Gone With The Bustling World - Chapter 64
Translator: Antonia
“Qingyu, Aunt Lan is pregnant!” Fang Junqian held a letter in his hand and looked very cheerful, “I’m going to have a brother!”
Xiao Qingyu took it over and browsed, “He’ll be born the next summer. Uh?” He looked up, “Aunt Lan will come to celebrate the next New Year in Bafang?”
“Yes, with my brother.” Duke Fang touched his chin, “Yes, he’ll be five months old. A boy that big is the funniest(?!)!”
Seeing his assertive look, Xiao Qingyu couldn’t help being a wet blanket, “Are you so sure that it’ll be a boy?”
“Absolutely!” Duke Fang was convinced, “I have the hunch!”
Childe Wushuang didn’t want to argue with him on that and looked down to finish the letter.
Suddenly.
“Duke…”
“What?”
“Why will Yiyi come together?”
“To visit relatives!”
Childe Wushuang’s expression was unnatural, “Relatives?”
Duke Fang faked a smile, “Oh, of course she comes to visit you, her childhood love! Could she come for me?”
On that night, Duke Fang had witnessed with his own eyes the confession of Lin Yiyi and Xiao Qingyu’s refusal. Because of that, Duke Fang didn’t like this sister Lin very much.
For the first time! You should know that our Duke Fang liked almost every beautiful girl.
Xiao Qingyu gracefully put the letter on the table, didn’t say a word, but somehow he felt helpless and restless.
He picked up a teacup, raised his brows and glanced to the far mountains. The tea leaves in the cup twined together—just like this matter, messy and hard to get rid of…
With the support of the “encouraging commerce and trade” policy, and after a year’s low taxation for the economy to recover, Bafang’s commerce and trade bloomed like mushrooms, thriving in an unstoppable trend!
The current Bafang was a truly business center of the world!
Another reason of it was because Bafang was the only place to value both agriculture and commerce while all other nations believed commerce was inferior to agriculture. Hence, the businessmen in Bafang were gradually respected by folks.
The businessmen almost wanted to enshrine and worship Duke Fang everyday. None of them wanted to leave at all!
Fang Junqian had totally taken control of Daqing’s northwestern region as a Duke of real power. It was no exaggeration to say that as long as he raised his arm to summon a rebellion army, he could set off and wipe out the capital city at any moment!
However, at this moment, Duke Fang was worrying about an announcement.
Fang Junqian, Xiao Qingyu, Qi Wuyou, Jia Muqi, Li Shenghu, Gao You… Any Bafang official or officer with a title were convened.
Before them was an announcement of startling words! At the lower right corner was Fang Junqian’s signet!
Duke Fang pulled a stern expression, obviously having been under great pressure recently, “Guys, you’ve read the Twelve Approaches of Promotion. What do you think if I introduce it in Bafang?”
The Twelve Approaches of Promotion was developed from the previous Twelve Approaches to Promote Soldiers, expanding the fair mechanism from the military to ordinary civilians.
Nowadays, with power controlled in the hands of the nobilities, the introduction of the Twelve Approaches of Promotion was like a thunderbolt shocking and terrifying all nobilities in the world…
It was conceivable that as soon as this policy came out, the initiator would be the first one to suffer! One slip, and he would stay infamous in history forever…
An elderly cautious official dissuaded, “Duke Fang, I think it’s premature to launch this policy right now. I’m just afraid Duke will become a target of criticism.”
Fang Junqian’s eyes was as sharp as lightning, “What about others? What do you think?”
The others all lowered their eyes, not daring to look at him in the eye.
Qi Wuyou frowned, “The policy is great. I’d like to suggest you to launch it out four or five years later…”
“Yes, this policy will really make Bafang a nail in the flesh in the eyes of the nobility class of all nations.”
“It’s hard to predict whether it’s a blessing or curse. We’d better not to be the first bird that will be targeted at.”
…
The discussion came to an abrupt halt.
A fair slender hand picked up a writing brush, dipped some ink and signed, right below Fang Junqian’s signet, ‘Xiao Qingyu’.
Everyone peeked at him silently.
One stroke after another… The movement was fierce to penetrate the paper.
Xiao Qingyu’s expression was calm, and his gentle glance back at others contained inviolable solemnity and sternness, “Someone has to be the initiator.”
Fang Junqian, I trust you.
I’d like to share this heavy burden and the cursing together with you.
Either they would be famous or infamous in history, Xiao Qingyu’s name would always stay with Fang Junqian…
Just let the future generations be the judge.
The selfless and solemn eyes made the others instantly felt ashamed.
Qi Wuyou sighed, “I’m so ashamed compared to Duke Fang and Childe Wushuang’s disregard of personal loss. I’m in! Let me be one part of the cursing!” Then he signed his name.
“Me too.”
“Just do it!”
The others also expressed their attitudes and hurriedly signed their names.
…
At last, all the officials and officers of Bafang signed their names on the announcement.
This was what known to the future generations as “A Great Agreement”. The Twelve Approaches of Promotion laid a foundation for selecting talents for the Qingqian Prosperity!
From the beginning to the end, Fang Junqian and Xiao Qingyu never discussed.
His ambition, ideals, gratitude…
His trust, understanding, support…
In the meeting of their eyes, all other things turned into clouds drifting away…
They stared silently, without a word.
But the silence said everything…
