Zhan En's expression remained normal, he started writing again and signed the signature.

But Thales kept staring at him, his eyes burning.

"Zhan, tell me now, what exactly happened back then," he said softly, but with great strength, "before I have to pursue it and the truth comes to light?"

Zhan was silent for a while.

"Then what are you waiting for?"

His attitude cooled down and he was uncompromising:

"Get to the bottom of it, complete the arbitration, and arrest me in prison - a real prison. I heard that the interior of the Prison of Bones is quite grand..."

Thales smiled.

"It's come to this point, but you still won't let go. It seems that this is the crux of the problem."

"And you bite this issue to death until you bite it to pieces and dig out the so-called truth you want. Then what?" Zhan at the desk suddenly raised his head, "Let me and the Emerald City be destroyed together? So that you can

To rise again from the ruins and achieve great achievements as an emperor?"

After saying this, both of them were quiet for a while.

Thales looked at the wine glass, worried.

Zhan looked at the tip of the pen, his eyes fixed.

"You can keep the Emerald Legion."

Zhan En came back to his senses and couldn't help but wonder:

"What?"

Thales took a deep breath and put down the wine glass heavily.

"I said, you don't have to hand over military power to the royal family - of course, you still have to give up the right to recruit compulsory soldiers on the surface, but anyway, the recruitment system on the south coast is in name only, so you won't lose much."

Zhan En frowned and said tentatively:

"uh-huh?"

"Yongxing City will not interfere in the appointment and removal of bureaucrats and personnel, at least not too much. Of course, in this situation, their interference will only cause chaos."

"that's all?"

"Other conditions remain the same - I can ask Federico to stay away from you and not stay on the south bank to cause trouble for you."

After Thales calmly stated the conditions, he looked at Zhan.

The Duke was silent for a long time, his eyebrows trembling slightly.

Finally, he took a breath and said seriously:

"Feder, he will not give up willingly."

Thales raised his eyebrows.

"Then he has to get through me first."

Zhan En hummed softly and pondered for a moment:

"What about taxes?"

Thales sighed in his heart.

Damn it.

Could he not be so sensitive about digital accounts?

"The officials under Mr. Qiuke Man are very professional," Thales said bravely, "I believe they will work with your staff to come up with a plan that takes into account fairness and efficiency and is in the interests of all parties..."

Sure enough, before he finished speaking, Zhan En sneered.

"You know this isn't what I want."

"But you know this is what he wants," Taylor emphasized. "Deal?"

Zhan stared at him.

"Wait a few more days before coming back," he said, which greatly disappointed Thales. "Perhaps at that time, because of the changes in Emerald City, you will make a better proposal?"

Thales' expression turned cold.

"Zhan," the prince leaned back, "my patience has its limits."

"What a coincidence, so is the Emerald City."

Negotiations broke down.

Thales looked at Zhan with firm eyes and sighed deeply in his heart.

The room became quiet again, and for a while the only sound was the rustle of Zhan's letter.

"Brennan shouldn't die like this." After a long silence, Thales suddenly spoke.

Zhan En had a meal:

"It really shouldn't be."

"He is a good man, a good husband, and a good father." Thales thought of the other party's suicide note and was slightly lost in thought.

"Also a good judge." Zhan added.

"He shouldn't have died in a meaningless political turmoil and official strife." Thales shook his head and sighed.

"Otherwise, politics itself is the meaning," Zhan En said without raising his head. "Whether it is strife or unity, it is just a process."

Thales shook his head, disapproving.

"This is the price you have to pay in order to bring together a large group of people who have different thoughts and are incompatible with each other to move towards the same destination," Zhan En continued, "helpless, ruthless, powerless, and pointless.

"

Zhan En picked up the melted fire paint and looked at the prince:

“But it’s necessary and realistic.”

After saying this, the Duke lowered his head and put the letter into the envelope.

Thales frowned deeply.

Necessary and realistic?

Unknowingly, the sense of oppression and urgency that could only be felt in the Fuxing Palace appeared on him again.

"I want to give up my seat to Hilley."

"Then more - what do you want?"

Zhan En was taking care of the envelope, his expression changed when he heard this, and he suddenly looked up!

Thales took a deep breath and felt like he had just broken something in this room.

"I said that I have to govern the city as well as investigate and arbitrate cases, but I really don't have the skills to do it." The prince said solemnly, like a diplomat, "So I decided to let Miss Cecilia participate in political affairs, and maybe go a step further.

, take over as the city lord - after all, the Emerald City has been named Kevin Dill for generations, and I should not overstep the boundaries of circumstances and reasons."

The more Zhan listened, the worse his expression became.

"Then you use my safety as a condition," he said coldly, "and leave the unsustainable problem of Emerald City to her?"

Thales shrugged, noncommittal.

"Then she will come to me and force me to give in," Zhan continued with a sneer, "or even worse, she will bite the bullet and beat her head to pieces with her own strength, even if she has to dance.

"

"Maybe." Thales' heart sank as he thought of Heeley's appearance.

The two were silent for a while.

"This must be his idea, right."

Zhan's tone was cold and he did not say his name, but both of them knew who "he" was referring to.

"This is just a proposal, I'm still considering it," Thales looked at the other party and emphasized the second half of the sentence, "You know, weigh the pros and cons."

Zhan raised his eyes and breathed faster.

"I want to see Heeley, now."

The opponent's performance moved Thales's heart.

"Your Excellency, as far as I know, you are under arbitration investigation," he said in a business-like tone. "To avoid suspicion, you do not see outsiders."

Zhan frowned.

"real?"

He was half rhetorical, half threatening.

"Yes. And the Emerald City is busy saving itself and stabilizing order," Thales raised his eyebrows, "You know."

The light in Zhan En's eyes flashed away.

He sneered.

"I thought you were smart, Thales."
To be continued...