The venue was more like a show for a political officer. He was the absolute protagonist, and everyone else had only two choices, either to be trashed by him, or to just be a walk-on.
"Today, the purpose of our meeting is not for the glory of a certain family, nor for the belief of a certain knight! It is to fight for a chance for the citizens of Broken Snow City, a chance to survive! In the face of life,
The so-called glory and the so-called faith are not worth a penny!"
Reggie wiped the spittle all over his face. He wanted to avoid the direction of the jet from the political officer, but the political officer did not give him a chance to escape.
"Lord, do you know how many people die of hunger every day in Broken Snow City?"
Reggie nodded and said: "This is a good question. I also saw children begging on the roadside, but the war has just begun. I think..."
“How many families do you know who never stockpile food?”
"I……"
"How many farmers do you know who risk their lives to go out of the city just to buy a piece of bread for their children?"
"I……"
"Do you know how many farmers like this have died under the enemy's cavalry?"
Reggie wiped the spittle from his face again, and decided not to make any response because he had no chance of winning.
Sarn's purpose is simple. He just doesn't want to fight. His thinking is also very clear. He first lists the painful cost of the war, then explains the great suffering the people suffered during the war, and then puts all the blame on Reggie.
In the end, it is up to him, the great and correct man, to fight for a way for the people to survive.
The most painful thing in the world is that you clearly know his tricks, but you can't defeat him. He always stands on the moral high ground, attacks you one round after another, and spits on your face from time to time.
According to Sarn, if Reggie chooses to fight the enemy, he will become the executioner who slaughters the people! He will die under the enemy's butcher knife and drag innocent poor people along with him to be buried.
Sarn left two options for Reggie, one is to lead the people out of the city and surrender, the other is to lead the people to abandon the city and escape.
As for whether the king will capture Reggie, whether he will execute him, whether he will deprive the Victor family of their title and write his family on the pillar of shame, Sarn does not care. In Sarn's words: "
Compared to people’s lives, these things have no meaning!”
After struggling in the sea of spit for a long time, Reggie understood why his "predecessor" chose to commit suicide. The political officer simply did not leave him a way to survive.
"Baron Beech!" The first knight stood up. It was obvious that he had always been on Reggie's side. The specific reason was unclear. "The people have the right to survive, but they also have the obligation to defend the territory. It is not only the defense of the kingdom.
, and also to defend their homeland, I believe the residents of Broken Snow City are willing to fight for their homeland!"
"Backbone? Homeland?" Sane nodded, "Well said, Mr. Knight, there was a farmer with backbone who fought for his homeland. His wife and children are here. Listen to what he said!
"
At Sane's signal, the mother and son standing in the corner walked up to Reggie. The woman bowed respectfully and said to Reggie: "Lord, my name is Ellie Fuller, and this is my child Jimmy.
My husband is a farmer. Three days ago, he secretly left the city to harvest wheat outside the city. Sir, he did not mean to violate your prohibition. We have no place to live in the city and no food. We really have no choice...
…”
At this point, the woman burst into tears. Reggie stood up quickly and asked the waiter to move two chairs to the woman and her child.
During peacetime, most farmers live outside the city. During wartime, they can only abandon their land and take refuge in the city. There are many people like them who have no food or housing.
"Ma'am, please sit down."
The woman sat on the chair. The child next to her looked at the woman first, then at Reggie, and then touched the chair, but did not dare to sit on it.
"You sit down too, young man." Reggie showed a kind smile. The child got permission and climbed up on the chair with difficulty. The chair in the hall was too high and the little guy almost fell to the ground. Erwin quickly stepped forward.
He helped the child up.
It was a bit strange, because his mother kept wiping tears beside him, but did not help the child.
"Sir," the woman continued, "he met the cavalry outside the city, the cavalry of the Bayer Kingdom, and those savage beasts cut off his head..."
The woman lost her voice again, and Reggie quickly asked the waiter to pass a handkerchief and poured the woman another glass of wine.
In this world, there is no coffee or tea. Ale is a drink for common people to entertain guests, and wine is exclusive to nobles.
The woman elegantly picked up the wine glass and drank some wine. She calmed down a little, touched the boy's head, and said to Reggie: "We haven't eaten for two days. Sir, please be kind and give him some bread."
The Administrative Officer said that those beasts are about to enter the city. Sir, please take him away from here. He is still a child. I am willing to stay and fight for you. I beg you. Please take pity on him, Sir!"
Listening to the woman's tearful description, everyone fell silent, including the first knight Jarvan.
After the silence, the administrative officer spoke first.
"Lord, Grand Bachelor, Mr. Knight, I think you have all seen," Sann pointed at the mother and child and said, "The family of this lady and this child has been destroyed by this war, and what awaits them will be incomparable.
It’s a difficult life, and now we have to let them fight and bleed for us. Don’t tell me anything about the glory of the kingdom, the dignity of the lord, and the faith of the knights. We are trampling on innocent lives unscrupulously! We are committing an indiscriminate crime.
The shameless crime of forgiveness!”
At this point, Sann choked up, his eyes were bloodshot, and a tear slowly slid down the corner of his eye to his cheek.
"I'm sorry, I lost my composure." Sann took out a handkerchief to wipe away his tears and continued, "For them, for the people of Broken Snow City, I am willing to sacrifice my reputation, title, and everything else I have. I am even willing to accept enemies.
I just want to give these innocent people a chance to live."
A woman's cry is equivalent to an accusation of crime.
Baron Sarn's statement was equivalent to a verdict of guilt.
And all the charges and crimes will be borne by one person, and that person is Reggie.
The family's suffering is to be blamed on Reggie. People will die in the war, and all the suffering will ultimately be blamed on Reggie.
Having committed such a serious crime, Reggie should indeed die to apologize.
Searching for fragments in his memory, this kind of drama has been happening every day since the enemy troops came to the city. The previous "Reggie" had to live in anxiety, self-blame and fear every day.
After the political officer finished his speech, of course, others also wanted to express their opinions.
Archmaester Batchelor said with a trembling voice: "The Administrative Officer is right. This war is meaningless. We have no hope of winning. We should not let the people of Broken Snow City suffer."
Jiawen was silent for a while and then spoke.
"Let the civilians leave. The soldiers and I will accompany the lord and fight until the last moment."
Hearing these words, Reggie closed his eyes helplessly. For a knight, this choice was extremely heroic. For the lord who had just come to this world, this ending was a bit too bleak.
Even after making such concessions, Sarn's permission was still not obtained.
"Mr. Knight, do those soldiers deserve to die?"
"Lord Administrative Officer! Fighting is a soldier's duty!"
"They are not soldiers at all!" the political officer stood up and said, "They are just civilians! Just farmers, craftsmen and businessmen! We never gave them even a copper coin as military pay. When the war came, we used our power to force them to die.
, is this really fair?”
"Okay..." The first knight was speechless. He looked at Reggie with affectionate eyes and said, "Let the soldiers go too. I am willing to accompany the lord to fight to the end alone."
"And me!" Erwin, who was standing behind, spoke. "The guards and I accepted the reward from the lord. We are real soldiers. We must accompany the lord to fight to the end until the last drop of our blood is drained.
!”
The bachelor looked sad and said: "What a good man, your death is not worth it!"
Erwin puffed up his chest and said: "As long as I die with the lord, it is worth it. If the enemy captures the castle, I will light the fire oil in the basement and die with the enemy!"
Erwin's body was shaking violently, and Reggie could feel the burning passion in his body.
Sarn looked at the first knight and the guard captain with a slight disdain, followed him and took out a piece of parchment from his arms, handed it to Reggie, and said: "Lord, please sign this decree, and I will
Convey your wishes to the residents of the city."
Reggie took the parchment and read it carefully for a long time. Although he had the memory of the text in his mind, it took him some time to adapt.
The decree was drafted in the name of Victor VI, also known as Reggie, and the content was very simple. The Viscount agreed to open the city gate, ask all soldiers to lay down their weapons, and let all residents leave Shattering Snow City, regardless of whether they fled to other places or
Even if you surrender to the enemy, you don't have to bear any responsibility.
"Please sign this decree immediately, and I will ring the giant bell on the stone tower at dusk!" Sane took out the quill and dipped it in ink for Reggie. It was obvious that he was impatient.
.
Stone tower? Giant bell?
Reggie searched hard for memories, and found that there was a stone tower more than eighty feet high in the square of Broken Snow City, and there was a huge bronze bell on the tower.
"Lord Administrative Officer, ringing the iron bell means begging for surrender!" Jiawen stood up, "I just promised that I will fight with the lord until the end!"
"I respect the wishes of you and the Lord!" Sann said, "But we must leave enough time for the residents. Prince Sean is not a cruel person. As long as we ring the giant bell, he will at least leave enough time for the residents."
We have one night to let our residents leave safely!"
"But this..."
"Do you want to talk about your knight's glory again?" Sarn slapped the table and stood up, "Compared with the lives of the people, what is your pitiful glory?"
Sarn's voice echoed in the hall for a long time, and the old bachelor applauded the political officer.
"Lord Baron, your generosity is like sunshine and rain. As a resident of Yuling City, I will record your generosity and greatness in the history of Suixue City so that it will never fade in the baptism of time.
"
Sarn was not very impressed by the flattery of the grand maester. He stared closely at the pen in Reggie's hand, wishing he could press Reggie's hand and sign his name.
If Reggie doesn't sign, neither the guards nor the militia will carry out the orders of the political officer, no one will ring the bell, and no one will open the city gate.
Reggie held up the pen in his hand, hanging it in the air, and waited for a long time.
A drop of ink fell from the tip of the pen and turned into a large red spot on the parchment, covering a piece of writing.
"Oops!" Reggie pursed his lips and said, "I was really careless."
"My lord, you..."
"I really didn't mean it."
Sarn barely held back his anger, took a blank piece of parchment, and said: "Please wait a moment, Lord, and I will draft another one."
Reggie sighed and said, "Mr. Administrative Officer, why are you so impatient?"
Sarn looked at Reggie angrily and said, "Lord, people are dying every moment! Aren't you anxious in the face of the passing of life?"
Bachelor Barcheleau said from the side: "The Baron is right, we can't delay any longer. I still have a lot of books at home. I have to go back and pack them away. Books represent knowledge, and knowledge is the greatest wealth of mankind. I want to
Use your life to protect these treasures and send them safely outside the city."
Batchelor stood up, and this time, his movements were much faster than before.
"Don't leave in a hurry, Grand Maester!" Reggie pointed to the mother and son sitting on the chair, "They haven't eaten for a day, and we didn't even send them a piece of bread. Are we going to watch them starve to death?"
Isn’t this contempt for life?”
Talking is an art, and political affairs officers are masters of talking.