In the Mengu Province, the leader of the Najalil Youth Party was trying to master the complicated driving skills in a car that had been sold to Najalil more than ten years ago. It was so old that it could not be transported anymore. Something big was happening.
In the capital of Najalil, provincial governors from all over the country gathered together. Even the people of the Federation were curious about what kind of changes their meeting would bring. They even sent some reporters to inquire about the news.
Sometimes, reporters were more useful than agents. At least, reporters were more useful when there was no chaos.
In the magnificent palace, the noblest people of Najaril were gathered together. These provincial governors, including the king, did not look like the tyrants and dictators that the ordinary people of the Federation imagined them to be.
Each of them was quite "elegant". There was no such word here, but the meaning was very accurate.
They did not look fierce, and they did not have the most powerful aura in the world. They were all very gentle. This actually had something to do with the religious culture of Najalil.
In the ruling class of a country with faith, it was difficult for there to be a tyrant on the surface. Even if there was, he would have been changed by religion when he was young. And the religious forces of Najalil had always been the biggest enemy of the regime.
When faced with an enemy who was very good at packaging themselves, the provincial governors also had to master this skill. At least, they had to make themselves look not like the bad guys in the myths. This way, they could better govern the people.
"The last time we met was at your coming of age ceremony …" The king of Najalil looked at the provincial governor of Dragon and was a little emotional. "I didn't expect thirty years to pass in a flash. Your body looks good."
The king of Najalil was an old man who looked about sixty years old. He was very kind, spoke very slowly, and his voice was very gentle. Many people thought that the actual "division" of Najalil was caused by the king's weakness.
Only the provincial governors in this room knew that this was an old thing who had been acting for decades. Ever since he killed his own siblings and made his lowly mother hang herself, everyone just wanted to stay as far away from him as possible.
But even so, it was said that the death of two provincial governors had something to do with him. This was a king who looked kind but was good at disguising himself. He was a qualified politician. How did the Federation put it?
Ah, yes, he was a qualified Best Actor.
Governor Dragon bent down slightly and kissed the back of the king's hand. After the king retracted his hand, he used his index finger and middle finger to touch his tongue. He dipped his finger in some saliva and drew an invisible line on Governor Dragon's forehead.
This was a very typical act of a religious nature, implying that the Scourge should stop at the sight of the cross, but it made Draeger feel a little sick.
He didn't know if the old king didn't brush his teeth or something else, but his saliva was a little smelly, and it would probably be smelly for a while. This made Dragon a little annoyed, but he couldn't flare up.
He looked at the old king and carefully observed every wrinkle on his face. Finally, a smile appeared on his face. "Yes, you were still very young back then, unlike now …" There was an indescribable provocation in his half-smile. Perhaps he was taking pleasure in the king's misfortune. He shook his head. "… Aging. You're old."
He should have been lamenting the ruthlessness of time, but instead, the provincial governor said that he deserved it. The king's expression did not change at all.
"Time won't let me go, just like it won't let you go. It's fair to everyone."
The king's cloudy eyes seemed to be filled with something called wisdom.
Governor Dragon had a different opinion on this. "Did you know that the foreigners out there actually investigated the average lifespan of our people? He said that most of us can only live to sixty years old."
"But we all know that some people can live longer. Time is not so fair in the face of power. Nothing is absolutely fair."
"Maybe I can live a little longer, don't you think?"
He was obviously saying that he could live longer than the old king, but the old king was not angry at all. In the past, he could disguise himself until the last moment before unveiling his veil. Now that there were people from the Federation watching, he was even less anxious.
His somewhat loose eyelids blinked, giving people the feeling that he was about to be unable to open them. He looked at Dragon and shook his head slightly. "You're right, but it's also possible that I'll live a little longer …"
There was basically no need to continue the conversation at this point. The two smiled at each other and then left. Dragon, who had walked far away, turned back and glanced at the old king with a cynical expression in his eyes.
The old king had been working hard to consolidate the power in the hands of the provincial governor all these years. From the moment he reorganized the military system, it was obvious that he wanted to unify the whole of Nagalil.
But this idea, this action was destined to fail. He was fighting against the ruling class of the whole of Nagalil. Without anyone to support him, he could not win, not to mention now that the people from the Federation were here.
The people from the Federation would not let the old king continue his plans, and it was even more impossible for Nagalil to be completely unified in any sense. After working hard for a lifetime, in the end, it was all for naught. Governor Dragon only wanted to laugh.
As time passed, the Provincial Governors, who were rarely seen, had all arrived. The meeting had also begun.
In fact, everyone knew very well that the people from the Federation had put in a lot of effort for them to be able to sit together today.
After the meeting began, all irrelevant people were expelled. The old king took the lead and pointed out the main topic. "The people from the Federation want us to show the importance of this matter, so when I see everyone here, I have to say that the people from the Federation are really amazing. They have done something that even we find unbelievable!"
The people sitting here were not ordinary people. They immediately heard the mockery and sarcasm in the old king's words.
If it were not for the support of the people from the Federation and the guarantee of their safety, they would not dare to go near the capital, let alone sit here.
But because of the support of the people from the Federation, they became bolder. What was even more tragic was that the old king really could not do anything to the people from the Federation, and this was the basis of everyone's meeting.
At this moment, someone rudely interrupted the old king. "Let's not talk about these useless things. Let's talk about the things that the people from the Federation want us to talk about. What do you all think?"
That one sentence silenced the room once again. The old king who was interrupted did not get angry. He just quietly looked at his "subjects."
No one spoke first. Everyone knew that the first person to speak was a "traitor," unless the person who spoke first expressed an opinion that was the opposite of what the people from the Federation wanted them to do.
But how was that possible?
Just like how everyone knew that there were traitors here who used patriotism as an excuse. These traitors would definitely gather information on certain "patriots" and sell it to their masters from the Federation. The people from the Federation were much worse than the old king. They really dared to do anything as long as it was necessary.
So the strange silence in the room lasted for more than ten minutes. No one spoke. Everyone was secretly peeking at each other's expressions and movements, hoping to find some clues.
In the long silence, the corners of the old king's mouth curled up. He sighed faintly. "I heard that some of you used to scold me every day, but look at you now. You don't even dare to say a word."
"Yes, you are still young. You can't bear the price of saying the wrong thing. I'm old, I dare say."
"I don't know why the Federation wants us to raise the exchange rate of Galil, but they must have other motives (they have different ideas from us). In my position, I won't agree to their request, but …" He smiled.
He smiled. "If I say no, some of you will definitely try to persuade me and those who are against it."
"This will make things unpleasant between us, and others will laugh at us."
"Everyone, we are facing a serious situation that we have never encountered before. The Federation is quietly taking away the power that belongs to us, and we can't do anything about it."
"I know that some of you are already serving the Federation, but I'm not afraid to tell you that the Federation doesn't care about you now, but your status here."
"One day, when the people of the Federation think that they no longer need you to hide their ambitions and serve them, they will take back what they have given you."
"Don't think that everything is safe. A flock of sheep raised by a pack of wolves will never be truly safe."
He smiled and touched the incense burner beside him. Then, he looked at the provincial governors who were deep in thought. "I know that the appreciation of Galil is inevitable, and I don't mind agreeing to this matter. At the same time, I want to give some gifts to those who have already found a new direction."
"You can tell the people behind you that you have used all the methods you can think of to persuade me and all those who oppose. We will also announce this to the public."
"We only have one purpose in doing this, and that is to make you valuable forever. The Federation will not throw you away after using you, and we can also ensure that Galil is under our control. In the future, there will be a chance to break away from the Federation's control."
He picked up the teacup and took a sip. Then, he wiped the remaining water stains on his mouth with a cloud-white handkerchief with golden edges. "This will only be good for you, and for us. There will be no harm!"
No one would have thought that the old king would say such a thing at such a time and in such a situation. It was a little inconceivable.
It was very difficult for rulers to admit their failure. Not only did the old king admit it, he even threw away the last fig leaf.
What he said was extremely insulting to the provincial governors, but it was also very suitable for everyone's needs. For a moment, the room fell into silence again.