Volume 1 Chapter 84 Choice
Hearing this question, the excited expression on Hannas’ face suddenly froze. After a while, he slumped down as he ran out of energy.
“Xu Yi, I thought that you were here to cheer me on, I never thought that you would run here to propose this kind of boring topic.” Baron Hannas suddenly seemed exhausted and he found a chair to sit in, as he waved his hand with an annoyed look, “Leslie and Lord Count has discussed this matter with me and have urged me to immediately return to Anvilmar. The people from my family has urged me to do the same, but when I think about returning to that boring Anvilmar City, breathing that depressing air and facing those spiritless people, I never had a thought of going back.”
After saying this, Baron Hannas paused before taking a deep breath. He looked out the window with a sunken look on his face.
“Think about it, the life here is this beautiful. Although I sleep a bit less each day and the food isn’t as good as back in the family, I am filled with energy each day and I’m always filled with energy. Since I was young, I had never found anything this exciting before, making me invest everything into it. I even feel that the thing I’m doing now is the great business I should invest my life into. Compared to this, whether it is being a fake noble or a rotten merchant, I feel like it would be better for me to die instead.”
“Xu Yi, do you know that just the day before yesterday, our «Banta Times» reported on a piece of news outside of Banta City. It was a small noble who raped a normal farmer’s daughter, so in the end the daughter drowned herself in the river. According to normal conventions, this kind of matter would be suppressed and nothing would have happened to the small noble, so the pitiful girl would have died in vain. But this matter was reported on by our «Banta Times» and the Lord Count flew into a rage after seeing it. He directly caught that small noble and whipped him twenty times in front of everyone according to the Royal Parliament’s laws, as well as making him compensate that farmer thirty gold coins. I can say that if it wasn’t for our «Banta Times» upholding justice, this matter wouldn’t have this kind of good ending.”
Looking at Baron Hannas’ face filled with righteousness, Xu Yi could only give a bitter smile.
Twenty whips and paying thirty gold coins was considered upholding justice? This was a good ending?
This was a person’s life!
But Xu Yi was very clear that Baron Hannas wasn’t wrong at all, this was the reality on the Sines Continent.
Nobles had a higher status than normal citizens, so even if nobles raped citizens, they would only receive this kind of punishment.
If the «Banta Times» didn’t report on this, attracting the attention of City Lord Count Sean’s attention, this small noble wouldn’t have been punished at all.
Xu Yi couldn’t change this fact, so he could only remain silent.
Compared to Xu Yi’s silence, Baron Hannas became even more excited as he told Xu Yi about all the things that the «Banta Times» had already done. Among them included exposing small nobles, reporting on the filial deity of commoners towards their disabled parents, and even revealing some news in the «Banta Times» through the Lord City Lord…….
Xu Yi patiently listened to him and when he finally took a small rest, he said in a thoughtful voice, “Hannas, I admit that you are right. The «Banta Times» is indeed the greatest business in your life and it is even greater than you can imagine. However, I must remind you that if you want to continue in this business, you will meet all kinds of difficulties and with just your strength alone, you won’t be able to continue.”
Hannas’ face sunk, “What? You are just like Leslie, urging me to cooperate with those fellows back in the family? Do you believe that if they were allowed to participate, the entire flavour of the newspaper would instantly change?”
“Of course I believe it.” Xu Yi said with a faint smile, “Actually, Hannas, even if they don’t join now, there are many people that don’t believe that the «Banta Times» is a pure thing because…..” Xu Yi pointed at himself, “It involves a dirty merchant like me.”
Hannas was stunned. Thinking about what he had said just now, he gave Xu Yi an embarrassed smile.
“Don’t misunderstand, I was not talking about you. Compared to those fellows, Xu Yi, you are a very conscientious merchant. The farmer support plan of your Frestech Chamber of Commerce allowed those twenty three farmers who participated change their lives and also greatly increase the efficiency of this autumn’s planting season, this can be considered a great thing. If it wasn’t for you basically giving those magic machines to those twenty three farmers, they definitely couldn’t buy them.”
“Don’t think that I’m so noble. If we look at the farmer support plan from a business perspective, I actually earned quite a bit. Although those twenty three farmers don’t need to pay any money, they will have to pay for it later. Moreover, I’ve used their hands to help my advertise the magic machines and the effects are quite good. I dare confirm that by next year’s spring harvest, our Frestech Chamber of Commerce will definitely sell a large amount of agricultural magic machines.” Xu Yi said with a smile.
“For this kind of good thing, of course it’s good that more of them are sold.” Baron Hannas said while laughing, “I even look forward to your agricultural magic machines being used on every farm in our Lampuri Kingdom. Like this, our Lampuri Kingdom’s people wouldn’t need to worry about not having enough to eat.”
Seeing Baron Hannas falling into his youthful fantasies, Xu Yi helplessly shook his head and decided to pull him back.
“Let’s return to the previous issue. You say that I’m not like other merchants, but other people don’t think this. Everyone who reads the «Banta Times» has noticed that the «Banta Times» always reported on our Frestech Chamber of Commerce. Based on what they can see, they think that it is helping our Frestech Chamber of Commerce to advertise, meaning that the «Banta Times» was opened by our Frestech Chamber of Commerce……”
“Who is speaking nonsense?” Baron Hannas angrily said, “Is it the other companies in Banta City? Those disgusting fellows, they don’t know at all. If it wasn’t for you stopping me, I would have reported even more on your Frestech Chamber of Commerce. This is because in my eyes, your Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s magic machines are epoch creating things that will completely change people’s lives! Those fellows are just jealous of your success and can’t even see the true value of your Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s products, they are simply shortsighted fools!”
Xu Yi stopped Baron Hannas from storming off with a bitter smile before saying with a serious face, “First let’s not care about what they are saying, but this is a fact. Hannas, even if I appreciate the «Banta Times» insisting on remaining self sufficient, you have to admit that it is impossible for you not to be influenced by anyone. Then do you think that when you have to make a decision, would you be willing to let the newspaper be controlled by you or let it be controlled by no one?”
Baron Hannas came from a large noble family, so although he had some ideals, it didn’t mean that he was naive. After hearing Xu Yi’s question, his face sunk as he thought about it before he gave a slight nod.
“Xu Yi, I understand what you mean, but how is this related to you urging me to head back to Anvilmar?”
Xu Yi said with a laugh, “Of course it’s related. Hannas, have you considered that if you don’t go back to Anvilmar, how long will it be before Anvilmar will have a «Anvilmar Times»?”
Hannas gave a cold snort, “Although those fellows are always slow in deciding things, they definitely will not give up this chance. Even if I don’t go back, I dare to guarantee that within a year, they will create an «Anvilmar Times».”
“That’s right. Since it’s like this, why not head back earlier and use your experience with the newspaper to steal this chance?” Xu Yi seriously said, “I think you should be very clear on this, but newspapers are like the news itself, the one who strikes first always has the advantage. You can’t control the situation in Anvilmar, but you can try to affect it with your initiative. Even if you aren’t willing to depend on your family’s power, you have to admit that your family’s power is much stronger than you alone. If the «Anvilmar Times» is controlled by your family, isn’t it better than it being controlled by another family?”
Hannas lowered his head to consider this before looking at Xu Yi with strange gaze, “Why do you care about this matter so much? To be honest, you are just a small merchant and no matter what, this matter isn’t related to you at all, right?”
“Why is it not related to me?” Xu Yi opened his eyes in an exaggerated manner, “Hannas, did you forget? The Magic Printing Press is made by our Frestech Chamber of Commerce. As the chairman, of course I must create more sales for the product of my company. Think about it, if a newspaper appeared in Anvilmar, there would be newspapers that appear all across the Lampuri Kingdom and even across the Sines Continent. At that time, we’ll be able to sell countless Frestech Brand Magic Printing Presses! How much money would I earn!”
Hannas rolled his eyes at Xu Yi, “It seems like I was wrong, you’re not different from those fellows. You also have the same lust for money that those disgusting fellows have.”
Xu Yi laughed and didn’t care about this at all as he asked, “Then your excellency Baron Hannas filled with righteous nobleness, are you willing to return to Anvilmar City and use the «Anvilmar Times» to change that disgusting city?”
Hannas looked around the room and gave a deep sigh.
“I’ll go back, but I will still return to this place. This is where my foundations are, so even if I return to Anvilmar, it is only as a guest.” After pausing, he asked Xu Yi, “I’ve heard that you will be going to Anvilmar to take part in the Magicians Guild’s certification test in a while, is that right?”
“Un.” Xu YI nodded.
“Good, we’ll go together when the time comes. I can use this time to plan out everything here.”
Xu Yi shrugged his shoulder, showing no objections.