Chapter 137: A New Idea

When Dali stepped out of the bridal chamber the next morning, he appeared exceptionally spirited—perhaps due to his recent marriage or the radiance of the morning sun. The Guo brothers had been waiting for him; as he emerged, they jumped out suddenly, giving him quite a fright.

Guo Bingjin laughed heartily, "Hahaha! Well, bridegroom, how did it feel to enter the bridal chamber?"

Guo Bingyin chimed in, "A bridegroom really is different. You look like a completely changed man after waking up."

Dali feigned annoyance and pushed them aside. "Stop teasing me. Instead of checking in on the master to see if he needs anything this early in the morning, you two are here pestering me."

Guo Bingjin chuckled, "The young master went out with Gu Shen and Master Changfeng at the crack of dawn. We had nothing better to do, so we waited here just to see when our bridegroom would finally wake up."

As Guo Bingjin finished speaking, Guo Bingyin took a wooden box from behind his back and handed it to Dali. "Here, the young master asked us to give this to you before he left. He said it’s a wedding gift for the both of you."

Dali took the box and opened it to find a pair of jade pendants carved with mandarin ducks. Holding the box in his hands, he looked up, his heart filled with silent gratitude for Gou Ye’s immense kindness.

Meanwhile, Gou Ye and his two companions had arrived early at a bookstore. Gou Ye did not buy any books; instead, he wandered around, observing the shop closely. Xuanyuan Changfeng, feeling curious, asked, "Tell me, brother, you brought us to this bookstore at such an early hour—what exactly are you looking for? Tell me, and let’s see if I can help you find it."

Gu Shen, who understood Gou Ye better, noticed that despite wandering the aisles, Gou Ye’s eyes were not on the books, but rather on the layout and operations of the shop. Gu Shen asked, "Brother Gou Ye, you’ve come up with another idea, haven't you?"

Gou Ye grinned. "Gu Shen knows me well. You’re right; I do have an idea. It’s just a rough sketch in my mind for now, not yet finalized, so I came here to find some inspiration."

Having experienced the "Kengeji" (Kentucky Fried Chicken) project, Xuanyuan Changfeng was in complete awe of Gou Ye. Hearing that he had another idea, he asked curiously, "Brother, what is it this time? Didn't you say the Kengeji project was enough for the Shang clan? Why start something new? You even mentioned that your last proposal to them was shelved."

"This time, it is not just for the Shang clan, but for myself as well. This is only the beginning. I intend to do something unprecedented—something that will surely aid me in the future. I can even say with certainty that, eventually, the imperial court will become involved."

Xuanyuan Changfeng’s eyes widened. "The imperial court will be involved? What kind of idea is this?"

Gou Ye laughed and looked at him. "To make this work, I cannot do it alone. Aside from the Shang clan providing the capital, I need your full support, Brother Changfeng. What do you say? Are you interested?"

"Tell me more."

Gou Ye glanced around and, seeing the crowd, led them to a nearby restaurant. Once they were settled in a private room with wine and dishes served, Xuanyuan Changfeng finally pressed for an answer.

Gou Ye took a sip of wine and began, "I have been thinking about this for a long time but didn't know how to execute it. Recently, I had some initial thoughts, which is why I came out to inspect things today."

Before Gou Ye could finish, Gu Shen asked, "Brother Gou Ye, you aren't planning to open a bookstore, are you?"

Gou Ye shook his head. "If I had just arrived, perhaps I would have. But I must prepare for the imperial examinations soon and won't have the time to write novels, so I’ve shelved that idea. However, it did lead me to what I want to do now."

"It is quite simple: I want to purchase a printing press. Not for books, but for papers. Do you remember the flyers I had you distribute in the capital, Brother Changfeng? Never underestimate the power of those flyers. Much of the success of the crowd at Kengeji was due to those very sheets."

"That got me thinking: why not open a shop dedicated to printing flyers for merchants? I would charge a fee based on the quantity. Furthermore, I intend to make these sheets larger. Beyond advertisements, I want to invite submissions. I will hire writers to record their observations, news, and reflections, then compile them into a layout to be sold. I call this 'News'—meaning, fresh information."

"Anything interesting, fresh, or worth venting about can be submitted to my shop. I will publish it all, and those who submit will even receive payment. Eventually, as its influence grows, this news sheet will become a daily staple in every household. It will become a window for communication with the masses. I am certain that when it reaches this scale, the imperial court will inevitably get involved. It will become a tool for the court to disseminate information—announcements of disaster relief, government funding, the dismissal of corrupt officials, and the reasons behind it. These will become topics of conversation for the common people, bringing the court closer to the public and solidifying its image."

Xuanyuan Changfeng was stunned, completely shocked by Gou Ye’s vision. This would provide scholars a place to showcase their talent and express their thoughts, while the court could use this "News" to bolster its own image—a win-win situation. Most importantly, it would influence the entire populace; by using the written word, he could achieve the goal of educating the people. Most formidable of all, if this succeeded, Gou Ye would essentially control the voice of both the scholars and the court. Even if the court attempted to exercise control, the greatest power would already be in Gou Ye’s hands.