Chapter 176: Chapter 115: This Kid, Is He Really Only in His Early Twenties? Way Too Cunning

Hmm...

Lu Yuan had anticipated this.

This power play was well within his expectations.

To the common folk, Lu Yuan’s newspaper was just a bit of entertainment.

But for the officials, every single one of them, the potential for damage was immense.

Especially since the newspaper was only just getting started.

Its influence would only grow over time.

’To put it bluntly, which official doesn’t have a few skeletons in his closet?’

’Even if you’re clean yourself, what about your family?’

’Even if you can control yourself, who can ensure their family members stay completely out of trouble?’

’You could say this newspaper was a new version of the Jinyi Guard.’

’When Old Zhu established the Jinyi Guard, not a single official was happy about it. They all signed a joint petition to have it disbanded.’

’And why were they so opposed?’

’Besides the discomfort of having someone know what color underwear you wore each day...’

’...wasn’t the bigger reason the fear that their dirty little secrets would be exposed?’

’Today, Lu Yuan could take down an Inspector General with two newspaper editions. Tomorrow, he could take down a Governor like him with three!’

’The whole thing was absolutely terrifying.’

The pen was even more terrifying than the firearms in the hands of a Lord Soldier.

However, could Lu Yuan afford to back down?

He couldn’t.

He had to stand his ground, no matter what.

The newspaper was his sword, his very lifeline. He absolutely could not plead guilty.

’There’s a saying on Earth:’

’Confess for leniency, and you’ll rot in jail.’

’Resist with severity, and you’ll be home for the holidays.’

’That pretty much summed up Lu Yuan’s current situation.’

’Besides, why should I plead guilty? What crime have I even committed?’

Of course, he was the Governor; he had ten thousand ways to convict him.

But Lu Yuan wasn’t afraid.

He hadn’t been afraid from the moment he’d founded the newspaper.

Lu Yuan immediately knelt on the ground and said,

"I do not know what crime I have committed."

The Governor merely snorted, his official boots carrying him toward the head of the hall.

After the Governor took his seat, he snorted coldly.

"You slandered a Court-appointed official. Is that not a crime?"

Lu Yuan immediately retorted,

"How have I slandered a Court-appointed official?"

But the Governor stated bluntly,

"Then tell me, are the matters reported in yesterday’s and today’s newspapers true?"

Lu Yuan immediately shot back,

"Of course they are true. You’ve already seen the written confession, and I presume you’ve conducted your own interrogations by now.

Shouldn’t you know whether it’s slander or not?"

The Governor, however, remained completely unfazed by Lu Yuan’s forceful response.

He picked up a teacup, slowly skimming the floating leaves with its lid, and said with a blank expression,

"Regarding the Liu Family’s case, not even the Governor’s Office has reached a verdict.

What gives a minor family like the Zhao Family of Taiping City the right to speak with such certainty?

Are you claiming the confessions obtained by the Zhao Family are the absolute truth?

Before the Court and the Government Office have even issued a verdict, your little Zhao Family can just close the case on its own?

And you even publish these inflammatory, rumor-mongering articles.

And you still claim you’re innocent?!"

Hearing the Lord Governor’s words, Lu Yuan wasn’t the least bit flustered.

’So that’s the game you want to play, huh?’

’Fine.’

’I’ve long been prepared for you to pull this stunt.’

With that, Lu Yuan straightened his back and rose to his feet.

Once standing, he immediately pulled Song Meiqin up with him.

Song Meiqin had been about to say something to smooth things over and was stunned when Lu Yuan suddenly pulled her up.

Reason told Song Meiqin that now was definitely not the time to openly defy the Governor.

They had to humor him.

Otherwise, there would be disastrous consequences.

But since Lu Yuan was her husband, she could only follow his lead and remain standing.

However, the Governor didn’t seem to get angry at Lu Yuan’s extremely disrespectful action.

He simply gave Lu Yuan a surprised glance, raising an eyebrow.

But he didn’t say anything, appearing to wait for Lu Yuan’s explanation.

Lu Yuan didn’t stand on ceremony. After guiding Song Meiqin to a nearby chair, he sat down himself.

He looked at the stern-faced, middle-aged man before him.

Lu Yuan was completely undaunted.

He stated plainly,

"My Lord, you have truly misunderstood us.

When did the Zhao Family ever issue a final verdict?

And when did the Zhao Family ever spread rumors and stir up trouble?

My Lord, one must speak based on evidence. You can’t just make baseless accusations."

The Governor stared at Lu Yuan with a strange expression and asked,

"No spreading rumors?

Then what about the newspaper?!"

But Lu Yuan just raised an eyebrow and replied earnestly,

"The newspaper? What about it?

The paper never said it was the Zhao Family that passed judgment on the case, did it?

It’s merely that some outsiders learned of things we were investigating privately.

These outsiders leaked the story and had it published. What does that have to do with the Zhao Family?"

With these words, Lu Yuan absolved both himself and the Zhao Family of all responsibility.

This left the Governor utterly baffled. He demanded,

"Isn’t that newspaper owned by your Zhao Family?!

What do you mean it has nothing to do with the Zhao Family?!"

But Lu Yuan simply broke into a cunning smile and said,

"How could the newspaper belong to the Zhao Family?

It was founded by a few scholars from Taiping City.

The Zhao Family simply couldn’t bear to see men of letters with good intentions but no money, so we kindly invested to give them a helping hand.

If Your Lordship feels this is also the Zhao Family’s fault, then at worst, we will simply stop helping them.

How could that possibly be a crime?"

’So we’re playing the shameless card, are we?’

’Playing these kinds of word games?’

Lu Yuan had been prepared for this exact move from the very beginning.

On paper, the newspaper was founded by a few scholars.

The ones who compiled the articles were all local scholars from Taiping City as well.

They weren’t from the Zhao Family.

So what did any of this have to do with the Zhao Family?

’You’re arresting Zhou Shuren, so what has that got to do with me, Lu Xun?’

’If you think the Shenling Newspaper has committed a crime, then by all means, shut it down.’