Heart of the Castle

Chapter 488 The Queen's Hatred, The Devil's Mountain's Rebellion
Three to three, such a result can't help but let the faces of the kingdom's important officials show helpless expressions.This is rarely the case, as if it had been the case in the past, His Majesty's opinion would have been key.However, the Queen Regent cannot be equated with His Majesty the King after all, and Queen Lilaya knew this very well, so she stood up from the golden throne.

"The important ministers of the kingdom failed to reach a consensus, and His Majesty the King was unable to make a wise decision. Chief Bamilian, in the era when the round table council is in charge of state affairs, what should we do if this happens?"

The eunuch lowered his head deeply, "If there is a disagreement that cannot be resolved by the round table meeting, a court meeting must be held immediately, and a golden cup voting will be held. All wealthy nobles participating in the court meeting have the right to vote."

"Then what are you waiting for?" the queen regent ordered, "Master Bamilian, take out the gold cup."

Not long after the palace steward left, he came back with two royal servants. They carried a huge metal cup and placed it in the middle of the audience hall.

That cup is really big.This was Li Wei's first impression. The golden cup in the mouths of the Queen Regent and the Chief of the Palace was a meter high, and the body of the cup seemed a bit difficult even if the two hugged each other.Li Wei couldn't figure out the original purpose of this cup. If it was used to hold wine, it would surely make a dozen of the most drinkable alcoholics drunk to death.Different from the imaginary resplendent, this golden cup looks very simple, with a rusty and worn bronze luster on the surface. The only decoration is a few ancient runes engraved on the cup wall, which has turned dark brown due to the passage of time.

After the golden cup was in place, Director Bamili Yang announced the start of the voting. Two royal servants stood in front of the golden cup, holding a plate of chess pieces that were used as tokens, among which obsidian represented approval and white jade represented opposition.Every nobleman eligible to vote walked among them, took a piece from each of the two plates, and then walked over to the golden cup and dropped the piece representing his will into it.

The clanging sound lasted for a long time, and when the last nobleman walked past the golden cup, Director Bamilian went to the side of the golden cup and asked the two royal servants to take out the chess pieces from it and count the number.

"The first one, I agree." A black chess piece was taken out, and Teacher Xingchen stroked his beard and nodded slightly.

"The second one, object." Grand Duke Raul turned his head back and showed a supportive smile to Li Wei.

"The third one is against it, the fourth one is against it, and the fifth one is still against it." Bamili Yang watched the actions of the royal servants, and announced that it was unnecessary. "Four to one, it seems that the popularity of the Earl of the Magic Mountain and the Lord Skinning is much better than I imagined."

However, the next result was astonishing. The two royal servants hesitated for a moment, then tilted the gold cup, and the chess pieces carved out of obsidian surged out like a black turbid current, sweeping away the poor white jade stones on the table. The chess pieces were drowned.

"I don't think there is any need to count now? The agenda is passed, and the Earl of the Magic Mountain must die." Queen Lilaya's voice was calm, and the gaze she looked at Li Wei was the same. Only the sharpest eyes could detect the extremely subtle sense of satisfaction in the queen's heart. , "Then there is only one issue left - who will implement this resolution."

Compared with the enthusiastic enthusiasm for voting for the Gold Cup just now, the nobles of the royal capital are much more indifferent to this issue.Compared with the just-deceased Count Leonardo, the Earl of the Devil Mountain has a more prestigious... or more vicious reputation. His Knights of Death guarding the west of the kingdom all the year round are not comparable to the Knights of Thunder that have been wiped out by demons. .Coupled with Iron Rock City, which has always been known for being easy to defend and difficult to attack, it is not so difficult to implement the resolution.

"Your Majesty the Queen Regent!" A somewhat old voice came from the far end of the audience hall, and then the crowd parted towards the two sides, and an old man wearing a black aristocratic dress came out, with low white hair and gray hair. bowed deeply to the golden throne. "Please entrust this task to me, the Enix family swears they will not let you down!"

Grand Duke Raul let out a sneer, with a tone of three parts mocking and seven parts dissuading, "Count Enix, you old man can't sit still when you hear that you can take revenge on Earl Magic Mountain? Don't even think about it, Is Gregor, the Earl of the Devil's Mountain, a person who obeys the king's order and will be captured without a fight? If you are sent alone, then your head will probably be poked on the point of a spear, and then you will be exposed to the wind and rain on the top of Iron Rock City."

"The Enix family is never afraid of the Earl of the Mountain!" Earl Enix tried his best to tighten his face, but a trace of wavering and fear still condensed crystals on his temples and forehead. "And since it is to implement the kingdom's resolution, as a special envoy, you must always allocate enough entourage."

"The kingdom doesn't have any extra troops for you, Earl Enix." Queen Regent Lilaya said to him, "Most of the Knights of Ashes have followed His Majesty to the south, and the remaining ones are not enough to even protect the palace; The equipment and training of the royal guards are not suitable for going to Xifeng County, and their duty is to protect the city of glory, so they should stay here."

Count Enix was momentarily at a loss for words.The queen regent on the golden throne suddenly smiled, and reminded in a soft voice, "Count Enix, dare you forget our impartial and selfless new minister of the kingdom? In the duel before the gods held not long ago, just now There was a sword-wielding count who died in his hands, and no one could stop it... Since one sword-wielding count can be killed, why can't the second one be killed?"

Queen Lilaya's voice was soft, but it froze Earl Enix's tongue like a gust of cold wind. The old man turned to the Griffin Lord with a stiff neck, and a look of pleading appeared in his eyes. "Lord Leviston..." he murmured, his voice was low and raving, "I beg you, I beg you..."

"In this case, then I request to go to Westwind County to implement the resolution. At the same time, I also hope to obtain the power to terminate the implementation of the resolution once the key evidence that can prove that the Earl of the Magic Mountain is not treason is found." Levi pushed the seat back , stood up, and said in a sonorous tone.

"Master Li Wei, you are young and energetic, and you are willing to sacrifice yourself for justice and axiom. This spirit is undoubtedly admirable. But in my opinion, it is better to be cautious." Instructor Xingchen suggested, "The duty of an important minister of the kingdom is to Advise and make suggestions for His Majesty the King or Queen Regent, rather than implement them yourself. Your twilight knight, Sir Rodriguez, is the best candidate. You can send him to Westwind County with Count Enix, Execute the resolution and kill the traitors..."

"I thought we were talking about law and justice today, Master Satzenhell, but what you said seems to be a murder." Li Wei interrupted in a cold tone, and then turned his eyes to the golden throne. "Your Majesty the Regent, what do you think of my request?"

Queen Lilaya's answer was very simple, and her tone did not allow others to argue.

"As you wish, Master Li Wei!"

The court meeting ended here, and Li Wei left the audience hall with a heavy heart. His steps and heart were equally heavy. When a voice sounded from behind him, he didn't even hear it until that person caught up.

"Lord Li Wei, you don't have to be like this." The man who chased out from the audience hall was none other than Bamilian, the head of the palace.The eunuch's hands were folded between the wide sleeves, and his expression was somewhat apologetic. "Why do you take the initiative to put such a heavy burden on your shoulders? Among the nobles of the royal capital, there are many people who look down on the Earl of the Magic Mountain, but there are indeed not many people who are not afraid of him. If it were me, I would put this matter on my shoulders." Hand it over to Earl Enix, he can't wait to chop off the head of the Earl of the Mountain."

"If Earl Moshan really betrayed the kingdom, with Earl Enix's strength, he would die in vain." Li Wei replied indifferently. "If the Earl of the Magic Mountain's head is chopped off by him, then I will question whether there is a serious mistake in this resolution. In any case, what the Enix family wants is revenge, and what I hope to see is justice, even if it is It's the same for people like the Earl of the Magic Mountain."

"You are too upright and stubborn, Lord Li Wei." The eunuch sighed softly, his tone as sweet as the fragrance of roses on his body, "As far as I know, the Earl of the Magic Mountain and your subordinate Grace There is a blood feud between the Jazz, and the conflict between you and him is inevitable, right, or not?"

"That's right." Levi replied, "The Earl of the Magic Mountain must explain what crime the Tully family committed. If he can't explain, I will use all the power in my hand to seek justice for Sir Grace."

"Since that's the case, why don't you take advantage of this rare opportunity to settle it once and for all?" Bamilian, the palace chief, suggested with a smile, "Since you already have a heavy responsibility on your shoulders, then you should do it neatly. Your subordinates are full of talents, The combination of Master Frederick's alchemy and Sir Rodriguez's swordsmanship is enough to make the Earl of the Magic Mountain die without any suspense. Or you can take Count Enix to deal with this matter, I think that Earl I will definitely be grateful to you."

"Lord Bamilian, Earl Enix hates the Devil's Mountain to the bone. Do you think he can make any fair judgment? Even if the evidence is in favor of Earl's innocence, he will probably turn a blind eye to it." Li Wei The blunt answer turned the smile of the palace steward into a wry smile.

"Well, your consideration is undoubtedly very cautious. It is worth noting that Earl Enix is ​​not allowed to participate. Although he is the best scapegoat, he may conflict with your beliefs. Now the kingdom is very fragile and cannot be tolerated once. Serious conflicts, the consequences are absolutely terrible, you can ask Master Frederick to make some alchemy potions for you, and the Sleepless Eye will provide you with the water source and castle structure of Iron Rock City, so that the crisis can be eliminated without any effort In the bud."

"I have no other choice, my lord, you know very well that I must find out the truth of the matter."

"Smart people will give themselves more than one choice." Director Bamilian's voice became very sincere, "There is more than one path before you now, and as for the truth, I am afraid there is more than one."

The eunuch was very good at emphasizing his persuasiveness with tone and gestures, making him a confidant in those in front of him within minutes.However, this time his temptation failed, and Li Wei shook his head resolutely without much thought.

"You forgot one thing. I am not only an important minister and lord of the kingdom, but also a knight. The knight oath requires me to sweep away the darkness, show mercy to the weak, and have no fear." The young griffin lord said word by word.

"Oh, I'm afraid I really forgot, or I never remembered." Steward Bamilian sighed, "Forgive me, Lord Leviston, but if you take that wild beast of the Earl of the Magic Mountain as a If it is the weak who come to show mercy, I am afraid that your justice will be disappointed."

"The Earl of the Devil's Mountain has his own responsibilities, but he cannot be accused of treason without investigation. That will not only wrong the Devil's Mountain, but also let the real traitor go." Li Wei finished speaking , shook his head towards the court chief, signaling to stop arguing, "My lord, I am going to leave early tomorrow morning, and I would like to ask for your help with something."

"Well, anyway, I, the chief eunuch, am not qualified to instruct the lord of the Griffin how to do it..." The eunuch complained softly, and then his expression became serious, "Master Li Wei, just ask for anything you want. If I can do it, I will do it right away, and if I can’t, I will try my best to satisfy it, who made us allies?"

"I need intelligence support from Sleepless Eye, the current situation of Westwind County, the structure map of Iron Rock City, and the information on the Death Knights and Count Gregor. The more the better." Levi thought about it, "The four southern counties are currently Although the situation is broken, the defense of the Holy White Rock Fortress is relatively stable, I hope you can temporarily shift the focus of the Sleepless Eye intelligence network to West Wind County, and help complete the mission entrusted to me by the kingdom."

"Hey, your request is not simple. Now that the main power of the Sleepless Eye is always focusing on the south, it is not so easy to turn around." Director Bamili Yang said with a sigh, "But I will do my best, Mr. Li Wei , then I will make preparations first." He bowed deeply to Li Wei, then turned and walked towards the palace, his back quickly disappeared into the shadows.

The clang of iron boots hitting the bluestone slab on the palace square sounded, and Sir Rodriguez led the Griffin Knights to welcome Levi. As a knight with the strength of the Earl with a sword, he was absolutely qualified to enter Hall, but he chose to wait outside the door like a servant, which puzzled many people.

"Butler Frederick has already gone back to make preparations in advance, Master Levi." Sir Rodriguez explained softly, "In all fairness, I don't quite agree with your decision. I should have been involved in this matter, Phil. Meyer has more important things for you to attend to."

Levi showed a sighing smile, "Sir Rodriguez, is there anything more important than leaving openly? I belong to the northern region like you, and I grew up in the air of Firmeyer. It's too sweet, almost like the scent of roses on the body of Bamilian, the head of the palace. It is so strong that it is suffocating. In the northern border, we only need to pay attention to the enemies in front of us, and here people have several faces. Only Only the merciful Father God can clearly discern whether they are friends or foes."

"...That's true." Sir Rodriguez admitted with a smile, "but what about His Majesty the King? If we go to the west of the kingdom, he will lack a lot of protection around him."

"You can still be assassinated in your own capital, so the king is too wronged?" Li Wei complained, but then he spread his hands and explained, "Now people who guess that His Majesty the King has returned here Only Bamilian, the head of the palace, and he also guessed it from the Marquis of Osiris. After the transfer from the Mermaid Hotel, no one except us knows where His Majesty the King is, and it is impossible for anyone to go to the brothel to find the king of the country. Jun. I am going to leave Baron Hughes to handle the affairs of the capital, and the farther we are from here, the safer His Majesty the King will be."

Then they stepped on the horses led by the royal servants, passed through the iron gates under the seven towers of the Ash Fortress, and set foot on the road back to the Mermaid Hotel.Perhaps it was due to the recession during this period of time, the capital was silent under the night, with few lights, and the stars were covered by thin clouds. A series of echoes are left in the room.

Mr. Dish was waiting for them in front of the Mermaid Hotel, still wearing the butler's attire. The moonlight fell on his shoulders, which made the old man's beard and hair all white.Li Wei jumped off the back of the Dark Nightmare in the North in a hurry, and walked up quickly, "Housekeeper Frederick, just wait for us in the hotel."

"This seems to be the duty of being the steward of an ancient family." Mr. Dish replied with a smile, "I have roughly arranged the manpower for Xifeng County, and transferred as many people as possible from the Ice Wall Great Wall. Some alchemy fighters, together with the Griffon bombing group of the little monsters, should barely have enough troops. Master Li Wei, I have to say, you really have a very troublesome task ahead."

Li Wei coughed lightly, with an uncomfortable expression on his face, "Mr. Dish, do you also think that the Earl of the Magic Mountain is suspected of treason?" He walked towards the entrance of the Mermaid Hotel, and asked in a cautious tone.

"I don't know the Earl of the Magic Mountain, and of course I don't know if he betrayed the Kingdom of Arthur." Mr. Dish's eyes showed a faint feeling of vicissitudes. At this moment, the old man seemed to have merged with the dust of history For one, the voice reveals a heaviness, hoarseness and exhaustion beyond the ordinary.

"But I still remember one thing, that is, Gregor, one of the twelve knights of the round table in the Kingdom of Arthur - the ancestor of the Earl of the Magic Mountain - is nicknamed the Beastmaster, and he has three-quarters of the orc blood!"

(End of this chapter)