After reacting, Grand Duke Ronny could no longer hold back his anger and shouted at Thales.
Thales eased his breathing and looked at Ronnie calmly.
They didn't like this suggestion. The prince took in everyone's expressions and came to this conclusion.
Not only Ronnie, but almost all the Grand Dukes except Lombard were extremely dissatisfied. Even the oily Trudida exhaled from his nose to express his disdain.
But Thales had already anticipated their reaction.
Next
"Look at me"
Archduke Alessio raised his heavy sword again, his eyes blazing: "Let's kill this poisonous snake first, and then kill each other?"
"Prince Thales!" Archduke Leko's deep voice was full of sternness at this moment: "I advise you"
Thales took a deep breath, Selma shook her head at him from a distance.
"Two minutes are not up yet," the prince put on the most serious expression he could imagine: "Keep your word, let me finish. After that, you can cut me into as many pieces as you want, no problem!"
Grand Duke Lecco remained silent, with a look of disgust and anger on his face.
Thales immediately turned his head.
Lumba was looking at him with a complicated expression.
I have to find what they care about, Thales said to himself.
"If you become their new king," Thales said to Lombard resolutely, "even if you let them walk out of here alive, the archdukes will not be able to openly disadvantage you, and they will not be able to make up reasons to attack their own king because
This is a violation of the oath of co-governance!"
"In addition to getting rid of their threats to you, you will also gain the status, prestige, and taxes of a king, and continue to practice your ideals in Exeter without having to face the angry Longxiao City after the death of the Grand Duke."
Lumba's brows furrowed and tightened, and he hesitated to speak.
"Impossible!" Grand Duke Ronnie interrupted them through gritted teeth: "I will never be able to choose a regicide as my king for the rest of my life!"
"This in itself is the greatest trampling and insult to the oath of co-governance!"
I knew Thales was saying silently in his heart.
Thales could only close his eyes again, take a breath, and turn to them.
"This is a necessary compromise!"
The prince said categorically: "Your Excellency Grand Duke Ronnie, I know that your vassals have always been unstable, and Nunn also used this as an opportunity to try to interfere with you. Please think about it: if your Qiyuan City lost its lord today."
"Think again about Longxiao City now!"
Ronnie suddenly choked on his words.
Thales looked at the others with an anxious expression and a sincere tone:
"Everyone, please put aside your unnecessary emotions and think carefully: this is already much better than your original ending!"
"If I hadn't appeared, think about what would have happened to you: stepping into Lombard's 'virtuous king' trap without knowing what was going on, falling apart in the war and interests, weakening in his successive schemes, and inexplicably...
Become the stepping stone of power for the Grand Duke of Black Sand, and sacrifice your own family as a burial object of the oath of co-governance."
"Laying the foundation for the new Kingdom of Exeter without the presence of the Grand Dukes," Thales gasped, "waiting helplessly for his family and territory to be wiped out."
Alessiu straightened his face and looked directly at the Duke of Black Sand.
Lumba lowered his head after hearing this, his eyes tightened, and his eyebrows raised, as if a storm was brewing.
"But now you have successfully avoided that outcome and learned such important information," the prince's words resounded: "But you have to die in the Palace of Heroes in vain, leaving an Eckster who doesn't know where to go, and let your family
And the territory is in turmoil?”
"Accept my proposal, at least you can safely return to the territory, return to your own family, go back and take a look at your brothers, wives, children, relatives and friends, arrange everything in an orderly manner, and then stand together again to fight against your new king
, be alert to the new threats in the undercurrent!”
Grand Duke Trudida snapped his fingers inexplicably, with a subtle expression.
Thales eagerly awaited the response from the archdukes.
"You mean," Grand Duke Lecco stabilized his emotions and stated the essence of the prince's suggestion word for word: "You want us to give this regicide the power and status of the king of a country, and give him the initiative and protection in the struggle.
We put our shield in the hands of this traitor in exchange for our own miserable existence."
The bald old man's tone changed and his eyes were like daggers.
"And then wait for him, as the king, to kill us one by one and build his own kingdom?" At this moment, the old Grand Duke was like a volcano before it erupted, which was disturbing: "You underestimate us Northerners too much.
Prince Thales."
"We would rather die here!"
Lombard sneered just right and received the angry looks of the archdukes.
Thales sighed painfully.
Damn Northlanders.
I have to solve their worries.
The prince closed his eyes, pulled his head to the left to the maximum arc, and then threw it back fiercely:
"No!"
"Even if he becomes king, he will not succeed," Thales winked with a headache: "At least, at this moment, you already know Lumba's plot, his ambitions, his threats, and be wary of his existence.
, even as his vassals, you can counter him accordingly."
Thales desperately recalled the current situation of Exeter that Gilbert, Putilai and Little Slippery once told him, trying to spell out a strong argument: "For example"
The prince's words were stuck midway, and he didn't know what reason to use to convince them.
"for example"
However, when Thales was in trouble, a childish female voice intervened in the conversation.
"You are not the Duke of the Kingdom of Stars. The power and status of Grand Duke Exeter is much greater and higher than that of the Guardian Duke."
Thales was stunned.
With surprise and surprise, the eyes of the princes all turned to one side.
The young Thelma's voice was trembling, and with a cowardice that had not yet diminished, she rubbed the triumphal ring on her hand and stammered:
"Even if the king has a higher status than you, even if you have to pay taxes to him, it's still the same as before."
"You guys" Thelma choked up, but then she swallowed her throat, clenched her little fists, and said hard with a blushing face:
"Article 7 of the Co-Government Oath stipulates: 'I obey the king's orders, and my land obeys me.' As long as there are legitimate reasons, you can still refuse the king's orders and refuse to implement his decrees on your own land."
The Duke was all startled.
"There is also Article 14: 'Under righteousness, you must not refuse war.' Its opposite meaning is that in the face of a war that violates principles and righteousness, as long as you give reasons and convince your vassals and subjects, you will have
You have the right to reject the king’s conscription order. Even if troops must be sent, it is up to you to decide how many people to send.”
Lumba's face turned ugly.
Thelma continued timidly: "Also, there are precedents that are not written in the oath, but are recorded: If the king wants to send officials to coordinate your territorial affairs or conflicts between lords, they must be nobles with considerable status.
"
"You may have to pay taxes to him, but the proportion of payment is generally determined by your own territory meeting, based on the annual harvest and income. This is the practice after the 'Tan Civil War', first proposed by the first Archduke Alessio
of."
Archduke Olesiu's expression suddenly became very exciting.
"So, you don't have to be afraid of the king," Thelma took a deep breath: "In Exeter, both the king and the grand duke are the owners of the land. This is the default power of the grand duke under the oath of co-governance."
Lombard closed his eyes tightly: So, this is why the oath of co-governance must be destroyed
There are such restrictions
Exeter will always be a ten-headed dragon.
Thelma continued: "It's just that in the past ninety years, under the high pressure of Longxiao City, many princes have been forced by various pressures and dare not openly raise it."
"But the Black Sand Territory is not Longxiao City. He neither controls your trade routes nor controls your grain storage output, nor is he your blood relative to interfere in your internal problems."
Thelma breathed a sigh of relief, her face flushed. After saying this, she suddenly realized that the princes were all looking at her.
The girl quickly lowered her head nervously.
The princes, including Lumba, looked at her in surprise, as if they were meeting this girl for the first time.
that girl
What exactly is
Thales breathed a sigh of relief and cast a grateful look at Thelma.
"right!"
Thales clenched his fists resolutely and pumped his chest: "Just like how you resist the high pressure of King Nun with the dignity of a grand duke: so what can he do if he is the king? Issue a warrant to make you surrender?
Would a border black sand territory be worse than the powerful Longxiao City?"
Thales added the last sentence emotionally: "As Northlanders, are you afraid? Or are you still reluctant to share the throne with that damned person?"
Ronnie raised his head suddenly and grinded his teeth in displeasure: "Say another word that insults Beidi."
Alessio said coldly: "I will cut off your tongue."
Thales was so excited.
"Okay," Thales swallowed his throat, nodded, and did not answer rationally: "I know you are not afraid of death, but it is better than you dying here inexplicably, leaving Exeter in chaos, and letting your
If the territory is in confusion, wouldn’t it be ten thousand times better?”
"Surviving with hope requires more courage and responsibility than dying with despair."
Lecco did not speak anymore, but fell into deep thought.
Thales's chest rose and fell, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
But this time, it was Rumba's turn to clench his fists and question him with hatred.
"In that case," Grand Duke Heisha said with an icy face, "Why should I let them go, sit on that dangerous and unstable throne, and become a king in name only?"
"Leave the disaster behind and allow these sworn enemies with evil intentions to use various means to fight against me in private, which will eventually lead to a catastrophe?"
Lumba's face turned serious: "I will kill them if I am here, and I don't want to play cat and mouse with them."
As soon as these words came out, the three people confronting each other suddenly looked ferocious, and there were signs of starting the fight again.
Thales raised his hands in pain and scratched his hair fiercely.
Ahhhh!
These bastards!
"Rumba!"
Thales took a sharp breath: "If you don't do this, prepare to say goodbye to your future!"
"Six Grand Dukes died in the Palace of Heroes in one day. When you came out with the army, you tried to explain to Prime Minister Lisban's army and the angry Longxiao City: This was all done by the Star People, I was just passing by.
That’s it?”
Lumba snorted coldly.
His hand on the sword's hilt tightened.
This boy
this
hateful.
"As for the threat from the Grand Dukes to you, aren't you Charman Lumba?" Thales suppressed his inexplicable anger and said in a deep voice: "Fuxing Palace, Broken Dragon Fortress, Shield Zone, and now! We have fought against each other so many times.
, you who never give in can earn hope every time in the desperate situation."
"Don't you dare to risk your bet again, for the sake of ambition and ideals, for your Exeter, sit on that dangerous and unstable throne, and continue your dangerous game on the second battlefield?"
"Do you need me to tell you how to choose between dying here without any hope, or walking into danger with a glimmer of hope?"
Rumba's breathing gradually became confused.
Thales thought of Lumba's past and subconsciously added:
"Believe me, after killing several Grand Dukes in a row, your ambition has ended. Your half-life preparation and hard work have been ruined. Your family's tragedy continues to be staged!"
"Think about your family and your subordinates, are you willing to do so?"
Lumba froze on the spot, staring blankly at the sword in his hand, speechless for a long time.
Harold
"Boy," Grand Duke Olesiu said with a heavy face, "Now this, now that, which side are you on?"
Thales had to turn to the four archdukes again.
He just felt like a firefighter, running back and forth, exhausted mentally and physically.
"No matter which side I'm on," Thales sighed, feeling exhausted physically and mentally:
"But of all of you, surely none of you want an Eckster who is unstable, crumbling, and has no idea where the future will be in the chaos, whether he faces it alone or leaves it behind, right?"
The archdukes still looked hesitant, but Thales noticed keenly: Lecco had put away his anger and put down his hands thoughtfully, while Trudida pursed her lips and remained silent.
Gotta work harder.
Thales frowned and felt something in his heart.
"You may not understand, but I can guarantee it."
"Kaiser, my father, His Majesty Kaiser must be very, very happy to see such a scene." Thales mentally sketched out the cold image of the iron-fisted king, trying to find the angle that best suited the thinking of the Grand Duke:
"As for whether he will take advantage of Exeter's terrible civil strife after the death of six or seven Grand Dukes after the stars are restored, send troops northward, and use the blood of Exeter to unify the nobles in the country."
"That's beyond what I can imagine," Thales narrowed his eyes: "Especially, the seven people also include the three Grand Dukes from the nearby stars in the south."
Olesiu's expression changed.
Grand Duke Lecco sighed and closed his eyes.
"What he said makes sense," the Grand Duke of Trudida, who had been silent for several minutes, said abruptly: "It is not worth dying here. It will have all the adverse consequences."
Olesio gave him a stern look: "Perseus!"
Thales's eyes lit up, as if he had found a breakthrough.
"Look, this is what we agree on," the prince punched his palm and glanced at everyone with sharp eyes: "The situation is progressing so fast that you are unprepared and have no choice.
They hastily drew their swords and fought to the death."
"But actually none of you want such a costly outcome!"
Thales turned his head left and right and said sincerely: "So, both of you need a step of relaxation, a choice to take a step back."
"Exchanging the throne for safety," Grand Duke Ronnie calmed down and shook his head: "This is not an option at all. We can't solve anything."
Thales nodded, feeling a little bitter.
"That's probably not the way to go about it."
"But please remember: in this round, none of you surrendered, no one admitted defeat, and no one abandoned principles and beliefs," Thales said solemnly, looking at the grand dukes who gradually became quiet:
"You just temporarily closed the chess game that was halfway through, temporarily retreated from the opposing swords, geared up, and left the victory or defeat until the next fight."
Archduke Olesiu twisted his face and let out an unhappy growl from his throat.
He thought of his Weiland collar and the mottos and stories passed down from generation to generation in his family.
This guy named Canxing
Bright star!
Thales turned to Lumba, who looked hesitant.
"That's what I propose."
"You, Lumba, you will become a king, get rid of the guilt of regicide and the threat of the Grand Duke, and gain a new position of power. Although the road ahead will be difficult, you will still be able to restart your ideals without being trapped in the crisis-ridden Longxiao City.
.”
Lumba said nothing.
So Thales looked at the grand dukes again:
"You, the Grand Dukes, survive a certain death situation, and at the same time learn where the real threat is, re-align, return to the territory to protect your families, maintain the integrity of the co-governance oath, and avoid Exeter's precarious fate.
"
Thales gasped, praying in his heart for the reaction of the archdukes.
Grand Duke Lecco slowly opened his eyes and looked at Trudida, who showed an ugly smile.
Olesiu stared at Lumba in front of him and said a few words through his teeth: "It's such a childish way to choose the king."
"This is not child's play, this is politics."
Unexpectedly, it was Trudida who interrupted him.
I saw this cunning man narrowing his eyes: "It is a necessary compromise and an exchange of interests."
Thales seemed to have found a life-saving straw. He nodded gratefully: "That's right, this is another way of fighting."
"But knowing that there is a better option, yet still blindly charging suicidal and sacrificing soldiers is the act of a fool."
Ronnie turned to their "traitor" Trudida with a bad expression on his face: "So you are on his side?"
"If we are all slaughtered by the Black Sand Lord here, then there is no need to take any side," Trudida said gloomily: "The same goes for Charmaine. He slaughtered us, and then was slaughtered by Lisban."
Grand Duke Ronnie roared, seemingly quite unhappy.
“Against our will, we bent over to a regicide and elected him as king,” the archduke with his long hair tied clenched his teeth, his expression gloomy: “And to cover up the scandalous act of regicide for him, can you imagine anything worse than this?
What a terrible violation of the oath of co-governance?"
The faces of the princes darkened and they looked at each other.
The atmosphere was very solemn.
Thales could only bite the bullet and speak again.
"Didn't you prepare to do the same thing when you took the oath before?"
Thales stabilized his breathing and felt his palms sweating: "At that time, facing the threat of the stars, you made a painful but necessary decision. I can understand it."
"Now facing the threat of Lombard, you also have to make painful but necessary decisions."
"This is the responsibility and responsibility of a local lord." Thales felt that he was almost paralyzed from exhaustion, and his brain was completely insufficient: "This is what you must carry when you stand in this position."
Thales shook his head helplessly and said something that he felt was ironic: "For Exeter."
Hearing these words, Lumba exhaled and looked away, showing a silent sarcastic smile.
After Thales said the last sentence, he felt like he was sweating all over and was about to collapse.
He has tried his best.
If this doesn't work
Then what's next
"It's been well over two minutes."
Grand Duke Lecco, who had been silent for a long time, opened his tired eyes, as if he had experienced a fierce duel: "Prince Thales."
Olesiu and Ronny subconsciously raised their swords and looked at Lumba, who was also alert.
"Sorry," Thales swallowed painfully and his mouth went dry:
"Maybe my time flow rate is different from yours."