Conquest - Chapter 108 [The Fate of Dictatorship]

The huge and heavy palace gate, when closed, seems to have blocked all the outside air from the outside. The ceiling is six meters high. The dome-shaped ceiling is inlaid with various uneven patterns. It is simple and full of dignified feeling. The murals and reliefs left by the most famous art masters of various eras on the walls are similar to the circle. The vaulted ceilings blend together in one color.

A black curtain fluttered around, and it was indistinguishable from the black marble inlaid on the original wall. In addition to the solemnity of this black palace, it adds the mystery of integral black.

Twenty huge lamp bases, all of which are made of red gold, and each red candle on the face is the thickness of a child's arm. As if in a dignified atmosphere, the flames of the candle flames had frozen, and they pulsated slightly and then solidified. Only the huge candle tears slowly flowed down, condensing into pieces of bright crimson.

The waiters wore gray linen robes unique to the palace, and stood cautiously in the corners, hiding their faces in the darkness, like ghosts, unless the Supreme called out, otherwise, they would not make 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 gemstone cat's eye agate wrapping, which is as gorgeous as the altar of the gods. . . . . .. As a matter of fact, the eyes of the assassin who looked at this seat were as if they were facing a 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.

Next to 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 woven from pure gold threads and pale green silk is soft and luxurious, embroidered with blooming irises, and each petal is delicate and delicate, like a work of art. But under such a beautiful robe, the master covered, but it seemed so. . . . . .
Well. . . . . .lifeless!!

The originally gray face turned into a strange golden color under the candlelight, the high bone, the deeply sunken cheeks, looked particularly thin, the cheeks were dyed with a morbid blush, and the lips were chapped as if they had never been in years. Land moistened by rain.

The withered and curly hair seems to have no life force, and the crown worn on the head, even if it is made of pure gold, is inlaid with various gems of red, blue, green, and chatting under the candlelight.

But it is such brilliance that makes the owner more tired and weak. If you look at it suddenly, you will even think that what is wrapped under this fancy dress is a corpse at all!

Apart from. . .. In the eyes that were slightly closed, there was an occasional ray of light that 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, the supreme balance of ten million subjects, the most noble and sacred existence of the empire, and the supreme ruler of this country, Contos Doron Garros Diavilacronma The man who ruled the great empire of Byzantium for forty-six years is even considered to be among the top three of all emperors in the entire history of the Karenma family.
It can be said that this emperor deserves such a reputation.

His name was Cantos, which in ancient Byzantium means knight's spear. At the same time, His Royal Highness 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 was indeed like this.

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 is also unfortunate. Because his mother has several greedy brothers. At least before Cantos failed to reach adulthood, the power of the empire was once controlled by his mother's greedy brothers, who made the affairs of the empire so murky, and even several of his cousins saw the 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, he became the richest man in the senate, known for its conservative forces, as the orthodox heir to the royal family, and secretly won the support of the military on the condition that he promised to improve the military's status, and then at a palace banquet, pretending to be drunk. In a conflict, he stabbed to death a cousin who had the greatest ambition for the throne 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 of exile, he was robbed and killed by a band of thieves. No one would believe that it 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, tenacity, 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 no-supremacy of the empire, this writer is stubborn and persevering. He has experienced the front line, charged with the cavalry, fought together, went on an expedition to the northern kingdom of Odin, and experienced the wind and snow of the northern kingdom together. The little finger that his left foot is missing now is Because of his last expedition to Odin with the army, the frostbite was forced to be cut off in the severe cold of the North!

He is really like a spear, a spear in the hands of a knight, invincible, tenacious, courageous, and bloody 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 for 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, the wrinkles between his foreheads are so clear and deep, like a knife Like chopping and chiseling. Finally, a deep and distant sigh broke the silence.
"Wise Calve Hill, wise Calve Hill, wise Calve Hill, 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 a sallow yellow color, 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 have been a beautiful man when he was young. And even if he is old now, the pair of cherished sons are still full of a kind of peaceful and happy wisdom that has been left after the precipitation of the years.

Calve Hill, the most trusted partner of the Great Lancer in his life, was known as the "Shield of the Lancer" in the imperial power circle. Such emotions are difficult to understand.
But it was this Calve Hill who won the only trust of the Great Lancer, and this trust has not been sad for decades, but has a tendency to become more and more intense. In the entire palace, he was the only one who could enter and exit His Majesty's room and palace at any time without notice. Cantos will agree to any request from Calve Hill, although Calve Hill has been smart and never abused these privileges over the years.
And every suggestion of Calve Hill, even if it is absurd, Emperor Cantos will seriously consider the possibility. But such a person so trusted by the emperor, it is hard to believe that his head does not have any half-official head! His only title is that of an informal royal advisor.

However, any of his words had far more influence on the Great Lance King than the previous prime ministers of the empire!

At fifty-six years old, Calve 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 liked him or not, had to admit that he had 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 Highness Jin finally achieved the expected results.
But it is such a person, but cannot get any official position!

It's not because of Calve Hill's humble background. He was born in a middle-class noble family. Although he is far from a wealthy family, he is far from being blocked by the officialdom. Even his personal friendship with the emperor has a history of nearly 30 years.

It is said that when the Great Lancer was young, he used to wear makeup and wear clothes to sneak into the Imperial Academy to listen to lectures. At that time, he met Calve Hill, the most talented new star in Imperial Academy, and was also admired by Calve Hill's outstanding wisdom and wisdom. Lu Zhi's point of view conquered.

At one point, the excited lance king once privately expressed to his friends that Calve Hill is the perfect candidate for my future chancellor of the empire! But it is a pity that this genius, who could have been a minister of the empire, has no choice but to bid farewell to his career.
Just because some of his public remarks and opinions angered some people. When he arrived at the academy, Calve Hill, who was already quite famous, had publicly expressed his political views many times; , the biggest source of calamity that is declining day by day!!

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. Consume 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 a part of the empire centered on Osgilia, continued to be directly administered by the emperor. In addition, dozens of military regions have been established in other regions. The original meaning of the word Tema is the station where the army is stationed. In each military region, the highest administrative officer is set up as the governor, and the governor is served by military generals. In principle, each military region implements the peasant-military 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. Do some militarized training and enlist in the army if faced with war.

The view at the time was that, as long as the peasants and soldiers had a secure life, 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 burdened with their salaries. can be reduced to a minimum. Facts have proved that this view itself is correct; the problem is that such a system also has many inevitable 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. Calve 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, but 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 they surround their homeland, when such an army is needed to go on an expedition, their morale is often low. In a word, such peasants and soldiers simply cannot assume the responsibilities 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 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 physique of enfeoffment. In essence, the royal family was the largest aristocrat, and there was an aristocratic class centered on the royal family. The creation of each new aristocracy requires the division of new land. And only after a family lineage was completely cut off did the empire have the right to nationalize its lands. . . . . .

But the speed of new aristocrats is always much faster than the extinction of old aristocrats, and much more! 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 by the military region as special farmland for farmers and soldiers. The increasing demand for land created an irreconcilable contradiction.
The fourth irreconcilable contradiction is. . . . . . right!

After the birth of the Tema system, the direct consequence is that the military's power is unprecedentedly powerful, but for the sound standard of a country's physique, such "power" is abnormal.

The highest administrative position in the military region is the governor, which is a semi-military official position. The governor has always been the general of the army because he is responsible for leading the peasants and soldiers, and he is regarded as the leader 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 receive 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 fiscal revenue and expenditure! This directly caused the gentrification of military generals! Just imagine, 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, governors. It is completely possible to distinguish the peasants and soldiers within their 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 in 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 of the Imperial Territory, 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 constitution. Even 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 kind of Tema system. Decades ago, an emperor tried to change this status quo. The prime minister of the empire at that time issued a revision to 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 house, 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 30 Tema military districts in the country, and by the time of the coronation of Cantos, the Great Spear Emperor, the entire Byzantine Empire had 46 Tema military districts!! Forty-six Tema Military Regions, according to Hu, occupied half of the empire's territory!!

As for the rest, there is also a considerable part of the territory belonging to the noble class. It is really the territory under the central administrative jurisdiction of the empire, which is less than one-fifth of the country's area!! And the new dignitaries emerging in the army, once they become the governor of the Tema military region, often become a life-long position. They can work until their death, and even some of them are particularly powerful. hereditary like industry.
The special code system is like a monster that firmly unites the military of the empire around huge interests. The military that should have become 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. There are forty-six Tema Military Regions in the country, so all the decrees, military orders, and even financial receipts and expenditures are directly allocated by the Central Military Department of the Empire. 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 to be real soldiers, and Not those aristocratic warlords!!

Inside the military, it 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 a moth who does not care about the interests of the country in order to protect its own interests. Warlord Group. It is a pity that the power of the warlord faction is far more powerful. Almost ten of the governors of the forty-six Tema military regions in the country are members of this faction. As for the real military faction, most of them are the backbone of the more than ten central standing corps of the empire. Adrick of the 13th Corps is undoubtedly one of them.

Calve Hill 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 Calve Hill, he was famous when he was young, and the genius reputation of the Imperial Academy has been rare for decades, plus the young emperor's unabashed appreciation for him `````` Such a person who can influence the emperor at close range His Highness's own guy has such great hostility to the Tema military region system, how can the military people feel at ease?

And it just so happened that the young lance emperor needed the support of the military in order to seize power, and he had to make a certain degree of compromise. One of the compromises was to promise that Kavisher would never hold a formal official position! And Kawish It's not just the military's hostility towards him that's the tragedy of Ernest, but even another of the Empire's political veterans has expressed dissatisfaction with many of Calve Hill's views.
The Senate is the longest political system of the Byzantine Empire. The political proposition of the Byzantine Empire during its founding a thousand years ago was that 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, but those who have high prestige or status in certain industries or fields are inferior to wealthy businessmen or Some respected scholars as well as artists and so on.

At the beginning of the founding of the country, the Senate was still quite powerful, and 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. And the senate, which originally embodied the spirit of the Byzantine Empire, became an existence that was generally not embarrassing or embarrassing. 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 still stubbornly guard their beliefs. This group of people is called the House Party. 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, It is to take the responsibility of harming the interests of the people by limiting the unlimited expansion of imperial power! Even in that group of real military factions, many soldiers were also influenced by this kind of thinking. In order to compete with the ever-increasing military, the royal family sometimes woos and supports the Senate from time to time, so that this ancient political group can continue to exist.

But the Senate hates Calve Hill!

Hate the most outstanding genius of this Imperial Academy!

Because Calve Hill's wise head hides a fanatical dictatorial heart! This sensible and intelligent wise man is actually a downright supporter of imperial power and dictatorship!!
In his eyes, not only the military's Mart military region is a tumor, but also the Senate, which history likes to point fingers at the imperial power, is also a thorn in its side. In Calvisher's view, if these two cancers can be eradicated, and then a powerful and wise monarch can dictatorship and re-establish a strong and centralized central core, can this ancient empire be truly rejuvenated youth.

In the eyes of the Senate, Calve Hill also became persona non grata.

The two major political systems of the empire have been blacklisted. Calve Hill is destined to be unable to set foot in the officialdom in his life. Although he has become the emperor's close friend, personal think tank, and even the Great Lancer, he can't use his own hands in the officialdom. ambition. This has to be said, and it is also Calve 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. This is a good opportunity for me to hit a nail.”
Calve Hill hid his hands in his sleeves, folded his sleeves gently, and bowed slightly when he got up. His voice was a little shrill and soft: "Your Majesty, I've thought about it for a long time, maybe... it's time to make some changes."

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 cannot really cause them any harm." Er's voice was very peaceful, and even beneath this peace, there was 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 twenty years younger all of a sudden. , became the real lance king who rode across the northern kingdom back then!

But this glow of radiance only lasted for a moment on his face, and the old emperor sneered in a low voice: "As a result, you said 'result'! Calve Hill, in this situation, still What can we talk about!"

The emperor's palm was full of mine, his fingernails penetrated deeply into his palm, his knuckles turned white, and the street endured the anxiety and anger in his heart: "Thirty years, Calve Hill! I have been patient, and You have been admonishing me to be patient, but what is the result of my patience? These warlord worms, my empire is riddled with holes! Second, these greedy guys are getting more and more greedy! Calve Hill, I Always believed in your wisdom, even today, I never doubt it. 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 in the military career, I was destined to be unable to become a long-lived emperor. Calve Hill, do you understand? Now, I am more anxious every year... No, it should be said that I am 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 will be difficult for me... no, not difficult, but definitely impossible! I can't get rid of these cancers one by one before I die!"

Saying that, the old emperor looked at Calve Hill: "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 have a smart son, so I will be very relieved to hand over all the unfinished things to him, and then ask you to assist him in completing our career! But Calve Hill..."

The old emperor snorted: "Look at what I have done?! My son is a cowardly and stupid guy, and he will even mix with those cancers of the military for a man!! Don't think I don't You know, that little white-faced rabbit from Bonfret, doesn't my dear son know what kind of boy his pet is? Injuring Hastings in the battlefield? What a joke!! But he wants to get his pet Military merit, to actually cooperate with those warlord worms in the military! This disappoints me to the extreme! Calve Hill, my desperate son, he has been your student for ten years, but he has not been able to get from you. I learned even one-tenth of your wisdom!! This thing disappoints me, he has been married for almost a year, he married the most beautiful noble girl in Osgili, but I actually received news, he has not yet Sleeping with his new wife even once!! I even doubt that his dirty penchant for liking men will lead to the end of our Karenma family!!

Calve Hill 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. 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, kept his mouth shut.

"Angry doesn't help, I need to know, what kind of result do you want?" Kavisher's eyelids slowly blinked, as if he said casually: "I said, we need a chance, It just seems that fate is not in your favor, the opportunity you have been waiting for has never come. However, this does not mean that he will never come, if you still want to avoid turmoil and risk, why can we continue to wait. If you need other the result of……"

"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, Calve Hill! I have no doubts. , 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 have no doubts about it! This time, I am completely desperate for this idiot! So, I must take a risk! I am not going to wait any longer! I must do everything I have to do before I die Done!"

Facing the emperor's excitement and anxiety, Calve Hill's eyes were still clear and calm, and he said slowly: "You should understand that such a hope is not possible."

"I understand!" A smirk appeared on the corner of the Emperor's mouth: "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 is in my hands. Experience! At least, compared to my stupid son, I have a better grasp of him - although such grasp is extremely limited. But,,,,"
The old emperor suddenly put his hands on the seat and barely stood up. Under his large ornate robe was a thin and skinny skeleton, and when the wind blew, it looked empty.

The old emperor had a face full of determination: "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 my own hands!!!”

His electric eyes swept across Calve Hill's face, and said word by word: "The fish is dead! Or, the net is broken! This is the result I want, Calve Hill!"

Calve Hill finally sighed. He still rolled up his sleeves, then bowed slightly to the old emperor, lowered his body, and said in a calm voice, "Then, I understand your will."
Immediately, the wise man of science said in a clear and brisk tone: "For the post of Deputy Minister of Military Affairs, the most suitable candidate is Duke Minas, the Duke of Minas will always have a profound influence in the army. I also want to give him some face. It's just that Lord Minas has had some health problems this year, and I'm worried... The current Duke of Minas is no longer the Duke of Minas he used to be. It seems that he has lost some of his vigor, and I am afraid it is difficult to take on the heavy responsibility of confronting the worms."

"So, what do you mean?"

"You need a ruthless person." Calve Hill's tone finally showed a hint of decisiveness: "Since you are not afraid to start a riot, then this candidate must have a strong heart and absolute loyalty, and... ·Resolute drive to move forward. Two such candidates, there is just one right now."

"Um...you mean..."
General Adrick, leader of the 13th Corps. As a member of a true military faction, General Adric's loyalty to the Empire is unquestionable. At the beginning, we always put him in the position of the 13th Corps, and it was nine years when he was released. During this period, the guys in the military tried to win over and corrupt him countless times, and even seduced him with the position of the governor of the military region, and General Adrick never defected. , then he is enough to be worthy of your trust, Your Majesty. And speaking of courage, this domineering general should not disappoint you.

The Great Lancer thought carefully about Calve Hill's suggestion: "I believe your suggestion... However, the 13th Corps is one of the most important combat powers in our hands and lost Adric , then who should be the new leader of the Rodriguez?'

A playful smile appeared on Calve 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 is also the one who has followed the Duke for the longest time. Although half of the time is spent as the Duke's personal chef...
The face of the Great Lancer was suddenly a little ugly: "Cavihill, are you talking about the rabbit-shaped general Ruhr who is famous for his ability to escape? That guy?"

Calve Hill pursed his lips and smiled, and when he smiled, his eyes exuded a very close warmth: "Your Majesty, please believe that Ruhl's ability is not limited to running away. "

When the gate of the palace came out and was pushed open, several waiters in gray linen robes stood on both sides with their heads bowed respectfully, watching Calve Hill slowly walk out of the gate, but Calve Hill stood there for more than 30 years. On the steps of the floor, he stood quietly for another 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..."
Calve Hill's face at this moment is no longer the kind of indifference and calmness when facing the old emperor, and there seems to be a hint of deep meaning in his eyes: "It's just...would it be too late to look at it. Hmph. !"

In the sparse rain, Calve Hill slowly walked down the steps. Under the steps, a tall and thin figure came forward immediately and propped a wide black cloth umbrella on top of Calve Hill's head.

Calve Hill continued to move forward slowly, without stopping for a moment, and following the figure beside him, he held an umbrella to protect him from the rain, followed silently, even though the rain fell on his body, it seemed to be completely undisturbed. do not feel.

The figure supporting the umbrella, walking with a staggering pace, is obviously lame, as if his legs and feet are disabled, and his face is wearing a half iron face, only showing half of the beautiful but extremely indifferent, a coquettish purple pupil , quietly concentrating on the background of Kavishile,

This woman is actually Via.
After walking out of the gate of the palace, a carriage was parked at the door. The driver came down and opened the door. Calve Hill got into the carriage, and then turned around, as if at this moment, he finally saw Via.

The rain gradually increased, Calve Hill sat in the car, and Via stood in the rain, those purple pupils and Calve Hill's cold eyes looked at each other for a while, and the rain gradually wetted Via's purple show. Hair, wetting the clothes on her shoulders, Calve Hill finally sighed.
came back? Came back. "Is it all over?". "It's over. What I owe... I paid it off." Calve Hill gave you a nod: "How about that guy?". Via opened his mouth, his face still cold: "It's still very weak."

However, Calve Hill seemed to be satisfied with the answer: "Tomorrow you will go to Odin, everything I have explained must be done."
After speaking, Calve Hill seemed to have lost interest in speaking, he closed the door of the carriage, then the wheels rolled, and the carriage slowly left in front of Via.

In the carriage, Calve 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 to cover his knees, and 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... it's a pity..." Calve Hill shook his head and whispered silently:
"Unfortunately, he is not!"

"Hey, Fatty, so the military of your Byzantine Empire is actually divided into two factions now?" Shaar shouted exaggeratedly while riding on a 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. He glanced at the turtle. Fortunately, he was surrounded by his own close relatives and guards. He was not afraid of these words getting out. Boy, don't forget that you are also an officer of the Byzantine Empire now!"

Shaar smiled: "I won't argue with you about this, first tell me, which faction does our General Adric belong to?"

Immediately, Shaar 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 gave Ruhr a sideways look: "As for you... I think you are probably sent by those worms."
Luer was so angry that he really wanted to kick this turtle to death.
Then he patiently said: "Don't talk nonsense! I'm a real soldier! Humph!

Those worms are no longer soldiers. Many positions in the army are even held by some aristocratic generals, such as the governorship of some military regions, Laozi is passed on to son, son is passed on to grandson, what a fucking soldier! As for our faction, it was His Majesty the Emperor who founded the Imperial Academy in the Imperial Capital 30 years ago, in order to bypass those military powers that have been completely polluted, and start anew to cultivate a group for the imperial army. Real fresh blood comes. Officers from Imperial College are generally referred to as "Eagle Department".

Because the school flag of the military academy is very similar to the eagle flag of the imperial team. The students who enter the Imperial College 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 are from ordinary people but have outstanding talents.

Thirty years of operation, batches of graduates have been enriched into some standing corps of the empire, and finally formed the "Eagle Clan" in the military that can barely compete with those representatives of warlords! hum! However, because some students have aristocratic background, it is easier for them to get ahead. And some cadets from civilians are promoted very slowly, plus those worms are afraid of officers from academy, and always suppress them. Some guys even work for more than 20 years and are still low-level officers. They can mix with me or Adric There are very few people who lead a corps alone like this. "

After a pause, Ruhl smiled proudly: "The first dean of the Military Academy was the Duke of Minas. The Duke has a great prestige in the army of the Empire. , there are many people who 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. Hey, we Among the officers from these military academies, they can be regarded as 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 my talent, he sent me in. I studied in the military academy, and I studied for another six years, adding up to a total of twelve years by the old Duke's side! Humph, other guys don't have the blessing of I."

Char is not interested in Ruhl's self-praise, but he is quite concerned about Adric's affairs: "So according to you, our general is also a high-level figure in this faction?"
Ruhl's face was a little weird, 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, thinking that soldiers only need to defend the country, and should not be limited to a certain faction or a powerful individual...such as yours Adrick, he is obviously a member of our Eagle Clan, but he must have read it foolishly, and the people of the Senate are getting close, and I heard that the Senate is interested in making him a senior member of the House of Commons."
"What the hell is the Senate?" Shaar was a little curious.

"Uh... the Senate..." Ruhr gave a general explanation, and the turtle heard it, his eyes widened and he didn't know what he was thinking. After a while, the turtle suddenly grinned and laughed like this The cheerful and happy appearance made the fat man quite at a loss.
"What are you laughing at, kid?!"

Shaar 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."
"..." The fat man widened his eyes.

"Isn't it?" Shaar 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?"

Shaar shook his head: "Of course it's funny! In fact, the easiest way is one: the next agreement, just one voice! One 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 people below must obey! What do you say I say, make so many mouths and so many voices to speak, for a while you call the shots, for a while I call the shots...? Are you tired!"

As soon as the fat man heard it, he thought in his heart that a mouth made a sound, and whoever said that voice was an absolutely authoritative order. Once the order was passed, no matter what it was, all the people must obey it unanimously. . . . . .

His face shifted and he said, "What you said is an absolute dictatorship. Although our Byzantine Empire is a monarchy, the spirit of founding the country does not agree with this dictatorship."

Shaar hummed and smiled, but seemed to be thinking: "I think, dictatorship... It sounds like a good thing..."