According to the later records of "Dark Star History", in the year 679 of the end of the calendar, Thales Bright Star, the second son and successor of the Iron Fist King, who was known as "Polaris" at the time, escaped from the dangerous hostage life through complex political mediation and was captured.

The princes of the Northland were sent out of the country with gifts and returned to the Kingdom of Stars, where they were immediately canonized as the Duke of Star Lake Castle.

(There is also a saying that the people in the North were unwilling to let the prince go. The latter fought his way out and escaped in embarrassment. However, he was separated from his entourage and had to cross the desert alone and returned home with the help of the orc tribe. However, this theory

The source is the folk bards and tribal songs circulated in Caligre Independent State and around the city of Bladeya. It is more like a literary interpretation full of passion and fantasy by poets. It has neither logic nor evidence, so it is not credible.

)

 On November 2 of the same year, the Duke of Thales attended the Royal Council for the first time in records and officially participated in the politics of the kingdom.

This meeting is of great importance and mainly resolves two thorny issues:

The first was a vicious incident that offended the royal family: a debt-ridden and desperate country squire from the West Wasteland broke into (some say he was invited by someone interested) into the Mindis Hall. At that time, Polaris was having a banquet. In front of all the dignitaries, the former

He drew his sword to intimidate the guests, accusing the royal family of killing the foreign ministers of the Western Wilderness. Although the uninvited guest of the Western Wilderness was eventually killed by Duke Thales himself ("Your Highness's bravery is not inferior to the wrath of the kingdom." Earl Godwin, who was present, said to his sons afterwards

Such emotion), but this incident brought disgrace to the royal family, shocked the government and the public, and spread rumors.

Next came an even worse political incident: a few months ago, the greedy Western Wasteland vassals, led by Viscount Lugo of Xizhan Fort (today's Four Points District of Fusha City), wanted to monopolize the desert trade routes and did not hesitate to spread rumors and slander, forcing them to leave.

Marshal Williams, known as the "Legendary Wing", represented the royal family and guarded the Blade Ya Camp (Note: the ancient castle community heritage park in the western suburbs of Blade Ya City today). Just one month later, Xi Jinping lost the support of the standing army and the military discipline was weakened.

The desolate princes were attacked by desolate skeleton men and orcs (some say they were sand pirates who disguised themselves as one of their own and sneaked into the camp). They almost lost the Sabertooth Sand Dunes. Viscount Lugo and his two sons were killed on the spot. Fortunately, they were killed on the spot.

Marshal Williams stationed troops not far away and promptly led his troops to return reinforcements. Although he did not disdain the conduct of the nobles in the Western Wilderness, he still rescued the friendly troops regardless of past suspicions, defended the front and drove away foreign enemies, and thus managed to protect the border.

Two things, one more shocking than the other (not to mention that they happened at the same time strangely), there is no doubt that the arrogant and domineering attitude of the Western Wasteland princes gave the Canxing royal family a blow in the head, as a gift to congratulate the reunion of their father and son.

 The whole kingdom is waiting for the reaction of the Fuxing Palace.

It is said that the imperial meeting lasted from morning to late at night and lasted for a whole day. The imperial ministers had serious differences at the meeting:

Military advisor Thordor Red believed that these two incidents were proof that the princes of the Western Wilderness were ineffective in governing and contemptuous of the royal family. He suggested that the Iron Fist King take a tough stance and appoint Marshal Williams (for his biography, see also Thales Daniel Dorsey).

"Records of Famous Officials and Generals at the End of the Chronicle" written by Dr. Il, as a royal envoy, sent troops to the deserted ruins (today's Duke District of Fusha City) to investigate the crimes of the Western Wasteland vassals headed by the Duke of Falkenhausz. The implication is that

He does not hesitate to fight to establish his authority and set an example to others. People who hold similar opinions to him include the Minister of Commerce and Trade and the religious adviser.

On the other side, the Prime Minister, Duke Bob Cullen, is more willing to believe that these two incidents were just accidents, and is worried about the possible negative consequences of this move. The Financial Controller, Juke Mann, lacks confidence in the budget for the expedition, and the Minister of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry is also unwilling to

Militarism affected production, and all three of them firmly opposed the radical opinions of the military advisers. Strangely, this time, the respected "Sly Fox" Casso, a royalist who always supported the king in attacking local vassals, also stood on their side.

.

As one of the parties involved, the young Duke of Thales wanted to perform well in the meeting, but he soon discovered that the imperial ministers, including his teacher Count Casso, did not care about this man who had been imprisoned in the north for six years.

A young boy who attends the imperial court with the false title of Duke of Xinghu.

Seeing that he was being ignored, the Duke of Xinghu was extremely disappointed, so he left his seat in the middle and left the palace.

The imperial meeting continued, and the ministers who were divided into two groups insisted on their own opinions and argued fiercely. Kessel V was upset ("I can tell you that the king is not happy. Very, very, very, very, not happy."

Happy." Lord Clapham, then Minister of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, wrote in a private letter), and even had to interrupt the meeting several times.

 Until dusk, Duke Thales returned to the Renaissance Palace.

 This time, he brought a sword.

At first, no one understood the Duke's intention, and even the royal guards guarding the palace were frightened ("The Duke returned at night with his sword in hand, and the guards were all frightened." "Secret Records of the Watch: Marius"), but this time,

Polaris at least attracted the attention of the imperial ministers and made them patiently listen to his words. Military adviser Thordo commented: "His serious look reminds me of Prince Horace."

What happened during this period is unknown to later historians, but many people believe that it was with this heirloom sword of the Falkenhaus family that the prince proved his influence over the Western Wilderness, and he successfully persuaded the king and

ministers, and allowed him to handle the crisis in a more clever way (compared to sending troops to the west).

The Renaissance Palace soon sent a letter to the ruins, which was written by the Duke of Tyers himself, namely the "Letter to Cyril" (now in the Merrill Xixer University Museum, one page of the original has been lost).

Duke Xinghu’s wording in this letter was sincere, neither humble nor arrogant. He not only reviewed his friendship with several old friends in the Western Wilderness, but also mentioned the royal family’s permanent garrison in the Western Wilderness (this is a reference for studying the Star Kingdom’s military and foreign policy in the Great Desert).

Scholars provided important evidence), and also gave special thanks to Duke Cyril Falkenhaus for the sword, but did not mention the accident at the Blade Tooth camp and the banquet.

Scholars of later generations have many interpretations of this letter. It is generally believed that Duke Thales carefully selected his wording and content. Every word, including the degree of rhetoric, is a deliberately polished message. He is hiding something in the dark while trying to win over him.

While making a secret threat, he also analyzed the situation in the Western Wilderness with clear and unique insights. Most importantly, he pointed out his intentions by leaving blank spaces.

("It's impossible for Duke Cyril not to know the seriousness of those two things. He must be ready to bargain. But the more Duke Xinghu spares his words and never mentions it, the more uneasy and frightened he becomes. Although on paper

Say nothing, but speak loudly. There is no higher realm of diplomacy than this." Dr. T. D. Doyle, "Research on the Changes in the Feudal System of the Western Wasteland in the Old Kingdom")

 At any rate, the letter worked.

Baron Vanke Gouz, the palace staff of Fusha Palace, said that the Duke of Xihuang "thought for a long time" after reading this letter. Soon, under his leadership, the usually unruly princes of Xihuang bowed their heads and admitted their mistakes.

He ruled poorly, apologized for the accident at the Blade Tooth Camp and the injustice suffered by Marshal Williams, and even took the initiative to request the Fuxing Palace to send troops to the Western Wilderness, completely surrendering to the kingship of Kessel V.

 The successful handling of the crisis in the Western Wasteland without conflict or bloodshed has greatly enhanced Thales Brightstar's political status and given him a solid place in the Imperial Council.

If the reputation of Duke Thales had previously been limited to the "distressed little prince" among the common people (due to his clever performance at the meeting and his experience in confronting the Northern Kingdom), after this incident, everyone from nobles to officials

, from the vassals to the princes, the entire kingdom has the impression that "the Duke of Xinghu can take on great responsibilities in politics".

The king's heir is widely expected, which objectively consolidates the unstable rule of the Bright Star royal family (some scholars believe it is a solid foundation, but high-pressure and strong), causing enemies who are ready to move to put away their unnecessary ambitions.

 But history is not that simple.

In fact, the strong rise of Duke Xinghu has caused dissatisfaction among many people, including the crisis in the Western Wilderness. Many big figures in the Imperial Council have worked hard for many years to govern the country and assist the government, but in the end they are not as good as a young man who has been imprisoned in the north for many years.

This makes them lose face.

What’s more, when this case started, the affairs of the Royal Council were actually overridden by the Duke of Xinghu in the form of private reports to the king. This directly affected the authority and status of the royalists in front of the king.

 (“I can’t reveal the specifics, but I can tell you that when the prince entered the door, all of us didn’t even dare to breathe.” The then financial controller Juke Mann once said this.)

More importantly, most of the royalists came from the new nobility. They believed that the Duke of Xinghu stood with the old princes on many matters (such as land and tax policies), which fundamentally harmed their interests.

 And this did not come out of nowhere:

The gentle and effective handling of the crisis in the Western Wasteland has indeed allowed Polaris to win the hearts of many local princes. Many people began to go to the Mindis Hall where the Duke was with disputes and problems that the king would not understand before, hoping to get the same satisfactory solution.

The solution did not live up to their expectations. The Duke of Thales was good at balancing various aspects and could withstand the overwhelming pressure from the King and the Royal Council. He was also extremely charming and gently appeased the many dissatisfactions of local vassals.

As a result, the reputation of Duke Xinghu increased day by day, and the Mindis Hall soon became the only place for foreign vassals to visit the royal capital. One of the protagonists of the crisis in the Western Wilderness, Count Lewis Bozdorf of the Castle of Heroes, even sent his heirs to

With Duke Xinghu, I hope he will follow the Duke and achieve success in his studies.

At that time, a wealthy knight from the countryside who went to the city to deal with matters said to a friend of his who was in financial difficulties: "Relax, there is nothing in this world that cannot be solved... If there is, then go to Fuxing Palace.

Yes, then go there twice...if not, then go to Mindis Hall."

How Polar Star considered it, whether his actions were truly sympathetic to the local princes, or whether he was ambitious and seeking fame, is unknown to future generations. But in any case, Duke Xinghu's actions not only gained him fame, but also taught him to be feared, until these

Fear gathered into a stream, turned into slander and suspicion, and rushed to Kessel V, the highest point of Fuxing Palace.

Later historical evaluations have many discussions and criticisms on the personal character of the Iron Fist King. It is believed that the king's indifferent and stubborn character is the main reason that hinders him from maintaining a good relationship with his son. If Kessel V could not be so rough, tough and suspicious,

Instead, we can openly and honestly understand each other with the Duke of Xinghu. Then when the kingdom is undergoing changes, many governance conflicts between the central and local governments (including the crisis in the Western Wilderness mentioned earlier, including the subsequent turmoil in the Iris family) may be able to be resolved between the father and son.

With concerted efforts, we can solve the problem.

 It’s a pity that there is no if in history.

Beginning in the spring of 680, sinister rumors such as "two stars rule the country and see the big from the small" appeared in the capital of the stars. Some illegal underground gambling stalls even launched a bet on "how long can the king live?"

Historical records indicate that in the summer of 680 in the Ending Calendar, under the combined influence of various factors, the fifteen-year-old Duke of Thales was ruthlessly exiled from Eternal Star City by Kessel V.

 After a frightening day, the prince's Mindis Hall was finally released, and the Star Lake Guards were also released from custody, finally giving Thales a place to go home and sleep.

Even though Fuxing Palace tried its best to block it, rumors that Duke Xinghu broke into the palace at night and broke with the king and his son inevitably spread throughout the royal capital.

As for what happened to His Highness the Prince in Fuxing Palace that day, the remaining members of the Star Lake Guards were both surprised and confused (especially after the Flag Wing interrogated them for six hours and then hurriedly retreated), and the rumors they heard from everywhere were confusing.

It was unbearable, so D.D, Glover and others who once "followed His Highness up the mountain of swords and into the sea of ​​fire" suddenly became the most popular, being sought after and questioned everywhere ("If you understand, you will understand. For others, ahem, sorry, I want to

Keep secrets for the prince." D.D) touched his butt and looked humiliated. Except for Jenny who couldn't speak in the stable, even the new Rolf was handed a note.

But as the rumors spread, the direction of the wind changed so quickly. The Mindis Hall was filled with people singing and dancing one night, but the next day it became a vacuum and forbidden place where no one could approach the Yongxing City.

The security officers and patrols who had always been diligently on duty nearby and enthusiastically shouldered the transportation duties were completely withdrawn by the third day, and Mallos had to dispatch some idle guard personnel (D.D. was indignant about this) and

The servants go out every week to purchase supplies for living, but even among the servants in Mindis Hall, many of them broke their contracts and resigned for various reasons.

The avenue outside the manor used to be bustling every day, where everyone craved their necks to catch a glimpse of the prince, but now it is deserted.

The news was received the next day. Jinni, who rushed back from outside the city, learned what happened (outside Ballard) and rushed to Mindis Hall to get furious. She thought Thales's actions were reckless and impulsive. She was self-righteous and followed

His foolish father was no different (hearing this, Marius hastily dismissed everyone).

"We just broke down." Thales could only smile while stroking his new ring, and asked Marius to send someone (D.D was indignant about this) to send away the disappointed and unbelievable Jini.

.

“You can fool other people, but you can’t fool me!”

The palace lady looked furious when she left. Thales could only hide with his head in his hands:

 “I’ll figure it out, no matter which bastard I have to rip open!”

 It is said that after that, Baron Quentin, the palace steward of the Renaissance Palace, was ill for two whole weeks.

There was no news about Cohen after he returned home, until Conmuto inquired from an acquaintance in the Police Department and learned that Director Lobik of the West City Police Department heard about Cohen's feats and ordered him to suspend his duties in anger. As a result, Cohen

He reminded the director in a low voice that he was already suspended, and the director was so angry that he announced his reinstatement on the spot. When Cohen was beaming, he transferred the latter's post to the Road Maintenance Section of the West City Gate, which did not last long, because Cohen was at the city gate.
To be continued...