After all, homosexuality is not a big deal among the sons of high-ranking families. Many of them, after getting tired of beautiful women, will inevitably change their tastes.
However, this is something that can't be discussed openly; it's something that can't be brought into the open. It's fine to play around with it in private, but once it's exposed, it will naturally be met with contempt from everyone.
"Hehe, Zhongdao reacted quickly, he fainted immediately. Putting everything else aside, his quick wit is quite impressive," Cao Cao said with unbridled laughter. In his view, Wei Zhongdao was truly in deep trouble this time.
"Heh heh, I really didn't expect this Duke of Wu to be such a ruthless fellow. These kinds of pamphlets are impossible to ban. The more you try to ban them, the more curious the people become. In the end, who knows what strange and wonderful things they'll come up with?" Yuan Shao said with some admiration.
"Who can we blame for this? If Wei Zhongdao hadn't struck first, the Duke of Wu wouldn't have acted this way. However, what we didn't expect was that this counterattack would be so fierce; it can only be described as decisive." Cao Cao said with some admiration.
"Yes, the reaction was so swift. Even if anyone mentions what happened this morning in the future, they will subconsciously think it was just Wei Zhongdao's frame-up. However, Zhongdao's reputation is completely ruined." Yuan Shao shook his head and said.
Reputation is something that needs to be built up little by little over time. Normally, a good reputation can be built up over time. But it can be ruined in the blink of an eye.
Just like now, Wei Zhongdao's reputation, built up over a decade, is ruined, completely destroyed. From now on, whenever his name is mentioned, the first reaction will be that he's gay, that this guy is attracted to men. How is he supposed to face anyone after this?
"I'll fight you to the death!" Looking at the lifelike drawing in his hand and the explicit depictions, Wang Yu felt like he was about to explode!
"Hmph, you think you can take me?" With that, a single punch sent the Wang family's eldest son sprawling to the ground, motionless. All Li Na could say was, "So clever, but too useless!"
...
"Wow, not bad at all! This booklet is so vividly written, it makes me want to try it myself!"
"How could that pretty boy Wei Zhongdao have such a big [body/girl]? It's absurd!"
"I really didn't expect this. Wei Zhongdao looks so handsome, yet he's like this...it's truly..."
"Hehe, these scions of wealthy families just love this kind of thing."
Such discussions continued throughout the entire night. Many residents of the capital woke up the next day to find that the man opposite them had noticeable dark circles under his eyes.
Then, they looked at each other and chuckled. It was obvious that the other guy had also read "The Soap Picker."
What could Lin Yang say about this? He could only say that for thousands of years, ordinary people have received far too little education in this area. Of course, this is also related to the realities of China; after all, we are all upright gentlemen who care about our reputation.
That's why this booklet was so popular, and it couldn't be banned. In just one night, it spread throughout the entire capital.
Even those who had never heard of it before learned what "picking up the soap" meant the next day, thanks to the explanations of kind people.
Of course, with the circulation of this book, it is said that homosexual acts occurred frequently. Even the girls in brothels experienced a noticeable decline in business.
In response, Lin Yang could only say that some aspects of education for the people of the Han Dynasty were far too backward and conservative.
Another day, I'll definitely write a book specifically about love and sex, to properly educate them, as a way of serving the general public. As for the title, Lin Yang has already thought of one: "Golden Scales Are No Mere Pond Species."
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Chapter 43: Public opinion can melt metal, and accumulated slander can destroy bones.
The next day, at the Duke of Wu's residence.
At this moment, Lin Yang was chatting with Shi A and Cai Yan.
At this moment, Shi A was dressed in casual clothes, with a sword at his waist. His hair was tied up with a silk thread. He looked energetic and full of spirit.
As for Cai Yan, she was dressed entirely in black, with a black robe draped over her back. More importantly, she was not veiled. Although she wasn't wearing makeup, she was still very beautiful.
At least, Lin Yang was momentarily stunned when he first saw her! She was beautiful, truly beautiful.
In other words, this person is very attractive, almost to both men and women. At the same time, Cai Yan is very approachable and sincere in her interactions with others. One glance at her gives the impression that she is a good person.
"Congratulations, Feipeng! A simple little booklet has completely destroyed the reputation that Wei Zhongdao has painstakingly built up over the past ten years. I estimate that there will be far fewer blind people in the future," Shi A said with a smile, clasping his hands in a fist salute.
Upon hearing this, Cai Yan blushed instantly. Clearly, she had already read that simple booklet.
"Hehe, what can I do? I'm just not capable enough. I started from scratch, so I had no choice but to use this method." Lin Yang spread his hands, looking quite helpless.
After saying that, Lin Yang continued, "Ahem, there's something I need your help with today. But before we get to work, let's have a taste of this tea first. This is some really good stuff that I've been preparing for a long time." With that, he began to drink the tea.
Upon closer examination, a sense of optimism, vitality, and magnanimity permeated his heart and soul. At the same time, a faint vitality emanated from him. Unbeknownst to him, it directly healed many hidden injuries that Lin Yang had previously overlooked.
These hidden injuries are likely minor effects from the long hours of arduous study that this body has inadvertently sustained. Furthermore, Lin Yang's strength has advanced by leaps and bounds in just a few months, so some hidden injuries are quite normal at this point. They are not yet obvious, but they will become increasingly important as the end approaches.
It was precisely because of this remarkable effect that Lin Yang developed a fondness for tea. Otherwise, it would be quite unsettling for a modern person accustomed to a fast-paced life to slowly brew and sip tea.
"Phew, not bad, really good." After saying that, Shi A blushed and began to refine this subtle life force.
Upon hearing this, Lin Yang nodded. These tea leaves were from genuine, thousand-year-old tea trees, a gift personally given to Lin Yang by the current Mountain God of Wuyi Mountain as a reward.
Moreover, this old tea tree had grown slowly in a blessed land, nourished by the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Therefore, it possesses many functions such as calming the mind, improving eyesight, and healing hidden injuries. Long-term consumption can also improve one's constitution.
Even the tea used to brew it was made from spiritual dew. Even the teacups and other utensils were magical artifacts painstakingly crafted by Qi cultivators. Otherwise, how could a simple cup of tea have such miraculous effects?
"Here's the thing, I'd like to start a newspaper and would like to ask for your advice and help," Lin Yang said with a smile.
"Newspaper? What's that? How can it help?" Shi asked instinctively.
“This newspaper has the character ‘报’ (bào) in it. Could it be related to the official gazette?” Cai Yan had a sudden inspiration, blinked, and smiled.
The so-called "official gazette" was actually the official gazette of this period. It recorded the various policies of the imperial court in recent times.
Sometimes, some officials even get to appear in the official gazette. It can be said that any official who appears in the gazette has a bright future.
Moreover, the official gazette was specifically intended for officials. Of course, it wasn't kept secret; even wealthy individuals could access its contents at any time by paying money.
"Well, more or less. In a sense, the official gazette is a type of newspaper. However, it is specifically for court officials. Of course, some people with extraordinary connections can also see it. But ordinary people cannot."
"Moreover, even ordinary people might not be interested in reading it. After all, the descriptions in the official gazette are too dry. If you're not interested in politics, you generally won't read it," Lin Yang explained.