A Tale of Strategies For the Throne

For a long time, whether it is Aaron Landis or other countries on the mainland, the system of one power has been implemented.

In other words, all the powers of the various departments in the royal court are under the control of the director.Similarly, in local cities, all rights in a city except military power are controlled by the consul or the city lord.

This kind of system can easily lead to a situation where one person dominates and deceives the superior and the inferior.

Torzes City is a prime example.

Therefore, after thinking for a long time, Garlan decided to implement the pseudo-separation of powers in Aaron Landis by referring to the separation of powers in later generations.

In fact, to put it simply, it is to separate the powers that can restrain each other and hand them over to different forces so that they can check and balance each other.

The risk of rashly reforming the political system is too great, and after all, it is the first time to try a new system. Although he has a general direction, there are still many details that need to be improved.

If the whole country is used to test the new system from the beginning, it will definitely cause a certain degree of turmoil, and it may even cause irreparable losses.

Therefore, when Garlan established the Commerce and Trade Department, he planned to use this new department to test the new system.

The structure of the old department has been established, and the personnel forces are complicated and chaotic. The implementation of the new system will definitely encounter resistance from the old forces.It is like a picture that has already been drawn, and it is very difficult to modify it.

Only the newly-born Commerce and Trade Department is completely owned by him, and it is a brand new blank sheet of paper. He can plan it completely according to his own ideas.

For a long time, although the two temples had a very high reputation in Aaron Landis, their status was detached and respected, but in fact they did not have much real power.

Priests are generally attached to nobles, city lords, etc., and assist each other as subordinates. Therefore, things like temple forces in local cities obeying the city lord will happen-this is the case in Tozes City.

But now, Garlan directly raised the status of the temple to the level of juxtaposition with it. In this way, the temple got rid of the restraint of the noble city lord and became a force of its own.

Separation of powers.

Harm each other.

Form a stable tripartite situation.

…………

Raising the power of Nanna's temple to the level of that of Shamash's, Garlan thought that Shemull would definitely be dissatisfied with this.

Therefore, he purposely asked Xie Muer to talk about it in private.

Although from a political point of view, he must make the forces of the two temples stand side by side.

But in Garlan's heart, Shemuer is an irreplaceable existence for him.

In previous lives, only Shemuer was by his side.Even, Ximuer probably paid the price of his life for him in every life.

Shemur will always hold an important place in his heart.

He didn't want any changes in their relationship.

Therefore, Garlan prepared a full stomach of words, and planned to explain the separation of powers to Ximuer thoroughly from the inside out, so that Ximuer could understand his approach.

Who knows, he just told Ximuer about this system, and Ximuer asked him directly before he made any explanation.

"In your opinion, the system is good for Aaron Landis, isn't it?"

"Uh, that's right..."

"In that case, do as you think."

The High Priest of Shamash said simply, without question.

He just added sternly.

"This matter is of great importance. Please do it carefully and don't rush for success."

Garlan: "...Oh."

So all the words he had prepared were wasted.

Looking at the unexpectedly calm Xie Muer, the Young King scratched his head in doubt, then turned his head and ordered someone to inform Heymos to bring Suo Jia over the next day.

…………

Coming out of the palace, the priests of Shamash and Nanna walked together for a rare distance.

Although both of them walked forward without squinting, ignoring each other, let alone speaking, the rare situation of them walking side by side made the guards patrolling next to them unable to look sideways.

After walking for a while, the two came to a place where there were no other people.

There was a fork in the road ahead. Seeing that the two were about to part ways, Suo Jia glanced at the people around him and spoke first.

"What a surprise."

"what?"

Shemuer's tone was very cold.

"You didn't object to it."

Leaving aside the fact that Shamash's priests are almost all rigid and old-fashioned people who adhere to the ancient legal system and are stubbornly unwilling to make changes, the fact that King Garlan appointed Nanna's priests is enough to make Shamash The priests firmly opposed it.

Because in the eyes of the priests of Shamash, the priests of Nanna are sinister and cunning villains, good at intrigue and trickery, and good at taking advantage of loopholes in the law.

They hope that Wang will stand upright, of course they will not allow such a villain to approach Wang.

Therefore, throughout the ages, there will only be one side of the assistant priests around the king of Aaron Landis, while the other side will be completely overwhelmed.

For example, King Kamos is surrounded only by Shemul, who is the priest of Shamash.

Suo Jia originally thought that this matter would definitely be opposed by Shemuer.

Who knew that Ximuer acquiesced without saying a word from the beginning to the end, and did not exhort and advise King Garlan as severely as he imagined.

Shemuer glanced at Suo Jia indifferently.

He said: "I used to be as arrogant as you, convinced that what I thought was 'right' must be right."

Self-esteem is very high.

I believe that the conclusions drawn by my own judgment must be correct.

Whatever stands against one's own position must be wrong.

It was the young prince who made him see his arrogance clearly.

Ximuer said: "Your Majesty will become a wise king like never before."

Everyone believed that he was the mentor of Prince Garlan, and he taught an outstanding prince.

But only he knew that over the years, he had learned much more from the young prince than he had taught him.

He is also good, Heymos is good, Kehuos is good, and even King Kamos.

Rather than saying that they guard the prince, it is better to say that the prince has been influencing and guiding them little by little, making them grow into better selves.

Like the stars that guide the direction of everyone in the starry sky at night.

"I trust Your Majesty."

"He will definitely lead Aaron Landis to the right path."

"That may be a road that I can't even see."

Shemuer looked solemn, and his words were straightforward and frank.

"Suo Jia, I don't like people like you very much. But I will never use my personal dislike and prejudice to influence His Majesty's decision-making with the excuse of 'for his own good'."

"I believe that the monarch I choose to follow can make correct judgments."

After Xie Muer finished speaking, he didn't say any more, and he didn't even look at Suo Jia.

He turned around and walked straight away from the road on the left without looking back.

It can be seen that his dislike for Suo Jia is not light at all.

Suo Jia looked deeply at Xie Muer's leaving back, with a complicated expression.

After a while, he shrugged.

"Both and each other, you guys are also my least favorite type."

After a while of silence, he suddenly sighed.

"'Trust your own monarch, and don't influence the monarch's decision with your own preferences and prejudices'...?"

He smiled wryly.

"I have to admit, at least this point, you are better than me."

Suo Jia turned around and walked the other way.

"However, this time, in front of King Garlan, I will never lose to you again!"

Nannar's priest muttered to himself as if swearing.

He is in no hurry.

Under the young king's throne, he and Shemuer still have a long time to decide the final outcome.

…………

………………

After everyone had left, Garlan saw that Heymos was the only one left anyway, and he didn't need to maintain his image, so he simply left the government office.

In the lounge on the side of the palace closest to the water curtain, so the temperature is relatively cool, he nestled comfortably in a soft white cushion, holding a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice in both hands.

The crystal clear ice cubes collided in the glass cup with the pattern of floating clouds, making a clattering sound.

Heymos sat cross-legged beside him, holding a stack of documents in his hands, discussing with Garlan while flipping through them.

A few days ago, he submitted a set of proposals for the reform of the legion to Garlan. Garlan planned to discuss this matter with him two days ago, but this guy did something wrong to him while he was asleep.

Garlan drove him away angrily, and ignored him for two consecutive days.

That's why the matter was delayed until today for discussion.

Renovating the army is not a simple matter. Garlan is self-aware. In terms of military affairs, his aptitude is not at the same level as Heymos.

You know, in previous lives, even if Heymos became like that, during his reign, Aaron Landis was the well-deserved overlord of the entire continent in terms of military affairs.

No one dared to take a step.

Therefore, he simply let Heymos do it after making a few suggestions.

As for the needed weapons, armor, and property, the young king, who has become rich recently, waved his hand and said that if he lacked anything, he would go directly to Tal for it.

When the discussion was almost over, Garlan sat up, raised his hand and rubbed his shoulders.

There are too many political affairs in the past few days, and I went to bed late at night. If I didn't pay attention, I had a stiff neck last night.

It's not serious, but when you turn your head, you still feel a dull pain.

He rubbed his shoulders himself, but his hands were too weak to be of much use.

Forget it.

Bear with it for now, and let Taputi give him a massage in the evening.

Thinking of this, Garlan withdrew his hand, and then yawned wearily.

Before he finished yawning, suddenly a warm palm pressed onto his shoulder and rubbed vigorously on that contracted muscle.

A strong soreness suddenly surged out, causing him to shrink his body reflexively, avoiding the hand.

Garlan turned around and saw Heymos was beside him.

"doing what?"

"A pulled muscle in your shoulder?"

Heymos asked.

"Well, I didn't pay attention when I slept last night..."

Garlan pressed his still sore shoulder and replied depressedly.

"Come on, let me press it for you."

Hearing Heymos's words, Garlan's heart was filled with alarm bells.

He didn't say anything, just moved a little to the side, looking warily at someone with countless previous convictions.

Looking at the pair of golden eyes that were originally half-closed lazily but suddenly widened because of a word he said, staring at him vigilantly, the look of instant alertness was so cute that Heymos couldn't help but bend his eyes. landed.

He smiled, raised a hand, and swore.

"I swear, I'm not going to do anything."

"…………"

The golden pupils rolled around, looking at Heymos suspiciously.

Garlan said, "No need, I'll just ask Taputi to press it for me."

As he spoke, he subconsciously wanted to shake his head, but when he moved his head, the muscles in his shoulders and neck were so sore that he stiffened for a moment.

"You know, I'm much better at pulling muscles than Taputi."

Heymos coaxed people very patiently.

"Your degree is very mild. I can help you press it. You don't want to be in such pain for a day, do you?"

"........."

It seems to make sense. Heymos has practiced martial arts all year round, and muscle strain is probably a common occurrence, so he must be more proficient in treatment methods than Taputi.

Garlan thought a little excitedly.

After all, the soreness of stiff neck is really uncomfortable, and it is of course better to relieve it earlier.

but……

He is still hesitating.

"Garlan, I won't do anything except help you heal."

Heymos repeated this sentence again.

He said, "I never lie to you, do I?"

"........."

Indeed, what Heymos said to him has always been what he said.

You should... you can trust him, right?

As Garlan thought about it, his desire to solve the sore shoulder and neck finally prevailed.

He unbuttoned the short cloak on his shoulders, and then leaned over on the cushion.

Because of the hot weather, he was wearing a loose sleeveless tunic without any accessories.

Seeing Garlan lying obediently in front of him, Heymos reached out, brushed away his blond hair scattered on his shoulders, and brushed it aside.

The nape of the neck was exposed under the blond hair.

The line of the boy's nape was extremely soft, and the blond hair was pushed aside, revealing an extremely beautiful arc.

The moment I pressed my fingers, I felt the tension in the shoulders and neck under the fingers without accident.

Heymos rubbed it hard for a while, and he heard Garlan hum in pain, but he wanted to hold back the sound, but he swallowed half of it back.

The golden-red pupils darkened and deepened a bit, but the darkness welling up in his eyes was quickly suppressed by him.

Heymos rubbed it hard again, the sore and painful discomfort made Garlan shrink back, wanting to escape.

But as soon as he moved, he was held down by Heymos.

"to beat."

Heymos said his voice suddenly became a little hoarse for no apparent reason.

After speaking, he rubbed the fingers on the side of Garlan's neck vigorously.

This kind of contracted muscle has to be kneaded with a little effort, as long as it is kneaded.

Being held down by Heymos and unable to move, Garlan could only hold back forcefully, but he still couldn't hold back and let out another painful snort.

When he hummed like this, he felt the fingers that were kneading the side of his neck pause.

He thought it was all right, but just after he breathed a sigh of relief, the finger moved again immediately.

Fortunately, the most unbearable soreness was only the first dozen or so strokes. After rubbing it, the stiff neck was relieved a lot.

The kneaded place gradually became more comfortable.

The rough palms pressed against the skin on his shoulders, and the hot heat from Heymos' fingers penetrated into the depths of his skin, driving away the soreness, making people feel extremely comfortable.

Every time the fingers rubbed, a feeling of numbness like an electric shock was transmitted from the back of the neck to the limbs.

It was a strange painful pleasure, which made people unable to use their limbs at this moment, and could only lie lazily.

Garlan lay on the ground, squinting his eyes, looking contented.

He was so comfortable that he was a little drowsy.

The beautiful boy lay lazily on his stomach, exposing himself defenselessly in front of the man who was spying on him.

Heymos stared at the boy below him.

Under his fingers was soft skin, as smooth and delicate as a fine silk garment.

Once touched, the skin seemed to suck his fingers, making it impossible to leave.

He watched his brown fingers sink into the soft skin, as if embedded in it.

He watched his fingers press red marks on the fair skin, which were the marks he left on the body below him.

Make him more and more fascinated by this.

Because the sleeveless short robe was rather loose, he could vaguely see two thin bones under the white skin on Garlan's back.

Because Garlan was lying on his stomach, and his shoulders tensed up from time to time, a little bit appeared there.

Like the wings of a butterfly, they are well-proportioned and slender.

Every time Heymos rubbed Garlan's side neck vigorously with his fingers, Garlan's shoulders would tighten, and the looming butterfly bone would move accordingly.

Like flapping its wings to fly, it induces people's desire to touch.

It gave Heymos the urge to lean over and bite down.

He took a deep breath, trying to suppress the almost irrepressible impulse in his heart.

With difficulty, he looked up.

As soon as he moved up, he saw the petal-like light pink trace on the back of Garlan's neck.

This petal-like scar had been left on Garlan's body since he was very young.

He stared at the mark, not knowing whether it was intentional or not, the hand that was kneading Garlan's shoulder moved in that direction.

The next moment, the pad of his thumb gently rubbed against the pale pink mark.

When his rough fingertips brushed against the small burn, the drowsy Garlan's neck suddenly trembled, as if he couldn't bear the sensitive touch.

The half-awake, half-asleep boy subconsciously groaned like a whimper.

Soft, like a whine, that weak and helpless moan, on the contrary, more and more arouses the cruelest desire deep in the heart.

Heymos took a breath.

He stared at Garlan, his eyes were no different from those of a hungry wolf with green eyes.

The man's eyes were extremely terrifying at this moment, as if he would swallow the prey in his eyes alive in the next second.

The boy didn't notice it.

Sensing that Heymos stopped moving, Garlan opened his eyes, turned his head, and looked over in confusion.

But he didn't know how dangerous the situation he was in by looking back at Heymos dimly.

He didn't know that just one look from him made the man behind him almost lose control.

Taking a deep breath, using the remaining rationality to control the burning desire in his body, Heymos withdrew his hand with difficulty.

"It's almost there, just a little massage to relax."

He stood up, avoiding Garlan's eyes, and said,

"I'll get Tapti to come over and continue."

"why?"

Garlan asked in a daze.

Why do you want to change midway?

He is comfortable now, keep pressing.

Heymos, who had already got up and turned his head sideways, suddenly turned around.

He bent down deeply, holding a lock of Garlan's blond hair with his fingers.

He gripped the blond hair very hard with his fingers, and the dangerous gaze he was looking down at Garlan made Garlan tremble and wake up in an instant.

Heymos' gaze made Garlan's heart beat rapidly. He felt like a prey being stared at by a wild beast. He couldn't move for a while, and he felt a little panicked.

"Go on..."

Staring at Garlan, Heymos whispered.

His voice was hoarse beyond words.

"...I can't help but spoil you."

As soon as he finished speaking, Heymos got up and left.

Garlan, who didn't react for a moment, stared blankly at Heymos' back.

When he understood what the other party said just now, the young man's fair face flushed red all of a sudden, reaching the ears.

Pressing one side of his hot face, Garlan gritted his teeth and thought.

This guy is getting bigger and bigger!Not relying on--

……

…………

Uh?

........................

Relying on... what?