"Yes, you are right."

Thales stared blankly at the edge of the table and spoke mechanically, as if repeating Gilbert's words:

"Even though they have suffered such a heavy loss, the people of Xihuang have no leverage. They will not be so unwise and give the royal family a reason to punish them and completely seize power from them for no reason."

The people of the Western Wilderness have no bargaining chips.

chips.

A bargaining chip to induce the Western Wilderness nobles to counterattack.

At that moment, he suddenly understood.

Thales raised his gaze, looked directly at Gilbert, and reluctantly raised the corners of his mouth:

"I think too much."

Gilbert avoided Thales' gaze that almost looked through him and said stiffly:

"My little sir, your dinner is getting cold, and we have to travel tomorrow..."

Thales' heart beat slowly.

At that moment, he only felt that his heart was beating so slowly.

so slow.

"Your Highness?"

Thales woke up with a start.

He forced himself to smile, took a deep breath, and started eating again.

The Foreign Secretary seemed to feel something, but he just opened his mouth hesitantly and did not make a sound.

"Why, Gilbert."

Gilbert raised his head.

I saw Thales cutting up the meal absentmindedly, feeling depressed:

"Why, the Duke of Xihuang wants to give me a sword passed down by his family."

"Why did Legend Wings become so furious after seeing it?"

"Why, the earl of the one-winged crow came in person and sent me home with great courtesy."

It was obviously a question, but there was no questioning tone.

Seeing Gilbert's hesitant expression, Thales understood something.

"About this..." Gilbert paused and explained patiently and gently.

But Thales could no longer hear what he was saying.

He remembered the story the watchman had told Dele when he first met Marius yesterday.

[Then from that day on...the king's blessings benefited all the people, and everyone lived and worked in peace and contentment, forever and ever, living happily...]

turn out to be……

That's not just, just a story.

Thales lowered his head and froze on the spot.

The ugly old guy was right.

His father is indeed a genius.

Is not it.

only.

only……

Thales tightened the knife in his hand.

"...So, this is a common method among nobles, to please and win over."

Gilbert finished speaking kindly and pulled Thales out of his silent thoughts.

The prince raised his head like a rusty doll and forced a smile.

"Yes."

"So soon, the entire kingdom will know that the Duke of Xihuang and the returned Prince of Stars were chatting, laughing and exchanging gifts in the Blade Tooth Camp."

Thales said bitterly:

"And the little unpleasantness that happened the night before between Baron Blade Ya and the lords of Xihuang has been eliminated."

"Their goal...has been achieved."

He didn't ask any more questions.

Gilbert looked at Thales' bitter expression and finally said nothing. He just exhaled and looked away.

"So you understand?"

The Foreign Secretary lowered his head, his expression unclear and his tone low:

"It's better to return that sword."

Thales' hand holding the knife paused for a moment.

He took a deep breath.

The lights in the main hall dimmed.

"No."

"You said that at the national meeting six years ago, Gilbert."

Thales stared at the dinner plate closely, with mixed feelings in his heart.

"In politics, when faced with opponents, killing them all without leaving any room for them is not a wise way to conduct politics."

"In the past six years, I have gained a deeper understanding of this principle."

Gilbert frowned.

Thales took a deep breath.

When the prince raised his head, his smile had returned to calm and natural:

"I think I'd better keep it."

"If there ever comes a day, I want to leave room for both sides who have no choice but to retreat."

Gilbert was slightly surprised.

"And this sword, regardless of the intention behind it," Thales' eyes dimmed slightly, but immediately returned to normal:

"At least, it has the potential to become that leeway."

Thales said in a daze:

"As long as there is a glimmer of hope, I don't want to give up."

The voice fell.

The silence in the main hall lasted for a long time.

After a long while, Gilbert let out a long sigh.

"Your Highness," Xingchen's cunning fox looked at Thales happily:

"You have grown up."

Thales curled his lips and braced himself:

"You said this once."

Gilbert smiled, but it could be seen that his smile was a little forced.

"Yes, Your Highness, but..."

Gilbert looked directly into Thales's eyes and sighed again:

"You have really grown up."

This time, Thales did not refute, he just smiled again and then moved his eyes back to the dinner plate.

Just when the two of them were silent and facing each other in silence.

"Gilbert."

"Did my father ever think about that?"

The prince slowly chewed a piece of food that he didn't even notice what it was:

"What if I die along the way?"

Gilbert's face became tense.
To be continued...