Chapter 265: The Desire to Become a Da Wei Person Reaches Its Peak

Xiao Qing’s return was met with a warm welcome from his family and brothers.

One by one, they asked about his time in the Capital City, wanting to know how he had lived. But as he spoke, the conversation took a strange turn, eventually becoming all about the Capital City and the Emperor.

No one cared anymore if he was doing well, because they already knew—he was doing so well it made them jealous.

They only wanted to know what happened in the Da Wei Capital and hear his stories about the legendary Empress.

At first, his uncles, parents, brothers, and neighbors listened to his tales. Then, word spread, and his brothers-in-arms from the barracks wanted to hear them too, so he told them as well.

Keruo City was the capital of Longchuan and its most prosperous city. But it was in a remote location, and Longchuan itself was a tiny nation.

Even during Longchuan’s golden age, the city was just so-so, not even on par with a second-tier city in Da Wei.

The stories Xiao Qing told spread from the soldiers, from one to ten, then from ten to a hundred, quickly reaching the ears of all the Longchuan people.

Xiao Kun and Wen Rang deliberately let the stories spread, and soon, they were completely unstoppable.

The Da Wei Capital had become the Heavenly Immortal Capital, a place of legends.

Doctors treated people for free, literacy was taught at no cost, and a network of new bridges and roads made travel easy. The city was said to be incomparably prosperous.

Men and women could both study and learn? The court specifically developed better tools for the common people?

So far, the only thing they had seen from Da Wei was its cannons. A single one of those cannons, just sitting there, was an incredibly imposing sight. When it had blasted the city’s gate tower, it was world-destroying, unstoppable. The memory alone still sent shivers down their spines.

Of course, that wasn’t what fascinated them most. It was the story of a street in Da Wei dedicated to displaying the Da Wei Empress’s spoils of war. It held treasures from all corners of the world—all sorts of rare artifacts, precious documents, and strange curiosities. Not only could you see them with your own eyes, but you could also bid on them at auction.

And the Da Wei Palace was said to be even more incredible. A solid gold dragon dozens of meters long, floors paved with gold bricks, walls inlaid with gemstones, and even the leaves on the trees were made of gold.

Forget the common people of Longchuan; even the Longchuan nobility’s desire to become Da Wei people had reached its peak.

Xiao Qing had become a storyteller, talking so much that his mouth was covered in blisters.

Not only that, but he was also constantly being dragged into duels.

Every military general admired Li Wei. Hearing that Xiao Qing had been personally taught by Li Wei, they all wanted to test his skills.

Xiao Qing never expected it. He got beaten up by Li Wei and the Emperor in the Capital City, only to come home and get beaten up by his brothers.

Xiao Qing’s skills had indeed improved. He had almost no equal among his peers.

’What the...?!’ He was stunned. Xiao Qing himself had no idea he was this good.

’Wasn’t I the weakest link in the Rainbow Heavenly Team? How are these guys even worse than me?’

However, seeing Xiao Qing defeat one person after another only made everyone more enthusiastic. They swarmed him, vowing to take him down.

Xiao Qing: "...Damn it!"

Run!

One group pestered him for stories, another wanted to beat him up. Xiao Qing’s life was miserable.

Eventually, he started hiding whenever he saw someone. With nowhere else to go, he finally found a moment of peace by hiding out with Wen Rang.

Xiao Qing was vexed. "Uncle, why don’t any of you have any doubts?"

The things he said seemed normal to him, but wouldn’t they sound absurd and exaggerated to everyone else?

Wen Rang smiled. "Doubt what?"

Xiao Qing said, "Doubt that the Capital City isn’t that great, doubt that Your Majesty..."

He didn’t finish, as it clearly went against his true feelings.

Wen Rang gave a faint smile and, with great care, took out a stack of newspapers. "I had someone go to great lengths to buy these and send them to me."

Although the newspapers were neatly arranged, you could see they had been read many times.

"Newspapers may contain exaggerations, but you can see the whole picture from a small part. People might distort facts, but they’re always confined by their own perceptions. They can’t write about so many things they’ve never seen."

"Most importantly, you weren’t wronged."

Wen Rang had watched this boy grow up; he could see right through him with a single glance.

He could tell in an instant whether or not he had been mistreated.

And the sheer admiration in his eyes was the best answer of all.

Xiao Kun was a traitor, a rebel.

But the Emperor didn’t kill him. She let him take his entire family to Mo Chuan to guard the border and atone for his crimes.

When the Beimeng people attacked, Xiao Kun requested reinforcements. After some consideration, the Emperor still sent cannons and explosives.

Now, Xiao Kun has performed a great service, and the Emperor is rewarding him based on his merits. She has designated Mo Chuan as his territory and allowed Xiao Kun to establish himself as a Prince.

’As scions of the Xiao Family, we must watch over and support one another. From Da Wei, We wish you, my lord, everlasting peace!’

This sentence was both an admonition from a relative and a display of an Emperor’s magnanimity.

That imperial edict had already shown Wen Rang the Empress’s breadth of mind and greatness. He had no reason to doubt the legends Xiao Qing spoke of.

Da Wei was truly fortunate to have such an Emperor!

Even as loyal as Wen Rang was to Xiao Kun, he had to admit that the Empress was a better ruler than Xiao Kun.

Wen Rang led Xiao Qing to a warehouse. The door was secured with three locks.

Xiao Qing thought it must contain some treasure or secret.

Wen Rang took out the keys and solemnly unlocked the door. Inside was a bicycle.

It was made of gold, its handlebars carved in the shape of a snow wolf’s head and inlaid with several gemstones.

Xiao Qing recognized it at a glance. It was the custom-made bicycle the Empress had sent as a return gift to the Longchuan Monarch.

’I can’t believe Father and the others managed to capture it.’

Wen Rang said to him, "Ride it out. Go for a couple of laps."

He didn’t ask if Xiao Qing knew how to ride, but assumed with certainty that he did.

Xiao Qing shook his head frantically. "Uncle, they’ll tear me to shreds!"

Right now, being one-of-a-kind wasn’t an honor, but a death sentence. It would be the end of him.

Wen Rang said unhurriedly, "If the Prince wants to control Longchuan, the most important thing is to win the hearts of the people. The stories you brought have already done much to quell the resistance of the Longchuan people. What you need to do now is show them that everything you’ve said is true."

Rumors are ultimately just smoke and mirrors. Only a physical object can truly captivate people’s hearts.

The cannons are imposing, but far too intimidating.

The bicycle, on the other hand, is perfect. This gift for a Monarch is exquisite and luxurious, capable of highlighting Da Wei’s majesty and prestige. At the same time, it’s magical, non-threatening, and very approachable.

Riding it for a lap would be enough to prove that the rumors of Da Wei’s prosperity are true.

Xiao Qing didn’t want to go, but for his father’s sake, he had to.

To protect Xiao Qing, Xiao Kun arranged for soldiers to clear the main road, allowing tens of thousands of people to watch him ride the bicycle.

Xiao Qing: "..."

He was cringing so hard he wanted to just hoist the bicycle onto his shoulder and run for it.

In the end, amidst the cheers of thousands, he gritted his teeth and rode the bicycle back and forth.

When he finished, a crowd of his brothers and uncles surrounded him, their eyes filled with amazement and admiration.

Xiao Qing gradually stopped feeling embarrassed and instead felt an indescribable sense of pride.

’That’s right. Right now, I’m not just representing myself, but the Empress’s image in the hearts of the Longchuan people.’

’I shouldn’t be reserved. I should be proud of this.’

Xiao Qing slowly let go of his awkwardness and began to think about what he could do.

In a flash of inspiration, an idea struck him.

Newspapers!

’That’s it! I can make newspapers too. I might not have the right equipment, but I can find people to hand-copy them and pass them around. The literate can then spread the word. That way, people will stop pestering me, and it’ll be more effective.’

Xiao Qing was a man of action. He immediately got to work, full of energy.

Meanwhile, Xiao Kun was also so busy he barely had time to touch the ground. Although he now had a legitimate claim to Longchuan, he still had to lead his troops to consolidate the remaining factions and territories.

Wen Rang held down the fort, having Xiao Qing, the eldest son and heir, promote Da Wei and placate the people.

It took two months to completely consolidate control over Longchuan.

In the end, they looked at the dilapidated city, the negative balance in the National Treasury, granaries so empty that even a mouse would weep, and a populace dressed in rags.

Xiao Kun: "..."

’I have every reason to suspect that the Empress gave me Longchuan without batting an eye because she knew this place was dirt poor and didn’t want it in the first place.’