Travel back in time and become Chongzhen, watch me turn the tide

"Aunt Wan'er... Young Master... Why are you here?" Hou Fangyu was talking to someone else. He turned his head subconsciously when he heard the voice. He saw Wang Wan'er dressed in men's clothes. At that moment, he felt as if his brain suddenly got stuck and short-circuited. He stood there for a while, his face full of disbelief.

"Of course I came here to accompany Mr. Zhu." Wang Wan'er said with a smile, her lips curled up, looking playful and smart.

"Your Majesty..." Hou Fangyu came back to his senses and turned his eyes to find Chongzhen standing beside Wang Wan'er. This sight frightened him so much that his knees went weak and he subconsciously prepared to kneel down to salute. Fortunately, Chongzhen reacted very quickly and grabbed him quickly, preventing him from kneeling. Otherwise, it would have caused quite a stir in this brothel.

"Mr. Hou, it's been ages since we last met." Chongzhen looked composed, smiling broadly as he greeted him. But at the same time, he lowered his voice and whispered, "Today I am Mr. Zhu. You must remember this. Otherwise, if the officials knew I was not in the palace this late at night, but was instead hanging out at a brothel by the Qinhuai River, I would be in serious trouble with them.

"Mr. Zhu..., what brings you here?" Hou Fangyu was filled with mixed emotions, unsure what to say. He pondered, "Our emperor is good in every way, except for his love of shopping. But the last time I went shopping with him, we ran into the incident with Wang Wan'er. I hope nothing more awful happens this time." Furthermore, the Ming emperor was actually not staying in the palace at night, but wandering around this brothel by the Qinhuai River. It was obvious he was dissatisfied with the lack of work for the imperial censors and was deliberately trying to stir up trouble for them.

"We don't have anything to do, so we just came out for a stroll!" Chongzhen replied casually, then asked, "I wonder what the Lord Hou is doing here?"

"Your Majesty... Sir, didn't you ask us to publish the Jinling Evening News? In order to run this newspaper well, our editors-in-chief will discuss the content of the next day's newspaper every night. Today, because there are several new people joining, we have met here..." Hou Fangyu hurriedly explained, and while speaking, he would occasionally glance at Chongzhen, and he was still a little uneasy in his heart.

Since its establishment, the Jinling Evening News has been a huge hit. Its popularity in Nanjing and even the surrounding areas has been increasing, attracting the attention of many scholars and more and more people are submitting articles.

At the beginning, the four young masters of the Fushe Society were already overwhelmed with work. Recently, with the downfall of Ruan Dayue, many implicated members of the Fushe Society were released, including Huang Zongxi. After his release, he was also recruited by Hou Fangyu to join the Jinling Evening News team to help handle related matters.

Even so, the manpower still seems a little insufficient. They have been looking for suitable personnel everywhere during this period. Today they invited several newly found people here to discuss the subsequent newspaper publishing matters.

"Okay, who are you meeting today?" Chongzhen's eyes lit up when he heard this, his face full of excitement and anticipation, and he said happily: "I asked you to introduce the four young masters of your Fushe Society to me before... but you have been silent. I heard that they are now editors-in-chief of the evening newspaper. I must meet them today. However, I only want to meet them today because I admire their reputation. I can't tell them my identity..."

"This..." Hou Fangyu felt a wave of confusion upon hearing this. He had hoped that his close friends could meet Chongzhen; it was a rare opportunity. But his friends were always more outspoken than each other when discussing current affairs, fearless and fearless. What if they said something they shouldn't? Hou Fangyu simply didn't dare to think about it.

"Don't worry. No matter what your friends say today, I won't blame them." Chongzhen saw what Hou Fangyu was thinking at a glance. He walked forward with a smile, gently patted Hou Fangyu on the shoulder, and said sincerely, "Actually, I would rather hear some real voices, preferably critical voices. I do have some tolerance, so don't worry."

"Then... sir, please follow me." Seeing that Chongzhen had said so, Hou Fangyu could not refuse any longer and could only say with a wry smile.

"And me," Wang Wan'er jumped up excitedly, waving her arms and saying, "I'm the owner of your evening paper, you have to take me with you."

As a new business, it was not easy to find investors for the Jinling Evening News at the time. The young masters of the Fushe Society did not have enough money to support the operation of the newspaper, so the funds were ultimately provided by the inner treasury.

The Imperial Treasury was a completely different place today. Chongzhen hadn't transferred the money raised from the Yangzhou confiscations and the issuance of government bonds to the national treasury. He had his own agenda: he wanted to keep this money firmly in his own hands, spending it where it mattered most. So, the money went to the Imperial Treasury. And the current head steward of the Imperial Treasury was none other than Miss Wan'er. The Jinling Evening News was funded by the Imperial Treasury, so Wang Wan'er was naturally considered its owner.

"Mr. Wang, please..." Hou Fangyu looked at Wang Wan'er, shook his head helplessly and said.

In Hou Fangyu's mind, he was the person who knew Wang Wan'er's identity best. He had secretly regarded her as a concubine of Emperor Chongzhen, so he naturally did not dare to treat her with the slightest disrespect, and his words and actions were full of respect.

"Chaozong, who are these newcomers you mentioned?" Under the guidance of Hou Fangyu, Chongzhen walked towards the second floor and asked with interest as he walked.

"It's because our Jinling Evening News has gained some fame that we've been flooded with submissions lately." Hou Fangyu couldn't help but show a bit of complacency when he spoke of this. He continued, "The people here today are carefully selected by us. Among them, one scholar named Zhang Huangyan is particularly outstanding!"

"Zhang Huangyan?" Chongzhen was stunned at first when he heard this, and then an expression of great joy bloomed on his face!

This is truly a case of searching for something without any effort! Zhang Huangyan is a true talent!

In history, Zhang Huangyan, Yue Fei and Yu Qian were collectively known as the "Three Heroes of West Lake". The fact that he could be listed alongside these two famous figures is enough to show that Zhang Huangyan had extraordinary qualities!

Zhang Huangyan wrote a prolific body of poetry and prose throughout his life, which was later compiled into the "Collection of Zhang Cangshui." Most of his poetry and prose were written during his war-torn career. These works are imbued with a simple and poignant sentiment, fully demonstrating the author's patriotic passion for his country and its people, making them deeply moving. Zhang Huangyan not only achieved great literary success but also possessed exceptional military talent. During his northern expedition, he and Zheng Chenggong split up and marched with unstoppable force. After capturing Wuhu, he went on to capture four prefectures, three states, and twenty-four counties along the Yangtze River in one fell swoop, a feat that shook the entire Jianghuai region. Although Zheng Chenggong's defeat at Nanjing resulted in the complete collapse of his division, Zhang Huangyan remained undeterred. He secretly traveled over 2,000 miles back to eastern Zhejiang, where he gathered his former troops, regrouped, and continued his anti-Qing struggle. His unwavering perseverance is truly admirable.

Chongzhen was more than happy to have such talents, the more the better!

Upon hearing Zhang Huangyan's name, Chongzhen couldn't wait to attend the gathering and meet this talented person. He thought to himself that these young scholars were at an age of passion and enthusiasm, and with a little guidance, they could be his best assistants in the future. Unlike the old officials in the court, each of them had their own calculations. Take the Donglin Party, for example. Although they were upright and noble, they still had to consider the demands of their own party, and their actions were inevitably somewhat restricted.

Meixiang Tower has three floors, and Hou Fangyu and his friends’ gathering was on the second floor.

Accompanied by Hou Fangyu, Chongzhen slowly walked up the carved staircase. The red carpet under his feet was soft and thick. Every step he took seemed to be gently embraced by the red carpet, giving people an extremely comfortable touch.

The corridor on the second floor twists and turns like a swirling dragon. The railings are meticulously carved, entwined with vibrant silk ribbons. The gentle breeze rustles the ribbons, resembling a flock of dancing butterflies, adding a touch of movement and vibrant color to the second-floor scenery. The rooms are elegantly and ornately decorated, with brocade curtains embroidered with mandarin ducks playing in the water, gently draped. The embroidery is so intricate that the ducks appear vivid, ready to fly out at any moment. The couch is covered with a soft brocade quilt, incredibly smooth to the touch, like delicate silk flowing through your fingertips, inviting you to touch it repeatedly. A bronze incense burner stands beside the bed, and curls of smoke rise from it. A unique, dreamy aroma of floral and incense permeates the entire room, creating a warm and mysterious atmosphere.

The room is also filled with musical instruments, chess, calligraphy, and paintings. The strings of a guzheng (a Chinese zither) appear pristine, as if freshly polished, gleaming under the light, seemingly waiting for the right person to strike a beautiful note. Black and white pieces are neatly arranged on a chessboard, as if awaiting a thrilling match. A corner of a calligraphy scroll, casually unfolded, reveals the owner's refined taste, whether it's the majestic grandeur of landscapes or the delicate, lively beauty of flowers and birds, a scene that inspires admiration.

Just as they reached the door of a wing room and were about to push it open to enter, suddenly, a high-pitched pipa sound rang out. The sound was like a flash of lightning that cut through the night sky, instantly shattering the momentary tranquility and causing Chongzhen to stop in his tracks involuntarily...