Kingdom’s Bloodline

  In Kongming Palace, in Zhan En's room, Thales sat in the main hall, silent.

   "The Doyle family, have you finished checking the meals?"

  Jen En's voice sounded coldly, without concealing his disgust and impatience:

   "I don't know if there is poison in it? Is there a note with a message in it?"

  Behind Zhan En, D.D in the side hall opposite held the cutlery in his hand and pulled his face from the dinner plates on the table.

   "Huh? Oh — soon, soon."

  Doyle's mouth was full of greasy. Hearing the words, he gave Zhann a vicious look, then scooped up a large spoonful of mashed potatoes from the messy dinner plate, and bit into his mouth, as if he wanted to crush even a spoon:

"Please wait a little longer, after all, you are the Grand Duke, you are a big man! Your status is noble and important, what will happen, hey, I am from a small Jinghe family and I can't afford it—how about you play with me first?" Little Muppet Bear, so as not to be bored?"

  Jen turned his head to look at the puppet bear on the dining table, and pursed his lips in disgust.

  He suppressed the burning sensation in his stomach, and looked at the clock again:

   It's been an hour since the meal time.

  Over there, D.D ate another mouthful of roast pork, and did not forget to let out a sound of admiration.

  The Duke of South Bank finally couldn't bear it anymore:

   "Is this how you inspect meals for your Highness?"

   "Hey, you're right!"

D.D took a bite from left to right, and did not forget to feed the little bear on the table ("Why are you so picky eaters, no wonder you can't grow up! Tsk tsk, you don't want to try it first, how will the Duke eat it? Be good, open your mouth, ah Ahhh..."):

   "I was like that at the beginning—ahem, I'm sorry, it's almost over."

  Under Thales' unexpected and sudden eye attack, D.D paused halfway through his speech.

  Doyle bowed his head obediently, put down his—Jenn's to be precise—meal, and hid in the distance.

  Jen and Thales looked at each other, and the atmosphere in the room suddenly changed, falling into a suffocating silence.

"that's too regretful."

  Jen En sighed lightly.

   "You must know that my father and I depended on him very much-Lord Brennan passed away, and the emerald city's loss cannot be filled."

  Thales sat comfortably and did not answer. The wine glass full of wine was placed by his hand, but he did not take a sip.

   "Promise me, catch the murderer and bring justice to justice."

   "Of course," Thales said softly, "if I can wait until that day."

  Jen nodded.

   "What happened to the Emerald City?"

   "It's getting worse."

  Thales raised his head, his eyes were indifferent:

   "More than a dozen large business groups have united to ask me to see me and ask me to take measures - market disorder and price instability have begun to affect their income and future plans.

"The Emerald Legion paid their salaries in time, so it was stable anyway, but another group of officials from the Construction and Construction Bureau who received the wind and knew that they might be owed wages were very dissatisfied. Some people planned to make a big news during the celebration—but they were discovered in time. Now Still negotiating."

   "Oh?" Zhan En gracefully picked up a glass of wine to satisfy his hunger.

  "Accidents happened again in the blood bottle gang, the gangs broke out, the streets were chaotic, and it gradually began to affect ordinary citizens, and the legend of the water ghoul spread again...

"In addition, the morale of the trial hall is low, the recent backlog of security cases is too much, and the prison is almost full. There can only be a dozen prisoners in one room. The security department complains once an hour, saying that it is about to become a gang branch. And their restraint effect is also limited.

   "The head of the Construction and Construction Agency fell ill by coincidence, the deputy couldn't make up his mind, and the order to cut expenditures and reduce government was delayed, and once I got angry and wanted to replace the candidate..."

  Thales snorted coldly:

   "As for the Financial Secretary and the City Hall, they are still arguing until now. It seems that as long as they shrink their heads and kick the ball to others, and throw the responsibility to other departments, the matter will be passed and the problem will be solved by itself."

   Regardless of the torrential flood outside, one day it will drown itself.

   Thales thought so, in a bad mood.

   After listening to such a long list, Zhan En nodded slightly, and then laughed out loud.

   "That's a bunch of jerks, right."

  Thales looked at him.

  I saw Zhan En shaking his wine glass, full of emotion:

  “At the beginning, they obeyed orders and seemed loyal, which satisfied you as the master, thinking that they could perform their duties and help you rule smoothly.

"But soon, you will find that they will go wrong in almost every link that may go wrong-the smallest details-whether it is intentional or unintentional, or self-interested, or taking advantage of the trend, just like moths always Can find gaps and hollows in buildings and build nests.”

  Jen En's eyes tightened:

  “As time goes by, it will be mottled from top to bottom, full of flaws and loopholes everywhere, and you can only repair it with all your strength, and paste everything and paste everything.

   "Even, in many cases, you can only be led by the nose by their pretending to be crazy and cunning, even if you know it, you can't attack.

"In the end, you find that even if you sit at the highest place, you can only follow the system, the operating principle and general direction of this machine, try your best to benefit from it, try to use the part that is still usable, make the best use of the situation, follow the trend, but can't return sky."

   After Zhan En finished speaking, he was silent for a long time, and looked at Thales.

  But the prince just looked at him quietly and didn't answer.

  Jen En lowered his head, thought for a while, and then sighed suddenly, as if he had made a decision.

"Forget it, I'll write a letter now," the Duke put down his wine glass, walked to the desk and sat down, picked up a pen, "You take it to the Poppon family who are in the funeral business, they owe Kevin Dill After seeing the letter, I will give you 10,000 gold coins, of course, if you are charismatic enough, you may be able to get more."

  Thales' eyes moved.

"Why."

"Please use this money to burial Lord Brennan, and make sure that he can rest in peace after his death, so as to reassure the hearts of the Emerald City." Zhan En didn't lift his head, but just wrote quickly, "You can use the rest to make up for the financial deficit , temporarily difficult."

   Speaking of this, Zhan En's eyes moved:

   "Also, get rid of that Lausanne II, I don't want to see him killing people on my territory again, lawless."

  Thales picked up an untouched wine glass and stroked it lightly, but his eyes were locked on the other party.

   "But if I don't bring your letter and ask them for money, or even borrow money," he sarcastically said, "I can't even beg for a copper coin, right?"

   "That's not necessarily true." Zhan En didn't raise his head, neither in a hurry nor annoyed, "Maybe they will agree if you show off the ancient empire sword that Old Bones of the West Wilderness gave you?"

  Thales sneered and laughed.

"Huge debts, a declining market, disorderly prices, bad law and order, bureaucrats who are obedient and vicious, and the emerald city in chaos," Thales counted one thing, with a sharp tone, "Ten thousand gold coins can What's the matter?"

   "That's your problem," Zhan En kept writing, but turned his attention to the guests, "Thals Regency?"

  Thales just played with the wine glass and remained silent.

   "As the lord of the city, do you really understand Brennan?"

  Jen En frowned slightly.

  Thales recalled the suicide note, feeling a little emotional:

   "His last wish is to have a light burial, without leaving a tombstone or words. The simpler the better, even the ashes will be thrown into the sea."

  Jen En stopped writing.

   "So that's how it is, thin burial, frugal."

  He put down his pen, frowned and looked at his half-written letter, his eyes fixed on the phrase 'decent burial'.

   A few seconds later, Zhan En sighed, picked up the pen again, and continued writing.

   "It doesn't matter, I will still write this letter, and you can still use it to get money. Even if there is no funeral, Brennan died unexpectedly, and people are in panic. Whether it is the trial hall or the entire officialdom of Emerald City, you need to appease."

  Telspi laughed but didn't laugh:

   "So, if a few more people die, the debt of Emerald City will be settled?"

  Jan En hummed and shook his head: .

   "I'm sure you know who killed Brennan, and who is eager to help and use you as a puppet."

   "Brennan committed suicide."

  Thales' words made Zhan En's pen tremble.

   "In his study, drinking poisoned wine."

   "Didn't he be killed? Or was he forced to commit suicide?" The Duke of South Bank frowned suspiciously.

   "He also left a suicide note," Thales ignored the other party's doubts, "a suicide note full of remorse and pain, condemned by conscience, admitting that the judgment was wrong."

  The prince raised his head at this point, his eyes were like knives, and he looked straight at the Duke:

   "Including the files and evidence of the assassination of the old Duke."

  Zhan En looked as usual, started writing again, and wrote and signed.

  But Thales kept staring at him with burning eyes.

   "Jen, tell me now, what happened back then," he said softly, but with great strength, "Before I have to investigate and the truth comes out?"

  Jen was silent for a while.

   "Then what are you waiting for?"

  His attitude cooled down, uncompromising:

   "Get to the bottom of it, complete the arbitration, and arrest me—a real prison, I heard that the inside of the Prison of Bones is quite grand..."

  Thales smiled.

   "It's come to this point, you still bite the bullet, it seems that this is the crux of the problem."

"And you bite to death on this issue until you bite through and crush it, dig out the so-called truth you want, and then?" Zhan En at the desk suddenly raised his head, "Let me be destroyed with the Emerald City? So that you Come back from the ruins and achieve the great cause of the emperor?"

   After saying this, both of them were quiet for a while.

  Thales looked at the wine glass, preoccupied.

  Jen En looked at the tip of the pen, his eyes fixed.

   "You can keep the Emerald Legion."

  Jen En came back to his senses and couldn't help wondering:

"What?"

  Thales took a deep breath and put down his glass heavily.

   "I said, you don't have to surrender military power to the royal family—of course, you still have to give up the right to conscript conscripts, but anyway, the conscription system on the South Bank exists in name only, so you don't have much to lose."

  Jen En frowned, and said tentatively:

"uh-huh?"

   "Eternal Star City will not intervene in the appointment and removal of bureaucrats, at least not too much. Of course, as far as this mess is concerned, their intervention will also add to the chaos."

"that's all?"

   "Other conditions remain the same—I can ask Federico to stay away from you, and stop staying in South Bank to cause trouble for you."

  Thales finished talking about the conditions calmly, and looked at Zhan En.

  The Duke was silent for a long time, his eyebrows trembling slightly.

  Finally, he exhaled a breath and said solemnly:

   "Fad, he won't give up willingly."

  Thales raised his eyebrows.

   "Then he has to pass me first."

  Jen En snorted softly, and pondered for a moment:

   "What about taxes?"

  Thales sighed inwardly.

  Damn it.

  Can he not be so sensitive to digital accounts?

   "The officials under Master Joke Mann are very professional," Thales said bravely, "I believe they will work with your staff to discuss a set of fairness and efficiency that is in line with the interests of multiple parties..."

   Sure enough, before he finished speaking, Zhan En sneered.

   "You know it's not what I want."

   "But you know this is what he wants," Thales emphasized, "A deal?"

  Jane stared at him tightly.

   "Wait a few more days and come back," he said, which disappointed Thales. "Maybe at that time, because of the changes in Emerald City, you will give a better proposal?"

  Thales' expression turned cold.

   "Jane," the prince leaned back, "my patience has a limit."

   "Coincidentally, so is the Emerald City."

   Negotiations break down.

  Thales looked at Zhan En with firm eyes, and heaved a long sigh in his heart.

  The room was quiet again, only the rustling of Zhan En's letter was heard for a moment.

   "Brennan didn't deserve to die like this." After a long silence, Thales suddenly spoke.

  Jane has a meal:

   "It really shouldn't be."

   "He is a good man, a good husband, and a good father." Thales thought of the other party's suicide note, and was a little lost in thought.

   "Also a good judge." Jann added.

   "He shouldn't have died from meaningless political turmoil and official turmoil." Thales shook his head with emotion.

   "Otherwise, politics itself is meaning," Zhan En didn't lift his head, "Whether it's competition or unity, it's just a process."

  Thales shook his head, disapproving.

"This is the price you have to pay for bringing together a large group of people with different thoughts and incompatible ideas to move towards the same destination," Zhan En continued, "helpless, ruthless, powerless, and meaningless. "

  Jen held up the melted wax and looked at the prince:

   "But necessary and realistic."

  After speaking, the Duke lowered his head and put the letter in an envelope.

  Thales frowned deeply.

  Necessary and realistic?

   Unknowingly, the sense of oppression and urgency that can only be felt in the Fuxing Palace reappeared in him.

   "I'd like to give Hilley my seat."

   "That's more—what do you think?"

  Zhan En was taking care of the envelope, his expression changed when he heard the words, and he suddenly looked up!

  Thales took a deep breath, feeling like he just broke something in this room.

"I said that I have to manage the city and investigate and arbitrate. I really have no skills at all," the prince said solemnly, like a diplomat, "so I decided to let Miss Cecilia participate in political affairs, maybe go a step further. , to take over as the city lord—after all, Emerald City has been surnamed Kevin Dill for generations, so I shouldn’t overstep my role because of reason and reason.”

  The more Zhan En listened, the worse his expression became.

   "Then you made my safety a condition," he said coldly, "leaving her with the unsustainable problem of the Emerald City?"

  Thales shrugged, noncommittal.

"Then she will come to me and force me to give in," Zhan En continued with a sneer, "or even worse, she will bite the bullet and hit her head with her own strength, even if she wants to dance. "

   "Maybe." Thales thought of Xi Lai's appearance, and his heart sank.

  The two were silent for a while.

   "It must be his idea, right?"

   Zhan En's tone was cold, and he didn't say his name, but both of them knew who "he" was referring to.

   "This is just a proposal, I'm still considering it," Thales looked at the other party, emphasizing the second half of the sentence, "You know, weigh the pros and cons."

  Jen raised his eyes and breathed faster.

   "I want to see Hillary, now."

  The other party's performance moved Thales' heart.

   "Your Excellency, as far as I know, you are under arbitration investigation," he said in a businesslike tone, "To avoid suspicion, no outsiders are seen."

  Jen frowned.

"real?"

  He was half asking rhetorically, half threatening.

   "Yes. And Emerald City is busy saving itself and stabilizing order," Thales raised his eyebrows, "You understand."

  The light in Zhan En's eyes flashed away.

  He sneered.

   "I thought you were smart, Thales."

   "Oh, what do you say?"

  Jen En picked up the pen again, fell silent for a while, and continued writing.

   "When I was a child, Fei De smashed a precious ancient prophecy and blamed it on the young Xi Lai, and then he stood by and watched to see if I would stand up and take responsibility for her..."

  Thales' expression changed slightly.

"If I admit my fault, it is because I acted frivolously and ruined the family property; if I allow Shire to be punished, it is my elder brother's guardianship; if I plead that Federico did it, it is my elder brother's weakness and blame. Younger brother..."

  Jen En's eyes sharpened:

   "And no matter which step I take, the whole family will be disappointed in their eldest son."

  After listening to this version of the story, Thales thought for a long time.

   "You are like a chess piece now, Thales, you can go as he wants you to do."

   "But you didn't realize it," Jan En sarcastically said, "According to Federico's chess strategy, no matter how you move, you will lose."

  Thales nodded silently after listening.

"You and Federico, and maybe Hilley, probably don't have 'retreat' and 'concession' in your Kevin Dill dictionary," he sighed softly, "or, you think these words can only In other people's dictionaries, right?"

  Jen En snorted coldly.

   "You promised me, Thales," the Duke stared at Thales closely, "No matter how ugly things develop, Hilley will never be involved."

  Thales' eyes darkened.

   "Then consider my proposal," the prince said softly, "just as I am also considering his proposal."

  Jen was silent for a long time.

   "I thought you were a good person before," Zhan En said blankly, "It seems that I was wrong about this too."

  Thales shrugged.

"If I want to bring together a large group—or just two people who have different ideas and are incompatible with each other, to move towards the same destination," Thales shot back, "then maybe I have to pay the price? "

   "Reality," the prince stood up, ready to leave, "it is also necessary."

  Jane did not speak, but took up the wax step by step, poured the envelope, and began to stamp.

  Thales no longer delayed, turned around and walked.

  Not much to gain here.

  Or, the harvest is enough?

   "I want him dead."

  Thales paused.

  He turned around:

"What?"

  I saw Zhan En put down the wax, his eyes were cold, and his whole body was fierce.

   "All the above conditions are included, Emerald Legion, personnel appointment and dismissal, taxation..." He almost bit his words, "But I want to add one more point."

  Jen En raised his head suddenly, his eyes were as sharp as a sword:

   "Federico, must-must-die."

  Thales was taken aback when he heard the words, and then frowned deeply.

   Maybe he's wrong.

  He looked at Jen En:

  Maybe the harvest is more than expected.

  The prince took a deep breath and tried to bargain:

   "Exile?"

  Jane didn't answer.

   "The Prison of Bones?"

  Zhan En didn't change his face, but just stared at him wholeheartedly, his eyes were disturbing.

   "It's really not possible..."

   "It's okay, you can think about it slowly," Zhan En interrupted him, unquestionably, "If it doesn't work, you can still write to the Fuxing Palace and ask His Majesty what to say."

  Thales frowned.

   "But the Emerald City can't wait..."

"This is what was agreed just now. The letter to the Popon family should be delivered directly to Mrs. Tuolier," Zhan En interrupted him with a cold snort. "They don't have much cash, and thirty thousand is the limit. Of course, if you dare to pay less than 30,000, you just lead your troops to copy them, not only do I have no objection, I will even help you find a reason afterwards."

  The Duke of South Bank stood up and picked up two envelopes from the desk. The paint print of irises on them was very conspicuous.

"But for the second letter, show it to the three major guilds in the textile industry, wine industry, and building materials industry, as well as a few business groups. You can get 100,000 yuan, or a promise to let them cut their meat to stabilize the market and the market. You are in a hurry."

  Thales' eyelids twitched.

"only these?"

  Although he said so, Thales looked at Zhan En in surprise.

that's all?

  Two letters, 130,000...

   One-tenth of the debt…

It's that simple?

   "This is my sincerity, and it may help you figure out what to do next."

  Jane walked up to him and handed out the envelope with sharp eyes.

   "If it is less than one hundred thousand?"

   "Then you just bring your soldiers back and copy me." Zhan En didn't change his face.

  Thales hesitated for a moment.

   A few seconds later, he finished his consideration and made up his mind to reach out to get the letter, but Zhan En suddenly pulled his hand and retracted the envelope!

   "And I hope that when you come back next time, you can also be sincere." He stared at Thales firmly.

  Thales swallowed his throat.

   Well, the choice is tough though.

   But not for nothing.

  Thales exchanged glances with the other party, and the next second, the prince took the two letters away.

   "It should be said that you love your sister too much," Thales stuffed the letter into his arms, rolling his eyes, "Or do you hate your brother too much?"

  Jane smiled hypocritically.

   "Anyway," he turned around and walked towards the window sill, "Don't let Fede kill people in my city again, Thales."

  His eyes are fixed:

   "Don't let him manipulate you anymore, and don't give him more chips."

  Thales walked to the door thoughtfully.

   "But if he dies, the arbitration will disappear, and the old case will never be resolved again," Thales said slowly, "I will lose the means to restrain you, right?"

  Jen En raised his eyes and looked at the Emerald City outside the window.

   "Maybe when the time comes, you will be the one with the bargaining chip and the one who can control me?" The prince said softly, "By the way—you can eat now."

   There was silence in the room for a while, and Zhan En didn't go to eat.

   "You should think from another angle, Thales."

  Jen had a strange expression.

   "If you insist on losing both sides, then when you go back to the capital..."

  The Duke of South Bank turned his head, his gaze was thought-provoking:

   "Who will pick you up?"