Kingdom’s Bloodline

Latest website: Zhan was very dissatisfied with being interrupted, and he immediately called someone to come and ask what happened.

An assistant to the judge rushed from the castle and informed him that something had happened in the court hall: a hereditary baron with a real title was dissatisfied with the verdict and was "protesting fiercely."

"Kongming Palace is not a place for him to act rogue." Perhaps it was Tails' look that made Zhan very unhappy. The Duke of Nan'an, who had always been gentle in front of outsiders, snorted coldly: "Let alone the trial hall."

However, the judge's assistant told him with embarrassment that the baron invoked the "Rhodri Regulation" of the Restoration King's period, requiring a noble with a high enough title to be present for the jury or even arbitration to override the previous judgment.

"How bold."

Zhan En sneered:

"This is simply contempt for the Inquisition, and it comes at such a critical time as Queen's Day."

"What's wrong?" Even though this was an internal matter in the Emerald City and it was difficult to comment, Thales couldn't help but ask: "Is it related to what we talked about before?"

Zhan gave him a meaningful look, and the Duke immediately ordered:

"Then do it and invite an honorary nobleman to be present for him. Although it is rare, it is his right after all."

But the judge's assistant looked troubled.

"Lord Zhan, the person who was closest was the Honorary Earl of Pintor, but he..."

The assistant couldn't help but forget to glance at Thales with complicated eyes:

"The Count is still recovering from his injuries at home and cannot come forward."

Thales felt uncomfortable looking at him.

Huh? Count Pintor?

Why does this name sound so familiar?

Zhan also glanced at Thales and said disdainfully: "Maybe he feels embarrassed recently and doesn't want to come forward. Where are the others?"

"For some reasons, several adults are unwilling to come forward."

"What's the reason?" Zhan was obviously not satisfied, but his expression quickly changed.

But the assistant dared not answer.

Duke Iris realized something and looked at Thales.

"What's wrong? What are you looking at?" Thales touched his face and asked doubtfully.

"The reason." Zhan replied coldly.

Ten minutes later, when Tails walked into the Emerald City Judgment Hall in the Kongming Palace for the first time, he discovered that this place was wider and more spacious than any hall in the Kongming Palace and the Kevin Dill family. majesty.

An old judge with gray hair and wrinkles wearing thick glasses sat in a position higher than other people in the hall. In front of him were the plaintiff and defendant's docks on both sides, and on the outer seats sat The crowd was full of guests, most of whom were neatly dressed and respectable people. Seeing the Duke in person, they couldn't help but talk about it.

Under everyone's attention, Thales and Zhan, accompanied by their entourage, sat in the open box seats on the second floor - higher than the judge.

"Then we might as well continue," the old judge adjusted his glasses, "No. 680-10-0881, Mr. Slimani, the defense attorney, represented the farmers of Fengpei Village, suing Baron Elan Trent for illegal robbery and Unreasonable detention case.”

"That's not robbery!"

In the dock, a middle-aged nobleman wearing a luxurious coat and taking care of the floor immediately jumped up, danced and shouted in a loud voice:

"Those farmers are all my subjects! Those are the food grown on my land! But they are sneaky and cunning. Not only do they default on rent and refuse to pay taxes for various reasons, they also secretly transport this year's harvest behind my back!" Get together—"

Boom!

The old judge knocked down the hammer mercilessly, and the heavy sound echoed in the trial hall, making all other sounds disappear.

"The gavel is made of alloy imported from Hamble. Their formula of limestone is quite ingenious. The sound it produces ranges from deep and majestic to lively and bright. It is said to have the effect of cleansing the mood. The timbre of many musical instruments is This is a lot of improvements.”

Zhan quietly explained to him in a low voice, but he couldn't hide the "never seen this in the country" look in his eyes.

Thales curled his lips in displeasure.

how? Being rich is awesome.

"quiet."

Although the old judge is old, his voice is still firm and powerful, which is awe-inspiring:

"Or should I ask the guards at Kongming Palace to help silence you, Baron Trent?"

Baron Trent was still unconvinced and wanted to say more, but the servant beside him quickly persuaded him.

"Johnny Brennan is the most senior judge in Emerald City and even the entire South Coast. He is highly respected," Zhan said in a low voice. "It was very difficult for Emerald City to hire him from the Principality of Anrenzo back then."

"What case is this? Is it related to... what we are talking about?" Thales observed the surroundings silently.

"You're asking me questions." Zhan shook his head.

The old judge turned to the plaintiff's seat:

"Mr. Srimani?"

A shrewd and capable man with a simple hairstyle stood up from his seat. He bowed to the two dukes first, and then faced Judge Brennan:

"Dear Judge Brennan, as I have complained before, my clients, the two hundred and thirty farm families in Fengfei Village under the jurisdiction of the Trent family, do not accept the defendant's defense. That is illegal. Robbery of property and subsequent illegal detention.”

"Villain!"

Baron Trent’s roar sounded again:

"You will defend them, Slimani, just because you are the dedicated defender of the Grain Merchant Guild! They have secretly negotiated a price with the grain merchants in the city and want to receive this batch of grain!"

"And you are still a former security officer! Look around, the people in this court are all your old colleagues, and they are all working together!"

Boom!

"Baron Trent, this reason is enough once," Judge Brennan said solemnly, "and the current court has responded to your seemingly reasonable protest."

"but--"

"You asked for nobles with status, prestige, status and conduct to be present on the jury. This request has been met." Brennan touched his gray beard. He narrowed his eyes and looked up to the second floor. "Maybe it's too much. Satisfied, the Judgment Hall has not welcomed such a distinguished guest for a long time since the Year of Blood."

The next second, the old inquisitor stood up tremblingly, along with his deputies, assistants, scribes, and finally almost everyone in the trial hall stood up.

"Duke Thales, Duke Jenn, I welcome you on behalf of the tribunal on duty today." Brennan bowed in the direction of the two dukes. "Witness the setting sun. I hope your arrival will make justice and law more evident." "

"Judge Brennan," Zhan stood up humbly, and even Thales had to stand up together and bowed to the old judge, "The Kevin Dill family is a part of the Emerald City, and I am here to serve as the jury. Obligation, I just hope you don’t mind: I brought guests, and His Highness Thales also wants to visit the Emerald City.”

"Your Majesty Judge, please understand," Thales said with a smile, "No matter when and where, as the royal family, the Nine-Pointed Star has the obligation to serve the entire kingdom, and as the Brilliant Star, I am even more duty-bound."

After the words fell, the two dukes looked at each other unkindly.

The entire trial hall was buzzing with discussion.

"Very well, two dukes," Judge Brennan sat down again and said in a normal tone, "I just hope that you can keep the political disputes in words and don't bring my court with you."

These words made Thales and Zhan's expressions stiffen, and they sat down.

"He doesn't seem to give us much face?"

"More than that, he didn't even give my father face," Zhan En said softly. "It is said that when your grandfather was patrolling the South Bank, he was ordered to pay compensation because his guards trampled on a street stall."

"Then what?"

"Your grandfather obediently lost the money and came back to reward him."

Thales raised his eyebrows.

The trial court reopened, and the defense attorney and the baron went back and forth, arguing fiercely.

"I am exercising the rights that a noble lord of the Star Kingdom should have!" Baron Trent said angrily, "They are farmers working on my land. I give them protection and they work for me. This is the most sacred thing. relationship and contract!”

Defense lawyer Slimani responded calmly:

"They are indeed working on your land, but since Duke Josh Kelvindir's "Separation Order" in 421, at least in the South Coast Territory, the relationship between most lords and farmers on the land has become one of renting. Tenant employment. Yes, they work on your fields and pay part of their income, but before they pay it, the food grown on it belongs to them, not to you.”

"But this means that at least part of the crops in his fields should be handed over to me naturally. This is the tradition!" The baron became more and more angry as he spoke. "This is the tax they should pay! But they are trying to avoid this. At one point, making private deals with grain merchants is despicable theft and smuggling!”

The trial hall was noisy, with some supporting and some opposing.

"quiet!"

Judge Brennan had to bang his crystal gavel once again.

"My clients did not turn in their grain crops, but this does not mean that they are in arrears with rent and taxes - in fact, they have paid sufficient money. As for the method of paying rent and taxes, as early as the Duke of Leinster - may he be wise Rest - it has been expanded during his reign: in addition to paying the quota of crops in the field, it can also be replaced by a sufficient amount of labor or money," the defender Slimani was polite, in perfect contrast to the baron, "If you have any questions, I will be happy to point you to the relevant Code regulations, if you care, of course."

"Full amount?"

Baron Trent was furious: "If the tax money they gave me was used to buy food at market prices, it would only be 60% of what it was during the same period in previous years! I don't even have enough food to maintain the guards!"

During the back-and-forth debate, Thales and Zhan were having another conversation in the box upstairs.

"I trust you."

"What do you believe?" Thales frowned.

"After listening to what you just said, I believe that you and your father are not the same kind of people - I believe it for now."

"Thank God," Thales exaggerated deliberately, "So we can let go of the past and start over?"

"Before that, let me clarify something."

Thales said he was all ears.

"I know," the Duke of Nan'an said softly: "I have known for a long time that it was not you who took the initiative to write to discuss marriage with my sister, nor was it your initiative to take revenge on me. I know that it was just your father's wish - in fact , I knew it before you returned home.”

"Very good, then it seems that at least your sister's matter has not affected your sanity - no, if you thought this had nothing to do with me from the beginning, then why did you want to retaliate against me at the royal banquet?" Thales asked doubtfully.

"Believe it or not," Zhan's expression remained unchanged, "I gave Bailar the sword at the royal banquet, not because of any personal grudge against you - it was something that had to be done."

"It has to be done," Thales frowned, "Explain it?"

"Only by detonating the conflict between Xihuang and Fuxing Palace," Zhan En calmly looked at the two quarreling parties below, "can your father have no time to care about anything else and reach out to the south bank."

"What?"

Duke Iris looked at him:

"What your father wants to do is no secret to every Guardian Duke."

Zhan En said solemnly:

"At the State Council meeting seven years ago, Xinxing's plan to force the emperor to convict has already made His Majesty very dissatisfied with me, although the territories and limestone mines I ceded afterwards made up for it..."

"Those compensations? You mean, the compensation for instigating the vampires to murder me?" Thales snorted.

"But that didn't feed your father," Zhan didn't deny it, but he didn't apologize to Thales either. "On the contrary, it expanded his appetite and allowed him to see the wealth and prosperity of the South Bank."

The wealth and prosperity of the South Shore...

Thales touched the precious leather of the chair beneath him and sighed:

"I don't want to say this, but the last time I went to the palace, my father was actually reading the port tax report from Nan'an, and heard Manager Qiu Ke yelling at you for your accounting skills."

Zhan was silent for a long time, and he looked at Judge Brennan who was banging the gavel again.

"I know. I originally hoped that after Val Arend was imprisoned, the internal and external troubles in the north would become your father's biggest constraint, which would take him a long time to digest, and he would not have time to take care of the South Coast Territory and Kongming Palace."

"but?"

Zhan En's eyes showed vigilance, as if facing a formidable enemy:

"But your father's courage and ability - whether he dared to sacrifice his son as a hostage, or whether Charmaine Lombard mysteriously squeezed out Nunn and was crowned king - made such expectations come true: you stay in Longxiao City as a hostage, Lombard Withdrawing the fortress, the threat of Exeter disappeared overnight."

Your father's courage and ability...

Thales looked strange.

The owner of Iris continued: "There is no duke in the north, and there is no foreign invasion. It is simply a golden opportunity. Your father's hand reached into the cold castle, and in just a few years it swallowed the vacuum left by Arlend."

Thales hesitated for a while:

"In fact, the fact that Charmaine squeezed out Nunn and was crowned king is... well, forget it, it's not important."

"You are right, your father will not spend too much on things like father-son love," Zhan En did not pay attention to his words and said to himself: "So when I learned that the royal standing army went to the Western Wilderness to rescue When he saw you, he realized that something was fishy - with the power of the kingdom's secret science, he had ten thousand efficient ways to rescue his son, but he chose to use the army, which was the most costly and the most troublesome. "

Thales couldn't help but frown.

"Then, I received the news that the Blade Fang camp was attacked and the Legend Wings returned to rescue them."

Zhan En raised his head with heavy eyes:

"That's when I roughly understood what your father wanted to do."

Thales couldn't help but said:

"real?"

Zhan snorted softly:

"It's not hard to guess, especially when you know the history of the founding of the Emerald Legion."

Damn it.

He really guessed it.

Thales frowned and thought.

"But then, you returned to the country," Zhan En's eyes were blazing. "You were sent back to the capital as a gift from the three major families in the Western Wilderness. I heard that the four-eyed skull and the family heirloom sword were also given to you?"

Thales hesitated and wanted to argue but finally gave up:

"In fact, Falkenhauser was not...well, forget it, it doesn't matter."

Zhan En was a little strange, but he still nodded:

"From then on I knew something was wrong: Things in Xihuang must not have gone as your father wished. According to Your Majesty's temperament, even if you cannot make back the losses you suffered this time, you will definitely make up for it elsewhere."

Hearing this, Thales hesitated to speak again:

"Actually, the reason why he didn't get what he wanted in Xihuang is... well, forget it, it's not important."

Zhan En is worried:

"The next step is for me to receive a letter from the Fuxing Palace: it is signed to you, and it also carries an ugly portrait, asking about the possible marriage between Prince Thales and Shilai."

Thales frowned:

"Is the portrait ugly?"

Zhan En didn't answer. He sighed:

"Your father, he finally set his sights on Nan'an, and that's when he started."

Thales held it in for a long time.

"Maybe... think on the bright side?" The prince said cautiously, "You are not the only family that has received a letter."

“But we’re definitely up front and it’s not about Shealey, it’s just about Kevin Deere.”

Zhan En sneered and shook his head with a cold look:

"I later figured out that this would happen sooner or later: if you are a girl and a princess, then I have no doubt that your majesty's marriage target is me."

Thales was stunned after hearing this.

"If I were a man... couldn't you change the subjunctive conditional?"