The Sun King's Evidence

Lane knew that Talleyrand was not talking nonsense.

This highly sophisticated cripple is a master at amassing money and using public power for private purposes. Since arriving in Britannia, he has made money everywhere and lived like a king. He is extremely arrogant.

However, when it comes to foreign affairs and domestic affairs, Talleyrand is indeed a genius.

He understands human nature and bureaucracy too well.

Both Ryan and Sulia knew that the bureaucracy was naturally more advanced, efficient, and powerful in controlling local areas than the nobility. However, compared to the autonomy of the nobility, the bureaucracy itself has huge inertia and inertia. Inertia can be manifested in the changes over time. Over time, the entire bureaucracy will form an unspoken rule of "what goes up and what follows" and a habit of "holding together for warmth". This is inertia. As the entire bureaucracy operates, its inertia is so powerful that even the monarch himself cannot control it.

At the same time, the bureaucracy also has huge "inertia". Since the bureaucracy is not the owner of the property rights, but only a professional broker, the bureaucracy naturally hates responsibility and likes to "do more than do less" and "be always mellow and humble." Everything is hazy and there is no way to explain it." "The good things are always tight, and the bad things are always tight." These are common problems among bureaucrats.

Therefore, at best, if all the internal affairs of the country are left to a complete set of sound bureaucracy, the inherent "inertia" of the bureaucracy will self-correct and roughly maintain the existing route, and its huge inertia will also This will ensure that everything you encounter will have an existing charter. If you follow the charter, there won't be any big problems. Even if there is a problem, there will be an existing solution.

In other words, the situation will not get out of control or be too bad. The country will still continue to operate, maintain the responsibilities it should have for a long time, and always operate at a stable speed...and decline at the same time.

"Your Majesty, this is the problem." Talleyrand said seriously: "The essence of a bureaucracy is to assist the monarch in solving some daily, repetitive, and cumbersome matters, so that the monarch or a group of leaders can focus on key tasks. In terms of major events, we can see that even if Emperor Karl-Franz is missing, the imperial court is still running in an orderly manner. Disaster relief, public security, price control, and spreading news of victory are all things that the bureaucrats of the imperial court are accustomed to. thing."

"But now, they have to deal with unsolvable problems. First of all, the emperor is missing. Can the bureaucrats make up their mind to mobilize the entire empire to mobilize all materials, recruit a large number of troops, and use all the savings of the imperial treasury? Even if they are determined, who will come? Sign? Who will make the decision? What if the emperor is fine?" Talleyrand hammered the ground with his crutch. The high-spirited lame man was very serious: "This is a matter beyond the authority of the bureaucracy. No one dares to make a decision casually, and no one dares to make a decision casually. Willing to shoulder such a heavy responsibility, the emperor brought to the front lines all those in his court who could make decisions for him."

"So, I can judge that something must have happened to the emperor. Either he died in battle or he must have disappeared. It is precisely because of the absence of his supervision, decision-making and courage that the empire has hesitated to this point. The bureaucracy is extremely dependent on the emperor's supervision and supervision. Decision-making, with the presence of Karl Franz, can keep the imperial bureaucracy dynamic and motivated, but now he doesn’t even have a word.”

"More than that." Ryan shook his head at Talleyrand: "It's true that we can't put the whole city under martial law, open all the treasury and grain depots and recruit a large number of troops, but to ask for help, we only need to send a messenger. We and the Empire originally They are allies, and asking for help is normal."

"You are right, Your Majesty." Talleyrand smiled: "This brings us to the second point, which is that these bureaucrats in the imperial court will definitely consider their own interests."

"My own interests?" Sulia vaguely understood something: "You mean, the bureaucrats in the imperial court are afraid of our support?"

"It's not that we are afraid of us, but that the mother and son of Nuer are afraid." Talleyrand said profoundly: "No matter if we agree to ask for help in any way and for any reason to support the empire, the biggest beneficiaries will and will only It's Baroness Emmanuel and Baron Frederic, so here's the problem. The emperor is missing or dead, and the main force of Rickland and Brunswick should also have suffered huge losses. So at this time, if our reinforcements and What will happen if Nuer is connected in series?"

Ryan and Lidya Su completely understood.

At that time, the political center and throne of the empire will definitely be transferred from Brunswick to Nuer, and the emperor's court will also be transferred from the Imperial Palace in Brunswick to the Black Tower Palace in Nuer!

And this is something that all the bureaucrats in the existing imperial court will do their best to avoid, because Frederick must reorganize the cabinet, which means that they will lose their existing official positions and administrative power!

And this is what all the city council members and bureaucrats throughout Nuer are trying to do, because it means that Nuer will have a new emperor and a new court after more than a hundred years, and they will replace Rick. Lead people to form a new imperial court and a new cabinet! That was a moment that countless big bureaucrats and military aristocrats had been waiting for.

The two sides must be wrestling at this moment, and what will happen if Ryan leads tens of thousands of elite Brittanian troops into the empire? Whose side will Ryan take? Was it Luitpold, whom he had only met a few times? Or his little maid and his biological son Frey?

Need more to say?

"Your Majesty, you must never underestimate the determination of bureaucrats when your vital interests may be seriously harmed. At this time, these people are the most high-profile, fierce, and daring to fight." Talleyrand continued. Said: "I can confirm that there have been more than ten rounds of meetings in the Imperial Palace in Brunswick, but in the end no one dared to make a decision to ask for help and completely mobilize all the remaining resources of the empire, especially to ask for help. "

"You mean, unless the emperor appears, it is impossible for the empire to take the initiative to ask for help from us?" Ryan also frowned. If the empire does not ask for help, then it will be a small matter for Britannia's army to be unknown, mainly for the Dukes and generals below. Most of them have opinions. The newly formed army needs time to train. The elite Guards directly under Ryan also have a relatively unified idea. They believe that the main force should be invested in protecting their own territory. In case the empire falls, the Knight Kingdom must also protect itself. .

In this case, Ryan forced the Kingdom of Knights to support them actively, but the resistance and resentment of the army were not as great as usual.

"Not necessarily." Talleyrand also frowned at this time, and the high-spirited lame man sighed: "It depends on whether everyone in the imperial court, after countless ups and downs of officialdom and countless major events and tribulations, is still truly committed to the empire. Think about yourself and the survival of the empire."

"Do you think there is such a person in the imperial court?" Ryan asked.

"There must be some." Talleyrand shook his head repeatedly: "It's a pity that his status is not enough. I guess, after the news of the fall of Winter City, the Nord capital, reached the imperial court, Karl Franz's Interior Minister We will definitely take action.”

"How to act?" Ryan touched his chin, and the Sun King thought about everything: "Is it time to ask us for help? No, we couldn't reach a conclusion before, and it won't be so easy to reach a conclusion now."

"That's right." Talleyrand smiled. He shook his head coolly, letting his middle-parted flaxen curly hair swing back and forth in the air. Then he said elegantly: "Old bureaucrats deal with problems in just three ways. In Zijue, one is pushing, the other is dragging, and the other is playing. Since you can’t push it away and you can’t drag it out, the final result must be... play!"

"So I predict that as the news of the fall of the Nordic capital reaches Brunswick, the imperial court will convene an imperial parliament in the name of the emperor, and call all the electors who are still able to move to the capital, and let the electors convene an imperial parliament. Discuss whether to ask for help from the whole world!" Talleyrand said with confidence: "Whether this can solve the problem remains to be seen, but there is no doubt that we can put aside all responsibilities and really try to discuss and decide on asking for help and general mobilization. This is the only thing. It is possible to implement matters that you are not responsible for immediately! Among them, the Imperial Baroness Emmanuel will definitely be asked to be present. If she does not show up, the meeting will not be held. Once the collective decision of the electors is passed, then the responsibility will follow. Once it is transferred, everyone can free up their hands and feet to do their work.”

Ryan and Lidya Su smiled at each other.

"You're such a damn talent, Talleyrand." Ryan smiled and shook his head: "You really are yours. I thought about it, and it seems that it is exactly what you said. Okay, then we will seize the time to prepare for the war, and then wait for the news!"

After a while, Orica came with Katalin, and the tsarina was shocked when she saw Sulia's scrutinizing eyes.

How much does the Knight-Queen already know? She was unsure, so she had to hurry up and say hello to Lidya Su, her attitude was very respectful and even a little flattering.

Ryan sent a set of countess costumes and crowns that had been prepared to Katalin's hands. The Sun King smiled and pressed the goddess of vengeance on Katalin's shoulders: "Since I am doing things in Britannia, , I will not treat you badly, I will make you the Countess of Valesca! From now on, you will also be my female noble of Britannia!"

"I'm grateful!" Katalin hesitated again and again, but still knelt down on one knee and accepted Ryan's canonization.

As long as Kislev can restore the country, as long as her and Ryan's daughter can be crowned queen, she will admit it again!

…………I am waiting for the dividing line of news…………

Unfortunately, Talleyrand can be called the chief problem solver. This lame man knows too much about bureaucracy.

As Talleyrand had predicted, the ministers of Emperor Karl-Franz's carefully assembled cabinet were already quarreling over what to do now, but they could not come to a conclusion.

The imperial court knew the news of Heffengen's defeat, but other news was blocked. Everyone knew what the emperor's condition was, but in the end there was no news proving that the emperor was dead. Meetings were held one after another, but No one dares to make decisions on military and political matters.

Acting Archbishop Esme III frantically denigrated everything about the previous Archbishop Vekmar. He declared that the empire was full of traitors and Chaos spies (referring to Gelt and Vekmar), and we must carry out a "big purge" of the Church of Justice. , In fact, he did the same. Since returning to the capital, this guy has created hundreds of unjust, false and wrongful cases, and executed hundreds of people within the Church of Justice, until Nur’s great chanter Casmir XI and Bu He restrained himself only after a warning letter was sent from King Alfred I, the Great Reciter of Reetania.

The spymaster, Count Siegfried von Wolfen, was extremely driven crazy by the hundreds of Chaos invasions and various contradictory military sentiments coming from the front. His carefully constructed espionage network was on the verge of collapse, and no one could Confirming the authenticity of these stories, the few messengers who claimed to have come from the far north to the south described contradictory things, some were driven mad by their journeys, while others always brought fragments of news - A mixture of true and false whispers, none of them may be true, or all of them may be true.

From epic victories to tragic defeats, the Battle of Heffengen has spawned dozens of versions.

Imperial Privy Councilor and Foreign Minister Amadeus Menken told everyone that the empire's diplomacy was also collapsing. The dwarves and elves were unable to provide any support. Estalia, Tyrell, and the Border Princedom had all been destroyed. The arrogance of the Bretons is off-putting.

Imperial Finance Minister Mrs. Hawkswolf told everyone bluntly that there are less than 28,000 coins of various colors left in the Imperial Treasury in Brunswick. There is not much that can be done with this money, even if the emergency funds left by the emperor are included. It is estimated that there are only about 43,000 gold marks.

With this money, up to three thousand-man legions can be formed.

Hans Zentler, Grand Master of the Knights of Rick, the highest ranking military officer told everyone at the meeting in the absence of the Emperor, Marshal Rick, Emperor's Flag Officer, Duke Griffin and others, that Karl Fran Emperor Ci took away almost all the elite Brunswick and Rickland standing armies. Currently, Brunswick has less than 10,000 troops, most of which are semi-professional garrison and provincial armies.

The desperate situation makes it almost impossible for everyone to breathe. There is no money, no food, no people. Braunschweig is still standing, but the city is filled with a certain depressive and heavy atmosphere. The citizens The news of the empire's defeat was not yet known, but as messengers from the north and scattered broken troops entered the city in twos and threes, even though they were immediately controlled, many rumors were already spreading like wildfire.

The emperor's court was powerless to do anything about it, all they could do was gather the defeated troops and control them, and then tell the citizens that this was "Fake News", that our emperor was safe and sound, and that our empire was winning one victory after another.

Count Metternich ordered the closure of all private newspapers and asked everyone to speak the same language. He must be grateful for the backwardness of the times. At present, the citizens of Brunswick do not know what is happening on the front line. The official newspapers continue to report various victories. news, people's hearts are temporarily stable.

"Everyone, we must think of something!" Count Metternich shouted at everyone at the cabinet meeting: "It has been more than two months since we received the news that the emperor may be defeated. Apart from the meeting, you , meeting, meeting, what else are you doing? I suggest that we immediately recruit all able-bodied men to start military training, and then open all warehouses."

"We don't have this power, Metternich, I understand your difficulties." Mrs. Hawkswolf said painfully: "Even if we open them all, we don't have much money to use, unless... we ask the nobles in the city to open them. Their private treasure trove, but how is this possible! Talabheim is still safe and sound."

"Then ask for help!" Count Metternich was angry. He was humiliated by Talleyrand. The high-spirited lame man reminded Metternich with a strange letter that if he asks for help, we are the only person designated to ask for help in Britannia. It’s Imperial Countess Emmanuel! And the diamond brooch I saw at your house last time was really nice. Do you know where I can buy it?

"..." Everyone was silent.

"Maybe... the situation is not that bad?" said Professor Agatha von Bern, the chief justice of the empire, a high priest of the Valenna sect. She seemed sanctimonious on the surface, but in fact this middle-aged woman accepted any forms and any degree of bribery - as long as you pay enough money, you can be exempted and cleared of any crime except treason and having affairs with Chaos and vampires. Of course, most of the money goes into the imperial treasury. This is called "Proposal" She was the first to create the "guilty silver" system: "Maybe we can wait a little longer? When Theodoric arrives, can we ask about the specific situation?"

"We can't wait any longer!" Count Metternich said sadly: "The Nordic capital has fallen! What else are you asking?"

"Middenheim is still holding on."

"Middenheim will always hold on. As long as Todbringer doesn't want to win, Middenheim will not lose!" Count Metternich slapped the table directly: "But Middenheim can't stop the enemy from passing directly through Drac. Walder Forest, go straight to the city of Braunschweig!"

"Duke Blücher of Kronborg and his Kronborg Army. They have 6,000 people. Kronborg will stop this."

"It will be too late if Chaos reaches Kronburg!"

There was another silence in the hall.

It would be great if the emperor, Marshal Rick, the archbishop, the royal chief wizard, or even the temporary representative appointed by the emperor were here at this time. They would make a decision, and everyone here only needs to implement it.

"Then, convene an imperial parliament in the name of the emperor and let the electors decide whether to mobilize the country and ask for help from the world?" Amadeus Mencken, the imperial privy envoy and foreign minister, spoke, and everything was like Tallie. As Lang expected, when the imperial palace cabinet was unable to make a decision, they would try to convene an imperial assembly to allow the electors to make collective decisions.

"I agree."

"Aye!"

"That's all."

"There is also the new royal chief wizard Greg Mattak. Send people to find him. He must also participate."

"Noor, Noor, I really don't want to deal with that arrogant and rude woman."

"Okay, convene the Imperial Parliament and ask all the electors who are still able to act to come to Brunswick. They will make a decision on the current situation."

In this way, the imperial court, which had been delayed for a long time, finally decided to convene the imperial parliament, and messengers went from the imperial palace to all directions of the empire.

Call a meeting of all electors!

The moment has come to decide the future of the Empire.

The most important letter was sent to Nur personally by Count Metternich.

Nuer, the industrial center of the empire, is currently making final preparations before the war under the supervision of Baroness Emmanuel and Baron Frederic.

Alisala's carefully designed "rat poison" is basically completed.