The old earl leaned back slightly and subconsciously looked at the stone carving of the Dragon Spear in the Cloud above his head.
"Everyone!" Nazer spoke loudly, attracting the attention of the vassals in the hall. He didn't look like an old man at all:
"Six years have passed. When the power of the natural king is no longer there, due to various reasons, Longxiao City's so-called balance, balance of power, hé ping, tacit understanding," Nazer looked tired, as if talking to himself.
: "It has been broken long ago."
The hall fell silent, and these words made many people fall into deep thought.
"The six most powerful vassals broke up one after another around the power vacancy left by His Majesty Nunn."
The other four counts all moved. Except for Count Kierkegaard, the other three subconsciously avoided Lisban's glance.
"On the other hand, we Earls all suspect that the powerful Risban is monopolizing the political situation, isolating the Grand Duchess, and trying to ignore the great legacy left by His Majesty Nunn."
"On the other hand, Risban is sitting in the regent's seat, hating us for not obeying orders after the death of the late king, and for being so selfish and self-protective."
Thelma was stunned.
Nazer looked coldly at Lisban, whose face was as cold as ice, with disappointment and hatred in his eyes.
"Slightly smaller families are conservative and rule in their own territory. They are trembling in this confrontation and playing both sides for fear of taking a wrong step."
The humming among the vassals quieted down slightly.
"And the disaster, the advent of the Sky Queen, the sudden death of the natural king, including the strange coronation of King Charmaine here, have stirred up many storms among the people and made people panic?"
Thelma bit her lower lip lightly and looked at Thales subconsciously.
Nazer turned to the Grand Duchess and said in a rather embarrassing tone: "You are single and unmarried, and the sensitive Prince of the Stars is often with you in the court. I don't know how many rumors have been caused, which has tainted the public's ears and eyes."
Thelma stared at Thales motionless, but Thales just looked down at the floor tiles, even though Ian winked at him several times to hint.
Nazer's eyes flashed with pain and anger, making it difficult to tell the truth from the false: "What is even more distressing is that in the past six years, what people outside Longxiao City have seen is the once powerful and unparalleled man.
The fact that the direct bloodline of the Walton family has no successor except for an orphan girl."
"As a result, after Gongju Throne left Longxiao City, ambitious people like Charman Lumba gradually became greedy, and Qiyuan City's 'long-haired' Kulikun Roni became increasingly unruly, and Fengzhao, who had always been friends with
The city is indifferent, the garrison city and other places have a vague attitude towards us, and other local nobles under the rule of the Grand Duke have conflicts with our vassals more and more frequently."
Count Nazaire raised his head angrily and straightened up from the back of his chair.
He said coldly: "Not to mention the Imperial neighbors to the south, I don't know how many times they have celebrated the decline of this city in secret."
Thales scratched his head and still pretended not to know.
Nazer's tone became more and more severe: "Madam, it has been six years since we lost His Majesty Nuen, and Longxiao City can no longer be united. The embarrassment, resentment, loss and pain that we feel when we fall from the clouds to the bottom, can it be said that as women?
Grand Duke, can you really not see it at all?"
"Our so-called balance of power was completely shattered by His Majesty the late King during the earth-shattering changes six years ago!"
The atmosphere in the hall turned from eerie to heavy.
Lisban's face darkened.
Thales took a deep breath: This Count Nazaire...
He is worthy of being an outstanding person who has worked for King Nuen for many years.
If he wasn't on the opposite side of them.
In front of the pale face of the Grand Duchess and the thoughtful eyes of the princes, Nazer shook his head with pain on his face:
"Now, madam, do you understand what your marriage means, what it means that you have a strong husband, and what it means that you and your family have a healthy and reliable heir?"
Nazer's face was stern and his beard was angry. His words made the Grand Duchess stop at her previous expression and became speechless.
"Is this a sacrifice and price that is not good for you? Maybe," Nazer glanced at the vassals in the audience: "But is it something that must be done? Of course!"
Thelma looked at Nazer in disbelief, as if she didn't know how to react.
"We respect you, madam," the old Count Nazaire's expression returned to respect, and he bowed to the Grand Duchess: "But I believe that the best way to show this respect is to truly treat you as Long Xiao.
The ruler of the city, let the facts that a city's grand duke should face, the price and sacrifice that should be paid be revealed in front of you, no matter how unpleasant and uncomfortable it is, no matter it is a dilemma, or an obstacle to marriage is just one of them
.”
Thelma looked at Count Nazaire with some confusion, who seemed to be sincere.
"Instead of treating you like a puppet with strings pulled, decorated and locked in a deep palace."
"Instead of claiming to be a sheltering tree in the name of 'for your own good', and confidently cutting off all ties between you and the cruel side of this world," Nazer glanced contemptuously at the blue-faced Regent of Lisban.
: "What we need is a grand duke, lady, who can protect and control Longxiao City."
"Instead of a vase named Grand Duke, used to decorate Longxiao City."
"Nazaire!" Lisban's eyes were sharp: "What did you say?"
"He just expressed our feelings, Mr. Prime Minister," Count Linna replied coldly: "I really can't imagine what kind of regent would take our lord and his wife in six years.
Fengjun raised her as a princess of a country, even though she is a girl, she is the last direct bloodline of the Dragonlance family."
Lisban clenched his fists, and behind him, the Fallen Starman guarding the Grand Duchess had a blush on his face.
Thales hit a heavy blow on the shoulder: Ian leaned forward.
"I can finally see the relationship between these six vassals," Ian whispered in Thales's ear: "But, this Regent of Lisban, he has stayed in the Palace of Heroes for the past six years.
Here, are you blocking the knife for your little girl, or are you guiding the arrow?"
You have asked about the most critical point, Your Excellency Viscount.
Thales took a deep breath and suppressed the suspicion in his heart.
"Now, it's time to break that vase, madam," Count Nazaire ignored Lisban. He bowed to the Grand Duchess again, with gleaming eyes: "The broken tiles may sting your skin.
, but only blood can cleanse the hearts of Northlanders, even if you are just a girl."
When Thales listened to Nazer's words, he suddenly felt a sense of familiarity.
At this moment, he suddenly realized that perhaps the Earl of Nazaire or the other four vassals were not selfish and powerful ministers as Putilai said, nor were they like
What Lisban was wary of were the princes who were ready to make a move after Nuln passed away.
Thales' eyes swept over the wily Lisban, the calm Nazaire, the friendly Hearst, the silent Kierkegaard, the cold Linna, and the outspoken Curtson.
On the contrary, what King Nun left for his successor may be a team that is enough to restore the glory of Longxiao City.
However, this team experienced the biggest surprise caused by the premature death of King Nun...
A female Grand Duchess.
Thales looked at Thelma worriedly.
The Grand Duchess just looked at the Count blankly.
Didn't seem to respond.
There seemed to be nothing to say.
"The Nazer family has a saying: Noble people bear responsibilities, rulers must make sacrifices," Nazer said coldly: "You want to maintain the honor of the family and keep the prestige of Longxiao City? Of course, but with
At the same time, the price must be paid. This is you and your destiny."
"Ms. Thelma."
No one knew that at that moment, Prince Thales, who was fully focused, gently closed his eyes.
He vaguely remembered that day many years ago.
Thinking of that heavy and majestic voice in that dark tomb:
Thales opened his eyes suddenly!
Just when the entire audience fell into silence due to Count Nazaire's words, a familiar scream of pain broke the silence again.
"Hey, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts..."
The eyes in the hall once again looked in the same direction with confusion and dissatisfaction: the heir of Qiyuan City, His Excellency Viscount Ian Ronny, was shouting exaggeratedly, rubbing his calf and looking around him unhappily.
of Thales.
As if nothing had happened, Thales quietly retracted his foot, as if he had never kicked Ian's leg.
"What's wrong?" Earl Curterson's anger almost overflowed: "Your Excellency the Clown?"
The Grand Duchess and the vassals also looked at it one after another.
Ian sighed, ignoring the desperate code from the Qiyuan City envoy, shrugging helplessly and putting on a leisurely smile.
"Sorry to bother you," Mr. Ronny stood up, made a sign of termination, and smiled apologetically, as if he was really embarrassed: "You guys were having a lively conversation, but does anyone still remember the original topic?
Remember the Freedom League, remember, remember... we are the important parties?"
The six earls were slightly startled.
"Yes," Ian was beaming, looking at everyone in the hall, as if teaching words to children, dancing and speaking at the same time: "Qiyuan City..."
On the other side, the members of the mission from Qiyuan City sighed, lowered their heads, and no longer had any hope.
Thales shook his head.
coming.
He raised his head, looked at Thelma on the steps, and gave him a reassuring smile.
It's fine.
Just like many years ago.
"No," Count Curtson said, not taking advantage of Ian's self-righteous humor. "I only know that a self-righteous clown insulted the entire Longxiao City yesterday, and today he came to us with a playful smile and asked us for help.
Send troops to save them."
Looking at Ian who stood upright, the vassals gave him cold looks.
"Ask for help?"
"save?"
Ian raised his eyebrows, seeming a little surprised.
But the next second, he showed an expression of "I see" and then grinned.
"Hahahahaha," Ian, who was laughing, shook his head and waved his hands, as if he had heard the most unbelievable rumor: "No, no, no, I think everyone, including the Grand Duchess, may have misunderstood what I meant.
"
From the Grand Duchess down, the six earls all showed strange expressions, and the other dozen or so vassals also frowned...
"Actually, I never said anything about 'send troops' from the beginning to the end," Ian shrugged innocently, blinking at Thales at his side imperceptibly: "And I represent Qiyuan City.
, and they are not here to ask for help from Longxiao City."
The voice fell.
Thales clearly saw that almost all the nobles in the hall were slightly stunned.
Even the envoys from Qiyuan City were no exception. The Death Crow even showed an exaggerated "what" mouth shape to Old Boney beside him.
This was also the reaction of the Grand Duchess.
"What?" Thelma said in surprise.
"We can solve the war problem ourselves," Ian waved his hand nonchalantly: "You are very reasonable: If we can't even solve the problem of those trash from the Freedom Alliance, wouldn't it be too embarrassing for the Northlanders?
Already?"
Everyone was stunned.
The nobles in the hall looked at each other one after another, as if they couldn't understand the meaning of this sentence.
The six most important earls fell into deep thought.
"But you are gathering allies across the country to isolate the king," Count Nazer said thoughtfully: "Once we fall into a war that cannot be resolved quickly, the appeals of Grand Duke Qiyuancheng to jointly resist the king will all become empty talk."
"Oh, I'm really just here to ask the Grand Duchess to sign a letter of condemnation against the king," Ian's smile remained unchanged. He raised a finger and waved it in the air: "But believe me, we don't need you.
send troops."
Nazer subconsciously looked towards Lisban, only to find that his old friend and rival just kept silent.
Something is wrong.
"Then Qiyuan City..." The Grand Duchess sitting on the seat frowned slightly: "What are you here for?"
Ian took a deep breath, the smile on his face slowly disappeared, and his whole person became serious.
He turned his head and looked around at the confused vassals.
"Twenty years ago, when my grandfather was seriously ill, the princes were suspicious, the fiefdom was unstable, and my father was worried..."
Ian sighed slowly, and then spoke boldly in a sonorous and powerful tone: "Faced with the rebellion of the Freedom Alliance, and under the heavy pressure of the White Mountain and even the Kangmas people's brazen intervention, His Majesty Nunn made a wise decision and dispatched without hesitation.
Prince Suril leads the troops to the west to help fight for Qiyuan City."
With a sad expression on his face, Ian bowed deeply to Thelma sitting on the seat: "This kindness and meaning will always be remembered in the hearts of the Ronnie family."
The vassals looked at His Excellency the Viscount's unusual behavior and felt endless confusion in their hearts.
Thelma glanced at Thales.
Ian straightened up, his eyes showing reverence and excitement: "And that war created the glory of the Walton family: whether it was the army of the Freedom Alliance, the mercenaries secretly sent by Camus, or the elite troops of the White Elves,
When they faced Longxiao City and Exeter's world-strong army, they were all defeated at the first touch and were far from worthy."
Thales was secretly amused when he heard this: You said it as if you had witnessed what happened twenty years ago, nineteen-year-old Sir Ian.
"Madam, your father and grandfather, oh, including all the families who joined the Western Expedition," Ian smiled at the vassals: "You have spread the reputation of Longxiao City and the Dragonlance family on the golden corridor, shocking Kang Kang.
Mars, forced the white elves back, and the influence remains to this day."
"That is your grandfather's historical achievements, your father's military exploits, and the glory and honor of your family."
Nikolai the Fallen Star grinned slightly, while Monty the Dead Crow in the audience shrugged tacitly.
Count Nazer frowned: Why did he say these words...
Could it be...
"But I can also see that the great Longxiao City is in trouble." His expression was exactly the same as that of Count Nazer who was just heartbroken: "The scene just now made me worried: you want to follow in the footsteps of your father and ancestors and protect the
The family's glory is difficult to achieve due to the situation in Longxiao City."
"The Waltons are left in the dust."
The expressions of the five earls except Lisban became more and more ugly, and their eyes became more and more suspicious.
"But it doesn't matter!"
Ian clenched his fists and waved vigorously.
His Excellency the Viscount of Qiyuan City took a step forward without hesitation: "Let me, the heir of the Roni family, Ian Roni of Qiyuan City, make up for your regret."
The Grand Duchess looked at him confused and blinked: "Huh?"
Thales lowered his head: Very good, everything went as planned.
Hope there are no surprises.
However, it is obviously a step in the plan...
But what is going on with this slight discomfort in my heart?
Thales unconsciously closed his fists.
I saw Ian's eyes were firm and his words were sonorous: "Selma, please relax: I will represent Qiyuan City, lead the army on the road your father has traveled on, carry the flag of the Dragonlance family, and bear the honor of your family.
, go out to fight the Freedom Alliance!"
His sudden change of address to the Grand Duchess shocked many people.
"In the name of the Walton family and the Ronnie family, I will teach those wastes of the alliance a lesson, rebuild our history, and once again plant the Dragon Spear flag in the clouds and the Knight's Code flag on the top of Liberty Castle, so that all
The chant of the minstrel found belongs to us, to Exeter's great victory!"
"I will tell our enemy, Thelma Walton, the granddaughter of King Nun and the daughter of Prince Suriel," Ian behaved like a fanatical recruit: "Has taken back the Dragonlance family.
debt!"
Facing his aggressive look, the Grand Duchess was slightly panicked.
Count Nazer, who realized something, gritted his teeth and said: "That's enough, Ian Ge..."
But the count failed to interrupt Ian.
"Please rest assured that the glory of the Walton family will not be diminished by half because Longxiao City did not send troops," Ian took a deep breath, his eyes full of pride and excitement: "Because soon, everyone will
Everyone will know that this war is not just Exeter's war against the Free League."
"It is me, Ian Ronny of Qiyuan City, fighting for Thelma Walton of Longxiao City!"
The whole hall was boiling!
Nicolai had to maintain order again and suppress the noise of dissatisfaction and confusion among the vassals, although he also looked very bad.
"Wait a minute," the Grand Duchess seemed to finally feel something was wrong. She stammered: "Your Excellency Ian, what are you..."
"And after the glorious victory, I will return with the glory of recreating your father's achievements," Ian ignored the astonished Selma and just immersed himself in his own world. He exhaled,
From "fanatical fighter" to "warm poet" in an instant:
"Of course, at that time, please kindly grant me a request, a request that makes me feel humble and unbearable."
"Please, please?" Thelma's face turned pale.
For the first time, she looked at each other with the six countes sitting there who also had ugly faces.
It seemed that only at this moment, they were the ones standing together.
Ian stretched out his hands and gestured gently to the Grand Duchess on the seat: "This is Qiyuan City's reward, and it is also my sincerity, Thelma."
"I will use this great war to win the qualification to be close to you. At this moment, when the vassals are alienated and the territory is in internal strife, I am the only one who can safeguard the honor of your family and the only one who protects your prestige as a grand duke.
people."
Thelma exchanged countless glances with the count who were also caught off guard. She raised her head with difficulty and embarrassment and said: "You mean..."
Next to Ian, Prince Thales looked stiff.
His fists became tighter and tighter.
This is just the plan.
nothing.
This is just the plan.
Calm down, calm down, Thales.
he said to himself.
Ian took a step forward again and looked at Thelma from a distance, with a look of longing on his face as if in a dream.
As if that was his only pursuit.
"Let me carry my honor and continue to protect you from now on, good girl," Mr. Ronny said softly and tactfully his purpose: "Let Qiyuan City be your most powerful backing and trump card."
At this moment, the hall truly fell into deathly silence.
The count's face was earthy.
"Please let the Ronnie family and the Walton family truly stand together and regain their glory."
With the most longing and tender eyes, Ian's words were exciting and trembling:
"From now on, we will protect the honor of you and your family together."
"Beautiful and noble Ms. Thelma Walton," young Ian tried his best to suppress but could not hide his emotion. He stroked his heart and spoke softly:
"marry me."
At this moment, everyone in the great Hall of Heroes, from the Grand Duchess and the six earls to the rest of the vassals and even the guards, were all stunned and astonished, as if they had seen the most incredible scene in the world.
Except Taylor.
The Star Prince with a cold expression was staring at Ian's legs and clenching his fists.
Almost scratching my palms.
Forget it, I'd better send it out directly.
(Clenches fist) From today on, I will be a diligent coder!