Three Philosophical Questions for Travelers

The king's roar exploded in the palace like a thunderbolt from the blue sky. Hearing this sound, the prime minister suddenly thought of the old king with a strong temperament.I think the king of the northern border was like this back then, the duke, the pope, the ministers... no one he dared to fight.He is a fearless king who dares to fight anyone who opposes him.It was precisely because of this that he was able to turn this vast empire into an iron barrel.

Cade Heworth is his son after all, Chloe thought to himself.

Then four royal warriors came up, two with whips and two with steel forks.Hassan Heron was furious and shouted, "Let's see who dares to hit me!"

Two royal warriors strangled him with steel forks, and Hassan Heron struggled and roared like a wounded beast, saying, "I am the Lord of the North, the leader of the Great Knights! Even if the old king comes, he can't hit me!" !"

There was a dead silence in the hall, and Hassan Heron's roar echoed in the palace.The warrior grabbed his whip and looked at the king, who sneered and stepped down from the throne.

The little king snatched the whip from the warrior, and slapped Hassan Heron on the face.Military God's face was torn apart, and he screamed, "You!"

The little king lashed his right cheek with a whip again, pointed at him and shouted: "Hassan Heron! You came back in a big defeat and shamed me! Now you are yelling at the court again. Is there any problem if I beat you?"

Hassan Heron was speechless for a while, and the king handed the whip to the nearby warrior and said, "Hit me!"

Then the two warriors whipped left and right. The crackling sound of the whips made people's hearts jump, but the prime minister felt happy-this guy has been domineering for so long, he should have been beaten long ago!

At the beginning, Hassan Heron could say some harsh words, such as: "I won't spare you!" .But Hassan Heron was a tough guy after all, and he didn't beg for mercy in the end.

I don't know how long the fight lasted, but in the end Hassan Heron didn't even have the strength to moan.At this time, the little king raised his hand, and the two warriors stopped their whips.Hassan Heron was lying on the ground, his shirt was smashed into pieces, and his body was covered in bloodstains.He raised his head and said, "You fool! You will pay the price!"

The little king looked down at him and said, "I just did what a king should do, Hassan. You made a mistake, and I will punish you according to the law."

Hassan Heron yelled, "I'm not your slave, Heworth!"

"Then what are you?" The little king looked at him jokingly.

"I am the president of the Great Knights Association, and I have seven Knights Associations and three legions!" He squinted, trying to get up from the ground, and then two warriors pressed his neck with a fork.

"You will be gone soon, Hassan Heron." The king smiled and spread his hands, "You have committed too many crimes, and I will have a public trial for your crimes the day after tomorrow. It is not up to you to say what will happen to the great knight afterwards." Forget it. The knights are qualified to elect a new leader!"

Hassan Heron roared: "I am the only Grand Knight Commander, you can't treat me like this! My warriors won't obey you, you stupid king!"

The little king laughed loudly and said, "You are the only great knight commander? How can you say that?" He walked over and grabbed Hassan Heron's hair, lifted his head, and said fiercely, "New debts and old debts, let's calculate together tomorrow!"

Hassan Heron let out a low growl in his throat, like a wild beast. He looked at the little king and said, "Okay, very good! Remember, Cade Heworth, you broke the sharpest sword in the North with your own hands." ! When the enemy reaches Eagle Head City, you—"

"I will solve it myself, my dear Lord Military God!" The little king made a high-pitched voice, "Now, don't meddle in your own business, go down!" He waved his hand, and the warriors pushed Hassan Heron down.Immediately the little king said to the nobles: "My lords who are loyal to me, I didn't expect such a thing to happen. It made everyone see a joke. Please forgive me."

The Duke of Lastor in the Far North let out a burst of hearty laughter, and said: "There is nothing wrong with this, Your Majesty! I am very happy to punish this villain! Your Majesty is like a father, and I I admire you!"

Both Bullland and the Claus family did not express their views. At this time, Exlid of the Vulcan Cult said: "It is an indisputable fact that Hassan Herren is mediocre and incompetent, but the same is true for the Gulf people who occupied the Heavenly Father Pass— —So, I want to know what is His Majesty's next plan?"

The little king pondered for a while, and said: "My vassals and court ministers, please listen to me. Now that the north is facing internal and external troubles, we must unite to protect our country." He glanced at the man in The man in the fiery red monk's robe, Exlide felt his gaze, and immediately lowered his head respectfully.

The king continued: "Now, as the king of the northern border, I declare an all-out war on the Gulf!"

People cheered, but there was some uneasiness in the cheers.At this time, a minister said: "It is said that Bagu Kahn is a god descending from the sky, and Hassan Heron is no match. Your Majesty, how do we fight him?"

The little king said: "The little trident is indeed brave, but the northerners are not vegetarians! We have elite soldiers and strong generals, and we can form an army several times their size and spend more money. As long as we are united, the Gulf The local people will be crushed by the wheels of the chariot. My subjects, now I want to ask you, for our homeland and our glory, how much effort do you plan to do? How much blood do you shed?"

Rastol was the first to respond, the old man stood up and said loudly: "As long as you keep your promise, then my family and I will fight with you! The soldiers of Ice Sea City, Frost Snow Castle and Nightless City will all listen! You dispatch!"

Then Exlid said: "You are the king and the holy pope. The believers of Vulcan will fight for you to the last drop of blood. I will call on the believers to come to the pilgrimage and participate in this holy war."

Bullland in the mountains of the Western Regions spoke thirdly: "We will provide weapons and buy the best war horses from the people of the Western Regions for you to use."

And last of all the son of the Duke of the Southern Plains--Noben Cross.The young man got up and saluted, and said: "This time we are willing to be the pioneers! Both Longyi Pass and Antler Pass border our family's land, and the Claus family will never let foreigners invade our land! My lords, warriors of the North They are fierce, but they are too far away; the population in the mountains is too small to hold soldiers; although the Vulcan believers are fanatical, they lack military literacy. Only the Claus family has dealt with the people of the Gulf all the year round. We know ourselves and our enemies. I will unite us My friends, please give us this chance."

The little king nodded and said with a smile: "I am very lucky to have the allegiance of the Klaus family; Duke Klaus is also very lucky, he has a good son—what about the others?"

The officials leaned over and said in unison: "I am willing to fight for Your Majesty!"

intrigue, three

intrigue, three

After that, the little king briefly stated the arrangements for tomorrow and then retreated.As a matter of routine, the prime minister was left behind.The little king took him to Tianhu by car, and the two continued the meeting by the quiet lake.

When only the two of them were left, Crowin immediately pleaded guilty. He bowed to the king and said, "Your Majesty! It was my fault! I was deceived by the enemy, which led to the rout of the army. If you want to punish the crime, you should punish it first." For me, dismissal, imprisonment, exile, death penalty, whatever."

"Get up!" the little king helped him up, and said, "What should I punish you for? You have done a good job, and I am quite satisfied!"

"But……"

The little king raised his hand and interrupted his speech: "I know the process was a bit unexpected, but the ending is very happy!"

"Is this considered a happy ending?" Kloin asked.

The king lay comfortably on the bench, holding a cup of hot milk in his hand, "Don't forget our real purpose, Mr. Prime Minister." He handed a blanket to Chloe as he spoke, and the Prime Minister thanked him, and then Lie down on a nearby chair and cover your knees with a blanket.

So comfortable, he thought, the little king would enjoy it.

The prime minister asked him, "Your Majesty, Hassan Heron cannot be brought down that easily. Behind him is the entire Great Knights Association. I'm worried that those guys... will jump over the wall in a hurry."

The king glanced at him and said, "I have the help of the Lastor family, and with Bean Lastor around, the Great Knights will not fall into chaos. Besides, the Great Knights are not monolithic, as long as the benefits are given Enough is enough, these guys can be bought."

The prime minister thought to himself: The previous president of the Great Knights, Kan Zhuin, was from the Lastor family, and so was the future.Back then, the Lastor family and the Grand Knights were almost a family. Later, before the old king died, he worried that the Lastor family's power would be too strong, so he sanctioned them.Campbell was locked in the Babel Tower, and Hassan Heron became the new Grand Knight Commander.Now that the king has invited the Lastor family out again, is it because he wants the great knight to return to its original owner?But if this is the case...the Lastor family will lose control again, and the northern border will only become more dangerous.

He didn't know the king's thoughts, and he didn't dare to ask casually. The emperor didn't show his thoughts to others easily.

So he changed the subject and said, "The next step is to fight the Gulf people. Who do you plan to send?"

"Our next enemy is still not the Gulf people, but the leader of the Vulcan Cult, Exlid." The king took a sip of hot milk, "We must completely eradicate internal troubles before we can solve foreign troubles."

Chloe looked at him and said, "But the little trident is not a simple external problem, if it is not handled properly..."

"I have my own way, you don't have to worry about it."

The prime minister had no choice but to say: "Yes, Your Majesty."

The little king continued: "I want you to go to the Western Regions and deliver this letter to the Duke of Coldnight Castle—Ujo Klee Khan." He handed out the letter with sealing wax from his arms, "I need them the power of."

The people in the Western Regions are the most honest among the three principalities. They have always obeyed the north, but now they have many internal conflicts. The prime minister thinks that Duke Ujo is too busy to take care of himself, so he may not agree to help the little king.So he asked tentatively: "How much effort do you plan to let the people of the Western Regions contribute?"

"I want Ujo to do his best," said the little king.

"That's a bit difficult," the prime minister fingered the envelope, thinking about what was written inside.At this time, the little king glanced at his hand, sneered, and said, "I can tell you, Chloe, you are the person I trust the most."

The prime minister felt a little embarrassed when his thoughts were exposed, so he lowered his head and said, "Then please tell your Majesty clearly, I... am very worried."

The little king said: "As long as this letter is delivered, the people of the Western Regions will definitely help me to fight against the Vulcan Cult. There is a superficial reason and a deep reason."

"Appreciate further details."

"The superficial reason is religious. You have to know that although people in the Western Regions have civil wars, they have a unified belief—that is, the Lord of Seven Colors. They combine politics and religion, and they attach great importance to the sanctity of Seven Colors Sect."

"Exactly, most of their civil wars are related to religion. The monotheism of Lord of Seven Colors makes him unable to tolerate any other religions. In their eyes, all heretics deserve death, so a jihad against Vulcanism is reasonable Now the domestic conflicts in the Western Regions are too intense. Only when foreign enemies appear, Duke Ucho can gather the loose forces in the country and transfer the conflicts. Moreover, through this war, he can reshuffle the domestic forces and renew them. Get the balance."

The prime minister nodded and thought to himself: His Majesty the King is still very intelligent.

"As for the underlying reason...it's okay for me to tell you." The little king pushed his chin toward the letter, "That's it, here is the underlying reason."

"This?" The prime minister held up the envelope.

"That's it." The little king nodded, and said solemnly, "Do you still remember how the god son of the Western Regions died?"

Kloin said: "The legend is that it turns into an angel and soars in place."

"Fart!" The little king laughed, "He vomited blood from drinking, so he just died!"

Thinking about it, the Prime Minister thought to himself.

"However, it's shameful to drink to death, not to mention that he didn't drink too much that day. This son of god is the human incarnation of the Lord of Seven Colors, and is loved by all people; the common people will kneel when they see him, and the nobles will bow when they see him. How can a person say that he will die when he dies? People in the Western Regions have always believed that someone assassinated him, but the murderer cannot be found."

Kloin asked, "Actually?"

"Actually, he drank to death, it's just a coincidence." After the little king said this, he showed a sneer that made Kloin feel cold all over his body, "but I don't want this kind of coincidence! Let me tell you, he was People killed."

Kloin already knew the little king's plan, he narrowed his eyes and said, "Will people from the Western Regions believe it?"

"Of course it will, because the killer has sufficient motives, and the untimely death of the Son of God is enough to destroy the beliefs of the Western Regions, allowing their missionaries to take advantage of it; and there are conclusive evidence in my letter, there are poisons, silver needles and killers Ha! It’s all true, truer than gold.” The little king laughed out loud as he spoke.However, the prime minister was horrified by this kind of political conspiracy.A new war is about to start, he thought to himself, people from the Western Regions will also be drawn into the battlefield, will the southerners also come in the future?

The prime minister couldn't help asking: "Your Majesty, is there no other way? We...have to wage a war?"

intrigue, four

intrigue, four

The little king shook his head and said, "I will let the people of the Vulcan Cult gather on a pilgrimage to the giant city closest to the Western Regions, and then cooperate with the Westerners to annihilate them in one fell swoop, so that the war can be controlled to the greatest extent."

The chancellor asked, "Isn't it okay to assassinate Exlide?"

The king took a sip of the milk, then threw the glass into the sky lake, and the water made ripples.

He sighed and said, "It's too difficult, and if I'm found out, my political credibility will fall to the bottom. You know, assassination is the most despicable way to play, how can the king assassinate the minister? You let my seal How can the minister trust me in the future?"

"That's true..." the Prime Minister murmured.

The king continued: "And Exlid himself is too powerful to be solved by one or two assassins or a little poison; to take a step back, if Exlide dies, the remaining fanatics will die." Launch a round of revenge."

"Won't they listen to you? You are the Holy Pope," asked the chancellor.

"My holy pope is a rote, and there is no doctrine. Therefore, many congregants of Vulcanism secretly opposed me and desecrated my portrait. And Exlid also acquiesced. If the high priest dies violently, then The remaining believers will listen to his subordinates, or they may start riots everywhere, or even attack the imperial city...no matter what. I can't control these lunatics, so I can only kill them all."

"Then how many do you want to kill?"

"It's only about a hundred thousand people."

One hundred thousand people is just an understatement. The prime minister has seen strong winds and waves, but when he heard this number, he still couldn't help breathing.Those are your people, he thought to himself, even though the northern border is rich, how many "hundred thousand" can you kill?

The people of the bay have defeated our strongest fighters and occupied the Heavenly Father Pass, and are now watching Eagle Head City.However, we are going to launch a civil war at this time and slaughter our [-] people...

Can we really win the war?The more he thought about it, the more pessimistic he became.

"Death is inevitable in war, my lord." The little king laughed at this time, "What's more, if I kill these people, my people will applaud! Do you know how many people these priests squeeze every year? People in the world have long thought Let them die."

However, Kloin wanted to drink some strong alcohol at this moment to numb himself.His joints ached and his head hurt even more.He pondered for a while and asked the last question: "Aren't you afraid that Bone? Kahn will become bigger? Just let him go like this..."

"I have my own measure." The king's answer left him speechless.

It was getting late, and Chloe returned from a long journey, already exhausted to death.This time he took the initiative to resign and returned home with the king's permission.He sat in the softest carriage along the way, but his body was still sore that he was about to fall apart.At this moment, he wanted to fall down and sleep for three days and three nights.However, when he came to the door of the house, he suddenly thought of his old friend Varda - he was already very sick before I left, how is it now?I remember Ah Nan went to find a doctor for him, but I don't know the result.

So he pulled himself together, and as soon as he entered he called to the servants: "Where is Varda? How is he?"

"My lord, I'm here!" Varda's voice came from the room, and then the man walked towards him leaning on the wall.The prime minister hurriedly shouted: "Don't force it! Someone help him!"

The servants went up to support him, but he gently pushed him away. "My lord, I'm already well." He said with a smile, "I'm still a little weak, just walk around a bit."

Kloin saw that although he lacked energy, his complexion was not bad.Chloe relaxed, and said, "That's good, how are you doing?"

His old servant showed the same simple and honest smile in the past, and said: "It was Ah Nan who found me the doctor and got me the medicine, I must thank him! My lord, Ah Nan is my savior!"

Chloe felt happy just hearing the name, and he quickly asked, "Where is Ah Nan now?"

Varda said, "Oh, he's out on errands, and he'll be back in a while."

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a sound of horses outside.Then a servant shouted: "Master Prime Minister, Ah Nan is here!"

He and Ah Nan walked back and forth, and before the prime minister's carriage drove away, Ah Nan came back on horseback.The man was wearing a beige jumpsuit today, with a silver belt tightly tied around his waist and a short silky cape hanging from his shoulders. He looked even more handsome than before.

He dismounted, took off his hat, saluted, and then he said: "My lord, as soon as I heard that you were back, I hurried over here. Fortunately, I caught up."

The prime minister shook his head and said, "I am a defeated general, and I have no face to see you."

"Don't say that, we all know that you have tried your best, but the enemy is too strong, and Hassan Heron is too cowardly." Ah Nan looked Chloe up and down, and said immediately, "I see you are tired, so I won't Excuse me, please rest."

Chloe said quickly: "You've already come, how can I not entertain you?"

"It's not too late to come back tomorrow morning, my lord, I sincerely ask you to take care of your health." After saying that, he gave his farewell ceremony and turned to leave.

Kloin shouted from behind: "I haven't thanked you for Varda's matter, Ah Nan!"

"It's a matter of duty, my lord." He turned around and saluted again, and then rode away.

Kloin and Varda looked at each other and smiled. At this time, his old servant said: "He is a good boy. I wrongly blamed him before. I can't get up these days, and he does a lot of chores."

"Yes, he is a good man." The Prime Minister said with a smile.

Chloe was already exhausted, and after seeing Ah Nan leave, he felt drowsy again.He yawned and said, "Take me to the bedroom." So two servants helped him to the bedroom. He didn't care about taking a shower, took off his coat, fell asleep on the bed.

There was nothing to say all night, and the next morning, he was woken up by painful joints.

I should chop off those legs, he thought, better in a wheelchair than keeping them!

He patted his knees, but it only made him more painful. "Come here!" he yelled, "Get me some hot water."

After a while, the servant prepared hot water, a wooden basin and bathing utensils for him. With the help of the servant, he dragged his painful body into the basin, which felt like boiling a handful of rotten bones.The hot water made him drowsy again, so after the shower he went back to bed again, intending to take a nap.He will be on a mission to the Western Regions tomorrow, so there is not much time for him to rest.

He lay half asleep for two hours, and this time it was hunger that woke him up.He hadn't eaten for a day, and his stomach gradually turned from hunger to soreness.The torture left him physically and mentally exhausted.