This day, at one o'clock in the morning, Jiang Senlin was sitting by the window, diligently studying a book about urban sewage systems.
The door to his room was suddenly knocked upon, three polite knocks.
Jiang Senlin turned his head. "Please come in!"
The door opened, and an officer stood at the entrance. "Commander Jiang wishes for you to go to his office. He has something to discuss with you."
"Now?"
"Yes."
Jiang Senlin put on his robe and stepped out, following the officer through the ship's corridors to his father's office.
The door opened, and Jiang Ye was seated behind his desk, holding a cup of light tea and reading documents.
"Dad," Jiang Senlin said, sitting down opposite him at the desk.
"I'm planning to start a newspaper. The name has already been decided: 'Xian Sheng'," Jiang Ye said, looking at his son.
"Xian Sheng? Is it the 'Xian Sheng' from the poem 'Hu Wen Wang Lü Lai, Xian Sheng Dong Yan You'?" Jiang Senlin asked.
Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Whose poem is that?"
"Gu Yanwu's. He should be several hundred years older than you, Father," Jiang Senlin replied. "There's also one by Su Shi: 'Jiu Zheng You Chuan Shu Fu Lao, Xian Sheng Yi Zhen Yue Xi Shan'."
Jiang Ye smiled in surprise, showing an expression that said, "You actually have this kind of skill, you rascal."
"Yes, it's that 'Xian Sheng'," Jiang Ye said. "Although every planet has regional newspapers, there isn't a single largest newspaper yet. So, I intend to start this 'Xian Sheng' newspaper. As the name suggests, the newspaper's purpose is to publish some 'Xian Sheng', meaning precursors or heralds."
Jiang Ye took a sip of tea and continued, "For example, if a planet is preparing a major plan, an article will be published in 'Xian Sheng' to announce it. Or if there's an issue on a planet that the public is concerned about, an editorial will be written to set the tone."
"This newspaper is to convey your intentions to the entire society, isn't it, Dad?" Jiang Senlin hit the nail on the head.
"You could say that. I will review every article published in this newspaper, and anything that is printed represents my intentions. I will even personally write articles and publish them in 'Xian Sheng'," Jiang Ye said. "This newspaper will be published irregularly. If there's a need to publish an article, an issue will be released. If there's nothing significant happening, the newspaper won't be published. It will primarily be distributed online, making it convenient for netizens to access. Perhaps a bound paper version could be released monthly, similar to a magazine, for those who wish to collect it."
"That's very good," Jiang Senlin nodded. "Some planets have similar things. When I visited Ling Ran Star, they had a newspaper called 'Qiu Chang Bao'. When the 'Qiu Chang' had something to say, they would publish serious articles. When they didn't, they would publish a lot of jokes and short stories. The common people subscribed enthusiastically, as it was a newspaper that often made them laugh. It's said that over three billion people subscribed to that newspaper, almost every household."
"Oh?" Jiang Ye blinked in surprise. "This plan seems even better. It's approachable and has strong dissemination."
Jiang Senlin also blinked. "I was just saying that casually."
Jiang Ye scratched his head in confusion. It was clear that he had spent a lot of time planning the 'Xian Sheng' newspaper, and Jiang Senlin's casual remark had disrupted his plans, leaving him a bit unsure of what to do.
"Dad, I think it's better to have a serious newspaper. Publishing jokes every day isn't a good idea. Ling Ran Star is unreliable, and we shouldn't learn from their bad practices," Jiang Senlin advised. "Publishing jokes will also dilute the seriousness and authority of the articles, which goes against your original intention."
Jiang Ye nodded. "Then it will be a serious newspaper."
"Dad, why did you call me here? What do you want me to do?" Jiang Senlin asked.
"Are you interested in writing an article to be published in the inaugural issue of 'Xian Sheng'?" Jiang Ye asked. "You know, when your father was young, parents would assign holiday homework to their children. If you're willing, writing an article would be good practice, consider it holiday homework."
Jiang Senlin was taken aback. "But I've never published an article in a newspaper before. What should I write about? I... I don't know how."
"I'll tell you the theme and the content. After you write it, I'll review it and guide you through the revisions, hand in hand," Jiang Ye said.
"Then... that's fine. I don't have anything else to do right now," Jiang Senlin nodded.
The door opened, and Cen Yemeng entered, yawning. She smiled upon seeing her husband and son. "Good son, what are you chatting about with your dad?"
"Dad wants me to write an article for the newspaper. He'll give me the theme, and he'll review it after I finish," Jiang Senlin said. "Dad says it's holiday homework."
Cen Yemeng walked over and smiled, rubbing her son's head. "Silly boy, your dad is just too lazy to write it himself and is tricking you into ghostwriting!"
Jiang Ye's face fell. "What do you mean 'tricking'? This is for his development! I'm educating my child, why are you interfering?"
Cen Yemeng let out a burst of unceremonious laughter and turned away, heading to the kitchen.
A moment later, Cen Yemeng came out with two plates of sliced fruit, placing one in front of Jiang Ye and one in front of Jiang Senlin.
"I'm going to bed now. You continue tricking our son. Go to bed early after you're done," Cen Yemeng said, yawning, and left.
Jiang Ye looked speechless, watching his wife's figure disappear into the bedroom.
"The theme of the article is very simple: the economic development of Wheeler Star," Jiang Ye said. "I plan to boost Wheeler Star's economy significantly, allowing the people of Jiang Tong District to become rich quickly. This is a major undertaking that requires publicity and fanfare. You write an article about it."
Jiang Senlin nodded repeatedly and took out his phone to record a memo.
Jiang Ye pulled open a drawer and took out a thick folder. "This is the economic war outline from Aunt Feng Zhishen. Take it back and read it. Some of the content can be seen in the light, and some cannot. You should primarily focus on the parts that can be seen in the light; the article's content can come from here."
"This is a top-secret document, isn't it?" Jiang Senlin was surprised. "Do I need to go through any security procedures?"
"You're on my warship, are you afraid of leaking secrets?" Jiang Ye smiled. "Take it back to read, and then give it back to me. Don't say anything outside that shouldn't be said. That's the security procedure."
Jiang Senlin nodded in a dazed manner, hugging the folder to his chest.
"You can write the article freely, but there are a few requirements," Jiang Ye said, holding up his fingers.
"First, simplicity. From an elderly person with dementia to a child who just graduated from kindergarten, it's best if everyone can understand your article. This article is for the public, not an academic paper. The more simple and colloquial it is, the better, flowing like water."
"Second, it must be impressive. Don't write a bunch of simple nonsense, don't write a stream of fluent drivel. It must be substantial, making people feel they've learned some new knowledge after reading it. And this knowledge should subtly align with their past experiences, allowing them to identify with it and touch their hearts."