Volume 2: Empire Chapter 58: Liberals
Viscount Iscolan couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
yes!
The war had already begun, but in Raging Waves City, there was no sense of war. The audience was singing and dancing, and the venues were packed, as if the war was happening in another country.
Even he himself did not pay much attention to this war that affected the fate of the empire. It was just because the current economic situation in Nutao City was too good, and everyone was busy making money and enjoying themselves, thinking about how to increase their assets to a higher level.
"Governor, Raging Waves City is located in the rear of the war. Leo, who poses the greatest threat to us, is unable to take care of himself due to our secret interference. Do you think the war will spread here?"
Seeing that Viscount Iscolan was still optimistic about the war, Luke shook his head and said, "You have never experienced war, so you cannot understand the cruelty and uncertainty of war, and of course you don't know the extent of the court struggle in the empire.
Also...the situation of war will change with the times.
When the wealth of Raging Tide City needs to be protected, we cannot pin our hopes on the Empire, because the first people to plunder us may be the Imperial Army."
Isklan realized that this was Meteorite's judgment based on what he saw and heard in the imperial capital.
The crisis of the empire is more serious than he sees.
"My Lord, I understand your concerns. But recruiting and training militia without His Majesty's permission will bring you danger."
Luke knew that the private militia of Raging Wave City would definitely arouse the suspicion of Emperor Augustine. Although the empire was facing many problems now, the court still held absolute authority.
But as Emperor Augustine's physical condition worsens, the competition for the crown prince will only become more intense. And Agatha's attitude towards the throne makes Luke more certain that the situation of the empire's collapse is unlikely to change.
At that time, Nutao City was the fat meat that everyone wanted to eat.
If you don't want to be at the mercy of others, you must plan ahead and form a city militia.
"Didn't the Central Security Bureau arrest a few liberals some time ago?"
Viscount Iscolan replied: "We have arrested a few mentally ill people. They actually dared to give a speech in the City of Raging Waves...advocating the establishment of a free country, calling for the overthrow of the emperor and nobles of the empire, and advocating equality for all!
The Raging Waves City gave them so much freedom that they actually developed such delusions.
Please rest assured, Governor, the prosperity you have brought to Raging Waves has made the living standards of the city residents far higher than those of all the countries that claim to be free. I have sent them to the northern mining area and ordered the police departments in each district to search for hidden liberals. "
The liberals in the Golden Shield Empire accepted new ideas from abroad and were determined to overthrow the monarchy and promote a prevailing electoral parliamentary system.
The liberals appeared later than the new nobility, but they developed very rapidly. The initial members were mainly young people, most of whom had studied abroad. They were young and energetic, and after seeing the superiority of the emerging system, they quickly got rid of the bad habits accumulated by the empire.
Since families who could afford to send their children abroad to study generally had a certain social status, the liberals had a certain soil for growth within the empire. Later, the new nobles who became rich later gave a lot of financial support to the liberals in order to seize production resources from the new nobles who became rich earlier.
Today, liberalism has spread to every corner of the empire and is secretly funded by a country.
The Art County Alliance is an important neighboring country to the north of the Golden Shield Empire.
The former Art County Alliance was a loose alliance of city-states, and the reason for the alliance was to resist the invasion of the Golden Shield Empire. When the world entered a new era, the Art County Alliance was like a virus, and quickly completed the transformation of its political system. The city lords and noble forces were overthrown, and the city council and the county council formed a new ruling layer.
The head of state is the President.
The reins of capital were loosened, and the national strength of Art County Union rose rapidly. If it weren't for the Golden Shield Empire's Augustine the Great to prolong the life of the empire, Art County Union would have attacked long ago.
Luke, who was familiar with the background of the era, knew that the Art County Alliance not only created friction and small-scale battles on the border, but also focused on ideological warfare. The rapid growth of the liberal faction had a lot to do with the funding of the Art County Alliance.
In the original process, the Art County Alliance broke through the imperial border and headed south. The liberals played the role of the guide, and also played the role of fighting for ...
Luke's thoughts were a little too far-fetched, so he quickly collected them.
He said to Viscount Iscolan: "First, you should plan to form a city militia and use all the best technology and equipment in Fury City. Then let Madam Michelle set up a war equipment research institute and use the Rio Civil War as a testing ground for our new equipment and new tactics.
I will pave the way for the formation of an urban militia."
Luke was determined to form a city militia, and Iskran said, "Yes, Governor."
Luke added: "Who is the leader of this group of liberals? Arrange for me to meet him."
"The other person's name is Roy Rachel, she's 21 years old, female. I'll send someone to bring her here immediately, and you'll be able to see her this afternoon!"
"Go ahead."
Luke looked for Roy Rachel in the cell phone database, but even after Iscolan's men brought her from the northern mines to the Sisisse Palace, Luke had not found any information about the woman.
I think in the official plot of the era, Roy Rachel is not an important character and has never attracted the attention of players from beginning to end.
Moreover, since he was caught by the Public Security Bureau in the central city, he must not be a person with outstanding individual strength.
Rachel was pushed down in front of Luke.
Her hands and feet were bound with shackles made of special alchemical metal, and she was wearing a miner's suit that was covered in signs of wear and tear and had a lot of black dried blood clots on it.
Rachel had red hair that was messy and dirty, but Luke could see the perseverance and passion for her beliefs in her eyes.
The exposed neck showed some tattoo patterns, and Luke stretched out his hand to pull it, but Rachel opened his eyes immediately. Seeing her resistance, the two servants pressed her face almost to the ground.
"Let her go."
Hearing Luke's order, the two servants immediately let go of their hands, and then at Viscount Iscolan's signal, the two left the room.
The door is closed.
There were no performances in the afternoon and the entire opera house was very quiet.
Rachel stubbornly tried to stand up, but her leg was hit by something and she fell to her knees again.
"I just asked them to let you go, I didn't ask you to stand up." Luke pressed his cane on Rachel's shoulders. No matter how hard she tried, her knees could not leave the ground. Luke laughed sarcastically, "With this kind of power, you dare to clamor to overthrow the emperor in my city. Viscount Iscolan said that you are mentally ill, and I think you are mentally ill too."
Rachel stopped struggling when she saw she couldn't break free. She glared at Luke and said, "You are the Falling Star... a lackey of the royal family! One day, freedom will lead us to overthrow the corrupt nobles and send all of you to the guillotine!"
Thirst made Rachel's lips chapped and her voice was hoarse but loud.
"Send me to the guillotine? That's a grand ideal." Luke, who was scolded, did not feel angry at all. He asked, "How long did you give your speech?"
Rachel didn't answer.
Viscount Escolane said: "They spoke for nearly three hours."
Luke said, “It’s been a long time.”
Viscount Escolane explained: "We wanted to see how many listeners their ridiculous speeches would attract, but we were disappointed..."
Viscount Iscolan's expression did not show any disappointment, but he was trying to hold back his laughter, which made Rachel's expression look very ugly.
"How many people are listening?" Luke asked.
Rachel's expression became even uglier, and she no longer had the arrogance she had just shown when she was cursing.
"No one... To be exact, the people listening there were all plainclothes officers from the Public Security Bureau. Ordinary citizens didn't have the interest to listen for even a minute."
Luke couldn't help but burst out laughing at the thought of how embarrassing that would be.
"You must be the ones threatening the citizens not to listen." Rachel finally couldn't help but yell.
The progressive citizens who listened to her three-hour speech were all sheriffs, and Rachel didn't want to recall that embarrassing scene.
"Hahaha..." Luke finally stopped laughing. He said to Rachel, "You liberals must have just arrived in Raging Waves and don't know what kind of city this is. Your speeches in other cities may be effective, but they are useless here.
How about this, I'll let Viscount Iscolan release you all. You can give your speeches at will in Raging Waves City, the Public Security Bureau is only responsible for maintaining order and will not interfere. The content of your speeches can only be about the free order you advocate, and absolutely cannot involve rebellion or anything like that.
May I?"
When Viscount Iscolan saw that the Governor was going to release these liberals, he said worriedly, "Governor..."
Luke waved his hand to stop Viscount Iscolan from speaking, and he looked at Rachel, waiting for an answer.
Rachel looked at Luke in great surprise, she couldn't believe what she heard.
"You, you really let us go?"
Luke said, "You pursue freedom, but I hope you can pursue truth while pursuing freedom. As long as the content of your speech does not cross the bottom line I set, any place in Raging Waves City is open to you.
Even if you want to give a speech in the City Hall Square, that's totally fine.
Besides giving speeches, listen more, watch more, and communicate more with the citizens of Raging Waves City.
Then we'll meet again and talk about your and my ideals."
Rachel still couldn't believe it: "We can really speak freely anywhere in Raging Waves City?"
Luke nodded: "If you want freedom, I will give it to you."
Then Luke said to Viscount Iscolan beside him: "Let them go. Let them do whatever they want as long as it does not violate the laws of the empire."
"Yes, Governor!" Viscount Iscolan knew that the Governor must have other intentions, so he called his men in to remove the shackles from Rachel.
Then he ordered the release of other liberal members imprisoned in the mine.
Rachel stood up, and seeing that no one was trying to stop her, she ran out of the room without looking back.
Viscount Iscolan asked Luke, "Is it really okay to do this?"
"What problems do you think they can create?"
Viscount Iscolan thought for a moment and said, "They really can't cause any problems."
