Chapter 426: Blackmail
On the outskirts of the Imperial Capital of Gabela, the manor of the MacDonald family.
A carriage slowly drove into this vast forest garden. It was raining at this time, and a lot of rainwater had accumulated on the ground. The wheels drove on the path paved with bluestone slabs. There was a splash of water.
The carriage went straight through the courtyard and came to the main building of the manor. The successive generations of family heads who served in the imperial army marked this building with a deep military style. It looks more like A military fortress, not a residential mansion.
As soon as the carriage stopped, a servant rushed out in the rain, holding a wool cloak in his hand. Then the door opened, and Marshal Macdonald, wearing a knight's armor, stepped out of the carriage. The servant immediately put the wool cape in his hand. The cloak was draped over him.
The marshal walked quickly into the mansion without saying a word. After entering, there was the main hall. Different from the exterior style, the decoration inside was still magnificent, just like the homes of other nobles.
As soon as he entered, a woman came up to him, took off his cloak with her own hands, and handed it to the maid beside him.
“Oh, dear.” Marshal Macdonald hugged his wife and said with a smile: “It’s a bad luck for you to catch a cold, otherwise you would have been able to welcome me at the palace banquet. I’ll follow you. "There are many handsome young men at today's banquet."
Marshal's wife rolled her eyes at her husband, "It's not right to just come back."
Marshal Macdonald is returning today. On the day of the imperial capital, Emperor Bartley Griffin held a grand banquet in the palace to welcome him.
Since his wife was ill, she waited for his return at home. However, if it had been decades ago when the two were newly married, her wife would have run to the city gate to wait for her husband's return no matter how unwell she was.
The lady came close to her husband's ear and whispered: "The prime minister has sent someone to the house, and he is still waiting for you."
Hearing this, Macdonald's brows tightened Wrinkled tightly.
“It’s really haunting.”
He sighed, “Okay, I’ll go meet the envoy.”
In the Marshal's study, the envoy of the Dias family was led here by a servant.
This is a middle-aged man who looks very shrewd. As soon as he entered the door, he respectfully saluted MacDonald.
"Congratulations on your return with a great victory. Now His Majesty the Emperor and even the entire empire are relying on you even more."
The marshal waved his hand, raised his hand and motioned for him to sit down, obviously not interested in the envoy's compliment. "I'm not a person who likes to beat around the bush. If the Prime Minister has any instructions, just tell him directly."
The visitor smiled slightly and said, "Okay, Mr. Macdonald deserves to be in the army for so many years. It's true." Refreshingly, I’ll tell you straight away.”
He cleared his throat slightly and continued to say in a gentle tone: "The prime minister sent me here to ask you for something."
The messenger's posture was very low.
"After some time, Duke Dias will make a proposal to His Majesty the Emperor - to formally establish the heir to the throne."
McDonald's pupils shrank, it turned out to be this thing.
He deliberately said in a nonchalant tone: "As the Prime Minister of the Empire, Duke Dias should propose this kind of thing to His Majesty, and there is no need to inform me."
The messenger leaned forward, "Of course it's not that simple. What the Duke means is that the next emperor of the empire should and must be His Highness Felix Griffin. I hope that at that time, you can stand up and clearly support him. "
There was a thunder outside the window, and the light of lightning illuminated the room.
McDonald narrowed his eyes: "The Duke's grandson?"
The messenger responded with a smile: "He is the eldest son of the royal family born to His Majesty the Emperor and his real wife, the Queen."
McDonald said: "Which son your Majesty wishes to pass the throne to is his own business. As ministers, we have no right to interfere."
The envoy stopped his smile and retorted: "What the Marshal said is wrong. The matter of the heir to the throne interferes with the fate of the entire empire, and the future of countless subjects depends on it. How can it be said to be His Majesty's own business?"
Although the envoy's words were somewhat disrespectful to the emperor, MacDonald could not refute them.
"Even so, why should I support His Highness Felix? My old friends all praise His Highness Antonio's performance in this war."
Gabe There is no explicitly stipulated primogeniture system in the La Empire, especially for the royal family. Emperors of the past dynasties often choose the son they think is the most talented as their heir.
The envoy replied unhurriedly: "First of all, His Highness Felix's talents are well known. Although the second prince is good at military strategy, it is difficult to govern a country, especially for a big country like ours in Gabela. In other words, comprehensive ability is crucial. And given the family background of His Highness Felix's mother, the major nobles in the empire, headed by the Dias family, will be on his side. You don't want the MacDonald family to be isolated, right? The old marshal snorted and asked: "The major nobles headed by the Dias family will stand on his side. Is the prime minister so confident? If so, what is the position of the royal family-the Griffin family?" ?”
"This..." The messenger was speechless for a moment.
Knowing that he had made a mistake, he immediately smoothed things over: "As the royal family, the Griffin family is naturally in a detached position. Well, Mr. MacDonald, there is no point in mincing words. Let's talk about business."< br>
The messenger breathed a sigh of relief and said: "The second reason comes from the prince's maternal clan - the future of the empire cannot be handed over to a child born from a witch!"
Marshal Macdonald His eyes widened instantly and he yelled: "Be careful! She is a woman recognized by His Majesty."
"Yes, sir." The messenger nodded, "I apologize for my gaffe."
Despite this, there was no panic on his face like that time just now.
"Let me put it another way, the future of the empire should not be left in the hands of a son born to a woman of unknown origin."
McDonald closed his eyes and did not respond.
"Lord MacDonald, I have explained the Prime Minister's request to you. So, what are your conditions? I will convey it to him intact. I come with sincerity. As long as you The conditions are not particularly excessive, and Mr. Dias will definitely satisfy you.”
MacDonald still had his eyes closed, recalling in his mind the several conversations that Maester Alves had with him on the way back to the Imperial Capital, as well as the prophecy that Alves had repeatedly mentioned.
Haha, illusory prophecies, he usually hates these god-like things. Although he has endured the kindness of the previous generation from the second prince, it is not enough to shake him. principles followed.
As for the eldest prince, he did not intend to support it.
He opened his eyes and stood up slowly, "I am a soldier of the empire. I fight for the empire. I will be loyal to whoever sits in that position - as long as he is legal. So, Please tell the prime minister..."
Bang bang bang! Before the marshal finished speaking, the envoy clapped softly, but the expression on his face seemed to be that he had heard something funny.
The marshal who was interrupted was a little angry and was about to scold the other party when he heard the messenger say:
"Well, Mr. MacDonald, in fact, Mr. Dias did not expect that he would succeed with my mouth alone." I can convince you."
Then he slowly took out something from his arms.
“Look, what is this?”
It is a dagger with a simple shape and beautiful patterns engraved on it.
However, this dagger made MacDonald's heart thunder.
"You...where did you get it from?"
The messenger's eyes shone with a faint cold light, "Nothing in this country can be hidden from the Dias family. ”
“Where is he now?”
The old marshal seemed to have become an enraged lion that would rage at any time.
The messenger returned to his smile, "Don't worry, Lord MacDonald, he is safe now and living very comfortably, and the people you sent to him are also safe. But, should you reconsider your decision?" What?"
"Are you threatening me?"
"No, how dare I threaten a veteran in the army like you? Even if I represent the Dias family. I just want to put some correct options in front of you that may have been ignored by you. Of course, the specific choice is still up to you."
McDonald sat down a little slumped, and the messenger was quiet. Waiting for his response.
After a period of silence, the old marshal's voice sounded in the room.
"Okay, please reply to the Prime Minister, and I will consider his request carefully."
(End of this chapter)