Chapter 30: Such Indecent Content—Stop Reading It!

Luo Guanzhong stared at the silver in his hands and the first thirty chapters of the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" manuscript now held by Qin Feng, completely stunned. He had never imagined that the stories he wrote could actually be used to support himself. The silver in his palm was enough for him to live comfortably in the capital until the end of the year, and this was merely the earnings from the first thirty chapters. He had already completed eighty chapters in total; the fruits of his years of painstaking labor had finally brought him a reward.

At first, Luo Guanzhong had been adamantly against selling his work to Qin Feng. After all, a scholar had his dignity; no matter how much silver was offered, these stories were his life's work. How could he simply hand them over to someone else? It was only after Qin Feng explained the concept of copyright in detail that he gradually understood that selling the rights did not mean the work changed hands. He remained the author; Qin Feng would simply use his own channels to publish the work, allowing more people to read what he had created.

Having written for so many years, Luo Guanzhong naturally hoped his work would reach a wider audience. If his stories could become well-known and earn him a living in the process, why would he refuse? Luo Guanzhong had been living in dire straits, with no other livelihood than telling stories at teahouses. By purchasing the copyright to his work, Qin Feng had effectively provided him with a new path in life.

"Mr. Luo, have you considered it? I intend to make you our publication's exclusive contracted author. What do you think?"

Luo Guanzhong still struggled with these fresh terms. He asked skeptically, "Could you please explain, Master, what a 'publication' is, and what an 'exclusive contracted author' entails?"

"A publication is an institution dedicated to printing and distributing works. An exclusive contracted author is someone who publishes their work solely through us and cannot distribute it through other channels without authorization."

Luo Guanzhong suddenly understood. He bowed and said, "You have been a benefactor to me, a true judge of talent. I am willing to entrust everything to you."

Since Luo Guanzhong trusted him, Qin Feng did not intend to let him down. He hastily drafted a simple contract, which Luo Guanzhong signed and stamped. With content now secured to support the publication, Qin Feng began to organize his thoughts and single-handedly laid out the first issue. He printed the first five chapters of the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," complete with bold headlines. The Ming Dynasty’s very first newspaper had taken its initial form.

However, Qin Feng felt that relying solely on the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" was insufficient. He needed to add news, gossip, and elements of social interaction and entertainment. Consequently, he visited various streets in the capital, digging up plenty of sensational tidbits to feature.

He also granted several taverns and teahouses the right to advertise for free. He collected marriage notices from matchmakers to include in the paper and added a high-paying advertisement seeking martial arts experts to serve as bodyguards in the capital. With these components assembled and the layout finalized, the first issue of the *Great Ming Daily* was complete.

...

In the printing house that Qin Feng had purchased, Zhu Biao held a few freshly printed sheets, flipping through them in shock. "Master Qin, this... did you do all of this yourself?"

"No, I am merely a diligent laborer. Doesn't the paper clearly list the authors for each piece?"

Zhu Biao scratched his head. "This... can such paper really earn millions of taels of silver for the Ming treasury?" The cost of these few sheets of paper was less than three copper coins; even if every person in the Ming Dynasty bought one, the gross profit would only be around twenty thousand taels. Furthermore, it was impossible for everyone to buy a newspaper. By this calculation, the actual profit might not even reach ten thousand taels, falling far short of the millions Qin Feng had boasted about at court.

Seeing the skeptical look on Zhu Biao's face, Qin Feng smiled. "You will see in due time. First, you must help me distribute the paper to every corner of the land. Even if it means giving it away for free in the beginning, we must ensure the newspaper becomes a part of the people's lives."

Zhu Biao was stunned. Give the newspapers away for free? A losing business venture? He truly could not fathom Qin Feng's intentions. "Master, even if this paper business isn't profitable, we shouldn't lose money on it! Wouldn't that be a huge loss?"

"Nonsense! This is called 'spending money to gain attention'! Get to work and promote the paper everywhere. It must be integrated into the lives of the common people."

Zhu Biao nodded, holding the paper, still feeling that the plan was highly unreliable. "Master, is there any progress on hiring martial arts experts as bodyguards? I have already been maneuvering at court to delay your and the Fourth Prince's departure to the river works."

Qin Feng replied, "The officials involved in the river project are still under investigation in the capital; it will be a while before I need to report for duty. I have plenty of time to find my bodyguards."

Could a newspaper really be used to find martial arts experts in such a short time? Zhu Biao remained skeptical. Upon returning to the palace, he passed the newspaper among his brothers. The content was eclectic and dazzling.

"Is the Master reliable? Can this thing really bring millions of taels in revenue to the Ming?"

"The content here is actually quite interesting. I see chapters of Mr. Luo's 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' here."

"It even lists detailed information on the capital's taverns and teahouses. I've heard of these places; I didn't realize they had such exquisite dishes. I'd love to go and try them."

"Fourth Brother, look, there's a notice here offering a high reward for martial arts experts to serve as bodyguards in the capital."

"Big Brother, look here! There are even marriage notices for men and women in the capital."

"Hahaha... there's even a scandalous piece here: 'Three Tales of the Widow Li and Pockmarked Wang'!"

This headline immediately drew everyone's attention, and the princes crowded around. How could a title be so eye-catching? Zhu Biao checked the author's name and was shocked to see it was written by Qin Feng! He and the other princes flushed with embarrassment; was this really appropriate reading for scholars?

Zhu Biao hurriedly folded the paper, and with a stern expression, told the others, "This content is indecent; none of you are allowed to read it!"

The other princes watched with wide eyes as Zhu Biao marched out of the Da Ben Hall with the newspaper in hand. Zhu Biao snuck a look behind him to ensure his brothers weren't following, then quickly unfolded the paper to carefully browse through the story of the Widow Li and Pockmarked Wang. He read it with great relish, sighing to himself, "The Master is truly a genius; he can even write about such scandalous affairs with such flair!"