Count Dooku stood on the stage with a humble smile. However, in Tang Xiao's opinion, the smile on his face at this moment was more like mockery.
That's right, from the beginning, the freedom and equality proposed by the Confederation of Independent Systems was just a game. Freedom and equality never existed from the beginning.
At this time, more than 300 planets, including Onderon, are still going to the Confederation Congress to demand so-called freedom and equality? This is simply ridiculous!
Count Dooku raised his hand and pressed it, signaling everyone around him to be quiet.
The prestige he has accumulated in the Confederation of Independent Systems over the past ten years is still unparalleled. The noisy venue immediately became quiet, and then he slowly asked: "So, what are your plans for the peace proposal?"
What? Councilor Mina Bonteri?”
Mina Bontry's expression softened slightly and she began to sort out the documents in front of her.
Tang Xiao just watched all this with interest, because in a meeting half a year ago, Mina Bontry was still longing for the victory of the war, and was even worried about Tang Xiao's remarks that the war was about to fail.
anger.
However, half a year later, she had already stood directly in the Confederacy Congress and publicly announced her war policy against the Confederation of Independent Systems.
It can only be said that what happened in the past six months has exceeded the limit of what she can bear.
Despite the fact that the Confederacy of Independent Systems was winning steadily during this period, it actually laid countless hidden dangers. Regardless of the massive campaign launched by General Grievous, it struck from the east to the south of the Milky Way, covering hundreds of
The festival offensive in a galaxy, or the subsequent plan to march into the Central Ring in five groups. Behind this huge victory, there are the wails of countless planets.
A huge battle is naturally accompanied by a huge consumption of materials and battleship losses, and the war costs incurred are basically astronomical.
Naturally, the corporate giants at the core of the war cannot bear this terrible cost alone. They will undoubtedly pass these costs on to other participating planets of the Confederation of Independent Systems.
According to the statistics obtained by Tang Xiao, in the past six months, the average growth rate of war taxes on the planets affiliated to the Confederation of Independent Systems has reached 31%, which is equivalent to a reduction of almost half of the income of these planets. They were already at the subsistence level.
The impoverished planets wandering around on the planet have even begun to starve to death! This is completely unbelievable for a civilization that is already in the interstellar age!
At the same time, Tang Xiao also understood that the political situation on the planet Onderon has begun to undergo earth-shaking changes. Now that Mina Bontry has expressed such a stance, it basically means that the planet Onderon is likely to change.
There is nothing we can do about this. With taxes increasing so fast, the current ruling party will naturally be unable to suppress the turbulent public opinion. It is inevitable that other parties will start to rise.
Of course, Tang Xiao had already prepared for this, and it was impossible for him to let any accidents happen to the planet Onderon, a very important production site for Behemoth-class battlecruisers.
Here, Mina Bontry has already started to speak, "I suggest that the Confederation of Independent Systems can send a special envoy to the Galactic Republic to first seek a one-week temporary ceasefire between the two parties, and then negotiate a peace agreement."
Count Dooku continued to ask sarcastically: "Oh? So, what does the peace agreement include?"
"Looking at the current political and war situation between our Confederation of Independent Systems and the Galactic Republic, we need to first draw a temporary ceasefire line and temporarily determine the control areas of both parties, and then seek to form a coalition government to jointly solve the problems of both parties."
Mina Bontry said.
Tang Xiao sat in his seat at this time and asked calmly: "In other words... Representative Bontelli, you hope to negotiate with the capitalists of the Republic who have exploited us and oppressed us, and then hope that they will spare our lives."
What?"
There were several traps in his words. If Bontrie directly rebutted and said that we are also being oppressed and exploited now, then every word she said next would be nonsense in the Confederate Parliament.
Sure enough, Mina Bontry was about to retort, but then her face changed, and her words suddenly changed, "Your Excellency, Governor Tang, what do you think of this war? Do you think we will continue to do this?
If we continue to fight, will we still see the outcome of this war?"
She was reminding Tang Xiao not to forget the conversation half a year ago. She seemed to think that Tang Xiao would support her in this matter.
"War is just an extreme political method... To put it bluntly, there is essentially no difference between war and negotiation." Tang Xiao said, "Now this extreme method has not produced any results, and both sides are optimistic about the prospect of war.
When there is hope, do you think relatively mild means can achieve the goal?"
“That’s totally okay!”
"Why?"
"Because of the people!" Mina Bontri said firmly.
"Then what if the Galactic Republic requires us to dissolve the government, re-merge it into the Republic, and accept their rule?" Tang Xiao asked again.
"This is a matter on the negotiating table, and if the Republic insists on this, then we will fight to the end!" Mina Bontry said.
"Then, I wish you success." Tang Xiao smiled coldly and stopped talking.
A look of disappointment flashed in Mina Bontelli's eyes. It seemed that she really hoped that Tang Xiao could be by her side. Because she recalled that half a year ago, Tang Xiao also told her that the war might fail. She originally
She thought that Tang Xiao's opinions were consistent with hers at this moment.
Count Dooku looked at the atmosphere in the parliament, exchanged glances with some core figures including Tang Xiao, and then said loudly: "Then, according to the parliamentary procedures, we will investigate Mina Bonter one day later.
Let’s vote on this motion proposed here! Adjourn the meeting!”
After the Council temporarily adjourned, Count Dooku secretly summoned the core members of the Confederacy of Independent Systems for a talk alone.
"What do you think of the peace initiative proposed by more than 300 planets today, including Onderon?" Count Dooku said straight to the point.
Parcel Argent, chairman of the Business Alliance, shook his head and said: "This war has indeed caused us to suffer heavy losses, and it seems that the outcome of the war is still far away."
Indeed, since the war began, the corporate giants that have suffered the heaviest losses are undoubtedly the Corporate Alliance. Most of the battles they participated in have failed, especially the battle of Christophersis, which invested a huge amount of money, and almost even lost their pants.
Although the battle was won in the end, it was a matter of the Fourth Group. Up to now, 80% of the income on the planet Christophsis is controlled by the Fourth Group. The Enterprise Alliance lost everything and could only drink in the end.
Mouth soup.
After that, the assault on the planet Kamino also failed miserably, and the Enterprise Alliance suffered losses one after another, so now when it comes to peace negotiations, the Enterprise Alliance is the most tempting.
"If we withdraw from the war now, we will really lose all our money." Thorn Hill, co-chairman of the Interstellar Banking Association, said slowly, "Just think about it and you will know that this war is fought with us as the main force. The Galactic Republic
Will they treat us as before? No, this is impossible. Our only way now is to overthrow the Galactic Republic."
Walter Tambor, the chief foreman of the Technology Alliance, twisted the knob on the chest of his mechanical armor, adjusted the tone of his words, and then said: "But overthrowing the Galactic Republic is impossible."
The Technology Alliance also suffered a heavy loss in the Battle of Ryloth, and their life was not easy either.
"Judging from the political situation within the Galactic Republic, this war has begun to cause rifts within the Republic. I believe that it won't be long before the political situation of the Galactic Republic will undergo earth-shaking changes. At that time, it will be our opportunity. And what we have to do now
What we do is to keep applying pressure to accelerate the process." said Miraj Sintel, Queen of Zygeria Planet.
Her political vision is relatively outstanding.
Count Dooku glanced at Tang Xiao and asked, "So, what's the opinion of Dawn Planet?"
Tang Xiao smiled and said meaningfully: "I know that everyone here has their own arrangements for the end of the war, but actually what I want to remind everyone is... there is no retreat in this war. For
This is true for each of us.”
"You'd better speak more directly! I don't have time to guess charades here!" The relationship between Shu Mai and Tang Xiao, the president of the Commercial Guild, has never been very good, but this is mainly because Tang Xiao has always stayed away from her.
reason.
Nothing else, just a disdain for him.
Because if many of the leaders of these corporate giants in the Confederation of Independent Systems are politically short-sighted idiots because of their once superior living environment, then Shu-Mai is not only stupid, she is also bad.
Not only is it bad, but it’s also a trap.
"Want to hear something more straightforward?" Tang Xiao glanced at the others and said, "That's great. I will tell everyone that if the war ends with our failure, then all of your businesses and properties will be divided up by the Galactic Republic.
, become their spoils. Why? Because in the new order of the future, there will be no room for so many people sharing the cake, and only a few will be able to support themselves."
Count Dooku smiled slightly and said, "Oh, have you started your scaremongering again, Governor Tang Xiao?"
"What I said naturally includes you, Count Dooku. What do you think will happen to you after the war is defeated? Bear the responsibility for the war, spend a few days in jail, wait until a new order is established, and then come out again and accept what you deserve.
Everything?" Tang Xiao said, "Lord Death Angel has something he wants me to bring to you..."
"Please tell me." Count Dooku's face darkened.
"He said: Do you think you will be the master of the Chosen One? No, you are not worthy. The master of the Chosen One is Darth Sidious," Tang Xiao said.
Dooku's expression changed again.
At this time, Trade Federation Governor Newt Gunray added in a timely manner, "Count Dooku, I hope you can tell us clearly, where does Lord Sidious want this war to go? At the beginning of the war,
, you once promised that Lord Sidious would create more conditions for us to defeat the Galactic Republic, but now the war has broken out for a year, and the losses we have paid can be calculated in astronomical figures, but Sidious
Where is Mr. Si’s cooperation?”
"That's right! Although we seem to be winning on the surface, in fact we know that in the past three months, Kuat Power Shipyard has built a total of 240 Jaeger-class battlecruisers, and at the same time, the Independent System
There are less than 100 warships of the same level built by the Confederacy. If this continues, it is impossible for us to win the war." Thumbak-Tula, a member of the planet Semires, also began to support.
At this time, Parcel Argent, the chairman of the Business Alliance who was already losing, was also provoked. He slammed the table and said loudly: "Where is our guarantee! If this war fails, then our investment
Where should I take it back from? Governor Tang Xiao’s words may not be alarmist!
"
Count Dooku looked around and frowned. He suddenly felt that Tang Xiao seemed to be using this incident to force his way into the palace.
Why are there so many people speaking on Tang Xiao's side?
Count Dooku's face began to become more and more gloomy. Forget about the Interstellar Banking Association, now the Trade Federation also showed signs of siding with Tang Xiao and united to question Sidious.
But it would be fine if he knew about this matter, but the words of the Immortal Angel brought by Tang Xiao just now made him also have a little doubt about Darth Sidious's purpose.
Others may not understand that sentence, but he himself understands who is the master of the Chosen Son. The meaning contained in it is so different that it even... includes life and death!
He breathed out a heavy breath, stared at Tang Xiao and said: "If the Lord of the Dead Angels still has some advice, then please come to the planet Lasax in person, and I will meet with him in person."
"Unfortunately, the words given to me by Lord Angel of Death did not include these contents, so I don't know how to answer." Tang Xiao said coldly, "The problem now is that the planet Onderon has brought our real
The hidden dangers are before us - how should we deal with these more than 300 planets, and...how should this war end?"
"I originally thought we had reached a consensus, Your Majesty the Governor." Count Dooku's voice also turned cold.
"Assassinate Mina Bontelli and then launch a terrorist attack on Coruscant?" Tang Xiao bluntly stated Count Dooku's plan, "In this way, the war will have to continue."
"How did you know...Humph, the Angel of Death told you, didn't he?" Count Dooku seemed to be on the verge of anger.
"This is absolutely not possible!" Parcel Argent was the first to jump up.
Tang Xiao was very satisfied with his reaction. It should be said that in this operation to force the palace, Parcel Argent was just cannon fodder.
"Tell me, Darth Sidious, who among the top leaders of the Galactic Republic is he?" Tang Xiao finally revealed his purpose, and it was clear to see!
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[Easter Egg Chapter Attached Picture 1: Representative Mina Bontry making an impassioned speech in the Confederation Congress.]