I'm the villain in the book

Chapter 599 My "Gentleman" Friend

"Plastic surgery?"

Hearing the long-lost new words and new words again, Li Yang couldn't help feeling very cordial.

He put away the folding fan with a "snap", moved closer and asked curiously, "Brother Wei, what is plastic surgery?"

"Uh, it's disguise."

Wei Changtian said something perfunctory, and his eyes stayed on Li Yang's face.

Upon closer inspection, it was indeed still the same appearance.

But in my memory Li Yangming is a bit wretched, and although he is not so "bright and aboveboard" now, he can at least be called "elegant".

how?

Is it because of running Chunshen Bookstore and "Beijing News"?

Abdominal poetry and gas from China? ? ?
"Brother Li."

After hesitating for a while, Wei Changtian tentatively asked in a low voice, "Are you still going to brothels?"

"Oh, it's been a long time."

Li Yang shook his head, his expression seemed a little regretful: "The circulation of "Beijing News" is getting bigger and bigger now, little brother, I am so busy all day long, I don't have time to go to that kind of place."

"Besides, my father has found a marriage for me. She is the daughter of the servant of the Ministry of Rites. She will get married after the first lunar month."

"Since there is already a marriage contract, it is not appropriate to go to the land of smoke and willows."

"."

Good guy, don't you even visit the brothels?

In Wei Changtian's impression, what Li Yang did the most before was visiting brothels, but now he doesn't even have this biggest hobby.

Brother Li, what have you been through?
For the next half hour, Wei Changtian kept reminiscing with Li Yang and Wang Er.

The three chatted for a long time while drinking tea in his private courtyard.

Everything in the courtyard, including the furnishings in the room, remained the same as when he left, but the servant girls were no longer Yuan'er and Qiuyun, and the three big hens that jumped up and down all day had long since disappeared.

During the chat, Wei Changtian had a more detailed understanding of the current situation of the Freemasonry and Chunshen Bookstore.

The former has more than [-] gang members in Daning and Dashu, and there are more than [-] people at the head of the capital alone. Apart from the obvious fact that there is no second-rank state in charge, it has become a well-deserved leader of the two countries. The largest power in the rivers and lakes.

The latter has also developed by leaps and bounds in the past two years.

The current "business focus" of Chunshen Bookstore has shifted from "printing books" to "newspaper distribution". Its "best product" "Beijing News" has a daily printing volume of more than [-] copies.

Of course, this number is not only the general number of the capital, but also the subcolons of various places.

Although many imitators have launched various types of newspapers one after another, for example, Tianji Pavilion, which once published the "Daning Good and Evil List", produced a "Jianghu Monthly".

However, these newspapers are subject to the size of the "issuer", and are not competitive with the "Beijing News" in all aspects from the issuance cycle, timeliness, price, and audience.

Therefore, Chunshen Bookstore can at least completely monopolize the guidance of public opinion in Daning in the next few years.

This is by no means a waste of work.

At least when Ning Wenjun usurped the throne, the "Beijing News" report greatly influenced the perception of Ning Wenjun and Ning Yongnian in the hearts of the people.

For them, the emperor is too far away, but the "Beijing News", which is published every day, is more intimate and credible.

"."

"Brother Wei, when you first proposed the newspaper, I only thought it was novel, but I didn't expect that a mere page would have such an effect."

In the gazebo in the courtyard, Li Yang took a sip of hot tea and said with emotion: "Nowadays, the people of Daning don't even believe the imperial decree, they just believe what the "Beijing News" says."

"One day, if you want to pull the emperor off the dragon chair, I don't think you need a single soldier. You just need to write a few crimes for Ning Wenjun in the newspaper."

"Using a pen to kill people is truly unprecedented."

"."

The breeze blows the gauze curtain, rolling up the fragrance of tea.

As the chief shopkeeper of Chunshen Bookstore, and also the chief writer of "Beijing News", Li Yang has obviously fully realized the great role of grasping the throat of public opinion, and what can be done by it.

In other words, although Xuan Jingsi may not be able to do many things, the Beijing News can.

Therefore, Li Yang will naturally attribute the reason to such a new thing as "newspaper".

but
"Brother Li, killing people with a pen is not the credit of the newspaper, let alone the Beijing News."

Wei Changtian shook his head, corrected softly: "This is actually the credit of 'authority'."

"authority?"

Li Yang was taken aback for a moment, lowered his head and thought for a moment, and suddenly understood what Wei Changtian meant.

indeed.

The reason why people believe in "Beijing News" is not because it is a newspaper.

It's because in the hearts of the common people, this thing that is supported by the information provided by the Xuanjing Division and the Freemasonry is to some extent the most authoritative source of information they can access.

Before the publication of the Beijing News, most news came from word of mouth and government notices.

The former is difficult to distinguish between true and false, and the news is mixed.

Although the latter has government endorsement, its timeliness is very poor, and most of the announcements have nothing to do with the daily life of the people.

After all, government notices never talk about gossip about the rivers and lakes, prices in various places, and the like.

In this way, the "Beijing News" has become the most comprehensive, timely and reliable news.

Many people have formed the habit of reading and listening to newspapers every day, and the things reported by the "Beijing News", no matter how big or small, can be verified to be true in the end.

For a long time, this has formed a kind of bottom-up credibility, and its "authority" has even greatly surpassed the government and the court.

The authority of the "government" is not even comparable to that of a "folk" bookstore.

Wei Changtian and Li Yang are naturally happy to see this kind of scene, but there must be many people who don't want to see it.

Just like.
"Brother Wei."

"A while ago, the emperor set up a new residence newspaper department under the Ministry of Industry. It must be to start preparing for the official newspaper."

Putting down the teacup, Li Yang narrowed his eyes and said, "Should we mess up this matter?"

"Um"

Wei Changtian thought for a moment, then shook his head: "Forget it, you can stop it for a while but not forever."

"It's impossible for the newspaper to be produced by our family alone. It will be a matter of time before the court publishes the official newspaper."

"Ning Wenjun can do whatever he wants. We just need to ensure that the "Beijing News" is the most authoritative newspaper at all times."

"Brother Li should know how to operate it?"

"Hahaha, of course!"

Li Yang said with a smile: "Brother Wei, just don't worry, if the official newspaper is really printed, I will make it unbelievable in less than a month!"

"That's good."

Wei Changtian nodded, looking at Li Yang who was completely different from before in terms of temperament and conversation, once again sighed in his heart, "Things are different from people".

The "dog leg" who went shopping together all day has now become one of the most powerful figures in Daning.

It may be hard to tell how much this change has to do with Wei Changtian and how much it has to do with Li Yang himself.

Yes, Chunshen Bookstore was recruited by Wei Changtian, and the concept of newspaper was also proposed by Wei Changtian.

But the operation of the entire bookstore, including the whole process of the "Beijing News" from scratch, was Li Yang's busy work, and he did it in a colorful manner.

So from Wei Changtian's point of view, Li Yang's ability to reach this point is actually more due to himself.

Seeing that the former cronies and friends finally found the "direction" of life, and no longer indulged in sensuality all day long, Wei Changtian was actually quite relieved.

Of course.

It’s not enough to work blindly, you still have to combine work and rest.

"Brother Li, it's still early, are you really not going to visit Pingchangfang?"

"This matter."

"If you don't want to, forget it."

"Cough, it's not impossible"

"Then go?"

"Let's go! Since you have said so, Brother Wei, then I will break the precept!"

"."

Soon, Li Yang who "sacrificed his life for righteousness" got into the carriage and arrived at Pingchang Square in the north of the city with Wei Changtian.

Pingchangfang is still as lively as it was two years ago, and there are even more women in each building and courtyard than before.

"Tsk tsk tsk, I miss you!"

Walking casually with Li Yang in the alleys of Pingchangfang, looking at the open windows around and Yingying Yanyan leaning against the windows waving handkerchiefs, Wei Changtian was greatly moved.

"Hahaha, Brother Wei."

Li Yang beside him laughed twice, just about to say something.

However, at this moment, a bustard standing in front of the building not far away suddenly shouted in surprise:
"Yo! Mr. Li!"

"Why? Just left last night and came again today?"

"Miss Xing'er will be very happy when she finds out."

"."

Wei Changtian: "???"

(End of this chapter)