The Sensory Animals of Ston Hill

Little Chris noticed Alan's new movements, staggered and squeezed between them, and lowered his head to kiss the back of Grace's hand.

Grace smiled, took little Chris into her arms and straightened his soft hair, and said to Allen: "I just realized that the differences between us are smaller than I thought. You said you don't believe in representation, In fact, I am the same. I only admit that it has improved, but I don’t think it is perfect. I just can’t think of a better form for the time being. Think about how those representatives are selected? Just take our hometown as an example The Earl of Arundel, who is good at deceiving people, becomes the representative of the common people, the rich Mr. Odor who is close to him becomes the representative of the common people, the priest recommended by Mr. Odor becomes the representative of the priests, and you, the rich, change your age to become the representative of the common people. …Who are the three hundred representatives of the clergy and the three hundred representatives of the populace elected at the beginning? He came to the capital with a selfless desire to transform the country. But after so many years of power struggles and factions, the political environment of the country has undergone great changes, and everyone has also undergone great changes. Their It’s hard to say what motives are behind the votes these days.”

"You emphasize 'elected in this way', do you mean that you are going to change the way elections are done?"

"Yes, reorganization of the National Assembly, re-election of representatives, in the form of general elections in the districts, but not in the form of 'active citizenship' that used to be stipulated by property - certainly not now, the people must be given a break now, I mean wait for chaos After the end, when the country was re-stabilized, people used to ask: why only the nobles can participate in policy making and the common people cannot? Now people ask: why only landowners and factory owners can participate, but farm laborers and workers cannot? Why only shopkeepers and guilds The master in the school can but the buddies and apprentices can't? I hope that in the future, every law-abiding and patriotic adult can obtain the status of 'citizen' and fight for their rights."

"Everyone? Including the poor with no education and no savings?"

"Yes. Only by allowing the poor to have a voice in politics can they fight for educational opportunities for themselves and make the ratio of their labor to their remuneration more reasonable."

"Women too?"

"Yes. Women are not dumber than men. Women can learn and have hands."

Allen sighed: "Then you are really going to do something big, Grace!"

Grace's eyes were solemn, but she made a very private gesture, licking her lips that were dry because of uncertainty, "Yes, it may take me ten years, 20 years, or even 30 years... I hope I can live a little longer, and I can complete it in my lifetime... You must always be by my side, I need your help."

Allen bowed his head and kissed the back of Grace's hand again, "My pleasure."

The tassels on the front of his military uniform swayed with his movements, arousing the interest of little Chris.The child threw himself on his lap, trying to grab the tassel into his hand.

Grace was afraid that Allen would think the child was making trouble, so she hugged little Chris back to her arms.The little boy tirelessly stabbed his arms to reach the tassel, and his short legs kicked anxiously in Grace's arms, kicking Grace's stomach.

Allen hugged him on his lap, grabbed his two little feet with one hand, and said seriously: "You can't kick Grace in the stomach, he has undergone surgery."

Grace hurriedly corrected him: "'She', use 'she' for little Chris." She also said, "The wound from the operation doesn't hurt anymore, it doesn't matter."

But Allen still held the child's foot.Little Chris cried out in displeasure, trying to wrest his foot out, but this big hand was much stronger than the usual hand that held him.Allen took off the tassel on his chest and stuffed it into his hand. The child's attention immediately went to his hand, and he started playing contentedly.

Alan looked down at the child, suddenly remembered something, looked up and said to Grace: "I prepared a birthday present for you. I haven't forgotten your birthday."

He took out a small gadget from his arms and let it stand in the palm of his hand.Grace touched it, and it looked like metal, only as high as a thumb, painted with glossy paint, very delicate.

"what is this?"

"Tin soldier, do you like it? This is a cavalryman, the bravest of troops."

Grace looked at the little soldier on horseback, so small, but the face, military uniform and the gun in his hand were carefully done, and the colors were painted beautifully, with blue eyes and golden hair; the horse was white, Both the mane and tail are visible.

The cavalry is the bravest army, but Grace also heard that the cavalry is also the army with the highest casualty rate, because it always has to charge and gallop against the gunfire.Some people say that a cavalry who has lived over 30 years old is not a good cavalry, and some people say that a cavalry who has lived on the battlefield for two years is a coward.

Grace took the blond-haired, blue-eyed tin soldier into her hands and said to Ellen, "I like it."

But the gift was immediately snatched by little Chris.Both grown-ups laughed at the same time, anticipating that this little gadget would become a toy for little Chris.

"Alan, what we just said is a long time later, I want to know which thing you think is the most important thing right now?"

"war."

"Domestic or foreign?"

"At home first, then abroad. But you don't need to worry too much. The command of the entire army is already in my hands, and the supplies in the rear are also guaranteed. I can fight more smoothly than before."

"Although you are more talkative, the noble officers headed by General Verrick are also more dissatisfied with you. I don't know how the generals on the battlefield cooperate, but if they don't believe you, Will it affect the overall strategy?"

"I don't need them. There are many soldiers loyal to me."

"But we have more enemies, and our front line is too long. You just said that the domestic war is more urgent. I agree with this, but the foreign war cannot be relaxed, because the surrounding enemies are always preparing to counterattack. They It’s just because of your military exploits that you agree to peace for the time being. Once they think they’ve recuperated, or are instigated by Britain again—don’t underestimate the influence of Britain on this continent. This country will never sit back and watch other countries grow stronger and achieve Beyond its status. This country has historically been good at influencing other countries' war strategies through diplomacy, and it is too rich to continuously fund its allies to help it consume its enemies. Island countries don't care how much continental currents Blood, but we have to care."

"That seems to be the Earl of Arundel's point of view."

"He's very familiar with the UK and has friends in that country's government, so on that alone, I'd like to hear from him."

"It seems that we are also on the same page on overseas issues. My plan is to destroy the royalist party in the rebel province first, and then mobilize all superior forces to attack Britain without spending money on the surrounding areas. I always firmly believe that offense is the best defense .”

"But you're going across the English Channel, our navy—"

"Have you forgotten, I once defeated the British navy. As long as I can lure the British navy away and let our powerful army land in the UK, the only thing waiting for us is victory. When I come back from the UK, I will treat the surrounding countries one by one. Tame, without British sponsorship, they will never be able to fight back!"

Grace realizes that their conversation is on the verge of getting into trouble again.If you tell Allen that he might fail, he will not believe it, because he has been doing what others think is impossible, he has been winning, so he is used to believing that he can perform miracles.

"But when you go to the UK, the border will be chaotic. After all, they have so many countries, which will cause us losses."

"Of course I will keep a few outstanding generals in the country, and they can also win battles."

Grace held his hand, stroked the back of his hand, and said softly: "But they are far less powerful than you. There is only one great Alan Stone."

Alan's expression was serious at first, but he couldn't hold it any longer, and begged for mercy: "Grace, don't flatter me like this, you can just tell me what you think."

Grace went over the top of Little Chris's head and kissed his lips, "Okay, then I'll be straightforward. I want to use a method of not fighting, and even turn enemies into friends with some countries."

"Peace and alliance? But, Grace, peace and alliance means giving up some interests, not to mention that the contracts signed between countries are far from as reliable as you think. The ink on the armistice contract is not dry yet. It happens all the time that we are allies in one war and enemies in the next. Our neighbors are a belligerent bunch of neighbors who only count by force, not by appearing weak."

"I know you don't like this approach. It goes against your principles and damages your personal honor and dignity."

"Not only my personal honor and dignity, but also that of all soldiers. Grace, you may underestimate the men of our country. Their courage and patriotism cannot be underestimated by you."

"But, Alan, people die in wars, even in victorious battles. We are all soldiers now, good men between the ages of 16 and 60 go to the wars, and only women are left to take care of the house, the fields, the elderly and Children. This is not only hard work for them, but also painful, because some mothers and wives may never return to the person they worry about day and night... That kind of pain is not better than death itself... If these battles last for several years, ten years After several years or even decades of fighting, even if we keep winning and have the benefits of levy and trade preferences, the brave and patriotic good men will die abroad, and only those who rely on fighting like Eva’s father will be left in China. It would be a great disaster for the country if the wives and children acted like cowards! The prestige gained by winning battles must always be maintained by winning. This does not mean that you have to win often, but it means that you must win every time , you must never fail once! How difficult it is! Besides, out of my own selfishness, I don’t want you to always... I know you don’t like to hear this, I shouldn’t mention it after I used it yesterday. That word, that dreadful word..."

Allen touched his face lightly, preventing him from continuing to speak so hard.

Grace couldn't help asking, "What do you think of what I said?"

Allen thought for a while, and said with great admiration: "What you just said is something I have never thought about before. As I commented before, your ability to foresee consequences is far beyond ordinary people. Grace, you convinced me."

"Really?" Grace asked in surprise.

"Really, you have really shaken my firm thoughts before. I really have to think about it... Just today, after I made the decision to hand over power, I was really worried."

"Are you afraid that I will really remove you from the highest ruling position?" Grace felt relieved and joked.

Allen also smiled, and kissed his hand, "I'm afraid I'll put us in a position of mutual restraint, making us political enemies with equal strength. Now some people have called it that way, the queen mother faction, the highest ruling faction. I think we will often have differences, of course I will try my best to be humble to you, but I am also worried about my character—"

"Don't give in to me, Alan, I need your wisdom too. I've always said this, I can't do it myself, I need you."

"It seems that I am also a smart person in your eyes." Allen also joked.

"Of course!" Grace giggled, and he remembered the two new political terms, laughing even harder, "The Queen Mother faction and the highest ruling faction? This is really the worst thing I've ever heard name...but you can't blame them for thinking that way."

"Yeah, who would have thought that you and I would have agreed that a unified and stable government is far better than anything else."

"Yes, we will end the chaos together, not create more chaos. After all these years, our country has been running around like a flood without a channel, and now we are just seeing the hope of stability-most of which It's partly your fault—how could we possibly return her to a state of confusion?"

"'Flood without a channel,' Grace, I've always loved your metaphors."

Grace tilted her head slightly to look at him, and the two couldn't help but start kissing.Their kisses were always long, and they didn't stop until little Chris noticed they were doing something new again and put his hand between their faces.

"Do you still want to hear my opinion on the rebel province?" Grace poked Alan's beautiful lips with her fingers, and wanted to pull his obstructive beard.

"Is it also a way not to fight?" Allen grabbed his hand that was groping his face, "But that guy Cromwell is extremely stubborn, I..." He was a little ashamed, "I will fight for the war before I return to the capital." Steady him, lied to him."

"Tell me what you promised him, maybe I can think of a way."

Allen smiled, put his fingers together and kissed, "Yes, Grace always has a way."

The supreme ruler should not stay too late in the palace and upset his allies.

Allen left with his cavalry escort, but he returned not long after he rode out.Grace was already getting ready for bed and brushing her hair when he recklessly opened the door and barged in.

"Grace, there is one more important thing to tell you. Although I am determined to do what William wants to do, there are always people who say that I am walking in William's footsteps. I have also admitted to you that my initial love for you The desire came from seeing you and William kissing... But I hope you don't misunderstand, I can tell you with absolute certainty that I love you so deeply at this moment, it is entirely out of my own free will."