Her Majesty Chose Violence, They Chose Her

The people in the News Department had been brought in by Prime Minister Song. Aside from the engravers, who were indispensable technical staff, the rest were just there to fill the ranks.

Only unimportant personnel could be so easily pulled away to do such tedious work.

’A News Department for "public education"? It was obviously a sham.’

However, that night, the Little Emperor gave them a little shock.

As everyone typeset and printed, they were all thinking the same stunned thought. ’Wait, can we actually publish this stuff?’

’If this gets out, the entire realm will be thrown into chaos, won’t it?’

But the Emperor had given the order, so they had no choice but to comply.

Over a hundred people worked through the entire night. The first edition in history—and undoubtedly the most shocking—burst onto the scene.

In the middle of the newspaper, the central theme was written in a very conspicuous headline: "What If Someone Rebelled."

The content was divided into five main points.

First: What conditions are needed to rebel?

Answer: Status, wealth, personnel, weapons, a legitimate cause, ambition, etc...

Second: A rundown of individuals in the realm today who have the capability to rebel.

For example: King Huainan, King Guangchuan, Marquis Xiling, Marquis Wucheng, as well as the Regent King, Prince Jing, the General of the Army, etc...

Third: Why would someone want to rebel?

Answer: Because some people want to bully the Emperor. They bully her for being young, for her father dying early, and for her mother not loving her. After great difficulty, she gained the ancestors’ approval, executed corrupt officials, and is striving to be a diligent and benevolent emperor under the guidance of the Regent King, Grand Tutor Xu, and Prince Jing. Yet, some people just can’t stand to see the realm prosper. Driven by their lust for power, they conspire with corrupt officials, plundering the common folk and dragging them into an abyss of suffering.

In short, the Emperor is a kind and pitiful soul, and the rebels are all heartless scoundrels.

Fourth: How to identify spies and agents?

Be wary of strangers, people with unfamiliar accents, people who are nice to you for no reason, and people who casually ask about common knowledge that only they seem to be unaware of...

Fifth: They rebel, you get rewarded!

Report any suspicious individuals and root out villains at the source. Those who make a valid report will be rewarded with one hundred taels of patterned silver. For those who perform a great service, their children will receive free schooling for life.

The concluding words: The peace of the realm must be protected by all the people of the realm!

After the first page came the second, which was dedicated to the Agricultural Research Institute. It called for submissions of different crop varieties and discussed methods for adapting them to improve yields.

May there be a future where no one in the realm goes hungry!

Ten thousand copies of the newspaper were printed by dawn. Before the morning court session began, they were distributed throughout the nine major cities, first posted in public squares and then delivered to teahouses, where storytellers were ordered to read them aloud.

While the reaction in other places was slow to come, the Capital City erupted in an uproar in less than a quarter of an hour.

From the main streets to the back alleys, in teahouses and bookshops, everyone was discussing this matter.

This wasn’t some lofty imperial edict, nor was it a law meant to discipline them.

The topic of rebellion had piqued everyone’s interest, allowing the common folk to feel involved in a major affair of state.

First, it analyzed the pros and cons and condemned the would-be rebels. Then, the Emperor took the opportunity to play the victim.

Finally, there was the enticement: immediate, tangible rewards, as well as long-term benefits that concerned the future of the entire realm.

If they wanted these benefits, they had to ensure no one rebelled against the Emperor. And whether the Emperor was a man or a woman had no bearing on their ability to receive those benefits.

In short, for the foreseeable future, all the people of the realm would become the Emperor’s eyes and ears. Whether it was to test the newspaper’s theories on rebellion, to secure their own peaceful lives, or for the sake of that glittering silver reward, people would be united as never before. Anyone trying to stir up trouble would face their greatest challenge yet.

This was especially true for all the foreign envoys entering the Capital City. No matter where they went, they were met with countless scrutinizing gazes.

Those stares didn’t feel like they were looking at a person, but at a fat sheep waiting to be slaughtered.

Their distinctive features and clothing got them stared at. Their unfamiliar accents got them stared at. And if they dared to ask any questions, a crowd’s eyes would light up like hungry wolves spotting fresh meat.

Now, in the eyes of everyone in the Capital City, anyone could be a spy.

After all, the prospect of a walking one hundred taels was just too tempting.

The would-be rebels themselves hadn’t even heard the news yet, but talk of their rebellion was already spreading like wildfire.

Countless people were convincingly analyzing the rebels’ motivations, the methods they might use, and their potential next moves.

They laid out every possible tactic in clear, meticulous detail, then eagerly awaited for the rebels to act, just to prove their own analyses correct.

It’s said that three cobblers are a match for one Zhuge Liang. But this wasn’t just three—it was tens of thousands of minds all working on the problem.

Everyone’s imaginations ran wild. Every little detail was filled in; people even came up with ideas the rebels themselves hadn’t considered.

A group of actual spies listened in, their hearts pounding in terror. They frantically sent out messages: "Master, it’s a disaster! Your rebellion plans have been leaked!"

A few days later, the various conspirators who received the news were dumbfounded. ’Seriously? This Emperor has no honor! Why would she just announce everything to the public?’

-----

However, while some approved of the Emperor stirring things up, many more were opposed.

The memorials in the Imperial Study Room visibly piled up into a mountain, and a large group of officials blocked the doorway, hoping to persuade Your Majesty not to act so willfully.

But the Emperor refused to see anyone, sending Prince Jing and the Regent King out to face the pressure instead.

Rong Yin was fine with it. After all, he was young and willing to shoulder the burden for the Emperor.

It was Prince Jing who had it rough. The Emperor never seemed to remember him when there were rewards to be had, but when it came to taking the blame and doing the dirty work, she never spared him once.

’My life is so bitter,’ he thought.

At the Xu Family estate, Grand Tutor Xu held a copy of the newspaper, reading it over and over again.

’This student of mine... is the worst I have ever taught.’

’Her phrasing and sentence construction lack any ornate rhetoric; the content of her writing follows no literary structure.’

’It’s all simple vernacular, completely devoid of literary merit. He was almost ashamed to admit this was a student he had taught for ten years.’

And yet, this "worst" student was also destined to become his most brilliant.

’She is clever enough, bold enough to risk everything, open-minded, and unconventional. Her thinking is wonderfully strange, allowing her to break through one impasse after another.’

’A woman on the throne... her name will be recorded for a thousand years.’

’If she does not fall, she will become the most brilliant star in the long river of history.’

And now, he finally understood the Emperor’s true purpose in creating this newspaper.

"Grandfather."

Xu Ling entered and curtsied. "You were looking for me?"

Grand Tutor Xu placed the newspaper aside. "Have you received a letter from your father?"

Xu Ling nodded. "It just arrived yesterday. My mother wrote it, so I didn’t bring it to you."

Xu Shikai had gone to Bafang City to take up his new post, and Huang Yin, worried for him, had gone along.

Xu Ling had been left behind to look after her sister-in-law, who was about to give birth.

Grand Tutor Xu asked, "Do you resent your grandfather as well?"

Xu Ling replied, "I would not dare."

Grand Tutor Xu looked at her gently. "You are not an especially clever child, but you are diligent, responsible, and detail-oriented. Since your marriage prospects are currently unsettled, I would like to recommend you to the palace as a female official. Her Majesty is in need of capable people. Your father’s future is uncertain, and your second uncle is a lost cause, but you... you can forge a path of your own."

Xu Ling stared at Grand Tutor Xu in surprise. She had never expected her grandfather to suggest such a thing. Although she had never considered it before, the idea was genuinely tempting now.

Xiao Jinsu was a fifth-rank female officer, Xie Liuzheng was even a fourth-rank, and Song Qingyi had also entered the palace.

It seemed her generation of noble ladies was different from those before. None of them were interested in competing over appearances, jewelry, or men. Instead, they had set their sights on something far more meaningful—power.

"I am willing. Thank you, Grandfather."

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