Richelieu, the imperial capital with a history of more than 400 years, has always been the largest city in the Asrophic Empire and the most beautiful city. WWW.QuAnBen-XIaoShuo.COM
The wide Anales River runs through the city. This river, which has been compared to the 'blue pearl necklace of the Empire', and its dozens of branch rivers give Richelieu its unique charm. Richelieu is a city on the water. The entire city is divided into hundreds of small islands by the crisscrossing city. Grand palaces, thousands of sculptures, and countless unique bridges constitute Richelieu. Keep your unique charm.
A bard once said, "It is better to see the city with your own eyes than to read the poems describing Richelieu seven times."
Rogge had spent seven full days visiting Richelieu, and he could only see the most famous scenery in a hurry. I haven’t had time to delve into the remote alleys that record the real history and customs of Richelieu.
On the eighth day, Emperor Feuerbach returned in triumph.
This time the ceremony of the emperor's return to the capital was extremely grand. However, anyone who knows the inside story understands that the Emperor's performance in this expedition to the Dark Forest can be described as horrific. Of the 200,000 troops that initially went on the expedition, only 110,000 returned to the imperial capital. After paying such a heavy price, the empire failed to establish a permanent stronghold in the dark forest.
This was a defeat for Emperor Feuerbach, and even more so a disastrous defeat for the City of Yunxiao. In sharp contrast, the Silver Holy Cult and the 'Poseidon' Legion, which had been unknown and declining for several years, suddenly made a splash and conquered the Holy Alliance almost without bloodshed. Pompey's glorious achievements when he, Alexander, and Frederick were both emperors were once again remembered and talked about.
In contrast, the behavior of Rogge and Layton's Kree in betraying the Holy Alliance was looked down upon by the Asrophic people who advocated martial arts. No one was interested in asking more about the two upstarts of the empire. Those who really know the inside story never mention the truth of the war. Except for a very few people in the entire empire, no one knew about Rogge's key role in the empire's subjugation of the Holy Alliance.
Fatty's reputation is really not that good. There are many rumors about Rogge even within the Silver Holy Cult. Most of them are about Fatty's two female guards, one magical and one powerful, and as beautiful as you can imagine. When talking about these rumors, most men are envious and jealous, while women are filled with hatred and jealousy. The rest of the gossip was about Rogge's clown-like performance in Montreal.
In the past seven days, Rogge had also heard some rumors. He naturally knew that the source of these rumors must come from the mouths of the four ice and snow magicians. But the fat man didn't care. This was exactly the effect he wanted. Anyway, in Richelieu, the imperial capital that was full of crises and unfamiliar with people, it was better to be despised than to be taken seriously. As for Froya and Feng Die, they will now cover up their peerless looks on any occasion. No matter which dynasty you are in, having a peerless beauty is always a recipe for disaster. Even though Rogge already has a lot of power, his foundation is too shallow after all, so he would rather be careful in everything.
On the night of the ninth day, Emperor Feuerbach secretly summoned Rogge alone. This surprised Rogge. He didn't know whether the emperor's unusual concern for him was a blessing or a curse.
The summons took place in the emperor's small restaurant. In the imperial palace, this can indeed be called a hall, but the area of 500 square meters is still larger than the banquet halls of many wealthy families. The six-meter-high vault looks deep and profound under the reflection of the huge magic lamp. The ten-meter-long dining table in this hall is like an isolated island in a huge lake.
Emperor Feuerbach's biggest hobby was conquest, so the restaurants were decorated with armor, swords or specimens of powerful monsters.
The emperor loves roasted food, and tonight's main dish is a calf that has been roasted all day. Except for the spirits and precious caviar that have been hidden for nearly a hundred years, there are no special dishes. This is in sharp contrast to the luxurious life of the southern royal family and dignitaries.
The emperor was tall, a full head taller than Rogge. His head has turned slightly gray, and his health has begun to improve. Although the thick beard is majestic, it always makes people feel that he is far from the iron-blooded emperor who has been fighting for thirty years and whose reputation has spread far and wide across the continent. The gift given to Emperor Feuerbach after many years of battle was a half-lame right leg.
After the emperor greeted Rogge to take a seat, he dismissed the waiter, leaving only the feeble and unsteady old steward serving behind him. He cut off a large piece of roast beef with a knife, swallowed it in a few mouthfuls, drank all the strong wine in the glass, and took a long time to exhale with satisfaction.
"The warriors of the Northern Kingdom should eat barbecue and drink strong wine, so that they can enjoy themselves! Don't you think so?"
Emperor Feuerbach uttered foul words when he came up, which immediately startled Rogge, and a piece of beef got stuck in his throat. In a hurry, the fat man drank all the strong wine in the glass, and finally washed down the beef. It's just that the strong liquor that had been hidden for a hundred years was too strong, and the fat man's face turned purple in the blink of an eye. Rogge's mind was buzzing, and he had to secretly gather his energy, and then he slowly regained his clarity.
But when he improved his mental strength, he seemed to have a subtle resonance coming from the old manager. The fat man felt a shiver in his heart, but just now he was feeling dizzy, and this feeling was too weak. He was really not sure whether he was being too suspicious.
Seeing Rogge's embarrassment, Emperor Feuerbach laughed loudly and said: "We northern warriors are fighting for wine. It doesn't matter whether we can drink or not. What matters is whether we dare to drink or not! Well, you are a good boy!"
The fat man didn't know how to answer, so he had to say yes.
"Boy, you did a great job in Montreal this time. You didn't leave anyone alive. Even the administrator was killed by you. You were ruthless and quick! Not bad!"
The fat man didn't know how to answer, so he remained submissive.
"You and I are very similar when we were young. We were both bold and daring, and we would do it ruthlessly when we saw it right! I heard that you and the City of Clouds and Nights were incompatible with each other a long time ago. This time in Montreal, you did it again. You’ve killed quite a few of them, it seems like you’re completely on my eldest son’s side?”
Rogge suddenly broke into a cold sweat. Forming gangs in the court, rejecting dissidents, and framing loyal people were not big things in the eyes of the emperor, but intervening in the emperor's family affairs and trying to influence the inheritance of the throne was always the top taboo in any dynasty. Pompey had accumulated numerous military exploits and had a deep foundation. Rockefeller, as the Grand Magister, had an unparalleled status. Emperor Feuerbach might have scruples about them, but he would never have any scruples about a newly surrendered figure like Fatty.
Seeing Rogge sweating coldly, the emperor laughed. Over the past few years, the fight between the Holy Cult, Pompeii and the City of Yunxiao has become more and more fierce. If you want to get along better in the empire, if you don't side with the Holy Cult, you have to Side with the druid. You have a lot of capable people and troops. If neither side takes sides, they will take you down first. Boy, you don’t have to be afraid, we northern warriors are not as shameless as the southerners! In the empire, the first thing is loyalty, and the second thing is having real ability. You have good abilities, and it will not be easy for others to bring you down. As long as you remain loyal to the empire, you will get everything you deserve! But if you have other thoughts..."
Emperor Feuerbach's eyes flashed, and his bone-chilling gaze froze Rogge almost instantly.
The emperor stuffed a large piece of meat into his mouth and said slightly vaguely: "Boy, the fight between the Holy Cult and the Druids is getting more and more fierce. Do you know why I let it go?"
Rogge immediately followed the emperor's wishes and asked.
"The most powerful creature on the imperial prairie is the Fenrir demon wolf. The female wolf will give birth to more than a dozen pups every time. After a few days, the pups will start fighting each other when they can open their eyes. In the end, there will only be two or three Only the strongest little wolf can survive. Every grown-up demon wolf is the most powerful among its brothers and sisters. Because of this, the Fenrir demon wolf has always been the most powerful demon beast on the prairie. In fact, since Since the day the empire was founded, internal fighting has never stopped, but the empire has become stronger day by day, and its territory has become more and more vast! Those cowards in the south only kill heroes and capable ministers, how come we have the entire empire in our hearts? The rivals of the northern warriors on the grassland will one day open up a passage to the south or seize the outlet to the sea. We will definitely let those southerners who only care about pleasure know how powerful the northern warriors are!"
For the first time, Rogge felt that he had underestimated this rough emperor. If you don't have the confidence to control everything, how can you dare to let your subordinates fight? Whether internal or external, the Asrofic Empire has never stopped fighting for hundreds of years since its founding. In the cruel competition that is a matter of life and death, there is absolutely no room for mediocrity to survive. In fact, any person in the empire with little ability may become a target of hostile factions. For example, the hundreds of druids who died in Montreal were victims of this kind of civil strife.
It can be seen from this that there is no incompetent person among the dozens of emperors in the empire for hundreds of years. This is almost unimaginable among the southern dynasties.
"Boy! Do you understand the rules of the empire now? It's okay if you want to support my eldest son. As long as he can overpower the other brothers, my throne will be his."
At this time, the old manager whispered something in the emperor's ear, and the emperor suddenly said: I almost forgot about tonight's business. You are a very good boy, I like you very much. This princely title can be regarded as your reward. Come on, let me see how lucky you are, which of my daughters you can get. By the way, Barr, how many daughters do I have? "
The old steward thought for a while and said slowly: "Your Majesty is very brave. You have a total of forty-six princesses, twenty-two of whom are unmarried, and eleven of them are over fourteen years old."
Feuerbach waved his hand impatiently, "You are only ten years older than me. Why have you become more and more wordy in the past few years?" Go get your stuff! "
The old manager slowly exited the small restaurant. Rogge couldn't help but become curious, wondering what this 'thing' had to do with the emperor marrying his daughter. Now that the emperor has spoken, the prince can no longer run away. This is much easier than imagined. It’s just that Fatty knows that Yunxiao City will never let him go easily. The smoother it goes now, the sharper Druid’s counterattack will be in the future.
Not long after, the old steward came in holding a gold box.
Emperor Feuerbach took the gold box and shook it vigorously, and there was a crisp and clear rattling sound inside. The sound sounded somewhat similar to the dominoes that Rogge used to use when gambling.
While Rogge was stunned, Emperor Feuerbach took out a jade plaque from the gold box, took a look at it, and asked the old steward: "Malika? Barr, how is this child? I can't remember it at all. ”
The old steward said slowly: "Your Majesty, wait a moment, I will go take a look right now."
The emperor turned to Rogge and smiled: "Boy, my daughter can only bring you the title of a prince. Apart from that, don't expect to get any benefits from her. On the contrary, you will get many more." Less hassle.”
Feuerbach slapped Rogge heavily on the shoulder and added: "If you marry a princess, you may not necessarily become a prince. Otherwise, the empire has been passed down for hundreds of years, and there would be thousands of princes now. But the prince's The title follows the blood of the imperial family. Before arriving at Richelieu, Pompey must have told you the importance of the prince. You kid, you have to be careful, don't let others kill you and take away your position as prince. Let’s go.”
Rogge's mind was in confusion and he just nodded.
At this time, the old steward had come back. He held a large portrait in his hand and handed it to Princess Ferbaharika. She was born to Princess Fesili. Her maternal lineage comes from the Boguna family, a small tribe in the northeast of the empire. The princess is seventeen years old and currently lives in Maple Leaf Palace. "
Feuerbach took one look at the portrait and laughed loudly: "You kid is not bad luck! But this kid seems to have a bad temper, you can figure it out yourself!"
Rogge took the portrait thrown by the emperor and just looked at it casually. Anyway, the meaning of this princess to him is just the title of a prince. No matter how beautiful she is, she can't compare to those around him.
The portrait shows a tall beauty with thick black hair draped over her shoulders and a wild and aggressive smile. The long skirt she wore was cut very seductively, revealing a large amount of skin on her breasts, waist and thighs. Rogge roughly estimated that she might be about the same height as Androni, that is to say, half a head taller than him. This princess's toned and hot figure is really good, but she does seem to be a character who is not easy to tame.
The fat man was secretly alert, and he decided to immediately understand all the laws and customs regarding the prince in the empire after he returned. Judging from the portrait, Malika is a beauty with a distinctive personality and outstanding appearance. But Rogge firmly believed that he would not have good luck in Richelieu, let alone any god to favor him. The only possible reason why the Supreme God did not throw a light of judgment at him was that the fat man was still immature and could not stand the eyes of the gods in the sky.
When coming out of the Imperial Palace, the old manager asked Rogge to go to Maple Leaf Palace tomorrow, and he would arrange for Malika and Rogge to meet. In the final farewell, the old steward suddenly said meaningfully: "Your Majesty appreciates you very much. You should take care of yourself."
On the way back, Roger repeatedly thought about the meaning of the old manager's last words, but he couldn't understand it. In fact, throughout the night, Rogge spoke no more than fifty words, and the emperor kept talking all by himself. It was the first time for Rogge to be appreciated for his silence.
Maple Leaf Palace is located on a small island southwest of the imperial capital. This palace is not big, and there are more than ten emperor's concubines and several princesses living in it. There are dozens of palaces with this purpose throughout Richelieu. The palaces of the imperial princes are much better. Those who are very powerful, such as the thirteenth prince, or whose matrilineal families are prominent, have their own separate palaces.
Along the way to Maple Leaf Palace, both the guards and the concubines and princesses living here were very respectful towards Rogge and his party. Of course, this respect was not directed toward the fat man, but toward the manager. The emperor is away at war all the year round, and any concubine living in this remote palace who wants to serve the emperor for one night before she grows old must be arranged by the boss. If they are lucky enough and give birth to a son, they will rise to great heights immediately. If you give birth to a princess, you can also expect that your daughter will marry a high-ranking person in the future. Although the emperor has nearly a hundred children, there are hundreds of concubines in the palace. Most of them are still childless. Therefore, the old steward is to them as much as the supreme god is to his children. Same as the people.
Rogge knew that his reputation in the imperial capital was not very good, but what surprised him was that there were still several young girls who frequently gestured to him.
A very clever waiter in the imperial palace followed Rogge and introduced to him in a low voice the various characters he met along the way. These girls are all unmarried princesses. According to imperial law, only marquis or above are eligible to marry an imperial princess. However, in the Asrophic Empire, which values boys over girls and favors martial arts, apart from prominent families, only those who have made sufficient military achievements are eligible to become marquises. For these people, marrying a princess has no benefits but a lot of trouble. It is not as solid as a political marriage between several big families.
Even among nobles with the same title, the difference in power and wealth is often vast. There are only a few dignitaries like Rogge who own a country and have a large number of troops in the entire empire. Although the folk customs in the North are simple, in the eyes of most people, immediate and practical interests outweigh things like reputation, likes and dislikes. For these unhappy princesses whose mother's family has little influence, being able to marry Rogge is undoubtedly a step to the sky.
In a moment, Rogge and his party arrived in front of a quiet courtyard. The courtyard is not big, and although it is elegantly decorated, it is not luxurious.
The waiter whispered: "Princess Malika is very beautiful. She likes poetry, art and freedom very much. As you can see, her mother's family is not prominent, just a small tribe in the far east of the empire. The princess and Richelieu's artist We have frequent contacts and are frequent visitors to art salons..."
At this time, the courtyard door opened, and a tall, handsome, and elegant man walked out, and a woman full of wild beauty escorted him out. The man turned back and smiled: "I spent a pleasant afternoon with the beautiful Princess Malika. I have new poems to express at the salon next week. I hope you can be there too."
Malika smiled and said, "I will definitely go."
The obedient waiter whispered: "This is Baron Lei Luo. In the past year, he has been the most famous poet and composer in the imperial capital. The one next to him is Princess Malika."
At this time, Lei Luo also saw Rogge and his group. His eyes swept across everyone, snorted slightly, and walked away.
Rogge looked at Lei Luo's back with his hands behind his hands, frowning slightly. The waiter observed the words and fanned the flames: "These people who show off their art have always been so arrogant! There is not even a count in Lei Luo's family... "
Malika saw the old steward and greeted her with a salute, Sir, why are you here? "
The old steward said in a slow voice that has not changed for thousands of years: "According to His Majesty's order, today is the day for Mr. Rogge and His Highness to meet."
Malika’s thick eyebrows furrowed because I wasn’t notified! Why do you want to meet that Mr. Rogge? "
At this time, a cry of surprise suddenly came from the courtyard, "Isn't this Lord Barr? Oh my God!"
A middle-aged lady trotted over. She has picturesque features, vaguely similar to Malika, but is much gentler and more feminine. Although she is old, her charm is still charming, and she must have been even more charming when she was young. She pulled Malika behind her and smiled at the old steward: "Master Barr, Malika is rude, please don't take it to heart! Why did you come suddenly? Does your Majesty want to summon me?"
"Princess Feisley, Your Majesty has designated a marriage for Princess Malika."
"But..." Malika couldn't help shouting, "You have to ask me what I mean, right?"
The old manager ignored her.
Feisili immediately turned around and shouted: "Malika, shut up! Do you even dare to disobey the emperor's will?" She then lowered her voice and asked nervously: "Master Barr, can you reveal something about the emperor? Who is appointed for Malika?”
The boss pointed out to Rogge with his withered hand that he was the Grand Duke Rogge. "
Feasley's eyes lit up. Duke? "
"This is a temporary title. After marrying Princess Malika, Lord Rogge will be officially crowned a prince."
Feasley swayed, her breathing almost stopped, and she looked at Rogge with a gentle gaze, as if she was seeing an unforgettable lover. "Prince! Oh my god, praise the emperor! So, he must have a vast territory and his own army. Which province is it?"
"The Principality of Arei."
Faisli fainted.
A moment later, Roger and Malika were sitting opposite each other. Although the atmosphere in the room was very awkward, the smile on Roger's face never changed. Malika stared at Rogge with her dark blue eyes, and finally couldn't help but speak first: "Do you really want to be my husband?"
"This is what the emperor meant."
"But there is no love between us, and it is impossible to have love. It is not even as high as me!"
Rogge said: "The value of human beings lies in wisdom."
"If you are a noble person, you should reject the emperor! But I know you men will not do this. Prince! Is this the purpose of marrying me?"
"If the jade plaque in your Majesty's hand had another name engraved on it, I would still be the prince."
"So what you want to marry is just the title of princess. You can find other princesses! They will be happy to marry a prince."
Rogge smiled and said: "Then who will bear the consequences of violating the emperor's will, you?"
Malika choked. She stared at Rogge fiercely for a while, and then said: "My mother will be fascinated by your wealth, territory and power, but I won't! If it weren't for betrayal, would you have everything you have today? Now you are sitting with me triumphantly The person in front of me is actually a traitor, isn't he?"
Rogge was unmoved and said calmly: "Although politics is a game, its complexity is beyond the scope of history books and poetry."
Malika shook the thick black hair hard, her eyes were on fire, and she gritted her teeth and said: "I can't tell you. But I can tell you that I already have someone I love, and I will love him forever and think of him all the time. .If you really marry me, then every time you press me, I will treat you as his!"
Is the lover who Rogge sneered at was the poet Lei Luo just now? "
The maid who had been standing behind Malika suddenly said: "How shameless are you? Our princess has already made it so clear! You..."
"Julie, stop talking!" Malika immediately stopped the maid. She knew that although Rogge couldn't do anything to her, if Julie offended him, even if the fat man killed Julie on the spot, nothing would happen.
Roger smiled faintly and ignored Julie. He changed into a comfortable position without any intention of getting angry.
Malika frowned. She finally felt that this fat man was a bit difficult to deal with.
"Okay, Master Rogge, let's talk calmly. I am not interested in the source of your superiority: power and status. You have just made great contributions to the empire. If you ask the emperor properly, he will help you. Choose another princess. But if you insist on marrying me, then I will definitely make you regret it. According to the tradition of the empire, you only have one chance to marry a princess. I will openly associate with Lei Luo. If you kill If you leave me, that's rebellion. If you can't bear it and kick me out of the house, then your title of prince will be gone. Of course, you can choose to endure it, and I will talk to everyone about the wonderfulness of being with Lei Luo Feelings. At that time, your prestige in the territory will probably be even worse, right? In the end, for your reputation, you will still drive me out of your house."
Rogge laughed loudly. Lika, you are really smart and know what to threaten people with. But your artistic lover may not be so cooperative, right? Will his backbone be the same as his talent, far superior to ordinary people? "
Malika sneered, Lord Ge, don’t think that you can do whatever you want in the empire. Lei Luo was already a famous bard before he came to Richelieu. He had extraordinary friendships with several Druid elders. Now the Prime Minister of the Empire, Mr. Straw, is also a good friend of his. Your power has not surpassed that of Lord Straw, has it not surpassed the city of Yunxiao? If you dare to touch him, then I can guarantee that you will regret it. "
Rogge was silent for a moment and then said: "Malika, I don't have the guts to bear the wrath of the emperor. You are very smart and should know that your proposal is not realistic. Let's make a deal. Our marriage is only about a As a title, I will be knighted by the prince, and you can interact with Lei Luo freely. What do you think of this? "
Malika said coldly: "Let me think about it."
"There is no room for consideration. If you insist on having your own way, it will not benefit anyone."
"Okay! But I have a condition. You will never put your dirty hands on me after marriage."
"make a deal."
Rogge left Malika's room with a relaxed look on his face, and Julie's curse could be faintly heard behind him: "How shameless!"
The Winter Palace in the north of Richelieu occupies the entire island. It is magnificent and luxurious, far away from the Maple Leaf Palace. The Winter Palace is used to receive imperial guests, and Rogge stayed here.
It's almost dusk now, and the golden sunset reflects the entire Richelieu picturesquely. From here, you can see the Ice and Snow Goddess statue more than ten meters to the west, exuding blue magic light. Opposite it, is the taller Nature Goddess statue to the east.
Rogge was admiring the beautiful scenery outside the window when soft and subtle footsteps came from behind.
Rogge suddenly took a step to the side, letting go of the steel needle thrust into his lower back, and took the opportunity to hold the murderer in his arms.
"Damn Fatty, is your little princess pretty? I heard she is only seventeen years old." The little goblin asked with a smile, but her smile always made people feel a little dangerous.
Rogge said with a smile: "She already has a devoted lover, who is the most famous poet and composer in the imperial capital! She negotiated with me all afternoon. You see, it is not easy for me, the prince, to win!"
Froya frowned slightly and asked what happened, and then said: "This is very strange. That poet... I'm afraid he is from the City of Yunxiao, right?"
Rogge suddenly lowered his head and kissed the little goblin hard on the face, then smiled and said: "How smart!"
Froya smiled slightly, even if you give in, those druids will never let you get the prince. So you still have to find a way to deal with the disobedient little princess. "
Rogge sneered: "Isn't it easy to deal with that bitch? The emperor has already hinted that he will ignore the internal strife. As long as I bring down Yunxiao City, the princess and the prince are not important."
The little goblin nodded, fat man, but then you would be in danger. You'll have to find new enemies for the Empire and its former allies, Pompey. "
Rogge smiled slightly. In the south, there are many enemies of the empire. ” (Quanben Novel Network www.QuAnBen-XIaoShuo.com)