"And how is the popularization of the law and the construction of the courts going?"

Hearing Allen's question, Zeno came out again and reported: "Lord Duke, at present, our local courts in various places have basically been built, and the work of popularizing the law has also been carried out. But at present, except for the city of Essis, the implementation of the law in the rest of the country is not satisfactory. ”

"Is that so? You can't be blamed for that, after all, the time is too short. ”

There are two things in this world that are allowed to be used to control human behavior. One is morality, and the other is law. Morality is attributed to religion, and law is attributed to the king. A little of God's to God, Caesar's to Caesar's.

But it has been hundreds of years since there has been a written code of law on the El continent. This also led to the fact that the law in the usual sense of the word became the dictates of the nobility. Although there was usually a common aristocratic rule among the aristocracy, there was no order at the bottom, between the commoners and the serfs. Ordinary civilians can only rely on paying protection fees to the various rogue guilds to get a little protection.

There are two factors that make it impossible to realize the law, the first is that the nobility and the plebeians are separated. Civilians are like weeds growing on the edge of their homes. Leave them to fend for themselves, and if they have too much or need to make a fire, they cut off a stubble. It's going to grow anyway.

Second, the civilian population is scattered and not large-scale. Due to frequent wars, the ownership of many areas has changed hands all year round, so many places cannot form a large-scale population cluster. Unless it is an important city in various large countries, it can have a population of tens of thousands.

Although Alan himself is a nobleman, he also enjoys this privilege very much. But he knew very well that to build the great cause in his heart, he had to have a solid backstage. He was unwilling to rely on the decaying aristocracy, and he preferred to spend more effort to rebuild a solid state. That's why he puts his hopes on ordinary people.

Therefore, Allen decided to establish a legal code to build consensus, maintain social order, and gain the support of the people.

Allen, of course, knows that going from nothing to something is a difficult process, although he now has the support of many intellectuals. Many hundreds of years ago, the countless scattered legal texts left over from the Sun King's time, different local differences, and changes in customs and habits, were all restored step by step in the Academy of Athens under the research of countless intellectuals, and the "Code of Ouranos" was revised step by step.

However, just as the principle that only the technology that is used is the primary productive force. Only laws that are implemented are good laws. For the common serfs who have not seen such a thing as the law for some time, it seems to be a myth and legend.

For this situation, Alan can only let time prove himself.

However, just as Alan was about to end the topic, an untimely voice suddenly burst through the crowd in front of him.

"Lord Duke! Let's listen to the next word!"

It was a young man who spoke, with neat short hair, a neat shaved beard, and a spirited man.

"Oh? If you have anything to say, just say it. ”

"Lord Duke, I think the reason why the work of the law is progressing slowly is that the current publicity and implementation intensity are not satisfactory."

"Oh? Let's talk about it carefully. ”

"My lord, although we have basically completed the construction of courts in various places, the people in various places do not have a complete understanding of this new institution, and they will naturally have doubts. And I think it's even more difficult for us to change if we don't get to clear their doubts as soon as possible, and when they get a fixed view that the court is useless. ”

"Therefore, I have a few suggestions. First, we need to keep putting up slogans everywhere so that everyone is used to the existence of the courts and the law, or at least everyone knows about them. Second, we need to arrange for special propagandists to go out into the cities to explain the law. The Code of Ouranos is a collection of wisdom, but it is still too profound for the average commoner. Without help them understand, it is impossible for them to know how to use the law. Third, if we want people to truly see the actual role of the law, we also need a number of examples to clarify the canonical punishment and speak with facts!"

"Yes. You said it very well. The first two points can be implemented according to your suggestion. Finally, as for the examples you want, as far as I know, the rogue guilds and thieves' guilds that we wiped out, would it be good to use those people as examples?"

However, Allen's proposal was not approved by the young people, and he shook his head and said, "Lord Duke, forgive me for talking too much, the weight of those people is not enough to attract the attention of the people."

"Oh? So what kind of people are weighty?" Alan asked with interest.

"Aristocrats!" The young man blurted out.

"Shut up! Joseph! Is that what you can say?" Before the young man could finish speaking, Zeno interrupted Joseph's words, and then said to Allen in a panic: "Lord Duke, forgive me, Joseph is young and knowledgeable, so he lost his words."

Zeno was nervous, fearing that Alan would be angry and punish Joseph. But Alan was not displeased at all, but asked curiously, "Zeno, who is this young man?"

"Lord Duke, this is my student Joseph, who is currently my clerk."

Alan nodded, smiled and praised, "Joseph, you said it well, keep talking."

"Yes, Lord Duke." After bowing respectfully, Joseph continued: "Only the aristocracy, who is the ruling class, is the most deterrent."

"So, what kind of aristocracy do you think is suitable?"

"Of course, the bigger, the better! If one day even the King or His Majesty the Pope can be judged before the law, the whole El will be shaken!"

"Humph! How daring! You dare to say this, aren't you afraid of killing your head!" Alan scolded fiercely. The military generals on the side glared at Joseph together, and a few of them even drew their swords in their hands, just waiting for an order.

Just when the people around Joseph were afraid to avoid it, Joseph snorted coldly and said loudly: "Lord Duke has heaven and earth in his heart, and sooner or later he will come to El!" When the time comes, even the King and Pope will be just dry bones in a cage, so why not say it?"

"Hahaha!" Joseph's words made Alan laugh, and this sycophant immediately swept away the tense atmosphere in the hall. Everyone quietly breathed a sigh of relief in their hearts, and then they looked at Zeno with a resentful face, as if to say that you taught a good apprentice.

"Well said! But now I can't help you get the king. ”

Looking at Allen's smiling eyes, Joseph said calmly: "Lord Duke, don't we have a batch of ready-made ones now?"

"...... are you talking about?" Alan seemed to think of something, and nodded slowly: "Reasonable, reasonable!"

"Zeno!"

"Yes, Lord Duke." Hearing Alan call himself, Zeno hurriedly stepped forward to answer.

"You're a good disciple. It's a bit of a condescension to be your clerk, and since he has his own ideas, how about letting him into your cabinet? He was responsible for the propagation of the law. ”

"Obey the Duke's orders."

"Thank you, Lord Duke!" Joseph looked overjoyed and hurriedly saluted and thanked him.

Alan nodded, and said to Zeno again: "Zeno, how many people are in the Athens Academy now, and how many can graduate?"

Upon hearing this question, Zeno looked at Alan with a bit of vigilance and asked, "Does Lord Duke need manpower?"

"Not bad! At present, government departments are being created, and many places are understaffed, and vacancies need to be filled. And the propaganda work that Joseph just mentioned also requires a lot of manpower. ”

"This ...... Lord Duke, most of the students of the academy have only been studying in the academy for one year, and they have not learned anything at all. I'm afraid that not only will I not be able to carry out the duke's orders correctly, but my ideas may also go wrong. I think it's better to wait a while. ”

"Zeno, I don't need them to have a high level of cultural knowledge, as long as they can master the basics of reading and writing. The Academy of Athens is so big, it can't be that there are no people at all. ”

Facing Allen's request, Zeno said with a bitter face: "Lord Duke, the current students are all freshmen, and the previous batch of students have already entered the government, so let's wait."

Seeing Zeno pushing again and again, Allen finally sank his face and said unhappily: "Prime Minister, you must understand that the first task of the Academy of Athens is to cultivate talents for the government, not the private property of your intellectuals!"

"Lord Duke forgives, my teacher is just worried about the quality of teaching, and he has no intention of opposing Lord Duke." Joseph explained to Eren before Zeno could speak, so as to prevent Zeno from further conflict with Alan.

And Allen, who nodded Zeno, didn't want to make a big fuss, so he softened his tone and said, "That's it." Go down and get me a list. Number...... Let's set fifty people. ”

"Fifty?" Just when Zeno wanted to object, Joseph next to him grabbed Zeno and immediately replied in a loud voice: "Obey, Lord Duke!"

"Well, let's do it first. Step aside. Alan frowned, glanced at Zeno, and left the main hall.

This was the end of the first meeting of the Esis government. As soon as everyone left the main hall, Joseph couldn't wait to ask Zeno:

"Teacher, why do you have to object to the meaning of the Duke? You should have known the Duke's intention in establishing this Athenian Academy, didn't you?" Joseph was puzzled, he didn't understand the reason for Zeno's opposition, knowing that Zeno had always been an unwavering supporter of Allen.

"Hey......" Zeno sighed and said with a little confusion, "Joseph, you are my most outstanding disciple, you should know that my ideal is to revive knowledge. Now, we have our own academy, we have restored many classics, and scholars from all over the mainland are concentrating on us. How much effort we put into it for all this. ”

"Teacher, are you right, does this have anything to do with your opposition to the Duke's order?"

Zeno raised his head and looked at the majestic and solemn Archon's residence from afar.

"During this period, a large number of students from the academy entered the government, which made the connection between the Athens Academy and the government more and more close. Academics are supposed to be independent and autonomous, how can they be controlled by administrative power. Moreover, the Duke seems to be powerful now, but in fact, he is surrounded by enemies, and the slightest carelessness is a disaster. If the academy and the government get too close, I'm afraid that one day our hard work will be ruined. ”

Zeno was heartbroken, but to Joseph's ears he was very unimpressed. I saw him solemnly say to Zeno: "Teacher, what you said is true, but I don't agree with your cutting practice. Think about it, what did those nobles do to us before we came to Essis? We're just playmakers, clowns, people to please them. No one will take our opinions seriously, let alone any revival of knowledge, which is all empty talk. ”

"But what has the Duke done since he arrived in Esis? Isn't it true that he founded the Academy of Athens in the first place, and that he not only respected us intellectuals, but was also willing to involve us in his decision-making? What else do we have to dislike about such a person?"

"With all due respect, the Academy of Athens has been one with the Duke from the very beginning, and without the Duke, can the Academy of Athens really continue to exist?"

"This ...... This ......" Zeno was speechless, not knowing how to refute Joseph's words.

"So, teacher. We can only do our best to help the Duke sweep away all enemies, and help the Duke build a great cause that has never been done before. That's what we should do, because by helping the Duke, we're helping ourselves!"

"Joseph ......" Zeno looked at Joseph's young face, which was full of vitality and fighting spirit. In Joseph's body, Zeno seemed to see himself in his youth, the self who was bent on fighting the entire aristocracy on his own.

Hehe. Zeno chuckled, as if he had lifted a burden from his body. He patted Joseph on the shoulder with ease.

"Joseph, you're fine. It seems that the future of this continent depends on your young people. You have helped the Duke well, and I am sure that you will be better than me. ”

"Teacher......" Joseph looked at Zeno's old face and couldn't help but feel a little grateful. The man who had taken himself from a homeless man who was almost starving to death, and who had taught him something about it, finally affirmed him.

"Joseph, you've woken me up. I'm still old, and my mother-in-law is up when I start doing things. In the future, you should always remember your words today, and remember the motto of our Athens Academy. For the sake of the saints, for the sake of eternal peace. (To be continued.) )