Kingdom’s Bloodline

Thelma frowned, and the look of impatience reappeared on her face: "You must have a good reason to come back to this topic again?"

Thales coughed unnaturally: "Selma..."

But before he could finish his sentence, Ian chuckled lightly. "Music \u003e Text" novel

"No offense, don't take you too seriously, ma'am," the successor of Qiyuan City raised a finger and shook his head slightly: "You know, not everyone is crying and rushing, fighting to the death I want to marry you."

Thelma's expression changed.

Ian turned his head abruptly and looked at Thales with a mysterious expression: "Really?"

Thales became embarrassed, and he coughed unnaturally again: "Selma, what he meant..."

"I know what he's talking about," Selma looked at Ian coldly, then turned to Thales, with a slight twist on her fair face: "He's right, isn't he? Obviously, I can't Let people who don’t like me become inexplicably fascinated by me—I’m not the protagonist in a legendary story.”

God.

Thales lowered his head stiffly.

Like discovering a new world, he suddenly found that the food on the table was delicious.

Ian pursed his lips, looked at her, then at him, and smiled slightly: "We are not the protagonists of legends."

"Unless we write the legend ourselves."

Thales retracted the half-stretched hand that was going to get the food, while Thelma exhaled, suppressed the unhappiness in her heart, and looked at the rude visitor.

The Grand Duchess raised her eyebrows: "And that is?"

But Ian just smiled with ulterior motives, and his face became serious.

"Ma'am, Your Highness, we are facing the same problem now," Ian said when he got serious. His facial features are slightly different from those of the traditional Northlanders, and people can't help but notice: "A few months ago, we respected His Majesty the King, Charmain Rumba, has promulgated a new entrustment of nobility in Black Sand Territory."

Selma and Thales finally let go of their embarrassment and listened carefully.

The dining room seemed to be transformed into a war room at this moment.

Ian knocked on the table following Taylor's example: "Do you know what this means?"

He tilted his head,

Serious expression.

The Grand Duchess frowned slightly, then nodded, and her displeasure could not be concealed in her tone: "Yes, I heard that everyone said that he was imitating the harsh laws of the empire era, excluding dissidents, such as specifying that a commoner The standard of becoming a noble..."

King's decree.

Noble standards.

The prince suddenly remembered some knowledge that should not appear in this world, and remembered the discussions with Heather these days, as well as Puttilai's overt and secret suggestions.

Thales sighed, shook his head, and interrupted Selma: "No, Selma, it doesn't matter how the laws and regulations are just appearances, whether they are strict or not, what really matters is the flow of power behind it."

Selma looked suspicious.

"King Charman, he passed down the traditional aristocratic rules that have been handed down since before the Covenant of Governance, whether obscure or not, written or unwritten, customary or unaccustomed, compromised or uncompromised, Secrets and non-secrets are all written in law and carved into inscriptions, and placed in front of your own city gate."

The prince thought of the words of Rumba on the carriage, and the courage and will of the terrible King Charman holding the chess piece named Exeter, and the courage and will to play against the sage star more than a hundred years ago. He couldn't help but feel emotional: "He tried to superimpose the authority of the king on top of the autonomy of the nobility, and took the interpretation and implementation of the Covenant of Governance into his own hands. He violated those who have a long history, even at the beginning of the founding, supported The Lombard family ruled the old nobles and old vassals of the Black Sand Territory—if the decree takes effect from now on, it means that Charman’s will will override traditional practices and rules, and the life and power of the vassals will no longer be their own. It is no longer even shared between myself and the king, but only the king's."

Thelma didn't speak.

"In other words," Ian shook his head with a sneer, with the corners of his mouth upturned: "he made a big mess."

"Let him face the most difficult situation since his coronation."

He looked at Thales: "There is always a price to pay for change. He wants to challenge the natural rights of the vassals, but he is also shaking his natural rights and eroding the cornerstone of his rule."

"The old aristocratic vassals in the Black Sand Territory objected in unison: Earl Mende made a public announcement, refusing his lord fiercely, and the Devinson family stated that if the king did not withdraw the decree for a day, the tax resistance of all the vassals in their county would be destroyed. It was extended indefinitely, and Earl Peruno went to Black Sand City to confront the king in person with a high profile. The Ika family even recalled the nine hundred soldiers who were stationed on the border to guard the Broken Dragon Fortress according to their duty on duty—the entire Black Sand Territory changed overnight. Became the enemy of King Charman," the heir of Qiyuan City smiled slightly: "This is his miscalculation."

Living in the Palace of Heroes for a long time, although the second prince has heard that Luba has encountered a lot of troubles, this is the first time Thales has heard the specific difficulties Luba is facing.

It sounds bad.

He thought of the king with complex eyes on the carriage again, and his words with emotion:

[All the laws and regulations I tried to implement were full of difficulties, even in the Black Sand Territory, there was no small resistance... My vassals are full of grievances, ready to move...]

Thales' heart moved, and he was about to speak, but was preempted by the Grand Duchess.

"It's so strange," Thelma frowned, "Charles told me: the vassals have their own interests and calculations, and it's not easy to show their blades to the lord, and it's difficult to get together. We are facing Rumba, and he is still the King of Kings—if there is no foreign aid and hole cards, the opponents in Heisha may not be so confident, organized, and have a tacit understanding."

Facing the question from the Grand Duchess, Ian put on a rather meaningful expression.

There was a few seconds of silence in the dining room.

"Wait, it's you?" Soon, the Grand Duchess moved a little, and suddenly said: "It's you—the Grand Dukes, who supported their actions against the king behind their backs, and even made a promise?"

Taylor's eyes moved.

Perhaps, as the Grand Duchess of Dragon Clouds City, she has not made no progress in the past six years.

It's just that my past self never noticed.

Ian bowed slightly on the seat, showing a perfect etiquette-this is really rare among people in the Northland.

"How could we miss this opportunity?"

Ian straightened up, looked at the frowning Selma, and chuckled softly: "Not only us, but Shoucheng and Elk City also help."

Your Excellency the Viscount nodded complacently: "Except for the fact that the Duke of Fengzhao City has not been on the throne for a long time, and the Huster family in the Sentinel has remained neutral as always, the Duke of Glacier Sea has also expressed his willingness to join, and it will not be long before they are both in the south. Welland and the Tower of Reconstruction, and their reply will come."

"This is a collective conspiracy. The unique king in the Black Sand Territory is our goal."

Seeing Thelma's motionless expression, Thales knew that she was thinking of that day six years ago.

That black ring.

The bloody crown.

The howling girl.

Inexplicable emotion filled Thales' heart.

In the dining room, Ian looked like a hunter with a bow and arrow in hand, showing a determined smile: "The arrow is out of the string, and the knife is out of its sheath."

"Lumba's bargaining chip is disappearing, his vassals are dissatisfied, his people are suspicious, his tax revenue is decreasing, and his army is loosening... In the famous Lombard family in the north, the 'rebel king' Queso and the nine The prestige legacy left by one of the knights, 'Boiling Blood' Holt, to their descendants is being consumed day by day."

Prince Xingchen thought carefully about Luba's character and means, suppressed his subconscious disapproval, and listened to Ian's words silently.

"It won't be long, maybe half a year, or even a few months, the king's rule will be shaken, the natural authority of the Iron Fist family will dissipate, and his decrees will no longer be able to leave the castle - he will become a lonely and powerless man. King, stay in your own castle until the next election."

Ian took a deep breath and suddenly changed the topic.

"However, when everything was going according to plan and only one step away from success," he said with regret, "at this time, some small accidents happened."

Thelma lowered her head and thought: "You mean, the Liberty League broke out in crisis and tried to get rid of the Exter matter?"

Ian gave an approving smile.

"And in this accident, Qiyuan City happened to bear the brunt," the Grand Duchess said slowly, "Is this really an accident?"

"It's understandable—climbing to the summit is about to happen, there must be ups and downs," Ian exhaled, and nodded: "Beasts are still fighting, even a dying hybrid orc has the power to fight back, not to mention a usurper who killed his brother and the king. By?"

Hearing Ian's words, Thales couldn't help frowning.

In the past few minutes, Thales did not interrupt. He silently watched the conversation between Thelma and Ian, but suddenly felt an inexplicable strangeness.

The little cunning who hid behind her back then wiping tears, Selma who has been sitting on the throne of Grand Duke with trepidation all these years...

When did it become an existence that can play against opponents at the negotiating table and conspire with allies?

Feeling, relief, loss, sadness, complex thoughts composed of countless emotions came to my heart.

Why hadn't he found out in the past six years? Why now, when he is about to...

But Thales clenched his fists immediately.

No.

This is not enough.

her opponent...

her allies...

This is not enough.

"Because of the grand dukes headed by Qiyuan City and their external support and guarantee, the old nobles in Heisha Territory can resist the king without hesitation," Ian sighed: "But we can't The Liberty League is turning a blind eye—to be honest, the situation in the League is irreparable from the information I have received recently, and a peaceful solution is impossible.”

"But if the army of Qiyuan City is busy going out, the hands of the Ronnie family will be tied to a stake called 'Freedom Alliance'..."

He spread his hands and shrugged.

"For the opponents of the king, the promise of Qiyuan City will not be so reliable," Thales recovered from his own thinking, and silently took the conversation: "At the same time, the king will be able to more easily To crush the helpless opponents, survive the crisis, and even further consolidate his authority and reshape his black sand territory."

Snapped!

Ian clapped his palms lightly.

"If Rumba survives this turmoil... Believe me, it will be more than a simple hunting failure for us," Ian put on the most sincere expression, making the previous slight and deliberate Swept away, and said slowly: "That's what we don't want to see."

As for what exactly "we don't want to see", he didn't say it.

Selma paused for a moment, then asked in confusion, "So, why is Dragon Clouds City's position in this storm so important?"

"That's right," Ian looked at the Grand Duchess with certainty in his eyes: "Dragon Clouds City is the closest to us among the nine territories, and it is also the only one with surplus troops, financial resources, and an irrefutable name that can send troops to join us Expedition to the Grand Duke's forces of the Freedom Alliance."

"Closest? The only one?"

"I can understand the map," the Grand Duchess showed a disapproving expression: "Do you regard the Grand Duke Lecco, who is guarding the city, as a dead person?"

"Hmph, that old bald man who is wise and safe?" Ian sneered, "He's not that different from a dead man."

Thelma raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Selma," Thales organized his thoughts, and said, "Qiyuan City and Black Sand Territory, Grand Duke Ronnie and King Charman are in a balance called 'Freedom Alliance Crisis' or 'King's Decree Crisis' end."

"You are the supreme lord of Dragon Clouds City, your decisions, your army, and your vassals will be the biggest bargaining chips in this chess game."

The prince looked at Ian cautiously, and said: "Dragon Clouds City promised to send troops to the west to help the Ronnie family conquer the Freedom Alliance, then the chances of Ian and the others to overthrow the king will be greatly increased; if you stand by and stand still, then Charman The pressure on the king will be greatly reduced."

Thelma thought quietly.

"However," Thales took a deep breath: "Once you send troops, your vassals..."

Thelma raised her head, the coldness in her eyes made both of them startled.

"My marriage." The Grand Duchess said flatly, "I understand."

Ian and Thales looked at each other and nodded.

"Rumba must have done something, so your vassals will show their covetousness for power and disrespect to the Grand Duchess at this moment."

"Once you decide to send troops, they will use this as a threat to force you to marry," Thales' face became more and more serious, "and you are forced by the family's honor, and you are in a dilemma-if you want to send troops, you must agree They asked to marry, but after marrying, Longxiao City will fall into a vortex of power imbalance, and who knows what kind of troubles will be waiting for you."

"The drama of the lord and the vassals threatening each other," Ian snorted coldly: "To be honest, this is nothing new in Qiyuan City."

"At the same time, King Charman will use various means to eliminate and solve his opponents in his own territory," Thales sighed: "One by one, day after day, until no one is there." How dare you oppose him, against the king's decree."

"That's what Rumba thinks."

"It's also the reason for my coming here." The heir of Qiyuan City sat up straight and waited solemnly: "Ma'am, whether it's going out for Longxiao City, restoring the reputation of the Dragon Spear Family, or extending a helping hand to Qiyuan City To thwart the king's treasonous act, it is a war you have to fight, based on emotion and reason."

Ian's eyes were shining brightly, making it hard to believe that he was the maverick and frowning grand duke a few hours ago.

"We are on the same side in this chess game, facing the same opponent."

Thelma was silent, but the seriousness in her eyes was unprecedented.

She cast a glance at Thales, and the second prince returned an encouraging look.

"But we have also seen that Lumbard used your vassals to stumble Dragon Clouds City—the envoys from the Heisha collar did not come to Dragon Clouds City just because they were bored," Ian said earnestly: "Jiqi After Yuancheng, the hands of the Dragon Spear family were also tied."

"So, Qiyuan City is not just here to ask for help - it is unrealistic to ask for help from a person whose hands are bound."

"So," Thelma took a deep breath, "You mean..."

Ian nodded emphatically.

"We are here to help——if Qiyuan City and Longxiao City are two people whose hands are bound at the same time, then what we will do next," he gestured with a knife in his hand: "I will help you untie the shackles first." , and then you help me cut the rope."

The Viscount of Fengcheng and the two looked at each other: "Then stand up together and beat the person who tied us up."