"Newspapers! Newspapers! Only five jiao apiece — first edition of the Longcheng Daily!..."
The young newsboy hadn't even finished his cry before a crowd surged forward, and in an instant the entire stack of papers was snatched clean.
Given how prosperous Longcheng's people were — folk who could readily afford a two-hundred-and-forty-yuan bicycle — a five-jiao newspaper was nothing at all.
Five jiao for something new? A bargain.
The little newsboy was beside himself with joy.
Each copy sold put one jiao in his pocket, and that whole stack of several dozen papers had earned him a full day's wage of a government clerk.
He had to run back and get more. This was practically free money!
One person came back with a copy, and several others immediately crowded around.
"I'd heard rumors about this paper ages ago — it's finally out. Quick, let's see what's in it."
Literacy in Longcheng was remarkably high; you could pull almost anyone off the street and they'd be able to read a newspaper.
After all, that guaranteed five jiao a day for life had been too compelling a promise to ignore.
"'Opium brings grave harm and endless ruin — the Longcheng Government strictly prohibits the sale and consumption of opium'?"
"I'd heard that down in the southeast, all sorts of people at the imperial court were smoking the stuff. I'd always wondered why we didn't have any here — turns out it's been banned."
"It's not as though there's none at all. I know for a fact there are people sneaking smokes in secret."
"Read on — see what else it says."
"'The mechanism of opium addiction and its dangers'? Let me have a proper look."
"Good heavens, this stuff is that harmful? I thought it was more or less like puffing on a pipe."
"The paper also says there are rewards for reporting? They're encouraging everyone to report it? Well now — that's a handsome reward."
"Don't mind me, something's come up — I'll be off."
"You're the one who just said you knew someone sneaking a smoke, aren't you? Go on then — looks like someone's about to come into a tidy sum today."
"Ahem, no, no — I'm going to be late for work."
"It's nearly noon. Late for what, exactly? Never mind — go on. When the government encourages something, you ought to take part enthusiastically. Nothing shameful about it. Especially when there's something in it for you."
On the very first day of the newspaper's publication, its greatest achievement was the arrest of several dozen people who had been secretly smoking opium.
"Oh, there's news about what the government's been up to? Let me see — what has Mayor Jinyi been doing these past few days."
"And there's news from other places? And something about foreigners?"
"So much news — this five jiao was money very well spent!"
"It was *my* five jiao. What's it to you?"
"I'll buy my own copy in a bit. There's so much here, you can't get through it all at once."
"And when I'm done reading, I'm keeping it. I've made up my mind — I'm buying every single edition."
---
Xinguang District. District Government Office.
A special visitor had arrived that day: a French merchant by the name of James.
Ming Cheng, whose beard now lent him a considerably more mature and composed air, received James in his office. After a handshake, both men took their seats.
"Mr. James, welcome. What brings you to us today?"
The interpreter jabbered something to James, who jabbered something back.
Then the Han interpreter wiped the fawning expression from his face and addressed Ming Cheng with an air of lofty condescension.
"District Chief, we have come in a spirit of friendship and civilization. Your government has arrested several merchants — may we know what crime they are alleged to have committed?"
Ming Cheng asked several clarifying questions before he had a clear picture of the matter. He replied with a calm smile.
"What happens in Guangzhou is beyond our jurisdiction, but here in Longcheng, opium is prohibited. Those merchants knew this full well, yet continued selling opium within our territory. They have broken the laws of this district."
The interpreter's face twisted with indignation. "Opium is a gift brought by Mr. James! It is a symbol of civilization and progress! Why do you presume to ban it!"
"This is our territory. Whether we permit something or prohibit it — do we really need to seek your approval?"
"If you refuse our gift and our goodwill, so be it. But those merchants are friends of Mr. James. I demand to take them with me!"
"I'm afraid that is not possible. They have broken the laws of this jurisdiction. Whoever's friends they may be, they must face the consequences."
"So you are saying you will not give Mr. James this face?"
Before James the interpreter groveled and scraped; before everyone else he strutted as though he were the master of the house.
Ming Cheng smiled. "The law is the law. If Mr. James has no further business, please see yourselves out — I have official matters to attend to."
James departed with a face dark as a storm cloud, the interpreter muttering slander beside him all the while.
Ming Cheng paid no attention and returned to his work.
Until, not half a day later, a succession of tremendous blasts rang out, followed by the screams of people.
Someone rushed in and seized Ming Cheng by the arm, pulling him away at a run.
"District Chief — we're being shelled! It must be that James from this morning!"
After several salvos the guns fell silent.
Solid cannonballs made a fearsome noise, but in truth caused limited damage unless one was particularly unlucky.
This was a show of force — a warning!
Ming Cheng roared with fury. "How dare these damned foreign devils? Don't they know this is tantamount to starting a war?"
"Then war it is!"
"Tell Ming Wu — send our warships. Bring that foreign devil back to me!"
"I want him on his knees, repenting!"