Sword of Dawnbreaker

Chapter 459 - 458: Dissemination

When Viscount Andrew Leslie and Lady Ropeney Ge’lan departed, the seven-hundred-year-old feudal aristocratic system in the southern borders officially came to an end.

If the cannons at Broken Stone Ridge and the rocky ridges Fortress had destroyed the physical entity of the aristocratic system, then the thirty-three voluntary reform contracts and the joint declaration document bearing the signatures of all southern aristocrats effectively destroyed the soul of this system.

Gawain held the ”Reform Alliance Declaration,” which seemed to still carry the fresh scent of ink. On the signature page of the declaration, the thirty-three names, including Viscount Andrew and Lady Ropeney, seemed to symbolize the end of an era. He carefully imprinted each name in his mind before picking up the pen from his desk and signing ”Gawain Cecil” at the document’s end.

He knew that the old era had not truly ended—in the north of the rocky ridges Fortress, beyond the great barrier of mountains in the southern borders, Anzu remained an ancient kingdom operating under the old aristocratic system. Ignorance and darkness still shrouded everyone, and even within the southern borders, in the Cecil Principality, the shadows and influences of the old era would linger for a long time. Thoroughly eradicating them was still a formidable task.

But with the documents signed today, this endeavor would proceed more smoothly.

”These signed documents are for public release,” Gawain said, pushing the documents towards Aunt Heidi across the desk. ”In addition to printing them throughout the domain, also have masons carve them into a monument to stand prominently in the city. We must spare no effort in publicizing the reform of the southern borders. In areas with high literacy rates, use newspapers; in areas with lower literacy, find ways to promote ’tavern gossip.’ By the end of the Harvest Month, everyone in the southern borders must be aware of this news.”

”This way, the work in various Grade 2 Bureau of Affairs should be much easier,” Aunt Heidi smiled slightly, clearly pleased. ”Recruiting scholars will no longer face obstacles, and those hesitant merchants should have no further concerns.”

”Even so, I’m sure there will still be resistance to the new regulations,” Gawain remarked. ”But we have reason and law on our side. All acts of defiance against the new rules can be severely punished, especially from those Exiled Knights—give them a final deadline for surrender. If they exceed this deadline, treat it as treason; this time, they cannot use ’loyalty to the old master’ as a shield. Our execution of them will be entirely lawful and will garner the support of all the people.”

Understanding the worldview of the people of this era and the mentality of the subjects under his rule, then advancing his endeavors in a manner consistent with the background of the age and the people’s worldview, all the while gradually reforming this era—this was Gawain’s chosen governance route after taking the southern borders. Governing the world and conquering it are not the same. The latter often requires only strong military might, while the former requires a strategic mind.

The newly established printing factory worked day and night. The brand-new large industrial printing machines, just off the production line, were sent to the print shop’s workshop. Amidst the roaring machinery, they transformed sheets of white paper into newspapers and books rapidly carrying information. In the latest issue of the Cecil Weekly, the collective signing of the southern aristocrats was the historical event featured prominently on an entire page, marking the first time such a ”photo” was published on the newspaper since its inception. At the top of this black-and-white image, the largest, boldest font announced the significance of the event to the people:

”The Principality Covenant: All former leaders in the southern borders swear to uphold Cecil’s law—let us cheer for a great order.”

The latest edition of the newspaper came off the printing press, sorted and packaged by the printing workers, then sent to the distribution center, and finally distributed by messenger teams to Tanzan, Kant, Gran, Hosman, and every corner of the southern borders.

In the literate Cecil Main City and several satellite towns, the newspaper’s promotional effect was optimal. But in less literate places, there were still people who could read the newspaper’s content and relay the news to everyone around them.

The morning sun illuminated the worn and chaotic streets of Carol City, its warmth dispersing the dewdrops on the weeds in the corners. A cart bearing the Cecil emblem rolled over the town’s lone stone-paved road, the bells attached to it jingling to awaken the town’s residents from their sleep.

The blacksmith stepped into the workshop, scolding the nap-taking apprentice tending the furnace. The mason picked up his tools, preparing to visit the newly established Administrative Office to inquire about available work. Women groused and kicked their lazy children and husbands out of bed, tidying up the foul-smelling, messy bedding, while the men and half-grown children gnawed on dry rations and took their tools to the street, ready to work the fields or try their luck in the town square.

A segment of the city wall once toppled by the Cecil Clan’s giant cannon still lay desolate on the town’s southern clearing. A group of yawning civilian workers, supervised by their foreman, cleared away the rubble of stone and wood. Passersby occasionally glanced at the remnants of the wall with awe or fear, as if the explosive destruction of that day still loomed in their hearts.

A squad of Cecil soldiers marched neatly down the main street. Though they weren’t like typical aristocratic private soldiers who would harass people along the road, the commoners instinctively and reverently lowered their heads and stepped aside—Carol residents had grown accustomed to these soldiers. Since the outbreak of war, many Cecil people passed through this town, heading north to the battlefield and returning south after a great victory. They established the Administrative Office in the town and converted the old leader’s castle into barracks and offices, enacting new laws. They were ”outsiders,” but they had become the town’s rulers, and the people living there... accepted all this without much feeling.

”The Governor” said to boil water before drinking, permitting serfs and tenant farmers to chop wood (previously, such commoners could only gather fallen branches and were forbidden from cutting down the leader’s woodland), so everyone boiled water before drinking. When the Governor ordered no public defecation, and dozens were whipped in the street, people began using the newly built toilets. When the Governor called for those with skills to register at the Administrative Office, everyone registered since it didn’t cost anything...

The Cecil people were peculiar, and their new laws were peculiar, but at least they didn’t seize food, so life could go on.

But not everyone felt nothing.

The great merchant Kode sat in his house, the tea brought by the maid had already cooled, but he hadn’t touched it, his mind was in turmoil, and his eldest son sat before him.

”Father, did someone from the Administrative Office come yesterday?”

”Yes,” the great merchant said in a muffled voice, ”they still want me to sign the Business Covenant, and they want to build a factory on that vacant lot south of town, they’re asking me to go and persuade the people there...”

”You still haven’t signed?” The eldest son asked with a worried look, ”Father, those are the leader’s people...”

”Alas, I know those are the leader’s people, I wouldn’t dare offend them,” the great merchant sighed, ”even if they asked me to take out a third... a quarter of my wealth to repair the city walls and castles, that would be fine, but instead, they just want me to sign the covenant and take the lead... this is absolutely not possible.”

Money lost can be earned again, satisfying the leader’s demands with money is something every merchant must learn, especially in the commercially prosperous Carol territory, where a major merchant like Kode has long relied on the favor of the leader to thrive. Yet, faced with the Business Covenant presented by the Cecil Clan, this merchant, who was prepared to exchange fortune for peace, found himself hesitating.

”Father, you better agree, there’s no benefit in going against the Administrative Office — although they seem easygoing for now, who knows how long their patience will last. If you don’t sign, they might just kick us out...”

”Spending money is a transaction, once the deal ends, it ends. Signing, though, lasts a lifetime, not so easily done,” the great merchant sighed, realizing that while his eldest son wasn’t foolish in business, he still lacked life experience, ”Do you know how many merchants are watching? Who has signed? If in the end most people haven’t signed, then those who did... what difference is there from being exiled in the business circle?”

”The Cecil Clan has already taken over this place; the whole southern borders will soon belong to them. Everyone will sign eventually.”

”...I know, of course, I know,” Kode said with a bitter smile, ”everyone will sign eventually, so I want to wait a bit longer, I really don’t want to be the first to sign, the Cecil Clan’s weapons are formidable, but there’s still...”

The merchant’s words were interrupted as the room’s door was suddenly flung open. His younger son burst in, waving a roll of paper excitedly: ”Father! Father! It’s signed! It’s signed!”

Kode could hardly stand the word ”sign” now; at the moment he heard it, he stood up, shouting loudly: ”Sign what signature?! Who told you to sign?!”

”Sign? Ah! Not me, not me!” The young man glanced at the atmosphere in the room, at his bewildered brother and his father’s angry expression, quickly waving the newspaper in his hand, ”It’s the southern aristocrats, the southern aristocrats have signed — look, the front page headline of today’s newspaper, there’s even a picture!”

”What picture, what headline...” The great merchant Kode stepped forward and snatched the newspaper from his younger son’s hand. He was aware of this ”newspaper” invented by the Cecil Clan, possessing a merchant’s keen intuition, he realized its significance at first glance — it carried crucial, timely information for merchants. So, ever since the regular messenger wagons appeared in the Carol territory, he instructed his younger son to buy the latest newspaper immediately, but he couldn’t have imagined what news on it could astonish his typically timid and gentle younger son into such excitement.

And upon unfolding the newspaper, he understood.

He saw that black-and-white ”picture,” that vivid ”picture,” clearly the image a form of magic left, capturing a real event, preserved by the power of magic. The Cecil Clan’s ”magical industry” had replicated this record countless times, sending it everywhere under their rule — including this northern Carol territory.

”Principality’s covenant, all old leaders of the southern borders swear to uphold the Cecil laws...” The great merchant Kode muttered, then suddenly realized the message the newspaper conveyed.

”Sign... sign!” The great merchant shouted, ”Quick, maid, bring me my coat, I must go to the Administrative Office — damn it, Donnie lives just next to the Administrative Office, I hope he doesn’t have a habit of reading the newspaper in the morning... I must be the first!”

His two sons were startled by their father’s violent reaction, looked at each other in bewilderment, and asked, ”Father?”

”No time, now is the moment to express our stance,” Kode said quickly, putting on the coat hurriedly handed to him by the maid, suddenly recalling something as he got halfway dressed, he turned to stare into his eldest son’s eyes, ”Pal, immediately head south, find Weiler — tell him, I’m buying that piece of land from him!”