It was already late at night, and Mingzhou City was already asleep. In the silent and dark night, the Immortal Fishing House was still a mess.
"What is the most important new industry in the 19th century?
It's the media! "
The deafening voice came from the great teacher of capitalism, Sun Lang. The one who was listening piously was the private capitalist Zhang Jianyuan, who had already washed his hands clean. At this time, Master Sun was sitting on a stone bench with a pot of wine in his hand. He was waving his hand vigorously, while Big Head Zhang was obediently kneeling on the ground, listening to Teacher Sun's lecture.
If this scene was drawn into a painting one or two hundred years later, it would probably be called "A Ghost of Capitalism Roaming Above Mingzhou".
Today, Sun Lang was still conveying his anti-national and anti-social advanced ideology. "I'm not targeting anyone. I'm saying that the newspapers nowadays are all f * cking garbage.
Let me ask you, what is the most important thing about journalism?
It's something that attracts attention!
What is the least important thing?
It's the truth!
Newspapers are f * cking manipulating public opinion, guiding public opinion, advertising, spreading rumors, making money, smearing your competitors, and becoming your sharpest weapon! "
Seeing that Zhang Jianyuan was a little dumbfounded, Sun Lang shook his head and gave him an example. "If half of the people in Mingzhou City are reading your newspaper, and you say in the newspaper that the Embroidery Hall's stinky tofu is delicious, roar!
Then you hire a few sour scholars to brag about it, and your business will prosper, right?
If you say in the newspaper that a certain restaurant has good food, good wine, and good hostesses, how will the restaurant's business be?
Since it will prosper, why don't you charge the restaurant for advertising?
If you say in the newspaper that Ah Yu of the Yihong Brothel is good at playing the flute, will the girl's business be good?
In that case, if you go to the brothels in the city, will the girls serve you like you're their ancestor? "
He shook his head and beat his chest. "F * ck, this backward feudal society is a pure land that hasn't been developed yet!
How many business opportunities, how many benefits, how much wealth, and how many breasts were worth exploring and owning!
F * ck!
I feel like I've missed out on 100 million! "
Hearing this, Zhang Jianyuan's eyes gleamed. He was sincerely convinced and said, "Teacher Sun's wisdom surpasses mine by a hundred or a thousand times. If you dabble in the business world, you'll definitely be successful in every endeavor. You'll be able to accumulate boundless wealth within ten years, and your wealth might even be comparable to that of an empire … Since that's the case, why don't you personally take a look at the business world?
Jianyuan is willing to be a pawn! "
Sun Lang put the wine jug aside and said lazily, "I can't lift my spirits … As a person, the most important thing is to be happy.
As for the pursuit of life, of course, it was also very important, but one shouldn't be too stubborn. If one had to strive for first place in everything, one would be the one to suffer in the end.
In my opinion, in this life, you just need to achieve the highest achievement. Just like you, you didn't have a future in the underworld, so you changed your career and became a businessman. So in this life, you just need to become the world's number one dirty capitalist … "
Zhang Jianyuan found it reasonable and said with a smile, "So, you've already achieved your highest achievement?"
Sun Lang narrowed his eyes and glanced at him. He then smiled and said, "Of course."
Zhang Jianyuan tactfully didn't continue asking. He glanced at the other side. Laughter could be heard, and a few beauties were having a good time. That terrifying demoness was one of them. Zhang Daxiang had a look of admiration on her face. Indeed, Teacher Sun had already achieved the highest achievement in his life...
He felt a little envious and then shook his head. He thought about the newspaper that Sun Lang had mentioned and seemed to have understood something. Tonight, he had kowtowed and acknowledged Sun Lang as his teacher because he felt that his stinky tofu sales had already achieved some success. When he thought about the 'slightly advanced methods of an adult' that Grandmaster Sun had talked about, he felt an unbearable itch in his heart. Tonight, he had pestered Sun Lang for a long time and finally made Sun Lang relent and pass down this great dao. This trip wasn't in vain, it wasn't in vain …
His thoughts flashed and he said in a low voice, "Right now, out of the numerous newspapers in the city, other than the ones copied from the government, many of them are businesses that the literary schools or papermaking clans use to earn money. Most of the content is copied from the government or written randomly. These people are short-sighted and have yet to discover the true value of the newspapers. They only want to earn a small profit from selling the newspapers. Compared to Teacher Sun's wisdom, they are really not worth a mention.
Since we can find another source of income, why don't we lower the selling price of the newspapers and sell them at a discounted price first, squeezing out our competitors' living space. After gaining an advantage, we can start to collect the so-called advertisements and start to make profits … "
Sun Lang cast a sidelong glance at him and smiled deeply. "If it's just this method, how can it be worthy of my status?
This is just the Ming Province. Think about it. If your newspaper is distributed all over the world, everyone in the Empire's nine provinces will be reading your newspaper. The people will be used to getting information from your newspaper and will have the preconceived notion that the contents of your newspaper are completely correct. If you say that the people overseas are living in an abyss of suffering, they will believe you. If you say that the people in our country are living a blissful life, they will also believe you … "
He smiled and said, "In that case, if you say in the newspaper that an official in a certain province or county is corrupt, accepting bribes, bending the law for personal gains, and has committed grave sins that are not tolerated by the heavens and the earth, what would happen?
If you say that an aristocratic clan or a wealthy clan is using trickery to seize and oppress the kind, what would happen?
Or rather, if you say that this country … "
Sun Lang stopped here. He didn't need to continue speaking because Zhang Jianyuan's countenance had already changed drastically. He was sweating profusely and his body was starting to tremble.
The ranger smiled and patted his shoulder. "What's the matter?
Are you scared?
What do you think I meant when I said 'filthy capitalists'? "
Zhang Jianyuan forced out a smile that was uglier than crying. "Teacher Sun, I've already done that. Won't I die?"
"Are you a fool?"
Sun Lang patted his head gently. "If you've done that and the Emperor is still able to kill you with an imperial decree, what difference would there be between you and a salted fish?
Right now, in the imperial court, if the Emperor were to issue an imperial decree to kill the country's Great General, over half of the military towns in the Empire would rebel. If the Emperor were to issue an imperial decree to kill the Right Prime Minister, 30% of the country's civil officials would have to resign overnight, and half of the Empire's administrative system would collapse. Therefore, the Emperor wouldn't be able to do anything to them. He could only support his political enemies and even send out eunuchs to deal with them … "
He exerted a little more force and smiled. "Big Incense Head, as someone who has been through this, I'll tell you some life principles. Don't think of this world as too perfect, and don't trust the dogshit Emperor and those officials. Otherwise, one day, while you're earning money and working as a secretary, with a bang …"
Sun Lang tilted his head and smiled. "— — You'll die."
Zhang Jianyuan hurriedly left with a face full of cold sweat. Before he left, he didn't forget to pay his respects to Sun Lang before being sent out by the steward of Marquis Jingan Manor. His subordinates were already waiting outside with the carriage. Sun Lang sent the big incense head off with his gaze and revealed a meaningful smile.
Hu Shouxin burped and walked over in a drunken manner. "This smile … burp … You motherf * cker, motherf * cker again …"
Old Hu raised his hand and pointed at Sun Lang. "You're misleading the younger generation again. Motherf * cker, you're like a brothel keeper …"
Sun Lang retracted his gaze and said indifferently, "Nonsense, I only want to make this world more beautiful, more lively and fun. Is there anything wrong with that?"
"You say this every time."
Hu Shouxin plopped down next to him and grinned. He already reeked of alcohol and was very drunk. When a person was drunk, they would let down their guard and say things that they normally wouldn't dare to say. "You always do it on your own accord, changing other people's fate without permission. Using your fallacious reasoning to turn them into another person …"
Sun Lang sat on the stone table and crossed his legs. He calmly said, "He, Zhang Jianyuan, is a triad leader. Doing things where there's no tomorrow. This kind of person wants to wash his hands in a golden basin, he's really dreaming. In the future, if he doesn't have his head cut off by some hero, he'll have to become some official's scapegoat. Whether he sticks out his head or retracts his head, he won't be able to avoid a blade.
I'm in a good mood and seeing that he has potential, I pointed out a bright path for him. What's wrong with that?
What's wrong with that? "
Hu Shouxin frowned and burped again, "Yes, from the beginning, you've always been like this.
Whether it was Dongfang Wansheng, Yue Buqun, Gao Qiu, or Sima Yi … You used this kind of reason to make them walk on a different path. You said that this was for their own good, so you made this kind of proposition. You said that you didn't force them, but you were like a rich banker. You always used all kinds of bargaining chips and bait to lure them to walk on the path you wanted them to walk on … "
Sun Lang spread his hands and laughed, "Isn't this good?
Looking at these mediocre and incompetent people who may have been buried in their lives blossoming with new brilliance in your hands, taking big strides in the direction of being able to display their talents, don't you have the pleasure of cultivating cards? "
"Just like Zhang Jianyuan just now?"
Hu Shouxin closed his eyes and sneered slightly, "Teach him how to be unscrupulous, teach him how to use business to interfere with politics, teach him how to challenge the imperial power?"
"At least I gave him the right to choose, at least I didn't put a knife to his neck to make him do it, at least I let him clearly understand the consequences of failure."
Sun Lang said lightly, "Eight years ago, I was still an innocent little white flower, a few people said, 'Come, become the best in the world …' Who the f * ck asked me if I wanted to do it?
If I didn't want to do it, who the f * ck would be willing to send me back home and let me continue to live a normal life? "
"Here it comes again … You always say this, you always make us speechless … I haven't seen you for two years, but you haven't changed …"
Hu Shouxin suddenly laughed. He opened his eyes, the corners of his eyes were sparkling, and his gaze was blank and sad. Maybe he was saying something drunk, or maybe he was saying something he didn't dare to say. He smiled bitterly and looked at Sun Lang, "You've always been like this, always right, always reasonable, always the victim, always … so innocent."
Sun Lang's pupils suddenly shrank, the smile at the corner of his mouth had not disappeared. Before he came back to his senses, his hand had already pressed on the right side of Hu Shouxin's neck, and then he realized what he was doing. He took a deep breath, dispelling the coldness in his eyes, and said softly, "Old Hu, you're drunk." "Yes, I'm drunk.
"Yes, I'm drunk. I'm confused when I'm awake, and I'm confused when I'm drunk. For the past eight years, I've been a confused person, I've never understood …" He sat on the ground, raising his head, staring at Sun Lang with drowsy eyes. "Just what do you want to do, just what are you thinking … We never knew, we never could guess, just what are you thinking in your heart. Let's not talk about other people, let's not talk about the past, right now I'm also very scared, I'm also very worried, I also don't know what you will do in the next moment …"
Sun Lang slowly jumped down from the stone table, pushing the heavy stone table back. He then sat down beside Hu Shouxin and quietly said, "Let's not talk about the present, only the past … why can't you guess what I'm thinking?
I've saved so many people, I've done so many meritorious deeds, I've made so many friends, and I've even recognized so many relatives. I'm helping you fight the Sky Demon, I can't go home … why don't you believe me?
Why do you still say you don't know what I'm thinking? "
"Because you're not like us …" Hu Shouxin muttered. "You say things that no one understands, do things that no one understands, contradict the Emperor, don't respect your superiors, go against generals for the sake of soldiers, do whatever you want, curse whoever you want. There was a guerrilla general who accidentally broke a farmer's leg while riding a horse, and he had to pay for it. All he did was talk about this in the central tent and laugh a few times, and you directly broke his leg in front of all the generals, not giving any face to anyone … just who are you on the same side with?
I know you're right, but at that time, we were at war. How can a guerrilla general's leg be compared to a farmer's leg?
Everyone was risking their lives … "
He bumped Sun Lang's shoulder and laughed in a low voice. "Tell me, how many similar disasters have you caused?
You're the only one who is righteous, the only one who is a living saint. You can carry an injured soldier on the battlefield and kill your way out of the encirclement and bring him back to camp. You can give all of the Emperor's bountiful military merit to your subordinates and not take any for yourself. You can do it, but can others do it?
You can do it, but can other generals do it?
If they don't do it, won't it make them seem greedy and incompetent?
Your military merits are illustrious, your conduct is flawless, your martial prowess is superb, and your military prowess is unparalleled. Even a boor like me knows that in the history books, people like you die the quickest, especially someone like you … you, what do you want to do? "
The more he spoke, the more hurt and angry Old Hu seemed to be. In the end, he directly hugged Sun Lang and shouted in dissatisfaction, "Why can't you just let us be less worried? Can't you be like a person of the Empire and put away those bad habits of yours?
I don't care what your family is like, but this is the Empire. People have high and low status. Otherwise, what is the point of us fighting to the death? The life of a general is more precious than that of a soldier. Otherwise, if you let a soldier lead the charge, can he win?
I know everyone is born and raised by their parents, but this is the way of the world. If you want my daughter to be on the same level as the daughter of a laborer, I don't f * cking want that. You've been here for a few years, can't you be a little more like us?
Can't you be a little more normal? "
"Because I'm stupid … so I'm asking for trouble."
Sun Lang looked at the starry sky and said indifferently, "At that time, I was really too stupid. At that time, I was only thinking, why do I have to become like you …"
He lowered his head and said softly, "— Why?"