Kingdom’s Bloodline

After declaring their home, the hostage-takers in the banquet hall caused quite a commotion, and the onlookers talked a lot.

Earl Godwin, who was in charge of negotiations, sighed.

"Please accept my condolences, young man."

"Your father's heroic act brought back an heir to the Kingdom of Stars. If he died for it, it is worth remembering."

Anke didn't speak.

The earl changed his subject and reprimanded slightly:

"But that's not a valid reason for your behavior."

Anke remained silent, but his eyes were blurred.

Looking at the other party's expression, Earl Godwin frowned, and he realized that the matter tonight might not be so easy to solve.

The count subconsciously looked up, but the king's seat was empty.

Only on the first-tier seat is the Duke of Xinghu, the boy who is said to be a genius. Surrounded by a large group of guards.

With a heavy expression, he bowed his head and said nothing.

Thales stared at Anke blankly.

He still remembered when he woke up on the Ghost Prince Tower.

At that time, Jodl told him:

It has been a day and a night since the orcs invaded the Saber Dunes and the Legendary Wing returned to the army for assistance.

Thales pushed open the tower window, and all he saw was the dilapidated mess left after Roman regained his victory after the battle of the Saber Camp.

But what he didn't see, or what he thought he didn't see, was the real blood in the war that day.

And those who changed their destiny because of it.

【die? sacrifice? Benefit? cost? win or lose? These are just the surface of war...the fate of thousands...will be tested in this cruel furnace. 】

The words of the old crow Heather sounded in his mind:

[Please remember...besides hypocritical moral accusations, simple benefit calculations, and vain warrior honors, don’t underestimate war itself—it’s far less simple than you think, it’s either win or lose Losing is a game of either benefit or cost, and life or death. 】

[And you and I, whether it is a high-ranking lord or a civilian who is ups and downs with the wind, are just the weakest pawns among them, because it is often not up to us to decide, even if you are the initiator or winner of the war. 】

A sound came from behind, interrupting Thales' emotions.

"New information about the flag wing."

Deputy captain, Vogel took a few pieces of letter paper from his subordinates, and said cautiously:

"Anke Bailar is indeed a nobleman of the Western Wilderness, and he is also the eldest son and heir of the Baron of Yatiao Town."

"You're right, he had been studying in the Tower of the End until his father passed away."

Mallos pondered for a while:

"Father died in the act of welcoming the prince back, so this little Bailar is upset and wants to ruin the prince's banquet?"

The watchman shook his head:

"It doesn't make sense."

Vogel nodded, apparently also skeptical.

"besides."

He then changed a piece of paper:

"A few days ago, Anke Bailar applied to the Academy of Noble Affairs to squeeze into tonight's knighting ceremony,

He was knighted by the High King, inheriting his father's title. "

Thales thought for a moment.

He remembered the knighting ceremony tonight. Among the nobles who were granted hereditary titles, there were new nobles who started from scratch, and old nobles whose sons inherited their father's business, including an illegitimate son of the Blade Leader.

But no Anke Bailar.

Vogel snorted and continued to read:

"The Council of Affairs approved: 'Bailar is a minister of the Western Wilderness, and it is not customary for the master to confer servanthood'."

Mallos frowned:

"Unconventional?"

"How do I remember that among the candidates for the knighthood tonight, there is an illegitimate child who also belongs to the 'Superior Lord and Servant'?"

Vogel glanced at him, and quietly folded the letter paper in his hand:

"The Duchess of Blades is intimate with the royal family, so there is nothing wrong with it."

"As for Xihuang..."

He didn't go on.

It is not customary for the master to confer servants?

Thales suddenly remembered the ancient imperial sword given to him by Duke Falkenhauser.

"All right."

Mallos pondered:

"But why did he find Baron Doyle?"

Vogel snorted softly:

"Enmity, hate, benefit, harm—it's nothing more than these four, you can combine them arbitrarily, and there will always be the truth."

In the middle of the hall, Earl Godwin took a deep breath:

"Young Bailar, your father sacrificed for the country and deservedly died. You should not tarnish the glory behind him."

Anke wakes up from the grief of losing his father.

"You are right, Viscount, I should not."

He was breathing tremblingly, as if he was suppressing something, and kept repeating:

"I shouldn't."

But Anke's expression quickly became ferocious.

"It wasn't until I returned home in a hurry that I found out," he looked at everyone and gritted his teeth, "My father, in order to recruit the army, borrowed money to raise military funds..."

"I owe him a huge sum of money that I will never pay in my lifetime."

Many people were startled.

In the next second, Anke picked up Old Doyle's collar:

"Come on, you old silverfish!"

The hostage-taker spoke quickly:

"Tell Your Highness, tell everyone, tell the whole kingdom, what you did!"

"Tell everyone about the crimes you committed against my father and the Bailar family!"

Baron Doyle mourned:

"I did not do anything……"

But Anke's blade immediately pressed against the old baron's neck, and even drew a few traces of blood:

"Think again?"

Old Doyle trembled all over, and quickly changed his words:

"I, I, I lent money to your father to help him tide over the difficulties..."

Thales frowned.

Anke let out a loud bang!

"Shit!"

He kicked the old baron on the back, and the latter was trampled down among a piece of food, dirty and out of breath.

Seeing his father suffering, D.D clenched his fists, but Glover quickly pressed his shoulders and stared at the former sternly.

"I have investigated, and when the mobilization order of the Duke of Xihuang arrives, you will appear!"

"It happened when my father was in financial difficulties and had nothing to do."

Anke glared at Baron Doyle and stepped on his back:

"You made tricks, lent huge sums of money, bewitched and coaxed, promised huge profits, and incited him to serve as a conscript, arm the army, take risks in the desert, and pursue war."

"In the end, his entire army was wiped out, he lost all his money, and owed a lot of debt."

He almost roared:

"He died of serious injuries and depression on the hospital bed!"

Earl Godwin's face was serious, and he had a headache about what to do with the upcoming negotiations.

Baron Doyle's voice was a little crying:

"It's your father who is loyal and wants to answer the call and go to the desert to fight for the country... I can't hold it back..."

Anke interrupted him angrily:

"No! You! It's you who made up the excuse of 'war has huge benefits', pretending to be generous to lend him money, and lure him into the trap!"

The old baron hissed in pain:

"I didn't lie to him! The last desert war made so many people rich..."

get rich.

Thales had a block in his heart: he thought of the Saber Camp, the Falkenhauser soldiers who plucked the geese at the gate of the camp and collected the toll, and remembered the large pile of goods that Tomdin was going to smuggle out.

Anke laughed sarcastically:

"You mean the war merchants?"

He let go, pulled the old baron up again, and made him face everyone in the banquet hall:

"Those vampires who somehow found out that my father was going to mobilize for war, and took the opportunity to sell him supplies?"

"Half of them have secretly communicated with you, and even partnered with you! You have been colluding and colluding for a long time."

Baron Doyle seemed to have learned how the person in front of him was interrogating, and quickly replied:

"Is there a business relationship? It's normal to know each other..."

"Shut up!"

The hostage-taker stared at the old baron angrily, and said every word in pain:

"You took advantage of my father's generosity and ignorance of finances, and tricked him into signing an unfair contract with a grammar full of traps and dazzling figures, and owed a huge sum several times the original debt."

Old Doyle seemed to have resigned himself to his fate, and he tried hard to squeeze out an "understanding" smile.

"Borrowing, how can there be no interest? And you have a noble family, a big family and a big business, so there is nothing wrong with the higher interest..."

Anke suddenly reached out, grabbed the hair on the back of Baron Doyle's head, and forced the latter to look up!

In the baron's hissing and his wife's screams, Anke gritted his teeth:

"But in the deliberate trap of your contract, those unpaid debts are all mortgaged by the land and population of Yatiao Town!"

"Land, population!"

There was a small exclamation from the crowd.

"Ah, hiss, no," Old Doyle refused to let go despite the pain:

"As for the collateral, these are the terms of the contract under the witness of the authoritative accountant of the Royal Bank. It is only right and proper to pay back the debt..."

"Unless you planned it!"

Anke roared out!

"Unless the reason why you borrowed the debt was for the day when he failed in the expedition and was unable to pay off his debts, so he had to cede the land!"

The next moment, Anke suddenly turned around and held out his sword, sharply pointing at a guard who was looking for an opportunity to attack.

The latter and his imitators were forced back to a safe distance.

"This is ridiculous," said the old baron sharply:

"Could it be that I was sure he would lose the battle? Could it be that I knew the orcs would attack the camp..."

Thales' heart skipped a beat.

I'm sure I'll lose the battle...

If I knew the orcs attacked the camp...

The Duke of Xinghu frowned fiercely:

Unfortunately, no one really knows these two points.

And the Doyle family...

Thales subconsciously glanced at Doyle next to him: he was the highest rank among the vassals directly under the royal family, the Seven Star Attendants.

Obviously, Anke was also dissatisfied with the baron's words.

"Stop pretending! I know it all!"

The hostage-taker raised his head and said loudly in front of the guests in the hall:

"Old silverfish, you have extended your claws into the Western Wilderness long ago, into our Yatiao Town!"

"Our two families belong to two places, but they are adjacent to each other. Over the years, you have used your geographical advantages to coerce and lure you, and you have plundered, connected with some vassals and scum under my father and corrupt officials in Yatiao Town, secretly Collusion, misconduct for a long time."

Anke said angrily:

"Those scoundrels surrendered to you without telling my father, illegally sublet the tenant population, privately allocated land and concealed taxes, and let the labor of the fields in Yatiao Town plow and produce for you."

"And you have worked hard to change the sky, and even the transportation route from Jinghe to Yatiao Town, across the Central West Wilderness, has been repaired early."

Old Doyle wanted to argue, but Anke's hands were obviously getting stronger and stronger, making him close his eyes, and he could only groan in pain.

"As a result, my father can only see that his territory is drying up day by day, his harvest is dwindling, and he is getting more and more miserable..."

Hearing this, the old baron couldn't bear the pain anymore:

"I lease the land with them, I wish you what you want, your father knows it..."

Ke Anke roared again:

"Know what!"

His blade pressed against the baron's neck:

"Do you want to go down and confront him now?"

The guests exclaimed in unison.

Seeing that the situation was out of control, Earl Godwin immediately interrupted the opponent:

"Mr. Bailar!"

He said seriously:

"Without evidence, you can't accuse Baron Doyle so arbitrarily, let alone use lynching..."

Anke sneered when he heard the words:

"Credentials?"

The captor sneered, and after a few seconds, he finally withdrew the dagger from Old Doyle's carotid artery.

"Doyle, your fief has a bumper harvest this year, right? Even to the point of exporting?"

The old baron hesitated.

Anke slapped Old Doyle angrily:

"talk!"

Baron Doyle, who was in pain, quickly said:

"Fun, good, good year..."

"Harvest year?" Anke laughed back angrily:

"But not only this year!"

He gritted his teeth and looked at the bystanders:

"And last year, the year before last, the year before last... For eight or nine years, your grain production has been 'bumper harvest', driving the circulation of goods, and the market is thriving! The financial surplus is enough to feed a small army!"

"Just relying on your long and narrow plot of Jinghe? Just relying on the worst soil in your entire central government? Just relying on your central leaders who have been fed up with the prosperity of the king's capital and want to squeeze into Eternal Star City. , can it really grow so much harvest and squeeze out so much money?"

"And you even have surplus food and goods, which can be circulated out of the country and resold to the desert or even the Northland to make a fortune?"

Hearing this, Thales was shocked!

He subconsciously looked towards the other seats, and among the crowd standing on tiptoe, he found the pot head.

Levi Trudida.

At this time, the Northlander who rebuilt the tower was lowering his head in a low-key manner, not feeling the look from the Duke of Xinghu.

【I'm going to buy some souvenirs to take back... Food, clothes, games... Damn bureaucrats colluded with businessmen to drive up prices...】

Damn.

The teenager gritted his teeth.

"Those are our cultivated land, our food, and our wealth! And God knows, besides Yatiao Town, are there any other victims?" Anke's cold words echoed in his ears.

The discussion among the crowd resounded again.

This time around, there was a lot less controversy and mostly whispered whispers.

At this moment, Mallos began to ponder:

"Speaking of which, Glover..."

The watchman suddenly looked up:

"Do you still remember what your elder brother, Viscount Lozano Glover, said when he met His Highness before the banquet?"

The expression of Glover, nicknamed "Zombie", changed slightly.

He subconsciously looked at a certain dining table, the other Glover with a steady expression and a calm demeanor.

"Lozano?"

Glover hesitated, seeming to be extremely sensitive to the name:

"Lo, Lozano, he said to D.D to tell his father to stop giving money to the Treasury Department?"

Doyle, who was firmly held by Glover, shuddered and looked at his colleagues in disbelief.

Mallos nodded.

"Viscount Lozano's meeting with His Highness was very respectful and decent, and he didn't even have time to talk to his half-brother."

"Why did he go to D.D and bring up this matter, which is regarded as the internal affairs of the Treasury Department? Just to speak ill of the Doyle family?"

Doyle was taken aback, but Glover's expression became ugly.

"I remember."

The zombie recalled, his face turned pale:

"Lozano also told D.D that even if you send money, you can't avoid the land liquidation and tax inspection this year?"

Land liquidation...

Thales took a deep breath and focused his attention back to the center of the field.

I saw Anke shaking his dagger, sneered and said:

"So, old silverfish, how long were you planning to do this?"

"Are you planning to keep it going? Anyway, why not do it at the expense of others?"

Old Doyle was on the verge of tears:

"I said no..."

The hostage interrupted him:

"But you didn't expect that."

"Six years ago, in the face of the war crisis in Exeter, the princes complained at the state council, complaining about financial difficulties, insufficient food production, difficulty in recruiting troops, and difficulty in expeditions..."

"As soon as the crisis was over, His Majesty Kessel took a drastic step and reissued the "Land Quantity Order" from King Eddie's time to revitalize agriculture and encourage production."

Anke's smile gave old Doyle a chill:

"According to the law, the buffer period has passed, and the deadline for land settlement is approaching. You can no longer be fooled."

There were many whispers in the hall again.

"Seeing that the liquidation is imminent, and your buttocks are on fire, you don't care about long-term plans and slow plans, and you don't want to cut your own fortune and abandon your tail to survive."

Anke's words seemed to be bitten on the tip of his tongue, bleeding out:

"You can only hurry and rush to use the simplest and most economical method to finish this matter, do it to death, and make it a no-brainer case."

Anke's eyes darkened:

"For example, my father's loan contract."

Beside Thales, Mallos sighed slowly.

"Viscount Lozano works in the Kingdom's Finance and Taxation Department. Whether it's bribes, grain production, taxation, or land, he must have noticed the hidden dangers in the Jinghe area."

"The words he said before the banquet were actually aimed at the Doyle family who are also the Seven Star Attendants..."

But at this moment, another voice interrupted him.

"more than."

The watchman and the deputy captain looked up together, and they were a little surprised when they found the person who made the sound.

"He said more than that." Thales said in a daze.

Vogel narrowed his eyes.

What?

"According to my royal etiquette lessons these days, Glover is a subordinate vassal of the Canxing royal family, and I am the Duke of Xinghu and the heir to the throne, and his future vassal."

Thales looked at the center of the hall, Anke who successfully stole the prince's limelight today:

"Regardless of status or affiliation, our contacts should be invited by me, or by Viscount Lozano, who will come to see me after getting permission, but..."

Mallos frowned, and also remembered:

"But he abnormally and cryptically invited you to condescend, go to Dongcheng District, and go to his mansion for 'a talk'."

Thales nodded with a heavy heart:

"That's Viscount Lozano's reminder and warning to me."

"It's just that we didn't understand."

D.D trembled again, remorse appeared on his face.

The prince didn't go on, just sighed:

"And I guess Lozano didn't expect that this hidden danger would happen so fiercely and so quickly."

"I can't even wait for a meal."

Thales looked away and found that the attitudes of Canxing's seven servants were becoming more and more serious: the oldest Patterson bit his lip, staring while panting; Shi Tuo and Adrian remained expressionless, just paying attention the situation; Lady Eleanor's world seemed to contain only her son; Lozano, who had reminded them earlier, was staring down at the table, seemingly indifferent to what was happening.

But in the whole hall, as Anke's narration gradually became clear, many people couldn't help but look at the calm Duke Xinghu himself.

"The problem is," Thales felt a little headache when he felt their eyes:

"How will it end in a while?"

Vogel snorted softly.

"It's okay, Your Highness," the deputy captain looked at Anke with a look of resentment in disdain: "He's putting on a show in front of the public, all he wants is to use you and the name of the banquet to sensationalize his family and make a statement. It's just big news."

"After he finishes talking nonsense and achieves his goal, Your Highness, if you speak comforting words and comfort each other, there will be no reason for him to continue acting."

"But there is one thing: no matter how the guy induces you, or how he talks, you will never judge, let alone stand in line, and never show any inclination towards any party, even if it's just a smile or a white eye."

Thales raised his eyes:

"Any party?"

Vogel looked at him, and this time, only sternness remained in the eyes of the deputy captain:

"any."

"As for the rest of the investigation, torture, trial and conviction, it's all a matter of the trial hall, the noble affairs court, and even the imperial meeting after tomorrow."

"This person's actions will not damage your reputation except that it will add a little talk to tonight's banquet."

Thales pursed his lips, but Mallos next to him frowned:

"At least, let the sniper team be on standby?"

Vogel glanced at him and remained silent.

On the field, the confrontation between Anke and the old baron is still going on:

"You, you and the underdogs under my father's banner, you conspired together, cooperated internally and externally, and waited for the debt deadline to come, forcing the desperate father to cede the land."

"You obtained the new land in a seamless manner, avoiding future troubles and avoiding land liquidation, but they changed their banners and became your lackeys."

"But you didn't expect that my father died under heavy pressure, and I, who took his place, was a dead-headed person."

Anke raised his short sword and pointed at the old baron's nose, his voice became colder and colder:

"Tell me, when you set a trap, plotted against my father, and killed him in the end, did you think about today?"

"Have you ever thought that his legacy, his bloodline, and his descendants will seek revenge on you one day in full view!"

"Doyle of Mirror River!"

Seeing the tip of the sword pointing at him, Old Doyle trembled violently!

The baron was stunned for a while, his whole face flushed, and he could only utter a few single sounds from his mouth that was forced by the sword.

"No, you, you...he, he..."

At this moment, Earl Godwin's roar sounded in the banquet hall:

"Anke Bailar!"

His tone was unprecedentedly severe, leaving no room for it:

"No matter how wronged you are or what your reasons are, don't forget that the kingdom has its own laws, and this world has its own reasons!"

Anke was out of his mind for a while.

"Fa? Reason?"

He lowered his sword and turned his head away.

Lord Godwin breathed a sigh of relief.

"As an aristocrat, you know etiquette and wisdom, and you know loyalty and righteousness. You should know how to use legal means, follow normal channels, or appeal based on reason, protect your rights, or communicate rationally, negotiate a solution, and seek justice and fairness."

The earl is righteous:

"Why would you go to a meeting with a knife and take someone's life..."

"At the Duke of Thales' banquet, resort to violence and take risks!"

"You stand out for your father and family, but want to completely destroy your father's honor and family's reputation in your hands?"

The last sentence was obviously quite effective, Anke trembled all over, and looked at Godwin in a daze.

"I did."

Earl Godwin was taken aback:

"What?"

"When I just returned to China," Anke said dejectedly: "The legal means."

"At first, I want to wait for the next year's harvest and pay off the debt steadily."

He stared at Earl Godwin in pain, and hissed: "But I was told that the deadline for the contract is only before the land is settled."

"Afterwards, I would like to invoke the law of nobility and appeal for adjournment."

He stared at the dagger in his hand, and murmured: "But I was told that I have not inherited the title, and I have no right to appeal for an extension."

"Finally, I want to inherit my father's title early,"

In the end, Anke looked at everyone desperately: "But I was told that this is an expensive recognition fee, and we can only wait for the next year's harvest."

Earl Godwin was at a loss for words for a moment, but he hesitated for a while, and then said:

"If you can't solve it yourself, you can ask for help..."

Ke Anke yelled back with a louder and more excited voice!

"I did!"

His blade trembled with the movement, waving in vain in the firelight of the entire hall:

"I went to the Ruins and Fort of Heroes, and asked for help from the big figures in the Western Wilderness, but they said that the war in the Saber Camp was just peaceful, and they didn't want to offend the vassals of the Fuxing Palace, saying that this was our personal affair with Doyle's. affairs, they have no right to intervene."

"When I arrived in Eternal Star City, I wanted to submit a report to the court according to the procedure, but was rejected many times. A secretary who received the money quietly told me that the Doyle family had just attached themselves to the Duke of Xinghu, and the Mindis Hall was of great significance. rise."

"I went to the Academy of Noble Affairs and wanted to do special things to inherit the title, but they told me that the prince has just returned, the kingdom is thriving, and everyone is living in hope, so don't spoil the scenery with your own trivial matters."

Thales listened to his self-narration with a serious expression, and found out uncomfortably that these reasons were all related to himself.

Anke took a sharp breath.

"So, in the end, I had no choice but to go to the Fuxing Palace, guard the palace gate, and wait for His Majesty to appear, but the moment I saw His Majesty's team and the royal guards, I stepped forward and spoke..."

He grinned, showing calm and resignation:

"Sent to prison."

Amidst the small but unignorable buzz from the crowd, Earl Godwin didn't say a word for a long time, and seemed a little at a loss.

"I tell you the truth, but you talk to me about the law; Come back and reason with me."

"I did it," Anke put the blade on the shoulder of the old Baron Doyle, murmured in a trance with his eyes blank, "What method, what method, what possibility..."

"It's all done."

He slowly raised his head:

"Only the last one remains."

Thales felt more and more uneasy in his heart.

"Three days ago, I spent the last bit of travel expenses, and finally let the police department release me."

Anke's arm gradually strengthened, and the old baron's face gradually changed, and he groaned in pain.

"So I found him and said to the old silverfish: I am willing to execute the contract and cede the fief."

"Just ask for a sum of money for my father's funeral."

"And that expensive burial fee allowed me to buy the seat on the edge of the Mindis Hall tonight."

Anke smiled.

Had a good laugh.

"Anke!"

Earl Godwin seemed to have a premonition of what he was going to do, and panic appeared in his voice for the first time.

"No—" D.D struggled to move forward, but Glover hugged him tightly.

Just listen to Anke coldly say:

"If you don't kill someone, you won't be listened to."

His wrist sank slowly.

"If you don't shock the world, there will be no way out."

His teeth clenched slowly.

"If you don't resign yourself to depravity, you will swallow the bitter fruit."

His eyes gradually dimmed.

"Please tell me, Earl Godwin, Your Highness Thales..."

Amid the old Doyle's screams of pain, his wife's heart-piercing, and the horrified eyes of all the guests in the hall, Anke raised his head.

His ashen eyes passed through the bright lights and fell straight on Thales:

"What's the point of this?"

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