Chapter 139: The Establishment of the Newspaper Office

For Gou Ye, the concept of this business was about much more than mere profit. His true ambition was to realize his ideals. He envisioned a future where this newspaper would not only publish news but also command the currents of public opinion. As its founder, he could reap the benefits while steering the narrative to achieve his greater goals.

Perhaps in this era, people lacked a deep understanding of the power of public opinion. The earliest instance of using opinion as a weapon that Gou Ye could recall was Wang Lin of the Three Kingdoms period, whose manifesto denouncing Cao Cao became legendary. Others had attempted similar feats, but they were limited to writing manifestos or spreading rumors.

Gou Ye’s vision, however, was far more potent. Having lived through the tides of the modern world, he understood the immense influence of public opinion. It could transform a nobody into an internet celebrity simply because they resembled a CEO, or it could drag a star from their pedestal due to a scandalous private life. It could consign a celebrity who abandoned her child to the annals of history, forever scorned by the masses. It was both a machine for creating gods and a weapon that could kill without leaving a trace. Controlled properly, anyone could become the target of public condemnation.

Although Xuanyuan Changfeng was far-sighted, he did not truly comprehend the power this "machine" would eventually wield. Gou Ye’s urgency in establishing this institution was, in part, to prepare for his own future influence and to build momentum for others.

Upon returning to the Merchant Clan, Gou Ye presented his ideas to the guild leaders. The Merchants viewed the project through a single lens: profit. Gou Ye had come prepared, outlining a series of future revenue streams that promised a business with minimal risk and massive returns.

Compared to his previous idea of chain stores, the newspaper concept piqued the interest of the guild leaders even more. Even Lu Yuanheng, who had consistently opposed Gou Ye, began to consider the matter seriously. He was not merely thinking of profit; he was contemplating how to seize control of this enterprise, given its strategic importance in the capital. Thus, in a rare turn of events, Lu Yuanheng sided with Gou Ye, a development Gou Ye had not anticipated.

To secure future control over the newspaper's operations, Gou Ye laid out his terms: he would have absolute authority over development and management. If the newspaper turned a profit for the Merchant Clan for five years, it would then become his personal property, and the Merchants would be free to establish their own separate publication if they wished.

After careful deliberation by Master Xiao and the other leaders, the Merchant Clan approved the plan, with the condition that they would embed their own personnel into the management and staff. Lu Yuanheng, intent on controlling the paper, stepped forward to offer his full cooperation in its construction and management. As the official overseer of the Clan’s capital assets, his request was reasonable; Master Xiao agreed, seeing it as a way to keep Gou Ye in check.

Though internally annoyed, Gou Ye had no choice but to accept. He saw through Lu Yuanheng’s motives clearly. What Lu did not know, however, was that he was dealing with a man of modern intellect. To Lu, the newspaper was a novelty, and the amateur would soon find himself ousted. Gou Ye smirked, unnoticed by the others.

Meanwhile, Xuanyuan Changfeng busied himself assisting Gou Ye. Utilizing his influence among the scholars, he quickly recruited editors who met Gou Ye’s criteria: they had to be flexible, sharp-witted, and capable of reading the room—writing articles was merely the basic requirement.

With the combined capital of the Merchants and the efforts of the scholars, a new storefront appeared in the capital within half a month: "The Kyoto Gazette." Passersby stopped to stare at the name, most utterly bewildered as to its purpose.

The speed of construction depended entirely on the funding. For the wealthy Merchant Clan, this small office cost less than opening a restaurant, with only the printing machinery requiring significant investment. The Merchants cared only for profit and left all matters to Gou Ye. Lu Yuanheng, having helped select the location, found himself clueless once the paper opened and could only watch from the sidelines. As there were no immediate profits, he eventually turned his attention back to his own businesses.

Recognizing that immediate profitability was difficult, Gou Ye hired promoters to solicit advertisements from merchants. For the first six months, all recruitment notices, store relocation announcements, and advertisements were free of charge.

This initiative initially faced rejection, but through sheer persistence in the vast capital, more merchants began to sign on. The Yueyang Pavilion was the first to post a recruitment ad, largely out of support for the "God of Poetry."

Gradually, as more merchants participated out of curiosity, the streets began to change. Before long, children could be seen running through the alleys, clutching stacks of paper and shouting, "Get your papers! The Kyoto Daily! Merchant news, job openings, and discount sales, all in the paper! Includes scholarly critiques for the imperial examinations—one copper a copy, you won't regret it!"