Fangzhou Xier, starting with failing the art exam

Food, medicine, and order.

Letania tore away the fig leaf of the old system in the simplest and most direct way.

Inside the council chamber, the atmosphere was completely different.

General Taylor stood in front of the map, while several intelligence and Home Office officials briefed him.

"General, the resistance within the city has been largely eliminated."

"The Saluzzo and Bellone families have declared their submission to the administration and handed over their family member rosters, while other smaller families are still observing."

"No need to wait and see." Taylor said without looking up.

"Tell them that all armed personnel must assemble at the drill ground in the west of the city before sunset, and those who disobey will be considered rebels."

"The young men have arrived," the intelligence officer reported.

Giancarlo, Lavinia Falcone, and others entered the council chamber, led by Letanian soldiers.

“General.” Giancarlo bowed deeply.

Taylor nodded: "You've come at the right time."

"His Majesty has decreed that, effective immediately, the 'Syracus Transitional Administration Committee' shall be established, composed of imperial envoys and outstanding local figures from Syracuse."

“Mr. Giancarlo, Miss Falcone, you will be the first members of the committee.”

Lavinia clenched her fist.

Yesterday she was a traitor to her family; today, she is about to participate in governing the country.

“Your mission is to assist Commissioner Smith in restoring the city to normalcy, calming the public, and preparing to take over the family assets,” Taylor said, turning to one of the accompanying Leitanian civil servants.

Smith is a typical Leitanian bureaucrat, rigid and meticulous.

He unfolded a document: "Miss Falcone, we need your assistance in taking stock of the Falcone family's assets."

“Mr. Giancarlo, the university needs to resume classes, but the textbooks need to be replaced. The Imperial Medical Education Department will provide a new syllabus.”

"What...are we supposed to do?" Giancarlo asked, somewhat bewildered.

“Do what you want to do.” Schmidt pushed up his glasses.

"To build a Syracuse without families, start by cleaning up the garbage."

……

　Madame Sicily sat quietly in her study.

Outside the window, Leitanian soldiers were changing guards.

She maintained the decorum expected of a large family, as if none of this concerned her.

The door opened, and Serafina walked in.

This foreign minister of the empire was elegant and his presence was in no way inferior to that of the former ruler of Syracuse.

"Mrs. Sicily, you've been frightened." Serafina nodded slightly.

Madame Sicily raised her eyelids: "Did His Majesty the Emperor send you to humiliate me?"

“On the contrary, His Majesty sent me to convey his greetings and respect to you.” Serafina sat down opposite her.

"Your Majesty admires your efforts in maintaining stability in Syracuse over the years, although... the methods are questionable."

"The victors can always arbitrarily judge history."

“We have no intention of judging,” Serafina said bluntly.

“The old days of Syracuse are over, madam. You have two choices.”

"First, you will be tried as a war criminal, and your family will be completely wiped out."

"Second, as a symbol of the Emu Qiliu Jiuyinshanba Lushuragu, it will receive the empire's honors."

Madame Sicily remained silent.

"His Majesty has decided to bestow upon you the titles of 'Honorary Citizen of the Empire' and 'Envoy of Culture of Syracuse,' and invites you to relocate to Trinitylme."

This is house arrest.

"Do I have a choice?" Madame Sicily laughed self-deprecatingly.

She knew that if she refused, those families who longed for a place in the new order would be the first to jump out and tear her apart.

For example, Saluzo.

“A wise choice.” Serafina stood up.

"Tomorrow, the Imperial Car will take you on your journey to the Opera House in Trinity. We look forward to your visit."

……

That afternoon, a "Letter to All Citizens of Syracuse" was posted all over the streets and alleys of Montelupe.

"...The dark chapter of family rule has been turned forever. From this day forward, Syracuse abolishes the city-state union system and is incorporated into the Leitanian Empire."

"The Empire will send a governor to implement new laws and taxation."

"All family private property shall be nationalized and redistributed, and all those who have been forced to leave their hometowns due to family feuds shall be permitted to return."

"All those who are oppressed and infected will receive equal civil rights and medical care..."

This declaration is a godsend for both civilians and those infected.

For those family members, however, it was the end of the world.

At the Falcone family estate, the elder Falcone was placed under house arrest in his bedroom.

Lavinia led Smith and a squad of soldiers in.

“You…rebellious daughter!” Old Falcone pointed at his daughter, trembling with rage.

“Father, your era has ended.” Lavinia looked at him calmly.

"According to imperial law, this manor and all the factory land under your name will be confiscated and used to resettle homeless citizens."

"you dare!"

“There’s nothing I wouldn’t dare to do,” Lavinia said, pulling out a list.

"Please sign here to cooperate with the Empire's liquidation. You can retain your retirement funds."

Old Falcone slumped down in despair.

Everything he had painstakingly built up vanished in the face of his daughter's cold words.

The same scene is playing out repeatedly throughout Syracuse.

Bernardo Bellone, however, calmly acknowledged the deaths of six Indians.

He took the initiative to gather the family members and announced the dissolution of the family.

"The new order I sought has arrived, though I did not establish it myself," he told his son Leontuso.

“Go to school in Letania and forget everything here.”

Alberto Saluzo demonstrated his amazing adaptability.

He not only surrendered all his weapons, but also offered his family account books and requested to serve as an advisor in the new government. He even proposed sending his daughter, Lappland, to Trilintelme for further studies.

His pragmatism allowed him to preserve most of his movable property.

……

On the third day, a small Letania transport plane slowly landed outside the city of Montelupe.

The hatch opened, and a woman dressed in black military uniform with a cold and aloof demeanor stepped out.

She wore a military cap and had a long sword at her waist; every step she took carried an imposing aura.

Helemat Hildergard, the Black Sheep, was one of the former twins of Letania.

Taylor, Smith, and members of the Transition Committee were already waiting at the foot of the gangway.

"Welcome, Your Excellency Governor!"

Hildegard glanced around the city, which was in dire need of rebuilding, before finally fixing her gaze on Giancarlo and Lavinia.

"Syracusa".

"Remember, this is now the land of Letania."

“My name is Helemat Hildegard, and my rule is the law.”

The black goat brought an iron fist.

The harsh winter in Syracuse has only just begun.

……

Holy Lytania Empire: Chapter 107: Those who obey live, those who disobey die

The council chamber of the city-states in Montelupe has never been so noisy.

This building, which once symbolized family power, has now become the last refuge and refuge of Syracuse's upper class.

The family leaders, stripped of their weapons, buzzed around like a swarm of headless flies.

They changed out of their usual glamorous clothes that symbolized their status, wearing the simplest clothes possible, with humble smiles on their faces, trying to secure a place for themselves in their new master's system.

"Commissioner Smith, our Saluzzo family is willing to donate eighty percent of our land outside the city, just to serve the Empire!"

Alberto Saluzo was the first to speak out, adopting the most humble stance.

"Our Meredith family's textile mill can immediately produce uniforms for the Imperial army at cost price! No, we'll provide the first batch for free!"

"And we..."

Surrounded by Smith, the civil servant of Letania, his expressionless face betrayed no emotion as he methodically recorded the loyalty of these men.

The imperial officials around him made no attempt to hide the disdain in their eyes.

The carved wooden doors of the council chamber were pushed open silently.

Helena Hildegard walked in.

The moment she appeared, the temperature in the entire hall seemed to drop several degrees, and the noisy discussions came to an abrupt halt.

All eyes were on this legendary former empress.

Herlinmat walked straight to a notice board in the center of the council chamber.

The decrees of Madame de Sicily that once stood there are now empty.

She took a piece of paper and a few thumbtacks from her adjutant and pinned the paper to the bulletin board herself.

After doing all this, she turned around and glanced at the Syracuse celebrities present.

I will only say what I say once.

"The notice on the bulletin board is the first governor's order of Syracuse Province."

"Before sunset, those who obey will live, and those who disobey will die."

After saying that, she turned and left, leaving the family leaders in the hall looking at each other in bewilderment.

The crowd surged forward, crowding in front of the notice board.

The paper contained few words, written in both Letanian and Syracusan:

Governor-General's Order No. 1 on the Dissolution of Illegal Armed Forces in Syracuse

1. Effective immediately, all family-owned private armed forces, including but not limited to guards, thugs, and those tasked with erasing criminal records, are defined as illegal armed organizations and must be disbanded.

2. All members of illegal armed groups must bring their weapons and register at the West City Training Ground before sunset today.

Third, after registration, their destination will be determined based on their individual abilities and background: they may be incorporated into the newly established "Syracusan Security Forces", receive severance pay and be transferred to civilian work, or be sent to a labor reform camp.

IV. Those who register on time will not be held accountable for their past offenses.

5. After sunset, any family found to be hiding armed personnel or weapons will be prosecuted for treason, all family property will be confiscated, and direct family members will be exiled to border mines.

The hall was deathly silent, then erupted into a suppressed uproar.