Hyun Qingcheng.

In the Hundred Cities Alliance, it is located on the edge and is an inconspicuous small city.

The population is more than 800,000, and the economic development level is average. The characteristic industry is the dried fruit processing industry, which exports nearly 10,000 tons of dried fruit and snacks every year.

Because the added value of dried fruits is relatively low, other industries cannot develop, so they are the bottom-ranked role in the Hundred Cities Alliance.

Although not rich enough, Bai Tao, the lord of Xuanqing City, is sincere and frank, generous and loving the people, chivalrous and fair, and is very popular among the people of the city.

Under Bai Tao's governance, the per capita happiness index in Xuanqingcheng is very high.

Coupled with the rapid economic development over the past decade, life has changed every year, Bai Tao has a higher prestige and is truly supported by the people of the city.

However, at this time, a fierce quarrel was taking place in the lord's mansion of Xuanqing City.

The person who quarreled was also surprising. It was the city lord Bai Tao, who was quarreling with his son Bai Ze and daughter Bai Xue.

It was quarrel and the noise was very loud.

"Father, join the country quickly. Joining the country will not do much harm to us. You are still your city lord, and no one will take away your city!" said his son Bai Ze.

"Father, Xuanqing City is the last city-state that has not yet joined the country. All the other 109 cities have joined. What are you still insisting on?" Daughter Bai Xue didn't understand very much.

Bai Tao looked at his son and daughter, wearing the uniform of the senior student of the "Daxian Academy". He knew that his children had been completely assimilated by Na Wanchengguo and his position was different from his own. He even took leave from the school and went home to persuade him to join Na Wanchengguo. The truth he said was irrefutable.

but……

Once you join Wancheng Kingdom, some things belonging to Xuanqing City will be completely lost.

Even though this thing is not of great value in the eyes of his son and daughter, it is really difficult to divide for him.

Can freedom be called freedom after being cut off?

"Father, if you don't join, do you know what the consequences of waiting for Hyun Qingcheng? Blockade, suppression, then warning, and finally the army suppression. Our small Hyun Qingcheng cannot resist. Even your life will be in danger."

His son Bai Ze said in a worried and anxious tone.

"Father, have you read the Zhenlin Daily in the past few months? What will happen to those city-states that refuse to join Wancheng Kingdom? The controlling family of Jiuzuocheng was overthrown by other families, and these nine families were almost destroyed."

"There are still thirteen city-states who can't bear the losses under heavy blockades, and finally choose to compromise."

"There are seven families who were directly exterminated by the National Defense Forces. The charges were for funding thieves, destroying the smooth flow of business roads, raising road taxes arbitrarily, and killing merchants in the mirror... The evidence is conclusive and sufficient. They were exterminated, and the Chinese people were so pleased, and they applauded... no one sympathized with them."

Bai Ze looked at him and said, "Father, now there is only the city of Xuanqingcheng left! Everyone's eyes are looking at us, and many newspapers are also speculating, how will the country deal with Xuanqingcheng?"

"Father, don't be meaningless and persistent. Joining the country will not lose anything. We can also find the country to borrow some money and build a Xuan Bluestone brick factory to earn more spiritual coins. Isn't this better?"

"Yes, Father, you are so old. Don't be confused for the sake of your family!"

His daughter Bai Xue also came over and said.

"No!"

“Don’t join!”

Bai Tao shook his head firmly, "Xunqingcheng is living a good life. He doesn't need to join the country or earn so many spiritual coins. We are very satisfied with our current life."

"Xunqingcheng, there is no need to change or be controlled by others!"

Bai Tao's eyes were slightly cloudy, full of uncompromising light.

Bai Ze, Bai Xue looked at each other, her face full of disappointment.

Old man, it's really no help.

They even made a decision to knock the old man out of his clan, summon the old man to join Wan Chengguo, and prevent him from taking his family to a dead end.

but--

Looking at the half of his white hair on his hunched back and his slow and firm steps, the two of them were unable to make the move.

Everyone was uneasy.

Countless people speculated behind their backs: What will be the fate of waiting for Xuan Qingcheng?

So, half a year passed.

The wind was calm and nothing happened.

Even those who were suffering from the trepidation of the day were stunned, and their hearts were full of questions: What's wrong with the country?

Why haven't you attacked Xuan Qingcheng yet?

Have you forgotten this city?

The last city-state that has not joined the country will just leave it alone?

"The head of the country, why didn't he annex the Xuanqing City and keep that city for what to do? How annoying?"

Vice-President Yang Linkong came over to ask this question this day, but he didn't understand the way the leader of the country did.

Zhou Ming supported his forehead and shook his head and said, "It's not that I want to keep it, it's because I really can't find an excuse to annex them."

Excuse?

What other excuses are needed to annex a small town with a population of 800,000?

What excuses do the strong need to snatch the weak?

Yang Linkong didn't understand even more, what was the head of the country thinking about the brain circuit.

Zhou Ming had no choice but to explain to him.

"Xunqing City is different from other city-states that do not cooperate. In this city-state, the Bai family occupies an absolute dominance, and other families are very weak, and the strategy of swallowing tigers cannot work."

"The Bai family has a high level of public opinion and support. The people regard their city lords as good people, saints, and the hearts of the people are like strong walls. We cannot find any loopholes."

"Even if we use powerful means to redeem such a city-state, the people's hearts will not return, and the management of the people will be a big problem in the future. It will even become more and more chaotic, which will affect the reputation of the central government. The side effects are very great because this is a move without 'Tao'."

"Don't ignore the role of 'Tao'. The reason why we can easily take down the other 29 city-states is because we have occupied morality and won the hearts of the people."

"If these city-states can be like Xuanqing City, the city lord is kind and generous, compassionate and weak, and make the country simple and friendly, and not arrogant and extravagant, enslaved the bottom, rely on the strong and bully the weak everywhere, and govern the city-state like hell on earth, how could it not be easily destroyed if it touches it?"

"So, let's keep the city-state of Xuanqingcheng. If their people's hearts and morality are still there, we will not move it and give them complete freedom."

"If one day in the future, Xuanqingcheng loses the people's hearts and morality, we will take back their freedom."

Yang Linkong nodded. The words of the head of the country really make some sense. There is no reason or excuse to take action. If you can't find any reason or excuse to take action, you will only have indigestion.

Moreover, Xuanqingcheng is located in a remote place and does not have much economic influence, location, or role, and has little impact on the overall situation.

So, don’t worry about Xuan Qingcheng for the time being.
Chapter completed!