Since early in the morning, people have been coming and going in Kongming Palace.
In addition to the various ministries and offices in Diomao working as usual, guests coming from far and near the city also include local nobles and foreign businessmen, including industrial owners and workshop owners, agents of business groups and officials at all levels.
, and even representatives of the Coachmen's Guild and Dockworkers, etc., covering most of the livelihood circles accessible to the Emerald City.
The entrance to the palace was crowded and noisy because of this, and the open space was crowded with carriages, sedans, and servants. From time to time, people quarreled and even fought over the parking spaces and order.
Of course, more of them were residents watching the fun. They came after hearing the news and didn't even go to the celebrations in various parts of the city. They just stood in black crows outside the cordon drawn by the sergeants and guards.
Pointing at the bustling spectacle at the palace gate with interest, commenting on the guests entering and leaving the palace, making speculations about the serious attitude of the Emerald Legion, and relishing the anecdote (I don’t know when it was spread) about Miss Hilley playing tricks on the prince.
Le Dao, talking about the turbulent situation in the city, sighing about where the Emerald City will go after the sky falls, and lamenting that the Kingdom of Stars has fallen to this point...
Some people in the crowd who were watching the excitement couldn't restrain themselves, and after stopping the guests to ask, they found out that they had received a temporary invitation from His Highness Thales, and then hurriedly came to the palace to see him.
As for the purpose, no one, including the invitees, knew, and it was not stated on the invitation, only the words "The Duke of Xinghu sincerely invites you to meet."
But this makes people even more nervous and curious.
Why, after experiencing a series of governance failures, this frustrated prince finally had no other choice. He couldn't help but reveal his true face as a barbarian from the North, sharpen his sword and go on a killing spree, and forged his regency with blood.
Can he avenge the humiliation he suffered from a woman?
Humph, that’s really ridiculous!
Then it’s time to teach this yellow-mouthed kid that wherever there is oppression, there is resistance!
We Nan'an people are also unyielding and strong men. We are not vegetarians, and we are not like those cowards in the capital who are afraid of power. Wife, don't you often say that married life is not romantic? In this way, I will exchange the bank check for
Now, why don't you put away the things at home, and how about we take the kids and the cat and go on a trip for three months? Oh, for no other reason than that you've been taking care of your kids and cooking for so many years, and you're so virtuous and kind. My conscience has found out.
I want to make it up to you...
Compared to the bustling atmosphere outside the palace gate, the scene inside the main palace is no less impressive.
There was a steady stream of guests waiting to be received into the palace, from being in twos and threes at first to being bustling later, from gradually filling the lounge to standing in three large halls. Finally, the royal guards and the guards of Kongming Palace had to reorganize order and let the guests
They lined up in a long S-shaped queue and squeezed into the corridor all the way.
Regardless of being of noble birth or wealthy, every guest in the queue was uneasy, staring intently at the door, looking blank and saying nothing, arranging their appearance nervously while waiting for the etiquette officer to roll call, or pretending to be relaxed and chatting with people they knew well.
Chatting and communicating, discussing who went in again and who came out again, who was able to go in as soon as he came in, who never came out again, who came out with a sad face, who left the palace with a smile on his face, you said the one with a ferocious face
It seems to be the pirate Tanganga. I said that the people surrounding him over there should be the special envoys of the Tairen State. You openly emphasized that His Highness Thales is wise, prodigious and courageous, so I loudly praised the Duke of Star Lake for his talent and talent...
But only Thales himself knows who is the most tired person in the Emerald City today.
Throughout the day, he was meeting all kinds of people non-stop, from high-ranking nobles to wealthy businessmen, from foreign envoys to local bureaucrats, and his attitude towards different people was not the same. Some were gentle and comforting, some were harsh, some were chatting and laughing.
Or cold and solemn, some people have to sit with him for a full hour, some people send him off in just two sentences, some people need to be received alone to show their respect, and some people are accompanied by guards and swords and axes...
These guests from all walks of life were either humble or arrogant towards him, some were hypocritical, some were hypocritical and talked nonsense, some were trembling, humble and fearful, but everyone had one thing in common: they all turned a blind eye to the bruises on Thales' face.
, it’s so common, as if everyone should be born with a bruise on their face.
There was only one younger herbal medicine dealer who couldn't help mentioning that his secret concealer was very effective at the end of the interview. However, he was quietly stepped on by his fellow seniors who became pale after hearing this. He was half-baked before he finished speaking.
After being pushed and half-pushed away, Thales could hear the scoldings of his fathers through the door:
"Naughty son! That's not an injury. It's the Emerald City's humiliation to him, its contempt for the prince of a kingdom, it's a slap in the face!"
"My dear nephew, you actually dare to mention this matter in front of him, you're going to die!"
"Kevin Dill slapped me hard, but he couldn't bear it, let alone others. If he did, he would see blood!"
"He may not be able to take iris flowers, but he can take our heads easily!"
"Prepare some generous gifts later and give them every day. Don't let him hold a grudge..."
"It's too late. I heard that His Highness is stingy and very vindictive..."
"He was frustrated by Kevin Deere's anger and was worried that he had nowhere to get angry..."
"But his attitude was pretty good, and he assured us that the industry's rules and regulations remained the same..."
"You're stupid! Which butcher flashes the butcher's knife before taking the pig to the slaughterhouse? Isn't it delicious and delicious?"
"Don't look at his smiling face now. His Highness came back from Exeter. It is said that many people were killed on the way back home..."
"I heard that the born king forced him to drink wine he didn't like. Hey, you all saw what happened next..."
"Now I have offended him. Oh, what can I do..."
"Duke Zhan just doesn't want to marry his sister to him. Look, where is the Duke now?"
"Don't be too naive. He failed miserably in the Emerald City. Regardless of whether this happened or not, he will find someone to operate to get him back..."
"I heard that he is short of money, big money..."
Thales, who had long been used to it, looked numb and calm when he heard this.
In addition, there are many guests who either have a humble attitude or make generous speeches during the meeting, but they all point out in their words, overtly or covertly:
Duke Jenn's sister was frail and sick since she was a child. She was raised in a boudoir and rarely saw the world. In addition, the old Duke and his wife showed pity and love, a little forgiveness, and a little lack of education. This was even more true after the new Duke succeeded to the throne. They pampered and indulged, and intensified their behavior, so they developed the character of Xi.
Miss Lai’s current personality...
Of course, who is His Highness Thales? He is a nobleman from Tianhuang, a wise prince with a broad mind, and has a good reputation of being tolerant and kind, and loving his people like a son. He is the reincarnation of a virtuous king!
He will never make others angry at the expense of small things... Hey, look at me, I am a verbose person. How could His Highness not know these things...
What's more, the affairs in Emerald City are now complicated and require His Highness to take care of them and manage them carefully. This is a big deal...
So that, that, there is a saying in Yuanguo, Datongwan’s belly can support a boat, right?
It seemed that if they didn't say so, Thales would be furious the next moment and slap the Emerald City to death.
Most of the time, Thales responded with a smile.
But for some people, that's not the case.
"Last night at the North Gate Bridge, the operation to arrest Lausanne II was carried out secretly. Many participants did not know the news until the last moment." Facing this group of new guests, Thales spoke softly, "Because it concerns Zhan En
The case with Federico was so involved that I had no choice but to bypass the personnel of Kongming Palace. Even the specific operations were handled by the female boss of the Blood Bottle Gang..."
He raised his head and looked at the officials from Emerald City who had just arrived from their respective offices and were standing around the room.
"But tell me, Hille Kelvindir, how did she know about my actions? And where did she know it?"
The officials held their breath when they heard this, surprised and nervous.
"No, she not only knew, she also found the address accurately, found the time exactly, rushed out halfway, and kidnapped the prisoner exactly," Thales thought of last night and said in a daze, "It's as if... it's like she is...
They were guarding there, just waiting for me to come to the door, so that they could seize the opportunity at the most critical moment and slap me hard in the face."
Having said this, Thales gently patted the uninjured half of his face:
"If I fail to arrest him, he will become the laughing stock of the whole city and his prestige will be ruined."
The officials looked at each other in shock and broke out in cold sweat.
Especially when there were royal guards standing in front, back, left and right, staring at them with unkind expressions.
A senior political officer swallowed his saliva, and faced the urging eyes of his colleagues, he bravely went out and spoke: "Your Highness is saying..."
"Your Highness is saying that!"
The political officer was interrupted.
"Someone betrayed us," the attendant Wyatt Castle stood near the prince and added coldly, "in the Kongming Palace, in various government offices that may know the inside story, or even standing in this room right now.
Among the gentlemen, someone leaked the news in advance and tipped off Miss Hilley."
As soon as this statement came out, the officials' expressions changed.
When they reacted, they all denied continuously, shouted injustice, fear and grievance.
In the midst of the noise, Thales closed his eyes to rest and said nothing.
"Although we kept a low profile throughout the whole process, our departure from the palace could not be hidden from the palace guards, or even the eyes and ears of the police department everywhere. It is very likely that you got the news halfway," the person who spoke was still Huaiya, and only the attendants could be seen
The official turned to a group of officials and asked sternly, "right?"
The faces of the city guard and several security department directors changed drastically, and they strongly denied it.
"Your Highness Mingjian, we have worked hard these days and are exhausted. How can we still control the garbage dump at Beimen Bridge? Um, I mean, security incidents there are generally handled according to normal procedures. We definitely don't.
Pay special attention, let alone report anything..."
"It's normal for His Highness to go out to inspect the palace. Why do we ask so many questions..."
"We support His Highness wholeheartedly, how could we do this..."
"I'm going to go back and check on those temporary workers. I said there must be something wrong with them..."
"It's because of the lack of care by my subordinates. Let's go down and vigorously carry out a rectification campaign, strictly investigate and deal with the department, and strengthen prevention in every corner of the Emerald City to guard against treacherous villains with ulterior motives, especially those hidden among the masses..."
Huaiya looked at their pitiful and ridiculous self-defense and didn't say much. He just turned to the other side.
"For last night's operation, His Highness has specially approved a budget," the Prince's Attendant said with cold eyes and sharp words, "The Financial Secretary should know about this large amount of expenditure, right? Although he didn't say it, he must have noticed the clues long ago.
, you know we have a big operation at Beimen Bridge?"
On the other side of the room, a group of finance and taxation officials, headed by Chief Mailahovich, who had nothing to do with themselves and were lying down pretending to be dead, woke up from the petrified state of looking at their noses, noses, and hearts.
They all changed their expressions and rushed to defend themselves:
"My Lord Attendant, your words are wrong..."
"Yes, but all official documents are sealed confidentially! We will never leak secrets..."
"No, no, this old man is so dim-sighted that he can't understand what kind of money His Highness has approved and what he is using it for..."
"How can we be so diligent in checking accounts? We report them every half year... Recently we have let things go. How could we find out... Well, we will definitely vigorously rectify it after we return, and strive to improve the department's work capacity and verification frequency..."
"In fact, each department has its own small treasury, and those of us responsible for approval may not be able to detect it... Of course, the small treasury is wrong!"
"If the prince wants money, then he needs to approve a note. How dare we ask more about whether he wants the official title? I mean, what is the budget expenditure of the superior leadership department, under what name is the project established, and for what purpose?
We don’t have the right to audit, just like we can’t report and supervise beyond the level..."
"We spent a little more on security this week, but we don't know what it was used for, let alone the Beimen Bridge..."
Huaiya looked cold and listened to their defense for a while without saying much. He just turned to another group of officials wearing military uniforms and having a strong temperament.
"Captain Seychelles," Huaiya said to the extreme knight standing quietly aside, with suspicion in his words, "Last night, His Highness the Prince also invited you to go to the North Gate Bridge to help out?"
Seychelles slowly raised his head.
The royal guards in the room all became nervous.
Although he was unarmed and unarmed when he entered the door, his every move still had the oppressive feeling of an extreme master.
Only Huaiya's expression did not change and he glared condescendingly at the Seychelles knight.
The latter said slowly: "I was invited to take action in order to catch the criminal, prove the Duke's innocence, and end this farce as soon as possible..."
But Huaiya interrupted him rudely:
"But when Miss Healy took away Lausanne II, you did not stop her."
Seychelles frowned slightly and glanced at Thales:
"yes."
"And Miss Hilley is Duke Jenn, your master's sister."
"Yes, but the situation was special at that time, and His Highness the Prince did not dare to act lightly..."
This time, Huaiya interrupted him faster than before, with a cold and stern tone that contained rebuke:
"What did you say? What does Your Highness dare not do?"
Seychelles' expression moved slightly, and he looked at Thales, but the latter still leaned on the back of his chair and closed his eyes silently.
It's like I didn't hear it at all.
Facing the eyes of the whole room, Seychelles hesitated for a moment.
"I, I took action at the beginning and tried to stop it," Seychelles defended, "but Miss Heeley is accompanied by Cassian, who is also a majestic extreme knight, and his skills are learned from the Terminator Tower.
I'm not completely sure I can win him..."
"So you let Miss Hilley, the sister of Duke Zhan, who happened to appear, take away the criminal who may have played a key role in the Duke's case." Wyatt said softly.
Seychelles pursed his lips: "I am not the only one present, there is also..."
But Huaiya was uncharacteristically uncharacteristic and could not tolerate his excuse at all:
"As far as I know, you and Lord Cassian - what a coincidence, he is also the official knight of the Emerald City - are old friends?"
Faced with the suspicion of malicious intentions, Seychelles looked stunned, and his words were a little tougher:
"It used to be. But please believe me, Your Highness, I will not let my personal feelings affect..."
"But unlike him, Seychelles, before you were canonized as a knight, you were a mercenary in the East China, commonly known as a 'sword seller'?"
The back and forth between Huaiya and Seychelles was so hostile that other people in the room were cautious and did not dare to say anything out loud.
Seychelles, who was interrupted several times, took a deep breath and suppressed his anger:
"Yes. But since then, I have abided by every work contract and tried my best to perform my duties..."
Huaiya snorted coldly:
"Since it is a contract and a market behavior, does it mean that the one with the highest price wins regardless of position?"
Seychelles couldn't bear it any longer. He spoke suddenly and glared at Huaiya:
"You tm——"
boom!
A muffled sound interrupted the quarrel in the room.
"enough!"
Everyone was shocked, and then they realized that the voice was from Prince Thales, who had been pretending to be asleep. The latter stood up with a stern look on his face:
"all of you."
Huaiya turned around seriously and saluted respectfully:
"Your Highness."
The officials reacted and bowed after the prince's attendants, including Seychelles, who looked sulky and unconvinced.
"Please rest assured, I am not here to hold you accountable."
Thales looked around, took a deep breath, relaxed his expression, and spoke calmly:
"I don't want to force you to pay for the mistakes I made."
The officials looked at each other, but a smart person had already taken over:
"Wherever, His Highness has done his best to govern the Emerald City..."
"It's a small setback, but it's a normal thing in governing the country. Why make mistakes..."
"The more polished a gem is, the brighter it becomes..."
"Your Highness is really open-minded and a person who does great things..."
Thales raised his hand and spoke in a gentle tone, signaling everyone to calm down.
"I invite you here today because of this letter." He took out a letter from the drawer and handed it to Huaiya, who respectfully passed it to the officials below. "I need you to sign together.
Send it secretly to the royal capital."
The senior officials in the first row gathered together to read the letter. The more they read, the more confused they became, and they looked at each other in confusion.
Others couldn't wait any longer and looked wary after hearing the "joint signature":
"Signature?"
"for what?"
"What letter?"
"A statement to waive unpaid wages?"
"Don't..."
Thales sighed.
"A letter from me to His Majesty, asking him to dismiss a motion."
Everyone was startled.
"What motion?"
Thales sat down slowly with a solemn expression:
"Emerald City Emergency Control Order."
What?
Everyone was stunned again, not knowing why.
Boom.
Everyone turned around and saw that in the ranks of the inquisitors, Ibonin, the student of the late Inquisitor Brennan and the acting grand inquisitor of the Emerald City, looked pale, and the official scrolls in his hands were scattered on the ground.
"Emergency...control?" He murmured, and the fellow inquisitors behind him had something in mind. They looked shocked as they leaned over to pick up the scroll.
The letter was passed between a pair of hands, and Thales was silent for a long time.
"As you know, Duke Iris is suspected of killing his father to seize the throne, paying for murders, and covering up the truth... Whether it is true or not, the Kevin Dill family is currently in civil strife, the political situation on the south coast is in turmoil, and the Emerald City... is becoming increasingly depressed and the people are dissatisfied.
Overgrown.”
The eyelids of everyone present jumped when they heard this.
Thales spoke slowly:
"Therefore, the emperor believes that the Emerald City needs urgent control at this moment to stabilize order and avoid disaster."
As soon as these words came out, there was an explosion in the study room.
"What?"
"What kind of emergency law?"
"How to control it?"
Thales closed his eyes and spoke in a low tone:
"As a guarantee, someone suggested that Baron Alaka Mu be recommended to lead a thousand royal standing troops to the Emerald City for temporary garrison to stabilize the overall situation."
The officials became more and more surprised:
"King, the wrath of the kingdom?"
"Why an army? A standing army?"
"Who pays for the garrison expenses?"
"What about the Emerald Legion? Where to put them?"
"when will you arrive?"
"We don't have bandits here, so why do we need stability?"
"It's not just about garrisoning," the young and powerful Judge Ibonin thought of something, with a serious expression, "Just like in the Western Wilderness back then, this is to temporarily replace the rule of local lords with the temporary control power of the central kingdom during an emergency period.
right."
The study instantly became quiet.
Thales also remained silent.
The financial controller, Mr. Melakhovich, opened his eyes in disbelief:
"No, it can't be?"
"How can this be?"
"Let those soldiers rule?"
"It was brought from the central government..."
"The Emerald City will be destroyed!"
Thales sighed softly, and the noise in the study gradually disappeared as he spoke:
"Not long ago, the Blade Tooth Camp learned from the past, and the Imperial Council lost confidence in the local lords, so they made this motion - of course, they also knew that this matter was extremely controversial, so the official would not acknowledge it until it was officially issued and written down.
"
"No!"
Director Melakhovich was startled and said:
"You can't let this happen!"
After the other adults were surprised, they nodded:
"We are fine here, there is no chaos, and there is no need to garrison!"
Captain Seychelles also frowned:
"The Emerald Legion has guarded the Emerald City for generations, and everyone's contract is written in black and white..."
"This is legally untenable," Judge Ibonin gritted his teeth. "Such a big matter requires at least a motion from the National Council, or at least the High Council of Nobles. The Imperial Council cannot..."
Thales nodded:
"Indeed. But no matter what the process is, I believe that as we speak, Baron Mu has received the order to start mobilizing manpower."
There was silence in the study again.
"But, even if he brings people here," a political officer thought of something, with a little hope in his words, "You, Your Highness Thales, you will still be the regent, right? Temporarily photograph Kongming
palace?"
Thales smiled, looking tired after receiving guests all morning:
"I hope it will be."
"You must be," Judge Ibonin affirmed. "Except for His Majesty himself, there is no nobler or more qualified person in the entire kingdom than you. And if you are allowed to step down at this time, it will be equivalent to telling the world that you are the regent."
Emerald City has failed, and Fuxing Palace no longer trusts you..."
When he said this, he remembered something, his words stopped, and he looked at Thales in shock.
The surroundings were silent again.
This topic is too sensitive and dangerous.
No one dared to say anything at this time.
Thales smiled bitterly.
"Alaka Mu saved my life, and he has a stubborn character, special status, and outstanding achievements." He avoided talking about the topic just now. "I may not be able to manipulate him."
The study was still silent.
No one dared to speak.
Thales looked around and had to continue:
"So once he comes..."
"No, the wrath of the kingdom cannot come." Ibonin's face was ashen and he interrupted the prince.
His words quickly gained support.
"right!"
"We are fine, there is no problem at all!"
"No need for regulation!"
"The Imperial Council needs to think twice. The current problems in Emerald City cannot be solved by military control..."
"The Emerald City has prospered due to the trade and travel, but it may not be so when the army comes..."
"Someone needs to remind His Majesty..."
"That's what I said," Thales agreed gently, "that's why I have this letter."
Everyone turned their heads: the letter just happened to be delivered to Captain Seychelles. In front of everyone's eyes, he frowned and handed the letter back to the cold-faced Wyatt.
"I want to write to His Majesty before the Imperial Council puts forward the formal motion and reject it with all my strength," Thales said with a solemn expression. "Of course I can't say it explicitly, as that will only be counterproductive. I can only emphasize it from line to line in addition to caring about His Majesty's health.
"The overall situation of the Emerald City has been decided, and the order is as stable as the Sighing Mountain. There is no need to waste more energy, waste troops and money."
All the gentlemen in the room seemed to be waking up from a dream, and they all spoke out:
"Exactly!"
"Send the message quickly!"
"Don't delay, don't let the princes in the court worry..."
"His Royal Highness Thales has a reputation as a virtuous man and will surely be able to persuade His Majesty..."
"We are in a remote place. We don't want to disturb the Fuxing Palace and worry about the wrath of the famous kingdom..."
"The Kingdom of Stars is undergoing a renaissance and is rising. Wherever there is no need for money and troops, why waste time and energy here?"
"National affairs in the center of the kingdom are more important... It's no big deal if we, the people of Emerald City, suffer a little more..."
"That's right..."
Until Thales sighed heavily, making everyone's hearts hang again.
"It's a pity that everyone has seen my experience and 'political achievements' these days," Thales said with a heavy expression and laughed at himself repeatedly, "Not to mention last night, I couldn't even catch a single criminal, and was killed by Kai
Miss Wendil... her prestige has been ruined, she is a laughingstock, and she has lost the face of the royal family."
The officials could not hold back any words of encouragement:
"But it's not your fault!"
"Your Majesty, that was a last resort..."
"Especially yesterday, it was not Your Highness's fault!"
"Is it because we have...a mole?" an official added cautiously.
"Not only did you not lose face, but you also contributed to the glory of the royal family, showing your tolerance and generosity, and not arguing with villainous women!"
"Oh, Miss Heeley is too willful. She is so eager to save her brother that she appeals and protests. She has to find the right way..."
But Thales ignored these remarks. He just looked defeated and shook his head in thought:
"When the news reaches the royal capital, the Royal Council will know that after Zhan En stepped down, my virtue and talent are not worthy of me, and I will ultimately fail to govern the Emerald City..."
These words made everyone quite intolerable:
"Your Highness..."
"You just took office, so you inevitably made some omissions..."
"Yes, you have been working hard to solve the problem, and we all see it..."
"We all understand these days. Who dares to say that you haven't worked hard and tried your best?"
Thales smiled bitterly and waved his hand to interrupt everyone's chatter:
"In short, this letter is not convincing enough with just my signature."
Having said this, he took a deep breath, raised his head, and looked at each official:
"I need you, I need more officials from Emerald City and pillars of Kongming Palace to sign this together."
The officials looked solemn.
"To prove to my father that the Emerald City is as stable as ever."
Thales' eyes were firm and decisive:
"Motion to Dismiss."
After the words fell, the officials looked at each other in confusion.
"I see."
Judge Ibonin was the first to react. He sighed, stepped forward, and stretched out his hand to Huaiya:
"Where to sign?"
Thales breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at the acting Grand Inquisitor and smiled.
"This city is the hard work and pride of Mr. Brennan. He will not be willing to see it fall into war." Ibonin decisively reached out to write and signed his name at the bottom of the letter. "Your Highness also asks you to take care of the thousands of people."
, and fight hard based on reason.”
Thales looked at him seriously and nodded heavily.
All the officials came to their senses, nodded one after another, and all stepped forward to express their agreement to sign the petition.
Huaiya had to stand up and take charge of the order, asking them to sign in an orderly manner.
"Of course, in order to prove to His Majesty that there is no need for martial law here," Judge Ibonin said seriously, "the trial hall will work hard to catch up on the cases that have been backlogged in the past few days and complete the trials as soon as possible."
His statement also inspired officials from other departments.
"Yes, yes, we might as well work overtime these days..."
"I'll go find Miss Hilley now. If I can find her, I'll try to convince her..."
"Then our Financial Secretary will go back and study how to save some expenses..."
"It doesn't have to be like this."
Thales suddenly spoke, interrupting the financial controller.
The prince opened the drawer and handed over a redemption note to the finance and taxation officials:
"Here are more than 30,000 gold coins. Let's make up for the arrears of wages from the various ministries to the Emerald Legion. You can make up as much as you can. If there is any leftover, it will be treated as overtime bonus according to the system."
As soon as these words came out, maybe because there was a lot of money, maybe because it was about wages, all the officials in the room turned their heads and stared intently at the check in Thales' hand.
Looking at this amount of money, Manager Melahovich couldn't help but be surprised, but he was used to seeing huge sums of money, but he still tightened his collar and pretended to be calm and took the cashed note:
"Actually, my salary is only the second priority. It's better to use it to solve our urgent needs and pay off the debts of Emerald City..."
The officials' eyes darkened.
"Eat your own food first, then you can have the strength to pay others back." Thales said with a smile.
The officials' eyes were bright again.
Mylahovich's eyelids twitched and he was flattered:
"Yes, Your Highness, you... you spend so much money, it really makes us..."
"No need to thank me. This is the money the Popon family owes Kongming Palace," Thales shook his finger. "The extra part is proof of their enthusiastic participation in city affairs and their hope that the Emerald City will return to order."
Sincerely, it is also because they are willing to support me as regent."
As soon as these words came out, everyone's thoughts changed and they looked at each other.
"When it comes to year-end commendations, remember to present the Good Citizen Award to Mrs. Torre."
Thales sat back in his seat, but he thought of something and raised his finger again.
"Also, Ambassador Hasha of the Tyron State promised me that he would take the lead in connecting with several foreign business groups to forgive - or at least postpone - several debts of Emerald City. It seems that the amount is quite large," he pointed casually, "
Just recently, Mr. Controller, you sent someone to implement it."
If the 30,000 gold coins just now were just strange, this time Melahovich was solidly surprised and immediately beamed with joy:
"Yes, yes, Your Highness!"
Thales snorted softly and looked at the financial manager of Kongming Palace seriously:
"Remember, pay attention to every coin - this money is not mine, nor does it belong to everyone here, but is created by the residents of Emerald City, but it is just entrusted to us by the Sunset Goddess to take care of it temporarily."
After hearing this, the officials became even more motivated. Their eyes looking at Thales became more admiring and eager, and their words became more flattering and flattering.
"Your Highness is right..."
"What a wise saying..."
"It's time to erect a monument and inscribe it to teach all people..."
"If everyone has this awareness, why worry about the kingdom failing to prosper?"
"The big ship of stars, in the hands of such a wise helmsman, will surely ride the wind and waves!"
But Thales turned a deaf ear and ignored it.
"I know that there are many industries in the Emerald City that are inextricably linked to the local nobles. Without their cooperation, even if you want to do things, you will get half the result with half the effort." Thales waved his hand, "Don't worry, I have talked with them.
After negotiating some terms, they will not be an obstacle, but will help you clear the obstacles."
"Some business groups that have hoarded goods and affected the market should resume normal operations soon. Of course, it will take some time for market confidence to recover..."
Thales continued to talk one by one, methodically and with a clear plan in mind:
"By the way, the robbery incident on the coast has been proved to be a misunderstanding. There are no pirates in the South Coast Territory, and the shipping lanes will soon be unblocked - the relevant departments will follow up."
"Also, the misunderstandings between me and many local nobles have been resolved. Their protests against my administration should subside somewhat, and the properties and taxes on their land estates will also be normal..."
"The order on the streets will be restored slowly in the next few days. Both the Blood Bottle Gang and the Brotherhood promised to give me some thin noodles - of course, when arresting Lausanne II, the former failed in his job and the latter missed the trap. They
Now you dare not give me face."
"And the aftermath of the fire..."
Every time Thales finished speaking, he would solve a problem. Officials from relevant departments reacted with surprise, joy, and praise.
The royal guards in the room, including Huaiya, were stunned for a moment, and looked at Thales with even more wonder.
When Thales finished speaking, the officials who were queuing up to sign the petition finally signed the last name.
The prince exhaled a breath and felt that the weight was lifted off his shoulders, making him feel much lighter.
In response, the officials of the Emerald City, who suddenly became loyal due to various reasons and whose morale was high, patted their chests and expressed that they would do their best to repay the favor and live up to His Highness the Prince's hard work and expectations.
"We've been delayed here for too long. Let's go back to handle official business and speed up efficiency..."
"The repairs and aftermath of the market fire are being accelerated. We decided to take a closer look and come up with a better plan..."
"The patrols of the Police Department will resume three times a day, so that citizens can live and work in peace and contentment, and travelers feel at home..."
"The efficiency of the trial hall has declined after Lord Brennan's death, and there is a backlog of many dispute cases. Let's go back and try to catch up..."
"The prison has discussed internally to optimize the processes and systems, and one-third of the cells can be cleared to hold prisoners waiting to be detained, so that there is no need to tolerate misdemeanor criminals..."
"The Discipline Inspection Commission has thought about it and decided that we still need to be down to earth. Setting up monuments and engraving sentences is too absurd and unrealistic... By the way, we need to change our focus and focus on bullying and financial fraud. This is what the people are anxious about..."
"The entertainment activities in Iris District these days are relatively simple. We can be more active, stir up the atmosphere, and win back everyone's confidence..."
"Let's study the market's preferential measures to see if we can stimulate the economy and restore confidence..."
"Regarding the recent maritime crimes that people are worried about, we will dispatch police ships to patrol to ensure that we are always alert, safe at every step, and everyone can rest assured..."
Thales gradually smiled as he listened to these many ambitious words of setting goals, showing loyalty and determination, but as the adults' words became more and more fervent for the public, his smile slowly disappeared.
"Everyone."
Thales spoke softly, and the study quickly became quiet:
"After the great changes in Kongming Palace, no matter why you are sitting in this position, you are giving up and surrendering, whether it is because of interests, ideals, responsibilities, salary, position, tradition, habits, or anything else..."
Thales thought of a series of things that happened after Zhan stepped down:
"What is the reason why I have been able to reverse my serious illness and become as enthusiastic, motivated, selfless, and diligent as I am now? No matter how long this situation will last or take effect, let alone what you think of me, there are
What’s your opinion…”
The prince took a deep breath.
"Please remember that the rise and fall of this place, the livelihood of thousands of citizens, including your own life and destiny, are all in your hands."
He scanned every official with great care:
"You are not working for the Emerald City, let alone for Zhan En, or for Iris."
Thales' eyes were sharp and he tapped his chest:
"For myself."
"It's more about saving yourself."
"Because if you don't do this," Thales said sincerely, "believe me, there are things in this world that are far more terrifying than the wrath of the kingdom."
As soon as this statement came out, everyone was in awe.
At this moment, the Seychelles knight who was silent in the team suddenly strode forward and emerged from the crowd!
The frightened royal guards stepped forward one after another until they were stopped by Huaiya.
"Your Highness, please rest assured."
I saw the Seychelles knight gnashing his teeth and looking angry:
"My subordinates are going to mobilize their manpower now and dig deep to find the vampire killer, including Miss Hilley..."
Thales was stunned for a moment, then laughed.
"Then what?"
He interrupted Seychelles:
"When we are digging three feet into the ground, we will make people laugh one more time, saying that Miss Heeley has captured the prince's prisoner, and am I going to mobilize the entire city to get him back?"
Seychelles was a little embarrassed after hearing this.
"Forget about that killer, there's no need to go find Xi Lai," Thales stood up and lamented, "Over the past few days, my experience in the Emerald City has taught me one thing."
He walked to the window and stared at the bustling streets of Emerald City below.
"There are no shortcuts in governing one party."
Thales spoke quietly without any scruples.
"Can I secure my position as city lord? What personal grudges do I have with Kevin Dill? How many slaps did Shee Lai slap me in the face? Did Zhan kill his father many years ago? Or how much does the Kingdom want Kongming?"
The wealth of the palace, these are all trivial details."
The words he spoke were more sensitive than the others, causing others to change their expressions. They could only look at each other, hold their breath and concentrate, pretending not to hear.
Only Huaiya, holding a small notebook and taking shorthand, listened thoughtfully.
I saw Thales looking at the Emerald City, in a trance:
"The most important thing is to manage the Emerald City well so that everyone can have food to eat - no, let everyone have hope."
Everyone was confused, but Thales took a deep breath and turned around.
"This is far better than me relying on manipulating, co-opting and suppressing, deflecting conflicts, engaging in positional struggles, convicting political opponents, and using all kinds of seemingly shrewd, powerful and admirable means to keep my position and maintain my authority.
, it is much more useful and practical to stabilize one's own job."
He said softly:
"In fact, this is what I, Zhan, and those nobles and scum who sit in this seat should really do." ()