The Sensory Animals of Ston Hill

Because of the king's interference, the representatives of the national conference will be elected by the regions themselves, but the gentlemen in the summer palace have great differences about the qualifications of the candidates.

Grace now finally understands that the so-called "factions" are just sand divided by short-term interests; as long as new issues are constantly raised, the quarrels at the conference table will never stop.

Everyone talks about "country" and "society," but when they say those words, they think only of themselves.

Only William, only William wholeheartedly hopes that the people can live a happier life.

The Earl of Arundel proposed that no candidate for National Assembly should earn less than £[-] a year.This harsh request was immediately opposed by William, who asked the Earl of Arundel to consider public opinion.

"Yes, the public opinion, the colonel reminded me." Earl of Arundel repeated his old trick, and he deliberately misinterpreted the other party's meaning, "The people's emotions need to have an outlet, which is very important. As the colonel carefully noticed As we have seen, we should strengthen the control of popular newspapers and add educational articles next to those sections of social anecdotes and natural facts, such as promoting the benefits of new policies."

Grace noticed that William frowned sharply when he said the word "education."

But the Earl of Arundel hadn't finished his proposals for the reform of the newspapers. "At the same time, we need to strengthen the supervision of other publications. Now that the New Deal continues, we must strictly censor relevant commentary articles, and we must put an end to comments that are unfavorable to us."

William could barely sit in his chair, and he asked the Earl of Arundel sternly: "Strengthen the censorship of publications? Your lord, you are implementing a retrogressive policy in the reform. Do you want us to return to St. Dominic?" time?"

"Colonel, you misunderstood. How could it be the era of Dominic? Of course, those educational articles can't just be positive. As I said just now, the people's emotions need to be vented, so let them turn their dissatisfaction and anger to the church and other people." Pay a tax and let them release their excess energy and enthusiasm in those jokes that satirize the church. You see, this is clearly the age of Voltaire!"

"Count, do you think the people are fools? The people have the right to think and discuss freely."

"You are quite mistaken, Colonel. By the 'people' you mean the ordinary citizens? Let me tell you, those people don't understand anything. They can only misinterpret your thoughts and views. Your so-called free thinking and Discussion will only lead to excessive panic reactions and rumors that endanger public order. You are familiar with history and should not deny the fact that I said it, right?"

"My lord, you underestimate the intelligence of the people, so you should guide them in an upright way—"

"Guide? Are you alluding to basic education?"

"Of course, 'basic', 'righteous' education, not the kind of 'education' you just mentioned! We've all had enough of the days when the church monopolized knowledge. A few months ago we were at Crowne Plaza for Ordinary people were vaccinated, and we were surprised to find that three out of four people could not spell their names correctly! Our education is to introduce basic knowledge and science to the people, and these things with light can It is the best weapon to attack religious ignorance. Let reason cover society, and the country can be truly released from the shackles of the church, instead of relying on the kind of 'guidance' you said."

"Colonel, are science and reason just weapons against the church? When people learn to analyze cause and effect and rationality, they will ask why there are poor and rich people in this world, why some people are governed by others, why are they The money earned goes to the country, why is the king a king—”

Grace touched the king's leg lightly under the table.

His Majesty cleared his throat and interjected, "I'm still sitting here, Your Excellency."

The Earl of Arundel looked at the king, and his tone was no longer aggressive. "Your Majesty, I am just making a reasonable assumption. If the colonel is allowed to reform society according to his naive ideas, it will cause such doubts in the crowd."

"Question is everyone's right, as is being close to the truth."

Grace sighed secretly, he knew William shouldn't say that.Of all of you here, only William is completely fearless, because only he is completely upright and selfless.Alan Stone has not spoken so far, which is already expressing the deepest respect and affection for William.

Sure enough, the Earl caught on to the word he just said, "right."He said to William: "I'm afraid the 'everyone's rights' you think in your heart is not just 'close to the truth'."

He turned to everyone, with a triumphant calmness on his face, "Gentlemen, this society has its own rules, and naive impulses cannot be allowed to be the masters. The first rule of reason is to question, but if even the people at the bottom learn to Who wants to work hard without questioning? Neither factories nor fields need intelligent people. It is undoubtedly harmful for society to let people know too much. They only need to know what we want them to know. "

Those "gentlemen" were persuaded, and in the ensuing vote, both Earl of Arundel's proposals were adopted--that the plebeians in the National Conference would be well-to-do property owners, and that the regulation of the publications would be was further strengthened.

Grace, of course, voted no - he'd won the right to vote for himself after a public performance of his mental arithmetic.Alan Stone abstained.

Grace looked at those who raised their fingers for the Earl of Arundel, and it was very clear: it was not so much that they were incited by the Earl's eloquence, but rather that they were reminded of the selfishness in their nature.

Why didn't that insidious man disagree with William on policies such as canceling the transit tax, allowing the free trade of grain, and protecting the country's textiles?

Because those reforms are beneficial to his supporters, they can help him establish prestige among his own supporters and consolidate his position in the faction.

Grace knew this man all too well.This is a man who can play tricks on everyone to get what he wants.He doesn't care whether it's the governor or the prefect, whether it's the imperial meeting or the national meeting... He doesn't want to reform any unreasonable privileges at all, he just wants to replace them.

After the meeting, Grace accompanied His Majesty to take an afternoon nap.These boring meetings and boring documents are too exhausting for His Majesty, making His Majesty have to take a nap after the meeting.

After Grace put His Majesty to sleep, she got up and got out of bed.He is going to William.Although Chris didn't express his opinion just now, Grace could see that he was also persuaded by the Earl of Arundel.

Only William can help him drive that dangerous and terrifying figure out of the Summer Palace.

The guard told him that William was in the library.

The Earl of Arundel satirizes William as a scholar, but when they need to issue new laws, they look to him, because only William can find evidence from the endless and obscure historical documents.They used his wit and erudition, but never learned his selflessness and decency.What if they didn't need him anymore?Grace had no doubt that they would kick him away.

He hoped that Allen would be with William now.

Grace pushed open the door of the library angrily, and was stunned to see that William was writing at the desk with his arms around Anna.Both of them turned their heads when they heard the voice.

He was not overwhelmed, and almost immediately understood that William was correcting Anna's writing posture.But he didn't think William needed to hold Anna's hand himself, let alone stand behind her, bent over, just like when he was learning to write when he was a child, being held in William's arms and patiently correcting her with his wooden hand. A bad habit formed by writing letters with a stick.

There was still anger towards the Earl of Arundel and the others on his face, and the scene in front of him made the indifference on his face even worse.

With this look on his face, he asked Anna: "Have you also learned the frivolity in the court?"

William let go of Anna's hand and straightened up with a look of astonishment on his face.

Anna was also stunned, staring blankly at Grace, with tears welling up in her eyes.

Alan Stone was indeed with William. He was sitting on the other side of the table. He got up and came to Anna, pulled the crying maid from the chair, and helped her walk out the outer door.

Grace consciously stepped aside, lowered her head and clenched her fists.

Alan paused as he led Anna past him, and he heard Alan sigh softly, saying that he shouldn't have talked to Anna like that.

Grace stared back at the door frame.He already regretted it, but he didn't know how to apologize, and he didn't know how to explain his anger just now.

"Grace, come here, let me tell you." William said to him, his tone was as patient and gentle as ever, and he didn't bother him because of his tantrum just now.

Grace lowered her head and walked slowly towards William.He has always been a "good girl" in front of William, diligent, smart, and studious. He has completed every homework William left him perfectly, and he can memorize even the poems that he is not interested in. Never said a vulgar word in front of William.

For the first time, William saw him being unreasonable.He felt his throat tight, fearful and regretful, and maybe William would discover his hidden bad temper, and his hypocrisy, and see that his previous goodness was just a disguise.

"Grace, I was just teaching Anna how to hold a pen correctly. She has no foundation, and she can't fully understand it with verbal instructions and demonstrations, so I just used my hands to correct her posture. Allen was in the room the whole time, he--"

Grace was ashamed, and William was always so gentle and patient that he couldn't help throwing himself into William's arms.

William's hand hesitated for a moment, and finally stroked his hair, "Anna asked me just now, 'Master William, what is the angle of A? Why do I always write badly?' Do you remember, Grace, You said exactly the same thing to me when you were a kid."

"I was thinking at the time that learning opportunities are something that people of noble status can get at their fingertips, but they often don't cherish them, resist reading and thinking, there are always spelling mistakes in the articles they write, and they lack the most basic understanding of scientific knowledge. As for the child in front of me, although she is a girl and her status is despised by others, her desire for knowledge makes her extremely noble, and her curiosity and self-motivation should be respected and protected with the best."

"When Anna asked me like that, I did think of you, Grace, I accidentally mistook her for you when I was a child, and ignored the social boundaries between men and women, I'm sorry."

Grace buried her face in his chest, hugged him tightly, and shook her head vigorously.

"I asked you that question at the time, how did you answer?" He had a nasal voice when he spoke, and William stroked his hair pityingly again.

"I said at the time, you can call me 'William', you can also call me 'brother', but you can't use the word 'Master' anymore."

Grace hugged him tighter, kissing a button on his chest furtively.

"Brother, should I apologize to Anna?"

"Of course, an apology is necessary. Realizing that you were wrong and saying 'I'm sorry' is the first step. Anna is a good girl, she loves you very much, and I think she will forgive you."

"What about you?" Grace raised her foggy eyes to look at him.

"I?"

"Will you forgive me?"

William looked surprised and distressed, "I don't blame you, Grace."

"But what if I'm not as good as you think? If, I'm making an assumption, I'm not really a... 'nice girl', I've done a lot of... some, less noble things."

William couldn't help holding his face, "Grace, never underestimate yourself. You are the most beautiful person I have ever seen, I have always thought so, never changed, and will never change .If you think you've done something wrong, then," he said for a moment in pain, "it's all my fault, not yours."

Grace looked at him obsessively, as if she had returned to her childhood, looking up at William with her childhood height.

It was always William who pulled him out of the steam-filled laundry room, out of his ignorance, out of the darkness of chaos, neither disdaining him for being dirty nor being young and timid.

"However, how should I explain the meanness to her just now?"

William also had to think about this issue.After a while, he said: "If you don't know what to say, just say 'I'm sorry' in the most sincere tone, and promise that you will try to restrain your temper in the future, can you do it?"

It was always William who took his hand and told him how to take the first step, the second step, and the third step. Only then did he have his current strong legs, and he now took every step alone.