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"Of course he doesn't have the courage to violate the church's rules, but you have to go back to Gol, and then..."
"This is my own business." Zhang Mu looked like he didn't know how to appreciate a good person's kindness and took the initiative to change the subject. "I have something I want to know. Can your highness the Second Prince help explain it to me?"
This behavior is very rude and even offensive.
However, the second prince did not seem angry. His brows were still furrowed and he opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something but stopped. It seemed that he still wanted to persuade him to pay attention to Andre's affairs.
Seeing this, Zhang Mu smiled and said, "Don't worry, Your Highness. I have made arrangements."
He had no other choice but to emphasize again: "You'd better explain to Brother Wang, and apologize if that doesn't work.
If my brother is unwilling to let you go... I will help you get a chance to escape back to Gul. Once you enter the city, even my brother can't do anything to you."
"If that day comes, I will ask Your Highness to tell me what I just said."
"May I ask, Lord Aigi?"
"As you said, I seldom come to the capital, and the process of succession to the throne is unfamiliar to me."
After the opening remarks, Zhang Mu got to the point: "It is common sense that violence is prohibited in the city, and we city lords must abide by it.
The selection of the heir to the throne is not through a referendum, and the city lord cannot directly use force to help his supporters seize the throne.
In this case, what is the point of the three princes joining forces to postpone the debriefing meeting and keep the city lord in the capital?"
"As long as the king is healthy, it is meaningless for the capital to be stable."
The second prince picked up the wine glass and drank the wine: "The problem is that the kingdom is in turmoil and the king is in a coma."
"Is the selection of the king going to be a vote this time?"
"Haha, of course not." He laughed dumbly, "But it is indeed a bit similar."
"Please elaborate."
"The king's power is not just the crown, but also the control over the cities within his territory.
If a royal heir ascends the throne, and all the city lords refuse to submit and obey orders, the king's majesty will be destroyed and the kingdom will collapse. "
“Oh, so I understand.
Which of the three princes wins more city lord than the other two, will become the king?"
"Yes."
Nodding his head, Zhang Mu asked again, "Before coming to the capital, I heard some rumors. Hmm... some city lords seem to have the intention of establishing themselves?"
"That's what happened."
"Then they shouldn't come to the capital, right?"
"Since the gods bestowed the Silent Forest, the Kingdom of Lake has been peaceful for thousands of years. They are all young city lords who grew up in peace.
I have never experienced war, and I don’t know why the royal family is the royal family.”
The words were a little vague, but Zhang Mu could understand something.
The royal family has a powerful weapon that is enough to calm down all the restless city lords.
He guessed that it was related to the magic tower.
Speaking of the Magic Tower...
Zhang Mu woke up from his thoughts: "Your Highness, I heard that the royal family's inherited magic tower is an ice tower that soars into the sky. Why... I haven't seen it in the royal capital?"
"I'm sorry, Lord Aggie. I really want to tell you, but this is a royal secret."
"Oh, I'm sorry, I asked something I shouldn't have asked."
After expressing his apologies, Zhang Mu thought he had asked all the questions he should have asked, so he stood up and said, "Thank you for your hospitality, Your Highness. I will go back first."
"We have to cook simple food because we are in a hurry. Please let me know in advance next time and I will prepare a rich meal."
The Second Prince sent him to the gate, looked at Zhang Mu's back as he walked away, and said loudly: "Lord Aiji, don't forget my advice."
It is unclear whether the advice refers to "find an explanation with Andre" or "ask him to help you escape back to Ghor".
Although neither of the two options were in Zhang Mu's plan, he had good intentions after all. He turned his back to the second prince and raised his hand and waved.
He watched the figure turn the corner, and a man wrapped in a black robe came silently behind him.
"Your Highness." An old and hoarse voice sounded.
"Check it out?"
"His Highness Andre has already sent people to ambush Lord Aigi on his way back."
"My brother the king... is too anxious."
Looking up at the night sky, the second prince said, "When my brother sits on the throne, you and Lord Aigi will go back to Gol together."
The black-robed man was silent for a moment: "I can only take one person away safely, and the princess's last wish is that Your Highness lives well."
"If I were a commoner, I would." The second prince turned to face him, "But I am my father's son, a member of the royal family of the Kingdom of Lake."
"No one cares about your devotion, Your Highness."
"I care."
The air was quiet for a while, and his tough tone softened a little: "The Kingdom of Lake cannot collapse, otherwise it will not be us who will suffer, but our people.
Compared to me, who has nothing good except my royal status, Lord Edge is much more powerful.
He was proficient in war, loved his people, and vigorously developed armaments and the army.
You saw all this with your own eyes, didn’t you?”
After a long silence, the man in black robe knelt on one knee and said, "You should be the king, Your Highness."
“Brother Wang is better than me, huh… I hope I can help Avril get a chance to enter the Magic Tower before everything is over.
Do as I command."
"As ordered."
…………
The next day, early in the morning.
Zhang Mu got up from the bed, scratched his head and went into the bathroom to wash up. Palina came over with his clothes and helped him change.
Because of the illusion, she could only grope her way into putting her clothes on, always touching sensitive parts of her body.
Every time she was touched, she would quickly move her hand away like a timid rabbit.
Zhang Mu seriously suspected that she did it on purpose, but the innocence in Palina's dark eyes didn't seem to be acted.
"咚咚-"
"My Lord, it's time to set off."
"Coming." After responding, Zhang Mu turned around and told Palina and Leah to stay in the room and not run around. Then he pushed the door open and went downstairs with Soran.
Arriving at the door and getting on the carriage, he recalled the deserted corridor of the hotel: "When did the other city lords leave?"
"It's not daylight yet."
"So early? Didn't the debriefing meeting start at the hotel?"
"They probably have to go see the three highnesses first."
"No wonder."
Zhang Mu looked through the car window at the pedestrians on the roadside: "You heard what the second prince said yesterday, do you have any clues?"
"No matter which prince the city lord chooses to support, we must win over the city lord."
“It’s difficult.”
"Yes." Soran flipped through his document again, "We lack the personal information of all the city lords and cannot formulate targeted plans.
Most importantly, which prince do you choose, Lord City Lord?"
"The second prince."
He had been evaded several times, but this time he suddenly answered. Soran was stunned for a while before he calmed down: "Why did you decide so suddenly?"
"He's pleasing to the eye."
"So careless?"
It was the first time that Zhang Mu heard Soran complain. He felt fresh and said cheerfully, "How about the eldest prince?"
Thinking of the time he had stood for lunch yesterday, he shook his head: "Then I would rather be the second prince."
"That's it."
"Isn't there another prince?"
"Avril?"
Ok?
Soran closed the document and asked curiously, "How do you know the name of the Third Prince?"
"Beautiful women always attract attention, and everyone is keen on discussing it, so I just happened to hear it."
Sufficient reasons. Although Soran still had doubts, he did not ask any more questions. He continued with the previous question: "Did you exclude the Third Prince?"
"Ah."
"Excuse me, why?
Dislike? But you haven't even seen her."
"Let's talk about it later."
Whenever Zhang Mu took the initiative to cut off the topic, it meant that he didn't want to talk anymore. Sauron obeyed the order as usual and kept silent.
The carriage continued forward and arrived at the main gate of the palace two hours later.
According to regulations, the city lords must enter on foot. The two got off the car and followed the servants into a magnificent palace.
The palace is vast. As soon as you enter the door, there is an open space covered with a red carpet. At the innermost part, there is a wooden platform with a luxurious throne. You can go up and down via the wooden stairs on the left.
When Zhang Mu crossed the threshold, the hall was already full of people, including knights in light armor or magicians in magic robes. They gathered in groups of two or three, and whispers filled the air.
There was no one he knew, so Zhang Mu led Soran to a corner and looked around.