One-Eyed Monster

Dear old friend Fran,

I’m not sure how you are finding life in Luona Capital recently. Liuli City is about to enter deep winter. The snow scenes you enjoy will soon be here, and the whole city will be blanketed by white frost and snow. The trees everywhere will have their branches weighed down by the pure white snow, seeming to bloom overnight with pear blossoms. I wonder if the Imperial Capital also experiences such a sight in deep winter.

I trust you enjoyed the tobacco the courier previously delivered to you? I remember it’s your favorite smoke in Liuli City. Perhaps there is superior tobacco in the Imperial Capital, but let this tobacco serve to alleviate your occasional bouts of boredom. As for those paintings, you must take a good look at them. If you could hang them in the main hall of your mansion in the Imperial Capital, that would be wonderful. You have to know, I racked my brains searching through the taverns of Liuli City for a cartographer with exceptional Spirit Power, just to capture these scenes from memory. What these cartographers can produce is far better than my verbose descriptions on this letter paper.

The steam car you mentioned before is indeed superb. However, trackless steam cars are more cumbersome than railed ones. They are not as convenient as horses; after all, not all roads are as smooth as those in the Imperial Capital.

The Lord Governor’s reforms are like the wind, fierce at times and gentle at others. When they are fierce, even we, who live on the outskirts of the city, can feel the tremors from the Imperial Capital. When they are gentle, we, as members of the Administrative Office, can sense the subtle, pervasive changes around us. However, opposition to and approval for the Lord Governor’s innovations are always evenly matched. These voices echo in our ears every day, making us, who are mere onlookers, feel deeply ashamed. You, old friend, are naturally caught in the struggle, while we remain bystanders from beginning to end. Perhaps we will be the beneficiaries of these reforms. This remote town hasn’t seen any young people venture out for a long time. Yonder Travel Academy has brought a glimmer of hope to this remote town. Many impoverished children have begun to harbor dreams, and Yonder Travel Academy is gradually becoming that dream for them. This is perhaps the effect of those promotional billboards by the roadside.

I understand the heavy responsibility you shoulder, and I can deeply empathize with your occasional laments. However, I firmly believe that those burdened with arduous tasks should practice forbearance, exercising restraint and patience towards every matter and person. The slightest lapse could affect the progress of the task.

Presumably, you have also realized this. I have seen your forbearance in the changing frequency of your letters.

Your letter ostensibly offers greetings, but I gather that, in fact, it is for another matter. Despite my dullness, I can still discern the priorities and urgencies of some things. The matter of Guru Mountain, which you mentioned at the end, is indeed rather abnormal compared to the norm, and I feel obliged to offer you a formal response regarding these unusual occurrences.

This is also the first time I have chosen to use the Mail Bird System myself. Normally, I trust couriers more. I always feel that some old habits should not be forgotten. It’s the same principle as how smoking with a copper pipe yields a better effect; I’m still not quite used to those rolling papers you use.

I don’t know when I became so verbose; I’ve unknowingly filled the better part of a page without really touching upon the most important matters. It seems that after so long, a sentimental longing for an old friend has developed. Those days we spent smoking together—thinking back on them now still feels very pleasant.