Duke's Palace of Tagore, Ashram.

The gray-haired old duke sat in a circle chair, and on his lap sat a petite beauty. He had lost that ability, but at least he still had his hands and tongue, barely able to get through it.

The Duke of Tagore also tried many methods, such as pills, divine water, witchcraft, and even paid a priest on a whim to cast a "rejuvenation spell" for his work. It's a pity that time is the most ruthless, after all, he is no longer vigorous, and it is difficult to dream back to the age of twenty.

Coupled with old age and decay, tooth loss, tongue coating deterioration, lust and appetite can no longer be satisfied, the Duke of Tagore's focus shifts to wealth and power. Before his soul returns to hell, he wants to ensure that the family can continue to pass it on, or rather, go further.

Above the duke, is the prince, and above the prince, is the monarch, but unfortunately these two, only the royal blood is qualified.

So, let's take a compromise. still maintain the Duke title, and then join forces to remove the sharpening Lion King from Snowton's throne and replace it with a more merciful monarch. Only in this way can they, the noble families, be passed on unharmed, for ten years, a hundred years, if possible, until a thousand years.

The door of the quiet room was pushed open, and the slightly chubby young man smiled flatteringly, "Grandfather, are you looking for me?"

He was about thirty-one or twelve years old, not ugly, but he could not be described as handsome, and his bloated chin and fat nose made him look a little dull.

It's not like I was when I was younger. Duke Tagor thought so, but in any case, the other party was his eldest grandson and the future heir of the Tagor family.

"Runica, come here," the old duke patted Mei Ji's upright ass. Ordered her to stand down, and beckoned, "Come and sit beside me." ”

Runiga sat down obediently, his hands on his knees, his little eyes spinning, and he didn't know what he was thinking.

Duke Tagor sighed darkly. However, on the surface, he still asked gently, "Some time ago, I asked you to contact the middle and high-ranking officers of the Praetorian Guard, how did you do?"

"This ...... Grandfather," Luniga scratched his head nervously and replied in embarrassment, "Old General Kudran is watching closely, there is only one day a week, and the military attaché is allowed to enter and leave the camp freely......"

That is to say. You didn't do anything?" The smile on the old duke's face froze, and a cold light burst out from his cloudy eyes, making Roonega subconsciously hang his head and avoid it, and he didn't dare to speak.

"How can I hand over the family to you like this?" After all, it was his grandson, and Duke Tagor couldn't be angry, he shook his head. He said with hatred of iron and steel, "A few other old friends. Just sent a message to me, and I have already won over more than seventy percent of the Praetorian Guard generals, but when I came to us, none of them succeeded, where did you put my old face?"

In a secret meeting of the leaders of the nobility, they decided to stage a coup d'état in Norman City. Appoint a new king to protect his own interests. And the key to this is the 20,000 Praetorian Guards who stayed in the capital.

The old general Kudran also knew this, so he has been tightening his control over the army. But in the Praetorian Guard, there were already many noble children. Coupled with their perennial presence in Norman, many of the officers had established good relations with the nobility, and after some vigorous lobbying, they all fell to the aristocracy.

It is no wonder that Duke Tagore is anxious, he does not want to fall behind in the next power shuffle.

"Grandfather...... Your Excellency," he was thinking, when Roonega spoke up again, "I didn't do nothing, but I just left the matter to Winster, because he said...... He was familiar with the officers of the Praetorian Guard. ”

"Winster, which Winster?" the old duke didn't think of for a moment.

"It's my cousin, Uncle Seven, who got drunk and made ...... The one that came out. Runiga explained.

"Oh......" Duke Tagor suddenly realized that this Winster was also one of his grandsons. More than twenty years ago, his seventh son was drunk and raped the wife of a gardener, and in order to protect the family's reputation, he sent someone to assassinate the gardener, and then threw the woman to a remote territory, leaving only the child.

As for the reason, it is not that the old duke is compassionate, but that he intends to prepare a scholar for his eldest grandson, Runiga. After all, it is my own family, and when the time comes, it will be easier to use tea and water.

"Go and call him," said Duke Tagor after a moment's thought, then waved his hand again, "Forget it, I'll send someone to call him, and you can read this letter first." ”

He rang the bell and called the old butler and ordered him to bring Winster. After only the two grandchildren were left in the quiet room, he asked in a low voice, "Do you understand?"

"The little lion is approaching step by step, we have no way to retreat, and I hope to join you old friends in the grand event to ensure the stability of the empire for all generations...... It's Generals Contra and Wilkinson," Roonega read from beginning to end, looked up and asked, "Grandfather, what does that mean?"

"Let me ask you," said the Duke of Tagore, "if there is an army that attacks the 'Path of the Light', where will the hundreds of thousands of troops of the Southern Expeditionary Army go?"

"Of course, there is no way back," replied Runiga without hesitation, "but the Herseus Valley is guarded by Count Allegri, and the perimeter is garrisoned by Imperial troops, and it is impossible for the Holy See to send troops to attack it. ”

"Who said it was the Holy See, if the sneak attacker was our own people?" said Duke Tagor with a mysterious smile.

"Our people?" Roonega gradually came to his senses, his fat lips half open, and he looked overly frightened.

It seems that this kid is not incorrigibly stupid, Duke Tagor leaned back in his chair, cultivating his spirits, and it didn't take long for the knock on the door to sound again, it was Winster who arrived.

"Your Excellency. Winster bowed, and then stood in the middle of the hall with his hands in front of him in a deferential manner. Unlike Runiga, his name is not included in the family tree, and he is not qualified to call the old duke "grandfather".

"Janissary officer, how are you getting in touch?" the Duke of Tagor asked directly.

"Lord of the Clan, these days, I have tested a total of seventeen officers, twelve of whom are willing to serve the Tagor family...... The other five people were co-opted by other families, so they would not leak the news. Winster replied calmly, clearly and thoroughly.

"Yes, you are very good," said the Duke of Tagore with a rare compliment, and as he gazed at his grandson, he suddenly commanded, "for the time being, you will stay with me, and when this is done, I will include you in the family tree." ”

"Yes. Winster stepped forward, and without a trace he groped into his pocket, where a forged lion was hidden.

... (To be continued......)

PS: (Today's second update.) ）