Chapter 428 Meeting Meeting

Chapter 428 Meeting Meeting

Chapter 428 Meeting Meeting

Already gone to my bedroom to get the documents?
After hearing the words of the Minister of Finance, the princess, who had just been shocked and angry, gradually calmed down and turned to look at the old king sitting on the main seat.

If the Queen and the Chancellor of the Exchequer were acting on their own to modify the replacement order and even to wish for Joshua to replace them, then sending someone directly to her bedroom to get the proposal documents must have been tacitly approved by her father.

No, it's more than just acquiescence.

Looking at the old king sitting in a wheelchair right under the crystal chandelier, with half of his face hidden in the shadow of the lamp, Princess Veronica couldn't help but take a deep breath, then sat back in her seat and asked calmly:

"Father, is this what you mean?"

"Ah."

After his loose eyelids opened and closed slightly, his face was completely different from the photo in the princess' bedroom. His face was extremely thin, and only the tear grooves on both sides of his nose could still vaguely recognize the old king's appearance. He said calmly:

"I have already arranged this for you. Joshua will be back from the Kingdom of Morna in three days and will take your place in the Senate.

It's time for you to get married. Sooner or later, Joshua will have to do all these things. Instead of waiting until you marry into the Hessen Kingdom and then letting Joshua take over, it's better to let him try to get in touch with her now."

When I marry into the Kingdom of Hesse...

The princess pursed her lips upon hearing this, staring at her father who had become so unfamiliar to her, and asked expressionlessly:

"What about that? The engagement between him and me..."

"There is no need to fulfill that kind of marriage contract."

The big hand with protruding joints clenched the scepter and paused it forcefully on the floor. After interrupting the princess' words, the old king, who was already thin and unrecognizable due to illness but still had a fierce and intimidating look in his eyes, hoarsely said:

"The only valuable things the Ryan family has are positions in the military and the road administration. You have collected most of the Ryan family's inheritance in the past month. For those that you cannot collect, you can just ignore them for now and slowly replace them with your own people later.
Now, apart from the deputy speaker seat in the House of Lords and some properties that are difficult to sell in a short time, the Ryan family is no longer useful. It is not worth using your marriage to win it over. The lame grand duke of the Hesse Kingdom is your destination. "

"You also know that he is the lame archduke?"

Looking at her father who had planned the rest of his life calmly, the princess smiled and said with a hint of sarcasm:

"Not to mention that he is almost twenty years older than me, the lame archduke has an extreme and sinister personality, and has a good reputation for beating and killing servants at will. Even the pirates of the Kingdom of Seio have heard of him. Are you sure that such a person will be my destiny?"

"..."

After hearing the princess' words, the old king was silent for a while, then lowered his head slightly and avoided her sight.

"As a princess, you have enjoyed what the kingdom has given you, so you should give back."

"You're right."

Princess Veronica nodded and said indifferently:
"This is what you taught me since I was a child. I have always kept this in mind and have always done it. But what about you? Have you done it?"

The old king frowned upon hearing this and asked expressionlessly:
"Veronica, what do you want to say?"

"I mean, you're a really bad king and you're really sorry for the country."

After hearing the princess' words, the finance minister sitting opposite her couldn't help but change his expression, and the queen opened her mouth in shock and almost fell off her chair.

As if she had thrown off some extremely heavy burden, the princess let out a long sigh and said to the old king calmly:

"In fact, I have a lot of things I want to talk to you about.

For example, it is not the royal family that supports me, but the ordinary people who work all day long, and it is them that I should repay; for example, although you value the royal family more, if the kingdom is rotten, the royal family will sooner or later cease to exist;
For example, whether the royal family holds absolute power is not that important. As long as we can make the kingdom stronger, or even just give everyone a little hope, we can get what you want..."

Under the old king's gaze, Princess Veronica smiled, but said helplessly:
“But after thinking about it, I decided not to tell you.

Since the death of my mother, your heart has been completely filled with the royal family and the throne, and there is no room for anything else. Even my daughter has been squeezed out. No matter what I say, it can't change your decision, right?" "..."

"Are you finished?"

The old king stared at the princess in front of him with bright eyes that did not match his sick body, and said calmly:

"Once you've vented your anger, write a letter to the Duke of Lionheart and tell him that you are not feeling well and will not be able to attend the two-house parliament the day after tomorrow. Please ask him to use his position as the Vice Speaker of the House of Lords to help Joshua as much as possible for your sake."

"Haha, you really haven't changed. You won't be satisfied until you have squeezed out all the value of anything that can be used."

After making a mockery in person, the princess said indifferently:
"If I'm not mistaken, the person who went to my bedroom to get the proposal documents should have already confiscated my seal and even found someone who can imitate my handwriting. Even if I refuse to help, this letter will be sent out anyway, right?"

"Ah."

After responding calmly, the old king, half of his body covered in the shadow of the lamp, asked:

"So do you want to write it yourself, or do you want me to find someone to do it for you?"

"Since the results are the same, I might as well write it myself."

After saying this, the princess turned around and looked at the queen opposite her who was looking very happy. She raised the corners of her mouth and said:

“Congratulations. With Lyon’s great help, Joshua’s experience of representing the royal family in the two houses of parliament will definitely be unforgettable.”

……

Three days later, at five in the morning, in the upper city of the royal capital, in front of the parliament hall at Westhausen Palace.

Before the sun had time to rise in the sky, the neighing of horses and the roar of boilers tore through the night. A large number of exquisite and luxurious steam carriages drove in along the specially opened road and parked in the open space outside the building.

Then, one after another, members of parliament wearing robes, top hats and crown emblems on their chests got off the carriages, took off their hats to greet people they knew, and then entered the main hall in twos and threes, waiting for the convening of the House of Lords.

As the most important power organs in the kingdom, the two houses of parliament are not convened at the same time. The Senate is convened relatively earlier, and members of the royal family are usually present. There is even a special opening ceremony every year, with successive kings or queens making royal declarations.

However, as the old king gradually became seriously ill and had difficulty moving, he refused to attend the opening ceremony for three consecutive years. The related cumbersome ceremony was temporarily abolished and replaced by a short speech by a member of the royal family.

"Everyone is almost here."

Reaching out to push aside the curtain in front of the seat, and after taking a look at the situation in the meeting room, the Finance Minister in a dark grey robe nodded with satisfaction, then turned to look at the freckled prince in gorgeous clothes next to him, and asked with a smile:
"It's your first time attending the two-house parliament and making a royal statement on behalf of the royal family. Do you feel nervous?"

"A little……"

After tugging at his somewhat tight collar, Joshua leaned over to the gap in the curtains and glanced at the main hall outside where at least a thousand people were sitting. He said with a somewhat uneasy look on his face:

"I see a lot of Veronica's people outside. Veronica's not here today. Will they cooperate with me?"

"Haha, you don't have to worry about that. They are Veronica's people, but they are also members of the royal family. They should naturally obey your will."

After comforting his nephew, the Minister of Finance smiled and said:
"Besides, your mother and I have found a helper for you in advance. If anything goes wrong, he will help you control the situation."

"That's good……"

After hearing the words of the Minister of Finance, Prince Freckles couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, and then asked curiously:
"Uncle, who is the helper you and mother found for me?"

"He is the Vice President of the House of Lords, the current Duke of Lionheart."

Oh, it’s a lion…

Who? Who did you find for me?
(End of this chapter)