The Great Ming Demon Pill: Your Majesty, please address me as the Crown Prince!

Chapter 62 Nobody knows more about perms than me!

Zhu Zhanjun has been extremely busy these past few days.

Not only does he need to oversee the business of Yuxuetang, but he also leads many of the matters being handled by Bowenguan, such as a large number of fruits and vegetables, designing new toilets, bathing utensils, soaps, and perfumes.

In particular, the "Da Ming Xin Bao" newspaper he was currently working on was giving him quite a headache.

He had received the Emperor's decree to openly and legitimately take charge of the "Da Ming Xin Bao" newspaper, a time when he was rapidly expanding his influence.

Although the Crown Prince holds the title, he now wields the power of public opinion and has the Bowen Pavilion to continuously recruit people, so his influence is slowly growing. He is no longer passively attacked by the Crown Prince.

Wu Yubi, Kuang Zhong, and Xue Xuan sat around Zhu Zhanjun's study, with the draft of the latest issue of the "Da Ming Xin Bao" and several letters of feedback from readers spread out on the table.

The cicadas chirped incessantly outside the window.

Wu Yubi spoke first: "Your Highness, we have received many reports of refugees pouring into the city from outside in the past two days, and the people are talking about it."

Should newspapers increase their coverage of the disaster and disseminate basic knowledge about disaster prevention and disease control?

"For example, methods for purifying water and building simple sunshades might help disaster victims and reassure the people in the city."

Zhu Zhanjun nodded, his eyes approving: "Mr. Wu, you've thought this through thoroughly. Newspapers should not only convey news, but also provide tangible benefits to the people. I'll entrust this part to you as the chief editor, ensuring the language is simple and the steps are clear."

Kuang Zhong continued, "Your Highness, the serialized version of 'Journey to the West' has been very well received these past few days. Storytellers in teahouses and taverns have started telling the story of 'The Monkey King's Havoc in Heaven.' However, some scholars have written to us, arguing that serializing legendary novels in newspapers might be vulgar and damage the newspaper's reputation. What do you think…?"

Zhu Zhanjun waved his hand and laughed, "The way to appeal to both the refined and the common is to make things enjoyable."

"They don't know anything."

"No one understands Journey to the West better than me."

The three looked at each other in bewilderment.

Just then, a soft knock came from outside the door.

A servant pushed open the door and bowed, reporting, "Your Highness, there is a young scholar outside requesting an audience. He introduces himself as Yu Qian and has come to pay his respects."

"Yu Qian?" Zhu Zhanjun's eyes lit up.

After a moment's thought, he said to Wu, Bi, and the other two, "This is roughly the direction of the newspapers. You can prepare accordingly. I'm going to see Yu Qian."

Wu, Bi, and the other two stood up, agreed, packed up their manuscripts, and left.

Zhu Zhanjun straightened his robes and said to his servant, "Please invite Mr. Yu to the front hall."

A moment later, Yu Qian was led into the front hall of the Bowen Museum.

He wore a slightly worn blue scholar's robe, looking travel-worn, but his eyes were clear and his demeanor was composed.

Upon seeing Zhu Zhanjun in the main seat, he bowed meticulously: "Yu Qian greets His Highness the Prince of Jiyang."

"I apologize for my intrusion and for disturbing Your Highness's peace and quiet."

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Zhu Zhanjun smiled warmly and raised his hand in a gesture of support: "Brother Yu, there's no need for such formalities."

"Brother Yu, you came to visit a few days ago, but you kept me waiting!"

Yu Qian straightened up, somewhat embarrassed.

He was sincere.

"I had some family matters to attend to a few days ago, so I went back to my hometown of Suzhou."

"Having only been in Nanjing for a short time, I have already seen Your Highness's 'Da Ming Xin Bao' published in the city, which is in line with the people's sentiments. It is truly a great feat that has set a new trend for a new era."

Zhu Zhanjun chuckled.

"You flatter me, you flatter me."

Yu Qian coughed lightly and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture.

"I have come here today to ask the Prince of Jiyang for his help."

Zhu Zhanjun raised an eyebrow and gave Yu Qian a strange look.

"Could it be that Brother Yu wants to get his hair permed?"

"If you want to get your hair permed, then you've come to the right place."

"Nobody knows more about perming hair than me."

Yu Qian: "???"

He looked at Zhu Zhanjun with some puzzlement.

"Your Highness's suggestion of getting a perm is not clear to this humble subject."

"I came here because of the refugees from Nanjing."

Zhu Zhanjun: "..."

He coughed lightly and put his hands behind his back.

"I see."

"Wasn't this matter taken over by the imperial court?"

Yu Qian nodded.

"What Your Highness says is indeed the truth."

"Although the imperial court has built sheds and set up soup kitchens in the western suburbs of the city to do its best to resettle the refugees, I, a commoner, have also personally gone to help."

"However, based on my observations over the past few days, it seems that the imperial court's disaster relief grain reserves are insufficient."

"The rice used for distributing porridge has become increasingly thin, almost like clear soup with little water."

"What's worse is that the number of refugees pouring into Nanjing is still increasing daily, far exceeding what it was at the beginning."

"If this continues, the grain and fodder allocated by the imperial court may not be able to reach every disaster victim."

"If, at that time, starvation occurs and the land is littered with corpses due to food shortages, the people's morale will inevitably collapse, order will be disrupted, and chaos may even ensue."

"This is neither a blessing for the country nor the wish of the people."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhanjun looked intently at Yu Qian.

"So, the reason you've come to see me is..."

Yu Qian took a deep breath, looked earnestly at Zhu Zhanjun, and cupped his hands, saying, "Your Highness, although I am but a humble person with little influence, I have witnessed the tragic plight of the disaster victims for days and cannot stand idly by."

"Your Highness is exceptionally intelligent and has come up with many ingenious ideas and solutions. He was able to solve the mystery of the golden Buddha by using the drainage method and also created the 'Da Ming Xin Bao' to understand the people's sentiments."

"Therefore, I have dared to come here and earnestly request Your Highness to lend a helping hand."

"Or, by leveraging the influence of the *Da Ming Xin Bao*, they could appeal to wealthy households in the capital to donate grain and silver to help alleviate the national crisis."

"Perhaps Your Highness, with your wisdom and intelligence, can devise a good plan to make up for the inadequacy of the court's disaster relief efforts."

"If we can help the disaster victims get through this calamity, it will be an act of immeasurable merit!"

He paused briefly, then added in a low voice, "I know Your Highness is young and may not be able to get involved in government affairs, but the suffering of the people is urgent."

"If Your Highness is willing to assist, whether by offering advice or contributing your own strength, this humble subject is willing to serve you like a dog or a horse, running errands and coordinating without the slightest slackening!"

Zhu Zhanjun raised an eyebrow.

If this were in a game, it would trigger the quest to recruit the famous minister Yu Qian.

It seems his "domineering aura" is no joke; it makes people think of him subconsciously.

"Tingyi..." Zhu Zhanjun stood up, speaking righteously and firmly. "You are mistaken!"

"What do you mean I'm too young to interfere in government affairs?"

"As a prince and grandson of the Ming Dynasty, born into the royal family and raised in a prosperous era, enjoying the patronage of the people, how can I stand idly by when they are in trouble?"

"Although I am young, I have been favored by my grandfather, the Emperor, and have been granted the title of Prince of Jiyang. I have also been put in charge of the Da Ming Xin Bao newspaper to communicate the people's sentiments."

"Today, the disaster victims are suffering terribly, and it is we who should step forward. If we only care about personal gains and losses at this time, wouldn't we be betraying this red robe and, more importantly, betraying all the people of the world?"

Zhu Zhanjun turned around, looked intently at Yu Qian, and said decisively, "I, Zhu Zhanjun, am determined to take charge of this matter!"

Yu Qian was overjoyed.

"Your Highness's benevolent heart and lofty aspirations are truly a blessing to all the people! I, Yu Qian, am unworthy, but I am willing to follow in Your Highness's footsteps and serve you at your beck and call. I would gladly face any danger, even fire and water!"

"I wonder what Your Highness intends to do?"

Zhu Zhanjun had deep, penetrating eyes.

"Qian'er, take my token and go to Yuxue Hall to request 30,000 strings of cash!"

Yu Qian was overjoyed.

I never expected that the Prince of Jiyang had this kind of connection.

So rich!

He quickly replied.

"Your Highness's 30,000 strings of cash can buy at least 20,000 shi of rice."

"This has finally solved our immediate problem."

Zhu Zhanjun glanced at him.

"Who said they wanted to buy rice?"

"Use all this money to buy bran."