In 1934, Shanghai newspaper editor Shen Liangcai (史亮才) faced persecution from the Nationalist government led by Chiang Kai-shek (蒋介石). On November 14th, Shen's newspaper "申报" was banned from being mailed to areas outside of Shanghai. The ban caused significant financial losses for the newspaper. In December, Shen received a threatening letter from Chiang Kai-shek and was eventually assassinated on November 13th while returning to Shanghai from Hangzhou. The assassination shocked the nation and led to widespread criticism. After Shen's death, his family received condolences from Chiang Kai-shek, who also requested that the Zhejiang provincial government investigate and apprehend the perpetrators of the crime. Despite the outcry, "申报" was eventually taken over by the Nationalist government and transformed into an official party newspaper.