Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 655 This Palace is Empty and Bright
Although the two guests from the grasslands were of noble status, their skills were swift, fierce, and uncompromising. Their wrestling and grappling techniques were skillful and deadly, clearly indicating that they had undergone real combat training.

Firstly, the martial arts style of the Seri Grassland is completely different from that of the Western Continent. Secondly, the guards and servants present did not dare to use excessive force. Therefore, they tried several times but failed to subdue the two who were fighting with real fire. Instead, several well-meaning guests who came to help were injured.

"It looks so familiar, it reminds me of a royal banquet."

Looking at the chaotic corner of the banquet hall, Thales said warily, "Is it this? If someone dies, the Kingdom's Secret Service can use it..."

“I don’t think so,” Jann, who was closely monitoring the situation, shook his head. “The grassland people know this is their own feud, and the conflict between outsiders has nothing to do with Kevin Deer. The Emerald Festival brings together guests from all over the world, and it’s not surprising that there are these kinds of disputes that arise after a few drinks every year. Even if there were some serious consequences…”

Jann stopped and glanced at Thales.

“The Emerald City has its own laws, which are fair, just, and convincing. This is known to all parties on the shipping routes and trade routes. As long as it is handled properly, no one will hold us accountable.”

Upon hearing this, Thales recalled his own experience and couldn't help but sigh.

“That makes sense. If the capital had a judge like Brennan, Anke Bailar wouldn’t have been forced to kidnap and coerce me at my banquet because he had nowhere else to turn.”

And you wouldn't have sent him that sword to cause me trouble.

Thales suppressed his inner grumbling.

"I know you're cursing me in your heart."

Janne's expression remained unchanged, distant and indifferent:
"But you know very well that it's not a problem that one or two well-trained, principled judges can solve."

Thales pursed his lips. Jann's words reminded him of Cohen's time as a guard in Everstar City.

Just as they were pondering, the conflict in the banquet hall took another turn. A nimble figure squeezed into the ranks of the guards and instantly joined the battle between the two guests from the grasslands!

Boom! Bang!
The newcomer did not display any superior strength or skill, but he was very lucky to enter the battle just as the two sides' offensive was about to subside and before the new round had begun. He crouched down to catch the punch, turned around and swept his leg, and the two guests fell heavily to the ground one after the other!

The onlookers gasped in surprise.

The two perpetrators, still furious, were about to get up when the newcomer raised his hand, and a sheathed sword flew from the side and landed in his hand.

The next second, the newcomer ruthlessly knocked the two grassland men unconscious with two thuds on their heads.

The guards spotted the gap and quickly stepped forward to separate the two men, then helped them up to treat their wounds.

Perhaps it was the atmosphere that prompted the surrounding guests to cheer and applaud, and the nearby musicians also played a piece called "Conquest" at the right time.

The conflict was resolved, and the newcomer gracefully spun around and sheathed his sword. Then, with a tearing sound, Miranda stood barefoot on the ground, frowning as she looked at her torn dress, somewhat embarrassed.

“Not bad skills, but,” Jenn hummed, glancing at Thales, “it’s a pity.”

Thales was pondering what profound words to use to project an air of superiority, as if to say, "Oh, nothing surprising, my men are all at this level," when he heard these words and his expression froze:
What's a pity? How is it a pity? Where is it a pity?

Don't only say half of what you mean!

At the scene, Marius inexplicably appeared behind Miranda, offering his coat in exchange for the Eagle in her hand. This caused a group of men around them, their eyes red with anticipation, to sigh in disappointment as they scrambled to take off their coats or overcoats.

“The sword has come at just the right time, sir. But I just kicked off my shoes,” Miranda said, looking embarrassed at her bare feet. “Could you please…”

Before he could finish speaking, Marius automatically stepped aside: Grover and Paul struggled to push through the crowd, the former losing a button in the process and awkwardly handing back his left shoe, while the latter, with a smile and a stain on his face, gracefully offered his right shoe.

"When did you find it?" Miranda asked in surprise as she took the shoes.

"When did you kick them off?" Marius asked expressionlessly.

Miranda smiled and thanked them one by one.

The atmosphere within the Star Lake Guard became even more harmonious until DD, panting, pushed through the crowd and presented the third woman's shoe with a fawning yet expectant expression.

"What? Not this one? Oh, I see. Hehehe, it's okay! Neshi is still behind us, crawling on the ground searching inch by inch..."

The crisis came to an end, and the two visitors from the grasslands gradually regained consciousness, their anger subsiding considerably. Perhaps it was because they had lost face by being knocked down in public, or perhaps it was because the person who had attacked them was actually a young woman.

However, one of them angrily broke free from the servant and rushed to Miranda to confront her. But the Star Lake Guard was not to be outdone. DD stepped forward, put his left arm around Glov and his right arm around Paul, and protected Miranda with great courage.

The guest touched the red and swollen spot on his forehead and spoke aggressively to Miranda in the language of the Eastern Plains. The person next to him quickly translated: The guest wanted to know the girl's name and address—when he later rode his horse and conquered ten tribes on the Kiseri Plains, and collected ten pastures, he would return to the Western Plains and present five of them to her as a betrothal gift.

Miranda was taken aback and tried to understand what the other person was saying, but the other perpetrator snorted and pushed the waiter aside to come forward as well.

The guest, with bruised eyes and a flushed face, straightened his disheveled clothes and spoke to Miranda in broken Western Common, saying that the girl was beautiful, brave, and skilled, and asked if she would be willing to return to the Duseli Grassland with him. If she was, he would now swear an oath to the heavens on his honor sword that if he became the Khan of the tribe, she would be his queen, and together they would rule the tribe and dominate the grassland. If he failed to become Khan or unfortunately died young, the girl could take half of his cattle and sheep and find another hero to marry.

Back and forth, the two guests separated by Miranda started again—whether for the girl, or for "Kiseri" or "Duseri" it's unclear—shouting and cursing, and looking like they were about to roll up their sleeves and fight again, when a pair of hands wearing black gloves grabbed their shoulders.

"Tell them I am not a tool for them to compete in terms of face."

"As for the grasslands and the Khan, they mean nothing to me," Miranda, who couldn't mend her torn skirt and simply wrapped it around her calves as leggings, put her arms around their necks and laughed loudly, "because I am the Khan—the Snow Khan from across the sea!"

The two guests from the grassland were taken aback at first, but after they understood, their eyes shone even brighter as they looked at Miranda—the two of them gestured wildly and chattered away, wanting to become her brothers and sisters, though not related by blood, but even more sacred.

Marius appeared at the opportune moment, smilingly praising the two guests' skills. He pointed to the plates and dishes on the ground that had been damaged in their fight, and waved his hand, before the two Exter guests could comment on the meaning of "Snow Khan," and told everyone to pull Miranda away.

The situation calmed down, and the corner returned to its lively atmosphere of feasting and celebration.

"It is indeed a fine sword."

From the observation deck, Jenn looked at Miranda with approval in his eyes and spoke again:
"Sharp and menacing, it may have a miraculous effect."

Thales felt proud and straightened his collar and back in a dark corner where no one could see him.

But Jenn changed the subject:
"But a sword has two edges and can easily injure yourself. If you are not tall enough, it is best not to swing it around recklessly."

“Don’t worry,” Thales said with a smirk. “I’m not like some people who carry a sword around every day and give it away at other people’s banquets.”

When the old grudge was brought up, Thales and Jann exchanged a glance, snorted in unison, and turned their heads away.

“Well, at least we’ve made one thing clear,” Thales exhaled, “My father won’t lay a hand on the guests from the plains at the Battle Feast—the knife won’t fall from here.”

“Well said,” Jenn said sarcastically. “Now all we need to pay attention to are the other few hundred guests. This is like clearing away the fog and making things much easier for us.”

The two remained silent for a while.

“Can we stop mocking each other?” Thales sighed. “Honestly, it makes communication much more difficult.”

Jan chuckled softly and picked up his hookah.

"Tell me, Thales, what secrets have you and your men uncovered in Emerald City these past few days?"

Thales' heart skipped a beat.

"Feel sorry?"

Duke Iris snorted softly:
"Stop pretending. These past few days, your men—including that Aaron, who even took off his uniform to attend the banquet—have been doing everything they can to infiltrate Emerald City like rats digging holes. They've searched every corner, from nobles to commoners, probing into commerce, trade, security, the military, the law, history, and even my sister's affairs... Meanwhile, you've been spending my hospitality funds to wander the city, looking for trouble everywhere. Do you really think I don't know what you're up to?"

Thales' expression froze.

Oh.

“I thought we had already agreed, Thales: in Emerald City, we'll be completely open and honest—”

Faced with Jenn's intense gaze, Thales coughed, realizing he had been exposed.

"Well, we've been busy these past few days, and you haven't had time either, so I haven't had a chance to visit your bedroom at night. Um, I can't tell you this in private..."

But Jenn ignored his explanations and continued aggressively:
"—But you're secretly plotting against me, racking your brains to figure out how to bring me down?"

The Duke of the South Bank put down his cigarette holder and exhaled a puff of white smoke, which made his expression even more eerie.

Thales looked a little embarrassed and rubbed his hands together.

"Yes, I did send people to investigate and scout, to understand the current situation of Emerald City, and to search for its weaknesses, because—because that's what I should do!"

The prince adjusted his mood, making himself sound righteous and self-assured:
"Since we want everyone, especially my father, to see that the two of us are at odds and hostile to each other... isn't that normal, appropriate, or even necessary?"

Jann squinted.

Thales turned and waved without hesitation:

"Since we're going to pursue the thorns—the effects—let's see it through to the end!"

Jan didn't answer, but just silently observed him.

The other party's silence lasted so long that Thales felt a little embarrassed and had to put down his aching arm.

"well said."

The Duke of the South Bank glanced at Emerald City outside the watchtower and snorted coldly:
"As your open enemy, I should also fight you with all my might, block your channels, make things difficult for your subordinates, and hinder your life. I must make sure you have no easy time, so as to show that we are truly fighting to the death without revealing any flaws—otherwise, how can we deceive others, right?"

Thales refused to be outdone:
"What? You're threatening me now? Don't forget—"

Jenn continued, "How about we start by cutting back on your daily rations?"

Food...

Thales quickly put on a friendly smile and changed the subject:
"—Don't forget we're just acting!"

He chuckled:
"Oh dear, acting is just a means to an end. Taking it too seriously or getting too immersed in the role isn't good either. It will seriously affect our cooperation efficiency, after all, we still have our biggest enemy!"

Jann gave a disdainful snort and then took a drag of his cigarette.

"So, Your Highness and your men, after all your hard work these past few days, what have you found in Emerald City?"

Amidst the swirling smoke, the Duke of the South Bank's gaze pierced Thales' eyes:
"For example, is there anything noteworthy that could be used as leverage to deliver a fatal blow and bring down the Kevin Deer family?"

Thales paused, his smile awkward.

"Well..."

Something powerful enough to turn Kevin Deer's house upside down—well, the secret seasoning for barbecue?

"We thought we had agreed to be open and honest?"

The next instant, the Duke's aura changed, his eyes filled with murderous intent:
“Tell me, Thales, if you were the king, if you were His Majesty, how would you deal with the Emerald City to seize power from Kevin Deer?”

Thales' smile froze.

If you were the king.

How to seize power...

Thales?
The prince silently looked back at the other person.

Jenn simply smoked silently, waiting for his response.

At that moment, many thoughts flashed through Thales' mind.

You are the king.

You are His Majesty.

what will you do?
In an instant, he seemed to be back in the Palace of Restoration, seeing the back of the young man wearing a crown.

The young man merely moved his finger, and the entire kingdom began to move like a machine, perfectly synchronized and at his command.

His kingdom.

Thales had to reach into his pocket and clutch the covenant, using the sharp bone spurs to pull himself back to reality.

The two people on the observation deck faced each other silently. On one side was a banquet hall filled with singing and dancing, and on the other side was a panoramic view of the Emerald City, dotted with stars.

Finally, Thales sighed softly:

"Yes, I sent my men out these past few days and they have indeed gathered some intelligence about Emerald City."

Jan put down his hookah and looked at him intently.

"As far as I know, a large amount of goods from all over the kingdom are gathered here in Emerald City, where they are assembled, processed, sorted, and traded."

Thales' expression was serious:
"Then transport them to Gonghai City, where they can be shipped out to sea, heading north, east, or south to the Mermaid Sea, and vice versa."

This is the main topic that Glov finally got to after returning from the Canal District and telling a lot of scary stories about cannibalistic water monsters on the docks and the legends of the Tidehunter.

Upon hearing his words, Jenn's eyes changed.

“And those merchants, artisans, and crafts owners, they go nowhere else but Emerald City and Kevin Deer, trusting in the order and rules here,” Thales shook his head. “Miko can threaten a wine merchant into defecting, and perhaps through him, influence some industries…”

"Defection?"

Janne seemed to be deep in thought.

"That wine merchant, do you really think that Secret Service can influence things through him, or someone like him?"

“Maybe, just maybe,” Thales shook his head, “but the key is that they can’t force so many people to defect at the same time, they can’t change people’s impression of Emerald City, and they can’t cut off your established source of wealth.”

Jann didn't speak, but simply nodded silently.

"In addition, the Kevin Deer family has a number of armed merchant ships in which they have a stake, such as the pirate, um, former pirate, Tanganga's Sea Wolf Fleet."

Thales continued calmly:

"Of course, they are still merchant ships in name only, belonging to different ship owners. Their scale is not comparable to the navy of the kingdom and Hui Port anchored in the East Sea Territory, and their combat strength is unknown... but they are enough to guarantee your transoceanic trade."

This information was brought back by Wyatt and Komuto after they had traveled around to various guilds, taking advantage of Gilbert's reputation.

"As for the Emerald Legion, this is another innovation—yes, they are newly formed, have never been through war, and are not well trained. In terms of combat strength and size, they are no match for the royal standing army. They may not be able to withstand two rounds of attacks from Alaqa Mu's Wrath Guard."

This is the conclusion reached by Grover, including Miranda, and several face-conscious local military officers after secretly "testing their skills."

“That’s too kind,” Jenn suddenly said. “I know what those green hats are capable of. If they can withstand half a round trip without being overwhelmed and collapsing, then they’ve already paid their salaries.”

Thales felt somewhat embarrassed by the Duke's candor.

“But they have unified command and take this as their duty, so they don’t have the drawbacks of conscripting soldiers,” Thales continued. “If my father were to use a method similar to the Legendary Wings’ meddling in the Blade Fang camp to deal with you, it would be very difficult, at least he wouldn’t have enough excuses or pretexts.”

Jenn smiled.

He looked at the boy with great interest, seemingly encouraging him:

"anything else?"

Thales looked back at him as well.

Jann appeared very calm.

Are you confident?
Or are they just gathering momentum? "The citizens here..."

Thales continued.

"They are different from those in Yongxing City. In fact, they are different from the citizens of most places I have ever seen. They are various workshop owners, property owners, ship owners, merchants, as well as workers, craftsmen, coachmen, boatmen, sailors... there are too many to count, including the various guilds, associations, and chambers of commerce they have formed. So much so that Emerald City has set up a notary office specifically to handle their affairs."

"The same goes for the lower-level officials. This is the first time I've seen so many people in the security department. It's outrageous. They still don't think it's enough. They want to recruit volunteer assistants from good citizens—and the vast majority of them are from ordinary families with property and businesses in Emerald City."

This information was obtained by Kommuto through his connections with the guardhouse, who then contacted several old friends there.

Of course, there were also DD and Neshi, who were scouted out by a group of them eating and drinking in the city—of course, with the help of Emerald City's public funds.

"In other places, farmers, herders, and craftsmen live off the land in the villages around the lord's castle. If there is a crop failure and food shortage, they may protest and revolt. In order not to be overwhelmed by them, the lord may also be drawn into the conflict, escalating the conflict to the level of the guardian duke."

Thales sighed softly, his gaze shifting.

"But these citizens from all walks of life who have left the land... to incite them against you and overthrow Kevin Deer, I can only say, is not the time yet."

Jenn's smile remained unchanged:

“This is not surprising. Large towns like Yongxing City and Huigang City all have this characteristic.”

But Thales shook his head.

"And after I arrived here, rumors spread all over Emerald City. Although the versions differed, they all basically said the same thing: once I marry your sister..."

When the topic turned to sensitive information, Thales couldn't help but look up to observe Jann's expression, lest the other party impulsively push him off the cliff.

Fortunately, although the Duke of the South Bank frowned slightly, he did not take any overly aggressive actions.

“Rumor has it that once I marry the Duke’s sister and become Kevindir’s brother-in-law,” Thales said cautiously, “the Iris family will be forced to bow down to the royal relatives with the surname Brilliant Star, and the royal merchants will flood into Emerald City…”

"To carve up the market and profits?" Jenn asked, raising an eyebrow.

“No, Emerald City isn’t afraid of people coming to take over the market. In fact, you welcome and encourage merchants to come, thinking that this can boost circulation and promote prosperity,” Thales denied. “But what you’re trying to tell the citizens by spreading this rumor—yes, I know it’s you—is that someone, a big shot, is coming to change the rules of Emerald City from top to bottom.”

Jenn raised an eyebrow.

Yes, it's a rumor. Rolf pretended to be deaf and mute, but he didn't have to pretend completely. He took advantage of being ignored and overheard the news in a street tavern.

Thales leaned over the railing, gazing at the myriad lights below.

"As the Duke, you are able to bring specific administrative bodies into the Kongming Palace, willingly pay fines to the court, and humbly apologize to the judges. This means that in the entire South Bank Territory, no one—unless their status and power are above that of the Guardian Duke—dares to break the rules that even the Iris must abide by."

Thales looked at the other person:
"It was precisely these rules, established and maintained by the Kevin Deer family, that shaped the unique order of the South Bank Territory: outside merchants could confidently bring in their wealth without fear of turmoil or powerful forces; local citizens dared to go out on the streets with bags of gold, without worrying about safety or fearing loss; even wealthy and powerful nobles had no choice but to move their chips and place bets at this gambling table according to the dealer's instructions."

"In short, here, no one needs to nervously observe the lords' moods and preferences, be subject to the rulers' randomness and whims, or worry about potential unrest, such as in Exter, where the death of a king necessitates a new contract for crystal ore?"

Jann stopped smiling and stared intently at the prince without saying a word.

Thales then changed the subject:
“But once I become a relative of Kevindir, and a being naturally superior to Kevindir appears in the South Coast Territory, will the established rules still be followed? Once the greedy nobles and royal merchants of the capital follow me and the Star of Brilliance to Emerald City, will they still respect order? Won't they take advantage of their naturally stronger royal power to seize and plunder?”

"For example, regarding the arrest of Dagory Moss, what you wanted the entire Emerald City to see was that the Starry Sky Royal Family was protecting merchants from the Central Territory, and that 'the Royal Family wanted to change the rules you depend on for your livelihood'?"

Thales sighed:

“That’s the real reason you spread this rumor—and I happen to be a northerner who grew up in Exter. Oh, I forgot, for the South Bank Territory, the area north of the River Shepherd, including Everstar City, is considered the ‘savage north’.”

Jenn's gaze toward him grew increasingly peculiar.

"I guess that, in this way, almost all the merchants, owners, artisans and workers in Emerald City, that is, the vast majority of ordinary citizens, will spontaneously reject me, hate me, and resist the royal family's entry and interference. Not to mention that stupid count who challenged me to a duel, but the Sunset Priest who expressed his dissatisfaction with my marriage a few days ago, I guess he was reflecting the wishes of the general public."

Thales sighed inwardly: In this respect, the prince's butts have lost.

“So, to hell with this bullshit marriage alliance,” Thales scoffed. “If I were to actually consider marrying your sister as my goal, thinking that I could safely seize control of Emerald City through a marriage alliance between the royal family and the duke, I would be truly blind.”

“Not bad, Your Highness,” Jann hummed, looking at him with newfound respect. “Not bad.”

Thales took a deep breath.

But that's not all.

Far more than that.

“And throughout the entire South Coast Territory, from the Duke down, the traditional high-ranking vassals—whether they are real fiefs or honorary nobles, earls, viscounts, or barons—and their families all have businesses and roots in Emerald City, with intricate relationships spanning all walks of life,” Thales continued.

This is news that DD came back from eating, drinking, and having fun with the playboys of Emerald City.

"For example, the nobles of Kalabyan in the Vora territory and Lasia in the Zedi region either partner with a merchant as a guarantor, invest in and support a certain industry to reap the profits, or simply take the lead in opening up a trade route themselves..."

Oh, and those two Karabyan twin sisters... In order to find out about the family business connections behind them through the Tailors Guild, Komuto was forced to pay 224 gold coins. Fortunately, he just resolved the issue with Miranda.

"...so their profits and income no longer depend on their traditional land, but largely on—"

“The prosperity of Emerald City,” Jann calmly replied.

Thales nodded, his expression grave:
"The prosperity of Emerald City depends on trade and transshipment, on rules and order, on the governance and protection of the Kevin Deer family, and on the prestige you have accumulated in the South Bank Territory over the long term."

"This makes you safe in the traditional ruling order: when a baron and his villagers, driven to desperation by land, cry out in the courtroom with legal arguments and no one pays attention, and not even a single influential vassal is willing to arbitrate on their behalf, my father is even less likely to use these people to overthrow you—land disputes and debt conflicts like those between Baillard and Doyle at the royal banquet won't even make a ripple here, and even if they do, it's just a matter of Judge Brennan's hammer."

Thales seemed to remember something, paused for a moment, and then continued:

"Therefore, the Grand Dukes of Exter may unite against Chaman Lumba; the Fores and Zemutor families of the North may covet the power vacuum left by the fall of Arend due to their shortsightedness, pride, and greed; and the ministers of the Western Wilderness, including Cloma of Winged Keep and Bozdorf of Heroes Keep, may also become estranged from Duke Falkenhaus due to their differing stances and political views."

Thales felt the weight of his words was immense:

"But here, the great vassals of the South Bank have been involved for too long, are too deeply entangled, and are too dependent. Not only are they unlikely to oppose you—by my father—but they will also be bound together by the entire South Bank system around Emerald City, supporting Kevin Deer and resisting the royal invasion."

"Really? Are you sure?"

Jenn's gaze grew increasingly sharp.

Thales stared at Jann, trying to sense something deeper in his eyes.

"As for the final counterattack," the prince said slowly, recounting the information that Gilbert had compiled and that had come to him through Wyman, "it was completely extinguished the very year your father died and you succeeded to the dukedom."

Jenn's eyes flickered.

“Nearly ten years ago, in 669, Viscount Sona Kevindir of Archsea City hired someone to assassinate your father.”

Jenn took a deep breath.

“Viscount Sona—your uncle—was halfway to success, but his plot was exposed after it was accomplished, and he died in prison,” Thales sighed. “I think that was the last counterattack of the traditional landed nobles of the South Bank Territory.”

Of course, if this happened in Exter, the Northlanders would probably elect Sona Kevindir as their king.

The night wind blew across the observation deck, and Jenn's gaze was deep.

"I would rather die for a friend than for an enemy."

He extinguished the hookah and put the pipe back into the tobacco pouch:
"But my father never imagined that these words would be applied to his own brother."

Thales remained silent, showing the man before him some respect.

“Finally, in a city this big, there should be just as many slums as the Lower City,” Thales continued after a few seconds. “In Emerald City, there should be even more.”

“Indeed quite a lot,” Jenn nodded. “This is one of the new suburbs, and its area is increasing year by year.”

Thales shook his head:

"But it's nowhere near as chaotic as the capital. In comparison, Yongxing City has more citizens, but even more poor people. The lower city is several times the size of the other districts, and it takes three districts to manage it—if they call that management."

Thales frowned as he recalled the events of the Sixth House.

“The Emerald City is wealthy, with many businesses, diverse industries, and plenty of work. As long as you have hands and feet and are willing to work, you won’t starve. As long as there is hope, there won’t be many people willing to take risks,” Thales sighed. “Even the Brotherhood and the Blood Bottle Gang have to be careful under such an order.”

"Therefore, trying to target the lower classes in the city seems to be an unfeasible strategy."

After he finished speaking, Thales remained silent for a long time.

Jann remained silent, as if at that moment, the two were tacitly savoring the same thing.

"This is all the information I know about Emerald City."

Thales sighed deeply:
"In short: I didn't find any weaknesses in Kevin Deer at all."

Jan looked at him, his eyes shifting several times.

“I really admire you, Jenn, truly.”

The prince's gaze was deep and unfathomable:

"As far as I can see, from military to finance, from politics to institutions, from commerce to public opinion, from ruling relations to the grassroots society, this city, this territory, is seamless, interconnected, watertight, and impeccable."

"As long as you remain on this land, anyone who dares to touch you, to challenge Kevin Deer's rule, is challenging the city's rules, its order, its interests, and its very foundation. They will inevitably face a united counterattack from the entire South Bank Territory, from top to bottom and from the inside out."

Thales walked to the watchtower and knocked on the stone railing of Kongming Palace:

"It is not as thrilling as the North, not as rough and gritty as the West Wilderness, and not as authoritative and imposing as Everstar City, but it is a real fortress, as solid as a rock."

The prince gazed at the town before him and couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion:

"The Emerald City is known as the City of Queens, but some also call it the 'Queen of the City'."

He turned to Jenn, his gaze pointed:
"You know, the outcome of a game of chess is determined by the life or death of the king, but in reality, the queen is the strongest piece."

Jann remained silent for a long time.

"Aren't you overestimating us? You know, we don't even have city walls."

Thales smiled.

He patted the railing, only to feel a sharp pain in his palm.

“That’s right, it doesn’t have city walls—the expansion couldn’t keep up with the influx of residents, but…”

Thales recalled a scene from the past and sighed:
"A mediocre monarch builds his city walls with earth and stone, making them difficult for enemies to invade and difficult for his castle to fall..."

But before he could finish speaking, Jenn interrupted him:

“A wise ruler uses the hearts of the people as his walls, and is always victorious and prosperous.”

The Duke of the South Bank read the sentence aloud, slightly lost in thought.

Thales was taken aback:
"How did you know?"

Jenn looked at him:
"Of course, the Supreme Principles of the Honorary Earl of El Ruhsan."

"He was a military strategist a hundred years ago, a Turo who was so weak that he could not even kill a chicken, yet he became the royal military advisor to the wise King Mindis III and the de facto supreme commander of the Star Army. He was the so-called 'Swordless Marshal' who could not even lift a sword. Since you quoted his words, you should know this, right?"

what?
The Supreme Treatise?
What about Luch?
What the hell?

“Oh, Ru, Ruhsan, um, that’s right,” Thales said, trying to appear calm despite his bewildered expression. “I’m talking about him.”

But Jann seemed to see through him, for the Duke chuckled softly.

"Ruhsan was the commander of the 'Glorious Battle' in the Fourth Continental War. He overturned many established combat ideas and combined naval warfare with land warfare, city defense with field warfare, and coastal warfare with plains warfare to formulate strategies. Although he did not achieve the glorious victory of the Battle of Borasco with the 'Far Sail' that stained the sea red, he still made the Morning Wind Fleet of the Hampur and the Ligurban fleet return empty-handed, and made the so-called 'million strong army' of the Eastern Continent fail to land and could only retreat in disgrace."

"It was also from him that military advisors became a permanent key position at the Royal Council, and the Royal Knights Academy also incorporated strategic planning into its curriculum."

Jenn abruptly changed the subject, his smile vanishing:

"But in his later years, after Rukhsan retired and lived in Emerald City, his military thinking became conservative and outdated. He was constantly criticized and ridiculed, with people saying that he was old and lacked ambition, and that he was frightened by his illness and nightmares, and that his former glory was gone."

"The Supreme Strategy is his unfinished posthumous work. Compared with his other works on strategy and military tactics, this book is not about how to fight, but about how to avoid war—and these days, not many people are willing to read it."

A large chorus rang out in the banquet hall, as if the competition had reached its climax.

“Uh, yes, that’s right,” Thales coughed. “That’s exactly it. Uh, it fits the current situation in Emerald City perfectly. You don’t launch any military campaigns, you don’t take any risks, you don’t do anything big, yet you leave all the jackals and tigers who want to gnaw on this bone with nowhere to start.”

Hmm, is it a bit disrespectful to describe the king like that?

Jann remained silent, his face ashen.

It felt like an eternity had passed.

"not me."

Jenn finally spoke.

"What? What doesn't refer to you?" Thales asked, puzzled.

“I mean, not just me, not even just my father.”

The young duke came to Thales' side and together they gazed at the myriad lights below the Palace of the Sky:
"What you see today is the Queen's City, which began with the golden age of stars a hundred years ago, when the wise rulers started it. It started with Duke Federico, who was ridiculed by everyone for being clumsy and for parroting others. It was built through six generations of Kevin Deer, seven dukes of the South Bank, and countless virtuous people working together. It was after they held fast to their corner but had a long-term vision, biding their time and subtly influencing others for a century that the Queen's City was built."

a hundred years.

Six generations.

Seven dukes.

Thales' expression changed slightly.

He understood something.

Federico the Parrot, Rukhsan the Swordless Marshal.

original……

The wise ruler, Mindis III.

He was not the only great man in that turbulent era.

“Your heart is troubled,” Jann said, raising his arm toward the entire Emerald City, “while this palace is empty and bright.”

Jann glanced coldly at Thales:
"Compared to your glorious and ancient Starry Sky Royal Family, compared to Eternal Star City since the time of the Wise King, compared to the ailing Restoration Palace..."

"How is it?"

It's almost the end of the month, and I've already worked this hard. What excuse do you have not to work hard?

(End of this chapter)