The Hall of Heroes was quiet for a few seconds, everyone was thinking about the meaning of this sentence.
Lumba didn't speak, but he looked at Thales with uncontrollable shock.
cost.
Could it be that this boy...
No, how could he know, how could he understand...
Things that even these princes, who have been immersed in power all their lives, cannot see...
Grand Duke Heisha's hand tightened unconsciously again.
"What on earth are you talking about?" Trudida gritted her teeth, her eyes darting back and forth between Lombard and Lecco: "What change, what price?"
Thales lowered his head and looked at the j dagger lying quietly on the ground after his hand was thrown away.
His eyes drifted into the distance.
An autographed letter from his teacher, Gilbert Castle, suddenly appeared in his mind.
[Exeter's political system... is completely different... King Nunn, in addition to his status as king... is also the Grand Duke of Longxiao City... Exeter's interests are in line with Walton's interests.
It's totally different for him...]
I see.
You are not just talking about King Nun, but also every grand duke family.
The interests of the Kingdom of Exeter are completely different from the interests of the Grand Dukes themselves.
Thank you, Gilbert.
I understand.
Thales' eyes were as bright as a torch, and he scanned the family emblems on the Grand Dukes one by one, and said calmly:
"Lecco of the Silver Chain..."
"Ronnie of the Knight Code..."
"Olesio of Shaguhui..."
"Trudida of the Shining Blade..."
As he called his names one by one, the princes turned their heads and looked solemnly at this foreign prince.
I don't know since when, their habit of looking down on this boy has completely disappeared.
"The reason why you are willing to join forces with Lumba, even to cover up his sins," Thales said softly, "is to decisively solve the unformed threat before the stars become stronger and protect your future."
The prince sighed and immediately became serious: "But please believe me, before Exeter, who is of similar size, and the Kingdom of Stars are completely separated, and the grudges are finally settled..."
The archdukes looked at Thales intently.
Only Lumba was staring at the sword in his hand, his attention seemed to be completely attracted by the sword.
"The family that your Excellencies cherish, the bloodline that you are proud of, the lofty and noble status, the territory that you have painstakingly guarded, the stable and long-standing rule..." There was a wave of emotion in Thales's eyes, which then turned into a firm flame.
.
Just listen to what he said without a doubt: "Everything you are enjoying and taking for granted will be completely annihilated and will no longer exist."
At that moment, all the princes' breathing stopped and their eyes widened.
It was like hearing the most ridiculous news.
Thales's voice continued: "From the moment you accept Lumba, your respective families... there is no such thing as a future."
With a soft sound, another brazier in the hall went out.
A thick chill came out of nowhere.
Thelma behind her was so cold that she hugged her body tightly.
Olesio opened his mouth in surprise and exchanged glances with Trudida. Leco sighed slowly, as if he already knew something.
Lumba closed his eyes.
An unspeakable emotion came from his chest.
"Be clear, kid." Archduke Ronnie stretched out his hand and touched the scar on his neck that was scratched by Croash. The wound that had been poured with strong liquor still had pain, and he said solemnly: "What does it mean to cease to exist?
"
A family bloodline that has been passed down for hundreds or even thousands of years, a vast territory that can compete with a country...
how come……
Thales exhaled a breath and watched it form white mist in front of him.
"Once you follow Lomba south, the oath of co-governance will be in name only. Before war and interests, your balance of power will inevitably be unbalanced. It will be too easy to bring about conflict between you." Thales gritted his teeth and said: "When you think you are suppressing
The moment when he grasped the stars and began to fight for each other, it was the time for him to quietly start to change. It is not just as simple as building an Exter's star army."
He suddenly felt dizzy.
It's that familiar feeling.
"I don't know how much Lumba told you about Xian Jun," the prince rubbed his hands, put them in front of his chin and breathed in the hot air: "But..."
"Efficient management, refined power, increased taxes, and standardized systems." Thales' dizziness became more and more serious. He had to stretch out his right hand, press his forehead, and close his eyes at the same time: "These are all useful
At a price."
The moment he closed his eyes, he seemed to have left the Hall of Heroes.
In front of me is a row of familiar white tables and chairs, with seven or eight laptops placed in front of them. Their respective owners are sitting quietly.
He cleared his throat, lowered his head, and held the neatly typed report in his hand.
[So, in his view, as a transitional stage from old feudal rule to absolutist rule, a hierarchical state was formed at this time...]
Wu Feiren's voice sounded slowly, gentle and calm.
[A city is an autonomous political whole, an aggregation of powerless people united according to their wishes. As a new political force, they have entered the lord-vassal (lr-assal) model, making the typical feudal relationship no longer
A pure dualistic power framework. In other words, the rise of cities supported rulers against feudal princes...]
The next second, Thales opened his eyes and returned to Longxiao City in Errol's world, returning to the dim hall illuminated by the brazier.
"Whether it is professional officials, qualification assessment or state meetings, it all means..."
"First of all, the low-level nobles and civilians in the cities and suburbs," Thales covered his forehead and said tremblingly: "The best of them... will use money, craftsmanship, knowledge and desire for the future to ascend to the new level.
The steps of the nobility...the king will rejoice at their arrival, wield their power at his fingertips, and direct the finger at his domineering vassals."
Trudida lowered her head thoughtfully.
The light and shadow in the hall changed again, and Thales was sitting in the bright classroom again, moving the mouse and talking non-stop.
[The city group will form a new political organization with the class meeting as an example. The monarch intends to collect taxes, and they intend to supervise the use of this tax, thereby restraining the power of the feudal nobles in finance...]
Thales endured the dizziness of switching between the two scenes, and continued painfully:
"Take the State Council of the Stars as an example. These new arenas for civilians to participate in politics will cover handicrafts, commerce, the military, new nobles and other groups. It will become the home court of the king, greatly weakening the influence of both the Grand Duke of a place and the Earl of a city.
Power and prestige, whether it is imposing tax laws or declaring war, the king will have the greatest convenience."
Hearing this, Archduke Olesiu couldn't help but cast a glance at Lombard.
[European universities are the earliest nutrients: Germanic monarchs hired these college students as officials in order to shape their bureaucracies. Prussian iliary_bureauray and iil_bureauray were the most efficient, but they were not to serve the people, but only to serve the country.
It is also the power to serve...]
"More and more new officials will enter the king's field of vision. Their qualifications will replace the blood of the nobles. They will fight against generality with prudence, cover their origins with professionalism, and gradually take over the authority within the country," Thales gasped, experiencing a piece of
A strange feeling as a fragment of memory enters my brain, and I think of the former star tax collector named Urad: "So the old nobles, including your relatives, will no longer be reused. Their taxation and judicial privileges will gradually be deprived, and even you
We have to admit that they are no longer qualified."
Grand Duke Lecco sat motionless and listened quietly.
[What the citizens demand is to establish governing conditions and a legal environment to ensure the city's industrial, commercial and economic development and a peaceful governing order. However, these are things that the feudal system based on the manor economy and small market cannot satisfy.
, this requires rulers to expand their power and centralize power to ensure the interests of the so-called "bourgeois"...]
"Similarly, the king will allocate funds from the increasingly abundant treasury to support and expand the standing army, and maintain domestic order and border security on his own." Thales shook slightly, and Thelma quickly supported him: "He will no longer
Rely on the levied troops in your territory, no longer rely on self-sufficient supplies in your manors and fields, and no longer look at the faces of the grand dukes."
Ronnie suddenly thought of Broken Dragon Fortress. He frowned deeply and looked at Thales with a strange look in his eyes.
[With the development of time, the feudal aristocrats in hierarchical countries could no longer maintain their lives, lost their military significance, could neither maintain political influence, nor lost their ruling power. Under this situation, they must move closer to the rulers. According to the later
The conditions for workers to perform their duties also mean that the rise of cities brought a devastating impact to the feudal system...]
Finally, those strange fragments calmed down in his mind and stopped making trouble.
Thales gasped slightly and patted Thelma's hand.
At that moment, he suddenly found that Rumba was looking at him with a look that was a mixture of surprise, doubt, pain, hatred, relief and other strange emotions.
"Have you felt it? Once this change progresses over time, whether you are the Grand Dukes of one of the separatist parties or the traditional earls of each city, from taxation to the army, from justice to talents, from privileges to status," in the Grand Duke
Under their increasingly ugly expressions, he turned his head with difficulty and looked at the princes: "The prerequisites for your livelihood will gradually disappear, and your advantages will gradually disappear."
"All means and changes envisioned by Lombard, no matter what the original intention, will lead to a result."
Thales took a deep breath and said seriously: "And those are you, the other nine famous Dukes who rule the North together. It is the beginning of your loss of power and the decline of your family."
Grand Duke Lombard's face was as dark as water, and the eyes he looked at Thales became more and more complex.
The princes were as motionless as stone statues, and they didn't know how much they listened.
"One day, you will change from a great vassal of one side, to a great nobleman with only glory, to a rich man with only wealth, or even to a commoner with nothing, and finally be reduced to a state where you can only be left to the dust by future generations.
The day when family history was unearthed from the ashes..."
"And the Nekaru Oath, which has protected Exeter from being divided for six hundred years and stipulated that ten grand masters govern the North, will become the oldest page of history in the museum," Thales sighed deeply and shook his head.
road:
"Just like your family, it will slowly turn yellow over time and will never return."
"This is the price to pay for what Lombard calls 'saving Exeter.'"
Thales finished his words and slowly raised his head.
At that moment, the princes finally came to their senses from the state of stone sculptures, but everyone's expressions were not subtle.
Lumba lowered his head and stared at his old sword.
In disbelief, Trudida cast doubtful eyes at Olesiu and Ronny, but the master of Welland just shook his head silently, and the lord of Qiyuan City simply turned his face down and ignored them.
"Charmaine," Archduke Lecco's eyes seemed to have returned to turbidity. The old man said in his deepest and hoarse voice today: "Tell me, what you want is just an army that can defeat the stars, right?"
"Didn't you think of anything else?"
"For example, a co-ruling oath?"
The eyes of the princes all shot towards Lombard.
One second.
Two seconds.
Grand Duke Heisha finally raised his gaze from his sword.
He forced a smile at first, then turned cold.
"Everything this kid said is based on lies with strong selfish motives," Lumba, who had a complex expression, said in a bad tone: "As long as he arouses even a slight suspicion in your hearts, he will win the provocation between us.
The rift between us will collapse our efforts to fight against the stars, leaving room for the increasingly powerful Star Kingdom to breathe!"
Thales sighed silently in his heart.
"Don't you think it's ridiculous to put aside all his confusing words and all his inexplicable assumptions that never happened?" Lombard gritted his teeth, as if he was insulted, "For Exeter,
All the great princes unite as one and go south to defeat the stars, but this is actually the source of our own destruction?"
After hearing Lumba's words, the princes looked suspicious and began to think about it.
Thelma was shocked when she saw the reactions of the grand dukes.
currently.
"Inaccurate."
The prince's words came steadily.
Lumba frowned: "What?"
"'We' bring about self-destruction?" Thales exhaled and said seriously: "The only ones who bring about self-destruction are the other nine."
"In this game of change initiated by Rumba, Exeter is like a giant dragon with ten heads, devouring each other in the surging tide." Thales sighed: "If everything goes well, only one of them will
The head is also the one with the strongest power, the most adequate preparation, the most adaptable to the situation, and the quickest reaction, the one who can survive to the end."
Grand Duke Lecco suddenly raised his head and stared at Thales.
Grand Duke Ronnie looked stern.
"As I said before, he will consolidate power as the final ruler and use the ferocious momentum after the reform to devour the other nine Grand Duchys as nourishment and food, thereby creating his own unprecedented and supreme empire.
Kuster Crown."
Thales's eyes were covered with a haze that is rare for ordinary people, and he said dullly: "Who do you think the only person, the person closest to the truth, will be in Lumba's plan?"
He looked at the expressions of the grand dukes, shook his head slightly, walked to the brazier that had just been knocked down, and slowly squatted down.
The prince reached into the cool firewood, fiddled with it, and fished out the thrown dagger.
"But regardless of whether Lombard will succeed or not, except for the last ruler in the newly born Kingdom of Exeter," his words continued to come, hitting the hearts of several grand dukes like a hammer: "No one will be able to do it again."
There’s room for the other nine.”
Thales shook the dagger, and without changing his expression, he took off the sheath given to him by Yodel from his belt, and blew on it gently.
"Please remember, everyone, maybe it will take more than ten years, maybe decades, maybe a hundred years..."
"But if one day, your family fades away, your descendants are displaced, and your status no longer exists," Thales stood up slowly and turned to the grand dukes:
"That must start from today, from the time you agree to Lumba's conditions."
Thales's eyes lit up and he thrust the dagger into its sheath: "Qiang!"
There was a clear sound of metal friction, and the princes all looked at him with gloomy faces and motionless.
"This is the answer to the mystery," Thales said solemnly: "This is the reason why Lombard refused to reveal his true motives to you at the beginning. It is the cruel truth behind his duty to gather you to 'save Exeter' without hesitation."
"In order to defeat the stars, Lumba and you work together," he ended his words softly: "But the irony is that just before defeating the stars, you will be wiped out."
There was another silence in the hall.
"Charmaine, I have to say, this is really..." Trudida hesitated with a look of disbelief on her face, and finally sighed: "Forget it, I don't know how to describe this feeling."
"It's really disturbing." Archduke Ronnie added coldly, looking at the leader Lecco, who just frowned and said nothing.
Archduke Alessio put his chin on his arms and spoke with difficulty: "Charmaine..."
But as for Rumba, he is faster.
"It's all unfounded lies, it's all things that have never happened, it's all alarmist speculation!"
"But he used it as a reason? And you really believe it?" Duke Heisha's voice was still cold, but he could already hear his irritation: "Don't forget, the threat from the stars is real! "
Lumba strode forward, put his hands on the square table, his face was like ice and snow: "What we saw and heard twelve years ago, and what King Kessel did in the past twelve years, aren't they all seen in your eyes? ?”
"Why would you rather waver for empty words than act for solid facts?"
The person who answered him was still Thales.
"A solid fact?" the prince said quietly.
This time, Lumba turned his head, his eyes full of resentment and murderous intent.
Thales didn't pay attention to his eyes. He asked softly: "Your Excellencies, if you succeed in attacking the stars, what will Lumba plan to do next?"
The princes looked at each other with unclear emotions.
Lumba's eyes narrowed and he clenched his fists.
"He wants the North of Stars." Grand Duke Ronny said softly.
"He wants to guard the border for us, monitor and suppress the stars," Ronnie's words were slow and cold, but full of force: "For this reason, he can give up whether it is to jointly hold the throne or even the Black Sand Territory."
Thales exhaled softly.
"It's easy." The prince showed a malicious smile and stared at the livid Lumba: "His Excellency the Grand Duke of Black Sand, if you think my words are unreasonable, then prove it with conclusive facts."
"For Stars, the North is a zone of unfinished change, with traditional power and old habits still shrouding it. But for Exeter, the North, which is also part of the Great Northern Region, has already begun the forerunner of change. The best base for change.”
All I heard was Thales said calmly: "Grand Duke Lombard, for the sake of your unity, give up this spoil of war in the north and give it to others."
Lumba suddenly raised his head and looked at him.
The princes also raised their heads one after another with different expressions.
Thales still has a calm expression, which he learned from Raphael. This pretty boy's attitude can always make people angry.
Shless complained that among the many conditions given to him by Lombard, whether they were tariff concessions or resource contracts, the North was excluded.
Isn't this obvious?
"Of course, you can also make a guarantee," Thales raised the corner of his mouth and continued: "Whether it is imitating the changes made by the virtuous monarch, or things that endanger the families of the great dukes... none of it will happen in your hands.
."
"In this way, you have no soil and opportunities in your hands to initiate changes that may bring disaster. You have also been cleared of suspicion." Thales looked solemn, "The other Grand Dukes can rest assured and continue to cooperate with you, right?
."
As soon as these words came out, the hall ushered in the longest silence.
Lumba froze on the spot.
His hand unconsciously rested on the hilt of the sword, motionless.
The princes exchanged information in each other's eyes.
No one moved or made a sound.
A gust of cold wind blew into the hall, and as the firelight flickered, the shadows of everyone swayed.
Thelma bit her lower lip and looked at the princes with different expressions anxiously.
Finally, as if centuries had passed, a voice broke the silence.
"Actually, we are willing to believe you, Charmaine," Grand Duke Lecco's gloomy voice said: "But I have to admit that what this child said makes me very worried."
Trudida shrugged: "It makes some sense."
Lumba raised his head slightly. Under the shadow, his stiff face looked even more aged.
"Tell me, Charmaine."
"As our sworn alliance, in order to refute the words of this arrogant prince, in order to put aside worries and worries for each other, in order to prove that we are still advancing and retreating as one," Grand Duke Lecco looked directly at Lombard and sighed softly: "In the coming war,
,Northern Territory…”
"Don't take it."
Lumba didn't speak, just looked at Lecco blankly.
"Of course, we will compensate you with considerable land and interests to express our apology. It can be anything from Trudida or even my land. It's up to you, just a little more," the old man coughed.
, seemed a little sad: "You know, based on the northern border, guarding the border and monitoring the stars, other people can also take on the responsibility."
The voice fell.
Lumba raised his head and glanced at each grand duke one by one with the most incredible eyes.
Thales pursed his lips and looked at Lumba intently.
Look at his face as if frozen.
Lumba gritted his teeth, frowned deeply, and anger burst out of his eyes.
"I know, this is too much, but," Olesiu looked ugly and shook his head apologetically: "I swear, as long as you prove yourself, I will personally do it to make this poisonous snake of the stars pay the price."
Serpent of the stars?
Thales raised his eyebrows slightly.
Lumba's face twitched slightly, like a smile, but not like a smile.
"You know," Archduke Ronnie raised his gaze at this time, his eyes sharp: "This is for Exter."
Lumba clenched his fists.
Trudida shrugged, avoided Lumba's eyes, and said nothing.
Only Archduke Lecco looked at Lombard without flinching from beginning to end.
"How's it going, Charmaine?" The old man's bald head looked particularly dazzling. His voice was very soft and slow, but had an aggressive momentum: "What's your answer?"
Lumba grinned his lips and gritted his teeth, like a wild animal demonstrating before it pounces on food.
"Charmaine," Trudida's tone was contradictory, as if he was very nervous. He pursed his lips slightly: "One word is enough."
Thales frowned: he saw the fists on Lumba's waist began to tremble.
The face of the Grand Duke of Black Sand became increasingly ugly, like a lion whose territory had been violated.
Thales' heart also followed his expression.
Finally, after several seconds, Lumba closed his eyes and let out a long sigh of relief.
The princes stared at him intently.
As if that was the most important moment in the world.
The next second, Lumba opened his eyes and spoke.
But what came through was not any words.
"Hahaha……"
Lumba raised his head, grinned his lips, and let out a sad and uncontrollable laugh.
"Hahahahaha..."
The laughter grew louder and louder.
The princes looked at his performance, their eyes gradually darkened.
Thales gently stretched out his hand and held the flustered Thelma.
Lumba's laughter finally stopped.
"Forget it, it's time," Lumba turned his head, showing an indifferent expression of relief: "No matter what I say, there is no difference, right?"
"Even if we hit Yongxing City," Grand Duke Heisha turned around, looked at his sword, and said in a cold tone, "You will continue to monitor me and be wary of my every move, for fear that I will shake your interests."
"You will not allow any so-called seeds or flames of change to appear in the land of Exeter."
Archduke Alessio gritted his teeth unwillingly: "So, your choice..."
"I just think it's ironic," Lumba's expression changed and he suddenly raised his voice: "Why don't you understand?"
"When it is clear that a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is in front of us, when the opportunity to defeat the stars and change history is within reach," Lumba gritted his teeth, looked at the heavy expressions of each grand duke, and growled in a depressed voice: "Why are you all acting like this?
What about a coward?"
Lumba turned around suddenly and faced the four archdukes with a look of disbelief on his face: "The ending has not happened at all. The matter has not reached the last step at all. I am just listening to a child talking nonsense. You are like a group of frightened antelopes.
Hide to the west, hide your head and shrink your tail."
The princes looked at each other, speechless.
"You are so stupid that you cannot even see through the truth that even a little boy knows, and you are so cowardly that you dare not even touch the most worn-out stereotypes..."
"Then get out of the way!" Lumba's face twisted, and he suddenly raised the scabbard: "The oath of co-governance, the destruction of the family, the severance of the bloodline, the loss of power, and the decline of status are all these damn reasons!"
"Exter, what do you think this is?"
"Aren't we people from the North?" Grand Duke Heisha gritted his teeth, waved his scabbard, and moved his cloak: "We don't ask 'can we do it?', we only ask 'should we do it?' The people from the North are more afraid of failure than they are afraid of death!
"
"Is not it!"
His painful and difficult questioning voice echoed through the hall.
"It seems that the result is already very clear." Grand Duke Lecco sighed softly and closed his eyes.
Trudida covered her forehead and sighed longly.
Ronnie let out a faint chuckle.
Olesio looked sad.
Thales closed his eyes gently, only to feel that the boulder pressing him in his heart had loosened.
He looked at Lumba with an unusual expression, breathed out a sigh of relief, and said silently in his heart: