Chapter 186 Chapter 163 Du Wei's Choice

Earl Raymond's cell is at the innermost level of this floor. Robinski did not lie, the place where Earl Raymond lived was indeed a clean single room that had been specially taken care of. After his subordinates opened the iron gate, Du Wei saw his father sitting behind the desk reading a book with a relaxed expression on his face. In one hand, he gently held the second volume of the heavy "General History of the Mainland". When he was reading, he seemed to be concentrating on it. It was definitely not pretending, but he was really immersed in the book. Even when Du Wei came in, the former Earl just raised his head, with a slightly relaxed face, and greeted casually:

"Oh, here you are." This tone and demeanor were almost the same as Du Wei's expression when he walked into his study in the earl's mansion. Baron Robinski tactfully withdrew, leaving the father and son alone to figure it out. Earl Raymond was still holding the book and didn't intend to put it down.Du Wei looked at the cell with his hands behind his back. Objectively speaking, this is still a very clean room.The floor, wall and ceiling are all made of huge and solid stones, and it is said that in order to prevent the prisoners from escaping (many of the detained generals are martial arts masters), it looks like a wall made of stones, but in fact All embedded with a layer of steel plate.

There is only one palm-sized iron window in the room, which is very high from the ground, so that a little sunlight can come in from the outside. The iron railing on the window is already full of rust. There was a musty smell that couldn't be concealed, and some mottled moss grew in the cracks in the stones on the window sill. Other than that, the room was very clean, but as a prison cell, there was only one hard bed inside. Although it was covered with white sheets, it was conceivable that it was definitely not as comfortable as the bed in the Earl's Mansion. A desk was specially taken care of by the head of the Luo Lin family.

In addition, the last remaining object is a dung bucket placed in the corner. Simple, rough, and cold. This is the prison cell of a generation of famous imperial generals who once held great power and led the imperial naval fleet to expeditions to Nanyang thousands of miles away. Du Wei was not in a hurry to speak, and Earl Raymond didn't seem to be in a hurry either. He still calmly turned over the last few pages of the second volume of the Continental Mastery in his hand, and then he took a deep breath, stretched his waist, and slowly He stood up, stretched his muscles and bones on the spot, turned his head to look at Du Wei, and said with a calm smile, "I guessed that you would come, but I didn't expect you to come so fast. I thought it would take a few more days." .”

Then he pointed to his own bed: "Sit down, the only place to sit here is the bed." After Du Wei sat down, Earl Raymond had put down his book, looked at his son quietly for a while, and then asked slowly, "How is home?" "It's not bad." Du Wei hesitated for a moment, and said: "The guards who were dispatched took control of the defense of the imperial capital, and the family's mansion was surrounded by the guards, so they couldn't enter or leave for the time being, but because of me, they were more polite. Apart from the inconvenience of getting in and out of the house, everything else is pretty safe."

Count Raymond nodded: "Where are your mother and brother?" Du Wei sighed: "Mother's mood is very bad, and the body is not very good. But I invited the teacher of the temple to see it, but I was worried, and there was no big problem. My brother is still young, and he has been a little emotional recently. , but I will protect him." Count Raymond pondered for a while, then raised his head, his eyes were shining brightly, and looked at Du Wei: "Then, what should I call you now? Or... like everyone else, call you 'Lord Duke' ?” This tone made Du Wei feel as if a needle had been stabbed in his heart. He turned his head slightly and did not meet Earl Raymond's gaze directly: "Do these words make sense?"

Both father and son fell silent. After a long time, Earl Raymond laughed, and he laughed a little self-deprecatingly: "Yes, you are right. It really doesn't make sense for me to say that. In fact, I just can't let it go. Although I have lived here for several God, I also reminded myself that I have to face the reality of failure, but in life, how many people can really be happy with such a scene..." After finishing speaking, Earl Raymond stared at Du Wei, his eyes seemed to be trembling, his lips parted and opened, and finally he said slowly: "You are fine, fine... Son, you are stronger than me."

Seeing that Du Wei seemed about to speak, Earl Raymond waved his hand: "Listen to me first. I was locked up here for the past few days, and I was very unwilling at the beginning. But these two days, I have been quiet. Come down, read the book quietly, read this general history of the mainland, and suddenly understand in your heart. We were born in the field of power, fighting and struggling, intrigues, life and death. Some people are famous, and some are ruined. But in the end..." He casually pointed to the book next to him: "After a hundred years, everyone will be written in this book. No matter how beautiful it is, it will be just a sentence in the book."

Du Wei didn't speak, but carefully savored his father's words. The count looked at the quiet son, his eyes were a little eager, then he lowered his eyelids, and said in a low voice: "I have been thinking about where my biggest mistake is. I have been thinking about it for the past two days, but I still can't figure it out. It was only later that I figured it out... I was wrong, not because I was fighting for the throne for the eldest prince, nor because I was on the wrong team. In the political arena, no one has a lifetime of glory. Some people win and some lose, it’s nothing. I The biggest mistake is that I didn't see you—my son clearly from the beginning to the end."

"You are outstanding, even far beyond my expectations." Earl Raymond smiled sincerely, looking at his son: "On the square that day, you broke with the family in public... ...Actually, you and I both understood what was going on. Du Wei, I didn't really regret it until that moment! Because I saw you clearly, and I saw clearly that you are actually responsible for this family in your heart. You want to preserve the family, so you broke with the family in public... I was shocked by such an approach. If I said that when you returned to the imperial capital, many things I said to you were false, and even sent someone I also made the decision to assassinate you on the way. I hurt your heart afterwards. In fact, I didn’t regret it at the time. Because I always think that it is worthwhile to lose a son and protect the family. But that day, on the square , You actually took the initiative..." Earl Raymond sighed and stared into Du Wei's eyes: "Until that moment, I regretted it! Du Wei, your excellence has exceeded my expectations, and it has far exceeded! I suddenly Understand, what I have lost is not just a son, I have lost an excellent heir I dreamed of! Unfortunately... I was wrong from the beginning, but I pushed you further and further away. When I understand, the relationship between us The cracks have been irreparable."

Du Wei didn't speak. "I lost the coup, but I don't resent you. Because of what happened that day, I think about it carefully now, and I think that Prince Chen planned everything first, but kept it secret. It is not comparable to the eldest prince. That day he followed one after another, from the temple to the magic union, from the guards to the knight's spear, and his means of winning people's hearts, his foresight...all of these are far better than I supported the eldest prince. I read the general history of the mainland in the past two days, and looked at the history one by one, and suddenly understood that this is an inevitable law. The strong are respected, and the weak will naturally become the strong. Jishi. What happened that day, I guess you didn't expect Prince Chen to win in the end, did you?" Du Wei nodded and admitted: "I really didn't expect that. Originally, I planned that if the first prince's coup d'etat was successful, I would take advantage of the chaos to rescue Prince Chen and save his life, so I would be worthy of him." Earl Raymond smiled: "That day, with you and without you, we were all doomed to fail. So, what I have become now has nothing to do with you." Du Wei heaved a sigh of relief. He looked at his father with a calm face, and then said slowly: "Father, tell me, what should I do to protect the family?" "Huh?" Earl Raymond was taken aback for a moment, he really didn't expect Du Wei to ask such a question. "I promised my mother." Du Wei said lightly: "One day when I'm here, I will definitely not let the family's glory be destroyed." Count Raymond was silent for a while, then sighed: "You have already done it." He smiled wryly and said, "Although you have nothing to do with Luo Lin's family in name, who would really think so in those nobles and ministers? Although I fell from power, everyone will regard you as a member of Luo Lin's family." Continuation. I used to be just an earl, but you are now a duke. Although you were given the surname Rudolf, who would take it seriously? You know that although my coup d’etat failed, I was not in despair after I was captured, because at least , but you managed to save it, and if you stay, no matter if, it is a seed left by the Luo Lin family." "What should I do?" Du Wei asked in a deep voice, staring closely at his father. He came today to ask for advice from the bottom of his heart. Although the coup d'état in the imperial capital was over at this moment, Du Wei was favored by Prince Chen, and he was made a duke as a young man. The regent almost regarded him as his first confidant. Pagandorf, even in the circle of magicians, he is considered the top of the mainland.Such a person can almost be said to be the most popular person in the imperial capital now. But Du Wei himself also understands his own problems. Although he has been a man in two lifetimes and is conceited and smart, he is not born to understand political things. Although he was born in an aristocratic family all his life, he has tried his best to avoid curling up these things since he was a child. His experience in politics cannot be compensated by talent and intelligence. In politics, in this field, Du Wei is very clear about his position, and he is still a complete rookie!Although he has been a man for two lifetimes, he has never experienced the real test of politics. No matter how good he is in other aspects, he still can't think of becoming a qualified politician. In the imperial capital, although Du Wei has been in the limelight recently, Du Wei has already faintly felt a sense of crisis. Ever since the prince gave him the map of the Roland Empire in public that day, and let him draw out the territory at will, at that moment, Du Wei could clearly feel the envious and even jealous and hostile eyes from his colleagues around him! Around Du Wei, although there are many strange companions, there is Hussein in Wu, Gargamel in magic, and Medusa.But there has never been a real think tank that can serve as his staff - because he used to think that it was not necessary at all, and his own brain was enough.With the experience of being a human being in two lifetimes, Du Wei even unconsciously developed a sense of superiority towards the people in this world. However, it was none other than Prince Chen who shattered his superiority! When the prince Chen strategized and drove the eldest prince to death with one move after another, this prince who hides his secrets and always smiles and talks gently to others made Du Wei feel a little bit of deep fear! Just to make a joke, sometimes, Du Wei even had a ridiculous thought: who is the one who came through time travel?This Prince Chen is even more like a person from time travel than himself! It was only later that Du Wei realized that this had nothing to do with time travel or not. Political matters could never be honed without the experience of being in it and without that kind of environment. I have lived a life of peace and freedom since I was a child, trying to avoid the whirlpool.Prince Chen, on the other hand, has been in the fierce struggle for imperial power in the palace since he was a child, and the distance between them is really hard to calculate. After thinking about it, maybe only this father who has lost his power can solve his doubts. It can be said that this strange pair of father and son has never really had such a heart-to-heart relationship like today. Du Wei is seeking advice wholeheartedly, and the Earl, who has lost power, is also wholeheartedly for his son at this moment: after all, he has already fallen. Taiwan, the hopes of the Luo Lin family are all pinned on this son! ... "If you really want to preserve the hope of your family..." Earl Raymond smiled wryly: "Then the most important thing you should do now is to keep a distance from me! Keep a distance from the original Luo Lin family!" The earl tapped his fingers on the table lightly, and said slowly: "Once I fall, Prince Chen will have to clean up! This is inevitable, no matter how much he values ​​you, he can't do it for your face." And let the Luo Lin family go! Therefore, in the short term, the Luo Lin family has become a quagmire and whirlpool. Whoever gets involved will be unlucky. And you are my only hope now. To preserve the hope of the family, you must first protect yourself! So , For a period of time, the best way for you to stay away from the vortex of the Luo Lin family is to act detached to the outside world, to show that you have really broken with the Luo Lin family and have nothing to do with it!" After a pause, Earl Raymond smiled and said, "Do you know why Prince Chen still puts us guys here instead of killing them?" Du Wei nodded: "I know." He sighed: "Whether it is Luo Lin's family or Solomon's family, they all have their own territory and their own private army. A smart person like Prince Chen, of course knows that if you rashly kill you now, then the first family The territory is in chaos! The Luolin Plain is almost the private property of the Luolin family, and everyone there is proud of being part of the Luolin family. If you act rashly, the territory will be in chaos, which will lead to civil strife in the empire and even a civil war... How could someone like Prince Chen not understand this truth?" "That's right." Earl Raymond looked at his son with satisfaction: "You see it very clearly. So, I'm not dead now, because Prince Chen wants to free up his hands first, and play this game well. The family territory has been taken back, the private army has been dismissed, and we will finally come to settle our charges. Anyway, we leaders are locked here, and we can’t escape. We are always in his hands, one day earlier What's the difference between killing and killing one day later? So, he is not in a hurry, and he can still gain a good reputation for generosity." Du Wei frowned: "Do you think he will kill you?" "It's hard to say." Earl Raymond smiled wryly, "I can't help it..." At this point, his face suddenly changed, and he looked at Du Wei solemnly: "You must promise me two things!" "Let's talk." Du Wei sighed, he had already guessed what his father's request was. Sure enough, Earl Raymond's face was serious: "First, if one day in the future, Prince Chen orders me to be executed, you must not try to dissuade him, let alone try to make him change his mind! Du Wei, you have to understand that the emperor is the emperor , he may look at you differently, but the bottom line in the emperor's heart is absolutely not allowed to be challenged by anyone! Once you challenge his bottom line, no matter how good he treats you, he will never show mercy to you! So , I just said that at present, protecting yourself is the best way to leave hope for the Luo Lin family, so if he wants to kill me, you must not do anything from it, the best way is Don't say a word, don't ask!" Du Wei said nothing: "What about the second one?" "Second..." Earl Raymond's eyes showed a trace of loneliness: "After I die, take care of your mother and brother. If you want to have a little affection, in the future, after you get married and have children, you can choose one at random. Son, changing his surname to Luo Lin is already my biggest request to you." Du Wei was silent. The downfall of Earl Raymond not only made him unlucky, but Du Wei's younger brother Gabriel was also implicated.The crime of a coup is not a general one. Although the order has not been issued yet, the line of Earl Raymond will definitely never want to set foot in an official career in the future. A sentence of never being knighted is enough to make this line never turn around in the future. In other words, Gabriel will never be able to turn himself into a nobleman for the rest of his life, and the same is true for Gabriel's descendants. ... After this coup, the final winner, without a doubt, is Prince Chen himself.Or to put it further, in fact, such a coup d'état has also brought a certain degree of stability to the imperial power. Although the Roland Empire owns the entire continent and has a vast territory, it has not known how many rich and noble families it has enshrined since the founding of the country for thousands of years, and the land on the mainland has been heavily annexed.Moreover, the hereditary nobles of each family have their own territorial private army and the right to levy taxes, forming one country after another country within a country.This is obviously a cancer growing on the empire. But in this coup, many aristocratic families who supported the eldest prince were almost wiped out.Cut the nobility, take back the territory, dismiss the private army... and so on and so on. After some statistics, the central government of the empire has gained a lot, and the territory directly under the central government has increased a lot. After those private troops are disbanded, some of them can be converted into ready-made local defense forces (of course, the transfer of regions is inevitable. .) Recovered a large area of ​​land, reduced a large number of private troops, and recovered the wealth accumulated by many wealthy families, which eased the originally tense imperial finances a lot. Prince Chen does have the potential to become a generation of Mingjun. He is very wise in dealing with the finishing work after the coup. He is not in a hurry, little by little, cut off a little today, and cut off a little tomorrow, less than ten days , and the influence of several wealthy families in his hands has been almost cut.Obviously, he didn't prepare these things today, and most of them were premeditated. From his non-stop mobilization of the local garrison, the transfer of defenses back and forth between several regions, while monitoring the disturbances in the territories of the nobles who participated in the coup, while Clean with lightning speed. After one thing is done, the order is clear and the effect is very good. In less than half a month, the tense atmosphere after the coup in the entire imperial capital was swept away.The imperial capital was bustling again, and after the coup, Prince Chen, who bought a lot of people's hearts, immediately gathered around him a group of wealthy families who were loyal to the imperial family. And at this moment, Prince Chen, who finished the preliminary work, finally turned his attention to the leaders of these coup d'état who were imprisoned in the inner prison of the Supervisory Office... Almost all of the Solomon family's property has been confiscated.On the Luolin Plain, the four local garrison infantry regiments in the provinces of Cote and Lille have shown the drive to attack from all sides, supervising the completion of the retreat of the private army on the Luolin family's territory.The Luo Lin family cooperated very well and did not show any stubborn resistance. This has a lot to do with the wisdom of Earl Raymond.The old earl understood that the general situation was over, and instead of dying together, it would be better to leave a little vitality of Luo Lin's family, so that there would be hope of a comeback in the future. In the end, the place on the Luolin Plain has been taken over by officials appointed by the central government of the empire, and teams of local garrison troops have replaced the original private army of the Luolin family. However, the extrajudicial favor was mostly because of Du Wei's face. The Luo Lin family still kept the Luo Lin Castle in their hometown and the surrounding land of more than ten miles. Prince Chen has been proud of himself recently, but he still has that calm look of being unafraid, not at all arrogant and complacent. It's just that the extraordinary energy and wisdom of this young prince has already made many veterans of the empire look at him differently. Originally, when Augustine VI was in power, this overjoyed old man had already tossed the empire's finances into a mess, and several finance ministers were finally swept home.Smart people can see the decline of the empire.And after the regent came to power, he wiped away his stagnation, acted decisively, and made arrangements for everything first, which immediately brought a little more vitality to the dormant imperial capital. It is said that the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who has always been frowning and making up for things, returned home at night after the Regent took charge of the government for the first day. Call: "The empire is hopeful! The empire is hopeful!" It is conceivable that Prince Chen is very popular at this moment. Finally, on this day, the King Regent and the Minister of Finance looked at the list submitted by the report, the details of the land recovered by the empire, the retired nobles' private army, and how much revenue can be added to the central finance every year in the future, etc. The regent smiled slightly, sighed, and said, "The overall situation is settled." The Chancellor of the Exchequer was so excited that he almost shed tears on the spot. He has worked in this position for ten years, and the most uncomfortable thing every year is that he can't make ends meet, tearing down the east to make up for the west, looking at the long list of income in front of him, thinking that he no longer has to worry about financial income in the future, without those military Boss Fang and people from other departments came to collect the money, and the depression in his heart was swept away. And then, at an internal meeting of the regent's small group, Du Wei finally replied to Prince Chen's decision about his territory. That day, Prince Chen boldly threw the map and asked Du Wei to choose it at will. Such a thing is no small matter. Facing the envious or hostile eyes from around, Du Wei is no longer the boy who just entered the political arena. He smiled at that time. Laughing, just said to go back and think about it. During these days, Du Wei went to the prison of the Supervisory Office three or five times, and talked with his father for a long time each time, and also gave Baron Robinski a sum of money to entertain the two hundred and five generals. Finally, on this day, in front of many of Prince Chen's cronies, Du Wei held up the map with both hands: "Your Highness, I have made up my mind." "Oh?" Prince Chen said with a smile on his face, "Well, I think you must be too picky. Tell me, which feng shui treasure land have you set your sights on?" There are envious eyes all around. Du Wei slowly unfolded the map, and everyone around couldn't help looking at it with their heads up. Most of them agreed: This young duke will probably choose the southeast! The southeast has fertile land, a pleasant climate, good weather, and a dense population. It is the most prosperous area on the mainland. Coupled with the overseas expeditions of the Imperial Navy time and time again, maritime trade is becoming more and more prosperous, and it is even more profitable. With Du Wei's title of duke, it must be no problem to point to a province near the sea in the southeast.But sitting on a province, with millions of people and fertile land, and several large ports that are constantly doing overseas trade, the wealth will be abundant in the future. But after Du Wei slowly unfolded the map, he stretched out his hand and pointed at the map with a smile on his face: "This is the place I'm looking at." His finger pointed at a corner of the map, and everyone who looked at his finger was stunned! Prince Chen's originally warm smile gradually disappeared at this moment. He took a deep look at Du Wei, and his voice suddenly became a little dry: "You... really think it through? Is this your final decision?" Du Wei met the regent's eyes, and said slowly: "I figured it out, I want to be here." Everyone around showed incredulous expressions. For a moment, everyone probably thought that the young Duke was crazy. "Don't you regret it?" Prince Chen had already stood up, staring at Du Wei. "I don't regret it." Du Wei shook his head, then he suddenly smiled, and slowly bowed his body: "Please the Regent!" This time, Prince Chen's face was still calm and gentle. He gritted his teeth and stared at Du Wei. After a long time, he breathed a sigh of relief, dropped a word, and then didn't even look around. Many trusted subordinates turned around and walked out of the palace gate behind them. "allow!" ... On June 10, the summer day of the 960th year of the Roland Empire, the coup d'état finally came to an end.All the aristocratic and wealthy families that participated in the coup were wiped out, the nobles were seized, the land was disarmed, and some even the mansions of the imperial capital were confiscated. The whole family could only leave the imperial capital in desperation and seek their own survival. Afterwards, murderous orders came down from the palace! The families involved in the coup were killed all the way from Marquis Solomon down. However, there was only one exception, Earl Raymond who went to the Luo Lin family, but became "removed from all titles and titles, and will never be knighted" Just such a light sentence, but Earl Raymond was spared the death penalty.It's just that the earl's mansion of the Luo Lin family in the imperial capital was also taken back, and the Luo Lin family was ordered to leave the imperial capital immediately and return to the Luo Lin Castle on the Luo Lin Plain to retire. In addition, there is an episode: the empire has not conferred the title of duke for a hundred years, but the newly promoted young duke, Mr. Du Wei, has given up so many geomantic treasures under the favor of the regent. But it just pointed to a place that makes people dumbfounded... In the northwest, the "Desa Province" next to the Kilimaro Mountains. A barren, ignorant, and even barbaric backward area.In terms of fiscal revenue, the annual revenue of such a province is not even comparable to that of a wealthy medium-sized city in the southeastern region. ... It is even more unknown, because this scene will never be recorded in any orthodox historical materials: After Du Wei pointed out the territory that day, Prince Chen returned to his room. The regent, who had always been gentle and kind, suddenly became furious and smashed all the things that could be smashed in the bedroom into pieces. They were all dumbfounded, and they didn't know why the noble regent was so angry. "He still refuses to be loyal to me! He still refuses!!" Prince Chen kicked over a three-foot-high coral shelf, and shouted angrily: "I will give everything the Luo Lin family gave him! I gave him what I didn’t give him! But now! He takes the favor I gave him, but he only wants to exchange the life of old Raymond!! He is for the family! For the family! One by one, only the family is in his heart Your loyalty is more important than me!! Could it be that in this world, I can’t find a person who is completely loyal to me!! Du Wei, Du Wei! I thought you were an alternative that could satisfy me! But you let me down! So disappointed!!!!!!!" ... Father, you are right, if I want to protect myself, I really shouldn't save your life... But, I am Du Wei! If I don't... I, am I still? Du Wei walked out of the palace with a smile, a sincere smile. Me, go the way I choose!