Heroes of Might and Magic: Grand Consul

Chapter 304 Congressional Deliberations
The great victory at the Battle of Sunset allowed the nobles in the capital to breathe a sigh of relief for a while.

When they heard that Isildur's army had entered the heartland and was approaching Sunset Fortress, a great panic arose, and many free people wanted to move away from the capital and seek refuge elsewhere.

Because the capital city is under strict control, unless someone has very powerful connections and influence, they simply cannot leave the city.

This put the Imperial Guard under immense pressure, as the nobles and wealthy merchants who had established themselves in the capital had deeply entrenched connections. A blanket ban would offend far too many people.

Fortunately, the Battle of Sunset did not last long, and humanity ultimately won, which gave those who remained behind some confidence.

"I knew it! Isildur couldn't possibly breach Sunset Fortress. Those guys who abandoned their homes and left the capital are probably regretting it to death."

"Have you heard? All the assets of those who fled during the war will be confiscated and rewarded to the soldiers and free citizens who stayed behind."

"Give it to free citizens? I doubt it. In the end, it will fall into the hands of those great nobles. Just wait and see."

The free men were discussing in the square when a small squad of gunmen entered the shops on the commercial street and seized the assets of the escapees.

"These shops are all sealed off and belong to Congress. No one is allowed to enter!"

Some shops were already closed, clearly because their owners had fled. But most were still in operation, since the fleeing nobles would entrust their assets to other merchants or sell them cheaply to the free people who remained.

But the guards didn't care about any of that; they just confiscated all the land deeds that originally belonged to the escapees.

"Sir, this is something I bought with my own assets, it's no longer Dmitri's property, you can't seal it up!"

"These are all assets of our joint venture! Although Irving has fled, the shares belong to everyone. You can't just close the shop so hastily!"

The gunmen ignored them completely, simply sealing off the shops and stationing guards around them. Anyone who dared to force their way in would be arrested.

This is a supreme order from Congress, and no one can disobey it.

Those influential figures in Congress have likely already made all the necessary arrangements, so there's no need for such an embarrassing situation.

Don't underestimate them just because they are ordinary soldiers. They are all shrewd and capable of earning a living in the capital.

They know perfectly well who they can and cannot offend.

“Commander Carol, there are quite a few shops in this area that have been sealed off. Should we ask the higher-ups for permission? Otherwise, I’m afraid they might cause trouble.”

The spearman commander looked at the crowded street, which was a territory taken over by a group of wandering merchants. They had managed it well, but this time they were affected, probably because someone wanted to take advantage of the situation and include them in the mess.

It's impossible to be completely reliable when it comes to wandering merchants. To confiscate the property of those who have left is indeed going too far for the free citizens who have stayed behind.

But policies are not something a gunner commander like him can change; all he can do is execute them unconditionally.

Seeing the growing number of wandering merchants, Kylo feared something might happen, so he instructed his men to keep watch on the streets while he went to Congress to report to the officials.

Kylo passed through the commoner's district, arrived at the wealthy district, and then went through two city gates and the inspection of the court secretaries before finally arriving outside the solemn Capitol.

He was not qualified to enter the hall and could only report to his superior, Marquis Galen Tek, who was the commander of the city's spearmen.

After waiting for nearly two hours, we finally met the Marquis of Teke.

"My lord, there's some trouble on Danube Street, the wandering merchants..."

Marquis Tek waved his hand: "I don't have time for your trivial matters right now. I need to go in immediately to attend an important meeting to deal with those cunning merchants. Do I need to teach you how to handle them?"

After saying that, he walked into the Capitol, leaving Kylo completely bewildered.

He lingered there for a while before leaving. Now he finally understood that those who wanted to target the wandering merchants also included his direct superior, the Marquis of Tek.

Since that's the case, there's nothing more to say; the merchants can only accept their fate.

……

Tek walked into the Capitol, abandoning his previous decisive style, and nervously sat at the back of the long table, taking out his magic notebook and waiting earnestly for the Capitol's bigwigs to appear.

Before the commander of the spearmen, he, as a marquis, might be able to swagger around, but in this small meeting of thirty people, he was just an ordinary person.

Tucker glanced furtively at the empty head seat, which was where Speaker Quentin sat.

A few days ago, Quentin's grandson, Kieran Quentin, approached him, saying he had his eye on shops in the Danube district and asked him to help him.

Upon hearing this, Tek immediately promised to do his best to complete the mission, treated the other party to a good meal, and presented him with a lot of treasure, hoping that the speaker's grandson could put in a good word for him with the speaker.

The other party said that if he could accomplish this, they would guarantee that Tek would become the next head of the supply warehouse, which was a very lucrative position that Tek had been envious of for a long time.

In fact, Turk was also thinking that, as the Speaker's grandson, Kieran only needed to tell his grandfather his needs, and he would be assured that there were more suitable means to achieve his goals. Forcing him, a commander of troops, to handle the situation would naturally make things more awkward.

Perhaps this is a test from Speaker Quentin? Although he has always been very respectful to the Speaker, he is equally polite to the Chief Wizard, court ministers, and royalty, making it difficult to discern any bias.

Since they've given him this easy task, it's like they're extending an olive branch; it's not his style to not seize it.

Just as Tek was still brainstorming, the hall fell silent.

Several imposing figures entered and took their seats one by one. The other nobles stood up and waited for the important figures to sit down before they sat down again.

Speaker Quentin glanced at the people at the long table and said, "This matter is urgent. Let's hold an advance trial first. If it passes, we'll put it directly to Parliament for deliberation and then submit it to the King for signature."

"Count Kuraki marched south with reinforcements from the Emerald Lands' fortress, resulting in a conflict at the border. Beastmaster Kaido, the bull warrior Ragon, and tens of thousands of fortress troops were all slaughtered."

According to a secret report from Gael at the front, the fortress troops were looting and humiliating the human people. Count Sumu, unable to tolerate it any longer, went to admonish them. However, the enemy not only ignored his advice but also escalated their violence, injuring Sumu's men. The small-scale skirmish escalated into a large-scale battle, ultimately resulting in a tragedy.

"What do you think?"

After Quentin finished speaking, the nobles at the long table erupted into chaos and began to discuss the matter.

Trade Minister Dean was the first to condemn the attack, speaking in extremely harsh terms: "This Sumu is utterly barbaric. The Emerald Lands are allies we invited. How can he attack his own allies? Elton is a land of etiquette. How is this any different from the orcs in the strongholds?"

I suggest that Su Mu be severely punished, stripped of his title, and that Cang Mu be made to compensate the Emerald Kingdom for its losses!

The Minister of Trade is a close confidant of the Speaker, but he also holds another position: a major shareholder in the Trade City. Given the deep conflict between Kuraki and the Trade City, it seems reasonable for this official to step forward and oppose them.

Once a minister stepped forward, the other councilors launched a fierce attack. After all, Su Mu was just a rural nobleman who should be grateful for his current status. Who would have thought he would be so arrogant and domineering, looking down on everyone and demanding rewards just because he had some military achievements?

Even the Knight Commander petitioned for Su Mu's promotion to Marquis and Governor of the Plains, which made many nobles who longed for promotion very envious.

In just a few months, Su Mu was promoted several times. They had all inherited their titles and worked hard for nearly decades to achieve their status. It was simply unreasonable to put everyone on the same level as such a nouveau riche.

The entire hall was immediately filled with insults and slander, as if Su Mu were some heinous villain who should have been judged long ago.

At this moment, Gwen Finaksia, the court minister representing the royal family, spoke up: "Count Kuraki's actions were indeed inappropriate, but the fortress troops were the first to err. Not only did they stand idly by during the Battle of Sunset, but their attitude was also appalling. They slaughtered the human citizens of the border city, and we haven't even bothered the Emerald City yet!"
I think that convicting Su Mu over this matter would discourage the soldiers on the front lines.

Upon hearing this, the parliamentary hall fell silent again, with many people looking puzzled.

Logically speaking, the royal family married the princess to the Nine-Headed Royal Family, and the reinforcements from the Emerald Kingdom only came because of the marriage alliance. Finaxia should be the one most angry, so why would the court ministers try to appease Sumu?
It's not impossible that the royal family has taken a liking to Su Mu's strength and wants to win him over.

The court ministers are essentially the king's representatives in Parliament, and Gwen often initiates any actions the royal family wants to take. Gwen is the king's younger brother, Prince Elton, and a highly authoritative figure within the royal family, capable of rivaling Speaker Quentin.

His words carried weight, instantly changing the stance of many. Nearly half the people then stood up, recounting Su Mu's achievements and feeling he shouldn't be punished. Of course, there would be no further reward. Saving Su Mu was already considered a good outcome.

The two bigwigs publicly expressed their differing political views, almost to the point of being at odds, but the people below were used to it.

Elton's council allows for free expression of opinions; even members sitting in the back row can voice their dissenting views, and whether anyone agrees or supports them is another matter entirely.

Although it was just a small meeting, it's quite normal to have two completely opposite opinions.

The only surprise was that Su Mu was supported by members of the royal family.

At this point, Quentin turned his attention to the Minister of War, Duke Cassius Heinrich, the leader of the Wolf Clan, and a high-ranking figure in the army. He had good friendships with Raven, Cullen, Conrad, the former Duke Salim, the Duke of the Valley of the Stag, and even the Duke of the Highlands.

Some say that he was able to serve as Minister of War entirely because of his connections, and that he had no real military achievements to show for it.

However, he enjoyed the trust of the king and the nobles, especially in the army, where he was able to handle many things.

Cassius, however, seemed oblivious to Quentin's gaze, sitting calmly in his chair as if the meeting had nothing to do with him.

Quentin coughed a few times: "What does the Minister of War think? After all, Sumu is one of the main generals summoned to resist Isildur, and he can be considered your subordinate."

Having no other choice, Kassius finally spoke up: "The Speaker overestimates me. Sumu came from Conradara; I didn't contribute anything."

The Minister of Trade said, "In any case, Sumu is still the lord of Elton and is certainly subject to the kingdom's control. He should be punished by us for what he has done!"

Looking at Dean's bloated figure, Kasius suddenly laughed and said, "To be honest, I find this deliberation quite amusing. Do any of you gentlemen know that Su Mu, with his troops, intercepted the elven dragon knights and wiped out all one hundred of their dragons?"

Afterwards, they marched south and destroyed the fortress legion, which had hundreds of barbarian bulls and tens of thousands of soldiers.

Even if you're the dumbest of us, you're all heroes, so you know what kind of power this is, right?

If you think he'd be convicted, who would enforce the law? I certainly wouldn't!

Upon hearing the Minister of War's question, the hall fell silent; no one dared to say another word.

The details of the previous war were kept secret. They only knew that Su Mu had defeated a powerful enemy, but they thought it was just because he had made great contributions by following the Knight Commander. Now that Kasius had publicly revealed the enemy's achievements, no one dared to say anything more.

The Green Dragon, a Tier 7 unit of the Bastion, is equivalent to the Angel of the Castle. Such a powerful force was actually defeated by Su Mu; who can punish him?

Perhaps only the Knight Commander leading thousands of cavalry could escort Su Mu back to the capital. But Su Mu was a hero personally recommended by the Knight Commander; how could they treat him like this?

What's puzzling is that he's just a rural nobleman, so why is he so capable? Could it be that he discovered some rare treasure or had some special opportunity?

The Minister of War tossed a magical letter onto the table: "I have spoken with the Knight Commander, and his opinion is that Su Mu is young and impetuous, and indeed somewhat impulsive."

But the fortress troops don't treat the kingdom's citizens like human beings; it's good to teach them a lesson. As for the rewards bestowed upon Sumu, they should be fully honored.

Now that Lloyd has broken through the hill defenses, Kuraki has become the kingdom's front line, and the heroes are needed to hold the line even more. This small matter must not discourage the soldiers.

This was Conrad's magical telepathy, though it was phrased more euphemistically, that's the general idea.

It's a very real problem: the war isn't over yet, and we need capable people to defend our country.

If you were to ask who the greatest hero in the kingdom is right now, it would undoubtedly be the Knight Commander who defended Sunset Fortress. Since he's protecting someone, no one can touch him.

After all, offending the Emerald Kingdom is still negotiable, but if you offend the Knight Commander, what will become of the capital? Although the nobles know the Knight Commander's character, no one dares to slack off on matters of life and death.

Besides, if even members of the royal family don't blame Su Mu, then outsiders like them have even less reason to.

Court Minister Gwen Finaxia spoke up: "My niece Sophia has explained the reasons to the Nine-Headed King, and this matter will not damage the alliance between the two countries."

This is interesting. The dead commander was a lizardman and a bull warrior. Logically, they should have been direct descendants of the Nine-Headed King of the Three Sacred Swamps. It would be good enough if the other party didn't fly into a rage, let alone act like nothing happened. How would he explain this to his clans?

No wonder the land of jade is a land of a hundred nations; it seems there's more to it than meets the eye.

Since the Jade Kingdom doesn't blame them, why should they play the villain?

Quentin tapped his wooden mallet: "In that case, let's define this as the fortress troops being misled by the stronghold, and we were forced to rescue our brother troops, which resulted in some friendly fire."

Count Sumu has recognized his mistake, and Elton will provide him with some education and discipline.

The speaker is truly capable; this resolution is acceptable to everyone on the surface.

"Based on his merits in this battle, Su Mu has been promoted to the rank of Marquis. The royal family will send a representative to Pingyuan to bestow the title, and the representative will depart soon. At the same time, ten cartloads of boundary markers will be transported there. In addition to the crossbow carts and catapults, he will also be given a divinely bestowed treasure."

The territory of the plains was expanded further north, and the hilly areas on the east side were also incorporated into Kuraki's domain.

The kingdom has placed its utmost trust in him, instructing him to guard the plains and prevent any enemies from entering.

The North and the Hills are currently embroiled in war and are not under the kingdom's control. Giving them only a title is a generous reward.

Even so, many nobles were dissatisfied.

The trade minister was somewhat angry and turned to leave.

The remaining people dispersed, but they had a deeper impression of Su Mu. They had initially thought he was just a nouveau riche, but now it seemed that with his improved battle record, he had become a highly sought-after figure among the great nobles.

However, everyone was slightly unhappy. They had also contributed greatly to the defense of the capital by recruiting troops and dispatching soldiers.

Now all the credit has fallen into the hands of the Knight Commander's faction, all of whom are generals leading troops in the field. Moreover, the enemy is gradually forming a group, which is not a good sign.

Just as Quentin was about to leave, the Marquis of Teck approached and said he had something to discuss.

The Speaker did not stop, but continued walking out. Just before leaving, he said, "My disobedient grandson must have made unreasonable demands. Marquis Tek doesn't need to pay them any mind. As for the matter of regulating shops and arresting criminals, everything should be done according to the previous bill of the National Assembly. It must be handled impartially, and personal emotions should not affect official business."

"If you do this well, Your Excellency, the King will surely appreciate your work."

Marquis Tek stood there, stunned, and after thinking for a long time, he finally understood what the Speaker meant.

If we follow the congressional bill, won't it still just mean blocking the shops of homeless merchants? The rules are controlled by a few big shots, so any explanation is justifiable.

He openly said not to let Teke pay attention to his grandson, but in reality, he had already explained everything.

The Trade Secretary appears to have developed some tension with the Speaker, and it seems Parliament is about to undergo another reshuffle.

The Marquis of Tek became excited; perhaps this was the ladder to his ascension.

For some inexplicable reason, he thought of Su Mu, the protagonist of this meeting. This guy hadn't even been promoted to marquis yet, but he already had the ability to stir up trouble in the capital.

If he were to be the governor of the plains, he would be a marquis with real power; there are very few nobles like that in the entire Elton.

How old is he? Has such a person ever existed in history?

It's really enviable.

(End of this chapter)