before he was crowned king

Holy Via Imperial Palace.

The elegant rose window ushered in the first ray of sunlight in the morning. In this spotless hall, the annual state affairs meeting was held as scheduled.This is the meeting with the highest political significance in the Saint Via Empire, and the results of all agendas will determine the future direction of the empire.At the same time, this is also a rare occasion, and the host is not the first heir His Royal Highness Fern.Everyone can smell the bloody smell of power struggle here.

Mars walked into the splendid and solemn palace, with a smile on his face, he nodded to the nobles who were waiting there.Participating in this meeting were a few people with titles in the empire, wearing dresses and shoulder medals, sitting around a huge round camphor wood table.There is a huge age gap between this group of nobles, some are full of vigor and some are decadent. They represent the interests of different classes and gather here.

"Is everyone here?"

"Of course, they won't let go of any chance to fight for their rights. Even if half of their foot is in the grave, they will rush here with their last breath." Standing behind Mars, Lambert said in a low voice , "It's simply a group of blood-sucking worms who can't see the light."

"Blood sucking worm?" Mars smiled, looking at the more than 200 proposals in his hand, "These old nobles have been the support of the empire over the years, and they are also the backbone of Fern's support, but you are right , They are as greedy as bloodsuckers, wanting more and more.”

"These old fellows are difficult to deal with. Her Majesty the Queen suddenly asked you to preside over it-"

"The most suitable person for this matter is me." Mars's mouth turned indifferently, "Mother wants to beat them, and I am the awl in her hand."

"However, if you don't meet their conditions, they will hate you for it." Lambert said worriedly, "In this way, they will stand on His Highness Fern's side and oppose you."

"So, there is no choice without a reason. This is the best result she envisioned." Mars stood up, and bowed to Queen Saint Via who walked into the hall with everyone.

The huge round wooden table was divided into two camps invisibly.His elder brother, His Royal Highness Fern, was sitting directly opposite, surrounded by a group of neatly dressed old bones wearing gray wigs.And Mars is surrounded by immature young faces. This state conference is full of crises. It is difficult for a young lion to defeat an old fox. Whose hair is more vigorous.

Knight Wood nodded, and Lambert was signaled to ring the small silver bell in his hand.

"The State Council has officially begun." Mars slowly read the prepared documents aloud, "Before entering the first agenda, let me invite Queen Carina of the Immortal Holy Via to give a speech."

The audience was silent, and everyone looked at the woman sitting on the throne.

"The State Council is closely related to the entire empire. First of all, I am very grateful to all of you who have come to our capital and our imperial hall today." Queen Karina's voice was flat, but very clear, "Secondly, I would like to share a Anecdotes I've heard."

Everyone was taken aback, including Mars, there was no such arrangement in the process.

"Someone told me that gold coins with the same serial number are popular in the empire now." Queen Karina paused, scanning every face below, "As we all know, the serial number of each imperial gold coin is unique, yes I personally selected the range, and the amount of gold coins minted was carefully calculated by the bachelors, so I didn't believe such rumors. However, when I was about to put this slanderer in the dungeon, he I have produced evidence that I cannot refute."

Knight Wood took out a black square box, and placed two gold Queen's coins on a piece of red velvet.After Mars finished looking at it, his pupils shrank, and then passed it on one by one.He raised his head and looked at the expression of the person opposite. Fern's face was slightly pale, but he didn't show any surprise, as if he knew about it a long time ago.

"Your Majesty, I remember that Grand Duke Henry is in charge of the coinage." Mars looked at the people beside him, and soon someone stood up and said, "You should ask the Grand Duke for details."

His Highness Fern's face darkened even more.

An old-fashioned aristocratic man cleared his throat and retorted: "Duke Henry may not be interested in this matter, and it is very likely that other people did the casting." He turned to face the Queen, "Your Majesty, this matter It is extremely bad and should be thoroughly investigated, what do you think?"

"It's the confusion that brought it up. I want to ask you what you mean." Queen Karina said lightly.

"Your Majesty, with regard to the casting of guns, Viscount Carle happened to catch a very suspicious person in the market a few days ago." His Highness Fern said.

"Really? Who is this person?" Queen Karina asked.

Viscount Carle stood up and saluted. After a while, he brought an old man with disheveled hair from outside the hall. The old man's feet were a bit sloped, he stumbled when he walked, and his limbs were bound by black chains.

"Your Majesty, this person is a representative blacksmith of the market. Viscount Carle's domestic servant ordered a sword at his house, but a forged sword was accidentally discovered during the transaction. The Viscount immediately detained him for investigation. We are sure that this person has been After profiting from this, after interrogation, he has confessed all his crimes.

"I did it... I did it all. I minted these gold coins myself, and I want to use them as real money." The old man drooped his head, his voice was very weak.

"Your Majesty, I think the two gold coins in your hand should have been forged by this person. This blacksmith owes a huge amount of gambling debts, so he would think of casting iron to earn more money. Such absurd things are only Poor gamblers can do it!" His Royal Highness Fern said forcefully.

At this time, someone let out a sneer.

The audience was silent, and everyone looked at Mars.

"Do you have anything to say?" Fern's face was gloomy and terrifying.

Mars shook his head and smiled and said, "I'm sorry, Your Highness Fern. I just think that what you just said seems a bit contradictory."

"Contradictory?" Fern felt humiliated and looked very annoyed.

"Are you sure it was made by this old man?" Mars said, "Your Highness Fern, don't forget that even if you cast a gun, the material is genuine gold. As you said, a Where can a man with gambling debts get so much gold?"

"This..." Fern was a little choked up, "Maybe it was borrowed. He first borrowed gold from others, then cast it into gold, and then paid it to others."

"

Mars sighed: "The ownership of the empire's mines is in the hands of the dignitaries. You mean that someone here sold the gold mines to this blacksmith privately. If this is the case, then there are gold mines in the capital city. There are only a handful of people in the mine, and I think it seems that there is a gold mine under the name of Mrs. Mary—"

"Mars, you...don't talk nonsense!" Fern stammered.

"This is just my random speculation." Mars turned his gaze to the other side, "May I ask Viscount Carle, have you found the mold for casting gold coins in this blacksmith's house? Or is there any other strong evidence?"

Viscount Carle's eyebrows darkened: "We didn't find the mold you mentioned. I think it may have been destroyed in advance. Your Highness Mars, this person has already confessed his crimes. Why do you keep helping him?"

"Viscount Carle, I don't mean to excuse him. Even if this person really forged it, but if there is no mold, it can't prove that the two gold coins Her Majesty received were made by him." Mars didn't panic. He said calmly, "We can't rule out the possibility that other people are casting the first one."

The dignitaries couldn't help talking about it, and the impersonation incident was a bit messed up by Mars, and the current situation was beyond expectations, and Fern couldn't help but gritted his teeth.

"Indeed, what Mars said makes sense. It's pointless to entangle this blacksmith. If this matter was really done by Grand Duke Henry, why don't we directly ask the person involved?" Fern raised his voice a little .

The audience fell silent, and everyone's eyes turned to Queen Karina again.Everyone knows that His Royal Highness Fern is right. There is no doubt that it is the best choice for the person concerned to come forward to answer. However, Grand Duke Henry did not attend today's State Council meeting.

"Where is Grand Duke Henry?" Queen Carina asked.

"The Grand Duke is still at the mansion, I'll ask him to come over for a question." Knight Wood said.

Many people breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this. During this period of time, there have been rumors that Grand Duke Henry was being questioned, but today he did not see him. Many people wondered whether the Grand Duke would have been locked in a dungeon by the Queen.

Now that the queen has sent a message to invite Grand Duke Henry, the rumor of the questioning will be self-defeating.

His Highness Fern's expression also relaxed, and he looked at Mars provocatively, as if he was sure of winning.

While waiting, the State Council continued. After finishing the first agenda, Grand Duke Henry walked slowly to the center of the hall with his fat belly in full view. He was dressed in luxurious clothes and respected Queen Karina. After saluting, he knelt down on the ground with a plop: "Your Majesty, it's all my fault. Those guns with the same number were cast from me. I know I failed your trust, but all of this is Mary Victoria threatened me to do it, she shipped the gold ore to my factory, and forced me to mint [-] gold coins within a week!"

Hearing the number [-], the people below gasped.

"You are the Grand Duke, how could you be threatened by a woman?" Knight Wood asked with a frown.

"Mary Victoria said... This is what His Royal Highness Fern meant." Grand Duke Henry shook his body, "He said that the money is needed urgently."

Listening to the voice of Grand Duke Henry regretting and blaming himself, Fern Salfield almost fainted directly.