Chapter 509: Huaxia Is Our Family's

However, as for whether Yu wants to go, he still has to ask for his opinion, and besides, if Yu goes, who will serve as this Town Mayor?

Baifeng picked and chose among those submitted memorials, selecting several dozen candidates. As for which people would ultimately be chosen to go, he still had to request the relevant data on these individuals from the Ministry of Personnel before making a judgment. Moreover, Baifeng had some candidates of his own; although they had not signed up, Baifeng believed they absolutely had to go.

While eating dinner in the evening, Yulong was somewhat absent-minded, frequently looking up and then gripping his chopsticks to look down and eat again. But from the way he was eating, Baifeng knew he definitely had something to say.

Baifeng did not have any rules about not talking while eating. He and his family did not spend much time together every day, especially now that the Huaxia operation was spreading ever wider; he had long since lost the leisure he once had to walk the dog and bask in the sun. Even with his daughter Miaoyin, compared to his two sons, his companionship was much less, yet he did not feel at ease completely handing his daughter over to two women to raise, as their perceptions and concepts would greatly influence Miaoyin.

Miaoyin was now at the stage of learning to read and write, so she certainly had to go to school every day. But in the time after school, besides playing with her classmates and companions, Baifeng left her to be looked after by Changle. As her older brother, and a son he had cultivated very successfully, Changle would surely be able to teach his younger sister well, though Baifeng, this daughter-obsessed father, missed out on a lot of joy.

Baifeng continued eating, but said quite naturally: "Yulong, if you have something you want to say, just say it. This is home, I am your father, what is there that you cannot bring yourself to say?"

Changle and Miaoyin were just a bit curious, but did not stop their progress in eating. Sui, however, looked at Changle with some concern; she also sensed Changle's unease.

Changle put down his chopsticks and stared at Baifeng, saying: "Father, I... I want to go to New Town. I intend to compete for the position of Lema City City Mayor."

Baifeng was taken aback. He did not know why Changle suddenly had this idea, so he also put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth with a handkerchief at his side, and asked very seriously: "Why do you have this idea? Is it not free enough by my side, and you want to leave your old father to go out and strike out on your own?"

Changle thought his father was somewhat displeased and waved his hands repeatedly. Now starting to grow a beard, Changle was still quite sensitive inside, always feeling that there was some distance between him and his father. Although he had never thought of leaving his father, he also felt some subtle changes in his heart.

Changle explained: "Father, I do not want to leave you, it is just that I feel I have learned many things by your side, but I can only be a bystander or act as your assistant, and I have no way to put all the knowledge I have learned into practice. Now I want an opportunity to prove my ability, and Lema City is the place I feel is most suitable for exercising my ability."

At this moment, Baifeng also used the light of the yellowing sunset to carefully examine his son, but what Baifeng was thinking about was not letting his son show his talents, but instead asked a question without any rhyme or reason: "Do you have a girl you like?"

"Ah?"

Changle was caught somewhat off guard by this sudden question. After a brief moment of astonishment, he opened his mouth to say: "I do..."

Baifeng recalled for a moment and asked: "It is Zhu's daughter, right? That one called... called..."

Changle hurriedly took up the thread: "Zhi, her name is Zhi."

Baifeng said in a very flat tone: "Right, her name is Zhi. Her age seems to be a bit older than yours, right?"

Changle scratched his head, feeling somewhat embarrassed: "Yes, Father, she is two years older than me; she is sixteen this year."

Changle's peers had basically all started getting married, and because they matured relatively early, Baifeng did not feel there was anything wrong with it. Furthermore, this was for the sake of Huaxia's population growth. It was just that he had been dragging his feet regarding Yulong's affairs; there was no other reason, he just subconsciously felt he was too young, and he did not want to become a grandfather at an age under forty.

Sui had already stretched her neck to watch. She had forgotten to eat because what this father and son were saying seemed very important; they were likely going to find a woman for their son, and she was looking forward to this day so much.

Baifeng pressed his fingers on the dining table twice and said: "Zhu is a high-level official in our Huaxia, her daughter's status is not bad, and she is also considered intelligent. She has just graduated, and seems to be working as a teacher at the school, right?"

Yulong no longer knew whether his father knew or did not know. If he said he did not know, he was clear about the person's age and what job she did; if he said he knew, he could not even remember the person's name. But he still answered very seriously: "Yes, Father, she is currently teaching the lower-grade students to read and write."

"How does she feel about you? As long as she has no objections, I agree, and I believe her father will not have any objections either."

Yulong was somewhat excited, but after only a few seconds of excitement, he felt something was not quite right: "Father, can we slow down and talk about this later? I am currently wanting to be the City Mayor of Lema City, you..."

Baifeng said with a smile: "Son, remember, this Huaxia, in the final analysis, is our family's. Why are you thinking of going to Lema City to prove yourself? You do not need any achievements to prove yourself, because you are my son. In the future, you only need to develop Huaxia, that is the best proof. There is even less need for you to run to such a far place to suffer for a few years. If you did that, wouldn't your father's work all these years have been in vain?"

Since you are so proactive in wanting to work, then in the future I will hand the Ministry of Revenue over to you to manage. Wu is old, he is running out of energy, and now his workload must be gradually reduced. Liangji is one of my predetermined candidates for City Mayor, Chou can continue to be his Minister of the Household, and you will go and be the Minister of Revenue in the future. How about letting Wu retire and become an idle Prime Minister?

If you are unwilling and still want to go out and struggle, then wait another year or two. I am preparing to build another city, and by then you can start from scratch. In any case, you can only choose one of the two. Do not think about Lema City and New Town anymore; I already have plans. This is also to give others some opportunities. You will sooner or later be the next King of Huaxia, there is no need to compete with them."

Yulong opened his mouth wide in shock. So the competition his father spoke of was just an excuse; he already had candidates in mind. After being stunned for a few seconds, he asked: "Who is the candidate for City Mayor? Yu or Liangji?"

Baifeng laughed heartily upon hearing this, and said with appreciation: "You really are material for a King, you know how to judge people. I really did intend to choose between the two of them. However, I am more inclined toward Liangji. Yu is the Prime Minister candidate I am cultivating; the current Prime Minister has the title but no real power, and in the future, it must be someone with real talent and practical experience. Yu is someone I am cultivating to assist you in the future, so I might also send Yu to get some training, and then he can just come back and take over Wu's position. As for the specifics, I still have to see what Yu thinks."