Chapter 21: Your Imperial Highness, This Is to Truly Grant You Eternal Life!

“What crime have you committed? You have rendered great service!” Zhu Yuanzhang laughed heartily and helped Zhu Yunrong to his feet.

“Well said! This act is for the countless people across the land to have access to books, far more important than you reading alone,” the old Zhu said. “Speak up—what reward do you desire?” He paused, then added, “The matter we discussed a few days ago is off the table. Anything else, you may ask freely.”

“It’s no fun if I can’t ask for the Ming Empire itself,” Zhu Yunrong muttered inwardly.

He had long prepared himself mentally and was not disappointed.

“Grandfather Emperor, my earlier demand for a reward was but a jest,” Zhu Yunrong said with a smile. “Who told you to accuse me before I even presented my offering?”

“I spoke out of a sense of injustice,” he continued. “It was not serious. Presenting gifts to you, Grandfather Emperor, is only right and proper. There’s no reason for me to ask for rewards.”

“Hahaha!” Old Zhu laughed heartily, patting his shoulder. “That won’t do. You were right just now—merit must be rewarded in the Ming court. As the Son of Heaven, I must set the example. Today, I must give you a generous reward.”

“Grandfather Emperor really intends to reward me generously?” Zhu Yunrong grinned mischievously.

“A monarch’s word is not a jest!” Old Zhu nodded with a smile.

Beside them, Zhu Yunwen’s heart raced like a thousand wild horses thundering by.

He never dreamed that what Zhu Yunrong presented would truly be a treasure.

Hearing the old emperor promise such generosity, jealousy nearly drove him mad.

Seeing Zhu Yunrong’s confident demeanor, he felt unease deep within but could say nothing, only watch helplessly.

“Grandfather Emperor, my ambition is for everyone in the realm to have books to read and to become literate,” Zhu Yunrong declared.

“However, establishing countless public schools to eradicate illiteracy is costly—too great a burden for the state and the common people.”

“People’s hearts are naturally lazy. Though the teachings of sages and moral principles are excellent, ordinary folk are unwilling to study diligently.”

“Instead, they prefer entertainment and diversion.”

“Though moral texts are timeless, people do not care to read them seriously.”

“Conversely, gossip, strange tales, and fantastic legends spread through the streets and alleys, eagerly devoured by the curious.”

“Because of this, storytellers and performers attract countless followers.”

“My thought is to teach people to read by starting here.”

“By telling stories and performing plays, people become interested.”

“Then, from these, we can impart the sages’ teachings and promote the laws and policies of the state.”

“The people will gladly listen and spread these truths, which will gradually take root in their hearts.”

“Now that we have the rotary printing press, I wish to use it to publish newspapers featuring books, plays, and stories to attract readers.”

“Through these, we will disseminate the sages’ wisdom, promote state policies and laws, so that all may know and recite them.”

“The common folk can thus learn to read and write, and retain their knowledge longer.”

“This endeavor benefits both state and people; I humbly request your approval, Grandfather Emperor!”

In truth, although many commoners were illiterate, more were semi-literate, especially men.

Most families, even poor ones, strove to send their sons to private schools for a few days to learn some characters.

This level of literacy was so basic that beyond recognizing and writing their own names, it held little practical use.

Yet these people loved watching plays and listening to storytellers.

They would become the most loyal readers of newspapers.

Later great men summarized that ruling a nation hinges on two things:

The “gun barrel” and the “pen.”

The “gun barrel” is military force.

This was no concern for Zhu Yunrong.

His position naturally commanded the support of noble generals.

Though he had slapped Lan Yu and punished Chang Sheng, they would never betray him for Zhu Yunwen.

They would remain loyal.

What Zhu Yunrong needed to worry about was how to discipline these unruly generals and nobles to obey, not whether they supported him.

The “pen,” however, was firmly in Zhu Yunwen’s hands.

The civil officials supported Zhu Yunwen as heir apparent.

Though the military nobles held great power at court, the scholarly class controlled public opinion.

This was their innate advantage.

With the pen in their hands, public opinion naturally sided with them.

For example, a few days ago when Zhu Yunrong petitioned to be named heir, the scholars had already painted him in the worst light.

The criticism poured in relentlessly.

While Zhu Yunrong did not care much, he could not remain passive.

Publishing a newspaper was a way to strike at the root of the problem.

If it could become the most widely circulated paper in the Ming realm, subscribed to and recited by every household, the scholars’ advantage in shaping opinion would vanish.

However, after hearing him, Zhu Yuanzhang frowned.

Newspapers were not rare in this era.

The court had the “Di Bao,” and there were various small papers among the people.

But the “Di Bao” was published and distributed only through the Tongzheng Office.

Strict regulations dictated who could read them.

Private publications were harshly suppressed by the Ming government.

Discovery meant confiscation of all property and exile thousands of miles away at best; at worst, charges of treason, execution, and extermination of one’s entire clan or even nine clans.

Apart from the “Di Bao,” old Zhu never considered the court would publish other papers.

For a crown prince to publish a newspaper akin to a private paper was almost unimaginable to him.

Seeing old Zhu’s expression, Zhu Yunrong immediately realized he had underestimated the difficulty.

Indeed, changing one’s mindset and convincing people was no easy task.

His thoughts raced.

“Grandfather Emperor, there is an even greater reason I wish to publish newspapers—I want you to live forever!”

“Nonsense!” Old Zhu scolded. “Who in this world lives forever?”

“Don’t listen to those who chant ‘Long live the Emperor, long live, ten thousand years!’—it’s all lies, deception.”

“Birth and death, sickness and aging, are the natural order, eternal and unchanging.”

“Anyone who seeks immortality goes against Heaven’s will.”

“My goal is to ensure the people live peacefully and long lives—not for me alone to live forever while witnessing their suffering.”

“Remember, as emperor, you must diligently govern, record your achievements in history, and let your name shine through the ages—that is true immortality!”

Zhu Yunwen quickly said, “Grandfather Emperor, I understand!”

Zhu Yunrong replied, “Grandfather Emperor speaks wisely, and I understand as well.”

“Those whose names endure forever live on in the hearts of people even after death—they are truly immortal.”

“But mere historical records are insufficient.”

“Historians revise and alter records, and after several generations, facts become blurred.”

“Your expulsion of the barbarians and restoration of China is an unprecedented achievement. I believe it must be widely publicized so everyone will recite it.”

“Then no matter how later historians alter records, your reputation and merit will remain untarnished.”

“Only so will you live forever in the hearts of countless people and truly achieve immortality!”

“This is but a small token of my filial devotion; I humbly ask for your approval.”

Zhu Yunrong bowed deeply as he spoke.

Beside him, Zhu Yunwen was stunned; he never expected his younger brother’s flattery skills to advance so swiftly.

He hurriedly said, “Third Brother, though your loyalty is sincere, using newspapers to promote the emperor’s deeds risks flattery and exaggeration, which could set a bad precedent at court. Grandfather Emperor may not agree!”

He only wished to stop Zhu Yunrong but failed to observe old Zhu’s expression.

Zhu Yunrong spoke seriously, “Second Brother, why say this?”

“Grandfather Emperor’s great deeds are not my boasting but ironclad facts.”

“Publishing through newspapers is merely recording truthfully so all know and remember you forever. Is that wrong?”

“Don’t you wish everyone to remember Grandfather Emperor forever, and for his reputation to endure through the ages?”

As he spoke, he carefully observed.

He saw the usually shrewd and reserved old Zhu now wore an unhidden smile and delight.

Zhu Yunwen quickly said, “Grandfather Emperor, I have no such thought, but—”

“Enough! We all understand—no need for more words!” Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand with a smile. “Since Yunrong wants to undertake this, how can I stop him?”

“Publishing the newspaper is approved!”

He stroked his beard, his face beaming. Though calm, his joy surpassed even his earlier excitement at seeing the printing press and testing its function.

He then solemnly instructed, “Yunrong, you must remember, when recording my deeds in the newspaper, write truthfully and faithfully. No flattery or exaggeration, understood?”

Hearing this, Zhu Yunrong sighed deeply.

Indeed.

An eternal reputation is what old Zhu valued most.

And rightly so.

What emperor would not cherish such a thing?

Perhaps the wiser and more diligent the ruler, the more he cares.

Otherwise, why toil so hard?

If I were dead, I would care little for floods and storms; my style would be quite different.

“I understand, Grandfather Emperor. I will record everything truthfully, so that all know of your great deeds and eagerly spread them. There will be no falsehoods, I swear!”