The huge and heavy palace gate, when it was closed, seemed to have blocked all the anger from the outside world.
The ceiling is six meters high. The dome-shaped ceiling is inlaid with various uneven patterns, which are simple and full of dignified feeling. The murals and reliefs left by the most famous art masters of various eras on the walls, and The dome-shaped ceiling merged into one, and it was one color.
A black curtain fluttered around, and it was indistinguishable from the black marble inlaid on the original wall. For the solemnity of the palace, it adds a bit of black mystery.
Twenty huge lamp sockets, the chassis are all made of red gold, and each red candle on it has the thickness of a child's arm, as if in a dignified atmosphere, the flames of the candle flames have froze, occasionally beating slightly , then it froze, only the huge candle tears slowly flowed down, condensing into pieces of bright crimson.
The waiters, dressed in the grey linen robes characteristic of the court, stood cautiously in the corners, hiding their faces in the darkness, like ghosts—unless the Supreme called out, they would not allow any movement. .
In the most eye-catching position in the palace, there is a round seat, surrounded by tall white jade pillars, with golden corners, and layers of gems and cat's eye agate, which is as gorgeous as a god. The shrine... In fact, the eyes of others looking at this seat at this moment seem to be facing the shrine.
Just because the Supreme Being sitting in this position now, his dignity, at least in this world, is not much different from the gods.
Beside the altar, the two golden candles had already burned halfway, and the soft candlelight shone on the face of the man on the altar, illuminating that person's face like golden paper.
The robe made of pure gold threads and pale green silk is soft and luxurious, embroidered with blooming irises, and each petal is delicate and delicate, as exquisite as a work of art. But under such a beautiful robe, the master covering it looks so...
So...
lifeless! !
The originally gray face turned a strange golden color under the candlelight, the high cheekbones, the deeply sunken cheeks, looked exceptionally thin, the cheeks were dyed with a morbid blush, and the lips were chapped like Land that has not been moistened by rain all year round.
Withered and curly hair, it seems that there is not much vitality left, and the crown worn on the head, even if it is pure gold, is inlaid with red, blue, green and various gems, shining under the candlelight. Hui.
But it is such brilliance, which makes the owner even more tired and weak.
If you look at it suddenly, you will even think that what is wrapped under this fancy dress is simply a corpse!
Except... in those slightly closed eyes, the occasional wisps of light flashed! It was as sharp as lightning streaks in the dark night!
His Majesty, the current emperor of the Byzantine Empire, owns two-thirds of the territory of this continent, has the supreme of ten million subjects, the most noble and sacred existence of the empire, and the supreme master of this country - Cantos Dorongaros Diavila · Kerenma - this great Byzantine empire has been ruled for forty-six years, and is even considered to be among the top three of all emperors in the entire history of the Kerenma family.
It can be said that this emperor can withstand such a reputation.
His name was Cantos, and the word "Cantos" means "the knight's spear" in the Old Byzantine language. At the same time, His Majesty the Emperor also has a resounding title: the Great Lance King. His courage, his strength, and his tenacity were as sharp as a spear in a knight's hand, unstoppable.
At least, twenty years ago, he did.
The lance king was only nine years old when he succeeded to the throne, and the main power of the empire at that time was in the hands of his mother. He was lucky because he inherited a huge empire. He was also unfortunate because his mother had several greedy brothers. At least before Cantos was an adult, the power of the empire was controlled by his mother's greedy brothers, who made the affairs of the empire so much chaos that even several of his cousins even saw the coveted throne.
He had experienced six assassinations before he was a minor. The most dangerous one was when someone bribed his squire, cut his saddle in half while he was riding, and was almost trampled to death by a horse's hoof. And what distressed him most was that when he was fourteen years old, a court lady whom he loved and trusted for half a year gave him a glass of poisoned wine himself after a good time.
And Cantos, he survived very tenaciously. Live to the day of your coming-of-age!
In the following more than a year, as the orthodox heir to the royal family, he conquered the senate, which was famous for its conservative forces, and secretly won the support of the army on the condition that he promised to improve the status of the military, and then at a palace banquet, he pretended to drink After the conflict, he stabbed to death a cousin who had the greatest ambition for the throne with a sword in public. The next day, he mobilized the army into the imperial capital and started a large-scale purge.
His mother's three brothers, the whole family was uprooted, and all the members of the immediate family were executed. Within three days, the imperial capital Osgilia was slaughtered with blood, and everyone was empty.
And just after his mother knelt down and begged him, asking him to leave his mother's youngest brother alive, Cantos finally agreed after thinking for a night. And the youngest uncle was exiled to the far east by him, but on the way to exile, he was robbed and killed by a band of thieves - no one would believe that this matter had nothing to do with Cantos.
For this reason, his mother lived in the deep palace from then on, and did not step out of the palace gate for five years, nor saw her son again until the day she died!
Cantos has always been known for his tenacity, determination, perseverance, and — cruelty, among other qualities. After he took charge of the power of the empire as an adult, he personally led the central standing army of the empire to fight against the Odins no less than twenty times. As the supreme supreme of the empire, this majesty is steadfast and vigilant. He has personally experienced the front line, charged with the cavalry, fought together, expeditioned to the northern kingdom of Odin, and experienced the wind and snow of the northern kingdom together—the one missing in his left foot. The little finger was cut off because of his last expedition to Odin with the army, in the severe cold of the North Country!
He is really like a spear, a spear in the hands of a knight, invincible, tenacious, courageous, and - iron-blooded and cruel!
However, he was getting old after all. Like all the powerful beings in this world, the years have gradually destroyed their edge, smoothed the edges and corners, and dried out his energy. The originally tall body has been tortured by the disease in the past two years and has become thinner and thinner, leaving only a wide skeleton.
At this moment, this supreme and supreme ruler is sitting on the seat like a altar in a weak posture, bowing his head in contemplation, his brows are twisted together in pain, and the wrinkles between his foreheads are so clear and profound, like Like a knife and axe.
Finally, a deep and distant sigh broke the silence.
"Wise Caviehir, wise Caviehir, wise Caviehir, I need your wise and objective advice now." The old emperor sighed, his hoarse voice seemed to be mixed with anger and anxious mood.
At this moment in this huge palace, there is only one person sitting in front of the elderly emperor.
This is also an old man, his skin has already shown an aging sallow yellow, but his forehead and cheeks are still full and shiny, the bridge of his nose is straight, and the lines of his lips are soft. It can be seen that he must be a beautiful man when he is young. And even if he is old now, his eyes are still full of a kind of calm and peaceful light of wisdom left behind after the precipitation of the years.
Caviehir, the most trusted partner of the Great Lancer in his life, was called "the shield of the Lancer" in the imperial circle of power. Cantos, the great lancer, had an almost unreserved trust in this companion. As an emperor known for his cruel suspicion and even brutality, such a sentiment was difficult to understand.
But it was this Cavie Hill, who won the only trust of the Great Lancer, and this trust has not faded for decades, but it has a tendency to become more and more intense. In the entire palace, only he can enter and leave His Majesty's study and palace at any time without notice. Cantos would agree to any request from Caviehir—although Caviehir was smart enough to never abuse these privileges over the years.
And every suggestion of Cavie Hill, even if it is absurd, Emperor Cantos will seriously consider the possibility.
But it is hard to believe that such a person who is so deeply trusted by the emperor does not have any title even a half-official title on his head! His only title is that of an informal "royal advisor".
However, any of his words had far more influence on the Great Lance Emperor than the previous prime ministers of the empire!
At fifty-six years old, Cavie Hill was one year older than the Great Lancer. When he was young, he was once hailed as the greatest genius in the Imperial Academy. Almost all the tutors and scholars in Imperial College, whether they like him or not, have to admit that he has a rare insight and wisdom in the analysis of affairs.
Whether in government affairs, history, art, religion and many other fields, he has deep attainments.
His predictions about every national policy of the empire finally turned into reality, and every suggestion he made to His Majesty finally achieved the expected results.
But it is such a person, but can not get any official position!
It's not because of Caviehir's humble background. He was born into a middle-class noble family. Although he is still far from a wealthy family, he is far from being blocked by the officialdom.
Even his good personal friendship with the emperor has a history of nearly 30 years. It is said that when the Great Lancer was young, he often wore makeup and wore clothes to sneak into the Imperial Academy to listen to lectures. At that time, he strengthened Cavie Hill, the most talented new star in the Imperial Academy, and was also recognized by Cavie Hill's outstanding wisdom and wisdom. Overwhelmed by wise ideas.
At one point, the excited lancer once said privately to his friends: Cavie Hill, is the best choice for my future chancellor of the empire!
But it is a pity that this genius, who could have been a top official in the empire, has no choice but to say goodbye to his career completely.
Just because some of his public remarks and opinions angered some people.
When he was in the academy, the already well-known Cavie Hill publicly expressed his political views many times: the Byzantine Empire has maintained the "Tema" military district system for a hundred years, and it is simply that the empire's national strength is weakening, and it is becoming more and more The biggest scourge of decline! !
The population of the Byzantine Empire is ten times that of Odin, and the land is three times that of Odin, but it has been at a disadvantage in the contest with the Odins for hundreds of years. The Tema military district system is the biggest root! It is this backward and rotten military district system that divides the complete empire into countless individuals, making it impossible for the empire to concentrate all its national strength to counter foreign enemies every time it encounters difficulties. Repeated consumption of waste...
Such a claim angered the powerful military that year.
The Tema military system is a special military administrative system formed by the Byzantine Empire a hundred years ago. The empire at that time unfortunately fell into an internal rebellion and civil war. Taking advantage of the weakness of the Byzantine Empire, the powerful enemy Odin and the nomads in the East took the opportunity to invade, and the empire was once faced with a desperate situation of disintegration.
In response to this crisis, the emperor at that time set up a new semi-militarized administrative system. Under this system, the Byzantine Empire, except for the imperial capital Osgilia as the center, continued to be destroyed. Outside the emperor's direct jurisdiction, dozens of "military regions" were established in other regions. The original meaning of the word Tema was "the station of the army". In each military region, the highest administrative officer was established as the governor, and the governor was served by military generals. In principle, each military region implements the peasant-soldier system, that is, the government provides a part of the land to recruit some farmers for cultivation, and these recruited farmers can get a part of the harvest of the land, and they also need to perform military service. Some militarized training, once faced with war, should be called into the army.
The view at the time was that, as long as the peasants and soldiers were guaranteed their livelihoods, wartime mobilization and commanding would be easy; moreover, the morale of the soldiers who fought to defend their homes against foreign invaders was generally high, and the state was a burden on their salaries. can also be reduced to a minimum.
It turns out that this view itself is correct.
But the problem is that such a system also has many unavoidable congenital defects! It is destined that such a peasant-military system can only be used temporarily in times of crisis, and cannot be used as a long-term national strategy at all.
Cavie Hill had made an opinion in his youth, belittling the system to nothing.
The imperial sage believed that, first of all, such a system could only be an excellent emergency strategy in the face of a crisis. Although the peasants and soldiers who own the land will have high morale in the face of foreign invaders and protect their homes, the nature of half-agricultural and half-soldiers makes these peasants and soldiers unable to break away from the essential characteristics of farmers: love of soil!
They cannot leave home to fight! Although they are very motivated when defending their homeland, when they need such an army to go on an expedition, their morale is often low. In short, such peasants and soldiers simply cannot assume the responsibility of a country's national defense force!
The second weakness is waste! This kind of peasant and soldier system can only play a role in resisting the invasion of foreign enemies, that is to say, when the enemy hits the door and defends the defense, the maximum combat effectiveness of the peasants and soldiers will be exerted. But war, it can't be just defensive war! Because of this, the Empire must also build a true professional army as the Empire's standing mobile combat force. And this kind of military construction caused a lot of repeated waste of resources.
The third irreconcilable contradiction is the land! The Byzantine Empire carried out a feudal constitution of enfeoffment. In essence, the royal family was the largest noble, and there was a noble class centered on the royal family. The creation of each new aristocracy requires the division of new land. And only when a family lineage is completely cut off does the Empire have the right to nationalize its lands... But new nobles are always created much faster and more often than old nobles go extinct! Although the empire is vast, the total amount of land is still limited. There was only so much land in total, which had to be continuously distributed to the new aristocratic class. At the same time, a large amount of land was designated as farmland for farmers and soldiers in the military region. The increasing demand for land created an irreconcilable contradiction.
The fourth irreconcilable contradiction is... Power!
After the birth of the Tema system, the direct consequence is that the military's power is unprecedentedly powerful, but for the sound standards of a country's system, such "power" is abnormal.
The highest administrative position of the military region is the governor, which is a semi-military official position. The governor has always been held by the generals of the army - because he is responsible for leading the peasants and soldiers, he is regarded as the head of the semi-militarization. At the same time, what makes the central government uneasy is that these small military groups that split the empire into dozens of small military groups are almost difficult to be under the jurisdiction of the central government!
Because of the free peasants and soldiers to cultivate the land, these small semi-military groups can be almost completely self-sufficient! Achieved independence in financial revenue and expenditure! This directly caused the gentrification of military generals!
Just imagine that each governor in the military region under his jurisdiction controls free and independent financial revenue and expenditure, has land and troops, and can be self-sufficient without the need for military salaries provided by the central government. There are even some particularly powerful military regions. The governor can completely distinguish the peasants and soldiers within his own jurisdiction through management, and select the elite part to form a standing army!
After a long time, it has almost formed an independent military group! And these small military groups have become one small tumor after another growing on the huge body of the empire!
The gentrification and warlordization of military generals became the main reason why the Byzantine Empire was large but not strong.
In a hundred years, there have been more than ten rebellions by the governors of the military districts within the empire, six of which occurred within the past thirty years!
But in such a regime, the military has become the most direct beneficiary, and naturally, it is extremely supportive of this system. The emperors of the past dynasties are not without a clear mind, trying to cancel such a system, but after a hundred years of nourishment, the military has become a huge monster, and even the emperor of the empire cannot completely suppress this monster. . In order to safeguard its vested interests, the military naturally fights against any attempt to endanger this Tema system.
Decades ago, the previous emperor tried to change this status quo. The then imperial prime minister issued a document to revise the Tema system. As a result, in order to protect its own interests, the military did not hesitate to launch a small-scale coup. , the prime minister was killed by the "chaotic army" who broke into the home, and afterward, under the pressure of the military, the emperor had to withdraw his order.
The compromises of successive emperors have caused the deep-rooted Tema system, and the strength of the military has greatly expanded within a hundred years. When the Tema system was just established, there were thirty Tema military districts in the country, and by the time of the coronation of Cantos, the Great Lance Emperor, the number of Tema military districts in the entire Byzantine Empire had reached forty-six! !
Forty-six Tema military regions occupy almost half of the empire's territory! ! And the remaining half, a considerable part of it belongs to the territory of the noble class, and it is really the territory under the administrative jurisdiction of the central government of the empire, which is less than one-fifth of the country's area! !
The new dignitaries who emerged in the army, once they became the governor of the Tema military region, often became a lifelong position, and they could serve until their death, and even some of them were extremely powerful, and they could still inherit their father's business from their sons. Such hereditary.
The Tema system is like a monster that firmly unites the military of the empire around huge interests. The military that should have been a national barrier has become a burden to suck the blood of the empire. The military headquarters of the empire has almost become another core center independent of the royal family. Forty-six Tema military regions across the country, all government orders, military orders, and even financial receipts and expenditures are directly deployed by the Empire's Central Military Headquarters.
In order to compete with the increasingly larger and louder military, the royal family can only firmly grasp the power of loyalty to the royal family as much as possible in the standing army of the empire - only these people are considered real soldiers , not those aristocratic warlords! !
The military is also divided into two different factions. One faction is headed by those warlord groups. This faction occupies the vast majority of the military. It has transformed from a real soldier to one who does not care about national interests in order to safeguard their own interests. Asshole warlord group. The other faction is a small number of real soldiers who still maintain the national beliefs.
It is a pity that the power of the warlord faction is far more powerful. Almost nine out of ten of the forty-six governors of the Tema military region in the country are members of this faction.
The real military factions are mostly the backbone of the more than ten central standing corps of the empire (Adric of the 13th Corps is undoubtedly one of them.)
※※※
Caviehir once offered advice to the young lance emperor and expressed his political stance, but his hostility to the system of the Tema military district system made the military very uneasy. If it was someone else holding such a hostile political opinion, perhaps a certain scholar in the Imperial Academy, then these military bosses would at most sneer and smile with disdain.
But this Caviehir, he was famous when he was young, the reputation of a genius that has been rarely seen in the Imperial Military Academy for decades, and the young emperor's unabashed appreciation for him... Such a person who can influence His Majesty the emperor at close range. Dude, how can people in the military feel at ease with such great hostility towards the Tema military region system
And it just so happened that the young Lance Emperor needed the support of the military in order to seize power, so he had to make a certain degree of compromise. One of the compromises was to promise that Cavie Hill would never hold a formal official position!
The tragedy of Caviehir is not only the hostility of the military to him, but also the Senate, another major political group in the empire, expressed dissatisfaction with many of Caviehir's views.
The Senate is the longest political system in the Byzantine Empire. The political proposition of the Byzantine Empire when it was founded a thousand years ago was "the monarchy takes the power from the people", which may also be regarded as a certain degree of democracy. The members of the Senate are generally composed of some outstanding generals of the army, elite representatives of the aristocratic class, and some ordinary people who have high prestige or status in certain industries or fields (not as rich as rich people). injury or some respected scholars and artists, etc.).
At the place where the country was founded, the Senate was still quite powerful. Even in the early days of the Byzantine Empire, the Senate even had the power to elect and remove the emperor. However, as the imperial power gradually became stronger, this system of elders discussing state affairs gradually declined. Later, with the establishment of the Tema military district system, the voice of the army gradually became louder, and it overcame the fallen Senate, which made the Senate, which once embodied the spirit of the Byzantine Empire, become a tasteless Embarrassing existence. Important national policies do not have the role of a senate, and they disdain to manage some trivial matters.
Up to now, the existence of the Senate is more about adding a title and halo to some powerful figures.
However, among the Senate, there are also some people who are still stubbornly guarding their beliefs. This group of people is called the "House Party", and they still haven't given up the traditional proposition of the Senate: the imperial power needs to be limited! And the existence of the Senate is to assume the responsibility of limiting the unlimited expansion of imperial power and harming the interests of the people! Even in that group of real military factions, many soldiers were also influenced by this kind of thinking. If they joined the party and became a member of the Senate.
And the royal family sometimes win over and support the senate from time to time in order to compete with the increasingly powerful military, so that this ancient political group can continue to exist.
But the Senate hates Cavie Hill!
Hate the most outstanding genius of this Imperial Academy!
Because Caviehir's wise head hides a fanatical dictatorial heart! This sensible and intelligent wise man is actually a downright supporter of imperial dictatorship! !
In his eyes, not only the military's Tema military region system is a tumor, but the Senate, which has always liked to point fingers at the imperial power, is also a thorn in the side. In Calvisher's view, if these two cancers can be eradicated, and then a strong and wise monarch can be dictatorial, and a strong and centralized central core can be re-established, this ancient empire can truly be rejuvenated. youth.
So... in the eyes of the Senate, Caviehir also became persona non grata.
The two major political systems of the empire were blacklisted, and Caviehir was destined to be unable to set foot in the officialdom in his entire life. Although he became the emperor's close friend, personal think tank, and even the Great Lance Emperor, he could not be in the officialdom by himself. Unleash his baggage.
This has to be said, and it is also Cavie Hill's sorrow.
※※※
At this moment, the aged lancer looked at the wise man he trusted and sighed helplessly: "Kavihir, I need your wisdom. I need a candidate! Those damn warlords finally gave up a military service. The post of Deputy Minister, this is a good opportunity for me to hit a nail."
Caviehir hid his hands in his sleeves, gently closed his sleeves, stood up and bowed slightly, his voice was a little shrill and soft: "Your Majesty, I've been thinking about it for a long time, maybe... It's time to make some changes. It's time."
Change
Kantos, the great lancer's brows knitted together immediately.
"The results we got this time are not too much. Although the arrogance of those warlords has been slightly restrained... However, the position of a deputy minister of military affairs can't really cause them any harm." Caviehir's voice It's very peaceful, and even under this kind of peace, there is a bit of indifference: "I need to understand your will first, Your Majesty... What is the result you want?"
"result?"
The Great Lance Emperor suddenly raised his brows, that is, at such an instant, a majestic edge flashed across his face, and the spirit in those eyes exploded instantly, making him seem like he was twenty years younger all of a sudden. Years old, became the real lance king who rode across the northern kingdom back then!
But this glow of radiance only lasted on his face for a moment, and the old emperor sneered in a low voice: "As a result, you said 'result'! Caviehir, in the situation I am now, What else can we talk about!"
The emperor's hands tightened, his nails digged deeply into his palms, his knuckles turned white, and he tried his best to endure the anxiety and anger in his heart: "It's been thirty years, Caviehir! I've been patient, and you too I have been admonishing me to be patient, but what is the result of my patience? These warlord worms have pierced my empire! And these greedy guys are getting more and more greedy! Caviehir, I have always believed Your wisdom, even today, I have never doubted it. But I really can't wait any longer."
He stared at his most trusted friend and whispered: "I'm old. Although I don't want to admit it myself, my heart is very clear - I'm old! Those assassinations I experienced when I was young, and later My military career is destined for me not to be a long-lived emperor. Caviehir, do you understand? Now, I am getting more anxious every year... No, it should be said that I am getting more anxious every day!"
The emperor's eyes were like an anxious lion: "My father left me an empire riddled with holes, and I have mended it all these years, but I am not willing to give up an empire that is also riddled with holes. Leave it to my children and grandchildren! But I suspect that it is very difficult for me... no, not difficult, but definitely impossible! I can't eradicate these cancers one by one before I die!"
Saying that, the aged emperor looked at Caviehir: "Your body has always been much better than mine, and I believe that even if I die, you can live at least twenty years longer than me. It's a pity... If I If I have a wise son, then I will be assured of handing over all the unfinished things to him, and then ask you to assist him in completing our career! But Caviehir... "
The old emperor snorted: "Look at what I have done?! My son is a cowardly and stupid guy, and he will even mingle with those cancers of the military for a man!! Don't think I don't You know, Bonfret's little white-faced rabbit, doesn't my dear son know what his pet is? Wounded Hastings on the battlefield? What a joke!! But he wanted to make his pet To get military exploits, to actually cooperate with those warlords in the army! This disappoints me to the extreme! Cavie Hill, my despairing son, he has been your student for ten years, but he has not been able to learn from You have learned even a tenth of your wisdom here!! This is what disappointed me, he has been married for almost a year, he married the most beautiful noble girl in Osgilia, but I actually received news that he He hasn't slept with his new wife even once!! I even doubt that his dirty hobby of liking men will lead to the end of our Karenma family!!"
Caviehir quietly listened to His Majesty's anger, and then the wise old man just smiled lightly, and said gently and slowly in his uniquely peaceful and slightly indifferent voice: "Your Majesty, you can't control your heart. The anger... Please don't forget that sentence: In the face of powerless things, blind sadness or anger or mania, these are the actions of cowards."
Cantorston, the great lancer, closed his mouth.
"Anger doesn't help, I need to know, what kind of result do you want?" Kavisher's eyelids blinked slowly, as if he said casually: "I said, we need a chance, but it seems fate Not in your favor, the opportunity you've been waiting for has never come. But that doesn't mean it's never coming, if you still want to avoid volatility and risk, then we can wait. If you need other outcomes…”
"My son's mind that only knows how to love men has made me despair." The Great Lancer roared angrily: "I can't wait any longer! My time is short, Caviehir! Doubt that once I die, my stupid son will double the number of Tema military districts in the empire in less than a year!! Then in less than a year, the military headquarters will move to this Here comes the palace - I don't doubt it! This time, I'm completely desperate for this idiot! So, I have to take a risk! I'm not going to wait any longer! I have to do what I'm going to do before I die All done!"
Facing the emperor's excitement and anxiety, Caviehir's eyes were still clear and calm, and he said slowly: "You should understand that such a hope is not possible."
"I understand!" A wicked smile appeared on the mouth of the Great Lancer: "Then let's fight to the death!! If this empire really needs a complete turmoil in order to regain its youth, then I hope that such turmoil will affect me. Experience in my hands! At least, I have more control over it than my stupid son—albeit a very limited one. But…”
The old emperor suddenly supported the seat with both hands and barely stood up. Under his large ornate robe was a large skeleton that was thin and skinny. When the wind blew, it looked empty.
The old emperor had a face full of resoluteness: "If you really can't pass this test, then the glory of the Karenma family will end in my hands! This is my empire, even if it really ends, The death knell should also be tolled by me!!!"
His electric eyes swept across Caviehir's face, and said word by word: "The fish is dead! Or, the net is broken! This is the result I want, Caviehir!"
Caviehir finally sighed, he still gathered his sleeves, then bowed slightly to the old emperor, lowered his head, and said in a calm voice: "Then, I understand your will."
Immediately, the wise man said in a clear and brisk tone: "For the post of Deputy Minister of Military Affairs, the most suitable candidate is Duke Minas. Lord Minas has a profound influence in the army, even those worms. I also want to give him some face. It's just that the Duke has had some health problems in recent years, and I'm worried... The current Duke of Minas is no longer the Duke of Minas he used to be. He seems to have lost some of his vigor. It's hard to take on the burden of going head-to-head with those assholes."
"So, what do you mean?"
"You need a ruthless person." Caviehir's tone finally showed a hint of decisiveness: "Since you are not afraid to start a turmoil, then this person must have a strong heart, absolute loyalty, and... The courage to move forward Impulsive. And such a candidate happens to have one right now."
"Um... you mean... "
"General Adric, the leader of the Thirteenth Corps. As a member of the true military faction, General Adric's loyalty to the Empire is beyond doubt. We always put him in the position of the Thirteenth Corps, It has been nine years since it was released. During this period, those guys in the military tried to win over and corrupt him countless times, and even lured him with the position of the governor of the military region, and General Adrick never defected, then he is enough to deserve your trust, Your Majesty. When it comes to courage, this domineering general should not let you down."
The Great Lancer pondered Caviehir's suggestion seriously: "I believe your suggestion... However, the 13th Corps is one of the most important combat forces in our hands. If Adrick is lost, then what should Who will be the new leader of the Rodrigues?"
A playful smile appeared on Cavie Hill's face: "The Duke of Minas has personally recommended a person many times, this person is praised by the Duke as his most outstanding disciple, and he has been with the Duke for the longest time. One of them, although half of the time is spent as the Duke's personal chef..."
The face of the Great Lancer suddenly became a little ugly: "Cavihill, are you talking about the Rabbit General Ruhr, who is famous for his ability to escape? That guy?"
Caviehir pursed his lips and smiled, when he smiled, his eyes exuded a kind of warmth that made people very close: "Your Majesty, please believe that Ruhl's ability is not limited to escape. ."
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When the gate of the palace was pushed open again, several waiters in gray linen robes stood respectfully on both sides, watching Caviehir slowly walk out of the gate, but Caviehir was standing at a height of more than 30 layers. On the steps, he stood quietly for nearly a quarter of an hour.
The wise man who was not young looked up at the sky. There were faint dark clouds gathered in the sky, and light rain fell sparsely.
"I finally waited until today before I made up my mind..." Caviehir's face at this moment was no longer the indifference and calmness that he had when facing the old emperor, and there seemed to be a hint of deep meaning in his eyes: "It's just... Will it be the case? It's too late. Humph!"
In the sparse rain, Caviehir slowly walked down the steps. Under the steps, a tall and thin figure immediately stepped forward and propped a wide black cloth umbrella on top of Caviehir's head.
Caviehir continued to move forward slowly, without stopping for a moment, and the figure following him held an umbrella to protect him from the rain, followed silently, even though the rain fell on him, it seemed unaware.
The figure supporting the umbrella, staggered, walking with a lame foot, as if his legs and feet were disabled, and his face was wearing a half iron face, only showing half a beautiful but extremely indifferent face, a coquettish With purple pupils, he quietly stared at Caviehir's back.
This woman is actually Via!
It was not until he walked out of the gate of the palace, a carriage parked at the door, the driver came down and opened the door, Caviehir got into the carriage, and then turned around, as if at this moment, he finally saw Via.
The rain gradually increased, Caviehir sat in the car, and Via stood in the rain, those purple pupils and Caviehir's cold eyes looked at each other for a while, and the rain gradually wetted Via's purple show. Hair wet her shoulders. Caviehir finally sighed.
"came back?"
"came back."
"Is it all over?"
"It's over. What I owe... I paid it off."
Cavie Hill nodded: "How about that guy?"
Via opened his mouth, his face still cold: "It's still very weak."
However, Caviehir seemed satisfied with the answer: "Go to Odin tomorrow, everything I have to do must be done."
After speaking, Cavie Hill seemed to have lost interest in speaking, he closed the carriage door, then the wheels rolled, and the carriage slowly left in front of Via.
In the carriage, Cavie Hill finally sighed, and his face finally showed a bit of the tired and aging look that an old man of his age should have.
He pulled a soft, dry blanket from under the seat and put it on his lap, then leaned back wearily…
The wise man seemed to be sighing.
"Well... A good dictator, why is it so difficult to find. Cantos... I originally thought he was the best candidate, but unfortunately... Unfortunately..." Caviehir shook his head and whispered silently: "Unfortunately, he is not! "
※※※
"Yi, Fatty, so the military of your Byzantine Empire is actually divided into two factions now?" Xia Ya shouted exaggeratedly while riding on his horse.
On the road in the wilderness, a group of cavalry is slowly advancing towards the inner belly of the empire.
Ruhl was a little helpless, and glanced at the turtle. Fortunately, he was surrounded by his own close relatives and guards. He was not afraid of these words getting out. He angrily said: "Don't always be 'you' and 'you'! This kid, don't forget that you are also an officer of the Byzantine Empire now!"
Xia Ya smiled: "I won't argue with you about this, first tell me, which faction does our General Adric belong to?"
Immediately, Xiaya touched his chin and thought for a while: "Well, those aristocratic generals you mentioned are all warlord factions, and they sound like scum like national moths. People like General Adric naturally don't. He would be in the company of such a person! He is naturally one of those decent military factions." Saying that, Tu Bie squinted at Ruhr: "As for you... I think you are probably a bit like those worm factions."
Ruhl was so angry that he really wanted to go up and kick this turtle to death.
Then he patiently said: "Don't talk nonsense! I'm a real soldier! Hmph, those worms are no longer soldiers. Many positions in the army are even held by some aristocratic general families, such as the governors of some military regions. Position, Laozi passed on to son, son passed on to grandson, what kind of soldier! As for our faction, His Majesty the Emperor founded the Imperial Military Academy in the imperial capital 30 years ago, in order to bypass those who have been completely polluted The fallen military elites started anew, and cultivated a group of real new blood for the imperial army. The officers from the Imperial Military Academy are generally called 'eagles'. Because the school flag of the military academy and the imperial army The Eagle Flag is very similar. The students who enter the Imperial Military Academy are only selected from some small and medium-sized noble families with simple net worth. Occasionally, they also make exceptions to admit some people who were born in civilians but have outstanding talents. Thirty years of management, batches of graduates The students were enriched into some of the empire's standing corps, and finally formed the 'eagle family' that is now in the military, barely able to compete with the representatives of those warlords! Humph! However, some students have aristocratic backgrounds themselves, It's easier to get ahead. And some cadets from civilians are promoted very slowly. In addition, those worms are afraid of officers from academy, and they always suppress them. Some guys even work for more than 20 years. They are still low-level officers. It's rare to have a single regiment like me or Adric."
After a pause, Ruhr smiled smugly: "The first dean of the Military Academy was the Duke of Minas. The Duke has a great prestige in the army of the Empire. He has been in the army for a lifetime, even if it is those worms. In the faction, many people have served as his subordinates, and they have to give the old man some face. And the duke's loyalty to the royal family has also made him the best choice for the leader of this new faction. Hmph, We officers from the Military Academy can be regarded as the disciples brought out by the old Duke. Lao Tzu is a special case. I worked for the Duke for six years as a cook, and then because the Duke saw that I had a good talent, he sent me in After studying at the Military Academy, Lao Tzu studied for another six years, and in total, he stayed by the old Duke’s side for twelve years! Humph, other guys don’t have the blessing of Lao Tzu.”
Char is not interested in Ruhl's self-praise, but he is quite concerned about Adric's affairs: "So, according to what you say, our general is also a high-level figure in this faction?"
Ruhl's face was a little strange, he shook his head: "It's not like that... It's a bit frustrating to say, most of the guys trained by this military academy are very old-fashioned. They are as smart as Lao Tzu. There are too few people who know how to be flexible. Some guys are loyal to the royal family, and some guys are only loyal to their own beliefs. They think that soldiers only need to defend the country, and should not be limited to a certain faction or individual... For example, your Adrian Well, he is obviously a member of our Eagle Clan, but probably because everyone is stupid, he actually got close to the people of the Senate. I heard that the Senate is planning to make him a member of the House of Commons. ."
"What the hell is the Senate?" Xia Ya was a little curious.
"Uh... the Senate?" Ruhr gave a general explanation, the Turtle listened, his eyes widened and he didn't know what he was thinking. After a while, the Turtle suddenly grinned, smiling so happily and happily The appearance made the fat man quite at a loss.
"What are you laughing at, kid?!"
Xia Ya said disdainfully: "I laugh at how the Byzantines are doing things in a mess. It is a waste of time and energy for a good country to do so many things."
"..." Fatty's eyes widened.
"Isn't it?" Xia Ya sneered: "Your emperor seems to be the biggest, and he can make up his mind about anything, but when he encounters the military, he has to give in. As for the military, usually The emperor does not open his mouth because of his face, but once he opens his mouth, he will definitely be in charge. As for the senate, he has a large number of people, shouting about this and that all day long, saying so much, but he can't decide anything."
Fatty sneered: "I don't understand what's so funny about it?"
Xia Ya shook his head: "Of course it's funny! In fact, the easiest way is one: consistent from top to bottom, just one voice! One mouth makes one voice, and what this voice says is an absolutely authoritative order. Once the order is passed, no matter what it is, Everyone from top to bottom must obey! What do you say I say, make so many mouths and so many voices to speak, you will call the shots later, and I will call the shots later... Are you tired!"
When the fat man heard it, he thought about it in his heart (a mouth makes a voice, and what this voice says is an absolutely authoritative order. Once the order is passed, no matter what it is, all the upper and lower must obey... )
His face changed and he smiled: "What you said is absolute dictatorship. Although our Byzantine Empire is an monarchy, the spirit of founding the country does not agree with this dictatorship."
Xia Ya hummed, but seemed to be thinking: "I think, dictatorship... sounds like a good thing..."