Chapter 107: The Storm over the Ink Publication

"Thank you, Mo Dun!" Li Chengqian said with sincere gratitude. He knew that while this plan seemed to be a two-pronged approach, his own position was the most secure, yet Mo Dun had pushed Mo San and Elder Hua to the forefront.

Mo Dun paused as he walked away, waving his hand behind him without looking back.

Shortly after Mo Dun left the Eastern Palace, a major piece of news erupted within the Imperial Palace. The gentle Princess Changle had returned all the gifts sent by her future husband, Changsun Chong. It seemed highly likely that the most luxurious marriage alliance in the Tang Dynasty was about to collapse.

This news immediately shocked Emperor Li Shimin and Empress Changsun. Both rushed to persuade the Princess, but Princess Changle remained exceptionally firm, closing her doors and refusing to see anyone.

Back at the Mo Estate, Mo Dun explained the pros and cons of this situation to Mo San and Elder Hua.

"Young Master, rest assured. Abolishing marriage between close relatives has been my lifelong wish. This time, I am duty-bound," Elder Hua said with a look of firm resolve. For him, this was the best opportunity. If Princess Changle and Changsun Chong were truly allowed to marry, this issue would likely be buried by the passage of time, with no one daring to bring it up again.

As for Mo San, he had even fewer objections. This was the kind of sensational news that would make his semi-monthly publication an instant hit; he could not refuse it under any circumstances.

March 1st.

Mo San woke up very early that day and waited at the Mo Estate, for it was the launch day of his new venture, the semi-monthly publication.

"Rest easy! I've read the Mo Journal; there are no issues, and the response will surely be excellent," Mo Dun said, suppressing his morning grogginess. Seeing the restless Mo San, he felt compelled to offer some comfort.

"Mo Journal" was the name Mo Dun had chosen. Since the Mo family's brand was unavoidable, he simply named it "Mo Journal" to boost the recognition of this new venture. After all, following the Mo Technology Exhibition, curved-shaft plows and artificially hatched chickens, ducks, and geese were now ubiquitous throughout the Guanzhong region. The Mo family's reputation had soared, and using the name "Mo Journal" would significantly strengthen the impression on the local populace.

"Exactly! And don't forget my 'Violent Comics.' That alone is sure to attract plenty of people," Ziyi added, acting full of herself.

Thinking of the Young Master's ideas and Ziyi's drawings, Mo San felt slightly more settled, yet he remained anxious. This was, after all, his life's work, and he did not want to return to the days of relying on printing medical contracts for the Mo Hospital to scrape by.

As the sun climbed, the entire city of Chang'an gradually grew noisy. Unlike in the past, however, a brand-new hawking cry joined the clamor.

"A scholar stays indoors, yet knows the world's news! For just one copper coin, you can be as informed as any scholar!"

"One copper coin for a copy of the Mo Journal! All the latest news from Guanzhong, right in the palm of your hand."

Young men, each holding a stack of the Mo Journal, were hawking them at every busy street corner. These were youths from Mo Village who had undergone several months of compulsory education. While they might not be able to write sophisticated essays, reading and writing were no longer a problem for them, making them perfect for selling newspapers.

"Mo Journal?"

A middle-aged man dressed as a merchant stopped and looked at the publication in the youth's hand.

"Sir, would you like a copy of the Mo Journal? It contains all the latest news from the Guanzhong region, and it's only one copper coin," the youth said. Having been chosen for his cleverness, he sensed the merchant's interest and pressed on.

One copper coin was the price Mo Dun had set. Because news was scarce during this period, each issue consisted of only a single sheet of sixteen-fold paper. Although it was a semi-monthly, the volume of content was comparable to a single newspaper of later ages. Mo Dun intended to gradually transform it into a daily as sources of information increased. Moreover, for the people of Chang'an, one copper coin was a pittance, making it perfect for the journal's promotion.

"One copper coin?" The merchant was intrigued. Merchants valued information above all else; getting the news of the entire Guanzhong region for a single coin was a bargain.

"Give me a copy!" The merchant handed over a coin and took the journal.

Upon opening it, he discovered that it detailed news from across the Guanzhong region. Some of it he had already heard, but much of it was entirely new to him, and he even spotted several business opportunities.

"Sir, if you find this journal useful, you can choose to subscribe. If you subscribe for six months or more, Mo Village will have it delivered to your doorstep," the youth helpfully reminded him.

But the merchant seemed not to hear him; his eyes were fixed on the front-page headline: "Marriage Between Close Relatives Is Not Necessarily Close!"

"Marriage Between Close Relatives Is Not Necessarily Close!" The merchant trembled, his face turning pale.

Looking at the series of terrifying statistics in the journal, he felt a chill run through him. Thinking of his own foolish son back home, tears streamed down his face. He had intimate experience with this issue; he himself was a victim of a marriage between cousins. Of the three children he and his wife had, two had died in infancy, and the third suffered from intellectual disabilities.

"If only this journal had come out twenty years earlier!" the merchant lamented with regret.

In the Pan Family Restaurant, the owner had purchased over a dozen copies to attract customers, placing one on every table.

"Marriage between close relatives is not necessarily close! This is sheer heresy!" an elderly man in fine silks said, his face full of anger as he held the journal. His daughter had just become betrothed, also to a relative.

"I don't think so. Look at the signature—that is the name of the Divine Physician Hua," a young scholar at the neighboring table said, his eyes sharp.

"Divine Physician Hua?"

"Is that the Divine Physician Hua from the Mo Hospital? I heard he has the skill to make severed limbs grow back!" someone in the restaurant exclaimed.

"It's not growing back severed limbs; it's just fitting them with a prosthetic," the young scholar shook his head.

"That is still an incredible medical skill. If it is Divine Physician Hua, then this matter is highly likely to be true," a wealthy middle-aged man said while sipping his wine.

After the Mo Hospital expanded on a large scale, combined with Elder Hua's skills, it had quickly made a name for itself in Chang'an. It could be said that now, when people in Chang'an thought of seeking medical treatment, the Mo Hospital was the first place that came to mind. Perhaps the Imperial Hospital had a higher level of expertise, but that was reserved for royalty and high-ranking officials; ordinary people could not access such care. However, the emergence of the Mo Hospital, with its massive reputation, made it a rival to the Imperial Hospital in the eyes of the common folk.

Therefore, this article, "Marriage Between Close Relatives Is Not Necessarily Close," bore the authority of Elder Hua's name, immediately convincing many.

"It goes without saying. In my own village, there was a case of cousins marrying. Out of four children, only two survived, and one was disabled while the other was mentally challenged," the owner, Manager Pan, said with regret. If only this news had been known earlier, such tragedies might have been avoided.