Chapter 1506: Heart-to-Heart Talk

Winter passed and spring arrived; it was another vibrant year. After a winter of dormancy, Huaxia, once the frost thawed, appeared exceptionally full of vitality.

Everyone who had spent the winter resting had gained some weight. It wasn't just that they were dressed bulkily; they had actually put on a lot of flesh. Even Baoxi, after a winter had passed, had grown rounder in the face. Back at the Suiren clan, although there was no shortage of meat to eat, there was ultimately more protein than fat, so it was difficult to grow too fat.

But here in Huaxia, protein was actually relatively scarce, while various fats and carbohydrates were a great aid to obesity. There weren't many activities in winter, so they basically just ate and didn't move, which made these people all gain a little weight. In the past, this was almost an impossible thing.

Now, there were quite a few people in Huaxia who looked relatively fat, but there was no need for Huaxia to talk about controlling obesity rates or anything like that. Because in this era, obesity was a disease of the wealthy, but the people of Huaxia were not yet wealthy to that extent. They would certainly start working again after winter, and as long as they started working, that weight would naturally come off.

As it was now, every person in Huaxia, if taken out, would be eye-catching. To the outside world, the women were all beauties because they were full-waisted and wide-hipped, sturdy enough. But if they were caught by the Cannibal Tribe, that would be the end, because such plump and beautiful ones were usually the first to be eaten—tender and fatty. The oil on their bodies, when placed over a fire, could sizzle and pop.

After a winter of settling, the results of the learning assessment for those from the Suiren clan were also out. Huangpin ranked first with an absolute advantage. His grades were truly good. Even though the exam questions had been arranged to be very simple, one could see the big picture from the small; with Huangpin's current ability, even if he took a test one level harder, he would still be able to pass.

Everyone who passed was naturally jubilant, because they could successfully obtain the Establishment System of Huaxia and receive an Official Seal. In the future, exercising their own power would be reasonable and legal.

Baoxi also passed the exam, but his score was not high. Now, Baifeng still needed to ask Baoxi one more time to see how he ultimately wanted to choose.

Thus, on the day the results were released, Baifeng summoned Baoxi alone. The two were in the same room, sitting opposite each other, without a clear distinction between ruler and subject; it was more like a casual chat between acquaintances.

"Baoxi, the results are out, and you have passed. Although others need to use their exam scores to determine their positions, your position is a special case. You are the City Lord; this exam was only to determine whether you are competent, and also to make up for your understanding of Huaxia and supplement your common knowledge."

"Now that you have passed, it shows that you are competent for the position of City Lord. So, what are your thoughts? Are you prepared to go back and take up the position, or stay behind to enjoy life, or do something else?"

Baoxi was not stupid; he knew this was forcing him to make a choice. He could, of course, choose the position of City Lord, but the precedent for the assessment had already been set. Whether he could sit firmly in this City Lord position in the future was not certain.

Because at the level of City Lord, there was almost no possibility of rising further. What he could do was continue to expand the city under his jurisdiction and let the place and population governed by his city be larger, which could also be considered a disguised increase in his own power.

But rising was not easy, while falling was very easy. With such a large operation, did he really have the ability to govern? Could he really manage it clearly? After studying for such a period of time, Baoxi also had a relatively clear understanding of his own abilities.

The most fundamental reason he could serve as this City Lord was that he was once the Tribal Chief of the Suiren clan. His status was there, which made things easy to handle. He could mobilize and order the clansmen, and provide help and convenience for the city's construction. The position of City Lord could also stabilize the hearts of the clansmen and keep them from developing resistance toward Huaxia.

But now? The upper echelons of the Suiren clan had already been influenced by Huaxia. The young people and children were already accepting Huaxia's ideology. After this winter, he didn't even know to what extent the clansmen had been influenced by Huaxia's officials. After he went back, that influence would definitely have greatly diminished.

Furthermore, this situation would only become more serious in the future. Huaxia's control over Suiren City would be heavier and more severe, which meant his status would become increasingly useless and would not be of much help to his work as City Lord.

He also could not be sure that he could improve his abilities to the point of truly being able to be a City Lord in such a short time. He had met the other City Lord of Huaxia, Yu, and had talked with him. He was shocked and impressed by Yu's ability, feeling that he and Yu were far apart.

If Suiren City were completely built and the surrounding tribes and populations were brought under control, that scale would be far beyond what Lema City, which had not been established for very long, could compare to.

As long as Huaxia did not continue to build cities on the territory of the Suiren clan, then one Suiren City would almost control the entire territory of the Suiren clan. The land area was so vast, and there were so many mineral deposits and resources inside.

If he had the ability to manage it, he could painstakingly sit firmly in his position as City Lord. If he couldn't, he was afraid that he would be replaced by someone else in a very short time. The most terrifying thing was not being replaced by a Huaxia official, but being replaced by his own clansmen or subordinates. In this way, it would be a huge humiliation for him. His Nobility was so high, and he was once their leader, yet the situation had reversed. Could he accept that?

Baoxi felt he could not accept it.

After living in Huaxia for this period of time, he felt that this slow-paced, purely enjoyable life was very refreshing. If he could plant flowers every day, watch fish, and go out to hunt when he had nothing to do, that would be a wonderful life. He already had everything that power could bring him, and without such great pressure, was there a need to continue being this City Lord?

"King, I feel that I do not have the ability to continue serving as this City Lord. The current Suiren clan is still far behind Huaxia, so I can still manage it. But now, with the help of our Huaxia City, the Suiren clan and Suiren City will definitely develop rapidly. I feel that by then, I will not have enough ability to manage such a large place. Even Chengqie's ability should be stronger than ours. Therefore, I think I will stop being this City Lord."