HCB Chapter 599 Visiting the Newspaper Company 2
Chapter 599 Visiting the Newspaper Company 2
Ying Gaoshan led him on a tour of the various departments:
In the editing room, more than ten clerks were reviewing manuscripts from various places. The desks were piled with bamboo slips and silk books, and the clerks were either frowning in thought, making annotations, or discussing in hushed tones.
“These are news releases from various counties and prefectures, as well as articles submitted by scholars,” Ying Gaoshan explained. “Editors need to screen and revise them to determine which ones can be published.”
Wei Ji saw an old editor revising an article about spring plowing, changing "farmers work diligently" to "the people cultivate the land diligently," and adding the sentence "This is due to the king's benevolent rule." He understood immediately—public opinion guidance, subtle and pervasive.
In the typesetting room, craftsmen were busy at work. There were no bamboo slips here, only wooden type trays filled with copper type molds. According to the manuscripts sent by the editors, the craftsmen selected the corresponding type molds from the type trays and arranged them into type.
“This is movable type printing.” Ying Gaoshan picked up a type mold and handed it to Wei Ji. “It was invented by Jiayang. Compared to woodblock printing, movable type can be reused and the layout is more flexible.”
Wei Ji examined it carefully. The typeface was made of bronze, square and upright, with raised reverse characters on the back and recessed upright characters on the front. He recognized it as Small Seal Script.
"A single typeface must cost a fortune, right?"
“Indeed. But in the long run, it’s more cost-effective than woodblock printing,” Ying Gaoshan said. “A set of type molds can be used for a long time, and new characters can be added at any time. Jiayang said that this is called ‘investment in the early stage, benefit in the long run’.
In the printing shop, workers operated a new type of printing press. It was a wooden machine with rollers, a pressure plate, and an ink tank. The workers fixed the typeface onto the machine, applied ink, laid out the paper, pressed it down, and a newspaper was printed.
“This is the latest printing press, also designed by Jiayang.” Ying Gaoshan pointed to a machine. “It’s much faster than the old manual printing, and the ink is more even and the characters are clearer.”
Wei Ji watched as newspapers emerged from the machines, the workers skillfully sorting and folding them, and he was deeply impressed. He had never witnessed such efficient production methods during his time in Wei. A newspaper, from editing to printing to distribution, operated on an assembly line, with impeccable order. How much thought and design lay behind this?
"How many copies of the Daqin Xinbao are currently in circulation?" he asked.
“We publish one issue every seven days, printing 50,000 copies each time, and sending them to counties and prefectures across the country,” Ying Gaoshan said proudly. “Almost every household in Xianyang City has one. Even people in Qi and Yan have been secretly buying them to read.”
Fifty thousand copies! Wei Ji clicked his tongue in astonishment. In Wei, just copying these would require thousands of clerks and take several months. But in Qin, it could be completed in ten days.
"Do these newspapers... all sell for money?"
“We’ll sell some and give some away,” Ying Gaoshan said. “The newspapers will be distributed free of charge to county and prefectural government offices, schools, and post stations. The princess said that newspapers should not only make money, but also spread information and guide public opinion.”
Wei Ji nodded. He was increasingly understanding Ying Wuyou's intentions. Newspapers were a mouthpiece, a bridge, and a tool. Through newspapers, Qin could spread its voice throughout the land, shape public opinion, and win over the hearts and minds of the people.
After the tour, Ying Gaoshan led him to a study: "This is your office. Jiayang said you can read and write here, and you can bring up any ideas you have at any time."
The study was small but very tidy. The bookshelves were filled with books, including Confucian classics, Legalist works, historical books, agricultural books, and the latest publications such as "Commentary on the Qin Laws" and "Geography of the Great Qin Dynasty." There was a desk by the window with writing brushes, ink, paper, and a potted plant.
Wei Ji casually flipped open a copy of "The Geography of Qin," which detailed the geography, products, population, and customs of various counties and prefectures in the Qin state. It was richly illustrated and contained detailed data. He turned to the section on "Wei Land" and saw the following:
"The land of Wei, formerly the territory of the State of Wei, is now divided into Dongjun, Dangjun, and Heneijun. The land is mostly plains, suitable for both farming and animal husbandry. The population is approximately three million, mostly engaged in agriculture and skilled in brocade weaving. The customs are martial and emphasize loyalty..."
Even the customs are recorded in such detail. Wei Ji felt a mix of emotions. This was his homeland, now reduced to a few pages in a book.
"Who compiled this book?" he asked.
“It was compiled jointly by the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Revenue, but the data came from reports submitted by prefects in various regions, and there were also special investigation teams conducting on-site surveys,” Ying Gaoshan said. “Jiayang said that to govern a country, one must first understand its conditions. Therefore, he ordered the compilation of this book for officials to refer to.”
Wei Ji grew increasingly alarmed as he read on. Had Qin's understanding of the country become so meticulous? Every county had a record of how many households, how much land, what grains they produced, and what their specialties were. What a massive administrative system that must have required! How much manpower and resources did it demand?
He suddenly realized that Qin's strength lay not only in its army, but also in its system, its administration, and its meticulous control over the state. How could such a state not be strong?
“Counselor Wei,” Ying Gaoshan continued, “Jiayang also instructed you to write an article about the governance of Wei. You can discuss the gains and losses of Wei, the policies of Qin, or your own thoughts. Once it’s written, it can be published in the newspaper.”
"Publish?"
“Yes. The Daqin News has a column called ‘Political Talk’ that publishes various political opinions. You can use your real name or a pseudonym for your articles.” Ying Gaoshan laughed. “Jiayang said that we should let people all over the world hear different voices, but we should also keep these voices within a controllable range.”
Wei Ji's heart skipped a beat. Publishing an article meant that his views could be seen by the world. This was an opportunity, a chance to make his voice heard. But it was also a test—his article would be scrutinized and judged by countless people.
“Okay, I will write it,” he said solemnly.
Ying Gaoshan nodded: "Then I won't bother you any longer. If you need anything, feel free to contact me."
After he left, Wei Ji sat at his desk, looking out at the sky. The sky over Xianyang was very blue, the clouds were thin, and sunlight streamed through the window, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
He picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, but hesitated to put it down.
What to write? How to write it? Praising Qin? That's too hypocritical. Criticizing Wei? That's too heartless. It needs to be sincere yet appropriate, expressing an opinion while avoiding taboos…
difficult.
But he had to write. This was his first task as a guest minister, and also his opportunity to showcase himself to the Qin state and the world.
He put down his pen and decided to read first. With so many books on the shelf, he needed to understand the Qin state's ideology, its system, and its goals.
Over the next few days, Wei Ji immersed himself in books.
He read "The Book of Lord Shang" and understood the governing philosophy of "law, tactics, and power"; he read "Han Feizi" and understood the rule of law idea of "taking the law as teaching and officials as teachers"; he read Li Si's "Memorial on Expelling Foreign Guests" and saw the open and inclusive side of the Qin state; he read Chunyu Yue's "On the Unification of the World" and felt the Confucian expectation for unification.
He also read some of Ying Wuyou's articles and speeches. Those articles were quite unique; the language was simple yet the reasoning profound, combining the rigor of Legalism, the benevolence of Confucianism, and the practicality of Mohism. For example, one article, "On the Promotion of New Agricultural Implements," not only discussed the benefits of the curved-shaft plow but also calculated the economics: the cost of a curved-shaft plow, the efficiency improvement it would bring, and how many years it would take to recoup the cost… The data was detailed and the logic clear.