After laughing at poor Wood for a while, the laughter of the two old men gradually faded, and their expressions returned to seriousness. The chatter is over. Both the Emperor and the Marquis knew that the short small talk they had just had had ended here, that it was time to lay out their true purpose.

"What do you think of Viscount Jericho, Your Majesty?"

Do you still want Viscount Jericho to replace Count Jericha? No, it shouldn't be that simple. The emperor's heart still doesn't think that the great diplomat of the past will regress so much now, and if his purpose is so simple, then he is not Metternich.

"Determined, determined, and strong at heart, a character who can do big things, just not very likable. After all, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is in charge of Beria, and I have no impression of this viscount, so I can only judge from what you say. ”

"It's just an emotional receptivity, and the Imperial Government needs people with real talents, isn't it? In fact, he hadn't seen his father, the current Earl, or his son, since he had left Midnight Castle more than a decade ago. As far as you can judge, you probably don't think there is any father-son affection between him and the new earl. ”

"Of course. The emperor followed the words of the marquis, and he still wanted to wait for the true purpose of the marquis to be revealed.

"The title that originally belonged to him was inherited by his son, and he had to be subordinated to his son in the family, and there was still so disharmony between father and son. Viscount Jericho is probably uncomfortable right now, and to be honest, Wood and I are not at ease looking at it. So, Wood and I hope that you will bestow the poor Earl a little favor, and give him a rightful position, so that his viscount title does not sound so harsh. That's what I ask, Your Majesty. ”

When the marquis said his purpose, the emperor was ten thousand disbelief, and even such thoughts were directly expressed on his face. He looked at the Marquis with suspicion, his eyes full of suspicion. The Marquis of Metternich was the most cunning diplomat, and his cunning was not reflected in his means, but in the fact that his heart was so difficult to fathom. He said that he asked the Emperor for a favor so that Viscount Jericho did not have to be embarrassed, which the Emperor did not believe. He didn't believe that the Marquis of Metternich had such a good friendship with the viscount, after all, there were many places in the marquis's account just now, which showed the marquis's dissatisfaction with the unpleasant viscount Jericho.

If it had been Wood, I'd have believed it. Thinking so, the emperor suddenly discovered the key point. He kept mentioning Wood just now...... Could it be Wood's request? But if it was Wood's request, why would he let Oliver intercede instead of asking for it himself? Thinking of the hatred he had for the Marquis, the Emperor felt that if it was really Wood's idea, then he would be really stupid.

"So, what do you want me to do with Viscount Jericho?" the Emperor would not be able to guess the true purpose of the Marquis de Metternich for a while, but he would follow him and probe him again.

"What do you think, how about having Viscount Jericho replace Archbishop de Weide to confer the sword on the new earl during the Loyalty Ceremony?"

The Emperor looked at the Marquis with some surprise, he did not expect him to make such an offer. However, the emperor immediately figured it out, although at first he thought that the marquis would propose to give Viscount Jericho a real viscount, but such a simple plan was not Metternich's style, and the marquis's proposal just now made people think that this was Metternich.

"Interesting...... the emperor pursed his lips, a slight smile on his face, "It sounds interesting, and in terms of identity alone, it is very suitable." However, I am afraid that the church and the archbishop will not be happy. ”

"If it is your will, then there is no problem. The Marquis complimented. Since the Marquis bowed his head, the Emperor could not see his expression at the moment, so the Emperor couldn't help but wonder what kind of smile this cunning old fellow would have on his face at this moment.

"I'll think about it. The Emperor nodded, showing some weariness.

The marquis immediately understood and knew that the emperor had asked him to step down. So the marquis rose from his seat, bowed to the emperor again, and respectfully retired.

After the marquis left, the emperor immediately regained his spirits. He rang the bell on his desk, and soon a courtier came in to listen to his orders.

"Summoning Maxsimian Noe Hecate, Earl of Glamorgan, to the palace as soon as possible, and bringing with him the writer of the report which he had sent this morning. Remember, is as soon as possible. ”

The courtiers were ordered to retire, and the emperor was the only one left in the study. He flipped through the report on his desk, and in fact there were two important documents on his desk this morning, one was the report on the changes in Hadrian's empire, and the other was the report of the thirteenth lesson on the new Midnight Earl Swain No. Jericht.

The Emperor's knowledge of the Earl of Midnight was not as completely ignorant as Metternich thought. Although the emperor does not know much about the current earl, in fact, the thirteenth lesson has been paying attention to this family, and if the emperor wants to check, the thirteenth lesson has a fairly complete file.

Twenty minutes after the telegraph office of the Tiamat Palace sent a telegram to Govelenburg, a few dozen kilometers away, Hecate, Count of Glamorgan, arrived at the Tiamat Palace with an impossible speed. And when the courtiers informed the emperor of the arrival of the Earl of Glamorgan, the emperor was not surprised at all.

"Salute to you, Your Majesty. When Hecate led Manfred into the Emperor's study, he bowed to the Emperor with impeccable courtesy, of course, maintaining the usual elegance of Count Hecate. And Manfred, who was behind him, also saluted with graceful courtesy, although the emperor looked very uncomfortable.

When Manfred walked into the room, the Emperor's face was a little unnatural. If he hated the Marquis of Metternich because of his arrogance, then seeing Manfred was a real physiological reaction. Regardless of Manfred's appearance, people like the Emperor still have a lot of patience for strange looks, but Manfred's amazing height makes him even when he bows, the Emperor still has to look up at him, it seems that even the Emperor has to be covered by this person's shadow.

"I have read your report," said the Emperor, holding up the report in his hand, to Count Hecate, "but I will describe to you the new Earl of Midnight, Swain Noe Jericho, to your face. ”

"Do your will, Your Majesty. Count Hecate bowed again, then looked at Manfred beside him and said, "It is Mr. Manfred who is meeting Count Midnight this time, please let him speak for you." ”

Manfred stepped forward, bowed as well, and said, "Salute you, Your Majesty." As stated in my report, the new Earl of Midnight, Swain Noe Jericht, was a tough man. He has a natural contempt for others, and I can deeply feel his disdainful attitude. ”

"Oh, then do you think that if he were in front of me, in front of the Emperor, he would also despise me and look down on me?"

"You are the Emperor, and he is the Earl of Midnight, and there is a difference in status. Although the Emperor's question would be quite difficult for the average person, Manfred replied with a smile.

The Emperor was silent for a moment, pondering Manfred's words. Although it seems that the dignified emperor has to figure out the meaning of the courtiers is quite embarrassing, but this is the work skills required as an emperor, an emperor can not understand politics, economics, and military, but he must understand what his courtiers are thinking, which is the most important and main skill of the emperor.

Nicholas I, who had been at the helm of the empire and his subjects for more than thirty years, knew it well, and he would soon understand what Manfred meant, and that Swain's arrogance and contempt for others did not stem from self-esteem, but from other aspects of self-superiority. Sure enough, it's still that, the thing buried in the middle of the night. The emperor thought, his face still unmoved.

"Do you think, then, that he is entitled to inherit the position of Earl of Midnight, if he cannot remain loyal to the Empire and the Imperial Family. ”

The Emperor's words surprised Count Hecate slightly. Could it be that anyone had said something in front of the Emperor? He could not help but think like this, after all, when the Emperor said such a thing, it already meant that he had already thought of changing the Earl of Midnight, whether for or against, as long as such a thing appeared in the Emperor's mind, it would be a great danger to the Earl of Midnight.

"If the current Earl of Midnight can't inherit it, then probably no one will. "Manfred didn't think as much as Count Hecate, or rather, he thought much more than Count Hecate. He was not the slightest surprised or nervous about the emperor's question, but instead said an answer that surprised the emperor.

"Oh, you mean, Viscount Ernest no Jericho is not qualified to inherit the position of earl?"

In the face of the Emperor's question, Manfred only kept smiling, but did not answer.

However, Count Hecate reacted immediately, and replied in Manfred's place, "That viscount is not under the jurisdiction of our thirteenth class. ”

"That's right. The Emperor frowned and agreed with them, "Thank you for your hard work, I hope that the Thirteenth Lesson will continue to be loyal to the Empire with such efficiency and attitude, and I will continue to rely on and appreciate your hard work." ”

"Your Majesty retired. Hearing the Emperor's intention to end the conversation, Count Hecate and Manfred took the initiative to leave.

The emperor leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples with his broad hands. Today's events have already bothered him very much, first the changes in Hadrian's Empire, and then the strange behavior of the Marquis of Metternich, the emperor feels that this headache has erupted in one day today.

It's okay to say that the matter of Hadrian's empire will find a way to deal with it, at least the emperor still has someone to help with this matter. But the matter of the Count of Midnight is troublesome, the emperor can only rely on himself to think about this matter, the thirteen lessons are just a tool, not a substitute for the brain, and this matter is even more troublesome after the Marquis of Metternich comes forward, because it involves a very important family in the empire. The purpose of the Marquis of Metternich is not entirely guessed by the Emperor until now, but at least for the time being, the Emperor can be sure that the Marquis of Metternich is biased in favor of Viscount Jericho. But the extent of this bias was difficult for the emperor to guess. If it was Wood, it was easy to guess that with his relationship with Viscount Jericho, he must have been completely on the Viscount's side. But the words of the Marquis of Metternich, it is difficult to say, this cunning former diplomat is too good at hiding his own purposes, maybe he wants to use Viscount Jericho to achieve other purposes, or he is deliberately supporting Viscount Jericho, the emperor is unpredictable, although the Marquis's performance in front of the emperor today seems to be a true expression, but this is how the emperor is unpredictable - he does not believe that the cunning Metternich has any true feelings.

Perhaps it was the Marquis of Metternich who had been talking for so long that the Emperor asked Lesson Thirteen a stupid question. He shouldn't have asked the question, "Is he qualified to inherit the position of Earl of Midnight?", the Marquis of Metternich did not know the true identity of this family, but the Emperor himself had forgotten it. Although Thirteen Lessons did not know everything, Thirteen Lessons were after all an institution specializing in this matter, and soon pointed out the fact that the Emperor had overlooked—although Viscount Jericho legally had the right to inherit the Jericho family and the Earl of Midnight, in fact he did not have that qualification, and when he abandoned his father and family, he lost the most important condition for inheriting the family.

After sorting out his thoughts well, the emperor cheered up. It was already noon, but he didn't have time for lunch. He pressed the bell again, and this time, he said to the courtiers: "Summons the second prince Beria." ”

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When the Marquis of Metternich returned home, it was already lunchtime, and the Marquis de Metternich's family was waiting in the dining room for the old marquis to return and dine.

The Marquis de Metternich's family was prosperous, and he and his wife had three sons and two daughters, and the children had formed their own families and had more children. Except for the two daughters who married, the marquis's three sons did not divide the family, so the marquis's children and grandchildren had lunch at a table, which was very lively.

The dining room uses a long banquet table, which the Marquis's family usually uses to eat due to the large number of people. Among the dozen or so people sitting at the table was Franz No. Metternich, who had just visited Swayn this morning. This time, the young Monsieur Metternich had a sad face, and did not want to make eye contact with his grandfather.

"Everybody's waiting, really, let's get started. Seeing that his family was waiting for him, the Marquis smiled from the bottom of his heart. Before he could sit down, he beckoned the juniors to start, and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who were still children, immediately stuffed food into their mouths when they heard this, and the parents on the side could only stare at them, but it was not good to teach his beloved children in front of the marquis.

When everyone was moving and the atmosphere of the restaurant became lively, the Marquis saw Franz who was a little glaring in the atmosphere.

"Franz. ”

"I'm here. Grandpa, what do you command?" Hearing the Marquis call himself, Franz immediately put down his knife and fork.

The Marquis looked at his panicked appearance, frowned slightly, and then sighed again.

"Come to my study later. ”