When Thales seemed to understand something, as if he felt that he had grasped something, Putilai took out his pipe again and began to fill it with tobacco.

"As you said, once the strong-willed Grand Duke Ronnie does not compromise with the Black Sands, does not rely on the king's recruitment order, and does not use the name of King Charman, he decides to clean up the mess of the Free Alliance on his own," facing the prince's eyes,

Putilai did not hide anything, he said happily: "But he wants to continue to denounce and fight against King Charman..."

Thales took a deep breath.

"Ronnie must find additional helpers to capture the Freedom Alliance at the minimum cost," the logical clues in the prince's mind became clearer and clearer: "For example, Longxiao City, or the Walton family who once sent troops to support Qiyuan City.

"

Thales raised his head with a solemn expression: "I'm starting to understand."

Putilai nodded and lit his pipe.

"As long as Ronny gets the support of Longxiao City, and as long as the Grand Duchess promises to send troops to support the battle in Qiyuan City like she did twenty years ago," Putilai said calmly, "then Ronny will be able to refuse with confidence.

Lumba had evil intentions, and while he was able to deal with the Free Alliance with ease, he said 'no' to the king without flinching."

"I understand, after Ronnie made his choice," Thales thought of the young Grand Duchess and pinched his chin with a headache: "It was Selma's turn to choose: whether to support Ronnie or whether to join him against the king.

camp."

Putilai snorted softly.

"But this time, compared with the previous simple signatures of support, it is completely different: supporting Qiyuan City means giving up chips, paying a price, and making a commitment: recruiting troops when necessary, and carrying out large-scale Western campaigns.

Advance and start a war with the Freedom League and its supporters."

"The current situation is just like when Prince Morar was assassinated and King Kessel faced the choice of war or peace." Putilai let go of the pipe in his mouth while puffing out smoke, "On behalf of Long Xiao

The Grand Duchess of the city must make a decision: War or peace? Should she pay the price and decisively support Qiyuan City in handling alliance matters, or should she stand aside and watch the situation develop?"

The prince slowly raised his head.

When Prince Morar was assassinated, what choice faced King Kessel?

Thales thought of the Supreme King of the Stars who coldly raised his scepter in the face of persecution from his vassals in the Fuxing Palace six years ago.

"Wait, forget it if it's someone else," Thales recalled the grievances and past between the two countries that Putilai just told him, and couldn't help being slightly surprised: "But Longxiao City..."

"Ah," Putilai was a little surprised by the prince's reaction, but he still nodded expressionlessly: "For ordinary Exeter people, facing the Freedom Alliance, this is just a matter of 'fight or not'

Question."

"But for Longxiao City and the Walton family, this is not only the dragon's honor and disgrace, but also the family's face."

"You know, twenty years ago, on the day when the slanderous letter from the Governor of the Freedom Alliance arrived at Longxiao City, before the snow on the messenger's boots dried up," Putilai exhaled a puff of smoke and said with sharp eyes, "Nun

Seven generations ago, he did not hesitate to sound the call for recruitment from the kingdom."

"Freedom of Arms Alliance."

Thales's face became extremely solemn.

"A year later, King Nunn's eldest son, Suril Walton, chopped off ten of the Alliance Governor's heads with one knife after another in the Castle of Freedom after the city surrendered. In front of the trembling Alliance senators,

"It's said that every time he chopped off one of the opponent's fingers, he would loudly ask one of the senators: 'Can you write a letter?'"

"After chopping off the last finger, Prince Suril threw the disrespectful letter of credence back to the governor who was about to faint."

"'No, you won't,' Suriel said with a smile, and then hanged all the senators who did not answer 'no'."

"Suriel Walton," Thales frowned: "Sounds like a cruel commander."

Putilai narrowed his eyes and lowered his head slightly: "But he also succeeded in making the Freedom Alliance remember the anger and terror of the dragon. In the golden corridor in those years, Suril's name was more effective than King Nunn.

As Walton's in-laws, Camus Vine City has also received benefits: even the most sworn enemy in the alliance who has a hard time with them does not dare to embarrass their goods."

Thales clenched his fists.

"Do you understand?" Putilai stared at the prince: "King Nun ordered the troops to be sent out, Suril won the victory. In this way, the Walton family maintained the dignity of Exeter."

"Twenty years later, if the much-criticized and questioned Grand Duchess faces the Freedom Alliance and faces the same problem, she chooses to be neutral and on the sidelines, and chooses to retreat and avoid war..."

Thales took a breath and figured out the key to the matter.

"She has no choice." The prince said categorically: "In order to prove that she will not lose the honor of her father and ancestors, and in order to maintain the majesty and rule of the Dragonlance family, Thelma must send troops."

"So, in the game between King Charmaine and Grand Duke Ronny caused by the instability of the Freedom Alliance, the Grand Duke of Longxiao City is the key. She is both a chess player who must join the chess game and can help Ronny reverse the situation.

Bringing King Charmaine back to an embarrassing turning point.”

Thales frowned: "That's why the Black Sand Territory sent people to Longxiao City, because it is indeed located at the center of the storm and is the key to the game between several major forces."

However, Putilai shook his head at this moment: "It would be great if things were that simple."

Thales raised his head in surprise: "What do you mean?"

"I said, this situation is very similar to the dilemma King Kessel faced back then."

Putilai took a puff of his cigarette, his eyes revealing shrewdness and vigilance: "If the Grand Duchess made a promise to Qiyuan City and supported Roni's western expedition against the Freedom Alliance at the critical moment... the question is, how many Longxiao City are there?

Will the vassals support it? How many soldiers can be drafted and should they be drafted? How should the benefits and costs be distributed? If only Walton's direct territory is willing to respond, should this battle be fought? If an army is raised, who should

Which noble vassal will lead the army?"

Thales was stunned.

The same dilemma that King Kessel faced back then...

What Kessel faced...

That means……

A terrible thought came to his mind.

"If the Grand Duchess cannot make a commitment to Qiyuan City, she will just get a reputation of being 'indecisive and hesitant'," Putilai's words were broken and he continued with an uneasy rhythm: "But if

The Grand Duchess made a promise, but at the critical moment she was unable to fulfill it due to internal reasons in Longxiao City: such as opposition from vassals, shortage of soldiers, lack of resources, and even the troops recruited by Longxiao City were of low quality and even failed..."

"Then under the eyes of the entire Exeter, the impact of this incident on the rule of the Grand Duchess will be devastating."

Thales frowned: "If Selma only sends Walton's direct troops without relying on the power of vassals..."

"When a powerful Grand Duke with countless vassals under him can only send his own troops to the battlefield alone," Putilai snorted and shook his head: "In the eyes of countless people, that Grand Duke's rule

, it’s probably almost the end.”

Thales sighed deeply.

Finally, with the help of Putilai, he found the clue that ran through the front and back.

turn out to be……

"In short, all the questions are gathered into one sentence," Putilai took a deep puff of his pipe, and the wrinkles slowly tightened on his thin face: "Is the current Longxiao City still like the Longxiao City under the command of King Nuen?

Is it like a city, like an arm moving from top to bottom, integrated into one body, indestructible from the inside to the outside, with one heart and one mind?"

"At a time when the prestigious Longxiao City and the Walton family need to stand up, the Grand Dukes are looking at her, and the vassals are also looking at her. The time has come to test the prestige of the Grand Duke."

Putilai snorted coldly and said: "In order to maintain the reputation of the family, to defend the dignity of the country, and to fight against King Charman, the Grand Duchess must make a promise on behalf of Longxiao City and ensure that this promise can be fulfilled."

Thales looked at Putilai dumbfounded.

Putilai's eyes focused on Thales's gray eyes, and his tone was scary: "And if you want to ensure that the vassals support this promise, the Grand Duchess who has succeeded to the throne for six years..."

"How much are you willing to pay?"

Thales took a deep breath and clenched his fists.

Thales let out a sullen breath and said with difficulty: "Pay the price?"

"for example……"

Putilai nodded. He silently observed the prince's expression and sighed softly: "For example, is she willing to show her sincerity and trust to her vassals?"

"For example, the Grand Duke married one of the vassals..."

"To maintain the cohesion of Longxiao City and exchange for the trust and cooperation of the vassals."

"With the support of her husband and the inheritance of the bloodline, by breaking away from the 'Grand Duchess' and becoming the 'Grand Duchess', we can restore the glory of the Walton family."

Putilai's voice was very soft, but in the prince's ears it was so heavy that it sounded like thunder.

Thales closed his eyes weakly.

He frowned and gritted his teeth.

The little naughty boy from six years ago appeared before the prince's eyes...

He thought of that day six years ago, when the dirty little girl was reading fascinatedly in the library.

He thought of the girl in the Hall of Heroes, with tears on her face, trembling, looking helplessly at the triumphal ring in her hand.

He thought of the little girl screaming and desperately pulling him out of the tentacles on the streets of the Shield District.

He remembered...

"Tell me, Putilai," Thales opened his eyes and said feebly: "When the struggle between the king and the princes intensifies, when there is chaos in the Free Alliance, in Qiyuan City, Longxiao City may be asked to send troops, and in Ser

The moment when Ma needs the support of her vassals the most..."

"Someone in Longxiao City took the opportunity to cause trouble during the day of the administration. They launched an attack on the Grand Duchess's marriage and reminded everyone that their lord is unmarried..."
To be continued...