace and prosperity, rebelling under such circumstances was purely an invitation for self-destruction.

Shaking her head, Li Yuetchen decided to banish such unproductive thoughts from her mind and focus on her own duties.

With the New Year fast approaching, she needed to start contemplating what kind of dance would be most appropriate to perform for her father during the grand court assembly.

***

Meanwhile, inside the newspaper office.

Gao Yanfu walked in carrying a large stack of letters. Seeing only Princess Yiyang present, he reported respectfully, "Your Highness, the news dispatches from all the branch offices have arrived."

"Mm," Princess Yiyang acknowledged with a nod. "Just leave them there. You may step aside for now."

"Understood!"

Shortly after, Shangguan Wan'er returned carrying two bowls of yogurt, holding one in each hand before placing a bowl before Princess Yiyang. "Your Highness."

Princess Yiyang looked up with a smile and said, "Wan'er, the news reports from the various prefectures and counties have just arrived. Have a look."

"Yes!"

Acknowledging the instruction, Shangguan Wan'er took a large sip of yogurt at her desk before opening the letters with puffed-out cheeks to read them one by one.

After skimming through several that contained nothing of urgency, she broke into a sudden freeze upon opening the next letter.

After reading it carefully twice over, Shangguan Wan'er hurried over to Princess Yiyang's side and handed her the missive. "Your Highness, this..."

Princess Yiyang took the letter, read through it, and instructed, "Take this immediately and present it to the Sage!"

"Shouldn't I show it to the Princess first..."

"Absolutely not!" Princess Yiyang intervened sharply. "A matter of this magnitude must be reported to the Sage at once, and we shall await the Sage's decree! If you show it to Chen'er first, you will only harm her!"

Sensing the gravity in her tone, Shangguan Wan'er nodded. "I understand. I'm going right now!"

***

Inside the Yanying Hall, the imperial couple sat by their desk drinking tea when Zhang Chengxin strode in respectfully. "Your Majesty, Shangguan Wan'er requests an audience!"

"Oh?" Li Zhi seemed somewhat surprised, turning his head to remark, "Today isn't the scheduled day for reviewing newspaper drafts, is it?"

"Perhaps she brings other news," Wu Zetian suggested.

Li Zhi nodded. "Let her in!"

Upon entering the hall, Shangguan Wan'er bowed respectfully. "Wan'er pays respects to the Emperor and Empress!"

"What brings you here?" Li Zhi asked casually while pouring tea.

She hurriedly raised the letter with both hands. "While reviewing the news dispatches from the prefectures and counties just now, Wan'er received a piece of intelligence. Deeming the matter of utmost gravity, I have come to report it to the Emperor."

Seeing Li Zhi nod, Zhang Chengxin quickly stepped forward to receive the document and hand it over to the Emperor.

The message on the paper was concise: A period of mourning had been declared within the Prince Jiang's estate, with rumors spreading that Prince Jiang and his son had hanged themselves!

Upon reading this news, the imperial couple exchanged a look of shock, and Li Zhi abruptly raised his head. "What is the truth of this matter? Give me the details!"

Shangguan Wan'er bowed in response. "Replying to the Emperor, the personnel at the branch offices are of humble station and cannot enter the Prince Jiang's estate to verify the truth firsthand. Based on the letter's contents, they appear to have merely observed signs of mourning from outside the gates, but as for the specific circumstances..."

This explanation was entirely reasonable. Li Zhi let out a long breath and waved a hand. "You may withdraw for now!"

"This maid takes her leave!" Shangguan Wan'er hurried out of the hall.

Li Zhi tapped the letter against his palm twice. "What are your thoughts, Meiniang?"

"We must await further reports from that side before making a judgment," Wu Zetian replied. "However, the speed at which this branch office operates exceeds even that of the imperial court—that was something I did not anticipate."

In truth, many factors contributed to this efficiency. For instance, the branch personnel did not need to conduct on-site investigations themselves, and their reports were written not for the Emperor's perusal, but simply to convey the facts without worrying about formal court diction.

Not to mention that official court communications had to travel layer by layer through bureaucracy, whereas the newspaper office bypassed the chain entirely...

Combined, these factors made their intelligence-gathering vastly swifter than the official court channels.

As Li Zhi stared at the letter in his hands, he began to wonder whether it was time to grant these individuals associated with the newspaper a formal mandate of investigation.

The organizational structure of the newspaper office proved far more efficient than that of the court. If its subordinates possessed a degree of investigative authority, operating in tandem with formal government organs, the result would surely be clearer and more accurate intelligence.