Chapter 049 “Happy Country” (11/12)
Ten thousand meters didn’t happen that fast.
Xie Chenyang and Fan Wenze enjoyed an extended embrace in the elevator.
When the elevator stopped, Xie Chenyang let go of Fan Wenze, reached out to wipe his mouth, and pressed open the gate after a quick peck on his lips.
The elevator rested almost level with the edge of the cliff, so it was a short but easy trip to the top.
Xie Chenyang led Fan Wenze over, and called out to Tan Rong, “Go down and pick up the others.”
Tan Rong: “Okay.”
The snow on the mountain had stopped. The ground was covered in a light layer of white.
Fan Wenze walked with him toward the center and said softly, “With this elevator, life will be much easier, but if it’s destroyed by someone……”
“No one can destroy it,” Xie Chenyang answered with great certainty.
After all, Dad had used a defensive array.
Fan Wenze didn’t know where his confidence came from, but since he was so confident, he didn’t second-guess him.
He realized that his beloved was rather mystical. He didn’t act like a child that an ordinary governor would have raised.
Tan Rong went down to pick up the people while Xie Chenyang and the others chopped down bamboo and temporarily constructed a few huts.
Xie Chenyang: “When Xie Yuqiu and the others bring in the newcomers, we’ll have plenty of manpower, so for now, we’ll have to make do with what we’ve got.”
No one had any objections.
Tan Xiaodi joyfully said, “This kind of seclusion is also quite good; the scenery on the mountain is pleasant. I went to the back and had a look–there is also a hot spring! Even many birds can be seen flying in the forest. ……”
Xie Chenyang looked at him meaningfully. “Who told you that we are here to live in seclusion?”
Tan Xiaodi: “Huh? Aren’t we?”
Aren’t we retreating into the mountains?
The path in this world is full of struggles for men.
There were in turn women who were unlucky, who thought less traditionally, who had hard lives, or who pitied what they saw happening to men and held various other types of beliefs.
Each of them was persuaded to come to the newly established city by people sent by Xie Chenyang.
Since Xie Yuqiu and Yan Qi brought the first wave of people, those people were arranged by Xie Chenyang to begin construction of a variety of buildings.
After that, Xie Chenyang received a list of many more capable people through You Huang, and one by one, he sent people to lobby.
He also personally trained a group of city guards, teaching them swordplay. Afterwards, there would always be guards escorting the purchase of supplies.
He even gave this mountain a simple and crude name: Gaoshan[mfn] 高山 gāo shān high mountain; alpine[/mfn] City.
Fan Wenze sat as its lord and was in charge of all the affairs.
Xie Chenyang happily became the General and was responsible for training the city guards.
And Xie Yuqiu became the Deputy City Lord due to his resourcefulness.
—– One year later. —–
Fan Wenze sat in the City Lord’s seat, looking at the several youths in front of him who were each in charge of their own duties to make a report; and then, for some reason, remembered the empty mountain top when they had first arrived.
In just one year’s time, there were progressively more buildings on top of the mountain, and by now, a proper city had been formed.
“My Lord?”
Fan Wenze returned to his senses and nodded his head lightly. “Hmm.”
Xie Yuqiu: “……” Well, he was actually just wandering off just now, wasn’t he?
“Over the past year, we have quietly sent people to lobby and pick up more and more people …… As more continue to arrive, is it time for us to establish an outer city under the mountain?”
Fan Wenze: “Let’s build it–go to the general to get the plans.”
Fan Wenze made his way back to the City Lord’s Mansion.
Xie Chenyang was sitting comfortably in a recliner basking in the sun until he heard footsteps. He smiled and opened his eyes. “Yo, Honey is off work, ah.”
Fan Wenze walked over to him and sat down on the half seat he had yielded by shifting sideways, looking at him coolly. “When you were so dead set on me becoming the City Lord, that was just for the sake of laziness, wasn’t it?”
“How could I?” Xie Chenyang sheepishly held his hands and coughed lightly. “It was because you are experienced and you are capable. I am different. I am not good at administration, let alone governing so many people. The current population of Gaoshan City is already nearly six thousand, and its name has been spread around on a small scale in the Yao Kingdom and the Silent Kingdom. It’s time we started working on the construction of the city at the base of the mountain.”
“Of course.”
Xie Chenyang had promoted Yan Yan to be the commander of the city guards, gave her military training methods, and with the sword techniques that she had already learned well, the progression of the city guards was visible to the naked eye, so he was at ease with the idea of her overseeing the city’s security under the mountain.
The residents who stayed in Gaoshan City naturally didn’t all rely on Xie Chenyang to raise them for nothing.
Those who brought their own assets were never touched upon, but if they didn’t have any, they would have to work off their debts.
The city’s houses were not free of charge, but only provided to them as “staff quarters”.
Those who held certain jobs were given a house for free and could bring their families to Gaoshan City. Ordinary residents had to purchase a house with money in order to be admitted as residents.
Even so, those who didn’t qualify and worked to earn a living didn’t want to leave.
There was no war here, no discrimination, the security was good, and as long as you were willing to do your work, you were able to survive.
When they learned that a new city was going to be built at the bottom of the mountain, and that those who participated in the construction of the city would be able to qualify for discounted housing, the people who signed up for the project immediately made up half of the current population of Gaoshan City.
As the city gradually expanded outwards, Xie Chenyang and the others used Gaoshan City as their capital and established the Xiāo yáo[mfn]逍遥 Trad. 逍遙 xiāo yáo free and unfettered[/mfn] Country. The Yao Country, which had suppressed the Silent Country to the point of not being able to hold on anymore, finally paid a little bit of attention to it.
—– Yao country palace. ——
The empress’s gaze sank. ”Without much surprise, soon the Silent Kingdom will not be able to hold out and will beg for peace, and become a vassal state of my Yao Kingdom. In the end, that band of men who have built their own country. Who cares? After taking down the Silent Kingdom, a small country built by a group of men can be destroyed with a single touch.”
The Second Imperial Daughter frowned slightly. “But Mother Empress, they have a growing number of cities and a rising population, and though men are in the majority, there are also women ……”
“So what? What waves can they set off?” The empress dismissed it. “They only dare to build a kingdom in the deep mountains and old forests. What’s the point? They also named their country Xiāo yáo–what a joke. Do they really think they will get away with it and become the masters of the world? A bunch of weak men are just that.”
Second Imperial Daughter: “Our informants have sent word that their army is extremely loyal and has strong execution. A genuine enforcement of obedience, not as if playing around.”
The empress became impatient. “Is their empress a man or a woman?”
The Second Imperial Daughter was silent for a while and said, “It is a man named Xie Yuqiu.”
“Within half a month, the Silent Kingdom will surrender. After that, send out troops to smash that Loose[mfn] Play on words, using loose as a derogatory version of the Xiao Yao name.[/mfn] Kingdom. The women will be sent to do hard labor and the men will be sent to be military-prostitutes[mfn]she means that they would be sent to the army as unwilling bed-warmers. Like when women would be kept as ‘prizes of war’ and handed out like party favors.[/mfn].” The empress whisked her sleeve and left. “A few men–what is there to worry about.”
The Second Imperial Daughter looked at her back as she left, her brows frowning tighter.
The Third Imperial Daughter sighed. “Second sister, you also think too highly of them. Their Xiāo yáo Country is only a few tens of thousands of people nowadays, and most of them are weak men or women who couldn’t survive in our Yao or Silent Country. What’s so intimidating about them?”
“I still have a bad feeling about this.”
“You’re thinking too much.”
At this time, Xie Chenyang and Fan Wenze both changed into women’s clothing to enter the Yao Kingdom’s capital under the identity cards of Yan Yan and Yan Yu, and went straight to the Fan Mansion.
Fan Wenze had deliberately done some disguising and the people guarding the gate failed to recognize him. It wasn’t until he opened his mouth and took out the jade pendant that proved his identity that he was led in.
The household of the Fan Mansion had a small population: Fan’s parents, an older sister, and a younger brother.
Xie Chenyang said softly, “Your mother doesn’t have a Squire[mfn]male husbands of lower rank than Main/First. Sidepieces.[/mfn]?”
Fan Wenze also responded softly, “She once had a few retainers, but when there are many men in the back of the house, it’s easy for things to happen. My sister was harmed by my mother’s retainer when she was a child, and I was also harmed to the extent that I almost couldn’t be born…… And thus was frail and sickly at a young age, and then my mother dismissed all the retainers and only left my father alone.”
Mother Fan’s first reaction to the news of Fan Wenze’s return was annoyance. “He left home for a few years without sending a letter, but he still has the face to come back!”
Father Fan was very different; his eyes reddened and he got up somewhat impatiently. “ I don’t know what he has suffered throughout these years, my dear son, ah……”
“Come back!” Mother Fan reprimanded. “He came home and still wants us as parents to welcome him?”
Father Fan looked at him with a condemning gaze. Mother Fan was a bit overwhelmed and was almost about to let go.
Fortunately, Xie Chenyang and the others walked fast enough and soon arrived at the hall.
“Xiao Ze.” Fan Father stepped forward and grabbed Fan Wenze’s arm and sized him up, his voice slightly choked. “You’ve grown taller again.”
Taller than the average woman, but also older, how can he marry…… etc.
His eyes moved to Xie Chenyang next to him. “This is…… your wife and master?”
Fan Wenze coughed lightly. “He is my lover.”
Father Fan’s eyes carried a pleased realization, “This is bringing you back to beg for marriage?”
Mother Fan snorted coldly.
Fan Wenze lifted up the hem of his coat and slowly knelt down. “Mother, Father, this child is unfilial and has not been in front of you to fulfill his filial duties these past few years.”
Xie Chenyang looked a little hesitant.
[Dad, do I have to also kneel along, ah?]
You Huang had not yet answered before Father Fan pulled Fan Wenze up. “This child of mine, how can you not send a letter to the family? Do you know how much we worried about you……?”
You Huang: “Well, there is no need to dwell on it. He is up, and it would feel out of place for you to kneel on your own.”
Fan Wenze: “Father, Mother, I came back this time to bring you away.”
Father Fan was puzzled, “Go? Go where?”
Mother Fan’s face instantly looked bad. “What do you mean by that? Could it be……” She looked at Xie Chenyang.
Xie Chenyang curled his lips into a polite smile.
“Could it be that she’s gotten into some trouble and you’re worried about implicating us?”
Fan Wenze: “Has …… Mother ever heard of the Xiāo yáo Country?”
Mother Fan: “Hmph, isn’t it just a group of men who are reckless and out of their minds, building……”
Fan Wenze: “I am the first city lord of Gaoshan City, and he is the great general of Xiāo yáo Country.”
Father Fan’s brain was dizzy. “This ……”
Mother Fan angrily slapped the table. “How dare you! How dare you rebel!”
“Recently, many scouts have come into Xiāo yáo Country. I’m worried that my identity will be reported to Yao Country. Mother, it’s better for you to come back with me; if you stay here, you may be arrested as rebels.”
“Unbridled! You are simply brazen–”
“It’s already settled, By virtue of the fact that I’m your son, even if you guys declare that you’re dissociating yourselves from me, the royal family won’t let you off the hook.”
Mother Fan was so angry that her breath caught in her throat.
Father Fan hurriedly and helplessly smoothed her back, very flustered and confused.
Fan Wenze: “Mother……”
“Get out of here!”
Fan Wenze’s lips tightened. “My sister’s two children are still young, and my younger brother is about to go into labor, and if I do something, a single outburst of anger from the Yao Kingdom’s royal family would wipe out the entirety of my family.”
Mother Fan’s face became flushed.
Fan Wenze made a deep bow. “I hope that Mother, for the sake of the family, will not be angry and leave with me immediately.”
At this moment, Mother Fan was desperate to try and turn Fan Wenze into a rebirth.
Their Fan House had a very simple household, but she had good talent and had become a small official in the capital city.
Then Fan Wenze was favored by the Imperial Daughter and given an official position even greater than hers. However, when he disappeared on his way back to Yao, everyone assumed that he had an accident, and the Imperial Daughter had even taken care of the Fan family many times, giving her promotions.
Now, her son actually rebelled against the Yao Kingdom?
Xie Chenyang: “Auntie, Uncle ……”
Fan mother: “You shut up!” What kind of general from Xiāo yáo Country dares to muddle her mansion?
And still, her son brought him!
Thinking about this, she felt even more suffocated.
Edit: Krone
Proofread: Choux_choux
