Fuxing Palace is the same as ever.

Cold and deadly, bleak and solemn.

Kick, kick, kick......

Tails followed behind Baron Quentin, the head of the court, listening to the echo of his footsteps, feeling the impenetrable oppression again.

It was a darkness that could not be illuminated by an inextinguishable lamp.

Behind the duke, Marios was as decent and indifferent as ever, in fact, there were quite a few people who guarded Tails out of the Mindis Hall, but the only person who was allowed to accompany him into the palace was Marios.

That's not a good sign.

But unlike the last time (quietly receiving the attention) treatment, everyone along the way, whether the guards and servants or noble vassals, saluted him respectfully, addressed His Highness, and had a solemn and meticulous face.

I don't know why.

So, how much will he pay for last night's choice?

Tails was distraught.

The palace steward in front coughed lightly, and the prince instinctively straightened his chest and girdle his abdomen, and his demeanor was perfect.

After turning around, they did not go to the council chamber last time, but came to a higher level.

The corridors on this floor are lined with portraits of kings from various periods, which is an eye-opener for Tails:

The son of the revival king, John I, who created the crown of nine stars, was full of energy, and although he was nicknamed "Black Eyes", he gave birth to a pair of clear and moving blue eyes, which were quite seductive and handsome.

The martial arts are promising, and the "King of the Blades" Tormund II, who has been defeated by the blade collar in one word, has a seated statue, which conceals his five-short stature that is recorded in the history books (and tried to tamper with it many times).

The orthodoxy is the most controversial, and the "cutter" Tormond IV, who relied on the palace to change the throne, has a cold expression and gloomy eyes, and the painter successfully uses light and shadow to make his face appear eerie and uncomfortable to the viewer.

Su Mei III looks modest and steady, coupled with carefully groomed stubble, he is definitely a middle-aged handsome uncle sought after by thousands of people in another world, and it is hard to believe that this is the star "jackal" who is famous for his cunning and insidiousness.

On the second day of his adult pro-government, and the day before the wedding, Bancroft II, the "King of Regrets", who unfortunately passed away, looked sad and did not wake up with a look of grievance, which complemented his nickname.

The portrait of the coronation of the "surviving king" Ellam IV, who had no intention of fighting for power, and had been married eight times to become rich and worry-free, looked frightened and helpless at the coronation, which may have something to do with the fact that he was only told at the age of 55 to change his surname back to the bright star, inherit the throne, and by the way, return all the huge fortune (inherited from the seven widowed wives) to the royal family.

Queen Eliga, the "Conqueror of the North", is shrouded in solemn and bloated to deformed costumes, majestic and imposing, and has no female characteristics at all, not to mention the eternal color of "glamorous and overwhelming all nations, sixty like two and ten faces" in the history of barnyard officials.

The "Sand King" Kessel IV looked into the distance, mighty and sunny, but this could not hide the mediocre cowardice that he and his nickname were passed down as a joke: after an expedition to the desert but suffered a crushing defeat, he was frightened and abandoned his army, buried himself in the sand with lightning speed, and finally escaped, leaving behind the famous phrase "stealth equals invincibility".

Obviously, the three giant portraits in the Mindith Hall combined with the historical background are more impressive, but the portraits here also have their own characteristics, reflecting the techniques and habits of different painters, including the artistic styles of different periods.

But......

Tails watched them silently, and suddenly it occurred to him something strange.

Whether it's these court portraits, or the legendary Three Kings statues in the Mindice Hall, all the people in the paintings look ......

Not sincerely.

Eventually, they stopped in front of a well-guarded stone chamber, and the chief commander of the royal guard, Lord Adrian, appeared before them, gentle but majestic.

"Baron Quentin," Adrian saluted to the leading court governor:

"Alright?"

The palace steward shook his hand, looking unconcerned.

"Alright, alright, now I beg your pardon for missing me, I'm going to settle the bill for Master Damon's tailoring fee. ”

Baron Quentin's attitude was sloppy, with a hint of resentment between the lines:

"You have to keep an eye on the procurement of the royal wine glass, you know - glass, glass, wine, glass! What a big expense, not sloppy!"

Wine glasses.

Tails stood behind him, his expression slightly glazed.

Captain Adrian just squinted and smiled.

Tails finally sighed and sincerely apologized:

"Your Excellency, I'm sorry. ”

Baron Quentin looked back, glaring and blowing.

"Oh, Your Highness, you'd better be!"

The head of the palace was unceremoniously, raised his voice, his eyebrows danced, and his words were strict:

"For the sake of your ancestors, do you think that the royal family's money fell from the sky, it is all the people's fat and people's anointing, and they can't be generous!"

Baron Quentin gave him one last glare, and walked away in a rage.

Leaving Tails with his chest and neck shrunk and a frightened face.

"Please understand that Baron Quentin has been managing the affairs of the court for thirty years, and he is down-to-earth and meticulous, but he is also stubborn," Adrian explained with a smile:

"In the past, even His Majesty Eddie wanted to give him three points. ”

Tails forced himself to pull out an understanding smile.

"Your Highness, Lord Marlos," Adrian said to the two of them officially:

"Welcome to the Imperial Chamber. ”

The captain of the guard turned around and raised his hand, showing Tails a stone door that was two people tall:

"Alias the 'Ballard Room'. ”

Under the faint light of the narrow stone windows in the distance, and the illumination of two inextinguishable lights, there were at least ten royal guards on both sides of the gray stone gate, all of whom had serious faces and did not smile.

"Ballard?"

Tails narrowed his eyes and looked at this special stone door, thinking back to the royal genealogy that had been made up for these days:

"You mean the Star King of the third century, the 'Believer' Ballard I?"

Adrian smiled.

"Exactly. ”

"Four hundred years ago, Karn the Djinn invaded the kingdom with a wicked berserker, sweeping the kingdom to the city of Eternal Star – coinciding with the reign of King Ballard. ”

The captain of the guard looked back at the stone gate and sighed with emotion.

Tails pondered for a moment:

"I have heard this story in the North, of Archduke Karn Trudida of Exter, and his 'Djinn Crusade', of which the nobles of the Northlands are still proud. ”

"So, Ballard Room, was he born here, or did he succeed here?"

Captain Adrian snorted and shook his head:

"When the soldiers were approaching the city and the mountains and rivers were broken, Ballard I summoned the courtiers who dared to do so into the palace, gathered in one room, and appointed them regardless of their origins, and gave them a long table to make decisions to defend the country. ”

Adrian was quite emotional:

"It was the first imperial council in the history of the kingdom, and it was held regularly after that, and it was gradually established as a system for 400 years. ”

"Then there was the 'Ballard Room' in front of the Emperor. ”

Tails pondered, but didn't say anything.

The captain of the guard suddenly realized his gaffe, and he smiled self-deprecatingly and gave way to his seat.

"Your Majesty and several adults are meeting in front of the Imperial Palace, Your Highness, please come in. ”

Tails frowned:

"The Imperial Council?"

"Maybe I should wait until ......"

But Lord Adrian interrupted him.

"Your Majesty is summoned, Your Highness, and you are the Duke of Star Lake of the Kingdom," the Captain of the Guard said in a humble and polite tone, but with a different kind of power:

"Beforehand, please pay attention to your demeanor. ”

Adrian said softly:

"It doesn't have to be too 'Northland'. ”

Tails furrowed an eyebrow.

Adrian said and walked to the guards guarding the door:

"Open the door, Mariko, and remember to lighten up. ”

Tails took this opportunity to tidy up his clothes, did not forget to turn his head, and quietly asked Marhos behind him:

"Any suggestions?"

For some reason, Marios, who was standing in front of Ballard's room, was expressionless at the moment:

"Yes. ”

His reply is like a bougu well:

"Don't ask me. ”

Tails looked back.

All right.

Worthy of being his favorite captain of the guard.

It's honest and to the point, and it's just so useful.

Tails thought sarcastically.

But he remembered the portraits of the king that he had seen along the way, but he found that he had no impression of Ballard I.

Either it was missed, or it was placed in an inconspicuous corner.

"Eleanor. ”

With the soft sound of the stone door slowly opening, Tails' lips did not move, and he spoke quietly.

Marlos behind him frowned, and he quietly took a step forward:

"What?"

Tails looked at the stone door that was getting bigger and bigger, looked at the gloom that came out of it, and snorted softly:

"Four hundred years ago, King Ballard inherited the throne of his elder brother at the age of seventeen, and faced a crisis, he could not convince the princes, and he did not obey the people. ”

The prince narrowed his eyes:

"At that time, the person who really had the right to make an exception to convene the Imperial Council and make a decision to resist the 'Djinn Crusade' was a woman. ”

Tails turned around and smiled at Marlors:

"Yes. ”

"The Iron Thorn Queen, Eleanor. ”

Marlos frowned.

"And this place, in fact, should be called 'Eleanor's Room'. ”

In the next second, Tails turned forward, and under the respectful eyes of the guards on both sides, he skimmed through the stone door and disappeared into the darkness.

Look steady.

Take your stride.

With a soft sound, the stone door closed, completely covering the figure of the Duke of Xinghu.

Marlos looked at the deep stone door, and then pursed his lips, and his voice was almost imperceptible:

"Yes. ”

Outside the stone gate, Adrian walked up to Marlos and patted him on the shoulder.

The watchman nodded:

"Is there anything I need to worry about about last night?"

"For example, how did the assassin sneak into the king's banquet with a weapon?"

Adrian smiled:

"Nope. ”

Marlos frowned slightly.

But before he could think deeply, the captain of the guard took him by the shoulders and led him away from the Ballard room with a half-drag and half-push:

"So, how about Mindis Hall, Tormond?"

The captain of the guard kindly asked the nephew he had watched grow up all the way, as if he was pulling a family routine:

"Compared to here?"

Marlos became indifferent again:

"It's good, it's bright. ”

Adrian nodded.

"Not bad," the captain of the guard flashed in his eyes:

"Only Bright Hall?"

"Time is short," said Marhos, in an ordinary tone.

"Wait a little longer, and I'll tell you. ”

Adrian smiled, and he let go of Marlos.

"When is it time to schedule yourself a day off?"

The old captain, who was quite old, pressed his waist: "You know, my wife has recently met a few nice unmarried girls, and she shouldn't mind ......"

But Marlos interrupted him abruptly:

"Captain. ”

He didn't say anything, just a blank face.

Adrian stared at him for a long time before nodding.

"Your Highness didn't come out so soon," the captain of the guard said lightly:

"Old rules, go to the guard room and wait. ”

Marlos froze.

Lord Adrian smiled at him:

"You know, paperwork. ”

Marlos was silent for a second.

"Of course," said the watchman, smiling similarly, as he said:

"Paperwork. ”

————

Tails walked into the Imperial Conference Room and found that it was actually smaller than he thought (after all, there was a contrast between the Hall of the Stars and the Council Chamber, including the Tomb of the Bright Stars), with a low dome and narrow walls, which inherited the unique coldness and darkness of the Fuxing Palace Hall.

It's really a little dark house.

The prince complained silently.

Under the illumination of the lamp, there was a long table with many people sitting around as far as the eye could see, and there were faint human voices.

Tails took a deep breath, not thinking about the unhappy future, and walked slowly.

As he approached, the voices around the table faded, and most of them turned their heads to look at the newcomers to the Imperial Council.

Tails noticed that none of the people at the table were ordinary people:

Bob Cullen, the pot-bellied prime minister of the kingdom and the guardian duke of the East China Sea, still has a smile on his face, as if everything is as good as before.

Gilbert, the foreign secretary and teacher he was familiar with, was so worried that he couldn't say anything.

There is also Sordor Red, a military adviser to the royal family who has rich experience in his life and is nicknamed "The Great Soldier", including the kingdom's treasurer, who is said to be able to "take money out of his crotch", "Money Bag" Jucoman.

Viscount Coney, the "sharp-faced" who had visited the prince in Exeter and had just been promoted to Minister of Commerce and Trade at the beginning of the year, was also present and smiling at him in a friendly manner; dozing off was Lord Clappen, the Minister of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, and the young and promising Central Diocesan of the Sunset Church, Stylianides, a special adviser to the faith who almost became a theological teacher in Tails.

Tails also noticed that there was another man standing at the foot of the long table, far away from the nobles, it was a scarred, vicious-looking man, and a pair of sharp eyes stabbed at Tails, as if with bad intentions.

The prince wondered: Who was that, and why was he the only one standing?

And Kessel V, the most unobliged master here, sat at the top of the long table, his casual posture enjoying the light of the stone window behind him, and his face was unclear in the backlight, leaving only a dark silhouette that made people feel oppressed.

With a little apprehension, Tails swallowed his throat and stepped forward respectfully.

"Father. ”

He bowed decently:

"Good day, ladies and gentlemen. ”

Gilbert was the first to stand up and respectfully returned the salute:

"Good day, Duke of Tails. ”

The monarchs on the long table moved one after another, and stood up with the foreign minister to greet them.

But the king's voice then rang out, interrupting what might have been a meaningful pleasantry:

"Find your own chair. ”

The ministers fell silent.

They looked first at Tails and then at the king, but in the end they did not finish their greetings, but returned to the throne one after another.

Gilbert thoughtfully shifted to the seat next to him and offered to make way for Tails.

Tails nodded gratefully, stepped forward and sat down, greeting the head of the adjutanic Bishop Stylianides, who was sitting on the other side, and said that his heart was fine.

At least, they gave themselves a seat.

At least, they didn't directly ask for guilt.

At least, they didn't hastily throw a sword and let him "slit your own throat."

At the head of the long table, the man against the light changed his supporting arm, knocked on the long table, and said coldly:

"Go on, Sodot. ”

This sentence was like a sudden fall of frost, and the solemn atmosphere that had thawed a little because of the arrival of the prince condensed again.

On the other side, military advisor Todor Rader cleared his throat as he stood up and the Imperial Council resumed.

"In any case, the decision of the Freedom Alliance to secretly withdraw the elite main force from Fort Liberty and ambush the field in advance is extremely bold," Sodot, dressed in military uniform, knocked on a long table, on which a huge map was spread out, on which were placed black and white chess pieces:

"You know, if it is not good to defend the city because of the internal emptiness, Fort Liberty falls, and the war is over. ”

With a serious face, Soudor reached for the castle sign marked "Fort Liberty", and removed a knight from the three or four black pieces inside and threw it off the map.

Tails then noticed that the subject of this royal meeting was not him, at least not last night's assassination.

But......

"Lord Sordor has just returned from the Western Wilderness with the standing army," Gilbert whispered in the prince's ear:

"You can get the first-line intelligence of the battle in Exeter earlier. ”

Battle of Exeter.

The Prince's mood tightened—something he hadn't felt when he had walked into Ballard's room alone.

Tails frowned, recognizing the contents of the map on the long table: Fort Liberty on one side, Qiyuan City on the other, countless mountains and rivers in between, villages and castles.

And at this moment, more than a dozen white chess pieces started from Qiyuan City, and they were mighty, almost occupying most of the key points on the map.

They are very powerful, and they are far from the Liberty Fortress, which has only two or three black pieces left, and seems to be isolated.

It's like a trapped rat in a cage.

And inside – Tails looked at a dozen white pieces – there were his friends.

But the previous successive victories have fueled the arrogance and arrogance of the Northlanders. ”

"They also thought that the opponent would be like twenty years ago, with the help of geographical fortifications, to hold the fortified city with all their might, to leave only scattered troops to maintain the rear, the main elite to drive straight in, with superior forces to attack the most critical and difficult to attack Fort Liberty. ”

Soudor spoke solemnly, moving his pieces and pushing the dozen or so white pieces along the line sharply forward until Black's Liberty Fortress was surrounded on three sides, leaving only a suspicious gap.

It's like a trap left behind by a rat trap.

"They didn't even bother to make sure that there were any tricks in the occupied areas that they had easily taken behind them, and that there were real main forces hidden among the scattered enemies that fled along the way. ”

Compared to Exter's absolute superiority on the map, the military governor rubbed a few pieces scattered behind White, looking heavy and serious.

The king was silent.

Gilbert sighed and interjected:

"After all, the power of the Exeters in foot combat and the strength of the charge are unparalleled in the world. ”

"If there is no Jiancheng Iron Cavalry to be relied upon, who would dare to attack it in the wild?"

Tails remembered the Black Sand Collar soldiers who sacrificed their lives and died under the Broken Dragon Fortress back then.

Sordor nodded, but sneered:

"That was the first mistake they made. ”

These words are awe-inspiring, and they tug at everyone's hearts.

Sodot raised his head:

"News from the secret department?"

Under the gaze of everyone, the scar-faced man who had been standing silently at the foot of the long table finally stepped forward.

Tails reacted: It was a spy from the Kingdom Secret Branch.

According to the intelligence of many parties on the front line, "In the face of many nobles, the scar-faced man took out a stack of papers, spoke fluently, and did not show nervousness:

"Taking advantage of the fact that the Northlanders were attacking the city and the fighting was fierce, the Freedom Alliance's secret withdrawal, and the troops lying in ambush suddenly launched a bold attack on the back road. ”

His voice was cold:

"Within a week, the Exeter supply points along the Shanliu River were in a state of exhaustion, and the efficiency of transportation was greatly reduced. ”

With his words, Sodor Rader calmly moved the black knight from outside the map back into the field and landed firmly behind the White line.

"Maybe I'm too old to remember ......"

Prime Minister Cullen adjusted the position of his stomach, looking naïve and cute, only to see him puzzled:

"But this style of play is a bit familiar. ”

As soon as these words came out, all the gentlemen present were moved.

Sordor nodded, but did not answer directly, but motioned for the secret department to continue.

The scar-faced man coughed and changed a piece of paper:

"The supply could not be stabilized, and in just one week, the Northlanders relied on the siege of the city, and the proud heavy sword corps and heavy armor sword and axe men were affected, and they attacked the city several times, and they were about to succeed, but they all fell short when they saw that they succeeded. ”

"Their cavalry was strong, but they could not find enough food and grass in the territory of the Liberty League, which was fortified and clear, so they could only stand in place and wait for the outcome of the siege. ”

There was silence around the long table, and the king remained motionless.

It was Gilbert who spoke first and broke the silence:

"So Exeter was defeated like this?

"Impossible, right?"

Soudor Rader snorted softly, staring at the large number of white pieces on the map, revealing a look of jealousy:

"Of course not. ”

The military advisor looked at the man in the secret department.

The scar-faced man was not in a hurry, and told the story:

"According to our intelligence, in the first few weeks after the supply attack, the Exeters still had more than ninety percent absolute combat strength, enough to complete several decisive field battles or sieges, far beyond the Freedom Alliance's ability to resist. ”

But his voice changed:

But at this point, Exeter's commanders were divided on what to do next. ”

"Divergent ......"

Gilbert muttered.

Divergence.

Tails remembered the report Gilbert had told him the night before, and his heart darkened.

Still serious, Todor Rader nodded.

"Qiyuan City urged the whole army to press and win the general attack. ”

"The Vigilant City wants to reorganize its front and slowly erode. ”

Speaking of this, Soduo's face slowly became solemn:

"The one-armed Kierkegaard, the leader of Longxiao City, advocated the blockade of the main roads, besieging but not attacking, and at the same time drawing a small number of men to form a small but elite but equally mobile task force, to track down and annihilate the Freedom Alliance's only remaining trump card in the field. ”

"Once this is done, as long as the head of the enemy commander is thrown into the Liberty Fort, the city will be breached without attack, and it will be difficult to solve. ”

Hearing the familiar name, Tails remembered the one-armed earl who had been silent on his day, but had finally made the final decision.

But others don't think so.

"Ah, Kierkegaard, the one-armed bastard, I remember him. ”

Lord Clapen, the Minister of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry of the Kingdom, nicknamed "The Miser", who had been dozing off, seemed to wake up suddenly, and his heart palpitated:

"Eighteen years ago, it was under his command that the northern Yankees rushed forward, surrounded the points and sent reinforcements, and finally conquered Hanbao, resulting in the fall of the north. ”

Sure enough, his ploy was the most poisonous. ”

Prime Minister Cullen scratched his head:

"So, three paths, which one is better?"

The monarchs were silent for a moment.

"I think it should be a trickle of water, slowly drawing," the Minister of Commerce and Trade, Viscount Connie, was in the prime of life, but his choice was different:

"Fighting small with the big is the most avoidant of quick success, not to mention that the Freedom Alliance is already a trapped beast, so it doesn't matter if you take risks. ”

But the old treasurer, Jucoe Man shook his head and disagreed:

"No, no, no, the Northlanders' biggest advantage is that no one can stop it with a thunder blow,"

"What's more, Chen Bing is outside, the burden and expenses...... Believe me, the sooner the war ends, the better, and once and for all is the most advantageous. ”

But compared to them, Tails noted:

Gilbert frowned and remained silent.

At this moment, the king raised his head, revealing a sharp look in the dark outline:

"Sodot, your opinion?"

All eyes brushed over to the military advisor.

Sodot didn't answer immediately, but he was as solemn as ever, his fingers slashing from one end of the map to the other, as if he was playing a game with someone on the battlefield.

"When it comes to war, the Northlanders are never ambiguous. ”

Soudor looked at the white chess pieces full of pictures, and the fear in his eyes became thicker and thicker:

"What's more, they have the advantage everywhere and have the upper hand. ”

"I think that since the attack in the rear, they have seen through the calculations of the Free Alliance, and they know that the other side is risking to disperse their forces, and they know that the enemy is flawed everywhere at this moment. ”

Boom!

The "GI" punched hard and slammed it on the table.

With a big swing of his hand, he first pushed a large number of white pieces to the position of Fort Liberty, and then knocked down all the black pieces in the fort:

"Regardless of the casualties, attack with all your might, the Freedom Alliance can't stop it. ”

Sodot spread the white pieces evenly across every key point on the map, until the black knight who had fallen behind had nowhere to go and finally fell:

"Consolidating the defense zone and steadily occupying it, the Freedom Alliance cannot bear it. ”

Finally, the military advisor clenched his fists and slowly restored the game, and then picked out two knights from white as well, placed them with Black's knight, and pushed the latter down:

"Calculate the enemy's attack, and use strange intentions, and the Freedom Alliance can't prevent it. ”

Sordor took a deep breath and looked up at the gentlemen, his gaze pausing as he swept over Tails.

"Whether it's a strong attack, Xu Tu, or a surprise soldier, all three are good strategies. ”

Tails nodded slowly, and Afterglow glanced at Viscount Connie and Joccoe Man, seeing that they were both nodding in satisfaction.

Well, that's right, no one can be offended.

But the military adviser's words then changed:

"But when three great options come together......"

Sordow's tone changed, and he was angry.

He nodded to the scar-faced man of the secret department:

The latter cleared his throat:

"We have limited intelligence, and we don't know what the specific decisions are made in Exter's military tent. ”

But after besieging the city for a long time, the Northlanders, who could not bear to delay, finally chose - the troops were divided into three ways and attacked with many heads. ”

As soon as these words came out, most of the people in the Imperial Council were taken aback.

Even Tails couldn't help frowning.

Of all the people, only Gilbert sighed.

"Division?" or three-way?"

Viscount Connie was puzzled, obviously unable to understand:

"The Liberal Confederates are small and weak, and they are dead, and it is understandable to take the risk of dividing their troops, but the people of the Northland obviously have a large army and have the advantage...... Are they crazy?"

In the midst of all the doubts, Thodor Rader snorted angrily.

The commanders' explanations were: first, to relieve the logistical pressure caused by the concentration of the army in one place, to rationally distribute supplies for the general attack, second, to protect the rumored rear supply lines, second, to pursue the ghost troops attacking behind, and finally, to expand and consolidate the occupied area, so as to facilitate the collection of grain and grass on the spot. ”

Tails froze.

All right.

Each of these reasons is incomparably justified, well-founded, and even thoughtful and irrefutable.

It covers the strong attack, Xu Tu, and strange soldiers just mentioned.

But......

Sordor snorted coldly.

"Children know that you can only choose one multiple-choice question," he said, staring at the white squares on the map, stretching out his hand with difficulty and making them into three rounds:

"As an adult, you want to have them all?"

At this moment, the military adviser was conflicted, on the one hand, he despised and disdainful, and on the other hand, he was full of heartache for his peers between the lines:

"It's just stupid. ”

"It's not a pity to die. ”

Among the stunned gentlemen, Tails looked at one of the three white chess, and his mood was complicated.

No one here has spent as much time in the North as he has ever had such close contact with the Northlanders.

Divergence—he vaguely knew the answer behind it.

But he was even more apprehensive and panicked.

Is that so?