Within a week, Duke Thales settled down in Star Lake Castle, but the lessons for the heir of the kingdom could not be left behind (Tiles sighed deeply).
“Language itself is a competent historian, it records the history of the past.”
Grand Bachelor Bona is conscientious and conscientious. Despite his advanced age, he still insists on coming to Star Lake Castle once a week to teach Thales grammar classes. This makes His Highness the Duke very embarrassed, especially since he knows that at this moment, from Yongxing City to Star Lake
Fortress, the biggest resistance and obstacle is far more than the distance between urban and rural areas.
"In the ancient times when imperial language was prevalent, the empire was prosperous and the grain was plentiful. Agricultural production accounted for a huge part of the composition of the language. You see, just in this small textile house, from loom to winding, there are many things in it.
It has derived many words that are commonly used in later generations, some of which, at first glance, we would never think of being related to agriculture, animal husbandry, and textiles..."
Fortunately, the old bachelor felt much more energetic after leaving the city. He often took Thales into nearby fields or farmers on a whim, and there were ready-made teaching materials at his fingertips.
"Pursue, Your Highness the Duke, the origin and history behind words and words, which will allow you to master the tricks of using them faster," Bachelor Bona sighed. "Believe me, this will be very interesting, allowing you to see through the so-called expressions."
the truth."
After Academician Bona first set an example of not being shaken by politics, other teachers were also deeply inspired, gradually returned to normal, and came to the castle for classes. Many of them were very excited to visit Xinghu Castle, and some even
He took the initiative to stay the night.
“Production and life are the sources of mathematics! When we arrive at Xinghu Castle, we can study the mysteries of mathematics wholeheartedly and without any distractions!”
In math class, Bachelor Julio looked out the window at the clear blue Star Lake, his eyes almost bursting with laughter.
But Thales knew that what the bachelor was really unaccustomed to was the formal and strict atmosphere of Mindis Hall. On the contrary, he was more comfortable in Star Lake Castle on the outskirts of the countryside.
It’s just a pain for Thales.
"Exactly, we mentioned last time that in the navigation industry, captains often need a lot of complicated multiplication and division calculations to determine the relationship between direction, orientation and time. This involves a question, how do we make the complicated multiplication and division calculations,
How about simplifying it into convenient and easy-to-understand addition and subtraction operations? A wise man in ancient times left a genius idea. If we can derive the power of the multiplication separately as the object of the operation..."
The prince could no longer bear it and slapped the table:
“That’s right, Maester Julio! I have a big, big, big math question!”
Julio’s expression changed. He put away his charcoal and sat upright:
"yes?"
Thales hooked his hand, and Rolf immediately came over with a stack of brochures in his arms.
"These account books were given to me by Baron Quentin. They record the current population, land, output and taxation of Star Lake Castle. The numbers are complicated and have made me very anxious and sleepless these days." Thales held it up (stunned)
Julio, who was stunned, sincerely handed one of the farm maps into his hands, "And I urgently need a talented person to check, summarize, summarize and answer for me..."
Julio's eyes widened: "No, Your Highness, I am your teacher, and I am here to teach you..."
But Thales is extremely sincere:
“No, Julio, you are not only my teacher, you are also the person in my castle who knows the most about numbers and calculations at this moment, and is closest to the mysteries and tricks of numbers. I believe that you can help the people of Star Lake Castle.”
Julio was a little moved: "Well, thank you for your appreciation. I may be able to help you a little bit, but I can't compress your class time. After all, this is related to the course study and ability development of the heir of the kingdom..."
"These account records are related to the happiness and well-being of my people, and they are also my official business," Thales sighed, "Look at this beautiful land, are you willing to let the people here starve?
Do you think, as the Duke of Xinghu, should I consider my own ability and quality first, or the happiness and well-being of the people of the kingdom?"
“What you say makes sense, and I admire your highness’s selfless ambition, but it still doesn’t work…”
“I’ll give you an extra salary increase, twice as much.”
“Your Highness, you really love the people like a son, shall we start now?”
“But on credit.”
“What? Your Highness, eh, wait a minute, you’re not skipping math class to reduce the time, are you?”
"How could it be? By the way, this is the book "Alien" you recommended before. The story about Prince Heiman being sacrificed is very interesting..."
“No, when did I recommend it to you... No, this is a banned book! Where did you find it?”
“The Forbidden Books Collection of the Sunset Temple. By the way, I also found this, the complete Gonghai City Enlightenment Collection by Saint Lisieux.”
"What? The complete volume of Saint Lisieux's "Enlightenment Collection"? Your Highness, can you let me see it? Wait, the forbidden book library? No, how did you borrow it?"
“To be precise, I didn’t borrow it. Can you help me look at these field account books?”
“I can’t, it’s class time now! Didn’t borrow it? How did you get it?”
"It's a pity. The little nun who guards the forbidden books has to check the inventory once a year. Calculating the time, I will return the "Collection of Enlightenment" next month. Tsk tsk, what a pity. Let's continue the class, bachelor. Bachelor? Hu
Maester Leo? What's wrong with you?"
“Woo, your highness, woo, I understand, please give me the account book, I will take a look...”
In contrast, the theology classes that were also moved to the countryside also showed another side.
"It doesn't matter, it's nothing. Sunset will not punish you for this. On the contrary, Sunset is tolerant and kind, and she will pity your misfortune... Just don't believe in that name anymore. Instead of hoping for external things, it is better to believe in your own hands.
Enough food and clothing."
Priest Megan comforted a shivering farmer who was tied up with five flowers in a warm voice. The latter was reported by the steward at the farm, saying that he was kneeling in the field waving a torch in the middle of the night, cutting the neck of a sheep and chanting
An unknown mysterious name prays for good weather and productive fields.
This actually made Huaiya quite unhappy.
"You just let him go? Even if he is superstitious and heretical and disrespects the sunset?"
The attendant looked angrily at the frightened farmer who was returning home with the support of his wife and children.
"The temple has been investigated clearly," Megan prayed without looking back, "It is not a heresy, it is just a kind of folk belief that has existed for a long time, especially popular in Cliffland, and that poor farmer happened to be a child when he was a child.
Moved from Yadi."
Huaiya glanced at Thales:
"so?"
Priest Meghan finished her prayers and looked back, her tone filled with both teaching and reproach.
“Our history is not broken, dear Squire Castle.”
“Even the goddess of the setting sun must shine behind the brilliance of the Ming Shen and the Holy Sun, and perhaps the Sun will take part of it.”
Megan looked at the farmers and craftsmen who were busy coming and going in the farm:
“Look at them, their ancestors have been bound to this land for generations, farming, animal husbandry, farming and weaving, and this has been the case since the time of the gods.”
"So in the fields and countryside, ancient gods and old beliefs, and even superstition and heretical worship are naturally passed down from generation to generation, and it is difficult to leave. But this is not their fault, and they are not disrespectful. They are just habits, just ignorance, and just ignorance, but it is by no means a crime.
.”
Meghan shows a smile:
“This is why we must be charitable, tolerant, preach relentlessly, and persist in educating.”
Sister Nia behind her is full of recognition and admiration.
“Well, I’m not embarrassing the farmer, it’s just...”
Waiya looked at Thales:
"A few days ago, because Your Highness doubted a scripture, you scolded them and punished them with copying and memorizing, without mercy. However, they believed in different practices in the fields, but you comforted them with gentle words and opened the door to them."
“That doesn’t seem fair?”
Megan raised her head and looked at the setting sun in the west.
"fair."
“What is fairness, Squire Castle?”
"Is it the prince who broke the law with you, but I gave you the same attitude, punishment and price?"
"Even if you and he can afford the price, the size is completely different?"
Huaiya was stunned.
The old priest looked at Thales and Huaiya with a stern expression:
“Remember, my Wyatt Castle, in the name of God, always remember.”
“You should be harsh to the strong and merciful to the weak.”
“You should be stingy with the rich and generous with the poor.”
“You should be ruthless to the merchants and kind to the farmers.”
“Be kind to the powerful and talk politely to the common people.”
“Be wary of those who wear armor and hold swords, but be kind to those who hold hoe and push plow.”
Hearing this, Huaiya couldn't help but put the exposed sword back under his clothes.
“To make the balance stable and balanced, you need to move the weight to the lighter end.”
Megan stared at Wyatt:
“This is the supreme message given by the Sunset Goddess to the Revival King through the dying words of Prophet Mohasa.”
After hearing this, Thales saluted seriously:
“Thank you, I will remember this teaching.”
Huaiya was silent for a while, and then followed the Duke's bow.
Priest Megan’s stern eyes left Huaiya and turned to Thales:
“That’s good, but I’d rather you didn’t just remember it.”
The prince paused: "What about believers and true heretics?"
Meghan smiled:
“I have an answer. But I don’t think you will like it.”
Two weeks have passed, and Xinghu Castle has become cleaner and tidier (relatively speaking), food and clothing have been provided, and everyone's life has gradually gotten back on track.
Thales studied his lessons methodically:
He began to master the reading, writing, chanting, and singing of Common Elvish; he could proficiently memorize the passages and allusions of "The Book of the Sunset" (and perhaps some other forbidden books); he clearly understood (thanks to Maester Julio) the world
Different lands, populations, and outputs on the fiefdom; he can accurately find Changyin City in the Dragon Kiss Land, the three classical capitals in the Thorn Land, the King's Hall in the City of Steel, and the eight main cities of the Three Kingdoms in the Lost Sea on the map.
The four major forces and sixteen city-states of Kangmus, as well as the location of the seven seas in the Western Continent; he can find the intersection between them and various periods of the kingdom's history from the long-standing and numerous Brilliant Star family tree...
The newly appointed Duke of Xinghu soon gained a good reputation in the fiefdom and the countryside because of his gentle administration (hands off), no increase in taxes (no ambition), and laissez-faire attitude (zero sense of presence).
But this has caused some people to criticize it.
“Is this the end?”
One day in the martial arts class, Marius was summoned to the royal capital for something unexpected. D.D., who was in charge of sparring, relaxed and complained to the prince in the "lumberyard": "I thought that with your courage, wisdom and knowledge,
, will you do something...different in Xinghu Castle?"
Taylor held up his wooden sword and while fighting with Huaiya, he replied:
“Very good, Wya, I like this trick to do something different, like?”
D.D flicked his armor, bored:
"I don't know, reform, improvement, innovation, progress? Just like what some knight poems say, a knight with far-sighted vision got his own fief, vigorously promulgated the New Deal to sweep away the slump, accumulated land, army and food, and finally became a party.
Developed and advanced countries, sweeping the world and making history?"
Tales smiled.
“Reform, improvement, innovation, progress.”
He flipped his sword and blocked Huaiya's attack.
"Very good, Your Highness," the attendant said with unspeakable surprise, "Compared to Longxiao City, you have made much progress. You have even developed the power of finishing."
“Practice makes perfect.” Thales pressed his aching left wrist and showed a fake smile.
He threw the wooden sword to Wyatt and prepared to rest while answering Doyle's question:
“It’s not that I don’t want to bring about changes, D.D. It’s just...”
Tales was silent for a while.
"You know how many types of farmers and workers there are in this field, how they are classified, where they come from, where their hometown is, how many people there are in the family, how many livestock there are, how many farm tools they have, how many different pieces of land and farms they belong to, and what their daily routine is.
How, what time do you start work and when do you finish work, how many work tasks are there in a year, what are the differences between the work of the male master and the female master, how do they cooperate with each other, how many kinds of crops and products are produced in an orderly manner despite their respective division of labor, and among them are
How many things are self-sufficient, which products are exchanged in the market, who should be responsible and reported to, what proportions and rules should be used to hand over money or goods, what kind of friends do you have the most contact with, and what do you use as entertainment outside of work?
Leisure, what are the staple foods for meals, what are the hobbies and topics when resting, how do you spend holidays and festivals, how do you deal with family beliefs, marriage, social interaction, illness, and funerals?”
These words attracted the attention of many people. Glover, who came up with clothes and towels, and Paul, who was practicing swordplay at the side, paused at the same time.
After listening to this long list, D.D looked at him stupidly and shook his head.
Tales smiled:
“That’s good, because I don’t know either.”
The prince turned back and sighed:
"But these people, they were born here, lived here, died here, for hundreds of thousands of years, and they know this land better than anyone else. Why should I think that a so-called Duke of Star Lake who just arrived from the sky and has no mud on his fingers will
Can we have more, deeper, more professional, and more adaptable wisdom and knowledge to the local ecology than they do, to guide them on how to live a better life?"
"I am not Brother Mohasa, D.D. I am not a prophet who descended from the sky. That profession is only found in the Sunset Teachings. And I am not that arrogant. I am not arrogant enough to be able to see through history and point out the direction of the 'future' in this muddy world."
Thales came back to his senses and patted Doyle on the shoulder:
“Let’s go home. I remember that Custa caught two wild boars in the trap today in the hunting forest. The logistics wing has also hired a new cook. Dinner should not be too monotonous.”
D.D nodded confusedly.
“But you also said that it has always been the case, and it may not be right.”
Huaiya’s words made Thales stop in his tracks.
"Just like what you did in Longxiao City," Huaiya said solemnly, "your shocking feat broke the thousand-year shackles of the Northland and brought new life. Only then did you reverse the situation and witness history."
"Perhaps the people on this land have accumulated habits and wisdom due to time and history, but if they remain unchanged, they will inevitably stick to the old ways." The attendant looked at Thales's back, "Maybe sometimes, wisdom and courage like yours are needed to rule.
To bring about change and innovation, just like countless reforms in the history of the kingdom?"
Thales turned his back to him and didn't speak for a long time.
Until he exhales.
“Yes, thanks for reminding me, Wyatt.”
He turned around and faced everyone in the training ground.
“But if I have learned anything in the six or seven years after the Dragon Blood Night,” Thales smiled, “maybe it is humility.”
Huaiya was stunned.
Thales took the towel from Glover's hand, wiped his face, and took off his protective gear one by one.
“The master of the One-Winged Crow family, Lord of the Winged Fortress, Dele Chroma, once told me a little story.”
“Do you know when the messenger crow appeared?”
Everyone on the training ground looked at each other.
“Ancient Empire.”
The person who answered was Glover, and he said seriously:
“The Emperor of Comorra used messenger crows on a large scale to convey military information. They played an important role in the war, allowing him to command the army with incredible efficiency and control the overall situation, far surpassing his opponents at the same time, and gaining the opportunity to win.”
"Even after the conquest was completed, the messenger crows played a big role," Paul took over. "No matter how far apart the territories were, messages would arrive at dawn and dusk. Only then could the emperor who was sitting in the imperial territory be able to firmly rule the major provinces and issue orders.
First, this improves the effectiveness of governance, strengthens the cohesion of the empire, and weakens the possibility of division. It is an important factor for the empire to maintain its rule after epic conquests."
Listening to their answers, Thales nodded one after another.
"good."
“But that was not the first time that ravens appeared, nor was it the first time that they appeared on the stage of history.”
Tales is looking for memories:
"About 700 years of the Kings, two hundred years before the birth of the Great Emperor, a Dharma... a wise man discovered that some special birds would respond differently to specific magnets. This may be the reason why they can
The reason why you can travel thousands of miles without getting lost is the origin of crow technology."
"Soon, a king of Xitaoya decided to put a group of carefully cultivated and trained messenger crows into use to replace the communication channels between city-states and replace all messengers, mails, and beacons. 'I captured the power of civilization and
The future', he said with great courage and hope."
Tales paused.
“But the situation is not that simple.”
"Letter crows are very novel, very fast, and very convenient, but their technology is far from mature, and the cost of breeding and training is still high. The cost of raising them for one year is enough to feed, clothe, and train an ordinary family.
The cycle and effect are also unsatisfactory.”
Tales’ tone became more and more serious:
“But the king still firmly believes that the letter crow is the future. For this reason, he ignores all the contrary advice and insists on using the letter crow, regardless of the cost. As a result, the kingdom’s taxes increase.”
"Soon, crows became a new trend. At that time, everyone in the kingdom was scrambling to collect bird seeds, build birdhouses, plant bird food, and dig magnetic minerals. There is a story about a poor family who was struggling to survive.
Keep the crows' food and feed the ravens, but your children will starve to death."
Hearing this, Huaiya sighed softly.
Rolf’s arms hugged him tighter and tighter.
"Secondly, the emergence of messenger crows has affected the lives of many people: lords, nobles, priests, messengers, postmen, guards, and even messengers and sentries. These are direct. Indirect effects include bachelors, scribes, and customs who write.
There are poets who write novels, housekeepers who collect rent, some lose their jobs, some change careers, some protest, and some insist on the past way of communication..."
Paul was thoughtful.
"That's not all. Because of the existence of messenger crows, a lot of information was released an hour ago, and the lords will know it an hour later. Therefore, the time for farmers to pay rent, the deadline for tax accounting, the rhythm of craftsmen's work, and the fluctuation of market prices.
All the rhythms were mentioned again and again, and everyone's lives were turned upside down. They were all trying their best in confusion, trying to catch up with the pace of the raven, or in other words, the pace of the king, but they couldn't, and they were tortured and miserable.
.”
Glover frowned.
Thales took off the last piece of protective gear and faced the setting sun on the Western Mountain with ease.
"But the king is so superstitious about progress and civilization. He believes that the current setbacks are just labor pains, and the temporary sacrifices will be compensated. The crow technology will eventually speed up his output, make communication efficient, and ultimately make the country strong and wealthy, thereby solving everything
question."
Tales gradually fell into a trance.
“But he is right,” Glover couldn’t help but say, “In the conquest and rule of the Great Emperor, the messenger crow is indispensable.”
Tales just smiled.
D.D looked at this end and then at the other end, full of doubts.
"In the end, under the influence of many factors, the crow was killed, the crow house was destroyed, the crow tamer was hanged, and the king who 'seized the future' was driven out by endless riots and uprisings
tower."
Thales raised his head:
"Before he died, he shed tears and asked the gods in the sky: 'Why? What I promised to this world is obviously a technology that changes everything, a feat destined to be passed down for eternity, and the best civilization and future!'"
Tiles ends the story in a low tone:
“The first application of the letter crow in the world failed.”
“It will be two hundred years later when the emperor raises his troops, the empire conquers, and Xinya is known and accepted by more people.”
As he finished speaking, the soft chirping of birds returning to their nests came from the distant mountain forest.
Paul closed his eyes:
"Pity."
Everyone on the training ground was silent for a long time, until Huaiya asked tentatively:
“You want to say that the king is too arrogant and not humble enough?”
Thales nodded, then shook his head:
“Historical data records that the king of Xitao, who was called the ‘Crow Lord’, ‘had great ambitions, was obsessed with high things, pampered birds and abused the people, and lost sight of the present’.”
"indeed."
Paul lamented:
“If this king proceeds step by step and applies it on a small scale first, rather than rushing for quick success, if he cares about the people, understands the people’s sentiments, understands political affairs, and plans slowly, if he waits for the technology to mature before..."
"if."
Thales interrupted Paul, and he looked at the horizon in a daze:
"if?"
“Yes, we can always be so confident in finding reasons for history and simply finding explanations for the past.”
Paul was puzzled for a moment.
Thales continued to say in a daze: "But from the Crow Master to the Great Emperor, the two hundred years when the Raven was abandoned, what is the world's attitude and reaction to the Raven, is it the inevitable 'step by step' of history itself, or is it the 'eager for quick success' of mankind itself?"
as a result of?"
The Star Lake Guards exchanged glances with each other, expressing their confusion about the issue and the Duke.
But Thales was lost in thought and said to himself:
“The tragedy of the Crow Lord is deplorable, but is it inevitable and unavoidable? Is it something that we, standing in the future generations, cannot solve no matter how much we talk about ‘what if it would be better’?”
“Were those two hundred years a necessary sacrifice and price, or an unnecessary waste and blindness?”
“And us, how should we remain humble without losing enthusiasm?”
This statement caused many people to react in different ways. Some lowered their heads in deep thought, while others were confused.
“These people on our land, lords, farmers, merchants, and craftsmen, they are in the same era, the same history, and the same world as us.”
"Why do I think I am qualified to be arrogant? Why do I think I can bring them anything? Why do I think that there is no wisdom and desire passed down from past lives in their history and land, no seeds of change and improvement, no seeds of improvement buried in them?
The buds of future and hope, just waiting to break out of the ground one day?"
A few seconds later, Thales came to his senses, smiled apologetically to everyone, and signaled that the martial arts class was over, asking everyone with complicated emotions to pack up and prepare to return to the castle.
Only Huaiya was silent for a long time.
He took a deep breath, mustered up his courage, and stepped forward...
"Your Highness," Huaiya lowered his voice, "what is bothering you is not Star Lake Castle or the Messenger Crow, but something else, right?"
Thales paused and looked at Huaiya.
“Viscount Niemann said,” the equerry said, with a worried look on his face, “When you are upset, you like to talk a lot, often full of emotions and sighs.”
Putilai Niemann.
The image of the old smoker flashed through Thales' mind, causing him to unconsciously raise the corners of his mouth.
"You know, you don't have to bear everything alone. You can trust me or anyone you think is trustworthy." Huaiya said sincerely.
Tales stared at Huai Ya for a long, long time.
He couldn't help but think of the first time he met the other party. This stiff young man took an oath of allegiance to him in a serious manner.
The prince put his hand into his pocket and held the "covenant" tightly again.
“It’s dinner time, let’s go back.”
A few seconds later, Thales put his hand out of his pocket and showed a warm smile to Waiya:
“Whether you are hungry or not, you have to eat.”
Huaiya's expression darkened.
Thales patted him on the shoulder and walked towards the castle.
“But the Crow Master is also respectable, isn’t he?”
Waia's voice sounded from behind.
Tiles' pace slowed down.
“As for Xin Crow, he failed, but the world finally succeeded. After two hundred years of pain, it succeeded with the Great Emperor.”
Huaiya’s voice was quite urgent:
“Whether it was necessary or unnecessary, no matter what the outside world said, the Crow Master made the choice he believed in.”
“Maybe that’s enough for him.”
Tales was silent for a long time.
After that, he walked into the castle.
That evening, Thales finished his meal and came to the study room of Jackal Tower as usual.
But this time, after he greeted Glover and Rolf who were standing guard outside the door and asked them to close the door, Thales' expression changed.
He turned around and looked at the figure standing behind the desk who had appeared in the room at some unknown time.
“From the last letter to now, you have kept me waiting for too long.”
The prince said coldly.
“Too long? Believe me, Thales, for existences like us, who live for eternity and sleep in the blink of an eye...”
Behind the desk, his most unusual teacher, the magician of air, Ashida Sarkon, smiled half-heartedly, twirled her slender fingers, and elegantly and calmly put down a blue invitation:
“There is no waiting, it can be said to be ‘long’.”