Chapter 163

Count Raymond's cell is at the bottom of this floor.

Robertsky didn't lie. The place where count Raymond lived was a clean single room with special care.

After his men opened the iron gate, Dewey saw his father sitting behind his desk reading with a relaxed face.

He gently held a heavy volume II of the general history of the mainland in his hand. When he read it, he was absorbed in the book instead of pretending it.

Even when Dewey came in, the former count just raised his head, with a slightly relaxed face and a casual greeting

"Oh, here you are."

This tone, this manner, and at the beginning in the Earl's house, Dewey entered his study when the expression, almost no difference.

Baron robertsky retreated wisely, leaving the father and son alone.

Count Raymond was still holding the book, and he didn't mean to put it down. Dewey looked at the cell.

Objectively speaking, this is a very clean room. The floor, wall and ceiling are all made of huge and solid stones. It is said that in order to prevent prisoners from escaping (many of the detained generals are martial arts experts), it seems that the walls are made of stones, but actually they are embedded with a layer of steel plates.

There is only one big iron window in the room, which is very high from the ground. There is light sunlight pouring in from the outside. The iron railings on the window are full of rust. Because of the lack of sunlight all the year round, the room is full of cold and musty smell, which can not be covered up. And some mottled mosses.

In addition, the room was very clean, but as a cell, there was only a hard bed. Although it was covered with white sheets, it was conceivable that it was not as comfortable as the bed in the Earl's house.

A desk is extra special for the Rowling family.

In addition, the last object left. It's a dung bucket in the corner.

Simple, rough, cold.

This is the prison cell of a generation of famous Imperial generals who once held great power and took the Imperial Navy fleet to the Southeast Asia.

Duvet was not in a hurry to speak, and count Raymond did not seem to be in a hurry. He still calmly turned over the last few pages of the second volume of the general knowledge of the mainland in his hand. Then he took a long breath and stretched himself. He stood up slowly, moved his muscles and bones in the same place, turned his head and looked at Dewey, and said with a calm smile: "I guess you will come, but I didn't expect you to come so soon. I thought I'd have to wait a few days. "

Then he pointed to his bed: "sit down, the only place to sit here is the bed."

After Dewey sat down, count Raymond had put down his book and read his son quietly for a while. Then he asked slowly, "how's home?"

"Not bad." Du Wei hesitated for a moment, and said: "the transferred guards have controlled the imperial city defense. The residence of his family is surrounded by the guards, so they can't go in and out for the time being. However, because of my relationship, they are a lot more polite. Apart from the inconvenience of going in and out, other places are still safe."

Count Raymond nodded. "Where's your mother and brother?"

Dewey sighed: "my mother is in a bad mood. I'm not in good health either. However, I asked the priest of the temple to come to see it, but I was worried and became ill. There was no big problem. My younger brother is still young. He's a little emotional recently, but I'll protect him. "

Count Raymond pondered for a moment, then raised his head, his eyes shining, and looked at Dewey. What should I call you now? Or... Just like everybody else. Call you "the Duke"

The tone made him feel as if he had a needle in his heart. He tilted his head slightly. No direct contact with count Raymond's eyes: "these words, meaningful?"

Both father and son were silent.

For a long time, count Raymond laughed. He laughed a little and said to himself, "yes, you are right. It really doesn't make any sense for me to say that. In fact, I just can't let go. Although I have lived here for a few days and reminded myself that I have to face the reality of failure, in my life, there are several people who are really happy with such a scene.... "

With that, count Raymond stared at Dewey. His eyes seemed to quiver. His lips gently opened and opened. Finally, he slowly uttered a sentence: "you are very good, very good... Son, you are better than me."

Looking at Dewey as if to speak, count Raymond waved his hand: "listen to me first. I've been locked up here these days. At the beginning, I was very unwilling. But these two days, I calm down, quiet reading, read this general history of the mainland, suddenly understand. We were born in the power field, struggling, intriguing and killing each other. Some people are beautiful, others are disgraced. But in the end... "

He pointed to the book beside him: "after a hundred years, everyone is just written in this book. No matter how beautiful it is, it's just a sentence in the book."

Du Wei did not speak, carefully savoring his father's words.

The count looked at his quiet son. His eyes were eager. Then he lowered his eyelids and said in a low voice, "I've been thinking about where my biggest mistake is. I've been thinking about it for two days, but I can't figure it out. Later, I figured it out... My fault is not that I helped the prince to win the throne, nor that I stood in the wrong team. In politics, no one has a lifetime of glory. Some win and others lose, which is nothing. My biggest mistake is that I didn't see you my son from beginning to end. "

"You are excellent, even far better than I expected." Count Raymond looked at his son with a smile on his mouth. The smile was sincere: "on the square that day, you broke with your family in public... In fact, you and I both know what it is. Dewey, I didn't really regret it until that moment! Because I see you clearly. You are responsible for the family in your heart. You want to protect the family. That's why you broke up with your family in public... I was shocked by that. If I said that when you returned to the imperial capital, many of the things I said to you were false. I even decided to send someone to assassinate you on the road, which hurt your heart afterwards. In fact, I didn't regret it at that time. Because I always think. It's worth losing a son and preserving the family. But that day, on the square, you took the initiative... "Count Raymond sighed and looked into Dewey's eyes:" until that moment, I regretted it! Dewey, you're better than I expected. And far beyond! It suddenly dawned on me that what I lost was not just a son, but an outstanding successor I had always dreamed of! Unfortunately... I was wrong from the beginning, but pushed you farther and farther away. By the time I get it, the gap between us will be irreparable. "

Dewey didn't speak.

"The coup. I lost, but I don't resent you. Because that world thing, I now carefully recalled, feel that Chen Prince this person everything plans first. But it's hidden. This kind of intelligence is not comparable to that of the Grand Prince. On that day, his backhand after backhand, from the temple to the Magic Union, from the garrison to the knight's gun, as well as his means to win people's hearts, his foresight... All these are far better than the Grand Prince I support. I read the general history of the mainland these two days. Looking at things in history, I suddenly understand that this is an inevitable law. Respect for the strong, the weak will naturally become the cornerstone of the strong. I guess you didn't expect that Prince Chen would win in the end? "

Dewey nodded and admitted, "I didn't think of it. Originally, I planned to save Prince Chen's life if the coup was successful. It's worthy of him. "

Count Raymond laughed: "that day. With or without you, we are doomed to failure. So. It's none of your business that I've become like this. "

Du Wei was relieved. He looked at his calm father and said slowly, "father, tell me, what can I do to save the family?"

"Well?" Count Raymond was stunned. He did not expect that Dewey would ask such a question.

"I promised my mother." Du Wei light way: "have me in one day, certainly don't let the family's glory be destroyed."

Count Raymond was silent for a moment and sighed, "you have done it."

He said with a bitter smile: "although you have no relationship with the Rowling family in name now, who would really think that in the hearts of those nobles and ministers? Although I fell, but everyone will see you as the continuation of the Rowling family. I used to be a count, but now you are a duke. Although you are given the surname Rudolph, who will take it seriously? You know that although I failed in the coup that day, I didn't despair after I was captured, because at least you succeeded in protecting me. Whatever you left, it was the Rowling family who left a seed. "

"What should I do?" Du Wei asked in a deep voice, his eyes fixed on his father.

He came here today to ask for advice.

At this moment, although the imperial coup ended, Duwei was adored by Prince Chen and became a Duke when he was young. The Regent almost regarded him as his first confidant. Moreover, on the day of the coup, he drove away Gandalf, the powerful green robe. Now even in the circle of magicians, he is one of the top in the mainland. Such a person, now almost can be said to be the first to be popular in the imperial capital.

But Dewey himself knows his own problems. Although he has been a man of two generations and is conceited and intelligent, he is not born to understand politics.

Although he was born in an aristocratic family all his life, he tried to avoid these things from an early age. His political experience can never be made up by his talent and intelligence.

In politics, in this field, Dewey is very clear about his position and is still a complete rookie! Although he has been a man of two generations, he has not experienced the real test of politics. No matter how good he is in other aspects, he can not be a qualified politician.

In the imperial capital, although he has been in the limelight recently, Dewey has already felt a sense of crisis.

Since that day, Prince Chen gave himself the map of the Roland empire in public, and let him delimit his territory at will. At that moment, Duwei could clearly feel the envious and even hostile eyes of his colleagues around him!

Du Wei's side, although many strange companions, Wu has Hussein, magic has a mouse wizard. There's also a medusa. But the real brain trust that can serve as his staff has never been there, because in the past, he thought it was unnecessary and his brain was enough. With the experience of two generations, Dewey even unconsciously had a sense of superiority to the people in the world.

But it is not others who break his superior psychology, it is Prince Chen!

When the prince Chen plans strategies. After forcing the prince to death, Du Wei had a deep fear of the prince, who was hidden and always had a gentle smile!

Say a joke, sometimes, Dewey even gave birth to a ridiculous idea: who is the one who came through? The prince Chen is even more like a person who has come across than himself!

Only later did Du Wei figure it out. It has nothing to do with whether to go through or not. Things in politics can never be tempered without experience and environment.

I have been trying to avoid the whirlpool since I was a child. Days of peace and freedom. Prince Chen has been in the fierce struggle for imperial power since he was a child. It's hard to calculate the distance.

Think about it, perhaps only this lost father. Only then can I solve my doubts.

It can be said that this strange father and son had never really had a heart to heart relationship like today. Dewey was bent on seeking advice, but the count, who had lost his power, was also wholeheartedly for his son: after all, he had fallen down, and all the hopes of the Rowling family were placed on this son!

"If you really want to save the hope of the family..." count Raymond said with a bitter smile, "then the most important thing you should do now is to keep a distance from me! Keep your distance from the original Rowling family

The count tapped his fingers on the table. Slowly way: "I once fall down, next, Chen prince must carry on the big clean up! This is inevitable. No matter how much he values you, he can't let the Rowling family go for your face! Therefore, in the short run, the Rowling family has become a quagmire, who is in trouble. And you are my only hope now. Save the family's hope. Save yourself first! So, over a period of time. The best way for you to stay away from the vortex of the Rowling family is to be detached from the outside world, which means that you have really broken with the Rowling family and have nothing to do with it! "

After a pause, count Raymond said with a smile, "do you know why Prince Chen still put us here instead of killing us?"

Dewey nodded: "I know."

He sighed: "both the Rowlings and the Solomons have their own territory and private army. Prince Chen is so smart. Of course, he knows that if he kills you rashly now, then the family territory will be in chaos first! The Lorraine plain is almost the private property of the Lorraine family. All the people there are proud to be members of the Lorraine family. If you do it rashly, the territory will be in chaos, that is, the Empire will be in chaos, and even lead to civil war... How can people like Prince Chen not see through this truth? "

"Not bad." Count Raymond looked at his son with satisfaction: "you see very clearly. So, now I'm not dead, because Prince Chen wants to free his hand first and play this game well. When he takes back the territory of several families and dismisses the private army, he will finally come to settle our charges. Anyway, we leaders are locked up here and can't run away. We are always in his hands. What's the difference between killing one day earlier and killing one day later? So, he's not in a hurry, and he can earn a good reputation. "

Do you think he'll kill you

"Hard to say." Count Raymond grinned bitterly: "I can't help it..." when he said that, his face suddenly changed, and he looked at Dewey solemnly: "you must promise me two things!"

"Go ahead." Duvet sighed. He had guessed what his father wanted.

Sure enough, count Raymond's face was serious: "first, if Prince Chen orders to execute me one day, don't try to dissuade him, let alone make him change his mind! Duwei, you have to understand that the emperor is the emperor, he may treat you differently, but the bottom line of the emperor's heart is that no one is allowed to challenge! Once you challenge his bottom line, no matter how good he is to you, he will never show mercy on you! So. As I said just now, to save yourself is the best way to leave hope for the Rowling family. Therefore, if he wants to kill me, you can never do anything from it. The best way is to say nothing. Don't ask

Du Wei did not say: "second?"

"Second..." count Raymond's eyes showed a trace of loneliness: "after I die, take good care of your mother and brother. If you want to have a little affection, in the future, after you get married and have children, it will be my biggest request for you to choose a child and change his name to Rowling. "

Dewey was silent.

Count Raymond's downfall was not just his own. Along with it, even duvet's brother Gabriel was implicated. The charge of coup d'etat is not general. Although the order has not been issued yet, count Raymond will never set foot in his official career in the future.

Never be a baron. It's enough to make this pulse never turn over in the future.

That is to say, Gabriel, he will never want to turn over to be a nobleman in his future life, but Gabriel's descendants. The same is true.

After the coup, the final winner, no doubt, is Prince Chen himself. Or further, in fact, such a coup also brought a certain degree of stability to the imperial power.

Although the Roland Empire had the whole continent and vast territory, it had been a long time since its founding. I don't know how many aristocrats have been sealed, and the land annexation on the mainland is serious. Moreover, the hereditary nobles of each family had territory, private army and the right to tax, forming one country after another. This is obviously a cancer of the Empire.

This coup almost wiped out many aristocratic families who supported the great prince. Cut the barons, take back the territory, lay off the private army... And so on.

After some statistics, the central government of the Empire gained a lot. The number of territories directly under the central government has increased a lot. Some of those private troops can be converted into ready-made local garrison troops (of course). It's inevitable to change regions.)

A large area of land was recovered, a large number of private troops were reduced, and the wealth accumulated by many rich families was recovered. As a result, the tense imperial finance was relieved.

Prince Chen really has the potential to become a Ming monarch. He has done all kinds of work after the coup. He is very wise. He is not in a hurry. Little by little, he will cut off a little today and a little tomorrow. In less than ten days, he has almost cut off the power of several powerful families in his hands. Obviously, he didn't prepare for these things just today. Most of them were premeditated. He constantly mobilized local garrison forces from him, and moved back and forth between several regions to exchange defenses. On the one hand, he monitored the disturbance on the territory of the nobles who participated in the coup, and on the other hand, he swept away the land at a rapid speed.

One thing at a time, the organization is clear and the effect is very good.

In less than half a month, the tense atmosphere after the coup in the whole imperial capital was swept away. After the coup, Prince Chen, who bought many people's hearts, immediately gathered a group of aristocratic families loyal to the royal family.

And now, having finished his preliminary work, Prince Di Chen finally turns his attention to these coup leaders who are held in the inner hall prison of the supervision department

The Salomon family's estate has been almost confiscated. On the plain of Rowling, the four local garrison infantry regiments in the provinces of Cote and Lille have been driven by the attack from all sides, supervising the completion of the withdrawal of the private army on the territory of Rowling family. Rowling family is very cooperative, did not show the stubborn resistance of burning jade and stone, which has a lot to do with count Raymond's wisdom. The old count knew that the situation had gone. Instead of burning all the jade, he had better leave a trace of vitality of the Rowling family to hope for a comeback in the future.

In the end, the place on the plain of Rowling had been taken over by the officials appointed by the central government of the Empire, and the original private army of Rowling family had been replaced by local garrisons.

However, most of the extra French grace was due to Duwei's face. The Rowling family still kept the Rowling castle in their hometown and the surrounding land for more than ten miles.

Prince Chen has been very happy recently, but he is still calm and complacent. It's just that the young prince's extraordinary energy and wisdom have made many old imperial ministers look at him differently.

Originally, when Augustine VI was in power, the old man had already made a mess of the imperial finance, and several finance ministers were finally swept home. The decline of the empire is in the eyes of the wise. After the Regent came to power, he swept away the dusk and acted decisively. Moreover, everything was arranged first, which immediately made the imperial government more vigorous.

It is said that the chancellor of the exchequer, who has been tearing down the government from the east to the west every day, came home at night after the Regent's first day of government. This serious old man unexpectedly made an exception to drink a pot of wine, and while he was drunk, he cried out in the yard: "empire is hopeful! There is hope for the Empire

It can be imagined that the prince Chen at the moment is more popular.

Finally. On this day, the Regent and the chancellor of the exchequer looked at the list submitted, the details of the land recovered by the Empire, the demobilized aristocratic private army, and how much revenue they could increase for the central government every year in the future. The Regent just laughed, sighed and said, "the overall situation has been decided."

The chancellor of the exchequer was almost in tears on the spot.

He has been in this office for ten years. The worst thing every year is that we can't make ends meet. Looking at the long list of income in front of us, we think that we don't have to worry about the financial revenue in the future. There are no big men in the military and other departments to urge for money. I can't help but get rid of the depression in my heart.

And then, at an internal meeting of the Regent Group, Dewey finally replied to Prince Chen's decision on his own territory.

That day, Prince Chen boldly lost the map and let Duwei choose it at will. It's no small matter. Facing the envious or hostile eyes around him, Dewey was no longer the boy who had just entered the political arena. He just said that he wanted to go back and think about it.

In these days, Dewey went to the prison of the inspector general's office three or five times, talking with his father for a long time each time, and then he brought Baron robertsky a sum of money. Let him treat the general 250 well. Finally, on this day, Du Wei held the map in his hands in front of Prince Chen's many confidants: "Your Highness, I think about it."“ "Oh?" Prince Chen said with a smile: "well, I think you must have been picky. Tell me, which geomantic treasure land do you like? " All around are envious eyes. Dewey slowly unfolded the map, and everyone nearby could not help looking at it. Most people have decided: the young Duke. Most of them will choose southeast! The southeast has fertile land and pleasant climate. With favorable weather and dense population, it was the most prosperous area on the mainland. With the Imperial Navy's overseas expeditions again and again, the maritime trade became more and more prosperous, and the financial resources were also extensive. As Duke of Dewey, it must be no problem to point to the next coastal province in the southeast. It's a province with millions of people, fertile land and a few big ports. They are doing overseas trade constantly. In the future, they will have a lot of money. I'm afraid it's not much worse than rich countries! But duvet slowly unfolded the map, put out his hand on the map, and said with a smile: "I've got my eye on this." His finger is on the corner of the map. Everyone is stunned when they see his finger! Chen Prince originally a face genial smile, at the moment also gradually disappear, deeply saw Du Wei one eye, voice suddenly some dry: "you... Really want to clear?"? Is this your final decision? " Du Wei met the Regent's eyes and said slowly, "I want to understand. I want to be here." Everyone around showed incredible expressions. For a moment, I'm afraid everyone thought the young Duke was crazy“ Don't you regret it? " Prince Chen has already stood up, staring at Du Wei“ No regrets. " Dewey shook his head, then he suddenly laughed and bowed down slowly: "please Regent Wang Chengquan!" This time, Prince Chen's face was calm and gentle. He bit his teeth and gazed at Du Wei. After a long time, he let out a long breath and left a word. Then he turned around and walked out of the Palace door behind him without looking at many of his cronies“ Sure On June 10, the summer of 960, the coup d'etat finally came to an end. All the aristocratic families involved in the coup were swept away, and the imperial capital's houses were confiscated. A large family had to leave the imperial capital to survive. Then, the Imperial Palace handed down orders with murderous spirit! The families involved in the coup were killed all the way down from Marquis Solomon. However, the only exception, the count of Raymond at Rowling's house, has become a "get rid of all titles, never be a baron." just a gentle word, but the count of Raymond's death penalty has been exempted. But the Rowling family also took it back from the Earl's residence in the imperial capital, and ordered the Rowling family to leave the imperial capital immediately and return to the Rowling castle on the plain of Rowling. In addition, there is an episode: the Empire has not been knighted as a duke for one hundred years, but the newly promoted young Duke Duwei, who is so honored and favored by the Regent, has put down so many geomantic treasures, but instead points to a place that makes people dumbfounded... In the northwest, the "Desa province" beside the kilimarro mountains. It's a barren, ignorant, even barbaric backwardness. In terms of fiscal revenue, the annual income of such a province is not even higher than that of a medium-sized city in Southeast China. Even less known, because this scene will never be recorded in any orthodox historical materials: after Duwei pointed out the territory that day, Prince Chen returned to his room. The Regent, who had always been gentle and good, suddenly burst into a rage and smashed everything that could be smashed in his bedroom to pieces. All his trusted bodyguards were stunned, I don't know why the honorable Regent was so angry“ He's still not loyal to me! He still won't! " Prince Chen kicked over a three foot high coral shelf and cried angrily: "I gave it to him from the Luolin family! The Rowlings didn't give it to him, so did I! But now! He took the honor I gave him, but he only wanted to change old Raymond's life!! He's going to the family! Towards the family! One by one, I only think the loyalty of my family is more important than me!! Can't I find a person who is completely loyal to me in this world!! Dewey, Dewey! I thought you were an alternative who could satisfy me! But you let me down! I'm so disappointed Father, you're right. If you want to save yourself, I really shouldn't save your life... But I'm Dewey! If I don't... Me, or me? Dewey walked out of the palace with a smile, a sincere smile. I, go the way I choose!