A Public Lesson For You All!

"Yes.. everything you say is correct! But how can you expect me to believe Captain Wang is such a person! He's a hero!" Li Yuanzhao clutched his hair in agony.

The facts were before him, yet they were truly difficult to accept.

Fang Zheng could empathize with this feeling, having experienced even greater pain, though of a slightly different nature.

After first arriving in this world, he spent a year fantasizing that one day he'd wake up back home, even if as a vegetable in a hospital bed.

If he couldn't return, couldn't his brain at least go "ding" and wake him up?

But in the end, nothing happened! He survived solely on his old corporate slave's tenacious will to live!

The disappointment Li Yuanzhao now displayed before him was something he'd never shown before.

The usually carefree Crown Prince being in such a painful state demonstrated his sense of responsibility. Fang Zheng couldn't help feeling some sympathy and consoled him, "Your Highness, good people don't always do good things, and bad people don't always do bad things. This world isn't black and white. Eyes alone can't discern everything."

"Take yourself! Don't many old ministers at court think you're indulging in pleasure and neglecting duties? But in my eyes, you're an innocent soul, a patriotic and progressive youth. Your Highness has already surpassed many people with such a mindset!"

Having offered this rainbow of flattery, Li Yuanzhao raised his head, gritting his teeth, "Damn that Captain Wang, pretending all along! His disaster relief must have been fake too! He even dared deceive me. I'll have someone kill him right now!"

Well, that was pointless! He didn't listen to a word!

After speaking, Li Yuanzhao stood up and was about to dash out the door when Fang Zheng quickly stepped forward and pulled him back.

Outside, a group of reporters were peering in, observing the two.

Seeing this, Fang Zheng shouted angrily, "What are you looking at? Get to work! Is there too little to do? Want more?"

The reporters quickly lowered their heads and returned to their desks, though their ears perked up.

Li Yuanzhao now resembled an angry lion, his hair slightly disheveled, "Old Fang! Why are you stopping me? I'm going to teach that beast a lesson!"

Fang Zheng took a deep breath, saying helplessly, "Your Highness, Captain Wang did indeed participate in disaster relief. Everyone saw this."

"You can't deny those good things just because he did one wrong thing."

"Besides, if you're going to punish him, you should punish everyone else too. How does it look if you only target him?"

Li Yuanzhao laughed coldly, "Impossible. I won't believe anything he does now. How could such a scoundrel possibly save people!"

"Are you saying all the incidents recorded here, item by item, are false?"

Seeing his determination to go after Captain Wang, Fang Zheng immediately felt he had pushed him too far.

Pulling Li Yuanzhao back to his seat, he said earnestly, "Your Highness."

"Human nature is contradictory. You don't know how much pretense exists in sincerity, how much baseness in nobility, or how even within evil one can find virtue."

"Meanness and generosity, hatred and love, good and evil can coexist in the same heart."

"This world is actually gray... can you guarantee your heart harbors no evil thoughts?"

"I remember Your Highness once told me that commoners' words couldn't overturn anything. Now Your Highness believes the people don't understand your good intentions, and you won't let the newspaper publish exposés of the sanitation team's wrongdoings, effectively silencing the people! How do you explain this?"

"You started this. Or are you attributing everything to others?"

Color gradually rose to Li Yuanzhao's face. He moved his lips a couple of times but didn't speak.

Fang Zheng continued seriously, "This matter definitely isn't influenced by Captain Wang alone."

"Now it has reached the court, damaging Your Highness's reputation aside, the important issues are how to compensate the affected people and how to handle the sanitation team going forward."

"Please think carefully, Your Highness. You can think here or return to the Eastern Palace. When you've decided, I'll help you handle it."

Li Yuanzhao's eyes revealed a trace of bitterness. He glanced up at Fang Zheng, but quickly averted his gaze when he saw Fang Zheng still watching him.

At this moment, he inexplicably sensed from Fang Zheng a hint of the majestic presence that only Emperor Jing could impart.

Lowering his head, he said softly, "I... will return to the Eastern Palace..."

After saying this, he fled the newspaper office with his head down.

Seeing him leave, Fang Zheng also let out a long breath and collapsed into a chair.

Educating the Crown Prince wasn't easy. He feared Li Yuanzhao might go astray.

Being in the formative period of his worldview, trying to respect his self-esteem while helping him develop proper values was exhausting!

While resting, Shen Yi entered, followed by several reporters who peered in cautiously, unsure of their purpose.

Fang Zheng immediately frowned, "Why aren't you all working? Is there really nothing to do?! Are you trying to eat me alive?"

Though he had money, his employees couldn't be lazy! Weren't they taking advantage of him?

Shen Yi stepped forward, tentatively asking, "Minister Fang, we thought what you said earlier was excellent. We've noted it down. Could we excerpt a few passages for the newspaper..."

Oh?

Fang Zheng's face immediately brightened, though he quickly concealed it.

Pretending to be stern, he said, "What's so good about those few sentences? If you want to publish something, I'll say more!"

The reporters immediately smiled, readying their paper and brushes!

Fang Zheng coughed twice and announced loudly, "Take good notes, everyone!"

"Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration."

"Oh my! Excellent, excellent!" The reporters quickly offered their flattery.

Fang Zheng grinned, his composure nearly breaking as he continued loudly, "If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants!"

"To be or not to be, that is the question!"

"Man’s dearest possession is life. It is given to him but once, and he must live it so as to feel no torturing regrets for wasted years, never know the burning shame of a mean and petty past..."

"Books are the gateway to the soul....."

The reporters' brushes flew across the paper, savoring the grand plagiarist's famous sayings.

After delivering more than twenty quotes, Fang Zheng felt satisfied. With these, his reputation would surely endure for generations!

He couldn't copy poetry, firstly because he couldn't remember it, and secondly because recited poetry has rhythm. Reciting it flatly would reveal the deception.

The third point was the most embarrassing of all! Whenever someone wanted to analyze and appreciate poetry, he felt completely out of his depth. What analysis? Back in high school, he could even lose points on multiple-choice questions in his Chinese exams, let alone attempt to analyze poetry now...

Today he'd use some famous quotes, which he remembered fairly well! This was thanks to corporate slaves often needing motivational quotes for nourishment. Even after graduation, he hadn't abandoned this habit.

After this stream of quotes, the reporters were also satisfied.

Minister Fang was so knowledgeable! Though everything was in plain language, it was profound. They had gained a lot!

As everyone thanked him and turned to leave, Fang Zheng's voice rang out behind them, "Wait, you can't leave yet."

Shen Yi and the others turned back, looking puzzled at Fang Zheng.

They saw Fang Zheng's expression turn serious, "You think I came today just to tell the Crown Prince about the sanitation team?"

"I actually came to talk about you all!"

The reporters' eyes immediately showed concern.

What's wrong with us? We've been performing well. Are our salaries getting cut?

"The sanitation team has been causing trouble for so long! Why hasn't it been reported? Is it just because the Crown Prince told you not to speak up?"

"Look at what's written on the newspaper office wall! 'To establish the people's livelihood!' This is our Banshan Newspaper's motto, the foundation of our paper. What are you thinking? Have you forgotten?!"

"You are the people's voice, not the voice of power! Power doesn't need you to embellish it. They'll embellish themselves! The court has its own newspapers!"

"When the Crown Prince makes unreasonable demands, why don't you argue based on principles! Even if he doesn't listen, you can... you can resign! As educated people, are you afraid of not finding food? Moreover, the Crown Prince is kind-hearted and reasonable!"

He initially wanted to say "die for the cause," but realized he couldn't do it himself, so Fang Zheng quickly changed course...

Hearing this, the reporters lowered their heads in shame.

Fang Zheng continued with distress, "I thought you all were courageous people. You're almost the only channel for the people to speak! You should be fearless of power, unafraid of hardship! Yet you've disappointed me so!"

"What are you afraid of? Afraid of persecution? If the sky falls, I'll hold it up for you!!"

"With your attitude, you might as well not take the imperial examinations! Lest you later collude with the powerful and become accomplices in wrongdoing!"

By this point, Fang Zheng was genuinely worked up.

He truly had some idealism regarding the newspaper, though he had witnessed the subsequent evolution of the press.

Those reporters who persisted in ideals and justice, who investigated on the ground, suffered various persecutions and never achieved good outcomes.

Eventually, they gradually disappeared or transformed into mere mouthpieces.

But it wasn't like that now! A new industry was rising, full of vitality. It should maintain its original form.

Many people sweated profusely after this rebuke, gritting their teeth.

The fact was just as he said. The Banshan Newspaper primarily existed to give voice to the people and report on various issues.

They had originally wanted to report on the sanitation team's problems, but when the Crown Prince spoke, they didn't even think twice before dropping it.

It had been fine when no one mentioned it, but now with Fang Zheng's stern lecture, they felt deeply ashamed.

Shen Yi stammered, "Minister Fang... we were wrong... we'll reflect and publish it tomorrow."

"Reflect!?" Fang Zheng raised his voice. "What use is reflection! You could have extinguished the spark of crime, but now the fire has already spread! The people have already suffered! You tell me you'll reflect?"

"Now you want to publish and make amends? It's too late! Justice delayed is like farting!"

"Starting today until the end of next month, everyone must work two extra hours daily! No bonuses for the next two months!"

"Oh, those taking the imperial examination are exempt from overtime."

The reporters let out a collective sigh of relief, responding in unison, "Thank you, Minister Fang!!"

Saved another expense... Fang Zheng secretly smiled.

As everyone dispersed, Shen Yi remained, approaching Fang Zheng with paper and brush. He asked in a low voice, "Minister Fang, shall we still publish your article 'To His Majesty - As Your Subject' tomorrow... would that count as embellishing power..."

Hearing this, Fang Zheng froze on the spot!

He looked at Shen Yi with an odd expression, his face alternating between pale and flushed.

You're messing with me, aren't you? Trying to make me uncomfortable?

But seeing Shen Yi's sincere expression, he didn't seem to be mocking him. Stamping his foot and gritting his teeth, Fang Zheng said, "Publish it! Of course we publish it. That's my column! How can sincere expression be considered embellishing power? Besides, that's His Majesty!"

"Now get back to work! You talk too much! Call Xie Xian for me!"

Shen Yi left with his hand covering his mouth. Soon after, Xie Xian appeared.

"Old Xie, I'll be proctoring the provincial examination in a few days. How are our reporters preparing?"

Xie Xian hesitated for a moment, "They're preparing well..."

"Hmm!?"

Xie Xian laughed awkwardly, "Well... those small books we prepared... the Crown Prince took them all to the Eastern Palace! Should we prepare another batch?"

Seriously?!

Fang Zheng's face turned incredibly long.

He hadn't expected the problem to be with the Crown Prince. That old two-dimensional otaku had taken the adult books home!

"Forget it! It's fate. Let them focus on studying. Improve the canteen food a bit. The day before the exam, prepare everything they need so they don't have to worry about it themselves."

Xie Xian immediately brightened up. He had been reluctant to pressure those scholars to take the imperial examination.

After all, this was a life-changing event!

"Master, aren't you going to keep them here anymore?"

"Keep them? The newspaper needs people, of course we'll keep them! But now, we can only win their hearts with sincerity!"