Chapter 302 Areyoukidding?
Thank you very much to Qidian Dad [Idle Jiu, Qidian Reading iOS] for the 100 reward to [Denise]!
Thank you very much for the 500 reward from Qidian’s dad [Zhujingyouyun]!
......
Raven's army has set off, but Blue Castle, the capital of the Principality of Eivor, is still full of singing and dancing.
This city with a population of more than 700,000 is located in the vast plains in the north-central part of the Principality of Eivor, spanning both sides of the Hailan River.
During construction, it used the unique local "fluorite", which makes the city wall appear as deep blue as the sea in a dream.
This is also the origin of the name "Blue Castle".
As the art capital among the Feton city-states, Blue Castle not only has the only officially run bard college on the Middles continent, but the urban construction is also full of beauty.
Here, art is the most ubiquitous thing.
Fountains, statues, graffiti, and various reliefs are engraved on the walls of street shops.
Even street lamps and drainage ditches have to be decorated a little.
The bright moon is accompanied by the ditch, and the roast chicken and swans fly together.
Originally, although Blue Castle is also very artistic, it is not so exaggerated.
Things started after Eivor VIII came to power.
This heir from a branch of Eivor's family has been addicted to artistic creation since he was a child. After becoming the Grand Duke, he required that all buildings in Blue Castle must be "artistic."
He wants to live in a world like a work of art.
In order to carry out his plan, he did not hesitate to issue a decree to impose an "ugly tax" on all buildings that did not meet the standards. The amount was enough to bankrupt anyone.
How can we achieve the standard?
Of course, it must be approved by Count Quentin, the marshal of the principality and the brother-in-law of the Grand Duke - and if you want to be recognized, you will naturally have to pay a price.
Although the law was eventually withdrawn, many people still lost a lot of money and their families were ruined.
Everyone who passes the certification will be marked with a bunch of vanilla at the door.
This is also the origin of the name "Grand Duke of Vanilla".
Even so, Eivor VIII was still not satisfied - if Prime Minister Gatugen hadn't been suppressing him, he would have even planned to make the city walls hollow.
The palace where the Grand Duke lives is called "Whisa Palace", located in the east of the city, on the upper reaches of the Hailan River.
At this time, Eivor VIII was standing upright in the garden.
He is tall and tall, has a thin face, pale skin, and is extremely clean shaven. At first glance, he looks to be in his early 30s, and he can be considered a classically handsome man.
Wearing a wide-brim soft hat common among minstrels, her light red hair is spread over her shoulders. She is wearing a green banquet robe dotted with red flowers. The collar is wide open, revealing a loose white cotton shirt. .
The straight legs are wrapped in tight white stockings and high heels, completely revealing her figure.
Across from him, there was a painter tracing his figure.
"Your Highness." A palace attendant hurried over, stood aside and saluted: "Your Majesty, Prime Minister, please see me."
Eivor VIII frowned slightly, showing a bit of impatience: "Then Just let him wait a little longer.”
As an artist, Eivor VIII has received professional vocal training, and his voice is soft and beautiful.
"This..." The waiter hesitated, but still said: "...The Prime Minister said that if you don't go to see him, then he will come to you."
"Damn it. ." Eivor VIII muttered, took off his hat and threw it on the ground, then turned to the painter and said: "Oh, don't worry, I'm not talking about you, you leave first, we will continue tomorrow."
As he said that, he pulled off his robe and threw it on the ground. Then he stretched out his hand and magic spells outlined runes in the air, and the robe that was originally hung on the railing not far away flew into his hands.
Yes, Eivor VIII is a magician, and a second-level magician.
Unfortunately, he has no pursuit of magic, and he only learns magic to better complete his artistic creation.
After changing into formal attire under the service of the waiter, Eivor VIII asked: "What's going on with Gatugen?"
The waiter whispered: "Your Highness, the Prime Minister is here Why are you talking to servants like us?”
"Trash..." Eivor VIII scolded in a low voice.
He really didn’t want to see the Prime Minister.
Although he didn't want to admit it, he was actually a little afraid of Gatugen.
Gatugen has been the Prime Minister of the Principality since he succeeded to the throne 13 years ago. At that time, Gatugen hoped that Eivor VIII would become a British master.
Eivor VIII is also willing to cooperate.
Therefore, the two had a honeymoon period that lasted for two years. During that time, the principality and the court were harmonious, and the monarch and his ministers were in harmony with each other. It was a harmonious scene.
Gatugen also began to be willing to slowly return power to Eivor VIII.
But as time goes by, Eivor VIII’s true nature is gradually exposed.
Until the "Grand Duke of Vanilla" incident, the original harmonious situation disappeared.
Now that I think of that incident, Eivor VIII still feels itching with hatred——
Yes, I may have gone too far at that time, but I am the head of the principality, His Highness the Grand Duke!
Gatugen is just a courtier, a landless palace noble!
He, Gatu Gen, actually threatened to dissolve the cabinet and asked Eivor VIII to take back his life.
What’s even more hateful is that Eivor VIII found that he really couldn’t manage the principality without Gatugen.
So he had to swallow his breath, withdraw his order, and personally invite Gatugen back.
Then it entered an 11-year tug-of-war between monarch and ministers.
Eivor VIII has been trying to pack his own people into the cabinet, and Gatugen is trying to avoid it.
Since the death of the previous Finance Minister 4 months ago, this vacant position has become the focus of the struggle between the monarch and his ministers, and everyone wants to fill it.
However, the candidate for Eivor VIII was caught and he had to banish him.
So Eivor VIII exercised his capricious power as a monarch and refused to approve the appointment of the new Minister of Finance. He also tried his best to avoid meeting Gatugen.
"Aren't you Gatugen capable? You can also shoulder the burden of the Minister of Finance!"
But this kind of talk is just a private conversation. No matter how willful you are, as the Grand Duke, you have to go and see him. His own Prime Minister.
Going through the garden and arriving at the conference room, Gatuggen was already waiting here.
As a veteran who served as prime minister during the last Grand Duke period, Gatugen was not arrogant at all. Although he was over 50 years old, he still stood and waited in the conference room.
By the standards of a civil servant, his figure is considered strong. Even if he is shrouded in robes, he still gives people a strong feeling.
In fact, Gatugen was indeed a warrior.
As the heir of a knight family, when he was young, he was spotted by the former Grand Duke due to his meritorious service in fighting against the horse thieves in the Bloody Highlands. From a relatively humble background, he climbed all the way to the high position of Prime Minister of the Principality.
Seeing the arrival of Eivor VIII, Gatugen immediately stepped forward and saluted: "Your Highness!"
Gatugen had six fingers on his left hand.
It is not like ordinary people with extra fingers, which have an extra growth from the knuckle, but actually have six metacarpal bones and phalanges.
This also makes his left hand look much wider than ordinary people. Every time he saw this palm, Eivor VIII would instinctively feel disgusted. He frowned slightly and then relaxed: "No need to be polite, Prime Minister, please sit down."
"Today is a day off, why are you so anxious to come here?" "What's the matter?"
Gatugen held out a document with both hands: "Your Highness, urgent military information."
The document was handed over to Eivor VIII through the palace chamberlain. After taking it and taking a closer look, his brows became tighter and tighter.
He knew all the words written on it, but when they were read together, it was a bit strange.
In this document, the focus is Raven Ota Griffith.
Eivor VIII has also heard of the name Raven.
After all, the Angel Tears he drinks every day, the Angel Embrace he uses for washing, and the Angel Gift he uses more than ten times a day were all invented by Raven.
But just such a person, a small baron, wants to raise an army to attack the Principality of Eivor?
Is he dreaming or am I dreaming?
I didn’t eat fairy mushrooms this morning.
“Is this the emergency military situation you are talking about?” Eivor VIII looked very strange: “Are you sure there is nothing wrong with it?”
Gatu Gen said: “Yes, Your Highness."
Looked at Gatugen, then at the document in his hand, and even turned to the back to see if he had missed anything.
After confirming that there was nothing missing, Eivor VIII asked: "Okay, then I would like to ask..."
"Who is Raven?"
Gatugen said: " I have written the content on the document. He is a descendant of the Griffith family with a millennium heritage, Baron of the Cairns Empire, and the leader..."
Before he finished speaking, Eivor VIII raised his hand to interrupt him: "I'm sure my eyes can see clearly, and I have read everything on the document."
"What I mean is that he, a baron, suddenly lost his mind and came to attack my country. Can this be regarded as important military intelligence?"
"Has the wall of sighing collapsed?"
"Or maybe there is something wrong with my common sense. This baron has hundreds of thousands of troops under his command?"
"Areyoukidding?"< br>
Gatugen's expression did not change. He had already anticipated Eivor VIII's reaction.
After all, even he himself couldn't believe it when he first received the news. He dared to report it after verifying it with many parties.
"I'm not kidding, Your Highness."
"This matter may seem absurd, but it is probably a cover-up trick used by the Keynes Empire to make us relax our vigilance."
These words Let Eivor VIII calm down slightly.
A conspiracy by Keynesian empire to paralyze me? Is this really the case?
However, the Cairns Empire is fighting with the Insa people on their northeastern border, and is retreating steadily. It is already somewhat unable to cope. How can there be spare power to open a second battlefield?
Gatugen came prepared, and before Eivor VIII could ask, he said:
“Although the Cairns Empire has retreated again and again on the frontal battlefield, the northeastern provinces are not the core of their territory. Even if they are all beaten to pieces, as long as the city of Makik is not lost, it will not be a serious injury."
"But the Langqing Province, which is adjacent to our Principality of Eivor, is the financial center of Insa. , it’s Insa on the mainland It is the only ice-free port in the west and is very close to its capital. Its strategic value is more important than the northeastern provinces of Cairns."
"Once we are defeated, we can directly threaten Insa's core interests. Fight for the possibility of peace talks in the Northeast battlefield.”
“That’s why I think Raven’s high-profile troop dispatch is a way for the Keynes Empire to paralyze us!”
These words were so sensible that Eivor VIII didn’t know how to refute them.
But he still instinctively felt that something was wrong, but he couldn't figure it out in a hurry.
Gatugen was not prepared to give Eivor VIII time to think:
“Your Highness, I also know that this matter is incredible.”
“But one Baron, it is impossible to have the guts to do such a thing. Even if it is not what I guessed, there must be a huge conspiracy behind it.”
"Keynes is the most powerful empire after all, and we must deal with it carefully."
"Therefore, I suggest adding more troops to the Wall of Sighs immediately to prepare for any eventuality."
Eivor When Eighth Master was about to agree, his eyes caught sight of the six fingers on Gatuggen's hand, and he was immediately excited.
He realized what he had overlooked.
Obviously the focus of the recent dispute between the two is the appointment of the Minister of Finance, and once the war starts, the position of the Minister of Finance will not remain vacant.
But Gatugen obviously thought of everything, why didn't he mention this?
“War is not a child’s play, it must be dealt with with caution.” Eivor VIII said solemnly:
“But our great Principality of Eivor, if because of a little baron Such arrogance is like facing a formidable enemy. It is not only disrespectful to the country, but also ridiculous.”
Gatu Gen also wanted to persuade: "But Your Highness, if there is really any conspiracy here, it may be too late for us to react."
Seeing Ga Tugen's impatience, Ivo I felt quite proud. He felt that he had seen through Gatugen's intentions, and he became more calm:
"Prime Minister, don't worry. I'm not saying that we won't respond to this war."
"Didn't your document also say that Raven has assembled more than 40,000 troops, and the march will take a long time. Time."
"What I mean is, send people out to investigate first, and then no more. It’s not too late for us to take action when the information is sufficient.”
“Sigh, the high wall is not made of clay after all.”
He said without waiting. Tugen continued to argue, Eivor VIII stood up and walked out:
"This topic will end here. You and the cabinet will formulate a strategy, and I will think about it carefully."
Gatugen opened his mouth, but in the end he could only salute helplessly: "Congratulations, Your Highness!"
Feeling that he had won a victory, Eivor VIII returned to his palace with happy steps.
As soon as I sat down, I heard a crisp ringing.
The fragrance is subtle.
As petals spread on the ground, a beautiful woman walked gracefully.
By the standards of the court, her dress was extremely inappropriate.
Wearing a pale pink dancer's veil on her head, her hair is as long as a distant green mountain, and her forehead is a bright red decorated with broken gold.
The facial features are profound, the eyebrows are slender, the almond-shaped eyes are moist and charming, and the plump lips reveal a charming smile.
With a different kind of charm that is not like the human race.
There are only two cloth straps on the upper body, which go around the shoulders and high collarbone, firmly covering the hidden parts, but vividly revealing the curve of the waist that is less than a grasp.
There is also a gem inlaid on the small belly button.
The waistcoat line is clear and hidden into the lower abdomen. There are only two pieces of crotch-like cloth tied around the waist with a thin rope. As the steps sway, the tight thighs are exposed from them.
A string of bells hangs on the tender lotus root-like wrist, which is where the crisp ringing of the bells comes from.
She walked up to Eivor VIII, and even though she was so thinly dressed, she still performed a skirt-lifting ceremony:
"Your Highness!"
The beautiful scenery is revealed.
……
(End of this chapter)