LeBron Gable sat anxiously in the reception room.

This is the No. 1 Prison in Al-Quds, located 10 kilometers away in the southern suburbs.

The prison also had the old name Fort Brelian, and it was a former military castle that once defended the Holy City.

During the reign of the previous emperor, Ike Solon, Fort Brelian was turned into a prison for traitors and thought criminals.

Since the arrest of his nephew Carmen, LeBron has come here every day, hoping to see him. He spent a lot of money to buy off a head of the prison guards just so that he could meet his nephew once.

Being allowed to meet with relatives as an untried thought prisoner is in itself a good sign, or at least an indication that the offense is not significant.

It's been more than a year since he came to the Holy City, and the political atmosphere and situation here since this spring have made LeBron feel depressed and unfree, which made him think of returning to his hometown.

He had cheered and been proud of the viscount's promotion to the rank of count, and he also lamented the fate of the new earl. However, the great changes overnight caught LeBron off guard, and also made him, a small businessman, really feel the oppression of power.

It took him an hour to wait before he was brought over by the prison guards.

At this time, Carmen's beard was stubble, and he was very thin, but his spirit was still acceptable. LeBron shoved a money bag into the guard's arms, who willingly stepped out, leaving the room for the nephews.

"Uncle, is there any smoke?" said Carmen.

LeBron pulled out his cigar: "I only smoke cigars now!"

"Yo, superior!" Carmen joked.

Lighting a cigar, LeBron said, "Have you had enough of it inside?"

"It's a sure thing to suffer. However, we were not beaten, and the secret police only briefly inquired about us, as if they had forgotten about us. "I can live with the poor food and 12 hours a day of manual work, but the fleas and rats are very annoying, and some people have bitten off their toes at night." ”

"Well, that's the same thing I heard, the police and the city government are being protested every day these days, and people are demanding an explanation from the police, either release or a public trial. LeBron said, "Don't worry, I'll find a way." If the Count is fine, you will be fine. ”

"Count, what's wrong with Count Connelly?" said Carmenelci, "I'm waiting for him to save me!"

"Don't count on him. Shortly after your arrest, he was summoned by the secret police outside the dignitaries' venue. The Count is an upright and benevolent nobleman, and what a good man is not rewarded!" LeBron muttered, a series of hometown curses popping out of his mouth.

"Why?" Carmen was stunned, "what's going on outside?"

When Carmen was arrested, he did not know that Duke Darnell was killed, let alone that even Sean was implicated.

LeBron told him what he knew, much to Carmen's depression.

"Now there is a lot of public opinion outside, and everyone is waiting for the day when the dignitaries' meeting will end. Only at that time will there be a conclusion on whether you people will be sentenced or not, otherwise it will be difficult for Your Majesty to explain to the subjects of the whole country. LeBron comforted, "Don't worry, I've already taken care of the prison guards and will arrange a better treatment for you." ”

"Pretty much money, right?" said Carmen.

"Money is just a bitch!" LeBron scolded, "Now it's like a high-class brothel, and many people envy it to come in, this wolf-bred world!"

LeBron is not highly educated and literate, but his judgment is very accurate.

The liberals, or the self-proclaimed liberal literati, whether radical revolutionaries or relatively conservative reformists, had been aroused by the emperor's repression, and once a certain passion had been successfully provoked, they were united as a whole.

How to deal with the untried prisoners in Prison No. 1 has become a tricky matter.

Colonel Frank had been busy with this matter lately, and the murder of Duke Darnell was not the focus of his attention.

The duke was powerful during his lifetime, and after his death, his family suddenly became a piece of fat on the chopping block. This obviously makes some people who are very sensitive to power schemes inevitably have some conjectures.

Carlos II immediately canonized Duke Darnell's youngest son, Henri Darnell, and betrothed Princess Elizabeth to him.

At the same time, the bankers, who had been very close to the old duke during his lifetime, reacted and secretly betrayed their sincerity to the emperor. Their representatives at the dignitaries issued a statement that they not only took the initiative to exempt all the interest they had borrowed from the state, but also prepared to borrow 50 million yuan from the state at a low interest rate again with the tea tax as a guarantee.

This directly accelerated the process of the council, and the nobles agreed to pay 1/20 of the tax for the two years of 1834 and 1835. As for other issues of concern to the public and administrative officials, the aristocracy was adamantly opposed.

At the same time, the Church of God was forced to compromise by agreeing to a one-time contribution of 50 million and agreeing to pay no less than 30 million per year for the next five years – the Church still stubbornly believes that donations are more noble than taxes.

This is a huge sum of money that even the emperor will wake up from his sleep with a smile.

Having achieved these major results, Carlos II was relieved and his calculations were not in vain.

However, the dignitaries did not gain nothing, and at least they did not make the 1/20th tax a universal tax. No one knows how they used various means to resist the collection of tax collectors in practice.

......

Percy Robinson walked the streets of the Holy City, and although martial law was imposed for a while, it did not prevent citizens from coming and going normally during the day.

Percy stepped into one of his favorite taverns, a tavern specializing in a wide range of fine wines, where guests could enjoy a free performance by a musical artist.

Ostensibly as a trader from Saint-Noowe, he often brought his business partners in and out of the tavern, and he was well acquainted with the waiters here.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Blanche, I haven't seen you in a while, is business okay?" the waiter greeted Percy warmly, as he picked up a bottle of wine and poured a full glass for Percy, who knew which brand Posey preferred.

"Hello, man, it's hard to do business now, I'm only doing spot cash business now, and I don't take any credit. Percy looked around, and there were only three or two guests, "You don't have many guests here." ”

"It's a curfew at night, and business here during the day is actually quite miserable, and everyone's purse is now deflated. The waiter shrugged, "Our boss can't afford to hire a musician, and if this continues, I'll lose my job sooner or later." ”

"Then you do it with me, and I'll pay you a high salary. Percy laughed.

"Haha, thank you for your kindness. The waiter didn't take Percy's joke seriously.

With a glass of wine, Percy looked bored as he flipped through the few newspapers that were free for guests to read.

One of the newspapers wrote on an inconspicuous page:

Recently, the police arrested a rebel who was distributing leaflets, and they were spreading a rumor that the murder of Duke Darnell might be related to his vast wealth, since his death had led to the loss of the leader of the consortium and that the perpetrator could be a big figure with a major interest......

Another newspaper was even more explicit: in line with the principle that whoever benefits is the most suspicious, we seem to have seen some terrible conspiracy. The secret police are secretive about this, and they should publicly explain this suspicion to the public.

Another newspaper details Sean's exploits:

The Count was clearly an exemplary nobleman loyal to the Empire, who had fought against foreign enemies and was seriously wounded, and who had also invented the Kang sterilization method, contributing to winemaking and pastoral farming in the steppe region. He was also the initiator of the human blood group, a discovery that saved many lives, but this did not prevent him from making outstanding contributions to improving finances and paying taxes, and the province of Genoa had just paid its first tea tax, amounting to 8 million gold louis, which is extremely rare in the current difficult economic situation.

Posey skimmed through it with a blank face, then drank the rest of the rest, not forgetting to tip the waiter a hefty silver coin.

With the waiter's grateful gaze, Percy left the tavern with resignation.

The streets were filled with patrols and bands of Guards soldiers, and in this tense atmosphere, citizens hurried. During this time, the security of the Holy City was excellent, and thieves and hooligans were almost extinct.

Percy had long chartered a humble house opposite the tavern, where he waited patiently for the night to come.

Posey wasn't sure if the planned action for tonight would end up with the desired outcome, but it was worth a try.

In the middle of the night, Posey put on makeup and left the residence.

He was all too familiar with the area, where he lived when he was a university student in the Holy City. In order to avoid the patrolling Guards, he had to take a detour and make his way through the alleys.

Traveling to the back of a luxurious mansion, Percy hides in the shadows until two dark shadows appear.

They are Clark Nelson and Arthur Young.

"This is the mansion of Robert Lacey, the largest shareholder of the First Bank of the Holy City, do you know the interior layout and the residence of the bodyguards? Percy asked in a low voice.

"Clear. Nelson nodded.

"I need you to kill this guy quietly, and then ......," Percy took out a package from under his cloak and handed it to Nelson, "put this in a safe, take all the cash or jewelry in it, and don't forget to throw a few gold coins on the ground." I need to see a news item in tomorrow's newspaper that the famous banker, Mr. Lacey, has had his bedroom ransacked by burglars and that he himself had been killed. ”

Nelson took the package and handed it to Arthur Young, who quickly disappeared.

Seeing that Nelson was still standing beside him, Percy asked, "What are you doing in a daze?"

In the dark, Nelson chuckled: "Arthur is the best at this, and if I go, he won't be able to let go." ”

"How often does he do that?" asked Percy.

"No, it's the first time he's done it. "The Count may employ a scoundrel and a habitual thief, but such a man will never become his henchman." ”

"To be honest, I kind of regret it. Percy scolded in a low voice, "I didn't let my men carry out this operation because I was afraid that if I failed, I would be burned." ”

"Mr. Robinson, please have some faith in Arthur, but he's not a villain. The skills of killing and stealing can be mastered by villains or used by a hero who delivers justice. Let's wait and see. ”

"Okay. Posey no longer complained.

He thought that these two guys, as Sean's henchmen, had also participated in the war with Sean, and they were both veterans of murder, but he didn't expect that it was the first brother who did such a shady thing.

Arthur managed to infiltrate the mansion without incident, including taking out several fierce dogs scattered in the yard, which were popular with the wealthy and dared to fight the beasts.

In order to prevent being discovered by the guards and to buy time, Arthur hid the body of the fierce dog in the flowers. He carried a small crossbow with him, shot the rope hook at the roof above the top window, grasped it, and crawled towards that window.

According to the layout of the house, this window is the end of the corridor on the third floor.

Arthur was suspended in the air and easily entered the third floor. As soon as he landed, he realized that something was wrong. A fierce dog was crouching and twitching, whimpering mournfully.

The smell of blood wafted through the air.

Posey's information was wrong, and the largest shareholder of First Bank had recently raised an extra dog.

A dagger was stuck in the throat of the dog, and next to the dog, a bodyguard was lying on the ground, his head tilted.

Another figure was standing by the wall and looking at Arthur coldly, the man was dressed in black, revealing only a pair of eyes.

Arthur's hair stood on end, and the dagger in his hand almost came out.

The figure was in front of his eyes almost instantly, and a once familiar voice sounded in his ears:

"Idiot, you almost messed up!"

"Miss Rose!"

"Shut up, idiot!"

It was Rose Coty, who had disappeared for a long time.

Obviously, Rose has received strict assassin training since she was a child, and she has been professionally throwing Arthur eight streets.

Arthur cautiously followed her down to a room on the second floor, where she used a thin metal sheet to open the door with ease, and walked inside.

A couple of men and women lying on the luxurious bed, Rose violently woke them up, and then under Arthur's gaze, knocked the man and woman who were not fully awake unconscious.

Rose glanced back at the surprised Arthur and stepped aside.

Arthur put a pillow over the man's mouth and nose, and then inserted a dagger into the man's chest through the quilt to prevent blood from splattering.

The man struggled in pain and died.

"What's your plan?" asked Rose.

"Find the safe and leave this behind. Arthur pulled out a package.

"Same as I guessed. ”

It only took Rose two minutes to find and open the secret safe. There were no gold coins in it, only jewels, and Rose wrapped them all.

Without being reminded by Arthur, she also threw a few pearls on the ground.

Half an hour later, Arthur Young returned alone, and the mansion was still silent.

"Done?" asked Percy nervously.

"That's it. Arthur said lightly, but his expression was a little strange.

"It's the first time, it's a veteran!" muttered Percy.

Without interrogating the details, Percy nodded to the two and left separately.

At this time, the night is still thick.