"Teacher, I think Your Majesty's mood seems to be a little abnormal."
Walking out of that dark study room, the freckled girl seemed to be relieved. She looked carefully at the teacher she respected. At this moment, Caviehir still seemed to be leisurely, and he even had the mood to stop and go. Look carefully at the warriors in the golden armor in the palace: "Oh, the style of this armor seems to be new."
"Teacher... I think... "
The girl was a little puzzled by the teacher's attitude, and her face was full of worry.
"Darling." Caviehir withdrew his eyes, he looked at his female disciple, to be exact, the youngest female disciple: "I brought you here today because I hope you understand that we will meet next time. to what kind of thing."
"However, Your Majesty's mood is not normal." The freckled girl insisted, she lowered her voice, but still said firmly: "Don't make any decisions when you are emotionally disturbed - this is what you once said."
"Yes." Caviehir suddenly smiled, he stroked the girl's face with his hands, his eyes showed a strange look, but his voice was soft and soft: "But... If that decision, I made him made?"
The girl stopped talking. She thought hard for a while before she could taste the meaning of the teacher's words.
His Majesty's decision... The teacher induced him to make... So...
"To bring you here today, there is only one purpose." Caviehir withdrew his hand, put it behind him, and said with a leisurely smile: "There is only one purpose, let you look here, look at this place, I just need to achieve One purpose... let that Mr. Junker see you, know you, that's all."
Junkers? The leader of the dark night forest, that guy whose body is full of darkness
"Teacher... What are you planning?" The girl suddenly felt a deep fear in her heart.
Caviehir didn't seem to intend to explain everything to his disciples, he looked up at the sky: "You must understand one thing... I am not a god, so I can't guarantee that every decision I make is correct, There's no guarantee that my every plan will be successful. In fact, this empire should have perished decades ago! It's just that we've done everything we can to keep it alive... and now, there should be It's time for a result, good or bad."
After a pause, the smile without the slightest hint of firework reappeared on his face, and he said leisurely: "Well, the sunshine outside is really good, today is a good weather."
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"the weather is nice today."
Emperor Cantos also stood on the window sill in the study. He looked at the dying flower and the bright sunshine in the sky outside the window. The old emperor's eyes were full of nostalgia.
At this moment, in this gloomy study, there are only the emperor and one other person - a "shadow" to be precise.
The ordinary-looking middle-aged man who had always followed the emperor was still like a shadow standing in the shadows. He did not know when he suddenly appeared in the corner of the room, with no vitality on his body. Like a ghost, with his hands down and his head down, he stood there.
"Such good weather always makes me sad. Do all people who are about to die feel this way?" Emperor Cantos turned his head and suddenly looked at the shadow: "I'm asking you a question. "
The middle-aged man raised his head and looked at the emperor blankly, and after a while, he slowly shook his head and pointed to his mouth.
"Oh, I seem to have asked the wrong person again." Emperor Cantos seemed to smile: "I forgot again, I shouldn't ask you any questions, this silent guy. But... only once, okay? Chuck ,Only this one time."
The middle-aged man's expression became serious, and he seemed to be seriously thinking about something.
Emperor Cantos continued slowly: "This is my last chance and my last move. Maybe... it is also the last chance for this empire. I feel my body is decaying, and the speed of decay is getting faster and faster. Faster and quicker. Chuck, I'm a good emperor! I know this! I'm not greedy, I don't drink, I don't have too many extravagant preferences, I only rest eight hours a day, and the rest of the time is spent managing me Empire! I have fought for this Empire almost all of my young and healthy years! I have shed blood and been wounded in war! My sword has killed the enemy! The enemy's sword has left its mark I don't guarantee that I am the only emperor who can do this, but I understand that there are not many emperors who can do this!! In history, the emperors who can do this are all generations of Ming Jun, who pioneered It's a good situation... but here I... After all these years, the situation still hasn't improved!!"
The old emperor's face was a little morbidly flushed because he was too excited, his Adam's apple rolled up and down, and his breathing was short: "Why all this! If I was born hundreds of years ago, I would become a legendary emperor who created the next generation of great achievements! But now, I've spent almost half my life fighting against that damn moth, keeping them from taking away my empire - my empire!!!"
His Majesty Cantos finally calmed down a little from his excitement, but his tone was very indescribable, and the indescribable despair showed little by little: "Cavihill told me the answer: It's not my fault... That damn Tema military district system has existed for more than a hundred years, and I'm not responsible for the mistakes of more than a hundred years ago... However, this is not my mistake, but I have to bear it Result! This is really fucking unfair!! It's unfair! I should be a legendary emperor of a generation, and I should be admired by all generations! Not the king who survived to maintain the country's fortune and finally destroyed the country!!"
Finally, when the emperor was speechless, the middle-aged man slowly walked out from the corner of the room.
He gradually approached, three steps away from the old emperor, his face was solemn, and he slowly opened his mouth.
"Your Majesty." The voice from his throat was hard and stiff, as if it was because he hadn't spoken for too long, and every word he said seemed to be so laborious: "If there is such a day... I I can tell you that you have my loyalty. My body will be the last barrier in front of you."
Kantos' brows moved, and he seemed moved.
Slowly, the old emperor's thin big hand pressed on the middle-aged man's shoulder, he looked at the other side's chest and heart, the old emperor's voice was a little hoarse: "I remember, there is a wound there, right? It was back then. In the war with the Odins, you were injured to protect me. Well, it was left by that guy Hannigan Thor on Nee's chest, an axe gun, if not for his gun head at that time. Broken a piece, I'm afraid you're dead. Humph, but you stabbed him too... I heard that seems to be the only record of that guy Hannigan's being wounded on the battlefield in decades."
The middle-aged man's expression changed, his eyes became stern and sharp, and his hoarse voice repeated the name: Hannigan Sol!
This name, perhaps speaking, will not be unfamiliar to people all over the continent, especially the Byzantines!
Because the owner of this name has a very prominent identity.
Known as the spokesperson of God Odin in the world - His Majesty the current God-Emperor Odin of the Odin Empire!
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In the northeast corner of the imperial city of Osgilia, two canals in the city run through the entire Osgilia, cutting a triangular area here. This area is about the size of six blocks. In the city of Osgilia, this Places are called "red zones".
Aside from the Royal Palace and the Hagia Sophia, where the Pope is located, this is almost the most fortified place in Osgilia—except, of course, Caviehir's residence.
Geographically, the red zone is located in the northeast of Osgilia, but a canal that surrounds it leads directly to the harbour terminal in the southeast. When necessary, even the smallest ships can sail directly from the sea through this canal. Come in. Moreover, there are two main roads leading directly to the port.
At the same time, the red zone is almost on the same parallel line as an important place in the imperial capital: the military headquarters of the empire, the Eagle's Nest.
If you want to describe it, this place with only six blocks is almost a city within a city.
On weekdays, even the security patrols of the city defense would not approach this place. As for the city defense army, it was strictly forbidden to approach the red zone.
In the Red Zone, there are about a thousand troops stationed all year round. These troops do not belong to the establishment of the city defense army. To be precise, they are more like the private army of the nobles.
This army is all infantry, with the best elite armor and weapons, produced in the most famous Armenian military region of the empire, and the soldiers are all carefully selected elites.
And such an elite army even surpassed most of the imperial central standing corps, their official establishment, I am afraid that few people will believe it.
They are "peasants"!
Yes, you're not mistaken! It's a peasant soldier! It is the product of the half-agricultural and half-military system under the Tema military region system.
Of course, they are different from the mud-legged peasants and soldiers with hoes that Xi Ya saw in More County. These guys are real elites! Everyone is a carefully selected warrior!
More importantly, for such an elite thousand-person team, they will not obey the orders of the military, or even the orders in the palace! The only one who can command them is a voice... the master of the red zone.
Salvador Kalin - the current Chief Minister of Military Affairs of the Byzantine Empire! At the same time, he is also one of the banner figures of the imperial warlords!
If in today's Byzantine Empire, there is a figure in the military who can barely compete with Duke Minas, then this Lord Salvador Carlin is probably the only qualified candidate.
As the current "Red Round Table Speaker", El Salvador is the number one thorn in the side of Emperor Cantos the Great!
The Red Round Table is not an official organization, nor is it any official department, but this organization is the most powerful group in the Byzantine Empire today! Fifty-one of the fifty-four governors of the Tema military region in the empire are members of this group.
This "Red Round Table" has been established for 89 years, and this year will officially enter its 90th year - also the 90th year of competing with the imperial family.
In fact, the original purpose of this organization was to confront the imperial family of the empire and the traditional aristocratic group led by the royal family.
The program of this organization has only five articles.
Article 1: All members must safeguard the interests of the Red Round Table, which is above any secular law or religious belief!
Article 2: All members are family hereditary. Once they join, they will be handed down from generation to generation. Anyone who quits will be regarded as a traitor and will be hostile to all other members of the family!
Article 3: The speaker of the meeting has the power to convene the meeting and has the right to make decisions (if the speaker's decision is opposed by half of the members, it can be overruled.)
Article 4: The chairman of the meeting shall be elected once every three years, and the re-election shall not exceed two circles.
Article 5: All members are protected by the group, and any member who is attacked is regarded as an act of hostility towards the whole group.
The existence of these five programs, in the eyes of the imperial family, is simply a great contempt for the imperial power!
Just the first article "higher than any secular law or religious belief" has nakedly announced the meaning of this organization's existence!
Salvador Carlin, as the current Speaker of the Red Round Table, this is his last year as Speaker. Because he has been re-elected in both circles, he will not have the right to continue to sit in this position when the next term is changed.
As the current chief military minister of the empire, he is nominally the manager of the military affairs of the entire Byzantine Empire, but in fact, he can only command the army of his family's military district. If nothing else, the candidate for the next speaker will most likely fall on the head of the current Armenian military region governor—that is, the military region that produces iron ore and is known for making excellent armor.
Salvador's own family also owns a military region. Ironically, the region where the military region he owns is located is the Rodriguez region of the empire—yes, it is the most elite iron army of the empire, the famous 13th Corps, Luo The birthplace of the Delia cavalry regiment! A group of real warriors who walked out of the empire back then became the backbone of the empire and the birthplace of the most loyal and brave army of the empire.
But now, it has become the domain of the leader of the imperial warlords.
Of course, the family-owned military region of El Salvador is only East Rodriguez, a third of the original Rodriguez region. The current governor of the military region is nominally his younger brother, because according to the imperial decree, the minister of military affairs cannot concurrently serve as the governor of the local military region-although it has already formed its own system, but at least nominally, all the members of the Red Round Table group The members have not rebelled openly, and nominally obey the laws of the Empire.
El Salvador has great prestige in the Red Round Table. During his five years as Speaker, he has made considerable achievements. From this point of view, the deterioration of the old emperor Cantos' disease day by day is related to him. some degree of relationship. For five years, he forced the emperor to pass two laws favorable to the Tema military district, and defeated at least three attacks on the Tema military district by the Council of Nobles, and he was even involved in at least two assassinations involving nobles, and , with his support, the budget of the Empire's military spending was cut twice - of course, the military spending of the eagle-type forces loyal to the royal family in the Empire's Central Standing Corps.
Yet El Salvador has been on a deep level of vigilance these days.
There are too many indications that the old emperor in the palace, who will die of illness at any time, is trying to organize an operation against the "Red Round Table". And this action, I am afraid it will not be just to encourage a few nobles to pass some boring bills, or to promote a few young generals of the eagle type.
The most important thing is that the emperor suddenly sent Crown Prince Garcia to the imperial capital in the form of exile. This move immediately made El Salvador, who had been fighting with the emperor for half his life, smell something different.
Although I heard that the emperor was extremely angry and dissatisfied with the crown prince, although I heard that the emperor had the idea of abolishing the crown prince, although I also heard that during that conflict, the emperor broke the crown prince's head with his own hands...
but…
"A son is a son. For thousands of years, the minds of all emperors will not change. Even if the son is an idiot, he is his own son." El Salvador expressed his views to all the members: "I don't think the emperor will add What kind of punishment did that rabbit in West Asia get the emperor, I suspect there is a conspiracy here! Don't forget, even if the emperor doesn't like his son, the son is the son! You may have forgotten the end of the last Tulip Grand Duke, but I have not. "
These warnings are sent to various places by letter. In fact, the members of the Red Round Table are distributed in various military regions in the empire as governors, but most of the members of the military regions have their own people in the imperial capital military headquarters. officials, and at the same time act as spokespersons.
For El Salvador's warning, most military governors did not take it too seriously.
The emperor took the crown prince out of the imperial capital, so what
Cantos, who is too old to ride a horse, the old emperor who is out of breath when he walks, what else can he do
Nearly half of the empire's land is in the hands of the military district - the better half. The total number of troops actually mastered by all military regions is more than three times the number of troops loyal to the royal family in the Central Standing Corps (this is not counting the potential in the state of full mobilization.)
emperor
Hmph... If you don't rebel, he is the emperor! If Rebel... He is not!
What can Cantos do? To stage a coup
Do not make jokes! Even if he launches a coup d'etat, at most the members of the warlord party who remain in the imperial capital will be killed, but most of the governors of the military region will remain on their own territory! Once such a thing occurs, it will be a situation where the two sides will completely tear their faces! Kantos knew very well that once a war was fought openly, the imperial family could not win! The power comparison between the two sides, after a hundred years of the Tema system, has already been turned upside down!
Unless Cantos doesn't even want to be emperor in name!
However, the neglect of most members did not alleviate El Salvador's concerns.
Unlike most of the members - most of the military region governors are warlords on their own territory all the year round, and even many new military region governors have never been to the imperial capital! ! Because the central government has completely lost control of the military region, the appointment of the governor of the military region is only a symbolic report from the following, and then the central government approves it in name only.
Moreover, everyone knows that the royal family wants to get rid of everyone, who will send it to the door to give the emperor this chance to catch everyone
El Salvador can be different! He has been in the Imperial Capital for many years, and he has served as the Minister of Military Affairs and the Speaker of the Red Round Table. He has had too many confrontations with the Great Lance King in the Imperial Capital!
He is very aware of the character of this lance emperor, and he knows this tough and stubborn old emperor better. He even felt that in recent years, as the old emperor's body became weaker day by day, the old guy has repeatedly shown a kind of meaning that is gradually inclined to madness...
Dying... well, that's what it means!
Under the prospect of fighting all his life but failing, will this stubborn and tough old guy finally do something crazy? El Salvador dared not take the risk.
The most important thing is... the other governors can't be afraid of the emperor's madness. After all, even if the emperor is mad, they still stay on their own territory. Even if the emperor launches a coup d'etat and launches a civil war, those guys can handle it calmly.
You can be different! You are in the capital! Right under the Emperor's nose!
If the old madman recklessly messed up, then in the imperial capital, he would definitely be arrested by the old emperor who started the civil war and cut down the sacrificial flag at the first time.
In fact, there are already signs that the old emperor is gradually becoming crazy. Just last year, the old emperor had planned a large-scale purge of the military personnel - it was clearly a move that he knew would fail, and once it failed, it would be a complete turnaround.
El Salvador took advantage of an opportunity to subtly disintegrate the madness of the old emperor last time. That move won him the praise and support of many members, because it not only defused the attack of the old palace, but also consumed A considerable part of the eagle army loyal to the royal family.
"Maybe... I can get in touch with the Odins again... A war might make the old lunatic in the palace sober up temporarily."
Salvador is sitting in his study, holding a quill, hesitating.
His eyes were shrouded in gloomy lashes with a grim light.
Well, yes... Another war might be a good idea.