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Chapter 422: Have You Considered It?
Chapter 422: Have You Considered It?
Upon realizing that Princess Veronica did not intend to storm the palace and force the old King to abdicate, Lyon couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief. He then asked, "Since you're not planning to lead an assault on the palace, what did you mean by the 'things you have to do'?"
"Of course, I'm referring to the Officer Replacement Decree and the proposal to expand civic suffrage," she replied. "Why would you think I'd lead an attack on the palace?"
After being teased by Lyon, Princess Veronica's agitated mood calmed down a little. She sat back in her seat and explained with a complex expression, "As you said earlier, no matter what the outcome, what I'm doing now is right. By replacing those incompetent officers who rely solely on their birthright, the military department can finally breathe. And with most of the current parliament members coming from merchant backgrounds, many of them received merchant funding before their election. Only by expanding civic suffrage can we dilute the merchants' influence in parliament... These are things that should be done; we can't just stop here."
So, even knowing that the old King had outmaneuvered her, was she still determined to see it through?
Lyon looked at Princess Veronica with admiration and asked tentatively, "And then what?"
"Well..."
Hearing Lyon's question, Princess Veronica bit her lip again and sighed helplessly, "Let's take it one step at a time... Lyon, my mind is in turmoil. Over the past few years, I've thought about what to do if the reform doesn't go through or if something goes wrong during the process. But I never considered what to do if my father... or if the royal family suddenly turns against me. I need some time to think this through. In any case, thank you for your reminder."
At this point, the princess, now with a more stable mood, looked at Lyon gratefully. Then, with a slightly lonely expression, she sighed, "I always thought that as long as I did well enough and found a feasible new path for the kingdom, my father would trust me with the throne. After all, although he had reservations about my ideas, he has always supported me wholeheartedly.
But now it seems that perhaps from the very beginning, I was already out of the running. His chosen heir has always been Joshua, because even if he lacks ability, he can learn, and if he can't learn, he can entrust capable people to do it.
And my 'problem' seems even bigger. To him and the entire royal family, I am a bit... um... how should I put it..."
"You betrayed the class you were born into, or to put it bluntly, your loyalty doesn't lie with the royal family."
"Yes... that's about right..."
Hearing Lyon's words, Princess Veronica unconsciously shifted in her seat, moving closer to the edge of the chair. She nodded helplessly, "Yes, that's right. To the royal family, I'm a traitor... But next time, just say the first half, I can understand too. And about class..."
After pondering this term carefully, Princess Veronica blinked and then praised with admiration in her eyes, "Like a ladder system of stratification, each step ascending, then clearly separated, almost impossible to cross without external force... Your summary of this term is indeed an apt description of the current kingdom."
"..."
Like a ladder system of stratification...
Hearing the princess's words, Lyon couldn't help but pause.
The term was something she had heard countless times in her past life, but she had never truly understood its meaning until now.
As understanding dawned on her, she pondered the implications of the word "queen." Lyon, sensing her realization, hesitantly asked, "So... do you want to reconsider?"
"?"
The princess blinked in confusion at Lyon's question. "Reconsider what?"
"Going back to lead an attack on the palace, forcing your father to abdicate, and then..."
"I'm already feeling terrible about it, can you please stop?" she pleaded.
After hearing Lyon's words, the princess managed a wry smile. "The only organized military force in the capital is the palace guards, and the only one with the authority to deploy them is the king himself, not even the queen. Even the guards by my side are assigned by the other side. Who am I supposed to lead to attack the palace?"
"Moreover, it's not just the king who rules the kingdom, but the entire royal family. People recognize the military might, wealth, and power of the royal family, as well as the officials in the seventeen departments who are willing to follow the royal family's orders and manage the kingdom's affairs. It's not just about the throne."
"Even if I could miraculously conjure an army and seize the throne, there's no guarantee that I could control those soldiers, wealth, and power. The nobles would immediately oppose me."
"Despite the current conflict between the nobility and the royal family, if I were to break the rules and seize power, the Upper House would convene and declare my throne invalid, and they'd elect Joshua or another royal family member to take over."
"The merchant-backed members of the Lower House, who value stability, would likely not support a queen who rose to power by breaking the rules. In short, if I were to attack the palace, it would truly be the end of everything."
"Not necessarily."
After patiently listening to the princess's words, Lyon contemplated for a moment before calmly analyzing the situation. "Humans are creatures of habit. The old king has been ill for the past six years, and during this time, you've been handling most of the kingdom's affairs. He only makes occasional appearances."
"The royalist officials in the seventeen departments claim to be loyal to the royal family, but in these six years, they've been following your orders. Many of them, like the Minister of the Military, are directly appointed by you, and they've grown accustomed to obeying your commands."
"Your advantage is greater than you imagine. If you can stabilize the situation, these royalist officials might not openly oppose you. Most will choose to remain neutral or even actively support you."
"?"
"As for the soldiers, it's even less of an issue. If you can implement the Officer Selection and Replacement Decree, even if you can only replace three-tenths of the mid and lower-level officers, your influence in the military will skyrocket. If you can temporarily stabilize the situation, you might gain unimaginable support. After all, on one side are those who adhere to the old rules, suppressing talent in favor of birthright, and on the other side is someone who offers them opportunities to rise and even plans to give them a new queen... This choice isn't difficult, right?"
"Lyon?!"
The princess was taken aback as she saw Lyon's eyes shining with determination, genuinely analyzing the possibilities. She exclaimed in disbelief, "Do you know what you're saying?!"
(End of Chapter)
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