Iron Powder and Spellcasters

  Gaspar Berent observed the expressions of the "free men" calmly, and Colonel Scull was also examining Gaspar.

Outsiders can be easily misled, but Colonel Scull knows all too well: Gaspar Berente, the handsome man famous in the army, is actually not what he makes on most people's first impression. Generally bohemian, free and easy.

   On the contrary, Gaspar Berente is a careful and thoughtful guy who is good at logical deduction rather than intuitive judgment.

  Because they had known each other many years ago.

   At the same time, Gaspar Berent also came to the conclusion that he should answer the senior's question head-on.

  Because of hearing Colonel Skool's words, the free men in the new land all cast their eyes on him, which means that people expect to hear his answer.

   But that gaze was indifferent, with looming resentment, which meant that people already knew the answer.

   It is not a good choice to keep silent or to avoid an answer that an audience already knows, but still wants to hear for themselves.

  The former is equivalent to confrontation, and the latter is tantamount to lying.

  Just as the fundamental purpose of Colonel Skool Mecklen holding this public trial was never to send Gaspar Berent to the execution ground.

  The reason why Gaspar Berent answered every question was not because he wanted to survive.

   "About your question, my answer can only represent my personal opinion."

  Gaspar took a deep breath, raised his voice, and unafraid to give an answer that was more honest than the audience's wildest expectations:

"In Hongchuan, the orders issued by the decision-making committee are laws; the gold and silver collected by the decision-making committee are taxes; the decision-making committee appoints officials; the decision-making committee commands the army; whether to continue the war or conclude a peace treaty, it is up to the decision-making committee to decide... "

  The jury seat was silent. Even the free man who hated the military council had to admit that Colonel Blue Rose was a "tough guy" in the jury seat.

  But compared to annoyance and anger, the silver-haired school officer's sincere and almost arrogant speech made them feel more uncomfortable. This was unprecedented in the previous two trials.

   "In Hongchuan, it is not a single individual who controls the state power, but a closed, professional, and orderly military group."

Gaspar Berente paused until he gathered the audience's attention again, and then showed the counterattack dagger under the cloak: "In other words, no matter from which angle you evaluate it, it is the same as 'you'! "

  As soon as this remark was made, it was immediately Colonel Skool's turn to enjoy the taste of "all attention".

  The free people in the Great Council Hall, without exception, all set their sights on the judge's seat.

  Colonel Scull was unmoved, and responded calmly: "Define 'you'."

   "Do you need me to define 'you'?" Gaspar laughed loudly: "Of course it is the New Reclamation Legion, in fact, the New Reclamation Legion that rules the New Reclamation!"

"In 532, the Great Council signed the "Tolder Agreement" to form the New Reclamation Legion. Therefore, all the rights and powers of the New Reclamation Legion in the New Reclamation Province were granted by the Great Council." Colonel Kuhl quoted the scriptures and eloquently, and he asked: "Gaspar Berente, who gave you the power to allow you to separate in the Jiangbei province?"

   "Your Excellency, you are asking the question knowingly."

   "I want to hear your answer."

  "Every Platonian who still has justice in his heart will tell you-by no means we betrayed the motherland, but Grove Magnus and his accomplices betrayed us soldiers who died for the motherland."

  Gaspar looked around at the Freedmen of New Reclamation and impassionedly charged:

"Bloodwashing the Castle of Kings, massacring the Great Council, and selling the country of galloping horses and his own soul to the Union Province, Grove Magnus and his lackeys are the traitors! They not only betrayed us, but also Betrayed the country of galloping horses, and their souls will perish in **** forever!"

  The Great Council Hall was temporarily suppressed by the silver-haired colonel's aura, and only the latter's voice could be heard echoing between the pillars and the dome.

  But a stern question shattered the glass curtain.

   "Gaspar Belent." Colonel Scull said: "You still haven't answered, who gave you the power to allow you to separate in Jiangbei Province?"

Gaspar frowned, Colonel Scull's attack direction was not within his prediction, he did not answer directly: "Grove Magnus' crime of treason has made him and those under his control Pseudo-parliament under it, automatically loses the power to rule the country.”

   "Gaspar Belent." Colonel Scull insisted: "Who gave you the power to allow you to separate in Jiangbei Province?"

   "Fighting traitors never requires permission from others." Gaspar fought back: "Colonel Skool Mecklen, who gave you the power to allow you to separate in the new reclamation province?"

  This question raised the spirits of the audience on the stairs.

  Gaspar spread out his arms, as if he wanted to embrace the strong winds from all directions.

  Relying on the public opinion of the free people of the new reclamation, he questioned Skool, who was sitting high on the judge's bench:

"In this holy court, in front of the people of the new land, stop using the "Thord Agreement" as a fig leaf! What you have done has already exceeded the scope of power granted by the "Thord Agreement", isn't it? ?!

   "The Tordd Agreement never allowed you to raise armies, the Tordd Agreement never allowed you to go to war, and the Thord Agreement never allowed you to play with the Congress of Freemen like a toy.

   "The rule of your General Council in Jiangbei Province is called a separatist regime, but you, the New Reclamation Legion, control the New Reclamation Province, deeper than the rule of the Military Conference in Jiangbei Province. Every inch of soil.

   "Please answer me, Colonel Skool Mecklen, who gave you the authority to allow you to separate yourself in the new reclamation province?"

  Colonel Scull raised his head, and what came into view were hundreds of pairs of eyes with the same questioning look.

  Invisibly, Gaspar Berent became the spokesperson of the free people class in the New Reclamation. Riding on the waves of public opinion, he fearlessly asked the New Reclamation Legion what the free people dared not say.

  But Colonel Skool is like a steep cliff on the coast, no matter how rough the wind and waves are, he still stands tall.

"Just as the republics transfer their own rights, there is an alliance." Colonel Skool replied calmly: "The existence of the Republic of Plato was also established at the beginning of the founding of the country. The states—that is, today's provinces over the transferred rights.

  “Therefore, when the carrier of the rights transferred by the provinces—the Great Council can no longer perform its functions, the provinces will automatically take back all the rights transferred by them.

   "As the custodian of the new reclamation province, the New Reclamation Legion has thus become the new carrier of the 'national rights' transferred by the new reclamation province..."

   Facing Colonel Scull's tirade, the free men in the Great Chamber were all dazed.

  The only one who could understand was Gaspar Berente, who was searching his guts, trying to find the contradictions in Colonel Skool's words.

After a moment of silence, he retorted loudly: "What you said is just one of the interpretations of the Charter of the Union and the Charter of the Republic! Regarding whether the rights of the Republic are transferred by the secondary entity or by the The transfer of the smallest entity has never been settled!"

  …

  [Iron Peak County Seating Area]

  Richard in Heishui Town heard what General Blue Rose said, and he punched his thigh with hatred.

  After listening to the three trials, Richard, an observer, saw it clearly—in terms of legal knowledge, he was no match for Colonel Skool Mecklen even if he tied the other people in the large conference hall together.

   "It's enough to be louder than anyone at this time!" Richard yelled anxiously in his heart: "How can you run behind Colonel Skool's ass?!"

  …

   But improvisation and motivating people have never been Gaspar Berente's forte - Skool Mecklen knows this even better than Gaspar himself.

   "Gaspar! You still don't recognize it?" Colonel Skull shouted: "Whether it is the transfer of rights by the people or the transfer of rights by the provinces, the military council has no right to seize it!"

  Colonel Scull pressed on step by step, his voices becoming more severe:

   "If the provinces surrender rights to the state, where is the assembly of freemen in your regime?

   "If it is the people who surrender their rights to the state, where are the people of your regime?

   "You steal the rights that belong to the country without any permission. In fact, you have constituted treason! What else can you say?"

   Quite a few free people haven't figured out the logic yet, but the silver-haired Colonel Blue Rose lowered his head.

  When the silver-haired school officer raised his head again, the previous breezy demeanor was gone, his brows were tightly knit together, and his eyes were bloodshot.

   "Why are you so hypocritical? Senior Skool, why are you so hypocritical?"

  Gaspar no longer wanted to engage in this desperate debate with Colonel Scull. There were thousands of "judges" in the Great Chamber, but he only questioned one person:

   "I know, you know, everyone here knows! If we really hand over power, what will happen, don't we?

   "The so-called free people, and the Free People's Congress, simply don't have the ability to fight for Plato, nor the will to fight for Plato, or even the desire to fight for Plato.

   "The New Reclamation Legion is here, and they are obedient citizens! The military council is here, and they are obedient citizens! The pseudo-council is here, and even the inter-provincialists are here, and they are also obedient citizens!"

   "Isn't it?" Gaspar glanced at the free men around him, and his tone was more sad than angry: "You?"

   A handful of free men stared back indignantly, but more free men avoided the sight of the silver-haired officer.

"Only you, me, and us—we soldiers will fight for Plato!" Gaspar's voice gradually became hoarse. He pointed to the officers on the ladder seats, and then pointed to the freedom of other sectors people:

"If we cling to the Charter, you—and you, you all know what will happen! The Land of Galloping Horses will cease to exist, and Plato will become a vassal and puppet of the Union Provinces. And then Vineta, to At that time, the alliance will exist in name only."

   Colonel Scull said nothing, and only Gaspar's voice echoed in the Great Council Hall.

   "So we can't hand over power! Just like you can't hand over power to them." Gaspar faced Colonel Skool's cold gaze:

   "You accuse us of being sinners and traitors. I can't argue with you! I'm willing to bow down!

   "But, I'm going to tell you, tell you all."

   "We are the last defenders of Plato!" Gaspar finished his final speech: "When we fall, Plato will also perish!"

   There was no sound in the Great Council Hall, only Gaspar Berente's heart beating in his chest could be vaguely heard.

  The free people were unwilling to agree with Colonel Blue Rose's words, but they didn't know how to refute him. Many people even vaguely agreed with what the silver-haired lieutenant colonel said.

"You think too highly of yourself, and you look down on the Plato people too much." Colonel Skool's voice came from the judge's bench: "Platu existed in the past, exists now, and will exist in the future. As long as the Plato people are still there , Plato will not perish."

  The free people were a little dazed, and Gaspar Berent frowned.

  Colonel Scull slowly stood up, facing everyone in the Great Chamber:

   "That is why we need these three trials, and we need all the freemen of New Clearing to be judges for these three trials.

  "Grove Magnus and his lackeys regard all the people who oppose him as pigs and sheep, and he himself actively plays the role of butcher, never thinking about where his power comes from;

   "Arpad Dujayam and his minions claimed to have seized power from the people for the protection of the people, but in reality they were reduced to tyrants and tyrants;

   "The soldiers of the Union Province shouted 'Save the Union', but everything they did was trampled on the Union."

"Red Rose, Blue Rose, and the Federation, each of them is responsible for the Plato Civil War. The paths they choose are destined to lead to destruction." Colonel Scull's calm voice contained power: "If If we want to avoid a tragic fate, we must embark on a path that is different from theirs."

  The atmosphere in the Great Chamber was overwhelming.

  Even if many free men had guessed in advance the purpose of the "New Legion" to summon them, they never thought that the boots would be so heavy when they actually fell.

Colonel Scull paused to let the free men breathe, and then continued: "My fellow citizens, you have attended all the trials. Now the time has come for you and me, for the new settlements, for the fate of Plato gone."

  People under the dome unconsciously raised their spirits.

"Whether to repeat the same mistakes, or to take a different path from them. We leave this choice to you." Skool Mecklen issued a request to the Freemen Assembly word by word: "Follow your conscience , make the final verdict!"

   After finishing speaking, he picked up the broken head of the gavel and slammed it heavily on the base: "Bring the first two groups of interrogators to court."

   Immediately, three teams of military police brought Sanel Karoy, Naji Modacchi, and Alder Felt to court.

  Compared to Gaspar who was in the trial seat, the three school officers of Red Rose were quite embarrassed—because they were all gagged. Apparently, the conversation was over, and Colonel Scull had no intention of letting them speak.

  Colonel Scull called out the first name loudly: "Thanell Caroy!"

  On the judging seat, Sanel Caroy stared with blood-red eyes.

  Colonel Scull's accusation is loud and clear:

"Because of your responsibility for the one hundred and sixty-seven wounded in the Maple Leaf Massacre, for the thousands wounded in the Battle of Wailing Dale, and for the untold number of wounded in the war you caused, I Charges you with the crime of [muscular mutilation without reconciliation].

"Because of your responsibility for the deaths of eighty-nine members of the New Colony in the Massacre at Maple Leaf, for the deaths of thousands of Platoons at the Battle of Wailing Dale, and for the uncountable deaths in the wars you caused , I accuse you of [homicide].

   "Because of your collusion with the Union Provincial Army, I charge you with the crime of [inciting other nations against the Fatherland, sacrificing your countrymen to the enemy]."

   "Citizens, make your verdict!" Colonel Skool's voice was cold: "Thanell Carroy, are you guilty?"

   "Aye!!"

   "Aye!!"

   "Aye!!"

  All the free men answered with three uncontroversial shouts.

   "Thanell Carroy." Colonel Scull slammed the gavel and announced: "According to the ruling of the Special Court of Freemen, you are guilty of the crime!"

  However, Colonel Skool did not give a specific punishment. He just waved his hands, and the military police set up Sanel Caroy, who was still resisting, and took him down.

  Before the free man on the ladder seat came back to his senses, Colonel Skool had already named the second interrogate: "Nagy Modach!"

  Colonel Skool continued to accuse:

   "Because of your accusation of [unreconcilable mutilation] for the battle of the Wailing Dale....

   "Because you accused you of [homicide] for the battle at Wailing Dale....

   "Because you and the Union Provincial Army ... charge you with the crime of [inciting other nations against the Fatherland, sacrificing your countrymen to the enemy]."

   Undoubtedly, three more choruses.

   "Nagy Modach." Colonel Skool slammed the gavel again: "According to the ruling of the Special Tribunal for Freedmen, you are guilty!"

   No penalty was announced, and Colonel Naji Modaki was also taken down by the military police. When he left the large meeting hall, he still looked at the free man and his former colleagues with contempt.

   Followed by Alder Felt.

"Alder Felt." Colonel Skull did not accuse the federal soldiers of killing or wounding: "Because you and the instigators behind you are ignorant of the Charter of the Union, the Charter of the Republic of Plato, and everything in the world. Trample of justice and law, I accuse you of 'betrayal of the Union, contempt of the Constitution'."

   There were also three loud shouts, and Alder Felt was taken down.

  From the beginning to the end, the major from the Inter-Provincial Army lowered his head, facing everything blankly, like a walking dead.

   Finally, it's Gaspar Berente.

"Gaspar Berent." Colonel Skool's tone was rare and sad: "Because you are suspected of participating in the secession of the country, of subverting the republic, of organizing, planning, and carrying out armed riots... I accuse you of committing Treason. Citizens, make your verdict."

   This time, the voice from the jury was also hesitant.

  People sympathize with this sincere and handsome Colonel Blue Rose, but in the previous conversation, Gaspar has clearly stated his position and attitude.

  Therefore, there were still three unison—although it was a bit messy, announcing Colonel Lan Qiangwei’s guilt.

   Gaspar Berente walked out of the conference hall with his head held high.

  Colonel Scull on the stage and Colonel Gaisa in the audience looked at each other, and the most difficult part of the booking process for the Freemen's Congress was over.

   Letting the "representatives" of Red Rose, Blue Rose, and the United Provinces stand on the trial seat means a great risk for the preparatory meeting, because while judging them, they are also given the right to speak.

   Fortunately, Colonel Skool managed to deal with it.

  Now, the four "guilty" verdicts are like four sharp knives, completely cutting off the intricate entanglement between the new reclamation regime and Hongchuan and Zhuwangbao.

  The next step is to push the boat along the way, encourage the free people to pass the "reconstruction of the republic" motion three times, and then read the charter of the new republic.

  Colonel Scull also followed the original procedure.

  However, when it came time to read the Charter of the New Republic, the atmosphere in the Great Council Hall gradually cooled down.

  Listening to Colonel Skool on the judge's bench reading the charter that had been drafted aloud, even the new land freeman who tends to the military can't help feeling absurd.

  The free people gradually became disappointed and silent, and the feeling of common hatred that was aroused in the previous trial was gone.

  Girard Mitchell, Nandore Krylov, Richard of Blackwater Town, and hundreds of "free men" from the new lands listened silently to Colonel Skool's voice.

  It doesn't matter what Colonel Skool is talking about.

  The important thing is that in this kind of listening, the boundaries of free people gradually disappear, and finally converge into a blurred behemoth.

  Although this behemoth can breathe, it can only act on instinct.

   And its instinct is so numb, dull and passive that no external stimulus seems to be able to wake it up.

  Until a bored voice sounded from the seats on the stairs.

   "Oh, so many tricks." The owner of the voice yawned loudly: "Just to pass the paper in your hands three times!"

   On the judge's bench, Colonel Skool, who was reading the manuscript mechanically, was interrupted by this sudden voice.

   Colonel Scull froze for a moment, looked up at the source of the sound, but found nothing.

   "Why bother?" The voice sounded again: "Isn't your best ability to gather a group of free men to decide what you have decided long ago?"

  Colonel Skool frowned on the stage, and Colonel Geisar in the audience also frowned.

  The one-eyed military police officer strode up to the seating area of ​​Fengshi City where the voice came from, and asked sharply, "Who is talking?"

   "Don't look for it, it's me who is talking!"

  A figure stood up from the back row of the Fengshi City seating area and walked down the steps. The free people of Fengshi City on the steps made way for him.

   When Colonel Gaisa, who was sitting in the first row of the Baishan County seating area, saw the opponent's face clearly, his pupils couldn't help but dilate suddenly.

   "The soldiers of Blue Rose were interrogated, and the soldiers of Red Rose were interrogated. Even the soldiers of the Interprovincials were interrogated. So how can we pass without interrogating a few politicians?"

  The young people from the seating area of ​​Fengshi City laughed and walked into the speech field in the center of the large conference hall.

   "Me! Kay Moreland! Permanent representative of the New Reclamation Province in Kings Castle! Member of the three-term Great Council!"

  The young man stood still in the trial seat, like a thunderbolt, waking up the free people in the whole venue:

   "Please stand trial!"

[must! win! ]

  [Supplementary explanation]

  [The era in which this book is located, the internal affairs technology trees of various countries are far from reaching the stage of [social contract theory], and even the concept of [sovereignty] is not yet perfect]

  [So Richard in Blackwater Town’s point of view on this trial is not unreasonable—as long as the logic he holds can barely make sense, then whoever can win more observers will win]

  [As for whether an individual can break the contract, according to Rousseau's point of view, it is obviously not possible. Because the so-called [contract] is not a fair transaction, but a network access license, which is written into the software and hardware at the moment of birth, and is a one-shot deal. If an individual wants to break the contract, then other individuals in the group are obliged to correct you, which is the so-called [free, but forced to be free]]

  [In contrast, the concept of transferring rights from a small group to a large group is more acceptable and more operable]

  [For example, the Constitution of the Soviet Union stipulates that all member countries can freely withdraw from the alliance, but through some methods, the member countries cannot withdraw from the alliance]

  [For example, although the U.S. Constitution does not stipulate how states can withdraw from the Federation, it also does not stipulate that states cannot withdraw from the Federation]

  [The knowledge of [Confucian classics] is vast, and the author can’t even call it a half-knowledge. There must be many mistakes and omissions. I hope book friends can correct me, Haihan]

  [And, thank God, the author wrote cool articles...]