When the two viscounts, Andrew Leslie and Ropenny Glen, left, the feudal aristocratic system that had lasted for seven hundred years in the Southern Border officially came to an end.
If the artillery of Gravel Ridge and Rock Fortress had destroyed the physical body of the aristocratic system, then the 33 voluntary acceptance of the restructuring contract and a joint declaration document signed by all the aristocrats in the Southern Territory had destroyed the soul of the system.
Gwen held the "Joint Declaration of Restructuring" in his hand, which still had the smell of ink. On the signature page of the declaration, the 33 names, including Viscount Andrew and Countess Luo Peini, seemed to represent the end of an era. He carefully imprinted each name in his mind, then took a dip pen from the desk and wrote the name of Gwen Cecil at the end of the document.
He knew that the old era was not really over. In the north of Rock Fortress, outside the mountain barrier of the Southern Territory, Ansu was still an ancient kingdom that relied on the old aristocratic system to operate. Ignorance and darkness still shrouded everyone's head. Even in the Southern Territory, in the Principality of Cecil, the shadow and influence of the old era would still be lingering for a long time. It was still a long way to go to completely eliminate it.
But with the documents signed today, this project would go much smoother.
"This part of the signed document will be made public." Gwen pushed the document in front of him to Heti, who was sitting across the desk. "In addition to printing it out in the entire Southern Territory, find a stonemason to carve it into a monument and place it in a conspicuous place in the city. Next, spare no effort to publicize the restructuring of the Southern Territory. Places with a high literacy rate should use newspapers, and places with a low literacy rate should also find a way to promote public opinion in the pub. Before the end of the Month of Harvest, everyone in the Southern Territory should know about this news. "
"In this way, the work of the second-level government offices should be much easier," Heidi said with a smile. She was obviously very happy. "There will be no more obstacles to recruit scholars, and those hesitant merchants should have no more worries."
"Even so, I'm sure there will still be people who will resist the new rules," Gwen said. "But justice and law are on our side. All acts of resistance to the new rules can be severely punished, especially those exiled Knight. Give them a deadline to surrender. Beyond the deadline, they will be punished as treason. This time, they can no longer use 'loyalty to the old master' as a shield. Our execution of them will be completely legal, and will be supported by all the people."
Gwen had to understand the three views of the people of this era, understand the way of thinking of the people under his rule, and then promote his own career in a way that was in line with the background of the era and the three views of the people. In the process, he gradually transformed the era. This was the governing route that Gwen chose after conquering the Southern Territory. Ruling the world and conquering the world were different. The latter often only required powerful force, while the former... required some brains.
The newly established printing factory was operating day and night. The brand-new large industrial printing press was sent to the workshop of the printing factory as soon as it came off the production line. Then, in the roar of the machinery, the white paper was continuously turned into newspapers and books with information at an amazing speed. In the latest issue of Cecil's Weekly, the historic scene of the Southern Territory's nobles collectively signing the document occupied the entire page. The large black and white portrait was the first "photo" to be published since the birth of the newspaper. At the top of the black and white portrait, the largest bold font announced the meaning of the scene to the people:
"The duchy has signed a treaty. All the old lords in the Southern Territory have sworn to uphold the laws of Cecil. Let us cheer for the great order."
The new issue of the newspaper came off the printing press, was organized by the printing workers, packed, and then sent to the distribution center. Then, it was sent to Tanzania, Kant, Gollan, Hosman, and every corner of the Southern Territory by the messenger caravan.
In Cecil's main city and a few satellite towns, where the literacy rate was higher, the newspaper's publicity effect was the best. But in places where the literacy rate was not high, there were still people who could read the contents of the newspaper and tell the news to everyone around them.
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The early morning sun shone on the old and dilapidated streets of Calore City, dispersing the water droplets on the weeds at the corners of the walls. A carriage with the Cecil insignia drove through the only stone road in the town. The bells hanging on the carriage tinkled, waking the residents of the town from their slumber.
The blacksmith walked into the workshop and scolded the apprentice who dozed off while looking after the furnace. The stonemason picked up his tools and prepared to go to the newly built government office to ask if he could do any work. The women chased the children and husbands who were sleeping in out of their rooms and began to tidy up the smelly and messy beds. The men and children gnawed on dry food and carried their household utensils to the streets, ready to work in the fields or go to the town square to "try their luck".
A section of the city wall that had been blasted apart by the Cecil cannons still lay desolately on the empty ground in the south of the town. A group of yawning workers were cleaning up the broken pieces of stone and wood under the supervision of the foreman. Occasionally, people would pass by the ruins and quickly sweep their eyes over the remnants of the city wall with reverence and even fear. It was as if the earth-shattering explosion of that day still lingered in their hearts.
A group of Cecil soldiers marched through the streets in a neat formation. Although they were not like the nobles' private soldiers who would harass the people on the streets, the civilians still instinctively lowered their heads in awe and stepped aside. The Calorians had adapted to these soldiers. Since the outbreak of the war, a large number of Cecil soldiers had passed through the town. They went from here to the battlefield in the north and returned to the south after a great victory. They built a government office in the town, turned the old lord's castle into a barracks and office, and then introduced new laws. They were "outsiders", but they had become the rulers of the town, and the people living in the town accepted it without feeling anything.
The "consul" said that water could only be drunk after it was boiled. For this reason, he allowed the serfs and tenants to chop firewood (in the past, these untouchables could only pick up wood chips and twigs and were not allowed to cut down the lord's woods). So, everyone boiled the water before drinking it. The consul said that they could not urinate or defecate on the streets. After dozens of people were whipped on the streets, everyone began to use the newly built toilets. The consul asked those who were skilled to register at the government office. So, everyone went to register. After all, they did not have to pay.
The Cecil people were very strange, and the new laws were very strange. But at least they did not snatch food, so life was still possible.
But not everyone was so indifferent.
The great merchant, Coade, was sitting in his house. The tea served by the maid had turned cold, but he still had not taken a sip. His mind was in a mess, and his eldest son was sitting in front of him.
"Father, did the government office send people again yesterday?"
"Yes," the great merchant said in a muffled voice. "They still want me to sign the Commercial Convention. They also want to build a factory on the open land south of the town. They want me to go and persuade the people there..."
"You still didn't sign it?" Coade's eldest son frowned. "Father, they are the lord's people..."
"Alas, of course I know they are the lord's people. I dare not offend them," the great merchant sighed. "Even if they ask me to use a third or even a quarter of my wealth to repair the walls and the castle, they want me to sign the treaty and ask me to do it... This is absolutely unacceptable."
Money could be earned again. Every merchant had to learn to use money to satisfy the lord's requirements, especially in this commercially developed Calore. Coade, who had long relied on the lord's favor to make a fortune, knew this very well. But in the face of Cecil's Commercial Convention, the great merchant, who was ready to exchange his wealth for safety, was hesitant.
"Father, you'd better agree. It's no good to go against the government office. Although they seem to be very easy to talk to now, who knows how long their patience will last. If you don't sign it, they may drive us all out..."
"Spending money is a business. When the business is over, it's over. But signing it is a lifetime. It's not that easy to sign it." The great merchant sighed. Coade's eldest son was not stupid in business, but he was still too inexperienced. "Do you know how many merchants are watching? Who will sign it? If in the end, most people don't sign it, then the people who sign it... What's the difference between them and being exiled in the business circle? "
"Cecil's people have already occupied this place. From now on, the whole Southern Territory belongs to Cecil. Everyone will sign it sooner or later."
"... I know, of course I know." Coade smiled bitterly. "Sooner or later, they will sign it, so I want to wait. I really don't want to be the first to sign it. Cecil's weapons are powerful, but there's still..."
Before the great merchant could finish his words, the door was suddenly pushed open. His second son waved a roll of paper and ran into the room happily. "Father! Father! Signed it! Signed it! "
Coade almost could not bear to hear the word "signed" now. The moment he heard the word, he stood up and shouted, "What are you signing it for?! Who asked you to sign it?! "
"Sign it? Ah! It's not me, it's not me! " The young man glanced at the atmosphere in the room. He looked at his brother who was stunned and his father who was angry. He quickly reacted and waved the newspaper in his hand. "It's the nobles of the Southern Territory. The nobles of the Southern Territory have signed it. Look, there's even a picture on the front page of today's newspaper!"
"What picture, what front page..." Coade stepped forward and snatched the newspaper from his second son's hand. He knew this' newspaper 'was invented by Cecil's people. With his excellent intuition as a merchant, he realized the significance of this thing at first sight. It published timely information that was crucial to the merchants. Therefore, since the regular courier carriage appeared in Calore, he had ordered his second son to buy a new newspaper as soon as possible. But he could not think of any news in the newspaper that could make his timid youngest son so excited.
And after he unfolded the newspaper, he understood.
He saw the black and white 'picture', the lifelike 'picture', which was obviously a scene left behind by some kind of magic. It was a real event that had been recorded by the power of magic, and the 'magical engineering industry' of Cecil's people had made countless copies of this record and sent it to all the places under their rule, including Calore in the North.
"The duchy has signed a treaty. All the old lords of the Southern Territory have sworn to uphold the laws of Cecil..." Coade muttered to himself. Then, he suddenly realized the message conveyed by the newspaper.
"Sign it... Sign it!" The great merchant shouted. "Quick, maid, bring me my coat. I'm going to the government office. Damn it, Donnie that old bastard lives next to the government office. I hope he doesn't have the habit of reading the newspaper in the morning... I must be the first!"
The two sons were startled by their father's violent reaction. They looked at each other and asked in astonishment, "Father?"
"There's no time. It's time to make a statement," Coade said quickly as he took the coat from the maid. Halfway through putting it on, he suddenly remembered something. He turned and stared into his eldest son's eyes. "Phal, go to the south at once. Find Weiler. Tell him that I've bought his land!"
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