Viscount Albert Jenkins sat consciously at the guest seat, and the waiter immediately served drinks and snacks.

They each took a sip of wine, and after putting down their glasses, Zong Shen asked straight to the point.

"Does the Grand Duke of Chloé have any instructions for sending the knight here?"

His tone was neither humble nor arrogant, and there was nothing wrong with his words.

However, Viscount Albert Jenkins still saw a hint of enterprising arrogance in Zong Shen's eyebrows.

Upon hearing his question, Viscount Albert thought for a moment before speaking slowly.

"Grand Duke Chloë would like to invite you and your territory to join the Southern Alliance."

"You may not know the current situation in the kingdom."

"The noble King Guthera was murdered and fell seriously ill."

"Several other Grand Dukes have evil intentions and each use the prince as a puppet to try to split Avalon."

"Only Grand Duke Chloë, who upholds the oath of protection sworn by the Lozano family to their ancestors and protects the purest royal bloodline in the Kingdom of Avalon, is Her Highness Anna Pendragon!"

"She is the true queen who best conforms to the oath of the late king to inherit King Arthur's will!"

Viscount Albert Jenkins was a very qualified lobbyist.

But once he opened his conversation box, his words were full of passion and incitement.

This kind of incitement will give people the illusion that what he says is true.

So determined, so enthusiastic.

Zong Shen watched his speech quietly, but sneered in his heart.

Albert's words were half true and half false.

First of all, there should be a rumor circulating within Avalon about a certain generation of princesses inheriting King Arthur's will. This theory may have been left by King Arthur himself.

Zong Shen knew this to be true.

But it was not Princess Anna who was favored by King Arthur's will, but Anne Pendragon, the fifth princess.

Currently incognito in his territory.

For the legitimacy of the behavior, try your best to win the support of neutrals.

Chloe, like several other Grand Dukes, chose a suitable reason for herself.

After all, only those who claim to be orthodox are qualified to participate in the future game.

"I see."

Faced with Viscount Albert Jenkins' passionate speech, Zong Shen just responded with a calm response.

"I am moved by the Archduke Chloé and the Lozano family for keeping their promise."

"But back to reality, what can I get after joining the Southern Alliance?"

"The main power of Grand Duke Chloé is in the south, and the east only occupies a few giant cities along the coast."

"This is just part of the dozen or so giant cities in the large area that continues to the east."

"And to the west is the territory of some neutral nobles and Grand Duke Jonathan."

"If I join the Southern Territory Alliance, I will offend the neutral nobles in the east, and I will also be caught between Grand Duke Jonathan and Grand Duke Chloe."

Zong Shen crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Viscount Albert Jenkins with a sharp gaze.

This made him feel guilty.

Viscount Albert did not expect that this lord who appeared out of nowhere and had no family background actually knew the current regional situation in the kingdom very well.

And the understanding is also extremely clear.

This made many of the rhetoric he prepared useless.

After swallowing a gulp of saliva, Viscount Albert Jenkins spoke tentatively again.

"Your statement is wrong..."

"Justice Chloé is working hard to win over the neutral nobles in the surrounding areas, and has achieved remarkable results."

"Your joining will make the regional situation more stable."

“It’s easy to make great achievements in the future.”

"When Princess Anna is officially crowned king, you will also become a founding noble, and even establish a large family that will last for thousands of years."

There was a hint of confusion in Albert Jenkins' tone.

Confusing Zong Shen with his merits and ambiguous regional policies.

Hearing his words, Zong Shen's lips curled into a sneer.

He is no longer a child, and this kind of empty-handed wooing is simply unattractive.

Without practical benefits, who would so hastily take sides?

Zong Shen did not hide the trace of malice in his sneer.

He retorted in a low voice.

"You have no sincerity."

"Who are you trying to fool with these words?"

"Me?!"

Zong Shen showed his big white teeth as he spoke, and his seemingly heroic smile contained decisive ferocity.

Viscount Albert Jenkins trembled unconsciously as Zong Shen suddenly showed his fierceness.

Regardless of the title, there is a huge gap in strength between the two sides.

This is essentially a gap in life levels.

This made Viscount Albert Jenkins unconsciously lower his head when facing Zong Shen.

At this time, the halfling staff member sitting next to him reached out and gently pulled his sleeve.

This small gesture helped Albert relax a little.

"You misunderstood...I definitely didn't mean it."

He explained quickly.

Zong Shen still sneered.

After both sides were silent for half a minute, he said.

"I need to see your sincerity."

"Without enough benefits, I will not serve as the bridgehead for Archduke Chloé against Archduke Jonathan."

He spoke his mind so bluntly that Albert Jenkins lost all luck.

At the same time, it was clear that this mission could not be completed "pretty".

In his eyes, prostitution-style solicitation is the right answer.

After making the decision, Viscount Albert Jenkins stood up decisively and saluted Zong Shen.

"Sorry, I apologize to you for my stupidity."

"Then what kind of sincerity do you need?"

Albert asked tentatively, officially entering the stage of interest negotiation.

Hearing this, Zong Shen showed a gentle smile.

Changing faces is also a basic skill of being a lord.

He smiled like he had never seen before in his severe life.

"Population, soldiers, ordnance, craftsmen, equipment, magic items, spell scrolls...all are available."

"Or help me capture a huge city."

Zong Shen said with a smile.

"The giant city...I don't know which giant city it is?" Albert Jenkins asked hesitantly.

Zong Shen had no intention of hiding this, and just put it on the table.

"The giant city of Dagalisni adjacent to the Dragon Sleeping River."

The family there is a staunch supporter of Grand Duke Chloé, and they are also nobles who have been attracted to him in recent years.

Albert Jenkins subconsciously wanted to refuse.

But he swallowed those words hard again.

"Marquis Ekmeledin Clift is one of ours..."

Before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by Zong Shen.
To be continued...