Great Tang Southern Emperor

"But at this price, will anyone buy it? How about we lower the price a little?" Li Jing asked tangled.

"Why didn't anyone buy it?" Li Shimin still insisted on his own opinion: "You must know that although this is a piece of paper, it carries words on it. A newspaper has at least [-] words on it. You must know that Wang Ben (Wang Bi, Emperor Wen of Wei) Scholars in the period had annotated and collated the "Tao Te Ching", which is called Wang Ben by the world) "Tao Te Ching" is only [-] words.

How much is a copy of Tao Te Ching?Even if the price of books is cheap now, they have to sell at least thirty cents, right?

Although our newspaper is not as valuable as the "Tao Te Ching", it also publishes a lot of current affairs and politics, which can enhance people's understanding of this country and their sense of identity with the Tang Dynasty. Isn't it worth a penny?

Moreover, this is just the beginning of release, and there is not much content. In the future, we can also increase the agricultural economics section, the commercial section...

This is very practical knowledge. Common people can learn more farming knowledge through the agricultural economics section, and businessmen can also learn more product information through the business section... Just relying on these, is it not worth a penny?Besides, the printing of newspapers is not that simple, and at the price of one penny, I am still selling them at a loss. "

"It makes sense... But since the name of the newspaper is called Daily News, it seems to be issued once a day... This is a consumable. It's okay for the common people to buy one occasionally, but if they buy it every day, can they bear it?" Li Jing thought about it, and after Li Shimin's explanation, he felt that a penny was still cheap, but when he thought that this newspaper was a consumable, it was useless after reading it once. Buy, can't help but ask with some worry.

Cap. 473 News Management Ordinance

2Chapter 16 "News Management Regulations"

"I'm here to ask you, how many people in Tang Dynasty can read and write?"

"Eh... I don't know." Li Jing was stunned, how could he know this?Not to mention him, even the prime ministers of the three provinces don't know about it, do they?These days, when it is difficult to even count the population, do you still want to count the literacy rate of Datang?It is simply a fantasy.

Li Shimin smiled bluntly: "I don't know, but I think the proportion should not be too high. This also shows that the families who can read and write are generally in a good family. Do you think they will feel distressed because they spend an extra penny a day? What's more , Although the newspaper is something that can be thrown away after reading it once, but after you finish reading it, you can give the newspaper to others to read, anyway, the words on it will not disappear.”

"Your majesty is wise, it's my minister's intentions to go wrong."

Seeing that everyone was fine, Li Shimin said, "I will leave this matter to you, Xuan Cheng. After a while, I will give you a warrant, and you will take over the "Datang Daily". In the last few days, you only need to publish articles from the court. Government decrees and policies are enough, and after the newspapers are accepted by the people, you can start defending Zhen Er."

"The minister obeys the order, and the minister will live up to His Majesty's high expectations, and will definitely suppress the arrogance of the aristocratic family."

"Well, that's it for today..."

"Wait a minute." Fang Xuanling suddenly said, almost scaring Li Shimin to death: "I said Fang Qing, what is going on with you?"

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, the minister was abrupt, but the minister thought of a very important issue, we have to pay attention."

"Oh? What's the matter?" Li Shimin quickly sat upright and asked seriously. Fang Xuanling was not the kind of bluffing person. Since he said it was a very important matter, it must be very important.

"Your Majesty, everyone has overlooked a problem." Fang Xuanling frowned, and said in a concentrated voice: "Everyone, don't forget that newspapers are not something too high-end, as long as there are printing companies and paper workshops, anyone can do it. If we can do it, others can do it too. Once the other party realizes the importance of newspapers, they will inevitably create newspapers, which will not only compete with us for the control of public opinion, but may also discredit us... We have to guard against it. .”

"I've already anticipated this point, and I've been prepared for it. I originally wanted to bring it up at the court meeting tomorrow, but since you asked about it, Fang Qing, let me show it to you first, and I would like to offer my opinion by the way." I thought What's the big deal? I didn't expect Fang Xuanling's problem to be this. Li Shimin breathed a sigh of relief, took out a booklet from the table and handed it over.

"The "News Regulations"? This is... wonderful, really wonderful..."

"Yeah, why didn't we think of it?"

"As long as it is enacted into law and the legitimacy of "Datang Daily" is confirmed, the newspapers run by other people can only be fake newspapers. Who will buy their newspapers?"

"But what are the "Datang Morning Post", "Datang Evening News", "Chang'an Daily" and "Luoyang Daily"? Don't we have only one "Datang Daily"... I understand..."

"..."

The "News Management Regulations" is actually a law that prohibits others from running newspapers. It emphasizes that only newspapers run by the Tang court are orthodox newspapers and are authoritative. Other private individuals are not allowed to run newspapers, otherwise... Li Yusi The slave camps in the city are your final resting place.

Even if someone dared to start a newspaper secretly without being caught, the sales would never be much higher, and it would basically have no impact on public opinion.

As for why there are so many newspapers... The power of public opinion is too terrifying. Li Shimin absolutely does not allow public opinion to be controlled by only one "Datang Daily". Separation of power is a must-even the prime minister has several...

What's more, a few more newspapers can also expand the influence of public opinion. After all, no matter how perfect a newspaper is, there are always places that it can't take care of. A few more newspapers can also increase the scope of radiation.

Li Shimin did not explain too much, but said: "These newspapers will not be distributed for the time being. After a period of time, the people have accepted the newspapers, and then they will be officially published. In addition, we are not the only ones. After they mature, the imperial court will open some more professional newspapers, such as "Military Daily", "Business Daily", "Agricultural Daily", "Academic Journal", etc., and they will gradually be handed over to you dear ministers."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your trust."

"Okay, that's all there is to it, everyone go back."

"Yes, I will take my leave."

……

"Phew, I've finally finished the matter." With a long breath, Li Shimin leaned back on the chair to take a breath, took a short rest, and then continued to deal with official duties.

……

Li Shimin's affairs are over, but the commotion in the imperial palace has just begun, to be precise, in the harem...

Just as Du Ruhui finished reading the imperial decree and left, the entire harem was completely overturned...

"My servant congratulates the empress, congratulates the empress, the empress only favors the harem, and her mother honors the world." Liuli is Concubine Yan's personal maid, and she was there when Du Ruhui wanted to announce the decree. As soon as Du Ruhui left, she brought many court ladies and eunuchs to congratulate Concubine Yan .

"The servant girl congratulates the empress, congratulates the empress, the empress only favors the harem, and the mother honors the world."

"The servant girl congratulates the empress, congratulates the empress, the empress only favors the harem, and the mother honors the world."

"The servant girl congratulates the empress, congratulates the empress, the empress only favors the harem, and the mother honors the world."

"..."

Concubine Yan's status in the palace is not low, not only because she is a concubine of virtue, one of the four concubines, but more importantly, Concubine Yan has a very upbeat son...

The King of Yue was smart since he was a child, and made great achievements many times. He was very favored by the emperor. Now he led an army of [-] troops to invade Linyi's country. In just two months, he had already reached the capital of Linyi. The ashes were gone, and it seemed that the King of Yue was about to sweep across Nanyang, expand the land for the Tang Dynasty for three thousand miles, and make great achievements in the world.

Now in the harem, many people are guessing when Li Zhen will be established as the crown prince, but what everyone can't imagine is that the first person to be canonized is not Li Zhen, but Concubine Yan, and she will be canonized at once For the Queen.

Although in view of Li Zhen's outstanding performance on the front line, Concubine Yan's status in the palace is becoming more and more important. Almost everyone believes that as long as Li Zhen is established as the crown prince, Concubine Yan will definitely be the empress dowager, but what the empress said ...

Everyone knows how affectionate Li Shimin and Empress Changsun are. Ever since Empress Changsun passed away, no one thought that Li Shimin would establish another empress.

But today, the emperor actually broke his oath...

This took everyone by surprise.

Chapter 474 Qualifications of Concubine Yan

2Chapter 17 Qualifications of Concubine Yan

Ever since Empress Changsun's funeral, it's not that no one has had extravagant hopes for that position, but Li Shimin's concubines are really interesting. Among all concubines, those who are qualified to be made queens are not of high status, but those who have status, Most of them are not qualified to be established as queens.

In addition, Li Shimin also said later that he would no longer be a queen, so gradually, everyone stopped thinking about it.

But just today, not only did Li Shimin break his vow not to have a queen, but the queen he established was Concubine Yan. , but if you count carefully, the only one in the palace who is qualified to be a queen is Yanfei.

First of all, let's not talk about those with insufficient status. Let's explain why the concubines with status in Li Shimin's harem are not eligible to be established as queens.

The first one is of course Concubine Yang (Li Shimin has two concubines Yang, big and small), namely Concubine Yang Shu, who gave birth to Li Ke, King of Wu, and Li Min, King of Shu, especially Li Ke, who is said to be the most like Li Shimin Concubine Yang's son, wise and powerful, logically speaking, Concubine Yang is absolutely qualified to be called queen.

The problem is——this Concubine Yang, she is the former royal family, and she is also the daughter of Emperor Sui Yang, that is to say, she is the former princess of the Sui Dynasty, and she is a cousin of Li Shimin (Li Yuan and Yang Guang are cousins)...Since With the blood of the former Sui Dynasty, it is natural that she cannot be a queen.

Then came Concubine Wei, who was born in Jingzhao Webster, one of the most important gentry families in the Tang Dynasty, and the biological mother of Prince Ji Li Shen and Princess Linchuan. She had both sons and daughters and a strong background.