The first power in the mainland.

This title is accompanied not only by glory, but by the second, third, and fourth...... It is also the fate of the country that bears this honorary title to join forces and fight together. Charlemagne has been in such a position for thousands of years. Whether it is the-stirring stick strategy of the old enemy Albiang "uniting the second boss to pit the boss", or the humiliation of the popes who have not forgotten their ancestors being captured by Charlemagne's barbarians every year, and they will cut Charlemagne at every opportunity, or the Habsburgs, Seres and others making small moves...... Anyway, being surrounded and beaten by a bunch of neighbors who have a feud of blood and blood feuds overnight has long been a part of Charlemagne's daily life. Charlemagne has always been helpless against the countries, and because of Charlemagne's national strength and the principalities that are eyeing the north, the countries have nothing to do. So far, the nations can only watch Charlemagne's rise, but they are helpless about it, and the time has finally come for the final solution of the problem that has been unsolved for thousands of years.

While most Charlemagnes take the situation for granted, a small group of sober-minded people see the unprecedented crisis behind the revelry.

"What the hell is he trying to do?!"

The cardinal's angry roar shook even the crystal chandelier on the ceiling, as if he had been drained of his strength by the roar, and Charlemagne's roof collapsed on the wide office chair, and a piece of paper slipped from his fingers.

Prime Minister Richelieu was probably Charlemagne's greatest and most ruthless statesman of all time, and in addition to his cold-bloodedness and scheming, the cardinal-clad old man was known for his unbreakable will. In the face of the unscrupulous aristocracy, he resolutely eliminated all resistance with the army and the death penalty, forced the domestic forces to demolish the fortified castles, abolished the private army controlled by the nobles, increased the tax rate, encouraged production to fill the treasury, built a navy and overseas colonies, and revived the long-dead and unworthy Charlemagne navy. Even defeated the recognized maritime hegemon, took control of the seas.

If it weren't for the existence of the super monster of the consortium, the prime minister would shine in flawless glory and become a famous minister of Zhongxing who will be remembered by history.

Almost all of Richelieu's defeats are inseparable from the consortium, and it seems that as soon as he meets Li Lin, the prime minister's wisdom will go offline. After several failed struggles. The bishop clearly realized that for the rest of his life, the consortium would be an invincible opponent, and I am afraid that in the next hundred years, no one would be able to bring down this monster that rooted countless tentacles in all aspects of Charlemagne, and at the same time weaved an all-encompassing web with interests. In the interest of the country, the prime minister and the consortium have established a "new type of interest group relationship" that is both cooperative and competitive. Satisfied with the results of the cooperation that had been achieved, Archbishop Le began to think about how to maintain a symbiotic relationship that would be beneficial to both parties.

It wasn't until Roland and Minerva showed him the true face of the consortium, the existence of Alfheim and the elven camp, and the true identity and ultimate purpose of Li Lin, that the prime minister, who had just woken up from a dream, had to re-examine the symbiotic relationship with which he had been quite satisfied with a bitter eye. Then the Prime Minister was dismayed to find that in the face of the elven camp, he and Charlemagne had lost all means of counterattack. Economic, political, military, diplomatic - whatever it is. Alfheim could easily beat Charlemagne, who was isolated and heavily reliant on the consortium.

The previous "big victories" completely blocked Charlemagne's possibility of obtaining external support, and originally only had to tell him that "it was all a conspiracy of elves, and we were also victims". States, if not directly send troops to help, at least provide material and political support based on a common belief and sense of ethnic belonging, squeezing the space for Yalfheim to operate. If you're lucky, you'll be able to drag the other party into the quagmire of a war of attrition, and the other party will eventually consume the vitality they have accumulated, and fight with the entire human camp. Eventually, they will be consumed alive.

However, no longer it was possible to count on such a possibility, and Charlemagne choked the nations. If anyone joins in to fight Charlemagne, the nations will not care about the ethnic composition and beliefs of the new entrants. Even if that's not a friend, it's an enemy of an enemy.

In the absence of the best strategy, at least think of a second-best strategy to avoid the worst. After consulting with Roland and Minerva, the prime minister's strategy was to delay.

The time for Yalfheim to start the war must be delayed at all costs, although appeasement is a little ugly. But as long as the elven faction is not allowed to gain a righteous name, it will be difficult for them to turn on the war machine under the best conditions according to the predetermined plan. During this time, Charlemagne could recalibrate his strategy, purge the military and domestic affairs, and weed out activists and corrupt elements. Restoring relations with other countries will finally change the current situation of isolation and helplessness, and force Yalfheim to refrain from acting rashly. As for the elimination of Archbishop Alfheim-Le, he did not even consider such an unrealistic idea of death, and as long as Li Lin, who is the agent of divine will, remains, any such idea is dangerous and foolish.

Once everything is worked out, the last remaining question is only time. All of these plans take time, but Charlemagne's lack of time is also the most. It is conservatively estimated that the entire strategic transformation will take 5~6 years from the start to the completion of the turn, and there is no room for the slightest interference, let alone the initiative to provoke the elf camp. It was at this time that Richelieu received a terrible news that almost made him faint - the crown prince secretly sent a floating fleet to raid the consortia transports, but the battle failed, and only one of the 11 warships returned to port.

For a long time, due to his lack of children, Richelieu regarded the Dauphin as a child rather than as a future king, and as a brilliant statesman, his cold and precise eyes were more clear about the strengths and weaknesses of the Dauphin Louis than the king himself.

To be sure, the Prime Minister believes that the most prominent of the many heirs is the crown prince. Ability, scheming, and wrist are unparalleled among princes and princesses. Its shortcomings are also obvious, excessive self-esteem, good joy.

If it were a peaceful era, the crown prince Louis would probably become a generation of emperors, and he and his Charlemagne would definitely leave a strong mark on history. However, his personality of great joy makes it difficult for him to consider the national strategy in the long run, and he tends to solve problems by force, and even deliberately provokes disputes to conquer foreign countries in order to show his personal martial arts or preferences, which will eventually waste national strength and eventually make Charlemagne lose his hegemonic status.

In the past, this wasn't a big deal. Even if he loses his hegemony, Charlemagne will still be able to lose his status as the largest power on the mainland. In order to balance the balance of power between countries. Countries also prefer to cooperate with Charlemagne, who is not too weak. But now there are countries outside that have formed an alliance against Charlemagne, and there are elven camps inside. At present, in the form of an imminent crisis, such a "troublemaker" can only bring chaos and disaster to the country.

This trouble must be solved!

In less than five minutes, Richelieu had made a decision. Since the existence of the crown prince cannot bring stability to the country, it is necessary to simply abolish him! It can also be combined with the elimination of more and more out-of-control army diehards, and reduce the resistance to strategic adjustment in the future. The only question is who should be in charge of the army?

Michel Tellier, who was in league with the Dauphin, was certainly unusable, and Michel's son, Lois, was a brilliant man, but for the same reason he could no longer let the Tellier family control the army. The second prince Bernard is too close to the consortium, and already has the so-called "Second Army" Titans in his hands, if the army is Titans, then there will be an unprecedentedly large warlord group. When the time comes, it will be too late to deal with this group of fanatics, and there will be no time to deal with other things. In the same way, it is not possible to let the navy send people to manage the army. Not to mention whether the specialty is the right one, the Navy's own excessive belligerent tendencies also make the prime minister unable to worry.

The last hope still fell to Prince Charles, but His Royal Highness Charles is still too young, and the prestige accumulated before is not enough to convince the public, if Charles is a little older, even if he is 15 years old, things will be much easier. Right now......

Richelieu also considered following the model of the Saarbaddou district, with Roland and Minerva in control of the practice under the Charles. However, controlling a country's army and managing a place are two different things, and their experience and prestige are not enough to bear such a heavy burden. In addition, it is difficult to say how Li Lin, who has broken with Roland, will react to this overly targeted combination. It is extremely dangerous to put your hopes in the hope that your opponent will be careless.

Thinking of this, Richelieu couldn't help but think of the military system in Yalfheim mentioned by Roland. The military commander, the General Staff, and the department chiefs, who must be non-active military personnel, are independent of each other, and the power to determine the financial power and the power to mobilize the army through the legal system is completely controlled by the Council and the consuls. Under this system, the military is not allowed to act at will, and the inter-departmental checks and balances also reduce the risk of a coup d'état to an acceptable level, coupled with resolute punishment for disciplinary violations. As a result, a few lieutenants and colonels in Charlemagne's army dared to plot "heavenly punishment of national thieves" and practice "lower and higher" things. In Alfheim the Defence Force is simply unthinkable.

Look at the model soldiers over there, and then look at their own group of various part-time abusive red deer, national thieves, traitors, royal factions, and control factions...... Why is the gap so big?!Why is the gap so big?!

After shouting three important impressions in one breath, Richelieu, who had calmed down, finally decided to compromise - to be promoted to General Sébastian Vauban, Field Marshal, and also Minister of War. Louis II de Bourbon, the fourth Prince of Condé, was appointed Minister of War, and Roland and Minerva served under the Prince of Condé in the name of "apprenticeship military affairs" and "formation of the Fourth Prince's Guard". Counsellor for Army Consolidation.

Vauban was an outstanding soldier and military theorist, who was good at conquering fortifications as well as building them, and advocating defensive warfare. Among the many fierce generals under the crown prince's account, Vauban was widely known for his modest, rational, and overall situational personality, and making him the minister of war could appease the crown prince's party, and it was easy to be accepted by all parties. The Prince of Condé was originally famous for his martial arts and was a royal family, and there was no controversy about his position as Minister of War. Under customary law, the Minister of War had the right to intervene in the management and personnel of the Army, and with the skill and justice of Prince Condé, with the assistance of Minerva and Roland, the reorganization of the Army would be carried out in the name of justice.

After the calculation, Richelieu immediately asked his subordinates to prepare a carriage to go to the Palace of Versailles, the prime minister, who has always been resolute, does not like to waste time, and now is a critical moment when every second counts.

The worried Richelieu did not know that his response was already a step too late, and that the strategy to promote the war was running in an orderly manner out of everyone's sight.

＃＃＃＃＃＃＃＃＃＃

"Are you telling the truth?"

Ignoring the tea spilled on his cuffs, Prince Bernard held the teacup with a face full of astonishment and ecstasy that could not be concealed.

"Indeed, Your Highness. ”

The dwarf bowed humbly, and his ugly face was piled up with an impeccable business smile.

"The Dauphin Louis sent an airfloating fleet to attack our company's merchant fleet, and Prime Minister Richelieu could not have done better. I'm afraid that drastic measures will be taken as well. ”

Albelici did not say what the so-called "drastic measures" were, and if he did not have even this judgment and imagination, Prince Bernard would have been hopelessly stupid or terrible.

At the moment, Charlemagne had a great advantage in the strategic situation, almost all the enemy was hit, but the war was far from over. Charlemagne's opponents are yet to fall. They are licking their wounds and waiting to recover before they fight back, and if the war is not ended soon, it will be a long, muddy war of attrition. Whether it is to maintain the normal operation of the national economy or the huge war expenditure, it is inseparable from the assistance of the consortium. But a troublesome crown prince can't do this, and when he has to choose between the two, which side will be left behind, the answer is too obvious.

The obvious result is not worth caring about, the question is after this. To put it bluntly - who will be the heir to the throne?

According to the succession law, after the crown prince is deposed, the second prince will automatically become the first in line to the throne, and with the close relationship between Bernard and the consortium, the crown prince's position seems to be in little suspense.

-- Not really.

They have other options besides Bernard, and they may be better than Bernard.

Minerva and Charr.

Minerva's fiancé is Roland, the future successor of the consortium, at the moment when the consortium is in full swing. There is no one who is not interested in discussing whether a child born of a noble marriage is eligible to inherit the throne. If the consortium wants to rise to the top, it is not impossible to launch a queen, and the Shire's young age and lack of strength are another "advantage". Whether the starting point is present or long-term, this is a "good chess piece" with many places to start designing and at will, and it is precisely because of this that Richelieu and the consortium have invariably cast their attention to the Charles.

Compared to them, Bernard's advantage is not obvious enough.

Albelich's next words will directly determine the direction of the kingdom and the world. Bernard clenched his white fists and stared at the dwarf's fat lips, which belonged to wine-colored people.

Bathed in the anxious, expectant, hopeful, begging gaze of a prince, Alberich suddenly wanted to laugh out loud. Once upon a time, these big men would also look at him with respectful eyes, and in the past a lord could look at him with contempt like a dog. Not to mention the princes and nobles who decide the fate of the country. And now, these people are almost like dogs prostrate at his feet, humbly and eagerly waiting for the bones.

This is the magic of money and power, anyone is crazy and intoxicated, once you taste the pleasure of mastering power and dominating others, alcohol, drugs, women will lose their attractiveness.

Fortunately, Albelich was not carried away by the endorphins, and he knew very well who the object of the other party's awe and fear was, and whose gift it was for him to taste this ultimate pleasure. The lord had the tolerance to tolerate the enjoyment of his subordinates after work, but at the same time he could not tolerate the harshness of bad things caused by the stupidity of his subordinates - especially in a major task such as the present one, which would make Alberich regret being born in this world if he messed up.

With a slight shudder, the dwarf ended his game.

"Your Highness, the purpose and purpose of our company is to make a profit. ”

Bernard nodded busily, as an animal of interest, he knew the importance of interest as well as he knew the importance of breathing.

"A short-term investment with good returns may seem appealing, but we prefer a sustainable long-term investment. For example, it is true that the sale of arms is lucrative, but people's demand for food, clothing, housing and transportation is fundamental, and the business opportunities brought by this demand are far broader than those of the military industry. On the other hand, wars undermine productivity and demand, increase costs, and exacerbate social tensions, forcing more resources to be put in to alleviate pressures. In the end, not only will it not be profitable, but it will also be dragged down by various investments that cannot recover costs. So, in general, we want a relatively stable environment that can control the intensity and scope of conflict. ”

"I understand. ”

"Your Highness is really clever. ”

Unable to show contempt to the prince who did not know how to pretend to understand, Alberich continued:

"In an external conflict, the invincible forces of Charlemagne and the Titans will surely destroy all the enemies and achieve the final victory. However, if there is a long-term dispute in the country, the blood of the noble royal family is flowing because of ugly struggles, some important ministers abandon their loyalty for their own selfishness, deviate from tradition, and even plot to hide behind the backs of the princesses and young princes who are not deeply involved in the world to frame individuals and organizations loyal to the country - these sad and ugly things are what we do not want to see. ”

At this point, Bernard finally understood what Albelich was talking about.

In the matter of deposing the crown prince, the consortium and Richelieu did have the same interests. However, on other issues involving national affairs and power, the two sides are still at loggerheads. Therefore, when the fall of Crown Prince Louis was a foregone conclusion, how to coexist with the prime minister so that he could not threaten the consortium became the most important issue.

With this in mind, the president of the consortium had to give up on putting Minerva or Charles on the throne - it was extremely dangerous to let Richelieu expand his power after losing the common enemy of the crown prince and offending Bernard in the battle for the throne.

The only option left is, of course, Bernard, the second prince who dislikes the prime minister as much as the consortium and has a close relationship with the consortium.

"But, but ......"

Bernard swallowed, his thirsty throat re-energized.

"My father believed in Richelieu very much, and he was convinced that the Prime Minister was a selfless man who devoted himself to the country, and as long as Richelieu proposed it, he would hardly refute it. How can we make him change his mind? Besides, when the prime minister deposes Brother Wang, he will definitely think of the possibility of our cooperation and draw up a corresponding strategy. Are there any countermeasures then?"

"Don't worry, Your Highness. ”

Shaking his glass, Alberich tried to make it look like he was talking to himself casually, but at the same time he laughed uncontrollably.

"First of all, the crown prince has not yet fallen, and he will certainly not remain silent. Secondly...... Your Majesty is old after all, and I personally think it's time to retire. ”

It seems that people should not be surprised that a 68-year-old man, both physically and mentally, has something wrong with him in one way or another. At the same time, the crown prince had mental problems and had to receive professional treatment. Considering that the country is at war and the king has not appointed an heir, there do not seem to be many options for the stability of the country...... (To be continued......)