Chapter 413 — Eyes Beyond History

"No, that is not enough," Gaoyang said, still shaking his head. "Kings are not eternal. Even the most brilliant and ambitious of them are not. By the same token, making the people loyal to a family or a bloodline is meaningless as well. We should shape something more enduring, more resilient, something that can make the people spontaneously identify with it and defend it..."

Hetty stared at Gaoyang somewhat blankly. She seemed to see a trace of unusual fervor on her Progenitor's face, and she rarely saw such emotion in him. She vaguely realized that this Progenitor of hers, who had risen from his coffin, might once again have conceived some far-sighted and grand idea, and she could even vaguely sense a thread of its outline—she could not help speaking up: "Do you have some new plan?"

Gaoyang did not immerse himself too deeply in his own emotions. After Hetty spoke, he drew a deep breath and said slowly, "This is not something that can be achieved overnight, or even in one or two generations... But perhaps we should leave something behind for our descendants..."

The moment Hetty heard "descendants," she blinked. "What do you want to leave for Rebecca?"

"Ahem... I did not mean that... You have completely ruined the mood I worked so hard to build up," Gaoyang said, coughing awkwardly. Then he waved his hand. "What I mean is, we should let the term 'Cecilian' transcend the meaning of the people of one territory and make it a greater concept..."

At this point, Gaoyang suddenly changed tack. "By the way, I have recently begun to hear a rather popular saying—'to become a glorious Cecilian citizen.' Have you heard it?"

"Yes, I have heard of it," Hetty nodded. "It was said by Scholar Godwin Orlando in one of his commentary articles two issues ago. At the time, the extra edition announced the news of the noble alliance's great rout and the Cecil Legion's overwhelming victory. Mr. Godwin suggested that those noble alliance men tie themselves up as soon as possible so that they could receive Cecil re-education and transformation sooner, and 'become glorious Cecilian citizens'—afterward, the phrase caught on. The people in the territory seem very proud of it, and those responsible for receiving prisoners and assigning labor reform tasks also say this to the noble alliance prisoners of war when sending them to the labor camps... It has become an unwritten rule."

"That scholar is a talent... Keeping him here despite the trouble back then was truly the right move," Gaoyang said with feeling, and then with some satisfaction, "This is a good start... When I have the chance, I want to have a good talk with Godwin. We should make proper use of the newspaper's function of guiding public opinion."

Afterward, Gaoyang asked Hetty about the recent situation at the various settlement points along the Whitewater River. When he had learned everything, he let out a long breath. "Good. It has not been easy, but at least everything is developing in the direction we expected..."

After saying this, he could not help looking at Hetty a couple more times. "By the way, you have not rested for a long time again... Work in the Hall of Government can be a little lighter for the time being. Pick a day and give yourself a holiday... And speaking of which, those dark circles under your eyes this time—they are not painted on, are they?"

Hetty's face immediately flushed. "...Progenitor, you still have not forgotten that?"

"The impression was too deep. I never imagined you could pull off something like that... I always thought only Amber could do such a thing."

Hetty grew even more embarrassed, but before she could speak, the window of the study was suddenly opened.

A crackling commotion came from outside the window.

Gaoyang turned in surprise and found that the one appearing outside the window was not Amber, but Kamal—this master of the arcane floated outside the window, his whole body glowing a deep azure blue, and he looked as though he had swelled up a little more than usual.

Gaoyang was dumbstruck. "I never imagined Kamal could pull off something like this either... I always thought only Amber could do such a thing..."

Then he heard Kamal say excitedly from outside the window, "My lord, I have made a major breakthrough!"