"Your Majesty, the road to the palace has been cleared, and this city is yours!"
Iron Axe knelt in front of Roland and said excitedly.
The battle lasted from yesterday to this morning. After breaking the city gate, the First Army completed the two main combat objectives in just two hours, capturing the inner city palace and the eastern cathedral. The next step is to clear out the enemy and completely wipe out Tifeko's resistance.
Roland looked around and found that everyone had the same excited expressions on their faces. Whether it was the First Army soldier or the witch, their high emotions were about to overflow. If it wasn't for the fact that they hadn't made a statement, they would have already cheered after Tifeko was overthrown, and even if the enthronement ceremony was not held, they would have already become a veritable King of Greycastle in their hearts.
But his mood was unexpectedly calm.
This "grand capital city" that represented the center of Graycastle didn't resonate with him, and he didn't feel like returning to his homeland. In Roland's eyes, it was just an ordinary city, and its development priority was not as high as Changsong Fortress. , the only meaning is... The farce of the fight for the king has finally come to an end, and he can run his own territory with peace of mind.
Of course, victory is victory after all, especially such a hearty victory. It is believed that the news of the change of ownership of the capital will soon spread to all parts of the kingdom, and his prestige and fame will reach a new level, which will be of great benefit to recruiting talents and promoting reforms in the future. So far, most of the spring offensive plan, which has been in preparation for more than four months, has been completed, and now only the south is left... Roland involuntarily turned his attention to the direction of Falling Dragon Ridge and the far south. That's where you really need to take it.
He took a deep breath, interrupted his thoughts, and said loudly, "Let's go to the city!"
"Yes, Your Majesty," Tie Axe stood up respectfully, and ordered the soldiers left behind who had been waiting for a long time, "Two columns, protect your new king, and go!"
The soldiers raised their weapons in unison and shouted loudly, "Long live King Wimbledon!"
"Long live His Majesty the King!"
Amid the cheers and shouts of the First Army, Roland stepped off the warship and headed for the palace.
…
Passing through the city gate, the streets were deserted and deserted, hardly anyone could be seen, and the ground still had traces of the aftermath of the war, the closer it was to the palace, the more so.
Dilapidated houses, uncleaned barricades, broken limbs and bloodstains can be seen all over the inner city. There is no doubt that the capture of the royal palace, although short, was still the most intense battle the First Army had experienced since its formation.
Looking at the ruins on both sides of the street, Roland couldn't help but feel a little distressed. The specific number of casualties has not yet been counted, but the bodies of the First Army soldiers who have been transported to the rear have now exceeded 20. This is still the result of Nana's timely rescue. . Without the help of the little girl, this number would have more than tripled.
Stepping into the palace area, the soldiers stationed here all knelt down on one knee, and the road leading to the palace was neatly filled with two rows of knees, which was very rare in the First Army where military salutes have been popularized. Roland didn't say anything to stop him, and it could be seen from their excited expressions that these people were not greeting them as members of the army at the moment, but paid tribute to the new king as the people of Graycastle.
Passing through the lush green garden, the scene in my memory instantly overlaps with everything around it. The three bluestone buildings are arranged in a triangle shape around the flowing water garden, forming the territory where the Wimbledon family has lived for generations. On the left is the sky hall used for banquets or ceremonies, but it has now been destroyed by an aerial bomb, leaving only dozens of sturdy stone pillars standing up to the sky; on the right is the city hall and library, which has been taken care of by the First Army. stand up.
In the middle is the most magnificent twin-tower temple. Its structure is similar to the high-rise buildings of later generations. The bottom is an oval three-story podium, which is larger than the castle area of Border Town; One of the towers is built in the shape of a crown, and the other is in the shape of a crown, symbolizing the supreme authority of the Graycastle royal family. In the center of the twin towers, two crossed iron cables are pulled diagonally to represent the double gun pattern on the family crest. In terms of shape and design concept, it is an outstanding work that can be passed down for centuries.
Following the guidance of the fragments in his mind, Roland climbed the more than 100 arcuate stairs step by step. The experience of walking into the temple was very wonderful. Although it was the first time he came here, he recognized every house and every aisle. In the hall, in addition to the soldiers guarding with guns, there were also a group of frightened nobles. When they saw Roland appear, everyone knelt down and greeted him in unison.
"Get up."
Roland unceremoniously sat on the throne and looked down at everyone.
Among these nobles, he saw several familiar figures.
For example, Chancellor of the Exchequer Lauren Moore, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Brint Felling, Secretary of State for Law Palo Alto, Chief Intelligence Officer Marshall, former Prime Minister Marquis of Wick and so on.
These people are all courtiers who served for Wimbledon III, and some of them even date back to the beginning of the Wimbledon family. When Timothy Wimbledon succeeded to the throne, these people all took refuge in the new king, and now, they obviously intend to continue to be loyal to themselves as usual.
Unfortunately, I don't need them.
This is not a court debate, but a trial.
"Tifeko Wimbledon is suspected of murdering the Grand Prince of Goron, conspiring against the rebellion, and colluding with the church. Now he has been detained, and he must be severely punished. Soon, his crime will spread throughout the city and even the kingdom. , do you have anything to say?"
"These crimes are unforgivable. I tried to dissuade him, but to no avail." The Marquis of Wake said first, "You overthrew the cloud over Greycastle, Your Majesty."
The rest of the nobles complied.
"Really?" Roland asked with a sneer, "Then when he committed these heinous crimes, were you standing by or were you helping the tyrants? Don't tell me, you just move your mouth and it's over."
"This..." the marquis frowned, "you don't know, after Tifek took over the throne, he promoted a large number of cronies, such as Lanley, Scal, and Sir Morris, whether it was to dispatch the knights or forcibly recruit troops, it was not the case. We can handle it."
"Yeah, Your Majesty, please read carefully."
"When he sent His Highness Goron to the guillotine, he even bypassed the Inquisition," Palo shouted while coughing, "The executor is also a member of the Knights, and I can't stop him at all."
"...So what happened this year has nothing to do with you, right?" Roland's evaluation of these ministers dropped a bit in his heart, not so much as assistants serving the king, but rather their own calculations. Interest groups are cancers attached to the royal family. Perhaps at the beginning of the establishment of Greycastle, the noble ministers were indeed the king's right-hand man, but over the centuries, they have become completely rigid and degenerate. "In that case, let's play a game."
"Games?" Everyone had different expressions on their faces.
"A trial game called I ask you to answer," Roland swept across the nobles present, "If you lie, you will be eliminated, remember... You have only one chance." (.)