The carriage moved slowly through the noisy market.
Outside the carriage window, shops and stalls filled with cloth, porcelain pots, and iron farming tools were retreating in an endless stream, while merchants leading camels, jugglers, and slave trading platforms were approaching again.
The streets were filled with an unpleasant odor mixed with the smell of sweat, ditch stench and cow and horse dung.
Finally, the carriage turned into a secluded alley in the center of the market and stopped in front of the gate of an ordinary-looking, even old and decadent house.
With a sinister look on his face, Donald got out of the carriage and looked at the house with half-squinted eyes.
He originally thought that he would never be able to step foot here again in his life.
Unexpectedly...
Donald stood quietly, with heaven and man fighting in his mind. His pride made him want to turn around and leave, but his legs felt as heavy as lead.
After a moment, he turned around and looked around, then walked in surrounded by two guards.
The carriage drove away from the house.
Silence returned to the deep alley.
Outside the alley, a young vendor, wearing a broken straw hat covering his eyebrows and carrying a large basket of water on his head, walked past the alley seemingly unintentionally and glanced quickly into the alley.
When he saw Donald walking into the house, his pupils could not help but shrink.
He walked to the entrance of the alley, put down the fruit basket, looked around, and prepared to enter the alley.
But at this moment, suddenly, the blacksmith from a nearby blacksmith shop suddenly called to him, seeming to call him over. Before he could recover from the stranger's sudden call, in another direction,
Suddenly there was another burst of noise.
The young vendor turned around and saw a flurry of activity in the market. A beautiful woman ran over in a panic. Not far behind, several ferocious and sturdy men were chasing her quickly.
And just when the young vendor's attention was focused on the woman's horrified eyes, there was a bang, and a few meters away, a man at a roadside milk stall accidentally dropped the milk can in his hand on the ground, making a loud noise and fresh milk splashing everywhere.
.
The young merchant hesitated.
As a secret agent of the Imperial Supervisory Department, he has received various trainings. But after all, he is still young and has not actually carried out the task for a long time. Therefore, his brain is not able to process so many sudden things in an instant.
There is no way to connect the information together and find out the key.
Just by this hesitation, a knife was stabbed from his back into his heart.
The person who killed him was a fruit vendor on the roadside, his colleague.
This vendor was sitting at a roadside stall just now, peeling fruit. The corners of his mouth, which were missing two teeth, were cracked. He looked like he was thinking about something, laughing, and mumbling to himself.
, making it difficult to hear clearly.
The young man passed by his stall just now and pretended to glance at the fruits and prices at the other stall. He was glared at by the other stall and then walked away with a smile.
And just when he focused his attention on the depths of the alley, he didn't see that almost the moment he put the fruit basket at the entrance of the alley and prepared to enter the alley, his colleague had already stood up.
And when the blacksmith greeted him, the woman ran over, and the boy smashed the milk can, this man had already used this series of cover to silently and calmly walk up behind him and put the fruit in his hand.
The knife stabbed into his heart.
The vendor's movements are skillful and precise.
The world was still noisy, but the young spy could no longer hear it.
The beautiful woman ran past him, and the sturdy man chasing her conjured a sack in his hand, covering the dead young spy inside.
A moment later, a living person had completely disappeared from this world.
But the market was still full of people, the blacksmith was hammering the iron hard, and the vendors were still shouting hard, as if nothing had happened.
…
…
Donald walked into the house.
The house is empty and quiet. When walking through the courtyard, you can only hear the sound of dead leaves under your feet.
But the two guards guarding Donald tightened their nerves.
They could clearly feel that from the moment they walked into this decadent house, they were being secretly observed and targeted.
The other party did not show any hostility, but the faint powerful energy was enough to let anyone understand that the place they were in did not tolerate any chaos.
Although these two guards knew very well that as the Great Bright Knight, they were just a decoration on Donald's face, and the real security was hidden in the darkness. But this seemingly ordinary person located in the imperial capital city
They were secretly shocked that such a powerful force was hidden in the market.
Passing through the front yard, then passing through a small building, and entering the inner courtyard corridor, when reaching the end of the corridor, a middle-aged man dressed like a butler emerged from the side silently.
"Wait for me here." Donald waved his hand, stopped the two guards, and then followed the middle-aged man into the foyer of the small building in front.
The foyer is the entrance to a magical barrier.
Entering the small building is like entering another world.
What appeared in front of me was a huge hall. The walls and door beams were all filled with exquisite sculptures. The floor was covered with a thick water velvet wool blanket. The ceiling was painted with exquisite magic patterns. A huge lamp
The magic crystal chandelier hangs from above, and the surrounding furniture and furnishings, as well as the stair railings, doors and windows, are all made of precious magic wood, which is extremely luxurious.
In terms of value, the cost of building this small building is probably as much as half of the Prime Minister's Office.
In addition to the decoration becoming more luxurious, there are also more people.
Beauties with voluptuous figures were walking back and forth wearing water-like silk blouses. Musicians were playing music and dancers were dancing gracefully. In a magic barrier in the center of the hall, two slaves were fighting. They were fighting fiercely, with blood splashing.
, intertwined with the peaceful scene of singing and dancing outside, making it even more shocking.
The middle-aged man led Donald to an old man sitting on the floor in the hall, bowed to the old man, and retreated silently.
The old man poured a glass of wine, put it on the coffee table in front of him, and pushed it to Donald: "Prime Minister, please sit down."
Donald sat down.
The moment he sat down, the entire hall suddenly became silent. The dancers, musicians, and attendants all retreated, and the two gladiators, one dead and one injured, were dragged away, leaving only Donald and the old man.
"I came here once sixteen years ago." Donald picked up the wine and took a sip. "This is the second time."
"Because of the Lengshan incident?" the old man said calmly, "I guess it's time for you to come."
"Of course," since he got straight to the point, Donald said simply, "I was not the only one involved in that incident. At best, I only sent a message, and the subsequent poisoning had nothing to do with me."
"It doesn't matter?" The old man glanced sideways at Donald and sneered, "For you, this alone is enough. Don't forget, this is Saint Solan. Others can collude with the Holy See Mountain, but you, Donald
no."
Donald's face was livid: "It's your Langris family who colluded with the Holy See!"
"The Golden Dragon family has always been His Majesty the Pope's most loyal friends," the old man said calmly, "Isn't it natural for us to collude? We don't care what others say or think, but you, Donald, do."
He poured wine into Donald's glass and said: "Our goals are the same. Our disadvantage is that we are not Solan people. If we want to take over this country, there will be countless people who will oppose us. Lords of Solan
Nobles will not allow outsiders to rule them. If not, why should we wait for Princess Alessia to grow up and for Augustus to have offspring with her? "
Donald held the wine glass and stared at the scarlet wine in the glass, his eyes as dark as fire.
The old man said: "From this point of view, this is your advantage. However, if you are with Pope Solan, no one will say anything. But once you get involved with the Holy See Mountain, then the Lord of Solan
The nobles will not be happy for you to sit in that position."
"You, Solan, are a neutral country in the war with the Holy See Mountain. The local nobles will not choose someone who stands with the Holy See Mountain to be their agent and ruler."
"So, once the truth about the Frost River murder case is exposed, it will naturally be a bit troublesome for us. But for you, even if it is just a piece of news, it is still a big problem. Especially now, when you walk in here
At the same time, my people just dealt with a little spy outside..."
Donald's eyes flashed coldly, he snorted coldly, and said nothing.
The old man smiled slightly and said, "It seems that His Majesty Edward has seen the opportunity."
"Once it is confirmed that you are colluding with the Holy See, then the imminent war between you and him will end with most of the Solan lords and nobles turning to the royal family. Especially now that the Bano family has been destroyed, your
The weakness has been seen by many people."
A trace of sarcasm appeared on Donald's face.
The old man said: "Of course, for you, this is not the most terrifying thing. The most terrifying thing..."
He paused and looked into Donald's eyes: "It's Farrington."
The mocking smile on Donald's face suddenly froze, and his eyes became extremely cold.
The old man leisurely said: "Everyone understands that in this world, no one can ignore Farrington's power. Especially after the demons invaded from the Holy City and lifted their three-hundred-year shackles, everyone was
Watch them."
"It's just that they still need to defend the main attack route of the demons in Farrington and block the biggest gap. And Roland is still on the Holy See Hill... Therefore, we all feel that they will not easily get involved in the internal struggle. They
The lances are aimed at the demons. This is their mission."
"But now, the appearance of that evildoer from the Hanshan family has changed everything."
"This boy is the heir to the Hanshan family and has natural leadership and decision-making power. As long as he makes a request, Farrington will follow him without hesitation. Whether he marches to the Solan Imperial Capital or the Holy See Mountain, there is no
Something these lunatics dare not do."
When he said this, the smile on the old man's face became a little unnatural, and Donald felt a chill behind him.
For three hundred years, the name Farrington has always seemed to be far away from the center of the human world. It seems to be another world. People always subconsciously forget about it.
In the power struggle in the human world, there are also many people who do not take Farrington seriously.
They can poison a two-year-old boy without restraint, and they can chase and kill them all...but in the final analysis, it's just because Farrington, this beast, is chained!
As long as they stand at a safe distance, they can laugh loudly and provoke at will.
Because they knew that this beast could not jump in front of them. Even in the earth-shattering bloody battle in Vatican more than ten years ago, this beast paid the price of a broken leg.
But now, this beast has been freed from the rope.
What's even more frightening is that the boy they have been searching for for more than ten years is still alive. And his first appearance was as a sacrifice to a red archbishop!
This makes many people who were lucky and participated in the murder sixteen years ago feel chilled in their hearts.
The moment the news came, things were already out of control.
The room became silent for a moment.
After a long time, the old man said: "Is this the reason why you came to me? What you are afraid of is not Edward, but Farrington. That scoundrel and the power he holds in his hands make you feel in danger!"
"Aren't you afraid?" Donald sneered.
"Afraid!" the old man said without hesitation, "but we have more ability to compete than you."
Donald was silent.
The old man said: "How is it? Can you cooperate with us this time? The same thing, I asked you sixteen years ago."
"You can express it more clearly by using the word surrender," Donald said coldly.
"Smart people will always make smart choices at the right time." The old man said, "Besides, putting this matter aside, let's talk about yourself... For more than thirty years, you have been only one step away from that position.
However, you just can’t sit on it, haven’t you ever thought about why?”
"It's just luck. If it weren't for Feili, I would have..." Donald said calmly two years ago.
However, before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by the old man waving his hand.
"Luck depends on the Holy Emperor," the old man said with a smile, "Whether it was two years ago, three years ago, five years ago... as long as the Holy Emperor does not allow it, you will never have what you need.
Luck, haven’t you figured it out yet?”
Donald looked at the old man, and suddenly his eyes froze. A sudden thought suddenly flashed in his mind, and became clearer and clearer.
Donald's pupils shrank and he said in disbelief: "... Peter I attacked Solan, are you the ones behind it?!"
The old man smiled faintly, neither admitting nor denying.
Donald knew he had guessed correctly.
Some secrets are like magic. They are extremely mysterious until they are exposed. Once exposed, even just a little bit, they are worthless.
Just turn around and look at this house to know.
This is the imperial capital, the political, economic and cultural center of the Solan Empire. It has a population of millions and is home to countless dignitaries. It is extremely well-guarded and is far from comparable to remote cities like Lurian's Munich.
.
However, few people know that in this bustling market in the city, under the noses of countless police officers, spies and royal guards, there is such a terrifying force hidden.
No one knows that this force has existed in the Solan Empire for decades.
There are four branches of the Langris family - West Dragon Wing, North Dragon Fang, East Dragon Claw, and South Dragon Tail.
Among them, the South Branch Dragon Tail is the most mysterious.
This is a dark sword in the hands of the Lanlith people, which has caused countless assassinations and caused countless bloody storms.
And the person who leads this underground force is none other than the old man in front of him.
Shadow Dragon King Horst!
No one knows how powerful the power Horst holds. Donald only knows that if he is willing, even if the power he manages cannot capture Solan City, he can kill one-tenth of the princes and ministers, and even enter the city.
In the palace, I sat on Edward's throne and watched the singing and dancing before leaving, but there was no problem.
Because standing behind him is the Langris family and the Holy See Hill!
His tentacles are spread throughout the entire Redemption Continent!
This is true in the Solan Empire, and it is also true in the Fei Lie Empire!
Therefore, if someone did something when Peter I invaded Solan, then that person could only be Horst. Only he has such power, and only he has the most motivation!
You know, the Lanlith family has been coveting the imperial power of Solan for more than a day or two. But as Horst said, as outsiders, if they want to take over Solan, they can only wait for Augustus to marry Elle
Shia.
That is the entry point they have been waiting for for many years. It is their best chance to devour the Solan family from their bloodline, put on a coat, and put their hands into this empire.
And before that, they won't let any competitor ruin their good fortune.
This naturally includes myself.
When the Fei Lie Empire invaded, he was at the height of his power and could usurp the throne at any time.
The appearance of the Feili people made Solan's princes and nobles focus their attention on foreign enemies, and they were unwilling to have internal strife break out at that time.
Donald closed his eyes and looked a little pale.
He always thought this was the reason for his bad luck, but at this moment, standing in front of Horst and looking at the wrinkled face of the underground dragon king of the golden dragon family, he suddenly realized...
That war was their best way to prevent Solan's imperial power from falling into their own hands!
If the Philaeans win, they will join the ranks of dividing the cake in the middle of the war. In fact, at that time, the army of the Pompeii Empire was already lingering on the border, watching with eager eyes.
In fact, they will become a good person, a friend who is willing to ally with the local nobles to resist the Fei Lie Empire.
In that case, they have too many opportunities to hold this empire tightly in their hands.
On the other hand, even if Solan won in the end, they would have nothing to lose. At least this war delayed their usurpation of the throne and disrupted the situation.
Donald's face turned from white to blue, and the wine glass in his hand exploded with a pop.
"You don't have to be angry. Look, I didn't admit it. Besides, don't you think this is actually a good thing for you?" Horst said with a smile: "It turns out that you are not suitable to lead an empire."
Horst stood up, took a wine glass, poured wine for Donald, and said: "Anyone who can sit in that position must be a talented person. But in the face of the Phillies, Your Excellency, you have not shown your leadership.
The ability of this country is that Edward scored consecutively..."
He put down the wine bottle and bent down to look at Donald: "Now, how much respect do the lords and nobles of Solan have for you?"
Donald gritted his teeth.
Horst's words shattered the last line of defense in his heart.
Thirty years ago, when he had the idea of usurping the throne at a certain moment, he once believed that he was the best candidate to replace the Solan family and rule the empire.
At that time, he was very ambitious.
Even a few years ago, he firmly believed that as long as he sat in that position, he would definitely become a hero, far surpassing Edward.
However, the invasion of the Feili people gave him a loud slap in the face.
In terms of tactics, he is a genius.
He climbed up from a low position step by step to dominate the empire and cover the sky with one hand.
But his pattern was limited to this. Although it seemed that he was only a little bit different from the emperor, he knew that that little bit was an abyss that he would have to cross in his lifetime.
A hundred years ago, Archduke Solan was able to fight his way through the coalition forces of Philip, Pompeii and the Holy See to establish this country. However, a hundred years later, he faced the invasion of the Philip Empire and suffered consecutive defeats.
The people around him are good at playing tricks and intrigues, but when it comes to fighting, they are all useless!
The few talented people, such as Renault, were also excluded from the core of the camp.
A generation of heroes is just my imagination!
I had already recognized this reality a few months ago. However, thirty years of obsession cannot be let go overnight. Besides, the hatred between myself and Edward is already unending.
This time when the coalition forces marched north, all the preparations and arrangements he had secretly made were only wrapped up by the past that he could not let go and the interests of the camp around him. He was riding a tiger with difficulty, and had an arrow on the string that he had to shoot!
But do I really want to sit in that position?
No, I don’t want to, and I don’t have the qualifications anymore!
This was confirmed from the moment I knew that the evil bastard was still alive and that one day in the future, I would face Farrington.
That's why I walked in here.
"I can..." After a long time, Donald said with difficulty. His voice didn't sound like it was his own, but he still said it out, "...cooperate with you."
Horst laughed.
He raised the wine glass in his hand and signaled to Donald.
"What are you going to do?" Donald did not raise his glass in a hurry, but stared at Horst closely.
"Don't worry, you have us behind you, His Majesty the Pope behind us, and behind His Majesty, there is the Kingdom of Heaven." Horst said with a smile, "Continue to be ready to do whatever you want. When the coalition forces move north, we will
Help you."
"What? Do you want to..." Donald narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Since you have decided to stand with us, then there is no need for Edward to exist," Horst's smile was cold and ferocious, "What we need is Alessia's womb."
"when."
In the silence, there was the sound of wine glasses clinking together.