On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

At three quarters past nine, the sun shone obliquely on the bluestone road. Lin Zhen had just returned from court, and the jade belt around his waist was still untied.

The weather was getting better and better, and Lin Zhen was too lazy to take a carriage.

Firstly, the carriage was too conspicuous. When people saw it, they would all stop and bow, which was very time-consuming. Secondly, the carriage was too small, and Lin Zhen would feel depressed after sitting for a while.

The sun was shining brightly, Hou Chun followed behind Lin Zhen, and the two brothers formed a handsome combination, attracting the attention of many beautiful girls passing by.

Lin Zhen said, "Monkey, you're not young anymore, isn't it time to get married?"

"Didn't the prince say last year that he would introduce one to me?" Hou Chun said this indifferently, as if he was complaining.

Lin Zhen touched his nose awkwardly and said, "Of course, of course, I'll definitely introduce you to a good one this time!"

"No need, in fact, I already have someone in my heart."

"Oh? Whose girl is this? Don't worry about the money, I have it."

"No, no, no, the monthly allowance the prince gives me is enough for the wedding, but... she is a lady from a wealthy family, and I am a rough soldier, so I have never dared to ask her."

Hou Chun rarely showed a shy expression, which made Lin Zhen even more curious.

A lady from a noble family?

This category is in line with his personality. When Lin Zhen said he wanted to reward Qingzhu to him, he disdained her status. This incident caused some psychological harm to Qingzhu, so that the girl now follows the prince.

She goes wherever the prince goes, even on the front lines.

This really proves the old saying: If I can't be your wife, then I'll be your grandmother.

Lin Zhen said, "You've been talking for so long, but whose daughter is this?"

"The daughter of the Chief Clerk of the Ministry of Rites is called Guo Ran, nicknamed Ranran. She is sixteen years old this year."

"Oh, you mean the girl from the Guo family? The little girl who wrote poems and essays at the age of eight that sold for money?"

"Yes, yes, yes." Hou Chun nodded vigorously. "That's her! Last time, when I went to prepare swaddling clothes for Ling'er and bought cloth at the cloth shop, I ran into her and her maid. I fell in love with her at the time, but later I found out that she was a lady from a wealthy family. How could I be worthy of her?"

"Nonsense, you are my Lin Zhen's bodyguard, second only to the emperor and above everyone else. What is there that you are not worthy of? Wait, I will personally arrange this marriage."

"Thank you, Prince, but..." Hou Chun became hesitant.

Lin Zhen said impatiently: "Just say what you want to say, why are you mumbling?"

"Yes, I don't want to force her. If she doesn't want to, then don't force her."

Lin Zhen looked at him seriously.

Logically speaking, Hou Chun is a traditional man, but he still cares about what the woman thinks. It seems that he really likes Guo Ran.

Lin Zhen nodded, agreeing.

But he knew that even if Ranran didn't want to, her father Guo Xin would force her to agree.

Because this is the best way to get in touch with Lin Zhen. Besides, anyone with a discerning eye knows that Hou Chun's achievements go far beyond this, and he has a bright future.

Besides, Hou Chun has no family and a clean background. He is handsome, rich, young and handsome.

Guo Xin will agree to this marriage.

"Extra number! Extra number!"

As they walked, they heard the sharp cries of children coming from the front.

At the corner of the street, a boy with a pigtail was covered with newspapers. The words "Daqian Times" were crookedly embroidered on the coarse cloth apron tied around his waist. He was waving yellowed rice paper in his hand and running with his face flushed.

"Breaking News! The Regent has conquered Hequ, and the Daqian army is heading straight for the Northern Yan Imperial City! Breaking News!"

His cloth shoes were worn to a shine, and every few steps he would reach out to hold down the newspaper above his head, for fear that it would be blown away by the wind.

Hou Chun held the hilt of his sword behind him, protecting it. He looked at the newspaper headline printed on the boy's lapel, frowning slightly. "My Lord, this doesn't make sense. Three days ago, the Grand Council said the battle of Hequ was at a stalemate, with the Northern Yan army putting up a desperate resistance. How come they've already conquered it today?"

His eyes swept over the people gathered on the street. The old man selling tofu was standing on tiptoe to read the newspaper. The tea drinkers in the teahouse were scrambling to pass paper around. The smell of ink mixed with steam wafted over.

"The prince is awesome!"

"Look, who in the world can beat Daqian now!?"

"We Daqian soldiers are truly brave! This time we must teach these Beiyan bastards a lesson."

"Daqian is invincible!"

Lin Zhen listened to the cheers of the people and his face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

He stopped and took the newspaper that Hou Chun bought. His fingertips touched the undried ink on the rice paper, and the smell of ink mixed with the wheat aroma from the pancake stall on the corner hit his face.

The word "urgent" was stamped in cinnabar on the upper right corner of the rice paper, and the headline was written in thick brushstrokes: "The Regent's cavalry broke through the Hequ River, and the Northern Yan defenders fled at night."

The text records in detail the time of the battle, the deployment of troops, and even a simple attack and defense diagram drawn with charcoal sticks, with the arrow pointing directly in the direction of the Northern Yan Imperial City.

"Has there been any news from the Grand Council?" Lin Zhen's fingertips slid across the cinnabar annotations on the paper, his eyes sweeping over the newsboys running back and forth in the streets. The cowhide bags around their waists were stuffed with newspapers, like a group of tireless sparrows.

Hou Chun bowed his head and clasped his fists, saying, "Your Highness, I just checked the military reports this morning. Not only has there been no update on the capture of Hequ, but there's also no update on the movements of the prince's generals."

He took a half step closer and lowered his voice, "The other day I saw the Military Affairs Council's 800-mile express cavalry on the road, yet this newspaper is two days ahead of the military report. I'm afraid there's a secret line going straight to the front."

On the bluestone road, an old man selling candied haws was handing hawthorns to a newspaper boy. The red hawthorns on the bamboo sticks reflected the sunlight: "Xiao Shunzi, leave a newspaper for grandpa!"

The boy hurriedly stuffed a piece of paper in his hand, then turned and ran towards the silk shop. The wind from his clothes lifted the corner of the newspaper, revealing a small headline on the inside page about the war correspondent's personal experience.

Lin Zhen folded the newspaper and stuffed it into his sleeve. The black jade ring on his finger shone coldly in the sunlight. "Let's go to the newspaper office."

......

The newspaper office is located at the west end of Zhuque Street. The original small courtyard with blue tiles has been expanded into a three-story house. The two wind-killing lanterns in front of the door have not been removed yet, and the couplet "The iron pen is as sharp as a knife, writing directly for the world" is painted on the lamp surface.

The silk and cloth shops and rice shops on the east and west sides were connected, the vermilion lacquered doors were open, and a dozen servants were coming in and out carrying engravings. The courtyard walls were nailed with wooden boards and covered with news notes sent from all over the place. When the wind blew, there was a rustling sound, like countless butterflies flapping their wings.

As he stepped over the threshold, Lin Zhen heard a heated argument coming from the east wing.

"This article about the Regent's lack of food and fodder must not be published!"

"The warlike reporter Wang Sanniu personally witnessed the grain transport team being ambushed by the Northern Yan cavalry! It's a fact that the prince is short of food and fodder!"

"That's not true either. You'll cause panic among the people and undermine the prince's authority!"

"Aren't our job as editors to make the truth public? Otherwise, what else would we do?"

"you!"

The smell of ink became stronger, mixed with the aroma of charcoal fire coming from the printing workshop in the backyard, and it was obvious that the craftsmen were rushing to make new engravings.

In the main hall, editor-in-chief Chen Mo was bending over a carved desk, writing a manuscript. His wolf-hair brush moved rapidly across the rice paper, his nose tip almost touching the paper.

Hearing footsteps, he didn't even raise his head: "Today's news has been published. If there is anything, please wait until tomorrow--"

Looking up, he saw the mutton-fat jade qilin pendant on Lin Zhen's waist, and immediately threw down his pen and stood up. The hem of his clothes swept down the copper paperweight on the desk, wafting a burst of ink fragrance.

"Greetings, Your Highness!" Chen Mo bowed hurriedly, a charcoal pencil tucked into his hair for recording, and a speck of ink on his sleeve. "I didn't know you were so kind to come, Your Highness. I'm sorry I didn't come to greet you!"

He bent down to pick up the paperweight. Among the pile of manuscripts on the desk, a piece of paper with a map of the defense of the Northern Yan Imperial City slipped out. The corner was marked with "Drawn by war correspondent Wang Sanniu", and the words "Can be attacked by force" were circled in red pen at the gap in the city wall.

Lin Zhen scanned the red rope markings on the map. Those strongholds were connected by silk threads of different colors, like a giant spider web. "How did you get the news about the Battle of Hequ?"

He tapped his fingers on the headlines of the newspaper, a hint of coldness in his voice.

Chen Mo was stunned. His eyes fell on the newspaper in Lin Zhen's hand. His Adam's apple rolled twice. "Your Highness, don't you know? Our newspaper has sent 30 war correspondents to the front line. They are disguised as caravan servants, refugees, and some are even brave enough to sneak into the Northern Yan camp."

He pointed to the cowhide map hanging on the wall. There was a blood-stained note taped to Hequ City. "They use carrier pigeons to send back messages, and there's new information almost every day. Even if you rush 800 miles, you can't catch up with the pigeons."

Hou Chun leaned closer to the map and saw a pigeon with its wings spread next to the Hequ City symbol. "Carrier pigeons? Military pigeons have special markings. How do your pigeons avoid detection?"

"In reply to your Excellency's words." Chen Mo pulled out a brocade bag from the desk, which contained a silver whistle the size of a fingernail. "We use Mobei Snow Pigeons, whose feathers are pure white without any impurities. The people of Beiyan just think they are ordinary wild pigeons."

He picked up the silver whistle and blew softly, the sound as shrill as a mosquito's. "On the inside of each pigeon's leg is a piece of silk cloth soaked in a secret potion. The message is written in rice water, and it will appear when roasted over a fire."

Lin Zhen's fingertips traced the red string on the map, and he recalled the attack and defense map in the newspaper. It was almost identical to the secret report from the Military Affairs Office that he knew of. "How much faster can this information be than the 600-mile express?"

"At least two days!" Chen Mo's tone was full of pride, but he lowered his voice when he met Lin Zhen's cold gaze.

"During the Battle of Dingxiang last month, our reporter hid in a grain cart. As soon as the prince broke into the city, the news came back. Some soldiers even asked reporters to bring home letters that arrived a full ten days faster than the military mail."

In the compartment on the west side of the main hall, three deputy editors were proofreading manuscripts. One of them suddenly rushed out holding a bamboo slip, and the jade pendant on his waist jingled.

"Mr. Editor-in-Chief! The movement of the Northern Yan reinforcements is wrong. The war correspondent has sent a new message--" The deputy editor-in-chief immediately fell silent when he saw Lin Zhen. The bamboo slips fell to the ground with a "bang" and rolled to Lin Zhen's feet.

Lin Zhen bent down to pick up the bamboo slips and saw that it was written in secret code: "The Left Wise King of Northern Yan led an army of 50,000 to support Hequ", which was completely different from the news in the newspaper that "the defending general escaped at night".

"Why didn't the newspaper mention reinforcements?"

Chen Mo's forehead was covered with sweat, and he wiped it with his hand. "My Lord, we have a rule. News that is detrimental to military morale must be confirmed by the Grand Council before it can be published." He flipped open the regulations and pointed to one of them. "Just like today's great victory in Hequ, we had to wait until the reports from three reporters were mutually confirmed, and then send pigeons to the Grand Council for verification before we dared to publish it."

Suddenly, a pigeon whistle sounded outside the yard, which was a bit sharper than an ordinary pigeon whistle.

A white-feathered pigeon flew across the patio, with a blood-stained silk cloth tied to its wings, and almost fell down when it landed.

Chen Mo hurriedly took it, tore out the note inside, and unfolded it with trembling fingers, his face changing drastically: "Prince, I just received the latest news - the Hequ garrison commander pretended to surrender, and the prince was ambushed!"

Hou Chun immediately stepped forward with his knife drawn: "Didn't the newspaper say they had conquered the city?"

Lin Zhen raised his hand to stop him, his eyes falling on the bloody handprint on the note. The palm print was clearly visible, and it was obvious that it was pressed in an emergency. "Where are your reporters now?"

Chen Mo's voice trembled: "Wang Sanniu is on the top of Hequ City. He wrote this with his own blood!"

He pointed to the Hequ City mark on the map and said, "The letter was sent at midnight last night. According to the route, the flock of pigeons should have just passed Yanmen Pass by now."

"Enough." Lin Zhen suddenly turned around.

"Immediately stop publishing all news about Hequ. Anyone violating this will be treated as a traitor." He looked at Chen Mo's pale face. "Follow me into the palace tomorrow and explain your war correspondents to His Majesty."

"Prince, this humble servant...this humble servant also wants to find out the truth, Prince! Prince!"

Lin Zhen ignored him and walked out of the newspaper office with a heavy heart.

He didn't believe that Lin Zhenxian would be defeated. Even if the Northern Yan defenders pretended to surrender, the prince would not be able to see through their tricks.

The reason why the newspaper received such news was that the war correspondents had not received systematic training and had no idea what news they should report, what news they should wait for, and what news they should pretend not to know.

Lin Zhen was very pleased that the journalists were able to develop their own fighting skills, but the officials nowadays were too anxious.

They are solely focused on climbing up the ladder and don't care about anything else as long as they can achieve political achievements.

This is not okay.

We have to find a way to deal with this situation.

When I walked out of the newspaper office, the sun was already setting, and the newsboys were still shouting about the great victory in Hequ, with innocent joy in their voices.

The people gathered together to discuss the war. An old man stroked his beard and admired the regent's bravery, while a woman worried about her son's safety.

Lin Zhen looked at the steam rising from the pancake stall on the corner of the street and thought of the bloody handprint on the note.

Those reporters hiding in the caravans and among the refugees may be hiding under the Beiyan Arrow Tower at this moment, writing the final battle situation on silk cloth with rice soup.

Hou Chun moved his mouth and said: "Sir, although these reporters broke the rules, they are more powerful than the spies of the Military Affairs Office."

"This is too much." Lin Zhen looked at the plaque on the newspaper's door lintel: "News Benefits the World." The words were blurred in the twilight. "When the people trust newspapers more than military reports, and when military intelligence reaches the streets two days before the military reports, the world's vision and hearing are no longer in the hands of the court. This is not a good thing."

As dusk fell, the printing workshop in the backyard of the newspaper office was still working hard, and the sound of the engraving plates colliding with the rice paper could be heard one after another.

Chen Mo looked at the unsent news about reinforcements on the desk, his fingers stroking the silver whistle, when he suddenly heard the sound of horse hooves outside the window.

That was the fast horse from the Grand Council.

The iron hooves pounded on the bluestone slabs, bringing the real report of the Hequ battle, but it was two full days later than their pigeons.

"Mr. Editor-in-Chief, the situation in Hequ has suddenly changed."