Chapter 423: All is Prepared
Chapter 423: All is Prepared
"Of course I know what I'm talking about."
Facing the questioning gaze of Princess Veronica, Lyon blinked and continued, "And I'm not finished yet. Aside from the Officer Selection and Replacement Decree, aren't you also planning to propose the expansion of civic suffrage in the upcoming parliamentary session?"
"This proposal not only dilutes the influence of merchants, preventing them from excessively vying for power with the royalty and nobility, but it also genuinely expands parliamentary authority, giving more groups a chance to voice their opinions."
"I've read the newspapers. Over the past few years, your policies have strongly supported the energy sector, reduced taxes for small craftsmen, provided subsidies to farmers, and recently mandated minimum wages for factories. So, the grand merchants don't really support you, but other groups might have a different opinion."
"I don't know how you see it, but I think that once the bill for expanded suffrage passes, the new parliament, no longer dominated by merchants, will likely welcome a new queen who has been fighting for their interests."
"..."
Could it be seen in this light?
As he watched the princess's rosy lips part in surprise, Lyon spoke with a hint of implication, "Actually, after hearing about the Officer Selection and Replacement Decree and the proposal for expanded suffrage, I even thought you were preparing for the old king's abdication.
After all, the royalty won't genuinely support you, but the mid and lower-level officers in the military department, along with the new members of parliament representing craftsmen, farmers, and workers, have no choice but to support you to secure their newly acquired status and power.
So, if you wait a little longer and thoroughly push these two matters, the mid and lower-level officers and the new members of parliament after the expansion of suffrage will be completely tied to your chariot..." Lyon paused, "To be honest, are you really not doing this on purpose?"
"I... I never thought about these things..."
After listening to Lyon's words, Princess Veronica's eyes wandered aimlessly as she spoke, "My goal in restructuring the military department is because the old nobility-dominated department is too decadent, leading to the kingdom's military preparedness being neglected. And the expansion of suffrage is also because there are too many merchant-born members of parliament, and their proposals over the past two years have been too biased..." She paused, "This... this..."
"This proves that you chose the kingdom, and the kingdom chose you in return."
After defining this coincidence, Lyon fixed his gaze on the princess's eyes, switched to the corresponding badge, and earnestly advised, "Whether you did this intentionally or unintentionally, what you've been consistently doing these years has indeed given you feedback and become your most powerful support! So, you don't need to feel anxious or have any psychological pressure. After all, you're not some power-hungry opportunist; you're just doing the right thing."
"..."
I'm just... doing the right thing?
Lyon's words left the princess's mind in disarray. After silently repeating this phrase in her mind, the princess's hand unconsciously clenched the corner of her dress, and she bit her lip, shaking her head. "The mid and lower-level officers and new members of parliament, they... they are just supporters, but they haven't truly grasped power yet. And for the past few centuries, the kingdom has always been led by the royalty and nobility.
"If I truly succeed, then it's fine. But if I fail, the entire kingdom will descend into chaos. The Ice Kingdom has just endured a harsh winter, and once the weather warms up, what if they take advantage of the kingdom's turmoil..."
"It won't descend into chaos.
"Lyon shook his head and pointed to himself, "Have you forgotten? I am the biggest old nobility! You're worried about the Senate declaring your throne invalid, but I, the Duke of Lionheart, am the Vice-Speaker of the Senate."
He continued, "Even if necessary, I have a good relationship with the last member of the Bouquet family, and I believe I can get her support. This means that both the Speaker and the Vice-Speaker of the Senate are on your side!"
"It's not the same!" the princess exclaimed, her breath quickening for reasons unknown. "During the Ryan Blood Night, many important members of the Ryan family died, and the Bouquets are now left with only Miss Emma. The two pillars of the kingdom no longer hold the same influence as before."
"While according to the founding laws, as long as there are still members of your families, the same vein, the seats of the Speaker and Vice-Speaker must be retained. But in such a situation, the two of you cannot decide the Senate's judgment."
"That doesn't matter," Lyon explained. "According to the kingdom's laws, if the Speaker and Vice-Speaker jointly recognize your claim, it is equivalent to a direct pass in the Senate. If they cannot pass it, then the Senate itself has a problem."
Lyon, who had long considered this issue, continued without blinking, "If the Senate goes against the will of the two Speakers and forcefully declares your throne invalid, can you not use the kingdom's laws to declare the Senate's judgment invalid?"
"Huh?" the princess was taken aback.
"What I mean is, don't follow their rules this time. We should each do our own thing." Lyon stared into the princess's eyes and explained earnestly. "You don't need the Senate to recognize your throne. You just need a plausible reason to start a bureaucratic tug-of-war, preventing them from officially declaring your throne invalid. As long as your throne hasn't been declared invalid, you are still the nominal queen, and the Senate cannot officially deploy troops to evict you from the palace. With the support of mid and lower-level officers, you can even turn the tables and deploy troops to surround the Senate."
"After all, they would have broken the law, wouldn't they?"
The princess was speechless. Could it really be done this way?
Lyon, seeing that the princess's mind wasn't fully open and she was still thinking about following the rules, couldn't help but remind her, "As I said, the only garrison in the capital city is in the palace. All the others are outside the city, and even if the noble estates' guards are elite, what can they do against a structured army with heavy weapons?
"If you don't care about doing things by the book, you don't even need to surround the Senate. After all, the old nobility's power, even within the capital, is just a team of guards. Just deploy two teams of soldiers, one to blockade the Redwood Avenue estate, preventing anyone from leaving, and another to block Loer Archway. Find some random items and dump them into the canal, and the Senate will be effectively disbanded."
"After all, anyone who can speak in the Senate must be at least a viscount, and there are only so many viscounts and above in the capital. They all live on those two streets. If you surround their entire family, do you think they won't listen to you?"
Lyon spoke more bluntly, "You're just taking over the throne from your father, and you're not planning to take the lives of those old nobles. Do you think, given their loyalty to the royal family, they would risk their entire family to go against you, someone who can deploy troops?"
(End of Chapter)
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