Fangzhou Xier, starting with failing the art exam

“There’s no such thing as control,” he finally said. “A plan is just a plan; there will always be unexpected events, but I have to do it.”

"Why?!" Serafina stepped forward, placing her hands on the table, her body trembling slightly with excitement.

"Can't we take a more prudent approach? We can develop slowly, accumulate strength, and proceed step by step..."

"And then?" Lacey interrupted her.

"Follow their advice, dissolve the Workers' Party, and transform yourself into the Deputy Tax Commissioner of the Emperor? Become their pet dog, baring your teeth at our own compatriots?"

"I did not mean that!"

"Then what do you mean?" Lacey stood up, looking at her intently.

"Serafina, tell me, is there any better way?"

"There is only one chance, and Lenia's arrival is that chance."

“The fire has already been lit. If it can’t be made to burn brighter and spread out of this slum, it will soon be extinguished by a pee, leaving not a trace of smoke.”

He walked around the table to her, his tone softening.

“I know what you’re worried about, Serafina, and I appreciate your concern, but change always requires sacrifice.”

"This has always been the case throughout history."

“Even if I, Laixi, don’t step up today, Laidong, Lainan, and Laibei will step up tomorrow.”

"If sacrifice is necessary, then why can't it be me?"

Serafina was completely speechless.

She could clearly "see" that when he said those words, there was not a trace of hypocrisy or wavering in his heart.

It was a belief so pure it was breathtaking.

He was truly prepared to throw his life into the raging fire, like fuel for the flames.

Logically, she couldn't refute it.

Having witnessed too many tragedies in Ursus and Letania, she knew better than anyone that this seemingly crazy act might truly be the only hope to break the deadlock.

But emotionally, a strange and unsettling feeling gripped her heart like vines.

why?

Why is this happening?

She should have been happy for the people of Letania, because they finally had a leader who was willing to give everything for them.

But all she could think about now was, "He might die."

She didn't want anything to happen to him.

This thought was so strong that it even overshadowed her expectations for this great undertaking.

She didn't know what was wrong with her.

She just stared blankly at the man in front of her, at his calm and resolute face, at the faint candlelight reflected in his eyes, and felt her world tilting uncontrollably.

"rest early."

Lacey seemed to notice her absent-mindedness. He reached out to pat her shoulder, but paused in mid-air and eventually withdrew his hand.

Tomorrow will be a busy day.

After saying that, he turned around and walked back to the table, turning his gaze back to the map.

Serafina stood there for a long time. In the end, she said nothing, but silently turned around and walked out of the office.

The moment the door closed, a cold wind rushed in from outside the warehouse, causing the candlelight to flicker violently, threatening to go out at any moment.

……

……

Three days later, at dawn.

A series of heavy, orderly footsteps shattered the tranquility of the slum.

The doors and windows of the shacks along the street were instantly shut.

Dozens of fully armed city guards surrounded the Workers' Party headquarters.

"Everyone, lay down your weapons! Anyone who disobeys will be killed without mercy!" the leader shouted towards the warehouse door.

At the warehouse entrance, Taylor the blacksmith was leading over a hundred members of the action team, standing ready for action.

They gripped sickles and axes tightly, facing a well-equipped regular army. Tension was written all over their faces, but at the same time, anger was burning fiercely in their hearts.

Why!

Why should their leader be arrested?!

Just as conflict was about to erupt, the warehouse door opened from the inside, and Lacey walked out alone.

He was still wearing his clean, coarse cloth clothes, his face expressionless, as calm as if he were just going out for a walk.

He walked through the defensive line formed by his own men and stood right in front of the captain of the guard.

"I am Lacey."

The captain of the guard looked down at him, pulled a roll of parchment from his robes, and read aloud:

"By order of His Excellency Elector Elak, commoner (II) Yi Wuqi Jiu R Li / (-III) Jun Laisi, has instigated a riot, organized an illegal armed force, and plotted to overthrow the order of Letania, committing the crime of treason!"

"He is hereby arrested and taken to the Salem Tribunal for a public trial at a later date! Anyone who resists will be punished as an accomplice!"

Having said that, he put away the parchment, looked at Lacey with disdain, and said, "You are under arrest for treason."

Treason!

The Workers' Party members present had considered many charges, but none of them expected this one.

This is tantamount to putting their leader to death!

"Boss!" Taylor the blacksmith roared, his eyes bloodshot, and raised his axe. "Let's fight them!"

"Fight!"

"Let's fight these noble lackeys!"

The hundreds of team members were filled with righteous indignation, raising their weapons as if about to charge forward.

"Stop!" Lacey whirled around and shouted sharply.

The men who were about to fight to the death suddenly froze, staring at him in astonishment.

Lacey's gaze swept over everyone, finally landing on Taylor the blacksmith's face. "Taylor, put down the axe."

“But, boss…” Taylor’s eyes were red.

"Put it down!" Lacey's tone left no room for argument. "Trust me, stick to the plan."

He gave Serafina a deep look at the back of the crowd. The girl's face was as pale as paper, but she still nodded vigorously at him.

Lacey turned back and calmly extended her hands to the captain of the guard. "I'll go with you."

Two soldiers stepped forward and slammed a pair of shackles onto his wrists.

As Lacey was led through the crowd, the entire slum fell into a deathly silence.

People watched through cracks in the doors and behind the windows as their leader, the young man who had given them hope and dignity, was now shackled with the chains of a criminal.

Many people's eyes welled up with tears.

Some women couldn't help but cover their faces and cry.

At that very moment, someone in the crowd suddenly began to sing a song in a hoarse voice.

It was a ballad about war heroes that was widely circulated in the military.

At first there was only one sound, then a second, a third...

Soon, the singing became a torrent, echoing through the slums.

"...crossing the hills piled high with corpses,

The hero's medals gleamed in blood.

He drove away the wolves for his country and people.

He returned only to be forgotten by his homeland…

……

……

Holy Leitanian Empire: Chapter Twelve: The Traitor Lacey, Heinous Crimes

As the song played, Lacey was put into a prison van and left the slum.

As soon as the prison van left, the suppressed emotions exploded instantly.

"They've captured Lord Lacey! What do we do?"

Is the Workers' Party finished?

"I knew it! Going against noble lords never ends well!"

Panic, despair, anger, suspicion...

Various negative emotions spread among the people.

The newly established organization faces the danger of falling apart.

"Quiet down, all of you!" A thunderous roar came from Taylor the blacksmith.

He leaped onto a wooden crate, brandishing his axe, his eyes wide open, scanning the chaotic crowd.

"What are you crying for? What are you panicking for? What did Mr. Lacey say before he was arrested? Have you all forgotten?! He said we should trust him!"

His prestige and bravery temporarily quelled the situation, but the confusion in people's eyes did not dissipate.

Just then, Serafina walked up to him.

She looked at the hundreds of fearful faces around her and took a deep breath.

"I know everyone is scared."

"I'm scared too."

"But, as Mr. Lacey often says, fear doesn't solve anything."

"They kidnapped Mr. Lacey because they wanted to see us like this, panicked and disoriented like a swarm of headless flies."

“What should we do, Miss Serafina?” a worker asked, his voice trembling with tears.

"What to do? It's simple, just continue what we're doing!"

"Literacy classes will continue, factories will continue to operate, and patrol teams will continue to maintain order!"

“We must make it clear to those high and mighty figures that the Leitanian Workers’ Party is not just one person’s party, it’s the party of every single one of us! Even without Mr. Leissie, we can function perfectly well!”

A shrill voice suddenly rang out from the crowd: "That sounds nice! The leader has been arrested, so what's the point of talking about the future? I think this is a trap! He wants to be a hero, but he's betrayed us all!"

The speaker was a businessman who had previously appeared somewhat opportunistic.

Serafina's gaze instantly locked onto that person.

She didn't get angry; instead, she smiled, but the smile was somewhat cold, quite different from the warm smile she usually wore.

"A trap? Do you think that if Mr. Lacey really wanted to betray us, he would choose to wear the shackles of treason rather than accept Count Lenia's offer of amnesty and become the prestigious deputy tax collector?"

Upon hearing this, the man was instantly speechless.

“Friends!” Serafina raised her voice, “Mr. Lacey wasn’t captured, he went into the enemy’s stronghold on his own initiative! He’s going there to open up a new battlefield for us! And we are his strongest support in the rear!”

"What we need to do now is not to fight amongst ourselves, but to unite, more united than ever before! Do what we're supposed to do, and then wait for his signal!"

Taylor the blacksmith, listening with fervor, raised his arm and shouted, "Miss Seraphina is right! We'll listen to her! The boss will be fine!"

"Yes! We'll listen to Miss Serafina!"

"Unite!"

The chaotic situation was stabilized thanks to the combined efforts of Serafina and Taylor.

……