Volume 2: Funeral Song of Crows Chapter 1 Senate Meeting
On the 24th day of the Dawn Moon, in the conference hall of the Platinum Palace.
Senator Albert, dressed in a purple-gold noble robe, pushed open the silver door with a dragon and sword relief and walked into the hall.
In an instant, the conference hall, which had been a little noisy, became quiet, and everyone sitting around the long white marble table turned their eyes to him at the same time.
He paused there awkwardly, and after a few seconds, the man sitting on the towering throne at the end of the long table spoke.
"You're late, Councillor Albert."
"I'm sorry... I thought it was..."
Albert immediately lowered his head.
"But fortunately, it has just begun. Sit down first."
Albert felt relieved by the words, and he hurried to his seat and sat down.
"Then the motion to release ebony perfume to alleviate the stench of the sewers caused by the New Year's Eve banquet in the city has also been passed. The next motion was proposed by the Jade Province Ambassador, Garey Wolfspeak."
Sitting on the right side of the throne, York, the Prime Minister and Speaker of the Parliament, who was presiding over the meeting, flipped through the parchment file with the Imperial Dragon Sword emblem printed on it and said.
Ambassador of Jade Province? At this time?
A forest elf wearing clothes woven from wolf skin, with skin as rough as tree bark and a wolf face tattoo on his face, stood up immediately after hearing this.
He first bowed respectfully to the person on the throne, and then began to talk about the supply of wine in the Jade Province this autumn.
The female councillor sitting next to Albert looked at the elf dressed in barbarian style, covered her nose obviously, then poked his shoulder, motioning him to look to the side.
On the other side of the long table, there was not only the ambassador from Emerald Province, but also seven or eight guys who were dressed in strange clothes in his opinion. Most of them seemed a little at a loss at the moment.
"Storm Province, Cold Rock Province, Quicksand Province, Dragon's Breath Province, Broken Tooth Province. Aside from Blackwater Province, only Ava Continent has not sent an envoy. Of course, that immortal who has lived for over a thousand years seems to have not sent anyone since the founding of the empire."
The congresswoman came over and whispered to Albert.
It's not just the envoys from the provinces...
Albert thought.
Looking around the round table, there are quite a few big names present today.
Patriarch of the Eighth Order, Vice-President of the Star Council, Royal Advisor of the Platinum Circle, General of the Second Legion, Chairman of the Royal Chamber of Commerce, Grand Inquisitor of the Empire...
It can be said that half of the political leaders in the power center of the empire have come. This Senate meeting far exceeds the specifications of the usual monthly meetings. It seems that it is not just a simple advancement of time.
Thinking of this, Albert secretly regretted for a while that he had remembered the wrong time and was late today. Being late in front of so many important people would be a big blow to his future political career.
But in comparison, it seemed somewhat inappropriate for the forest elf ambassador from the Jade Province to talk about reducing the supply of wine in front of so many high-ranking people.
"...Combined with the losses of last year's Year of Blood and Wild Hunt War, and considering the changes in the stars this year, we have entered a year of famine and decay. At the beginning of the year, many places such as Patu had already shown signs of large-scale blight. This year, the Emerald Province cannot guarantee the supply of wine to the empire as in previous years. I implore the Senate to temporarily reduce the supply of wine by 30% this year. Our Duke of the Holy Tree guarantees that this part will be made up next year. The above is the motion proposed by the Emerald Province. I hope you..."
As he spoke, he looked around. None of the important figures at the long table responded. All of them either had an expression of indifference or an attitude of watching from the sidelines.
The entire conference hall was so quiet that he felt a little anxious.
The old and hunchbacked Speaker York did not even directly announce that the motion had entered the voting stage. He simply turned his gaze to the Jade Province Ambassador dressed in barbarian clothes, smiled warmly, and said in a strong voice:
"Can't we think of some other ways? You know, most of the wine that the Empire imports from Jade Province every year does not go into the wine cellars of the nobles of Platinum City, but is sold to the Daemon Continent in the east through the White Sea. This is an important part of the Empire's foreign trade every year, and it is also an important part of the armistice agreement with them. This is the only thing that cannot be taken lightly."
Upon hearing this, the Ambassador of Jade Province gritted his teeth and said:
"The first wave of blight in the middle of this month has caused a large number of grape seedlings planted last year to die. This is even after the Duke of the Holy Tree had the forest priests prepare for protection in advance. Mr. Speaker, under the influence of blight, this year's grape production will be reduced by at least 50% . Just requesting a 30% reduction in supply is the result of our best efforts."
Before Speaker York could reply, a young MP at the side interrupted and said:
"That's because you have too little arable land. Ravenwood in Emerald Province is the land with the most abundant vitality in the entire Vic Continent, but you have used it all to plant trees. If you cut down half of the trees in that forest, the extra land will at least allow you to increase your annual grape production by three times. Then, why would you be afraid of famine and rot?"
"Elaire, be careful with your words!"
Upon hearing this, Speaker York quickly told the other party to shut up. Albert on the side could not help but hold his forehead with his hand, feeling that the other party's remarks were too reckless.
Forest elves do not have the concept of death like other mortal races, but after a long time, their bodies will gradually "become like trees". Their skin will become as rough and tough as tree bark, branches and leaves will grow on their hair, and their reactions and movements will become slower and slower.
When every forest elf reaches a certain stage of tree transformation, they will walk into the sacred woods of Ravenwood and wander around until they really turn into a tree in the forest.
So for the forest elves, the trees in Ravenwood are not just trees, but also their surviving tribesmen, many of whom may be their ancestors.
The proposal by Senator Eliel, who asked them to cut down half of the forest to grow grapes, was tantamount to asking them to kill their own people to make room for the empire to farm.
For a moment, the Ambassador of Cuiyu Province whose surname was "Lang Yan" stared at the rude congressman with cold eyes without saying a word.
The wolf tattoo on his face slowly opened its mouth, revealing its fangs and let out a low roar. The wolf head kept squirming, as if it would break free from his skin at any time.
Just as the latter was frightened by this and shrank back into his seat, his lips trembling slightly as he was about to explain something, the platinum ring consultant sitting closest to the left hand side of the throne spoke:
"That's enough, Gare. We are here before the bronze crown."
His voice seemed to have the power to shake the soul, and the low wolf howl stopped instantly. Gare also took a deep breath and calmed down. The wolf face tattoo on his face also returned to its original state, as if it was all an illusion before.
He bowed his head to the advisor of the Platinum Circle and said:
"I'm sorry, I'm rude, I'm willing to accept it..."
"No, it was Senator Ilair who was disrespectful first. Mr. Ambassador, please forgive his ignorance of the traditions of the forest elves."
Speaker York on the side took over the conversation like a peacemaker and continued:
"Ilaire, you stay . I need to teach you about etiquette of different races."
The man sitting on the throne tilted his head towards Speaker York.
Speaker York immediately understood, and he smiled and said to the Jade Province Ambassador:
"But Councillor Ilaier's joke did give me some inspiration. Mr. Ambassador, you can indeed try to increase the arable land for grape planting to offset the impact of the blight on production this year."
Gare was stunned for a moment, then replied with an unpleasant expression:
"Mr. Speaker, you are not also saying..."
"Of course not."
The Speaker shook his head and said:
"Like the green grass used to make Baranno, and the main grain of the forest elves, the sorghum, these farmlands used to grow food are suitable for growing grapes. You can change about half of the land to grow grapes, which will be enough to make up for the reduced yield due to the blight this year."
"But, Mr. Speaker, what should we do with the reduced grain production? The grain stored in Jade Province over the years cannot make up for the loss of half of the grain..."
After hearing this suggestion, Ambassador Gare replied .
"It's very simple. Just use the money you earn from exporting wine to buy food from the Imperial Chamber of Commerce. We don't have green grass here, so you can keep more of the relevant farmland. The surplus of wheat berries and wheat we have every year is enough to supply half of the Jade Province. We can guarantee to meet your food supply at a price 10% lower than the market price."
The chairman of the Royal Chamber of Commerce at the side suddenly spoke up.
Speaker York smiled and nodded upon hearing this, saying, "That would be great. What do you think of this proposal, Ambassador Gare?
"this……"
10% lower than the market price, that means there will be a surplus from the money earned from wine exports for buying food. This condition sounds good, but Gare's intuition tells him that this is definitely not a good idea.
But at this moment he could not think of any reason to refute. Just as he was hesitating about how to answer, the queen on the throne spoke.
"70% of the land used to plant green grass and 30% of the land used to plant wheatgrass will be used to plant grapes. Baranno is basically a luxury product provided to the nobility and the royal family. It won't have much impact if we eat less. The key is to ensure the food supply for the people of Jade Province, and then..."
As the clear voice of the silver-haired, blood-red-eyed queen on the throne rang out, everyone in the hall stopped whispering and looked at her.
Although her thin body due to long-term illness seemed very inconsistent on the towering throne, no one in the hall dared to neglect the woman wearing the bronze crown.
Irene Riel, who is only twenty-four years old, is also the youngest female emperor in the history of the Riel Empire.
Because she had severe congenital asthma since childhood, the late emperor sent Irene to the Holy Tree City in the Jade Province for recuperation when she was eight years old. She did not return to the Platinum Palace until after her coming-of-age ceremony. Less than two days after her return, the late emperor was attacked by the Broken Sword Brotherhood and was seriously injured.
After that, she had never been involved in politics since she was a child, and she had no base in the Platinum Palace. But after returning to the palace for only one year, she won the support of the Platinum Circle and the Eighth Church. And shortly after the death of the previous emperor, she overpowered her two brothers who had been in the palace for many years and ascended the Dragon Sword Throne, and was crowned with the bronze crown to become the current Queen Irene.
After her coronation, one of her two brothers was exiled to the northern Lengyan Province to serve as the Duke of Ice Dragon, while the other was arrested for conspiracy to force the emperor to abdicate. She ignored everyone's pleas and personally ordered her brothers to be hanged.
Because of her ruthless treatment of her blood relatives, many people in the folk secretly called her Unknown Irene or the Unknown Queen.
Hearing Queen Irene's words, Ambassador Gare hurriedly lowered his head, not even daring to breathe.
Queen Irene paused, then continued:
"...Then, for all the lands that have been converted to grape planting, the tithe will be exempted this year, and the tax will be halved for the next three years. Gare from the Emerald Province, I think such conditions should satisfy the Duke of the Holy Tree, right?"
"Your Majesty, thank you very much."
Gare replied quickly.
One year of exemption from tithe tax, halved for the next three years, plus the ability to purchase grain from the Chamber of Commerce at 10% below the market price. No matter how you calculate it, this is more favorable than the condition that the Duke of Holy Tree requested before coming here to reduce the wine export volume by 30%.
Speaker York, who was standing by, smiled and said:
"Well, the Jade Province Ambassador's motion can now be voted on. Although I think that under the current circumstances, it is probably the same whether to vote or not... Then please raise your hands if you agree with this motion..."
Councillor Albert raised his hand hesitantly, then he looked around and found that the motion was passed almost unanimously.
But is it really that easy? The wilt disease affects more than just the yield of grapes. In a year of famine and decay, it is definitely not a wise move to actively reduce the arable area of staple food.
During the last round of famine and corruption, he was still working under the Minister of Agriculture. He clearly remembered that according to the data he had compiled, even in the Platinum Province, where agriculture was the most developed, small-scale famine still spread in the countryside.
Does the Royal Chamber of Commerce really have as much food reserves as he promised? Even if they do, will they really provide it to the Jade Province?
I hope that by then, Cuiyu Province will be in a state of starvation...
Albert was thinking about it, and suddenly found that Queen Irene's eyes were turned to him.
"Congressman Albert, do you have any objections?"
"Ah? No no!"
He answered hastily at the Queen's sudden question, with cold sweat on his forehead.
It is said that Her Majesty the Queen has the talent to see a person's inner thoughts at a glance. Normally this seems to be just a court legend, but it really shocked Albert at the moment.
The Queen stopped talking, and Speaker York, who was sitting next to her, spoke:
"Since we want to promote the change of the use of cultivated land in Jade Province, I think the Empire will still have to send envoys to supervise and advise. Albert, I remember that you have experience as a secretary under the Minister of Agriculture before, right?"
“Ah… yes…”
Albert's heart sank.
Being targeted.
"Then how about you be the envoy to supervise matters related to the changes in the cultivated land in Jade Province?"
Speaker York asked with a smile. Although it was an inquiry, there was no hint of negotiation in his tone.
He really deserves the title of Smiling Lion.
"I……"
Albert wanted to try to struggle, but when he saw Speaker York's fake smile, he immediately lost his temper.
"I accept..."
He tried his best to sound flattered.
"Okay, then the next motion will be proposed by the General of the Platinum City Guard."
"We have discovered three locations in Platinum City that are suspected to be the bases of the Broken Sword Brotherhood. We hope..."
Albert was in no mood to listen to the motions and reports put forward by the representatives of all parties. He was in a trance and just raised his hand mechanically following the female congressman beside him.
And he kept thinking in his mind why it was him, was it because he was late at the beginning? Or was it because he showed a hesitant expression on his face after Her Majesty made that suggestion?
No matter what, in the next few years he will have to bid farewell to the prosperity of Platinum City and live in tree holes with those wild elves who wrapped themselves in animal skins and drank tree sap.
Now he just wanted to get the meeting over with and go home and get drunk.
Or not drink it? After all, the thing he would have to deal with most in the next few years would be that damn wine.
"...Then, the next report will be from Adrian, Patriarch of the Eighth Order."
The old man with gray hair and beard stood up tremblingly. He did not take out a file or any other document, but took off a silver statue of the Holy Spirit Kane from his neck.
A cracked icon.
He cleared his throat and said:
"Everyone, what I am going to explain next is the incident of the Holy Spirit Cain's divine appearance a week ago, and the priest's interpretation of this divine appearance."
