1836: I Became a Literary Giant in Great Britain

The next day, Michelle saw the London Express at Dickens' house.

When he read that headline, even with his extensive knowledge, he almost spat out his snack.

Fortunately, considering his financial situation, he knew that waste was shameful, so he managed to suppress his laughter.

The Home Office highly praised this newspaper, calling it "the conscience of London."

Is this still the inhuman Great Britain he knows?

He looked at it several times before he was sure he hadn't misread it.

Michelle felt there must be something fishy going on, and if the Home Office really praised the London Express, he would eat the newspaper.

Just as he was pondering this, the door was suddenly pushed open, and Michael rushed in like a gust of wind.

Alright, he doesn't need to guess anymore, the person in question has arrived.

"Michelle! Charles! We won!"

His face was flushed, his eyes were frighteningly bright, and he exuded a fanatical aura.

"Did you see what's happening outside? People are cheering for us."

"No, they're cheering for the Ministry of the Interior! Hahahaha!"

He plopped down on the sofa, poured himself a large glass of whiskey, and drank it all in one gulp.

Then he recounted what had happened in the past few days.

"You wouldn't believe it, but just yesterday, that poor fellow named Henderson personally handed over a banner that read 'The Conscience of London' to the citizens!"

"His face is uglier than if his own father had died!"

Michael laughed so hard he almost fell over, tears welling up in his eyes.

Michelle and Dickens exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.

They knew Michael's plan, but hearing the result still felt too surreal.

How does this guy's brain work?

They actually dared to pull such a crazy stunt.

Michelle thought Michael would choose to confront the situation head-on or avoid confrontation for the time being.

But to everyone's surprise, he actually turned the tables on the Ministry of the Interior by using this method of "fighting power with rumors".

"Michael, after knowing you for so long, I've only just realized that you're an absolute genius."

Dickens watched in stunned silence, and could only offer a heartfelt exclamation of admiration.

"I've written a lot of novels, and there are many bizarre plots in them, but none of them can compare to what you, Michael, have staged in real life."

At the same time, both Dickens and Michelle knew how risky Michael's move was.

This meant he had completely broken ties with the Ministry of the Interior.

Although they have temporarily gained the upper hand, the other side will never give up easily.

It was like a boxing match, where Michael won with an unexpected move, taking the lead for the first round.

But what follows will inevitably be a fiercer and more insidious counterattack from the opponent.

"Michael, you've gone too far this time." Dickens handed him a cigar, his expression somewhat complicated.

"Those bureaucrats in the Ministry of the Interior certainly won't let this go easily, will they?"

"No, no, quite the opposite. The Home Office is now genuinely supporting the London Express."

Michael shook his head, a smug look on his face.

"what?"

A hint of doubt flashed in Dickens's eyes.

"I'm not going against the Ministry of the Interior. In fact, my opponent is just a senior clerk in the Ministry of the Interior, that Henderson."

Michael went on to explain. In reality, these Home Office bureaucrats wouldn't have noticed public opinion so quickly. The Home Office acted so swiftly only because someone had bribed Henderson, wanting to use their power to silence the London Express.

Although this official held a low rank, he wielded considerable power, and this wasn't the first time he'd done something like this. He just hadn't expected to run into such an oddball like Michael, getting completely overwhelmed and utterly surprised that things would escalate to this extent.

He didn't even consult with his superiors before doing this. It's fair to say that the so-called warning received by the London Express was entirely his own doing.

Therefore, after things escalated, acknowledging this fact was their best option.

Yesterday I gave this minor official's direct superior, Sir Wellington, the Minister of the Publishing Oversight Society, a large sum of pounds. He has promised that this matter is completely over. As for Henderson, his political career is probably finished.

However, the Home Office's leniency comes at a price. The London Express can continue reporting, but it must be careful about its scope, especially avoiding factory-related topics.

Michael shrugged, a helpless expression on his face.

There's no way around it; the Whig Party is in power now. For one thing, the Minister of the Interior is a Whig. Naturally, his side is with the factory owners.

Continuing to delve deeper into the factory's brutal exploitation is undoubtedly treading a minefield within the Ministry of the Interior.

We should at least lay low for a while...we'll talk about it next time...

"So, this incident has been resolved safely?"

"Yes, but this is not our end. Although we can't dig any deeper, we can certainly take advantage of this momentum to expand our influence."

Michael took the cigar but didn't light it, casting a burning gaze at Michelle.

"Michelle, we must strike while the iron is hot!"

"What do you mean?" Michelle had a bad feeling.

"Now that the Home Office has become the 'conscience of London,' we should at least continue to do some things that reflect our conscience, right?" Michael's face once again revealed that signature, devilish grin.

"I need you to write another article, to ride the wave of 'Sleepyhead'."

Michelle remained silent.

He had to admit that Michael was a genius when it came to newspaper publishing; his plans were intricately linked and extremely effective.

Thanks to this incident, the London Express's sales have increased many times over. It has risen from a third-rate tabloid to become a newly influential newspaper in London.

He also benefited greatly from this, his fame increased significantly, and his royalties rose to the level of top-tier writers.

From a fledgling writer who only knew how to write touching stories, he has become a rising star in the literary world who critiques reality. Mentioning the name Michel will elicit a thumbs-up from many people in the lower and middle classes.

But Michelle could also sense the enormous risks behind this.

To the British government, a writer who only talks the talk is nothing, but a writer who wants to change reality is definitely dangerous. The more talented and influential he is, the more dangerous he becomes.

We still need to play it safe and develop cautiously. Before we have the ability to protect ourselves, we shouldn't keep jumping around in minefields.

He was just an ordinary transmigrator who wanted to make some money and incidentally change something; he was still young and his influence was not yet sufficient.

After all, you can only contribute if you're alive.

"Ten pounds per thousand words!"

Noticing Michelle's hesitation, Michael decisively used the "more money" tactic.

"Okay, you win."

Michelle gave a helpless smile; who could refuse to pay more?

"However, I have conditions..."

"This time I need to use a different pen name."

After all, what does it have to do with me, Michelle, if an article is written under a pseudonym?

As everyone knows, what does Lu Xun's affairs have to do with Zhou Zuoren?