Chapter 709: name

As the night passed, many citizens of the Emerald City did not wake up until the morning and walked out of their homes. They were surprised by the unusual silence in the streets and alleys, felt the unspeakable nervousness of the patrol guards, and heard the furtive and hesitant whispers of neighbors and friends. Learned one after another in a panic:
  The Emerald City has changed.
It is said that the duke's cousin, who was charged with crimes, returned from the general election and entered the quarterfinals with only one sword, just to speak out in front of the audience and sue his father, the long-dead Viscount Sona. wronged;
It is said that the son Federico told the outrageous truth in public: Duke Jann killed his father and uncle unjustly many years ago, and now he is killing people to cover up the truth. Put the blame on the visiting Prince Thales;
It is said that His Highness Polaris, who is upright and just, does not move, but when he moves, he is furious. With a simple word and a finger, he sent the powerful but indisputable Duke of the South Bank into the bottomless prison. He kept silent like a cicada, and he didn't dare to speak his beak. The police officers and soldiers all over the city were also timid and cowering, and they couldn't stop them a little bit;
   But behind these rumors, only Thales and his subordinates know how embarrassing their situation is and how difficult the affairs they are facing.
  First of all, there is the issue of placement of Jann and Federico.
Although it was ordered by the prince to be imprisoned pending trial, this move was nominally an aristocratic arbitration, not a real law enforcement, and an unconventional arrest and imprisonment. If they were thrown into prison hastily, they would be locked up with criminals or security prisoners. , it's not right.
Secondly, Zhan En has a noble status, and Federico is also the Queen of Iris. In this big case that is destined to shock the kingdom and spread throughout the whole territory, Thales must not treat them too badly or too badly (and this is everyone in the world. The normal state of a prison), so as not to be accused of avenging private revenge and arousing public anger.
Thirdly, after all, this is the Emerald City under the rule of Kevin Dill. From the security hall to the prison, from the Kongming Palace to the Emerald Legion, Thales dares to say that there will be officials who will secretly communicate with Zhan En, let alone guarantee Federico, who returned mysteriously and whose cards are unknown, has no dark forces on the streets of the city, and secretly connects with each other out of sight.
Therefore, after discussing with his subordinates (mainly Mallos), Thales decided to send Jann ("I really feel at home.") and Federico ("The abandoned son returns home, and my wish is fulfilled. I have a great grace.") They were placed under house arrest in two rooms in the Kongming Palace, not far from Thales' residence, where they were entertained with good wine and food, and each person was guarded by a Xinghu guard in shifts day and night. Check regularly for safety.
   "If, I mean, if, if one of them dies under our care, what will happen?" asked the curious d.d.
   Glover, who arranged guards overnight, snorted angrily, and had to tear up the original plan with a dark face and double the number of people on duty.
   "It's useful," Morgan sniffed after listening to the guard's arrangement, with a thick accent, "I said, what do you do when the killer named Lausanne comes?"
   Glover gritted his teeth, tore up the original plan again, and squeezed time out of the already full overtime guard shift to free up manpower and arrange long-range firepower on the sentry post and the outer tower. …
"With all due respect, our numbers are too small, and we are all wounded. We can only give warnings, but cannot stop them," Paul wrapped his arms around the anti-slip belt, squinting at his rotation arrangement, "If you want to keep prisoners, The point is politics, not military."
   Glover roared and tore the nth version of the defense plan, together with the bandage on his arm, to pieces.
In the end, Mallos looked at Glover who was exhausted due to overwork, sighed, and made a decision to arrange the rooms where Jann and Federico were placed under house arrest, even with the doors facing each other , in addition to the personal guards, two groups of people were placed outside the hall:
He first asked kindly, let Cassian knight ("You are a knight, abide by the creed, you should defend the lord—brother.") and the Star Lake guards guard the door of Zhan En's room, and then provoked him with words, forcing Sei The Chevalier (
If there is something wrong with him, the Duke will not be able to get rid of the crime.
) and his subordinates guard the door of Federico. Usually, everyone stands guard outside the hall, looking at each other and supervising each other.
   And Thales' residence happened to be among them, and the guards could watch three rooms at a time, and even the shifts were carried out at the same time, saving the trouble of delivering meals in multiple places.
"It's really thoughtful and well-arranged," Zhan En smiled, and walked into his room under the watchful eyes of the guards, and he didn't forget to turn around and praise the prince, "After all, when it comes to house arrest, who can have more experience than His Highness himself?" ?

  Thales graciously forgave him.
  After arranging these two troublesome things, there are even more headaches waiting for the prince to deal with:
   Rule the Emerald City.
Thales returned to Kongming Palace that night, released military crows overnight, and rushed to report to the king about the changes in the general election ("Once again, father, you surprised me, through your usual terrible sense of humor, But I have to point out that if you want a knight to mount a horse and fight for you, instead of letting him fold his arms, it is better to give him the reins and saddle."), As for the next step, let him show you Make a will.
  However, far away water does not put out near fire, and the life of the people on the south bank will continue, and the Emerald City will continue to operate as usual the next morning. The Emerald Festival is still going on, at least in name, and he needs to stabilize the chaotic situation.
So Thales had to ask the old housekeeper Ashford for help, lit the lights early in the morning, and hurriedly summoned all the vassals, nobles and bureaucrats at all levels to enter the palace, including the heads of the major guilds Discussing the future government affairs of the Emerald City with respected property owners, and sacrificed a lot of sleep (although these heavyweights probably didn't want to sleep last night) for this.
   "Why do we still need their opinions?" Nehi in the guards was puzzled, "How they served Kevin Dill in the past, they serve you now, isn't this the end?"
   "No, we don't need their 'opinions'," Thales rubbed his forehead wearily, "In fact, what we need is to 'seek' their opinions."
  Unfortunately, aside from the shock and apprehension brought about by the general election incident, the meeting itself was not very exciting, and the brightly lit meeting hall was almost overwhelmed by noise.
As one of the most important and most vocal vassals of the South Shore Territory, the Royal Earl of the Thirteen Noble Families, Aitchison Lasia of Zedi insisted that although the Duke of Iris Flower has been imprisoned for arbitration, as long as it comes from the king and The verdict of the High Council of Nobles has not been issued for a day, and Zhan En is still the Emerald City Lord of the Kingdom and the Guardian Duke of the South Bank, with his title and responsibilities unchanged. …
  Therefore, during the arbitration period, all government affairs in Emerald City should be running as usual, and the relevant official documents should be submitted to the Duke of South Bank for approval.
This proposal was endorsed by many local vassals, including many emerald city bureaucrats. Miss Cecilia was the loudest supporter, but more people just kept silent and glanced at the main seat from time to time. The gloomy prince himself.
  The faint sound of approval lasted for a few minutes, until an assistant judge from Gonghai City, Moore Yin Boning pointed out in a low voice:
Prince Federico accused his cousin of killing his father and seizing the throne. According to the legal principles of the kingdom and the succession traditions of the South Bank, Jayne's inheritance and possession of the Duke of South Bank and the Lord of Emerald City may not be justified, at least until the arbitration of His Royal Highness is over, the title he holds The legitimacy of both the title and the title should be suspended, doubts to be determined.
If during this period, Jann Cavendir is still regarded as an orthodox and legal duke and city lord, and he is granted the right to rule, it means that he is innocent and there is no suspicion that needs to be clarified, then this arbitration itself It loses its meaning and violates the law, which is extremely inappropriate. What's more, the power of the city lord is so great that he can influence the Emerald City in all aspects, which is extremely detrimental to the investigation and evidence gathering during the arbitration, which is against fairness.
This Yin Boning judge is not very old, but he quoted scriptures and well-founded evidence. His straightforward and brave speech made many big vassals in the hall look ugly, and also attracted many people (especially the secondary vassals below Emerald City) For the accusations and abuse of "traitors" and "speculators", Thales had to stand up and control order. But more people chose to bow their heads in silence after seeing His Royal Highness's expression. During this process, the senior judge Brennan who still insisted on entering the palace was silent throughout the process, without saying a word.
Earl Noah Harvey, who came from Yanbi Port in the East China Sea, stopped the argument. As a neutral guest, he was polite and eloquent. First, amid boos, he agreed with Assistant Judge Yin Boning's speech, thinking that Zhan En was not suitable. He reasserted the power of the city lord, but he immediately proposed that Emerald City should follow the old practice and re-establish the position of regent on the south bank (this post was established briefly during the reign of the North Conqueror), and the important ministers or officials of the Kevin Dill family, Even a highly respected bachelor or the head of the line will temporarily act as the Duke's political director, so there is nothing wrong with it.
  As soon as this remark came out, the meeting hall fell silent instantly. The vassals looked at each other in contemplation, the bureaucrats whispered to each other, and the business leaders whispered.
   But in Thales' view, everyone in the hall was fully dressed at that time, and they looked at the prince expectantly, with eager eyes shining in their eyes.
   However, this brings up a bigger problem:
   Who will be the Regent?
   It is conceivable that there was another loud noise in the chamber:
A well-dressed middle-aged vassal took the lead in recommending himself. The reason was that his family was the most trusted direct vassal of Iris, who had been loyal to Kevin Dill for generations. The fief is not far from Emerald City. But he was quickly refuted by another new nobleman, saying that your family relied on the shadow of your ancestors to bribe and accept bribes, which has accumulated evils for a long time. These two vassals and colleagues became more and more quarrelsome. You said that I depended entirely on my parents, I said that you were corrupt and accepted bribes, you said that I was not talented enough, and I said that you were not worthy of virtue. The swords are at war and the situation is at odds, but they only quarrel but do not make a move, which disappoints Morgan and others who are gearing up and preparing for the fight early;…
All the judges in the Judgment Hall spoke in unison, saying that Judge Brennan is well versed in legal principles, popular with everyone, and impartial. He is the best candidate for the Regent. The mayor and the town mayors objected in unison. The reason is that the administration is different from the judiciary, and the principles of affairs are not jurisprudence. The judiciary may be ruthless and impartial, but the administration must act flexibly according to local conditions. Those who serve the government must communicate with each other and coordinate relationships in order to get things done. Otherwise, no matter "the policy at the top is good, but there is a problem with the implementation at the bottom" or "the policy at the top is harsh and unreasonable, making it impossible for the bottom to implement it", Emerald City will cause big troubles, and the judges stood up and shouted, "Isn't this the case now? Isn't it all your fault? Can Emerald City be worse?";
The officials of the Department of Finance and Taxation have a lot of belly, but they are eloquent, saying that the basis of rule is money, and the prosperity of Emerald City and the prosperity of the South Coast Region depend on the proper use of official finances, the orderly flow of revenue and expenditure, and the prosperity of market trade. In this way, the most The person who is suitable to be the regent of the Emerald City is about to come out—"Damn it! Even when the Duke was in power, you guys didn't do personnel affairs, looked for opportunities to embezzle, and exploited layer by layer. I saw you twisted and twisted when you spoke, and you wore gold and silver when you went out. , When I become the regent, will Emerald City still be able to do well?" The chiefs of the security department and the officers of the Emerald Legion roared with righteous indignation, saying that now that Emerald City has changed hands and is unstable, the most urgent task is to stabilize the overall situation and maintain order. To manage law and order, we should take all measures. Under this big goal, it is best for the new regent to know the military and be familiar with law and order. All other market livelihoods, finance, taxation, law enforcement, justice, the people, and the common people should all stand aside for me: Don’t you see, Xihuang Martial law day is blocked, and the people of the kingdom are smiling? Don't you see, the Blade Yat camp has been under military control, and it has been peaceful and stable for thousands of years?
  Everyone is awe-inspiring, stepping forward and succeeding, the officials are dedicated to the public, and speak up for justice, but no matter how much Mallos and Ashford reprimand and persuade, the meeting room can only become more noisy and chaotic.
Thales listened to his head in a fight from the main seat, only felt that the noise and chaos were better than the imperial meeting, and wondered how on earth Zhan En had survived so many years under the spittle of these troublesome people, and still supported the Emerald City steady development.
  Because the position of the city lord was stable at that time—in Thales’s heart, a small and authentic voice said—or, they thought it was stable.
  Everyone puts their heads down, performs their duties, and secures their positions. Of course, they live in peace and prosperity.
  But that's just an illusion, Thales.
   You see, once there is a loophole in the rule, there is a vacuum in power...
  The prince looked at the quarrels of countless people in the hall, and sighed helplessly.
   But these are not your concern.
   What you should care about, Thales, is how to fulfill your father's mission.
  Going to take the Emerald City and even the leaders of the South Bank—to be precise, the guys who are capable of making money—to take them into the palm of your hand, and to be the king's forerunner, overcoming obstacles?
  Thinking of this, Thales felt even more headache.
However, the debate was finally broken by the idea of ​​the little Earl Pintor. He stood up in the chaos and shouted: Emerald City's regent should not be held by important ministers, nor does it need to be held by His Highness, but the purest and most orthodox The descendant of Kevin Dill served as. …
Thales frowned, and everyone in the hall was silent, except for the smug little Earl Pintor. He glanced at Thales in disbelief, and then looked at the astonished Miss Xilai with credit. .
  Unexpectedly, this proposal, which was a little startling at the beginning, received overwhelming support in the chamber:
Earl Lasia justly emphasized that Miss Cecilia, as the blood and blood of the late Duke of Leinster, has an extraordinary status. Examples of the Duchess of Blades and even the Grand Duchess of Dragon Cloud City in the far north ("At this time, Exeter has been classified as a 'civilized world' again." Thales sighed), expressing that he is happy to see it Then, Earl Harvey of Yanbi Port applauded immediately, and stated the glorious history of "Emerald City is rich in outstanding women". Miss Ya is the best candidate for regent.
A few special ones are the two Miss Karabijans who represent the Walla collar. They looked at the pale Miss Xilai and discussed anxiously, with uncertain expressions, but at the end, they snorted softly, indicating that Miss Cecilia Regency is indeed the best arrangement.
  The atmosphere of scrambling and back-and-forth criticism in the hall was swept away. The vassals and officials of Emerald City praised and supported each other, as if the inner court of Kongming Palace had always been happy and harmonious, and there was never any discord.
   During this process, Miss Xilai herself was caught off guard, her complexion was ashen, and she didn't say a word.
   "I really didn't expect it to be like this. They are still so loyal to Kevin Dill, even though the other party is just a little girl who is raised in a boudoir and hasn't been seen for many years." The local Pioneer Officer Oscarson said with a headache.
   "Maybe yes. But if the person sitting on the throne today is not His Highness himself, but some other cat or dog," Miranda reminded, "Will they still be so loyal to Iris?"
  The d.d on the side raised the volume (to the point that the prince could hear), and pointed out in time: "Other cats and dogs" can't be so easy, and they smartly captured the Duke of South Bank and took down the Emerald City.
"In the same way," Doyer added with a smile on his face, "if the Duke's younger sister isn't this cat-er, who stays away from court politics and never shows up, even if she just shows a little bit of talent and a little bit of artifice... , then I think these old moths won’t agree so simply.

   "They don't want a master, they just want a doll." Glover answered most directly.
  But Thales felt something was wrong when he saw the one-sided situation in the hall.
  He looked at Xilai who was beside him, and suddenly realized that the innocence and surprise on her face were somewhat familiar.
It was very similar to the way the magician Wyana performed magic tricks on the street—in front of the audience, Wyana put her hand into the hat she was going to do magic, but it was empty. She was suddenly surprised and panicked, and laughed at He was in a hurry, but when he picked it up, countless flowers were thrown all over the sky, causing the audience to exclaim.
   What followed was full applause.
  The astonishment and innocence on Wyana's face also turned into self-confidence. …
  The memory is over, Thales returns to the reality in the Kongming Palace, and Xilai's innocent panic at this moment is exactly the same as that of Huayana at that time.
"It's not an accident, is it?" He reacted, approached Xilai, and whispered, "It's you, whether it's showing weakness or showing favor, or leaving your brother's contacts through you, or something else, you try every means to intentionally Guide these officials and let them elect you?"
  Hearing this, Xilai froze and didn't speak.
   "You want to be regent? Why?"
   Xilai was silent for a few seconds.
   "Yesterday someone told me that only by grasping the situation and taking the initiative can we choose to advance or retreat," she said, with the innocent and panic still on her face, but her tone was firm, "only then can I sit at the final negotiating table."
  Thales was taken aback:
   "Hee Lai..."
   "The Emerald City is mine," Xilai said calmly, but his voice suddenly turned cold, "If you want—you know what to exchange."
  Thales frowned fiercely.
At this moment, a guard from the palace came to report: Prince Federico, who was in custody, sent a letter saying that Zhan En was no longer suitable to continue to preside over government affairs, but because of the consideration of the elders in his hometown, the Emerald City cannot be left alone for a day. He therefore recommended to His Highness—albeit quite unexpectedly—his cousin, Cecilia Cavendir, to act as castellan during the arbitration.
  From Greece to the other vassals, everyone was puzzled and surprised by this letter, but Thales' eyebrows were furrowed more and more tightly.
   What does this Federico want to do?
   Didn't he know that Xilai and Zhan En are brothers and sisters, and making her regent is tantamount to asking for trouble?
   "Since His Royal Highness and all colleagues have no objection, then..." Earl Lacia was overjoyed, but just as he was about to advance the matter, someone came to report that Duke Jann, who was in custody, sent a letter to His Highness.
  Thales turned black: Maybe next time the rules should be tightened, and no one in the prison—in name—is allowed to write letters, even to the prince himself.
But this time, Jann's letter was gentle and courteous, and he didn't see the gloomy depression and impulsive madness of the political loser. Coincidentally, his concerns were the same as Federico's. The words that the courtiers dare not say:
  His Royal Highness Thales has a noble status, is well-received by everyone, and is impartial. It is a perfect fit to be the regent of the Emerald City. I also ask all the officials in the court to understand and support the prince wholeheartedly until Zhan En clears the suspicion and returns to the Kongming Palace.
  As for the Duke’s younger sister, although she came from a noble family, she was embarrassed by this change, and she was implicated by it, exhausted physically and mentally, and he couldn’t escape the blame for being an elder brother, and he felt guilty. I sincerely ask all the gentlemen in the hall, especially His Highness the prince, to be considerate and considerate, to take pity on the orphans and the weak, and not to let her worry about the Emerald City and the family's mundane affairs, adding to the troubles in vain.
What?
Obviously, the prestige of Duke Zhann is still there, and such a statement is even more unique. After Thales explained the Duke's invitation, Xilai's expression was incredible. Even the prince was surprised, and all the officials in the hall felt subtle. Mixed feelings.
"You didn't tell your brother your plan, did you?" Thales looked at Xilai's profile and sighed deeply, "But obviously, he guessed it in advance—he doesn't want you to go into this troubled water." …
  Even if he is under house arrest.
   Xilai was silent, she bit her lips tightly and said nothing.
  So the theme of the hall changed again, and became "Prince or Lady".
  First of all, the assistant judge Yin Boning stood up and sang the previous rebuttal:
In terms of qualifications, as the blood of Kevin Dill, it is most legitimate for Ms. Cecilia to serve as regent, but she happens to be the younger sister of one of the arbitrators. If you are worried that letting Jann continue to be in power will affect the arbitration Just, what difference does it make to have his immediate family regent? What is fair to the other arbitrator?
Secondly, as a foreign guest, the Earl of Changqing, the owner of Chaoyanghua said with a smile, since the advantages of Ms. Cecilia's appointment as regent are "near" and "close", then His Royal Highness is undoubtedly worthy of praise for "virtuous" and "far away". ":
  Since His Royal Highness Thales is in charge of arbitrating the dispute between the two nobles according to the "Contract Law", it is the most neutral and fair for the Emerald City in front of him to be governed by him, not to fall to any side, and not to taint any position.
Whispers sounded again in the hall, and the local vassals on the South Bank looked at each other, confused between the secret intentions of the duke in prison and the prince on the seat, hesitating between the traditions of the South Bank people and the powerful royal family, whether to bow their heads Hand in hand to let Emerald City hesitate, until an old vassal stood up tremblingly under the encouragement of many colleagues, and hesitantly questioned:
   It is appropriate for the kingdom to set a precedent for the above to seize and seize the subject with the master?
  But the prince’s subordinates, especially Ms. Miranda Arend from the White Eagle family, have different views on this:
"Eight years ago, the Duke of the North, Val Arend, was imprisoned and could not govern himself. His heirs guarded the fortress, and it was difficult to separate them. The courtiers who led the court had to avoid suspicion. The collateral descendants were useless, and Cold Castle fell into a state of no master and no king. Luckily, His Majesty Kessel cared about the people in the northern border, and he understood the difficulties of Cold Castle, so he sent the virtuous officials of the royal family to go north to rule on his behalf until Duke Vaal was released, or a new heir succeeded him!"
Ms. Arend's status is extraordinary, and the words she speaks are not low-especially when she is wearing a armored stomach and holding a long sword in her hand, walking back and forth in front of a group of officials, the whole hall fell into a strange silence. When people expressed their opinions loudly, many people secretly glanced at His Royal Highness who said nothing, with a calm and weird expression.
   "As the daughter of the Guardian Duke of the North, I can testify here: All my star citizens should know this example!
  Seeing that everyone bowed their heads and dared not refute, Ms. Arund turned to His Highness Thales who was on the main seat:
   "Now Emerald City is also in this predicament. As the first heir of the Canxing royal family, the Duke of Thales is called by his duties. He should be the temporary regent of Emerald City and rescue the people on the south bank. It is duty-bound!"
   After her words fell, no one dared to object, and no one immediately agreed.
"And this was recommended by Duke Jane." Master Paul of Heroesof Castle held the nine-pointed star banner that had not yet been put away, and said in a deep voice, "I think, even if you ask Federico, he will not Opinion."
  The meeting hall fell into dead silence again.
   Just when this frightening silence made Thales more impatient, made the attendees in the hall more nervous and hesitant, and made the Star Lake Guards ponder whether to persuade them again with a "good voice"...
"We can speak on behalf of our father, Earl Turami Karabyan of Walla Land," Kaisha and Qina said in unison, breaking the silence, "Wola Land and its vassals support His Royal Highness Thales In the Kongming Palace, the supervisors will be in power until the truth is revealed and the truth comes to light."
   "That being the case, the Lasia family has no objection." Earl Lasia's eldest son spoke on behalf of his father, very respectful, in stark contrast to his father who was firmly pressed on his shoulders and suppressed his anger, but did not speak after all.
  Seeing that the two prominent families on the South Bank are like this, and the Kevin Dill family is deeply trapped in the whirlpool, and the subjects in the hall can only promise and nod one after another.
So the matter was settled like this. In the conference hall belonging to the Kevin Dill family, amidst such a peaceful and weird approval, Thales Canxing became the first person in the history of the Emerald City not to be surnamed Kevin. Regent of Dill—Although His Royal Highness the Prince declined the title and refused to be called "Thales Regent", he humbly said that he was only a temporary acting agent, a caretaker transition, and had no desire to seek fame and power. There is no intention of taking the lead and leaving a name in history.
   And Thales's first decree in the inner court of Kongming Palace is quite simple:
  From daily administration to the Emerald Celebration, from basic necessities of life to housing, agriculture, industry and commerce, everything in Emerald City is business as usual. All the ministers, how you served Kevin Dill before, are now serving Prince Thales.
   It is said that the vanguard officer in charge of delivering the warrant, Nate Niexi, had a strange expression and frowned for a long time.
   In this way, Thales solved his name problem in Emerald City.
   But he soon discovered that the name is only the simplest part of governance.
  After the ministers in the chamber left with complicated and unspeakable thoughts, Thales exhaled a breath. He deliberately pushed back the guards and servants, and turned to Xilai who was speechless and contemplative.
"Thank you."
   "For what?" Xilai raised her head.
   "Thank you for just taking a step back and not continuing."
   Xilai snorted slightly, and twitched the corners of his mouth.
   "You mean, take this emerald city regent's seat with you?"
  Thales was silent for a while.
   "You know you can, after all, you're Kevin Dill."
   Xilai sneered again and again.
"Come on, my brother was accused by my cousin of killing his father and seizing the throne, planted his uncle, and became a prisoner in his own castle palace," she sarcastically said, "After the iris flower that was the pillar fell, there was no one in the Emerald City." One person dares to go against your will, and I'm just a girl, what choice do I have?"
   "It's not me that they dare not defy, but that flag."
   "What's the difference? Your banner glows, and so does your blood, at least allegedly."
  Thales knew that the other party had a grudge because of the arena incident, so he sighed.
   "I'm sorry about yesterday."
   Xilai didn't speak.
   "But I promise you, whether it is arbitration or regent, this is only temporary, I will correct everything, before my father..."
   "Then promise me one thing."
   Thales paused:
"What's up?"
  The next second, Xilai took a deep breath and put away his mocking tone. …
   "Yesterday, I thought about it all night and finally came up with it," she said solemnly, "a way to save Zhan En without offending His Majesty."
  Thales was taken aback:
"real?"
"real."
   "And that's..."
   "I will marry you."
   "Yes, but only if your brother cooperates—what?"
   Thales realized half of what he said, and couldn't help but be surprised.
"You heard me," Xilai stared at Thales, her eyes changed, she moved the stool closer to Thales, raised her gloved finger, pointed first at herself, then at Thales, the movement There is a pause in between, "I, will, marry, you."
   Looking at the round-faced girl in front of him, Thales was stunned.
   "Here?"
   "I know this sounds silly, but hear me out!"
   Xilai stopped the prince's words, his eyes sparkled.
"The reason why you helped Fei De yesterday is because the king doesn't allow you to lose, at least you can't just stand by and lose." She was full of hope, looking at the unbelievable Thales, "then we only need to give the king a reason, A reason you can't lose even if you stand by."
   "You mean..." Thales widened his eyes.
  In the chamber, Xilai was very serious:
   "Tell Your Majesty, you made a deal."
"trade?"
  She nodded:
   "Thales stood idly by, allowing Federico and the Secret Division to fail, and allowing Jann and Emerald City to escape disaster."
   "The price is that the Duke's own sister entered into a marriage contract with His Highness the Prince, Canxing and Kevin Dill remarried, and Emerald City and Eternal Star City entered into a blood alliance."
  Xilai stretched out his hand gently, and gently held Thales' hand:
   "Our descendants, no, even just our generation, can connect the stars and the sea, ambition and wealth."
What?
  Thales was completely stunned. He stared at the eager round-faced girl in front of him, and it took several seconds before he woke up.
   "Is this what you want me to promise? No, it's not that simple—"
   "It's that simple!"
  The next second, Xilai flipped his hands and clasped his hands tightly.
   "After all, His Majesty the King only needs the advantages to outweigh the disadvantages, right? Besides, you are here for a blind date!"
   "But that's just an excuse—"
"Really, Thales! If your father has doubts, then tell him, no, if necessary, I can go to the capital to meet him and tell him in person," she said in an urgent, somewhat hysterical tone, "tell him I Will love you, I will be obedient, I will cooperate, I will be your wife, your prince concubine, even your queen! The mother of your child!"
  Thales was about to speak, but Xilai rushed to speak:
"Tell him, I have unlimited political value and wealth value, not just Iris and Emerald City, far more than that, I even know the forces hidden behind the half-tower...As for you personally, listen, I am very powerful, Not just doing magic tricks and summoning monsters, not just losing my temper, I also know a lot of skills, know a lot of knowledge, a lot of taboo knowledge, the kind that is not welcomed by the temple, and it is better than the Blood Moon Tebaker family. These have always been of interest…

  She spoke faster and faster, like a drowning person grabbing a straw and struggling. …
"Also, my dowry is so large that you can't even think of it. All the women in the blade of the northern border can't match it. I can make up for the annual financial deficit of Star Lake Castle ten times and a hundred times, and it is far more than that. It's money... If it's not enough, I can still take a piece from Zhan En, you know, my family has asphalt mines, and there are fishing areas for eternal whales..."
   "Here!"
  Thales interrupted her in disbelief.
   But the girl wouldn't listen to him.
"Believe me, your father will be satisfied! After all, in the future, no, you can use this reason and identity to intervene in Emerald City now, so it doesn't matter whether you kill Zhan En...Think about it, if you are my fiance Even husband, with such a name, what reason do those old fellows have to object to your appointment as regent of Emerald City?"
   Xilai pointed to the empty seats in the hall.
"And I'm not the same as that in Dragon Clouds City. She is in an enemy country, and her status is sensitive. If she wants to marry, there will be many opponents! But we, Nine Pointed Star and Iris Flower, will not be opposed to the family marriage in Star Country. There will be blessings and awe... All these benefits are at your fingertips, as long as, as long as Jen is spared, his crime..."
   Xilai's mouth was dry and she was slightly panting.
  Thales looked at her who was almost fanatical, at a loss, and didn't wake up until he heard Zhan En's name.
   "These things, this proposal, does your brother know?"
   Xilai paused for a while, his face turned slightly cold.
   "He, he will know," she forced a smile, "He is the brother of the bride, and he will hold my hand in the future and send me off to get married."
   "No, you know very well that as long as he is still the Duke of South Bank, he will never agree to this—"
   "He won't be anytime soon!"
  Xilai suddenly interrupted him excitedly, and immediately tried to suppress his emotions:
   "Now, he is just a prisoner waiting to be slaughtered, and he is still waiting for me to save his life."
  Thales saw her like this, and suddenly understood something.
   "You guys really look alike." He said quietly.
   "What?" Xi Lai was taken aback.
  Thales sighed.
   "Have you ever considered that when you insisted—in your way—to save him, Jen actually neither needed nor wanted you to save him?"
   Xilai frowned:
   "He didn't have a choice."
   "It's like you don't have a choice," Thales answered her quickly, feeling lost again, "when he insisted—in his way—to protect you in the past."
   "Even if you neither need nor want his protection." Thales said quietly.
  Xi Lai was stunned upon hearing this.
  Thales sighed:
   "Do me a favor, Xilai, go your way, not his, okay?"
  Under Thales' earnest gaze, Cecilia froze for several seconds.
  She let go of Thales' hand in a daze, her eyes gradually turned red.
  Thales didn't speak either, and the two were silent for a while.
   After a few seconds, the girl figured out something, she clenched her teeth, and her breathing became more and more rapid.
   Xilai came to his senses.
   "Stop talking nonsense, Thales, it's best not to force me to beg you."
  I saw her sniffing, blinking, and stubbornly forcing back tears:
   "One sentence: Will you marry me or not?"