Davers listened carefully and finally nodded and said, "At the next executive meeting, what you say will be an important basis for the discussion of tax rates." ”

"What else is being discussed...... Your Majesty, you just set it up. Mersis muttered.

Davers was stunned, and after seeing that he had finished saying that, his spirit was even more sluggish, so he said with concern: "You have a good rest, I will visit you next time!" ”

"Your Majesty, won't you stay a little longer?! You'll come back next time...... I'm afraid you won't see me......" Mersis muttered again in a low tone.

When Davers heard this, his heart was sour, and he was just about to comfort him a few words, when he heard Merses whisper: "Your Majesty, do you remember the first time we met? …… At that time, you had just invented smoked sausages, which temporarily solved the problem of storing military rations for mercenaries...... As soon as I found out, I went to Menon and asked for you to be brought to my baggage team...... I still remember the story you told us about the treasure that night...... With your help, it was the easiest time I felt on the march through Persia...... I had a vague feeling that you were going to be a great character...... So when Menon and you clashed, I stood firmly on your side......

Now prove how right I was to choose! …… How fortunate I am that a bankrupt petty merchant from Ionia ended up being the Chancellor of Finance of the most powerful kingdom in the Western Mediterranean, with tens of thousands of fortunes in my hands! I don't have any regrets anymore......"

After hearing Merses's words, Davers didn't know what to say for a while, and said with a reluctant smile: "Actually, what you said is not right, you saw me once before I was transferred to the baggage team...... At that time, I walked to the baggage camp, and you met me, and you suspected that I was hungry and wanted to steal food, and you had the guards drive me away. ”

"I don't have any impression that there is such a thing!" Mersis's eyes widened in surprise, and then he laughed: "It's a pity that I only know now, otherwise I would have often bragged to Antonios and Shilos...... Say I'm the only one who has reprimanded you, Your Majesty! ”

"I only think about it now, otherwise you would have had such an easy time under me in the past ten years?!" Davers also joked with a smile.

Even the usually serious Martius smiled.

Henibris, who was on the side, listened to them tell the past, and felt the deep comradeship between each other from this laughter, and couldn't help but feel some envy and yearning in his heart.

"Your Majesty." The smile on Mersis's face did not fade, and he said in a deep voice: "When I die, I will donate most of my wealth to the kingdom......"

"Oh, you miser?!" Davers teased with a smile, thinking he was joking.

"I'm serious, this is my will! I will give 80% of my inheritance to the Kingdom and only 20% for my family! ”

Seeing Mersis's serious expression, Davers immediately restrained his smile and asked in a deep voice, "Are you really willing to do it?!" ”

"I don't have any children, so what is there to be reluctant ......to," Mersis muttered, a little distracted: "The Kingdom of Dionya was built by your majesty and you led us to build it with great difficulty, and it can be regarded as our children......"

When Davers heard this, his heart was quite moved, and he sat on the edge of the bed, patted Merses' swollen hand, and said emotionally: "On behalf of the kingdom, I thank you for your generosity!" ”

"Your Majesty, I donate this money...... Can you get me a statue...... Enter the Panthéon...... Mersis's next words made Davers stunned for a moment, and then laughed dumbly: This is Mersis's true colors!

Davers subconsciously wanted to reprimand him first: the qualification to enter the Panthéon is not a commodity, and he can bargain! ……

But seeing Merses's pale face and hopeful gaze, Davers's heart softened, and he said directly: "Even if you don't donate these possessions, your great contributions to the kingdom in the past will make you undisputed eligible to enter the Panthéon. Not only that, but I am also going to erect a statue of you in front of the Ministry of Finance, so that future officials of the Ministry of Finance will follow your example, and you must be stingy with every Opol in the kingdom, and you must not waste it, let alone embezzle! ”

"Thank you, Your Majesty...... Thank you, Your Majesty......" At that moment, cloudy tears flowed from Mersis's godless eyes......

Walking out of Mercis's mansion, Davers couldn't help but stop and look back, thinking of Cornerus who died a few years ago, thinking of Mersis who would go to the Elysée at any time, his heart was very heavy: the heroes who followed him to create Dionya were gradually entering the end of their lives......

He was thinking about it, and when he turned around, he happened to see Maltius standing upright, but his gray beard showed his age, and he sighed in his heart: "Martius, you are also old......"

"Your Majesty, I can still easily defeat the young guards! You can still be your bodyguard! Martius replied forcefully.

"Good...... Okay......" Davers subconsciously touched his beard, and then said to Henipolis: "Do you remember what I said to Mersis just now?" ”

Hennepolis immediately replied: "Remember, let Master Merses be stationed in the Panthéon and erect a statue for him in the Ministry of Finance." ”

"Well, go back and draft a proposal and discuss it at the next executive meeting as soon as possible...... Mersis won't last long......" Davers let out a long sigh.

………………………………………

In the past few days, a rumor suddenly appeared in Turiyi: the Etruscan envoys had asked for help from the kingdom, and in view of the frequent attacks by natives on the southern border of Iberia, King Davos was ready to agree to the ministers' proposal to send one or two legions to the southern border of Iberia and the northern border of Etruscan respectively to build fortresses to defend against the invasion of the natives. According to the Ministry of Military Affairs, every legionnaire must be on duty at the garrison for at least half a year......

The news quickly spread throughout the city of Turii and soon spread to other cities. The officers, soldiers, and reservists of the various legions, as well as their families and relatives, discussed this matter every day, knowing that they already made a large proportion of the kingdom's population, and this naturally caused a great wave throughout the country.

It wasn't long before news came that the fortifications would be built at the forefront of the border, with no town fairs around, only natives who kept coming to harass them, and that for the safety of the soldiers, the garrison might not consider giving them holidays, allowing them to rest and relax in the towns in the rear, or even to go home to visit relatives......

As soon as this news came out, the citizens of the legionnaires were even more uneasy, and many anxious citizen soldiers gathered and went to their respective barracks to ask for detailed information from the senior officers stationed in the barracks, and said: "We are not afraid to fight a strong enemy, even if it is bloodshed, even if it is to give our lives; But we are afraid to be trapped in the fortress like criminals, without freedom for more than half a year, completely unable to take care of our families......"

Some radical Turriy citizens even gathered and went to the Senate to ask the senators that they would oppose the proposal and prevent it from passing.

Many of the senators were puzzled and asked the rotating chairmen: "Does such a proposal really exist?" ”

Lucias said in a unified voice: "It is true that some ministers have made this suggestion, but His Majesty did not immediately agree to it, and is still carefully considering this matter. ”

While the outside world was making a lot of noise, Davers sat firmly in the palace office, and after listening to Aristiras's report on the investigation of the whole situation, he thought for a while and said: "Now that the water is boiling, let's put something in there and see if we can cook something good." ”

"Yes, Your Majesty." Aristiras.

"Any other news?"

"Your Majesty, we have collected Servius, Frius, and Aulus...... Evidence of these former Roman nobles' attempted rebellion. Aristiras said, respectfully handing over a stack of records in his hand.

Davers read it carefully and said lightly: "There are quite a few people." While the attention of the people is focused on the dispatch of the border troops, transfer the evidence and the list to the Turii Inspectorate, and let them be in charge of the arrest. ”

"Yes." Aristinas hesitated for a moment, then continued: "Your Majesty, there is a secret message from Iberia that Hasdruba and a few members of the Magonid family often meet together, drink heavily, and insult the kingdom......"

Davers didn't frown and asked, "Are there any other suspicious circumstances?" ”

"Not yet."

"It's better to vent your dissatisfaction in person than to look normal on the surface and have a plan in secret." Davers said disapprovingly, "Keep watching." ”

"Yes."

At this point, "Bang! Bang! Bang! There was a knock at the door.

"Come in!" As soon as Davos finished speaking, Aristias naturally retreated into the corner.

"Your Majesty, Priest Plesinus begs to see you!" Henipolis walked in and said.

"Invite him in."

Plesinus did not come alone, he was followed by two priests, each holding a few planks.

"Your Majesty, the selection for the design of the mountaintop colossus has ended, and we have brought the winners' works, please make the final judgment on which design to choose to cast the mountaintop god statue."

"The result came out so quickly?!" Davers became interested, and immediately said, "Put them on the table, and let's look at them slowly, piece by piece." ”

After catching a glimpse of Henipolis next to him, he craned his neck to look this way, and Davers beckoned to the left and right again, and said, "You two should also come over and give some advice." ”

Henipolis and Aristiras immediately came together.