Chapter 82: The Freedom Fighter

Chapter 82: The Freedom Fighter

Denic quickly stepped forward and scolded the bewildered supervisor, "What are you standing around for? Apologize at once! This is the owner of our newspaper."

"Y-yes, of course," the supervisor stammered, retreating a few steps and bowing repeatedly. "I-I'm very sorry."

Joseph gestured toward the workers around them, "You should apologize to them."

"Oh, right," the supervisor said, turning to the workers in their simple clothing and bowing deeply. "I'm sorry…"

Denic frowned and motioned with his head, "Go on, get out of here."

The supervisor hurriedly backed out of the warehouse, nearly tripping over a coil of rope used for binding books on his way out.

The workers turned grateful eyes toward Joseph. One of the braver ones even bowed and said, "Thank you, sir. You're a kind and generous man."

Joseph noticed the workers' cracked skin and instructed Denic, "Mr. Denic, please buy some lanolin for everyone to use freely. We can't have them getting frostbite. Also, every year during the coldest month, give everyone an extra week's wages as a cold weather allowance."

Denic quickly nodded, "Yes, I'll see to it."

The workers could hardly believe their ears. This young noble seemed like an angel—he had stopped the supervisor from beating them and was now being so generous.

These simple workers weren't good with words, so they just quietly returned to their tasks. But their pace quickened, and they handled the books with more care than before.

Joseph continued walking through the warehouse, picking up a booklet from one of the stacks. The paper was grayish-yellow and rough, the lowest quality, and the printing was basic, with the spine stitched together with plant fibers to keep it from falling apart. Yet it was sixteen pages long and included five illustrations.

He glanced at the towering stacks of books and turned to ask, "Mr. Denic, how many copies did we print this time?"

Denic stepped forward, "Your Highness, we printed 30,000 copies of each booklet. That should be enough for Paris and the surrounding towns."

Joseph nodded, "And what's the cost per booklet?"

"Because of the number of pages, it's 1 sou 5 deniers," Denic added, "Your invention of lithographic printing is truly remarkable. Without it, the cost would have been over 3 sous."

Indeed, with the old copperplate printing method, no booklet could afford five illustrations—the cost of engraving the copper plates alone would have increased the booklet's price several times over. The Paris Gazette's booklet was undoubtedly the most luxurious in its class.

Joseph didn't hesitate, "Sell it at cost."

"Yes, Your Highness," Denic replied, now accustomed to his employer's extravagance. The last time they priced the newspapers, it would have been a loss if not for the advertisers clamoring to buy space.

Joseph flipped through the booklet. The first few pages were filled with serialized novels, followed by an article titled "How Much Money Do High Court Judges Really Pocket?" More articles like this were interspersed among the novels.

Joseph skimmed the content and found the articles to be rather lackluster. The writing was wordy, did little to incite anger, and wasn't very engaging.

He frowned slightly, "The articles need to be more provocative."

Denic nodded awkwardly, "Yes, I'll do my best."

Joseph knew it wasn't entirely Denic's fault. The Paris Gazette had been a small paper with only a few hundred readers, and the editors weren't exactly top-notch.

After thinking for a moment, Joseph pointed to the booklet in his hand and said, "We can start by improving the headlines. For example, instead of 'How Much Money Do High Court Judges Really Pocket?' change it to 'Outrageous! They Say 'No Money, No Justice!' And You're Not Worth Winning!'"

He continued, "And this one, 'The Truth Behind Judge Vezinier's Handling of the Léon Inheritance Case,' should be 'Shocking! A Widow, Two Men, and Judge Vezinier's Untold Story!' And for 'The Impact of the Tax Bill's Failure to Pass on National Finances,' change it to 'Terrifying! They're Stealing France's Wealth, and We Don't Even Know It!'"

Denic's eyes widened in astonishment.

The titles seemed loosely related to the articles, but they were also… not quite on point. Yet they were incredibly enticing. Anyone who saw these headlines would be compelled to read the articles!

Denic couldn't help but think, If the Prince ever became a journalist, his knack for crafting headlines alone would make him the most sought-after talent in the industry.

As Joseph was speaking, one of the newspaper's supervisors signaled to Denic from a distance. Denic quickly turned to Joseph and said, "Your Highness, your guest has arrived."

Joseph nodded and followed Denic into the office. Inside was a middle-aged man with disheveled hair and deep lines on his face, who immediately stood up and bowed to Denic. "It's a pleasure to see you, Mr. Denic. Thank you for publishing my article. May I ask why you've summoned me?"

Following Joseph's instructions, Denic introduced him, "Mr. Marat, this is Mr. Xavier, the owner of our newspaper. It was at his direction that your article was published."

Marat quickly bowed to Joseph, "Thank you very much, Mr. Xavier. You are truly talented and have done an excellent job with the Paris Gazette."

Joseph smiled and returned the gesture, indicating a chair nearby, "Please, Mr. Marat, have a seat."

Yes, Joseph's main reason for coming to the newspaper today was to meet Marat—the infamous Jacobin leader, known for his role in the Reign of Terror, where his signature could send thousands to the guillotine.

Marat's article, which critiqued the tax bill, had been rejected by other papers before landing in the Paris Gazette.

Denic had been looking for content like this, so he published it. When Joseph saw Marat's name in his newspaper, an idea struck him, and he asked Denic to arrange a meeting.

Joseph knew that while Marat might seem like just a sharp-tongued journalist, he wielded considerable influence, particularly among the lower classes. If used correctly, Marat could play a significant role in Joseph's battle against the High Court.

But given Marat's strong anti-royalist stance, Joseph decided it was best to meet him under a different identity.

Once Marat was seated, Denic excused himself, citing business in the warehouse.

Joseph looked at Marat and smiled, "I've always admired you, Mr. Marat. You are a true champion of freedom."

Marat was visibly pleased by this title and quickly responded, "It is my honor to fight for justice and the rights of the French people."

(End of Chapter)

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