2.73 It was a strange carriage of massive, ugly, rough exterior and glitzy interior, with its noisy crankshaft creaking and turning, four chimneys belching white smoke, and iron-clad wheels running over the ground and splashing sparksNo.

Jonah did not expect to have a chance to say goodbye to the carriage, and in the spacious living room with him at the moment were two unsmiling junior officers and a sullen fat man, in addition to Arsay. Two second lieutenant officers named Zarinkuber and Zalinkut, belonging to the Royal Fireblade Cavalry, were ordered to follow Jonah to Ecbatana as Jonah's retinue, and they were brothers, cousins, or sworn brothers, or nothing to do with each other? And the sullen fat man was none other than the mayor of Marakanda, Du ibn Shaqqar, the unsuccessful son of the old prince.

Jonah also felt a little confused as to why this man was sitting in a carriage bound for the southeastern border, but there was a bigger crisis ahead of him. Just behind the thin plank wall, in another adjacent living room, sat a few unsmiling men, and through the wall Jonah could feel their cold gaze. These three or four people were all old acquaintances who participated in the royal warrior selection together, and the most familiar one of them was, of course, the white-robed priest Mias, who won the final victory and won the Royal Camel Eagle Knight's Medal.

"Assai, do you feel a chill in your back?" the astrologer poked the Oriental man beside him.

"Ah. Asai raised his head and drank a glass of sparkling wine, "That little devil won't do anything to you, if you tear your face in front of so many witnesses, his immoral father will not be able to get off the stage." ”

Jonah rubbed his temples in distress: "Assai, I don't understand more and more, what the hell is going on, the more I think about it, the more I don't understand......"

"As I said earlier, political struggles are too brain-consuming, so let's save our efforts. Those who understand are born to understand, and those who don't understand will never learn in their lifetime. Isn't it, Mayor Towns?" the Oriental man raised his glass and gestured to Mayor Du on the other side, smiling ill-willedly.

"Cheers, cheers......" Du Chakar threw up his seventeenth glass of cactus for the day, and burped in a depressed and bitter manner.

It all started with a farewell reception at 3 p.m. Emperor Isaibaink was a man of his word, and in the afternoon he delivered the "Midnight Star", which had been parked for maintenance in the Golden City, to the Harimaya Manor, and he himself attended the farewell reception hosted by Prince Harimaya.

Although Tocharian has not fought for a hundred years, and the most recent expedition was the "Ten Years' War" with the natives of the Endless Sand Sea in 2107, the royal family that founded the country with military courage has always inherited the military spirit, and Esaba Inke the Great once again appeared in front of everyone wearing majestic golden armor. Arriving at the manor with the emperor before and after, there was also a middle-aged man wearing a blue brocade robe, this person had a righteous and awe-inspiring national character face, a just right beard, strong muscles, and outstanding temperament, and he was a figure not to be underestimated at first glance. When the old prince saw this man, he was so shocked that the gold-rimmed glasses fell from the bridge of his nose to the top of his feet, "Governor Heremias, you ...... Why don't you come to the Humble House without giving notice in advance? Spring and summer are the most likely to catch colds, so you must take care of your health and serve His Majesty the Emperor with a good mental outlook!"

"The Lord God, Luta, will bless the true Emperor. The Governor shot back lightly, "I'm here to send my son to the front, young man, you should see more and learn more." ”

Jonah and Assay were hiding behind the table to watch the big men bickering, commenting on the hairstyle and gait of the legendary Doge Herzemias, when a figure in a white robe flashed from behind the Doge, and the astrologer was immediately startled and almost choked to death by an olive in his mouth. - Isn't that the white-robed priest Mias, who just attacked a member of the Red Brotherhood yesterday and was severely humiliated by "Ugly Face" Richie?

Mias looked at ease at this time, holding a short staff, and the concentric circle badge of the main god Luta on his chest was shining. "This is a dog, I have been sent to the Anglican Church to serve the Lord God since I was a child, the outside world does not know about his existence, and now the war is about to start, the Anglican Church has evacuated Bactria, Mias This child wants to contribute to the country with a little ability, the ability is limited, and the intentions are good, Your Majesty the Emperor. The governor put his hand on the young priest's shoulder and exclaimed, "He will also go to the southern frontier and see if the Vedas are as barbaric and unreasonable as they have been rumored." I hope you'll agree, after all, this kid is now the Royal Eagle Knight of the Fireblade Cavalry, and I, as a father, can't call the shots, and I have to give your consent. ”

Governor Herzemias looked Isebaink the Great in the eye with no respect in his tone.

"How can His Majesty the Emperor tolerate such a thing?" Jonah clenched his fists indignantly.

Asai suddenly slapped the table: "Bah, bah, I said it sounds so familiar, who else can Mias be if he is not the son of Herzemias? Herge is a prefix for inheriting the surname, and when little Mias grows up to the age of his father and can inherit the family business, he will naturally become Herzemias......!

The Emperor of the Tocharian Empire took a step forward, a little closer to the other party, this step multiplied the height advantage, and he stared condescendingly at the Governor of the Guards: "Of course, no matter what era, young people who are interested in serving the country are the most valuable treasure, and there are still many vacant seats on the 'Midnight Star', and even his servants and bodyguards can get separate rooms. ”

A few wrinkles appeared at the corners of Heremias's eyes, a little like a smile, a bit like murderous intent. "A sixteen-year-old child can already be on his own, but he has the blood of forty-four generations of ancestors in his body, and many of the defeated generals who have been added to the rank and rank can help him testify. ”

"Oh. "I don't see green ears of wheat on your coat of arms, my dear distant cousin. ”

"That's because the Grand Duke of Ishmael hasn't given it to me yet, and it is said that he doesn't like thieves who steal green ears of wheat, and when the time is right, he'll find a way to find the lost property. Hermeias smiled genuinely this time.

Jonah was not impressed by this kind of for tat but without swear words, and prevented Assay from continuing to translate. In the blink of an eye, he sat on the rumbling wheels and headed for the far southeastern border along the "Golden Road". The Midnight Star had four large living rooms, the first of which was the one where the astrologer was located, the second was ridden by the white-robed priest Mias and four powerful men who had also won the selection and served in the Fireblade Cavalry Regiment, the third room housed two senior officers of the Guards, one of whom was the new combat instructor who had won the Guards Fighting Tournament, and the fourth, which had been closed from the moment of boarding, and in which it was said that an important traveler was resting, and no one knew who it was.

If we analyze it simply, Jonah, Arsai, I can't tell if they are brothers, or just the similarly named Zarinkuber and Second Lieutenant Zarinkut, Mias, and the four officers of the cavalry regiment belong to His Majesty the Emperor's camp, and the two officers of the Guards are subordinates of Governor Herzemias.

But a little deeper analysis, Mias is the Governor's own son, and the four officers of the cavalry regiment seem to be dead set on him, I don't know if it was the Governor's eyeliner or simply bought by the white-robed priest. Then the first living room is isolated, and the second and third living rooms form a de facto alliance.

But if you analyze it a little deeper, Mayor Du was originally a supporter of Governor Herzemias, but before leaving, he was forcibly escorted to the car by Prince Harimaya and was responsible for the food and living of the astrologers along the way, so did he succumb to the double agent of patriarchy, or was he willing to surrender to the biggest variable?

If you dig a little deeper, Mias is a member of the Red Brotherhood, and the Brotherhood's Burning Man Tuva Tugan is in high ranking in the Guard, is the Governor of the Guards himself a believer in the Brotherhood?

However, if you dig a little deeper......

"Ahhh............h

The Oriental patted him on the shoulder comfortingly: "Don't be cranky, Brother Jonah. Let me ask you a question, is it fun to climb or to go down?"

The astrologer was stunned: "What is the problem? If you want to say that you should be happy going down the mountain, right? Climbing the mountain is very tiring, and going down the mountain is very easy." ...... But my home is on the hillside, and I can only go home if I climb the hillside, so I think it's a pleasure to go up the mountain, right?" flashed before his eyes the cottage on the turquoise hillside, his home in Saint-Boren, so long ago that he couldn't tell whether it was real or imaginary.

Asai grinned and said: "Tell you the answer: going up the mountain is fun, you can climb high and look far, and down the mountain is happy, you can lean on the tree and watch the clouds." Eastern philosophy tells us to be happy to know our destiny and enjoy the present, and the more we think about it, the farther away we will be from the true Buddha. You think too much about it, and you can't change your current situation, isn't it much better to do something meaningful while keeping a sense of vigilance than to be afraid?"

Jonah stared blankly at his partner for a long time, and muttered, "That's a good thing you said, thank you...... I won't think about it anymore, what are you talking about meaningful things?"

"Eating and sleeping, of course. The Oriental tossed a peanut and swallowed it in one gulp, narrowing his eyes in satisfaction.