I’m the Farmgirl You Can’t Mess With
Chapter 1042 - Chapter 1042 Newspaper

Chapter 1042: Newspaper Chapter 1042: Newspaper Editor: Atlas Studios Mu Yangling’s expression was a little ugly.

“Just to reduce the possibility of embezzlement, we’re going to sit by and watch while they dodge taxes?

Isn’t this drinking poison to quench one’s thirst?” Seeing that the couple’s expressions were equally ugly, Fan Zijin sighed and said, “I know you can’t accept it for the time being, but this is the truth.

Great Qi’s situation is actually much better than previous dynasties.” “Bullsh*t.” Mu Yangling couldn’t help but curse.

“Not only do officials have a salary of grain stipends, but they also have stipend land.

Their salary is so generous that they can even afford to feed ten families, let alone one.

What right do they have to be greedy?” If it was the Ming Dynasty, officials could still use their low salaries as an excuse to embezzle.

However, the salaries of the Great Qi officials were extremely generous.

Not only for those with high ranks, but it also applied to low-ranking officials.

Their salaries and grain stipends were also not small, more than ten times higher than the salaries of civil servants in her previous life.

She could not find any reason for them to embezzle.

“If one is only concerned about money, why did they become an official in the first place?

In addition to fame and status, they also refuse to let go of money and riches.

Dream on!” Seeing that she was so angry that her breathing was getting heavier, Qi Haoran hurriedly held her.

“Don’t be angry lest it affects the baby in your stomach.

If they are greedy and go against the law, just punish them according to the law.

It’s not worth it for you to be angry.” Fan Zijin shook his head.

“It’s not that simple.

Don’t mess around and offend more people.

Those aristocratic families and civil servants have been holding back their anger ever since the Emperor cut off a lot of their interests.

If provoked further, they might resort to extreme means.

You’ve never been censured by civil servants.

Didn’t the Great Zhou’s Emperor Shizong also mention collecting taxes on fields owned by officials?

In the end, they were buried by tons of memorials by the civil servants and left unsettled.

If not for the fact that Great Jin happened to attack at that time, that matter wouldn’t have ended just like that.” Fan Zijin said, “With their eloquence, those civil servants wouldn’t have left Emperor Shizong alone.

The officials in the world listen to the orders of the civil servants and the commoners are ignorant, easily fooled with just a few words.

We can’t compete with them.” Qi Haoran didn’t believe him.

“You’re just unwilling to put in the effort to fight for it, right?” Fan Zijin cried out in grievance.

“One fist can’t defeat four legs.

It’s the same in a battle of words.

I only have one mouth.

Can I win against all the civil and military officials in the court?

Can you defeat thousands of soldiers and horses alone?” Qi Haoran choked.

Mu Yangling gritted her teeth and sneered.

“Of course, one person can’t defeat the entire court.

Similarly, even the entire court can’t defeat tens of millions of commoners.

Isn’t it just a competition of saliva?

Then I’ll let them be drowned by the saliva.” Qi Haoran and Fan Zijin were embarrassed and had to remind her, “Ah Ling, who else in this world is more eloquent than the civil officials?” Mu Yangling snorted coldly: “Of course, the scholars and the commoners.

I never liked to fight verbally, but since they like it, I will fulfill their wish.

I have decided, I want to set up a newspaper!” She was not good at talking, but there would always be people in this world who were good at it.

Didn’t those civil officials rely on their mouths to turn black into white and vice versa?

In that case, she would find some people to play this game with them.

Thanks to the open environment established by Emperor Shizong, the people enjoyed freedom of speech in this country.

Hence, everyone would definitely accept this very well.

In terms of guiding public opinion, what could compare to the newspapers?

Qi Haoran and Fan Zijin were confused.

After pondering for a while, Qi Haoran asked hesitantly, “Are you saying that you want to set up an imperial bulletin?” “The imperial bulletin disseminates information from the Imperial Court to the officials.

Why would I bother with that?

Besides, I don’t have the right anyway.

What I wish to set up is a newspaper for the commoners.

A newspaper for the commoners to borrow and buy.” Qi Haoran looked at his confident wife and couldn’t help but say, “Ah Ling, nine out of ten people in this world can’t read.

How many people are going to buy this newspaper?” Mu Yangling glanced at him from the corner of her eyes and said, “This matter isn’t about making profits.

It’s about venting our anger.

Even if the population is largely illiterate, aren’t there still storytellers?

The storytellers will only be glad to be provided with content for free.” Fan Zijin stroked his chin and calculated the audience in his heart.

“This way, there will indeed be more people participating.

With one sentence from each person, it can indeed drown those civil officials.

But if it’s not controlled well, I’m afraid it will cause a riot.” After all, the commoners hated corruption.

It was already very dangerous to lure everyone here to discuss the topic.

If they encountered someone with ulterior motives to stir up the commoners, he feared that there would be a siege on the government office.

Mu Yangling looked at him disdainfully.

“I didn’t say that I would strip the topic naked for everyone to see.

Not to mention the commoners, even someone like me who has been through a lot won’t be able to stand it.

Instead, I’ll peel it off layer by layer.

If they can accept it, I’ll continue.

It’s only a matter of time everything is peeled off.” Fan Zijin blushed.

Qi Haoran coughed lightly and said in a low voice, “Ah Ling, be more reserved.” Was this something a girl should say?

Mu Yangling glared at him and said, “Just say yes or no.” Fan Zijin was helpless.

“If we say no, are you going to not do it?” “No,” Mu Yangling said firmly.

“Fine.

Then we can only agree.” After looking around, Little Madam Xia finally looked at Mu Yangling and asked weakly, “Ah Ling, is there anything I can help with?” “Yes.” Mu Yangling said, “I don’t lack anything, but I’m short of people.

See if there’s any extra people among your dowry.

Choose a few capable ones for me.” “We have to consider this matter at length.” Fan Zijin glanced at her stomach and said, “Let’s wait until you give birth.

We have to recruit people, set up an office, and even set up the newspaper all over Great Qi.

This is not something that can be done in six months to a year.

Coincidentally, although the revised merchant tax has been set, it’ll take two to three years for it to be confirmed.

We’re not in a hurry.” Mu Yangling glanced at him smugly.

“Six months to a year?

I can do it in a month.

I’ll just get some scholars or some knowledgeable people to write the articles.

As long as there’s no problem with the outline, it’s fine.

Then, I’ll sort out the recent Imperial Court’s decrees, the corrupt officials, and more important criminal cases.

I’ll hand over some rumors and anecdotes from various regions to the publishing house.

Once they’re printed, they’ll be sent to various bookstores, academies, schools, teahouses, and various government offices.

All that can be done in a month.” Fan Zijin and Qi Haoran’s jaws dropped.

Mu Yangling said smugly, “If it weren’t for the inconvenient transportation and the long travel time, this time could be shortened even more.

You have to know that my publishing houses are like the grain storesaEUR”they’re spread all over Great Qi.

Printing newspapers can be done with just a word from me.” Fan Zijin and Qi Haoran shut their mouths and said dryly, “Since when have your publishing houses opened all over Great Qi?” “There’s no choice.

Little Treasure and Little Bear’s wish is to open Treasure-Bear Academy all over Great Qi.

In order to buy books at a low price, they could only get me to open publishing houses all over Great Qi.

Anyway, there are students everywhere who want to study.

If they want to buy books, they’d need a publishing house.

The cost of opening a publishing house isn’t high, so they can open one if they save some traveling expenses.

Hence, I agreed.” So they were supposed to thank the two brats for their great aspirations?

Qi Haoran and Fan Zijin looked at each other and felt that the matter seemed to be blowing up.

They had allowed Mu Yangling to set up a newspaper to guide public opinion, but that was under the premise that it would be done in a year or so.

Wouldn’t it obviously intensify the conflict if the newspaper was founded now?

The two of them couldn’t help but hold their foreheads and apologize to Qi Xiuyuan in their hearts.

Seemingly having ruined their his plan, they couldn’t help but wonder if they would be whipped for that.