Kingdom’s Bloodline

"Looks like you treated yourself well."

With mixed emotions, Thales came to the opposite side of Zhan and pulled out an expensive armchair.

"Both each other," the Duke of Nan'an didn't look at him and opened the pot of wine produced by Duke Sera on the coffee table. "Be careful, Your Highness, that chair is not easy to sit on."

Taylor made a move.

He patted the armchair, looked cold, and sat on it without hesitation.

"Such an expensive chair is so hard to sit on?"

"Because of this," Zhan En poured two glasses of wine and watched him sit on the chair with an intriguing look, "precious things are often not comfortable to use."

"That being the case," Thales rubbed the smooth and warm armrest, feeling the leather material, and said, "I didn't see you throwing it away?"

Zhan picked up a glass of wine and gestured to Telsto.

"As you said."

The Duke chuckled lightly, pushed another glass of wine to Thales, extended his hand to signal, and said in a profound tone:

"It's valuable."

Thales didn't reply immediately. He stared at the other person for a long time.

"Then you really have to be careful," Thales leaned towards the coffee table and pushed the glass of wine back lightly but without doubt, "otherwise the chair will be damaged by me sitting on it and it will be difficult to repair."

Zhan's eyes froze slightly as he watched Thales reject the wine.

"It's not irreparable," he smiled slightly, retracted his palm, raised his wine glass nonchalantly, and took a deep breath, "Just find the right craftsman."

Thales leaned back, watching silently as Zhan enjoyed the aroma of the wine, and hummed softly:

"Since it is such an expensive chair, it will cost a lot of money to repair it, no matter which master it is, right?"

Zhan En swung the glass, took a sip of wine, and exclaimed:

“It’s cheaper than the chair itself.”

"Would you rather spend the money to repair it, or would you rather it remain intact?"

Zhan's eyes narrowed.

"It depends on where the chair is placed," Duke Iris said quietly, "whether it is placed in the hall for others to see, or whether it is placed in the bedroom for oneself to sit on."

Thales was silent, and Zhan didn't speak either. The two of them just faced each other quietly in the bedroom.

After a while, Zhan put down his wine glass and spoke first.

"So, the current regent of Emerald City came to see me as a prisoner, but he refused to drink my wine." He stared at Thales' face, meaning something, "But there is something wrong with the rule?"

Thales snorted lightly.

"As a prisoner, staying at home, how do you know that my 'ruling is not going well'?"

Zhan smiled and turned toward the balcony.

"Please, there is such a huge plume of smoke and fire in the Glory Zone, even the most hidden rat in Kongming Palace can smell it."

Thales frowned.

Zhan closed his eyes with an expression of enjoyment, as if he was still savoring the aroma of the wine.

"You know, there was a rat infestation in Star Lake Castle for a while," Thales stared at the wine bottle on the table, "until I cleaned up all the rats, not a single one was left."

After saying this, he stared at Zhan En.

Zhan was silent for a while.

"No one left?"

Duke Iris nodded:

"That's going to take a lot of mice and cats, a lot."

"There are indeed many," Thales said not to be outdone, "but I later discovered that there is only one truly useful cat."

Zhan En sneered:

"Oh, which one?"

Thales and Zhan looked at each other for a long time.

The next moment, Thales suddenly smiled:

"You just misunderstood, Your Majesty the Duke."

Thales leaned forward and picked up the glass of wine that originally belonged to him.

This time it was Zhan En who frowned slightly.

"Everything goes smoothly in the rule of the Emerald City, without any troubles. The citizens live and work in peace and contentment, and the officers and soldiers perform their duties faithfully." Thales swayed his wine glass freely and greeted Zhan En. "Like the fire accident on Ruhsang Street, I was not needed at all. Don’t worry, officials at all levels will take care of it themselves.”

Zhan's eyes narrowed.

"I think so." He leaned back and instantly became cold and repulsive. "Otherwise, you would have been so busy that you wouldn't have time to come to me for a drink and talk about chairs and mice. ”

"Was your father in pain?" Thales still smiled, but suddenly changed the subject, "When he died?"

Zhan's expression changed.

Thales continued calmly:

"Especially when you know that you have been betrayed by others, and know that your murderer is a blood relative who cannot be trusted?"

Zhan stared at Thales's wine glass expressionlessly, but just when Thales thought he was going to change his face after all, Zhan raised his head without changing his expression:

"please forgive?"

Thales looked at the other party and hummed:

"I said, there is peace in the Emerald City, it should be said that it is too peaceful. Because of this, I have nothing to do all day long, so I have time to do this - arbitrate the dispute between you and Federico, Find out the truth and bring justice to the late Duke of Leinster and Viscount Sonar.”

His Royal Highness emphasized the last few words and narrowed his eyes:

"What, is there something wrong?"

For several seconds, Zhane remained motionless, like a statue.

Until he took a breath and poured himself another drink.

"You just said that this is the only mousecatcher you need?"

Zhan En's action of pouring wine was calm and normal, nothing wrong at all:

"It's a bit too monotonous and lacks novelty."

"However, when the mice were cornered and had no other choice," Thales shook his wine glass, his eyes never leaving Zhan's face, "they really fell for this."

Zhan put down the wine bottle heavily.

"But are you sure the only ones you have to clean up are rats?"

Duke Tuo raised his wine glass and carefully observed the color of the wine under the light:

"If there is a more ferocious beast hidden in the castle, a mousecat alone will not be enough to see it."

On Zhan's wine glass, Thales' face was reflected through the refraction of the wine, appearing crimson and distorted.

"Actually, my cat's claws are ruthless and ferocious." Thales also raised his glass to him, "Enough."

Zhan's expression turned cold.

He lowered his eyes and looked at Thales' wine glass:

"You almost spilled the wine, are you really not taking a sip?"

"The cup is in my hand," Thales said coldly, continuing to shake the glass, "I can drink it whenever I want."

Zhan fell silent.

A few seconds later, he held the wine glass and slowly walked to the window.

"Of course, then you can drink it whenever you want," Zhan En looked out the window with a cold attitude, "But the wine has been opened, and I don't know how long it can be stored."

In front of his eyes, thousands of lights in the Emerald City were dotted like stars.

The two were silent for a while, each thinking.

"I should have thought of it earlier." After a while, Thales suddenly said.

"What comes to mind?"

"You elected me to be the regent, but you strongly opposed Xi Lai's participation in the rule, not only because you feel sorry for your sister," Thales narrowed his eyes, "but also because you are still in the chess game, and the vacant city lord position is just Your other piece, the goal is to eat whoever sits on it."

Zhan En didn’t even look back:

"It is inconsistent with your image to blame a single prisoner for the shortcomings of your rule."

Thales snorted coldly.

"That letter."

"What letter?"

Thales raised his gaze.

"Not long ago, the "Replacement Petition" you wrote to my father talked about paying taxes to replace the service and reducing the number of soldiers. It seemed to be submissive and obedient, but in fact it was full of mysteries and traps."

"You said in the arena," Zhan said coldly, "you tore up the letter."

"Yes. But if you don't surrender to the enemy, you dare to violate even the letter of peace to the Supreme Iron-fisted King and keep an eye on it. Then when you face me, you are forced to step down from the position of city lord and lead the south bank of the Emerald City. "When we gave up," Thales' questioning was harsh and disdainful, "How could he not hide his back, lay traps, and leave the vacant seat full of thorns for his successor?"

The room was quiet for a while, and the only sound that could be heard was the breathing of the two of them.

"Then have you ever thought," Zhan En looked at the night view of the city that once belonged to him, with sharp and deep eyes, "Maybe if you want to sit firmly in that chair, you should have to overcome all obstacles?"

"Is it supposed to be?"

Thales said disdainfully and put down his wine glass.

"My people spent a whole day, and even persuaded many financial officials to work overtime, and finally sorted out the accounts of Emerald City, especially the pile of debts."

"Congratulations." Zhan said sarcastically.

Thales leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms:

"In fact, huge public debt is not a bad thing for the Emerald City, but has been a common occurrence for many years, and it is a means of financing future development and governance."

"I really hope that all of my financial officers have your vision." Zhan still seemed to be sarcastic.

But Thales' eyes moved:

"But the strange thing is that Emerald City began to sort out and restructure its debts seven or eight years ago. Some were rescheduled, some split, some merged, some revised, and some even borrowed large sums. In the end, All kinds of debts are concentrated into three batches: the first batch alone includes millions of upfront debts, which must be paid off within two years from now.”

The prince said coldly:

"The debt repayment period for the second batch is around ten years, and for the third batch, it is around fifteen years."

Zhan didn't speak, but he finally shifted his focus from the window and slowly turned around to face Thales.

"As you said before, you had long expected that Fuxing Palace would attack Iris, but you didn't know when they would come or how they would come, so you simply prepared in advance and took precautions."

Thales continued calmly:

"Three batches of huge debts are actually triple insurance that you left for yourself by using the Emerald City's finances. In the past fifteen years or even longer, no matter who has subverted your rule and seized the Emerald City in any way, Every city has to face a dangerous debt trap..."

"It's just a matter of money," Zhan interrupted, turning the wine in his hand into a scarlet whirlpool, "The Bright Star royal family is the richest in the world, you must have a way to solve it, right?"

Thales frowned.

"A money problem?" the prince snorted coldly, "Emerald City changed hands and was already experiencing political turmoil. Merchants who were accustomed to the Emerald City's trade order began to panic sell, resulting in unstable prices and chaotic market conditions..."

In addition, there are various rumors such as 'the prince wants to squeeze out the Emerald City', 'the prince wants to raise taxes to make money' or 'the prince wants to clean up the family'...

he thought worriedly.

"And when I started to tear down the east wall to make up for the west wall, and think of ways to increase revenue and reduce expenditure to pay off debts, more troubles came," Thales said coldly, "When the idea of ​​reducing expenditures and moving the budget came up, the work of officials at all levels The efficiency has dropped visibly. The Seychelles Knight - regardless of whether he got your permission or not - even quietly threatened our army to go on strike. Let's just regard the accident on Ruhsan Street as an accident. That's all. The reason is caused by the low efficiency of the security officers and the chaos of the Blood Bottle Gang. "

Zhan listened quietly, staring at him with heart-stopping eyes, without any gloating smile.

"Then people are panicking. People have lost trust in the future of the Emerald City. People with some wealth are fleeing one after another. There are frequent security cases in the market." Thales stared at the other party closely. "If we don't do something, the once prosperous city will be ruined." The beautiful Emerald City may begin to decline.”

Zhan En had no more expressions. He just took a deep breath and slowly raised his glass:

"drink wine?"

Thales frowned deeply, but he ignored the other party and continued:

"I originally planned to summon the powerful vassals and big businessmen of the South Coast Territory, and even the wealthy businessmen from abroad, to coerce and induce them to lend money to help Emerald City fill the deficit and temporarily provide relief..."

Zhan En snorted, his meaning unclear.

"But before that, I received a ledger from Ashford's steward, which was about the status of the private property of the Kevin Deere family."

Zhan En's eyes moved:

"Sure enough, you hit Kevin Deere on the head."

Thales sighed.

"My people have just roughly figured out that the Iris family is indeed as rich as the rest of the world. Just in the field of prospecting for lithium minerals, your assets are estimated to be worth millions, and there is a constant source of energy. The cash cow assets that generate wealth do not include smelting and trade," the prince said gloomily, "Even if only half of it is squeezed out, it will be enough for the Emerald City to tide over the difficulties for the time being."

Zhan didn't answer, just stared at him intriguingly.

"But here's the problem."

Thales left the back of the chair and stared at the other party.

"I went through the account books and searched all over Kongming Palace, and found that the Kevin Deere family had very little cash, which added up to less than 50,000."

Zhan raised the corner of his mouth.

"Because you started operations seven or eight years ago and invested most of the family's cash in various major industries - for example, the Emerald City Cotton and Wool Chamber of Commerce has 20% of your shares, and many of the lithium mines in the north are It is jointly invested by Kevin Deere and the Lacia family. Half of the business groups in Gonghai City's Yongshi Oil Industry have signed contracts with Iris, and these are only what can be found. Businessmen like Dagory Moss may There are many more, everyone is your asset white glove, covering all walks of life in the South Bank Territory of Emerald City, and even the Kingdom of Stars."

The more Thales spoke, the more serious he became, gritting his teeth:

"So, if I want to use Kevin Deere's money, the first thing I have to do is to draw and sell off assets from a dozen wealthy properties on the South Coast. And once I do this, for example, sell it at a low price and you keep it. In the textile industry, there are more than a dozen workshops, dozens of warehouses of raw materials, hundreds of shops, thousands of looms all over the South Bank..."

"Taking fire from under the cauldron and pulling out the source of the problem," Zhan En took over what he said, looking relaxed and comfortable. "The already unstable industry order and economic situation will only become more panic, chaotic, and turbulent in the short term, but it is still settled." Rumors that the prince wants to drain the Emerald City."

Thales took a deep breath and suppressed his emotions.

Where did he know this?

Forget it, it doesn't matter anymore.

"What's worse," Thales continued with difficulty, "if I get through the crisis by selling your family's assets at a low price, which leads to economic turmoil and industry crisis, then those who collude with you and are entrenched in the upstream and downstream of the industry will Countless wealthy businessmen, aristocratic forces, and vassal families, such as the Karabyan family who jointly invested with you in the textile industry, these giants all over the South Coast Territory, will also suffer losses. "

Thales clenched his fists.

"So, I canceled my meeting with these people and my intention to borrow money from them to bail out the situation."

Zhan En took a sip of wine silently:

"Why?"

"Why? Because they have long been tied to you and the Iris family in terms of economy and industry, and they cannot be separated from each other," Thales said disdainfully, "Why should I make enemies for no reason and bring trouble on myself?"

Zhan said nothing.

"Anyway, in this round, finance, debt, taxation, commerce, public security, people's livelihood..."

Thales suppressed his anger:

"From beginning to end, no matter where I start, I will be blamed. No matter who actually benefits or loses, no matter how complicated the process is, the final price and infamy will be borne by me who takes power."

Thales took a deep breath and calmed down.

"But I guess these people, if you asked, they would be willing to lend it, right?"

He looked at Zhan with sharp eyes:

"Why? Just because you have a cooperative business relationship with them and have intertwined interests?"

Zhan sneered.

"I guess you can call it trust," the Duke of South Bank shook his head, "but it is based on systems and habits: they believe in me and Iris, not only by faith and loyalty, habits and obligations, but also by position and interests. Rely on institutions and systems.”

Zhan En's eyes moved:

"So that once they leave us, they will inevitably lose trust in this city."

Thales snorted disdainfully.

Jenn raised his voice:

"And this 'trust', Thales, is something you can't get back no matter how many times you emphasize 'blood of the emperor' or 'revival of the kingdom'."

Thales' eyes became colder and colder.

"So, not only the position of City Lord, but you, you have turned the entire Emerald City into a trap."

The prince said coldly:

"Anyone who seizes it by unconventional means will trigger a chain reaction of a whole chain and bear the price behind it."

Zhan remained silent, and Thales did not continue.

The two looked at each other in silence for a full minute.

Until sporadic fireworks exploded in the night sky and cast light into the room, feebly celebrating Queen's Day.

Finally, Zhan walked back to the sofa and sat down slowly.

He knocked on the wine bottle and looked at Thales with deep meaning:

"So, it's now, and you still refuse to drink my wine?"

Thales took a deep breath.

He looked at the wine glass on the coffee table and thought for a long time.

Finally, Duke Xinghu gently reached forward and picked up his own wine glass.

Jenn smiled.

Thales raised his wine glass and smelled the aroma of the wine.

The next second, he raised his head with stern eyes.

"The result of this arbitration, Zhan, is that you will escape safely, with a clean conscience and no stain, and Kevin Dill will continue to rule. You will get back your title of Duke and the position of Lord of the City, and continue to be your Lord of Iris. ”

Zhan's eyes lit up with approval.

"Very good," he picked up the flagon, "but?"

"But Federico will be pardoned. Not only will he be innocent, he will also get back his property rights and inheritance rights as Sona's son, and become the new Viscount of Gonghai City - don't worry, it is an honorary Viscount."

Boom.

Zhan's hip flask hit hard.

The Duke of Nan'an raised his head with a cold look: "Then why don't you just say, 'I'm going to put an iron nail in your asshole'?"

"I'm not finished yet."

Thales said indifferently:

"The Emerald Legion will be named the 'Royal Family', and the number and cost will remain unchanged. However, the maintenance costs must first be paid to the Fuxing Palace in the form of taxes, and then distributed in the name of the kingdom, forming a military and national defense routine. The leader of the Legion will Officers at all levels must report to the Kingdom Military Affairs Department in advance..."

The more Zhan listened, the uglier his expression became.

"Let this year and the past be forgotten, but starting from next year, the tax numbers of all villages, manors, and towns in the South Coast Territory will be recalculated every year. If you understand what I mean, the Fuxing Palace will have full power..."

"Do you still want to drink?"

Zhan suddenly spoke up and interrupted Thales.

His expression was cold and his eyes were dangerous.

"And I haven't talked about ports, trade and tariffs yet." Thales said expressionlessly.

"Then you don't need to say it," Zhan En said coldly, "It saves time and effort, and also saves me a bottle of good wine."

"But I must say it! And so do you!" Thales suddenly raised his voice.

Zhan frowned.

Thales adjusted his breathing and tried his best to speak sincerely.

"I believe, Jenn, you left a trap, or problem, for your successor early - a problem that only Kevin Deere can solve, and the purpose is definitely not to kill the fish or kill the net."

Zhan's eyes moved slightly.

"It's about creating bargaining chips for negotiation," Thales stared at him, "and this is exactly what we are doing."

Thales sighed:

"Please, even for the sake of Emerald City - I believe that it was never your intention to let it decline."

Zhan En stared at him steadily and was silent for a while.

"Those conditions, are your father's intentions?"

Thales felt tense.

"As long as you agree," the prince said solemnly, "I will handle the matter at Fuxing Palace."

Zhan scoffed.

Thales frowned:

"I'm serious. We can discuss the specific terms and conditions, but I can take full responsibility -"

Zhan suddenly interrupted him:

"Why did you come to me?"

Thales paused.

Zhan approached him with an aggressive look:

"Tell me, Thales, from debt to taxes, from the market to public security, you sat in that seat and encountered so many things. You even checked Kevin Deere's family property and learned about the jade. How does the city's industry work, but the conditions you gave are still these? "

"And you even think that all the problems can be solved as long as you threaten me with arbitration and borrow enough money?"

Thales frowned:

"What do you mean?"

"What's the meaning?"

Zhan shook his head and laughed.

"You are the Duke of Star Lake Castle, Thales. You should know the architectural structure of the kingdom's governance: monarch, big and small princes, officials, cadres, common people from all walks of life, from top to bottom..."

Thales looked confused.

Zhan leaned back and opened his arms to the entire room:

"But here, in the Emerald City, you can see something different: merchants' transactions and status are guaranteed, farmers are exempt from military service and even heavy taxes, craftsmen from all walks of life form their own guilds to speak out together, bureaucrats at all levels work diligently and step by step, and even foreigners are respected here. Once a vassal or noble enters the city gate, he must recognize all the above rules: he must understand why the lowly farmers in his own fields can yell at the masters in the courtroom without being punished." Thales' eyes moved, and he thought silently. Zhan En patted his chest:

"Because, because all the power these people have is guaranteed by us, the Iris Family, and the Guardian Duke. In other words, whether it is the merchant consortiums demanding clear trade regulations in the city hall, or the farmers shouting for a quota for rent and taxes, or the craftsmen uniting to ask the city lord to severely punish those who withhold wages, we have allocated, granted, and shared from the Duke's authority.

"Under such a new order, the nobles are sealed from the desire for layer-by-layer exploitation, officials have the power to make rules, merchants show generosity out of greed, and farmers rise up to work hard for themselves. All the money from home and abroad comes to me for my use.

"But it is precisely under this new order that we, the noble Duke family, have made unprecedented compromises. We have walked out of the Palace of Clear Sky and stepped down from the highest throne, setting an example, restraining our vassals, and doing things that most rulers cannot understand. We not only undertake security and defense, but also worry about market order, residents' welfare, business operations, and law enforcement. For this, we have borrowed debts that cannot be repaid for generations, personally participated in the operation, invested in promoting various businesses that cost money but did not make any sound, and set rules that even country barons find humiliating and embarrassing, and we have to be the first to bow our heads and obey them!" Thales recalled every detail of what he saw and heard after arriving in the Emerald City, and his face changed slightly. Zhan En's eyes flickered: "Just imagine: the Supreme King has unlimited power in Yongxing City, everyone is wary of the King of Exter, the Supreme Councillors of Kangmas are extremely corrupt, and the dignitaries from all over the world are at the highest level of the rule, tyrannical on their own land! "But we, every generation of Duke Kevin Dill, must be careful not to damage even a street stall when walking in our own city. If we do something bad, we have to spend money to hire the Blood Bottle Gang. If a farmer picks his nose and scolds us in person for doing a bad job, we still have to smile and wave our hands to say sorry. If a merchant is robbed five miles outside the city, we will spend a huge amount of money to mobilize the army, chase the criminal to the ends of the earth at all costs and bring him to justice, and then sweep hundreds of miles back and forth for three months and patrol for a whole year to regain the trust lost! "This is what makes Emerald City and even the South Coast different. Starting from the 'Parrot Duke' more than a hundred years ago, my ancestors followed the example of wise kings, but after several generations, they went one step further than Mindis: we gave up power, gave up interests, sacrificed status, and established not only rules for our people and outsiders to follow, but also cages and barriers to bind ourselves, chains that we dare not touch, let alone break!" Hearing this, Thales was moved. He suddenly understood why Zhanen Kevindill would be the most famous, best-looking, and most "approachable" guardian duke in the kingdom. The logic, conditions, and truth behind this, the necessity and inevitability embedded in history and environment, are not just a simple explanation of "Zhanen is a hypocritical and sanctimonious person." As a ruler, King Nunn can be overbearing, King Chaman can be ruthless, King Kessel can be cold and ruthless, even Prime Minister Cullen can be old-fashioned, Cyril Falkenhaus can be a scoundrel, the one-eyed dragon Kosder can be arrogant, and the Duke of Val in the North can be extremely radical... But Zhan En can't do that.

Zhan En does this not because he likes it or he is willing to do it.

But he has to do it.

It is the Emerald City.

Just like the ancient swords, it is difficult to escape from their sheaths.

"And these things, your father, the iron-fisted king who is unquestionable and only knows how to take but not give, can he do it?" Zhan En said softly.

Thales raised his head with a solemn expression.

"So, as the highest link in the ruling chain," the prince couldn't help but sigh, "the Iris family used the duke's authority to guarantee this city and even the entire South Bank: you established order, set rules, formed systems, abided by the law, and even sacrificed authority..."

Zhan En smiled and nodded gently:

"To be precise, we have made ourselves the cornerstone of order, from the highest link of the old building, willingly becoming the bottom link of the new chain."

Old building, new chain...

Thales sighed:

"So the new chain has been running since then: ensuring safety, attracting trade, leveraging the economy, liberating labor, encouraging production, driving people, affecting land, changing the way of life of vassals, and then reversing the nature of their positions..."

Realistic intelligence about the Emerald City, military, economy, politics, class, history... They turned into abstract pictures and shapes one by one, flowing and piling up in front of his eyes.

Thales became more and more lost in thought as he spoke:

"So this chain went up layer by layer, one link connected to another, each link gave birth to another link, and in such a hurry for a hundred years, the Emerald City rose quietly: it fed back the Iris family, and benefited all those who made a living from it, whether they were princes or princes. Nobles and common people all believe in the guarantee of the Duke of South Bank, are accustomed to the rules of the Lord of Emerald City, and abide by the order of Kevin Deere.

"In this way, the Kevin Deere family has returned from the bottom link to the top link: the chain rotates, forming a loop, revitalizing the overall situation, and completing the order change from the old to the new."

Thales took a deep breath and became more serious:

"More importantly, after more than a century, Iris has dedicated part of the Emerald City to government, peasants, industrial and commercial people, so that they can truly become part of the Emerald City, and in turn, you use this to transform yourselves. It is firmly bound to every part of the Emerald City: it is both a guarantor and a beneficiary, it is both a leader and a protector, it is both the cornerstone of the base and the top of the spire, it is an indispensable link.”

Thales gritted his teeth:

"And if one day, this link is broken..."

Hearing this, Zhan En, who had been silent all this time, sneered and said:

"Just like what you experienced in this chair, this set of chains will be disconnected from this link, disjointed layer by layer, and collapse one after another, because it is not just the top that is pulled away, but also the cornerstone: the source of power, The formulation of rules, the enforcement of laws, the guarantee of order, the choice of business and trade, the flow of money, the form of the economy, the content of production, the lives of the people, the rule of vassals, and finally the prosperity and stability of the Emerald City - they will Chain reactions followed one after another, a vicious cycle, and everything was shattered."

Thales frowned deeply:

"If I don't want to break it, but just replace it -"

"Then you also have to dismantle it first, dismantle this set of chains," Zhan interrupted rudely, "then copy our history and run another set of chains with the same or even more effort."

"Because this is a set of chains, not an old-style building - the lord of the manor has changed his surname, and the farmers in the fields don't feel any difference. Anyway, the whip on his head is still vicious. After changing the lord, it's like taking it from the roof. Walking a brick," Zhan sneered, "But here, the 'peasants' in Emerald City will worry about how to ensure safety, who will enforce the rules, whether the industry will change, and whether the new lords will share their interests. Share, share joys and sorrows - because you don't take a brick from the roof, you take a link from a taut chain."

At that moment, Thales' breathing was up and down. He stared at Zhan in front of him, but he felt that he was not facing a person.

But a city.

"Then I will rebuild this chain, win back trust, and even let the royal family invest, set the rules, build an order that everyone believes in, and prove that Kevin Deere is not irreplaceable..." he gritted his teeth.

But, if that's the case...

"how long?"

Zhan En said coldly:

"Even if you are a genius and make the right moves, even if you have learned from the experience of the previous two hundred years and have the benefit of hindsight, even if you are the comer, the price and sacrifice you have to pay are far less than those of Kevin Deere's six What a great sacrifice for others... But how long will it take for you to use the Bright Star Royal Family as the foundation to rebuild the South Bank Territory today after the decline of the Emerald City?"

The Duke of South Bank sneered:

"Five years? Ten years? Twenty years? Thirty years?"

Thales hesitated to speak.

"The premise is that you and the royal family must restrain themselves, and also restrain the vassals, not to suck blood from the Emerald City, not to take a needle or a thread, not to reproduce the bad habits of aristocratic exploitation, and wait patiently, so that it can finally prosper and feed back the rule. one day."

Zhan En smiled and said:

"Actually, I have quite a lot of confidence in you - thirty years is almost enough?"

Zhan narrowed his eyes: "But how long do you have left?"

"I mean, how long did he give it to you?"

Thales' breath was stagnant.

"Now, do you understand?"

Zhan stared at him, but Thales felt like a city was oppressing him.

"As for the conditions you just sat here and proposed to me: taxes, army, trade, industry, almost every link in the chain."

The Duke of Nan'an tsked and shook his head:

"I know your father is jealous of this, but does he really know what we got for our wealth and abundance? Do you really think I can give him what he asks for?"

Thales turned his head with difficulty.

"And as a high-ranking monarch who doesn't know what respect is, he wants to own the Kevin Dill family. It took six generations and seven dukes to work hard, from the highest link to the lowest link, and then back to the bottom link. Reaching the highest level is the reward of hard work..."

"Kaiser Bright Star V," the Duke said coldly, looking at the lights of thousands of houses, "is he qualified?"

Thales was silent for a long time, not knowing what to think.

Zhan En remained silent, sat back in his seat, and drank in silence.

"I see."

Zhan turned his head.

"The Emerald City was not built overnight, Zhan." Thales looked at the Duke with sincere eyes, "Then it should not be destroyed overnight, it shouldn't be."

Zhan En frowned at first, then sneered disdainfully.

"Threat? Really? You?"

Thales shook his head, looking sad.

"You know you're lucky?"

"What?" Zhan asked confused.

"Just imagine, if it was my father, if he discovered these... situations in the Emerald City after he succeeded," Thales looked at the furnishings in the room and sighed, "Then maybe I should do it for you. Your city prayed."

"So now, you met me first, how lucky you are."

Zhan's eyes moved.

He stared at Thales for a long time.

"I've made it very clear," finally, the guardian duke of the South Bank sneered, "believe it or not -"

"Then you will let the Emerald City decline or even be destroyed?" Thales suddenly raised his head and raised his voice.

There was silence in the prisoner's room for a moment.

"It's not me, it's you," Zhan looked at Thales, his eyes full of hatred, "You."

Thales frowned.

"I know you are very angry, Zhan, because this is your city," he said sincerely, "but precisely because of this, precisely because this is your Emerald City, your people, not Star Lake Castle, let alone Yongxing City! "

Zhan En's expression gradually solidified.

Thales took a deep breath.

"I swear, I will get the best conditions for you, but the premise is..."

"You know, when I just looked out the window and saw the lights of thousands of houses in Emerald City, what did I think of?" Zhan interrupted him softly.

Thales frowned.

Zhan raised his head and hummed disdainfully.

"It is said that six hundred years ago, John I went his own way and determined to conquer Exeter in the north, 'to complete the unfinished business of his father'."

Thales thought of something and his expression changed:

"Zhan..."

"At that time, the stars were high and low in martial arts, and the whole country was rejoicing. Only the old 'wise minister' Halwa got up from his bed, rushed to the king's team overnight, and vowed to remonstrate to the death."

Zhan's voice was very soft:

"'If you don't see it, there are thousands of lights on the house, and there is no hope for the lives of the people. How can we bear to live in ruins?'"

Thales looked at him, his expression getting sadder.

“And King John, the man of great talent and sagacity, who had conquered countless men, was riding on his horse, and he raised his eyes to the lights of thousands of houses before him.”

Zhan En's eyes wandered, as if he had really seen that scene:

"'All I can see is darkness.'"

Thales closed his eyes.

"Yes, these are the exact words of Black Eyed John."

Zhan paused for a moment and looked at Thales with mixed emotions:

"Your ancestors."

No one spoke and the room was quiet for a full minute.

Until Thales suddenly stood up and walked towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Zhan looked at his wine glass, "You're not drinking anymore?"

Thales paused.

"You forgot something."

The prince sighed:

"Yes, Jenn, what you use as a bargaining chip to protect yourself is the foundation laid by the Kevin Deere family for generations."

He turned around.

"But don't forget," Thales said coldly, "Who in this palace is not Kevin Dill?"

When Zhan En heard this, his expression changed slightly.

"D.D.!"

The door was thrown open.

"Your Highness!"

Officer Doyle, whose head was covered with bandages, rushed into the room instantly, looking like he was loyal and ready to call:

"The guard wing has been formed. I wonder what your orders are -"

"Open Federico's door," Thales interrupted D.D without any nonsense, "I want to see him, now."

"Uh, yes!"

Zhan frowned.

Just as Thales was about to walk out, Zhan spoke:

"You will regret this."

Thales turned back.

"Because I went to find another Kevin Deere?"

"No," Zhan narrowed his eyes with a dangerous light, "because the other person you went to find..."

He turned his head:

"Kevin Deere too."

Thales' expression darkened.

The next second.

"First Class Danny Doyle, Escort Officer!"

D.D was originally majestic, walking past a group of guards, thinking about how to open the opposite door in a majestic manner. When he heard the prince calling his full name in a rare way, he was suddenly frightened and his feet slipped, but he didn't care about the embarrassment. He rushed back rolling and crawling on the ground.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty?"

"From now on, you will be responsible for sending in and out of all the food and beverage expenses and external communication of Zhan Kevindir. You will be personally responsible for it and check it carefully," Thales ordered expressionlessly, "I don't want to see it anymore. If anyone is there, pass him any news outside this room."

Zhan's hand holding the wine glass paused.

"Yes, as ordered - ah, me, me?" D.D was flattered at first, then became uneasy, "But Your Highness, I'm worried that I won't be able to do it..."

"Remember the assassin at the royal banquet?"

D.D was stunned when he heard this.

Zhan En's expression changed slightly.

"The one who held your father hostage with a sword, forced you to duel, and almost destroyed your family?"

Thales turned his head, glanced at Zhan coldly, and twitched his chin:

"He sent it."

Doyle shuddered.

He turned his head in disbelief and looked at Zhan, who was frowning deeply.

The next second, Thales stepped out of the room without looking back.

Only Zhan was left sighing.

And D.D, who was staring at him with an ugly expression.