When the two Viscounts Andrew Leslie and Ropenny Grant left, the feudal aristocratic system that had lasted for seven hundred years in the southern border officially came to an end.
If the artillery fire at Crushed Stone Ridge and Rock Fortress destroyed the entity of the aristocratic system, then thirty-three contract documents that voluntarily accepted the reform and a joint statement document signed by all the nobles in the southern border destroyed the soul of the system.
Gao Wen was holding the "Joint Statement on Restructuring" that still smelled like ink. On the signature page of the statement, thirty-three names, including Viscount Andrew and Viscount Ropeni, seemed to represent the end of an era. He carefully printed each name in his mind, then took the dip pen from the desk, and wrote Gawain Cecil's name at the end of the document.
He knows that the old era has not really ended—in the north of the Rock Fortress, outside the barriers of the mountains in the south, Ansu is still an ancient kingdom that relies on the old aristocratic system to run, and ignorance and darkness still hang over everyone, and even In the southern border, within the Principality of Cecil, the shadow and influence of the old era will still linger for a long time, and it is still a long way to go to completely eliminate it.
But with the documents signed today, the cause will move forward even more smoothly.
"This part of the signed document is for the public." Gao Wen pushed the document in front of Hetty across the desk. "In addition to printing and distributing the whole territory, we will find a mason to carve it into a monument, and the tree will be placed in a conspicuous place in the city. The next step is to Spare no effort to publicize the restructuring of the southern border, use newspapers in places with a high literacy rate, and find ways to promote "tavern public opinion" in places with a low literacy rate, everyone in the southern border must know this news before the end of the harvest month."
"In this way, it should be much easier for the second-level government affairs departments to carry out their work." Hetty smiled, she was obviously very happy, "There will be no obstacles in recruiting scholars, and businessmen who are hesitant to wait and see should have no worries gone."
"Even so, I'm sure there will still be people who will resist the new regulations," Gao Wen said, "but justice and law are on our side, and any behavior that resists the new regulations can be severely punished, especially those exiled knights—give them a final If the deadline for surrender is exceeded, 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 have the support of all the people. "
To understand the three views of people in this era, to understand the way of thinking of the people under the rule, and then to promote one's own career in a way that conforms to the background of the times and the three views of the people, and gradually transform this era in the process, this is Gao Wen's goal. The governance route chosen after conquering the southern border—governing the world is different from conquering the world. The latter often only needs strong force, while the former... requires some brains.
The newly established printing factory started working day and night. The brand-new large-scale industrial printing machine was sent to the workshop of the printing factory as soon as it came off the production line. In the latest issue of the Cecil Weekly, the historic scene of the southern nobles collectively signing documents was used as the front page, occupying an entire page. The large black-and-white portrait was the first time since the birth of the newspaper. The published "photo", at the top of the black and white portrait, the largest bold font announces the meaning of this scene to people:
"The principality signed a treaty, and all the old lords in the southern border swore to uphold Cecil's law—let us cheer for the great order."
The new issue of newspapers goes off the printing press, sorted in the hands of the printers, packed, and then sent to the distribution center, and then sent to Tanzania with the courier caravan, sent to Kant, sent to Gulen, and sent to Housman , sent to every corner of the southern border.
In the main city of Cecil and several satellite towns with a high literacy rate, the newspaper's publicity effect is the best, but in places where the literacy rate is not high, there are still people who can read the contents of the newspaper and tell the news to others everyone.
The morning sun shines on the old and dilapidated streets of Carroll City. The heat from the sun dissipates the condensation on the weed leaves in the corner. The carriage with the Cecil logo on it drives past the only stone road in the town. The bells hanging from the carriages sprinkled a series of tinkling, rousing the townspeople 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 was about to go to the newly established government office to ask about the work he could do. The women cursed the sleeping children and The husband rushed out of the room and began to tidy up the smelly and messy bed, while the man and half-grown children ate dry food and walked to the street with their working belongings, ready to work in the fields or go to the town square" Take your chance".
A section of the city wall that was once bombarded by the Cecilians with giant cannons still collapsed desolately on the open space to the south of the town. A team of yawning peasants were cleaning up the broken stones and wood under the supervision of the foreman, and occasionally came from the ruins. Passers-by would quickly sweep across the remaining city walls with expressions of awe and even fear, as if the earth-shattering explosion that day was still entrenched in their hearts.
A group of Cecil soldiers walked through the street in a neat line. Although they did not harass people on the side of the road at any time like ordinary noble private soldiers, the civilians on the side of the road would still bow their heads instinctively and in awe. Back off to one side - the Carrolls have adapted to these soldiers, and since the war broke out, a large number of Cecilians have passed through this town, they went from here to the battlefield in the north, and returned from here after a great victory South; they established a government office in the town, and turned the old lord's castle into a barracks and office, and then introduced new laws; they are "foreigners", but they have become the rulers of the town, And the people living in this town... accepted all of this without feeling anything.
"Master Consul" said that the water must be boiled before drinking, and for this reason, serfs and tenant farmers were allowed to cut firewood (in the past, such untouchables could only pick up wood chips and dead branches, and were not allowed to cut down the lord's woods), then everyone Just boil the water and drink it again; the Consul Lord said that it is not allowed to defecate in the street. After dozens of people were whipped in the street, everyone began to use the newly built toilets. Go to the government affairs office to register, then everyone will go to register, anyway, there is no need to pay...
The Cecilians are very strange, and the new law is very strange, but at least they don't rob food, and they can live in that day.
But not everyone feels that way.
The great businessman Corder sat in his house. The tea brought by the maid was already cold, but he still didn't take a sip. His mind was disturbed, and his eldest son was sitting in front of him.
"Father, did the government affairs office come again yesterday?"
"Yes," the big businessman said in a muffled voice, "I still want me to sign the "Commercial Agreement". They still want to build a factory on the open land in the south of the town, and they want me to lobby the people there... "
"You still haven't signed?" The eldest son said with a sad face, "Father, that's the lord's man..."
"Oh, of course I know it's the lord's man, I don't dare to offend," the big businessman sighed, "Even if they ask me to spend a third... a quarter of my wealth to repair the city walls and castles , but they only want me to sign the agreement, and let me stand out... This is absolutely impossible."
Money can be made again when it is gone. Every businessman must learn to use money to satisfy the lord's requirements, especially in the prosperous Carroll Territory. The big businessman Kodd, who has long relied on the lord's favor to make his fortune, has this to say. He understands it very well, but facing the commercial contract proposed by the Cecil people, this big businessman who is ready to use his family wealth in exchange for safety seems hesitant.
"Father, you'd better agree, it's no good to confront the government affairs department—although they seem to be very talkative now, but who knows how long their patience will last, if you don't sign, they might drive us all out …”
"Spending money is a business. When the business is over, it's over. Signing is for a lifetime. It's not so easy to sign," the big businessman sighed. The eldest son is not stupid in doing business, but he still has too little experience in life. "Do you know how many businessmen are watching? Who is the one who signed? If most people don't sign in the end, then what's the difference between the signer...in the business circle and being exiled?"
"The Cecils have already occupied this place. From now on, the entire southern border will belong to Cecil. Everyone will sign it sooner or later."
"...I know, of course I know," Kord smiled wryly, "I will sign it sooner or later, so I want to wait, I really don't want to be the first to sign, the weapons of the Cecils are powerful, but there are still..."
Before the big businessman finished speaking, the door of the room was suddenly pushed open, and his second son happily ran into the room waving a roll of paper: "Father! Father! Signed! Signed!"
Kodd could hardly hear the word "signature" now. He stood up the moment he heard the word, and shouted loudly: "What are you signing!! Who asked you to sign?!"
"Sign? Ah! It's not me, it's not me!" The young man glanced at the atmosphere in the room, at the astonished brother and at the angry father, and after quickly reacting, he waved the newspaper in his hand, "It's a noble from the southern border, The aristocrats of the southern region have signed—look, there is even a picture on the front page of today’s newspaper!"
"What paintings, what headlines..." The big businessman Cod stepped forward and snatched the newspaper from his second son. He knew this kind of "newspaper" invented by the Cecilians. With the businessman's excellent intuition, he was reading The first time he saw this thing, he realized its significance. It published important timely information for businessmen. Therefore, since the regular messenger carriage appeared in Carroll, he told his second son that he must He went to buy a new newspaper immediately, but he didn't expect any information in the newspaper to be so shocking that his young son, who was always cowardly and meek, would be so excited.
And after unfolding the newspaper, he understood.
He saw that black-and-white "painting", that lifelike "painting", which is obviously a scene left by some kind of magic, a real event, the power of magic recorded this event, and Sebastian The "Magic Industry" of the Syls made countless copies of this record and sent it to all the places under their rule—including Carroll in the north.
"The principality signed a treaty, and all the old lords in the southern border swear to uphold Cecil's law..." the big businessman Cod muttered to himself, and then suddenly realized the message conveyed by this newspaper.
"Sign... sign!" cried the big businessman, "quick, maid, get me my coat, I'm going to the State House—dammit, that old Donny lives right next to the State House, I hope he doesn't read the paper in the morning habit... I must be the first!"
The two sons were taken aback by their father's violent reaction. They looked at each other and asked in astonishment, "Father?"
"There's no time, now is the time to make a statement," Kord said quickly as he took the coat that the maid hurriedly handed over. When he was halfway through the coat, he suddenly remembered something, and turned his head to stare into the eyes of the eldest son, "Pal , you immediately go to the south and find Willer—tell him that I bought his land!"