Chapter 17

In the third year of Daguan, Zhu Xu and his family moved from Suzhou to Bianjing by boat, settling near the Vermilion Bird Gate. His father, Zhu Qinxin, saw potential in the newspaper business and invested in founding the Vermilion Bird Gate Tabloid.

The Vermilion Bird Gate Tabloid was a quintessential gossip and entertainment paper. Beyond merely summarizing official court news, it thrived on the scandalous romantic entanglements of palace concubines and the Imperial family, along with the salacious affairs of the elite. It covered everything from patriarchs having illicit relations with their daughters-in-law or sisters-in-law, to wives scratching the faces of their husbands' concubines, and the frequent visits of newly minted scholars to famous courtesans.

This spicy, bold, and uninhibited style earned the tabloid a reputation that was as controversial as it was successful. At its peak, its circulation in the Imperial Street area nearly rivaled that of the official government gazettes. During its most prosperous period, the paper’s reach extended as far as Daming Prefecture. The owner maintained two printing shops, over twenty staff writers, more than 160 informants, and two to three hundred young news-peddlers.

It was this success that allowed the elder Zhu Qinxin to purchase land in the prime real estate of Bianjing and construct a two-story building to showcase the status of the Vermilion Bird Gate Tabloid.

However, no business in the world is free from cycles of rise and fall. As the newspaper market became saturated and more tabloids emerged, the content began to overlap. With only so many fresh stories to report, the dozens of competing papers eventually ran out of original angles. Following the succession of the younger owner, Zhu Xu, the tabloid’s circulation began a steady annual decline. As profits dwindled, the paper could no longer afford its vast network of informants and peddlers, and the two printing shops were eventually reduced to one.

The once-flourishing business had turned cold and quiet, a shadow of its former glory under Zhu Qinxin. This left Zhu Xu deeply anxious. Despite his wealth, he was a small fish in the vast pond of Bianjing, where the most powerful and affluent people in the Song Dynasty gathered. His assets—a three-mu residence, a villa, the two-story office, and a single printing shop—were modest by comparison.

If the tabloid's revenue did not improve this year, he would have to consider selling the land after the New Year and venturing into a different trade. His only hesitation was that this was family heritage, founded by his father, who had insisted it be passed down through generations. Therefore, he was unwilling to betray his ancestors unless absolutely necessary. He still hoped to find a way to revive the business.

At this moment, Zhu Xu sat by the second-floor window, observing the bustling street below. It was his habit; on the first and fifth of every month, after breakfast, he would take his carriage to the office to check sales, review the accounts, and listen to reports from his informants. He would brew a pot of Guanyin tea and watch the street scene from the window, a ritual that offered a moment of relaxation, reminiscent of the days spent with his father during his youth.

Suddenly, a young girl wearing a sheepskin cloak and styled with double-bun hair caught his eye. She wasn't particularly striking in a way that would stir his heart, but her age was similar to that of his own daughter. Zhu Xu, now over forty, had five sons but only one daughter, whom he cherished as a pearl. His daughter had been away for over half a month visiting her maternal grandparents due to her grandmother’s illness. Seeing a girl of similar age, he couldn't help but look twice.

He initially assumed she was headed to the nearby Dajiangguo Temple, a famous site where locals went to pray every morning. Instead, the girl bypassed the temple’s back gate and walked directly toward his office, sparking a flicker of curiosity in him.

"Excuse me, steward, is your proprietor in?" Yang Manniang asked with a polite, smiling bow as she walked into the lobby.

The middle-aged steward, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight, gave the standard reply, assuming she was just another person peddling rumors. "Err, do you have news to sell, miss? Tell me first; if it’s suitable, we will offer you a fair price." He ignored her request to see the owner.

Yang Manniang was not annoyed. She shook her head and spoke with steady composure, "No, I am here to promote my serialized fiction. Furthermore, I have a method to increase the newspaper's circulation, but I will only discuss it with the person in charge." Having been rejected nine times already, her resolve was firm; no matter the attitude, her expression remained calm.

The steward looked conflicted. The girl looked poorly dressed, yet her speech was reasoned and dignified. She did not seem like a fraud.

"Oh? And what method does the young lady have to increase circulation?"

A deep voice echoed from the stairs. Yang Manniang looked up to see a plump man of about forty with a short beard, dressed in a lake-blue silk robe with a white jade knot at his waist, slowly descending.

"Proprietor," the steward said, introducing them. "Miss, this is our owner. You may speak now."

"I am the owner of the Vermilion Bird Gate Tabloid, Zhu Xu. How should I address you?"

Under normal circumstances, Zhu Xu would have let the steward handle such a self-promoting visitor. But he had been agonizing over the business’s performance, and hearing someone claim they could increase sales felt like an omen. Though he was slightly disappointed to find the girl younger and less impressive than he had hoped, he maintained his professional courtesy.

"Greetings, Master Zhu," Yang Manniang said with a graceful bow. She recognized him as the man who had given her copper coins at the Fan Tower, though he clearly did not remember her. She had no intention of leveraging that chance encounter. "Thank you for giving me this opportunity."

Her polite demeanor and perfect sense of propriety softened Zhu Xu. "You are too kind. I am a businessman; if there is a way to make money, I must inquire. Please, sit." He gestured to a rosewood chair.

After she sat, he asked, "If I may ask, how old are you?"

Yang Manniang knew this was akin to a job interview. She spoke honestly about her family situation and her address. Zhu Xu was surprised. He was used to dealing with people from all walks of life, and those from the lower rungs of society often displayed insecurity or pretense. Yet this girl spoke with complete ease and poise.

He moved straight to the point. "You said you have a method to increase sales. I hope this is not a farce."

"Rest assured, if you adopt my method, I dare not say anything else, but your Vermilion Bird Gate Tabloid will definitely be remembered once again."

"Oh?" Zhu Xu raised an eyebrow, noncommittal. "Then I am all ears."

Yang Manniang cleared her throat and laid out the advertising plan she had previously discussed with her siblings. At first, Zhu Xu was skeptical, idly fiddling with his jade knot. But as she continued, he sat upright. By the time she finished, his eyes were bright with excitement. He clapped his hands together.

"Advertising! By heaven, this is a brilliant idea!"

A man of business, Zhu Xu immediately grasped the massive potential. For a tabloid, selling the paper was one thing, but if advertising could generate revenue, the profits from circulation would become secondary. This was an industry-wide disruption. While it could be imitated, the first to do it would become synonymous with the concept. The Vermilion Bird Gate Tabloid had been silent for too long; it needed a bold success to make its name in Bianjing again.

Zhu Xu consulted briefly with his head steward, Zhu Gui, who had just arrived. Finally, he turned back to Yang Manniang. She could feel her moment of truth approaching. Her heart raced, and her palms grew damp as she waited for his decision.