Kingdom’s Bloodline

  Chapter 646 Exterians

  In the trial court, the two sides argued more and more fiercely, and Baron Trent blushed.

"I demand that, in accordance with the tradition, the previous public labor time be restored on the land of the Trent family, so that this group of unsophisticated people can return to farming on the land! They have been neglecting and evading labor for too long, and this has truly harmed my Benefits, the harvest of my territory, this will ultimately harm the South Bank and even the kingdom..."

  But correspondingly, the defender Slimani opposite him was slow but organized:

"... In 661, the Duke of Leinster's "Recreation Order" exempted the lords and their people from many physical services, including military service, security patrol and agricultural service, and construction and industrial service. Such as the labor and work that requires every healthy adult male and woman to participate regularly and regularly, the losses caused by this are allowed to be filled in the rent and tax to the lord by quarterly settlement and payment of cash..."

   "The cash they handed in, even if the tax is added, is not enough to make up for my loss!"

  Baron Trent yelled and interrupted him. The old judge Brennan had to beat his hammer many times before ordering the guards of Kongming Palace to come forward and "help".

  On the second floor, the conversation between Thales and Jane became more serious.

   "I rushed back to Yongxing City, trying to grasp the direction of the wind, trying to ease the situation," Jen said solemnly, "but the king refused to see me."

  "As the palace chief, Baron Quentin’s reason for replying is: Your majesty rarely reunites father and son. He needs to enjoy family happiness and not see foreign guests."

  Tels swallowed his throat:

   "In fact, his reunion with me... Forget it, it doesn't matter."

  Jenn ignored him: "At that time, Anke Bailar came to me."

  Thyls frowned:

   "So you gave him a sword and tricked him into a duel with me at the royal banquet?"

  Jen does not deny:

   "I said, I must do this."

"First of all, once the conflict between the Western Wilderness and the Fuxing Palace breaks out, Nan'an Ling will no longer be your father's priority." He squinted his eyes and looked at the trial below. "Secondly, only when he is devastated, my gift It seems so precious."

   Thales frowned.

"your present?"

  Jen nodded.

   "Before the royal family banquet, I wrote a low-pitched letter to the king. In the letter, I supported the reform of the royal standing army, asking for money, money, name and name, and hitting his itch."

  Jane’s letter to the king, supporting the reform of the standing army...

  That letter?

  Tyles narrowed his eyes and suddenly had a bad feeling.

   "Your father refused to see me before," the Duke of South Bank snorted coldly, "but once the Western Famine Incident affects the kingdom, and his plan is frustrated and stretched, the price and weight of this letter will be different."

   "So," Thales couldn't help but said, "what's the result?"

   "Result, result?"

  Jane's eyes freeze, he sneered.

  "After the royal family banquet, the Xihuang people who always came to be full of bad water did not protest or make trouble. Under the leadership of Falkenhauser in the ruins, it was like that, and they hurriedly raised their hands and surrendered to the Fuxing Palace."

   He disdainfully said: "It's even better than when the Freedom League surrendered to the Exeters."

  Thyls felt mixed:

   "Actually, the Freedom League is not so happy--"

  But Jann didn’t want to pay attention to his views on the war, and shook his head: “I guess, your father must have caught the Xihuang people somehow, making them powerless to resist-as expected to be King Kessel V.”

  The handle of the Xihuang people...

  Tels confided:

   "In fact, the reason why Xihuang compromised so quickly... Forget it, it doesn't matter."

  The two were silent for a while.

   "Just like that, I didn't succeed in getting the South Bank leader to avoid disaster."

  Jane looked ugly.

  "Not only that, my gift—the letter that might change your father’s attitude—has never been replied. It went into the Fuxing Palace like a stone sinking into the ocean. There were no waves at all, as if it had never existed."

  That letter...

  The stone sinks into the sea...

  Tyles rubbed his hands with a weird expression: "Yes, why..."

   "There is only one explanation," Janen had a sharp gaze at this moment, "The Fuxing Palace has been out of the predicament, so the horizon has risen. Your Majesty is no longer satisfied with the conditions I offered, and he wants more."

  Jane gritted his teeth:

"More."

  Tels held back for a long time, and finally couldn’t help but speak:

   "Actually, Jen, your letter did not get a reply, yes..."

  Jen's eyes shot at him.

  Thyls’s discourse is stagnant:

   "It's a pity...but forget it, it doesn't matter."

  Jen looked at him for a while, sighed and nodded.

   "Yes, time has changed. Regret is useless, it's not important anymore."

  At that moment, Thales and Jane had their own concerns, and both fell silent.

  咚!

  Brennan’s gavel sounded again, drawing the attention of the two back to the court.

"Master Inquisitor! In the past, after we paid in the money and goods, we had to do some handwork by ourselves to collect firewood or something, and we could live alive, but this year, the baron's butler said that we should make more contributions... "

  Beside the plaintiff’s bench, a peasant dressed in unsuitable clothes spoke under the guidance of the defender. It was apparently the first time he came to Kongming Palace. He stammered and panicked:

"He didn't let us take the grain to the market to sell money, saying that he would collect rent on the spot, and if he didn't want to, he would levy money or do more work for him! But I have a relative who is a grain collector. , He said that such a tax increase is wrong..."

   "That's not a tax increase!"

  Baron Trent stood up from the table again and spoke angrily.

"Prices are soaring year after year, and even the price of food has risen by 20%, and they pay rent every year, and they still only give so much cash. This is equivalent to me being robbed! This group of sneakers can sell the food afterwards. Go into the city and make a full meal with the profiteers, and I, I still have a large piece of land to manage! Of course they have to increase the rent, make up for the loss, or change it back to the original state and provide food or service instead. , This is fair!"

   Amidst the boiling sound of the observers, Judge Brennan was about to smash his gavel.

  Slimani’s defender coughed, and stood up politely:

"Dear Inquisitor, with regard to the tax payable for each household and each piece of land of a fixed size, my client has followed the rules set for more than ten years. Lord Baron, your land has not increased, no fertilizer, no change. Types and changing positions, then this number should remain the same, no more, no less.

  “As for the choice of payment by cash settlement, in-kind exchange, or labor service—as I said earlier, this was stipulated when the Duke of Leinster was reigning—this is the freedom and right of my clients.”

  Hearing this, Jen hummed softly and whispered to Thales:

"You know, that guy, Slimani was originally a clerk of the Security Department, but he hasn't even been on the street. His best job is to help people write case closure reports and even quarterly summaries, especially those who are responsible for the Security Department. The case... Later, at the end of the year, every security department rushed to second him."

  "This...is really not something ordinary people can do. No wonder he later became a defender." Thales shrugged.

"As far as I know, the inquisitor," the Slimani defender continued in the courtroom, "there have been no wars that have spread to the local area in the past few years, no serious natural disasters, no plagues, no large churches and castle projects. The most recent local suppression of bandits was jointly carried out by the Emerald Legion and the New Suburb Security Agency, but Lord Duke did not issue a call-up order, and the cost and personnel of the bandits were independently supported by the Emerald City—that is, Lord Baron did not have a higher rank. There is no compulsory labor that must respond to the taxation of the lord of the level."

"And the kingdom has not issued a new ordinance involving Fengpei Village to increase taxes. As for the living tax items, the two sons of the baron have grown up and their three daughters are also married. Within a year, there will be no weddings in his castle and no knighthood. , There is no funeral, the only religious ceremony, the tax items have been turned over by the villagers themselves to the sunset church...To sum up, Baron Trent has no reason and name to request redundant confessions, in the absence of consultation and the duke’s approval. In-kind, cash, labor, and any form of demand outside the usual practice are illegal tax increases!"

"fart!"

  Baron Trent began to yell again, and this time Inquisitor Brennan had to send guards to make him "calm down."

  On the other side, Srimani became more and more courageous:

"My Lord Baron Trent, the law allows exemption from service, but you force additional service. The law encourages the payment of rent with cash, but you privately prohibit it. Then my client no longer recognizes your authority as a landlord, and no longer performs the special service. The sacred agreement of the Lent family is that they do not want to work on your land anymore, and even move to another place with all their belongings—including the harvest of this season—that is logical.

"And you are still restricting your people for ridiculous reasons without the kingdom decree and duke's warrant: seizing their harvest, not allowing them to move, not allowing them to trade, not allowing them to pursue a better life-judge Sir, this is illegal robbery and unreasonable detention."

  The voice of the defender fell, and there was thunderous applause from the spectator seats behind, and many people cheered "please for the people".

  The villagers beside him felt hope, and their faces were joyful.

  The old judge had to maintain order again.

  Baron Trent’s hairstyle is not as neat as before. Seeing that the situation is not good, he took a deep breath and seemed to have made some decision.

   "Master Jayne! Your Excellency Duke!"

  In the next second, I saw the Baron yelling at the second floor in disregard of etiquette and rules:

"Exemption and deduction, paying taxes with cash, these policies of the old duke are just expedient measures after the Scarlet Years! But this is not the tradition of the kingdom! And now we have recovered from the war, as your vassals , I don’t think we have a reason—"

  Jen frowned.

   "Quiet!"

  咚!

  The hammer was struck again.

"Excuse me to remind you, Lord Baron," Judge Brennan looked very angry, but he still maintained a steady tone. "The opinions of the two dukes are of course very important, but I am the chief judge of this case in this court. ."

  Facing the gaze of nearly everyone in the court, Thales secretly stabbed Jayne with his elbow:

   "What about you, don't you respond?"

   "As he said, we are just a jury." Jayne remained silent, but sat farther away from Thales.

   "Of course, you are distinguished and distinguished, and you are a guest from afar. If you want to express your opinions, you will not stop you from coming to the Brennan Inquisitor."

  Tels chuckled:

   "Want to pit me again?"

  The two looked at each other, and both turned their heads.

  On the other side, Baron Trent began to talk about the kingdom’s traditions and the laws of the South Bank.

   "So, Thales, do you feel it?"

  Jen sneered.

"Since you returned to China, the series of changes in the situation between Everstar City and Emerald City... is like someone in the dark, always working on key points, disrupting all deployments, and pushing the situation to be unfavorable to me. Direction development."

  Who in the world...

  Tyles is sitting more and more in distress.

   "Also pushed your father to look at the Nanan collar, and pushed him to send you over-what's wrong with you, why are you constipated?"

   "It's nothing, it's just..."

  Tels held back for a long time, but finally sighed:

   "Forget it, it doesn't matter anymore... So, have you figured out how to fight my father?"

  Hearing this, Jen paused for a while.

   "The Arundel girl in Coldcastle, and the little black lion in Valkyrie, are they all in your team now?"

"Yes?"

   "As soon as your father took the Northern Territory and the Western Wilderness, you took in the heirs of the princes from these two places, and the signal given was very unfriendly-no wonder he didn't wait to see you and even wanted to exile you."

"do you have any opinion?"

  Jen chuckled and glanced at the prince.

  "No, I’m just thinking, if I were your father, I would just plan with you secretly, and let you pretend to take them in. Wouldn’t it be more convenient to get rid of political opponents and opponents at once?"

  At that moment, Thales seemed to miss a beat of his heartbeat.

"It makes sense," but the prince, who has experienced many battles, didn't change his face. He just rubbed Gurtaxa in his pocket lightly, feeling the hideous spikes on it, "I can't help but want to suggest my father this way. NS."

  Tyles and Jane’s eyes met in the air, as if to see through each other.

  A few seconds later, Zhan En smiled:

   "But unfortunately, you are not him."

   Thales frowned: "What?"

"I said, the assassin who can fight for the banquet, he is indecisive, and even willing to take the risk of his own end, and he will turn the table with me at any cost." Jaen showed a mysterious smile, and he was overwhelmed. "It's impossible for someone who is as cold and capable as the king to walk together."

   Thales did not speak, but held the "covenant" tighter.

   "He will never believe you."

  Jean looked at the chair he was sitting on, his words showed frost:

   "You will never recognize him."

  What a lovely father and son.

  At that moment, Thales did not move.

  He just watched the trial below calmly.

  Jean did not turn his head either.

  He rubbed the back of the expensive chair patiently.

  The air around the two seemed to be frozen.

   "Little Flower, let's make a deal."

"trade?"

  Jane smiled, but then his face changed: "Okay—wait, what's the little one?"

  Tyles suddenly stretched out his hand and buckled the hand of the Duke of South Bank on the back of the chair!

  "You don't talk about Anke Baylar, and don't talk about the things you used to cheat me," the prince said coldly, "I will talk about your sister less."

  Jane's expression instantly cooled down.

   "And you don't mention florets—that's the name?"

  The two looked at each other silently, their clasped palms pressed hard against each other, and they fought silently amidst the growing quarrel in the trial court.

  A few seconds later, the two people seemed to have a tacit understanding, and they released each other's hands together.

   "Deal." Thales said uncomfortably.

"I don't expect to turn the enemy into a friend with you," Jaen resumed his sitting position. "But you are right. Your father sent you here. Maybe it is to use our hatred to get me and you deep in a life-and-death struggle. Sound east to west, profit from it."

   "And we can't let him succeed?"

  Jen nodded:

   "So, let us sort out our grudges now, and make sure that there is no reason to cause misunderstandings and let us go to war with each other."

   "Then," he said cautiously, "in the days of the Emerald City, we must be honest and honest between us."

  Tyles glanced at him.

   "Very good, although not big, but it is the first step."

   Thales raised his eyebrows.

   "Now, can we end the hostilities?"

  Jean smiled:

"can not."

  Thyls's expression stagnated.

"why?"

  Jen answered quickly this time:

   "Because we must be hostile."

   "Since your father expected and counted on us to be hostile," Duke Jen snorted coldly, "The best, let him continue to think like this."

   Thales frowned.

All right.

I understand.

but……

   "So, we will continue to fight as usual during the day, and we will continue to fight each other and ask for trouble." Thales has a strange expression. "At night, we will hide in the bedroom and conspire to discuss it, and behave?"

   "In order to confuse our enemies, wait for them to automatically jump out, and then catch them all?"

  Does it sound like...

  Somewhat familiar?

  Jen showed a mysterious smile.

   "I want a higher level of appeal! Even as far as the Noble Affairs Institute in the Royal Capital!"

  The scream of Baron Trent reached the top of the hall, interrupting the conversation between the two dukes, and Thales and Janen frowned.

  But it's far more than that.

"His Royal Highness Thales! You are from the capital, you are generous and kind, you are the hope of the kingdom, you are here," Baron Trent stared at Thales, he ignored the judge's gavel and raised With both hands, "Labor, taxation, rule of the lord, the old rule of the kingdom, this makes no sense! Without reason, my people are getting richer and richer, but I am getting poorer and poorer!"

   Thales sighed lightly.

  No way.

  The next second, the Baron shouted in a nearly fanatical manner:

  "In the spirit of establishing the country with the stars, and with the rights granted to us by the Canstar royal family, I ask the jury for the arbitration of the nobles! Now, now!"

  As soon as this remark came out, there was a sudden up and down in the trial hall!

  "This is the tradition in the Star Contract! It is my power! The judge has no right to stop!" the baron shouted.

   "Quiet! Quiet!"

  Inquisitor Brennan was so angry that his hands trembled, but he was still conscientiously maintaining order.

  But this can't stop the countless lights from shooting towards the prince.

   "You expected it a long time ago, didn't you?"

   Thales looked at Jen unhappy:

   "This is also your strategy, is it part of my father's show?"

  But the latter just smiled slightly:

   "Relax, this was not planned-although it is a good way."

  Duke Jann narrowed his eyes:

   "But remember, you owe me once today."

  The next moment, before Thales could react, Jayne got a serious expression and stood up abruptly!

   "Why, Baron Trent?"

  The Duke of South Bank spoke loudly, attracting everyone's attention.

  Jane stepped forward, leaning on the railing on the second floor, blocking Thales from everyone's eyes.

  Baron Trent looked up in confusion.

"The land in the Emerald City is so tight, but even in the suburbs, most of the land is not used for farming-we don't produce much food," Jane said blankly, "then why, why the fields outside the Emerald City, the countryside, And the peasants and hunters on it, including the peasants in your territory, want to provide us with their crops, raw materials, and grain production? Why do they feed the growing population in the Emerald City so that we do not starve to death?"

  If I push from behind now...

   Thales stared at Jen's back in front of the railing, calculating the height of the second floor to the ground.

  But he then shook his head.

  No, no, don’t think too much.

How can it be!

   "My Lord Duke..." Facing Jain, Baron Trent seemed to be short of breath by nature, and he was interrupted before he could speak.

   "Did we force them? Or did we steal them? Or did I use my privileges, resort to traditions, brainwash them into slaves, and obediently make sacrifices for me?" Jaen's voice echoed in the hall.

  "Because the lord protects them! Lords like you and me, Lord Duke," Trent slowed down and said unconvincedly, "This is a sacred contract and tradition. It is their obligation to provide a lord to the lord..."

   "Then why, Baron Trent!"

  Jane continued coldly:

"What's the material in the coat you are wearing? The velvet? No, it doesn't matter. Why do they have such good handwork and shape, which are beautiful and convenient to keep warm? Does your manor have such craftsmanship? "

  I don't know if he didn't understand or reacted slowly, the Baron was stunned and looked at his coat.

"Oh, because it was not produced from your manor and village," Jen said suddenly, "but you bought it from the Emerald City-maybe there are a lot of things in your family, from your wife. From the fine powdered jewellery to the grape wine for your son."

"Because the Emerald City produces more things, more commodities, more resources, more tools, and in turn exchanges them for them," Zhan En coldly snorted, "They, the farmers in your territory will Take the grain produced from the land-originally only needed to be stored in a warehouse to wait for the winter-grain, walk out of the countryside to the town, participate in the market, and finally sell it to us."

   "So, the people in the Emerald City, the ‘lord’ like me, will not live on the little tax paid by a baron of you. In the end, they will starve to death, or they will raise the tax officials to force the people to rebel."

  Baron opened his mouth, but was speechless.

"We, the Emerald City not only protects them," Jann held up his hand, showing his majesty, "but also supplied them in return in exchange for their output, so that both parties can benefit from the development of the Emerald City, thus allowing the whole The South Bank has benefited.

"My father exempted them from redundant labor, and even regular military service? That way, they will have more time, more zeal, and more efficient. The output on their own land will increase year by year, and the newcomers in your territory will be With the increase, the reclamation of wasteland will become more and more, the mind will become more and more active, the variety of products will become more and more abundant, and they will be able to sell more output to cities such as the Emerald City and obtain higher and more profits. ."

   "But our tax--" The baron seemed to want to argue.

"As for allowing cash to pay taxes and rent... Yes, in the tax you receive, the physical output is less and the money is more, but it is in exchange for the cash for rent that the people on your land will change. It needs a market, it needs a transaction, it needs to exchange goods for money, and collect enough tax."

  Behind Thales, he frowned deeply when he heard this.

  Jane said something that was silent in the noisy hall. He only heard his speech:

"More and more people will go to towns with their produce, come to the Emerald City, sell grain and other goods that can sell money, in order to form a large-scale specialty product, attracting merchants from farther away, and their arrival, Can bring to the Emerald City-and even the South Bank and Star Kingdom-things that cannot be produced by itself.

"On this basis, countless grains, agricultural products, and raw materials will flow into the cities and towns to support the population, thereby driving commerce and connecting distances and nears. Only the goods carefully crafted by the craftsmen in the cities and towns can feed back to you and the people on your land. , So that you can enjoy civilized products and distant commercial products, not to nest in the castle manor, guarding ragged clothes and broken bowls, not knowing the seven seas, knowing the square, sitting on the well and watching the sky for a lifetime until old age-you still need me again Remind you, what are the raw materials for this luxurious coat, and where are they produced and made?"

  Jane scolded:

   "Baron, the reductions and exemptions you hate, the cash taxes that you are not interested in, they connect cities and villages and maintain the economic operation of the entire South Bank region. This is the meaning of these laws!"

   "But...tradition..." Trent was sweating coldly by him, but he still refused to give up, "It turned out not to be like this... when my grandfather..."

   Hearing this, Jen didn't immediately refute as before.

  He showed hesitation and embarrassment, and was silent for a while before he sighed.

  ("Fuck you can pretend."-Thales afterwards)

   "I know your difficulties, Baron, and I know your plans, but the presence of Prince Thales is not a reason for you to take the opportunity to make trouble."

  Duke Jann raised his eyes, and said coldly:

   "It's not your tool to use the power of the royal family to put pressure on you."

  As soon as this statement came out, everyone in the trial hall was stunned.

"But don't forget, Baron Trent, your ancestor four generations ago was just an ordinary villager who worked and cultivated in the territory of the Kongming Palace," the owner of the iris gradually became gentle, "Yes. , I remember your family, in fact, I know the origin and past of every vassal under my command."

  Baron Trent looked at him startled, shaking slightly,

"The Fourth Continental War gave your ancestors the opportunity to prove themselves on the battlefield. He grasped it and earned Trent’s surname and the title of lord. His descendants went further, winning the fief and the responsibility of keeping the land, and holding the title. The glory of becoming a family hereditary, and finally passed on to your generation.

"So, compared to ordinary people, Baron Trent, you have more opportunities: you were born under the care of servants and nurses, you have received an education that ordinary people cannot imagine since you were young, and you still have a large piece of land. , You have the reputation of the family, you have the savings left by your ancestors, you have the connections of several generations, and you have a castle that still has military significance."

  Jen stared at him closely, his eyes were complicated, seemingly pitiful, but also sullen.

  "You have your surname...and the privileges it represents, tax collection, conscription, trial...too many privileges, some can be seen, some can't be seen."

"But you are in such a field, financially distressed, and you have to rely on illegal means to exploit your people," he said. "It was also the decree of my father and the development of the Emerald City, which caused you to fall into disrepair. So far?"

"Do not."

  The Duke of Iris decisively:

   "The reason you are like this, Baron Trent, is because you don't want to open your eyes and accept reality in order to make a change."

  As he was talking, he suddenly stretched out his arm and gestured towards the whole hall:

  "This is the Kongming Palace of my family, but it is also the Judgment Hall of the Emerald City."

"But you, Baron, you can't live without your castle, your manor, or your housekeeper," Jayne said coldly, saying that the Baron was more arrogant, "You can't live without your status. Low, let your master’s farmers—not only because they depend on their labor and production to feed themselves, but also because you need them to be in a lower position than you, and you need someone to look at you with obedience and fear."

  "You can't do without the feeling of shouting and drinking to the people around you from childhood, you can't do without the sense of superiority that some people flatter, some flatter, some confess, some bow their heads, and some people make you arrogant."

  Zhan Enhan said:

   "This is what really hinders you from living."

  The judgment hall was extremely silent, and everyone was thinking about the words of the Duke.

  Only Thales frowned.

"But we are the kingdom of stars! We are the blood of the empire!" The baron said sadly, "My ancestors protected his people, and his people vassalized his rule. We perform our duties from the king to the people, from knights to Merchants have something for themselves, this is dominance..."

"I am also proud of my surname and blood, proud of the long history of the family," Jayne interrupted him quickly, "but I would rather keep this emotion in my heart rather than imposing it on others to intoxicate Self concealing the essence, but incurring disgust and self-willingness and depravity."

  "No matter if you are a family of four generations," the Duke of South Bank said softly, pacing to the side intentionally or unintentionally, revealing Thales, "still a descendant of the imperial family."

   Thales immediately felt a lot of eyes cast.

  Fuck it.

  "In terms of blood lineage, no one in this hall, even this palace, or this town is more noble than His Royal Highness Thales next to me. That is the star royal family who has witnessed the glory of the empire."

  Jan said, reaching out from his pocket, and flicking a silver coin downstairs, which was caught by the baron.

   "But when you take out a silver coin, you will know, even they know clearly: the king does not respect blood."

  Baron Trent looked at the silver coin, then at Thales.

  The prince pursed his mouth uncomfortably.

"The Canstar royal family abides by the law and obeys the rules. They ruled the kingdom wisely and restrained. They came here with courtesy and respect. They came to our land and our city. They never rashly intervened in the lives of their subordinates. Will rudely interfere in the internal affairs of the Emerald City, whether it is our way of governance or our actual interests, because they know their own responsibilities-but you? When you claim to resort to star orthodoxy, and thus judge Brennan What about when an official is rude?"

  The old judge coughed and sat straighter.

"The Emerald City is a city of justice and law. This is not just our boastful exaggeration," Zhan Enyang said. "The Emerald City believes in justice, believes that there is nothing for nothing, and believes that there is a reward for giving. In order to ensure this, the Emerald City also Believe in the law, believe that the rule should not be chaotic and random, and the rules should be open and clear."

"You think you are appealing to tradition, using the privileges granted to you by your identity to discipline the territory and population within your jurisdiction, but if I support your complaint and prefer you to arbitrate, that is to allow you to challenge the entire Emerald City and even the South Bank. The foundation of leadership is irresponsible."

  Jean slowed down and sighed:

"I know that the relationship between tradition and law is quite complicated, and sometimes even cause and effect each other. But one thing is that the law cannot be changed at will because of the will of the superiors, because we believe that within the range that this city can see, There are some rules that even me, the hereditary ruler surnamed Kevin Deere, cannot be broken. There are no secrets, no shady, no exceptions!"

   "Only in this way, the rules recognized and followed by everyone can in turn promote the well-being of everyone."

  The Duke came back to his senses, righteously speaking:

   "Therefore, I cannot arbitrate for you, Baron Trent."

   "I also advise you to take back the plan to force the prince to arbitrate for you in public-he has been forced to do too many things in his life, and you can't get in line."

  Tyles' face turned black.

  The Baron trembled all over and fell into his seat.

  Jean smiled slightly, and also sat back in his seat, reaping Thales’s eyes.

  One, two, three... countless applause sounded from the audience one after another, and Zhan Enqian waved his hand in response.

  咚!

   "Quiet."

  The judge blankly pulled the court order back.

   "Sorry, Judge Brennan," Jen said apologetically to the old Judge, "I'm going to act on my behalf and have taken your case astray. In fact, I should probably focus on the case itself."

   "Not only that, boy," Brennan said politely, "you also turned the occasion of the courtroom into a place where you expounded your political ideas and became popular, and even played against the royal family."

  Jane's face froze.

  Thyls frowned.

   "Therefore, this court will impose a fine of three hundred Tormond gold coins on you, Lord Jen," Judge Brennan said coldly, "Do you have any objections to this, or do you want to appeal?"

  Jen frowned fiercely.

  Wait, how much?

   Thales was taken aback.

The owner of   Iris sighed:

   "No. I respect the judge's decision."

  Brennan Inquisitor stroked his beard and nodded in satisfaction.

  "Three hundred..." With this number that would probably cause a heart attack in the logistics officer of Stuo, Thales lowered his voice and asked in surprise:

   "You just confessed to punishment like that? Do you really want to appeal, or do you care if you are too rich?"

  Jane's brows twitched imperceptibly.

   "Because I don't want to be fined more by him."

   "How do you know that you will be fined more?"

   "Experience." Jane said uncomfortably.

  Talston gloated over misfortune.

  Three hundred gold coins, haha...

   "There is," Unfortunately, the Duke's next sentence dampened Thales' interest, "I am indeed rich."

   "But other than that, I have to say..." Inquisitor Brennan's words attracted the attention of the entire courtroom.

"Although you have not invoked specific laws, Lord Jen, nor have you given practical answers, but you have stood at the height of the ruler and described the way of survival of the Emerald City for us-why pay taxes like this, Why is it exempt from labor, why the town does not have to be farmed, why the commercial goods are so circulated, and why the laws and regulations are arranged in this way? You elaborated on the whole set of operation methods of the rule and the spirit and principles behind it, and described the existence of this land. What we believe, what we strive to achieve."

  The judge was a little sigh:

"In the imperial era, there was a scholar who said: Tradition creates law, and law responds to tradition. This alone is better than many. I studied law at Long Kiss Academy but became a master of law. I only knew about the law based on the text and the law of death. , But completely ignored the spirit of the ensuing, ignoring the foundation of our legislation and law enforcement, colleagues who know what is happening and don’t know why.”

  Tyers looked at Jayne's gaze becoming strange.

   "You have a good reputation, Inquisitor Brennan."

  Jean stood up and bowed in due course:

"When my father was there, he often mentioned your knowledge and conduct to me, and appreciated your experience and professionalism. You set the rules for everyone in the Emerald City and even the South Bank, and pointed out the direction. Compared to me, the Duke of Rouch, you are The gem of the Emerald City."

  Brennan nodded, obviously very useful.

"I will fine you a hundred gold coins," but the judge's next words were not so friendly, "because you are in the court, using the sacred duty of aristocratic arbitration, to flatter the judge and engage in ties. "

  Jane's smile froze.

   Thales suddenly felt that the inquisitor was pleasing to the eye.

"Baron Trent, Slimani's defender, and this village chief of Molina," the judge returned to his current appearance, "because of the special request of the baron, we have gone through this process twice. So I believe you should have no more evidence and arguments, so this case will be judged at an alternative date. Of course, Lord Baron, you are a noble, so you can also exercise the right of noble review and appeal three times-but that is the last time. ."

  He took off his glasses:

"Before that, I suggest that you hire a defender. Their guild is in the glorious area. They always come from the castle farther than you. They shout loudly in front of His Royal Highness in the Kongming Palace. Good."

  Baron Trent trembled:

  "Hire a defender, and it will cost you money?"

   "Yes, it costs money again," Inquisitor Brennan sighed, "but it can be less troublesome."

  He knocked the hammer: "Close the court."

  There was a lot of discussion in the trial hall again.

"But sir, sir," the village chief's voice tremblingly sounded, "our food is still being held, if he complains again, and drags it...missing the market, it will be winter in a few months. We can't hold on..."

  The Slimani defender next to him stretched out his hand and tugged at him, preventing the village chief from continuing.

"I sympathize with you, the head of Molina, but now that you have accepted the advice of the backer and appealed the matter, you should have anticipated the risks involved," Brennan looked at Srimani. Looking at the auditorium in the rear again, his eyes were ill-adjusted, "And you may want to think about it: Those who sponsor you in court, what they care about, is really your food and your interests-or once dragged into the long trial After the process, what can they get from a group of desperate people and a piece of land that is declining?"

  These words made Thales' eyes move.

  The head of the village was ignorant, but was quickly left by Srimanila.

  Inquisitor Brennan seemed hesitant, but he turned around again and sighed to the whole hall:

   "To be honest, as a judge, I am not happy to see this trial."

"As a judge, I should try to bridge justice, restrain the strong, and protect the weak. But the fact is that the real strong in this trial hid in the dark and continued to benefit, while both parties on the bright side lost. heavy."

  Tyles and Jane looked at each other.

  The old judge looked at the baron and village chief on both sides:

  "But since the rules are like this...I'm sorry for one more sentence: laws and regulations are just dead words, and what flows outside the words is the real power, and if you continue to be confined to the former and ignore the latter..."

  Inquisitor Brennan sighed and said nothing.

On the seat of   , Jane frowned, and he recruited his subordinates:

  "Order to go down and allocate a portion of this year’s disaster relief funds to make up for the difference in the price of grain sold by the farmers."

  He has a cold look:

  "Also bring a message to the Food Merchants Association: I am watching."

  Thyls, who was lost in thought, snorted: "Unexpectedly."

  Jen glanced at him.

  咚.

   "The next case, No. 680-10-0882," Judge Brennan put on his glasses again, "Three merchants of the Wool Guild, v. Lord Bedren for breach of debt..."

   Halfway through his words, he looked to the second floor:

   "Why are you still here? Two dukes?"

Ah?

  Tels and Jane were taken aback.

  "Don’t you know that the arrival of big people will seriously divert people’s attention, divide my authority, and affect the work of the court?"

  Brennan has a bad tone:

   "Still feel that the fine is not enough?"

   In the next second, Thales and Jane bounced from their seats with a loud sound and disappeared in front of everyone.

  Tyles and Jane both walked out of the trial hall.

   "Very good, at least we know now," Jen said with a cold smile, "This trial is just a brainless nobleman who is rushing to the doctor."

  He glanced at Thales:

  "It is not a tool for someone to reach out to the Emerald City."

   Thales frowned: Is this the beginning of the act?

  Jean, who came back to the public again, was indifferent to Thales, and left without even a few words of greeting. Ashford bowed to Thales and left with his master with a smile.

  And Thales looked at Jayne’s back, looked at the location of the trial hall, and finally looked at the Kongming Palace built on Ancestral Rock, lost in thought.

   "My heart is cumbersome." He said quietly.

  Having been waiting for Miranda at the door to come to Thales, she slapped her chin to Jan Ennu who had left:

   "He still won't wait to see you?"

   Thales shook his head, but his expression became solemn.

   "Mira, do you know why, after the Exterians in the Scarlet Years invaded the stars, they couldn't stay and continue to occupy the northern territory?"

  Miranda was taken aback.

   "The people of the north are Jiumu Wang Tong," the fortress's sword of Neverwinter responded extremely quickly, "also respects the rule of the winter castle, constant resistance, endless uprising."

   Thales laughed.

   "This is of course one of the reasons."

"But when I was in class before, there was another saying that the Exeters were inadequate in governance and management. They could only take care of the one-third acre of land in their family. It's hard to care about when it's far away, and when it's mixed, it will lose sight of the other."

   Miranda's eyes moved.

"So once there is no army to suppress it, the people will either be angry with the people and the officials will force the people to rebel, or the business will be dismal and withdrawn. In short, the rule of the Exeters has its limits-they cannot understand, let alone adapt to the stars and have become accustomed to it. Rule and way of life."

  The limits of rule.

  Tels said silently, and at the same time remembered the long-lost classmate in Longxiaocheng.

   "Your Highness, what do you mean?" Miranda asked carefully.

  Tyles exhaled and smiled wryly.

   "My father has favored the Emerald City for a long time, so we came here from the capital. But look around, Mila, look around."

  Tyles turned around, glanced across the ancestor rock of the Kevin Deere family, and across the courtroom where the hammer was still heard. Miranda turned around with him suspiciously.

  Finally, they faced the direction of Emerald City and felt the hustle and bustle outside Kongming Palace.

  He spoke calmly:

   "Now, we are Exeters."

  Looking at the worried prince, Miranda was suddenly stunned.

  　 The main bibliography of this chapter:

  　　Mark Bloch, "Feudal Society"

  　　 Bloch, M., Manyon, L.A., & Koziol, G. (2014). Feudalsociety. Routledge.

  　　 Henry Pirena "Medieval City"

  　　Pirenne, H.(2014).Medievalcities.PrincetonUniversityPress.

  　　 J.W. Thompson (also translated as Thompson) "Medieval Economic and Social History"

  　　 Thompson, J.W. (1928). Economic and social history of the Middle Ages. The Century Co.

  　　 J.W. Thompson, "The Economic and Social History of Europe in the Late Middle Ages"

  　　Thompson, J.W.(1960).EconomicandsocialhistoryofEuropeinthelaterMiddleAges(1300-1530).Burns&Oates.

  　　 (I can’t hold it recently, my biological clock is messed up, I will probably take a break tomorrow)

  (End of this chapter)