Chapter 434: Time to Call for Help
Chapter 434: Time to Call for Help
As he observed the eager anticipation on the face of the middle-aged female parliamentarian, who was clearly ready to deliver a slap to his brother-in-law, Joshua instinctively recoiled, his hand on the armrest unconsciously swiping left and right, brushing away non-existent dust.
I'm not backing down, but...
It's not that I'm a coward; it's just that I'm not on the same side as this female parliamentarian. She opposes the replacement order, and I want it to pass. Why would I support her?
Furthermore, I'm a prince, and in the future, I'll even be king. With so many parliamentarians watching below, if I get slapped and cry in such an important moment, how will I command respect when I ascend the throne?
So... you're lucky this time. For the greater good, I'll let you off the hook!
Joshua glared at the freckled prince, who had looked at Leon with a mixture of fear and defiance after losing his uncle's support. The prince lowered his head and began picking at his nails.
"Your Highness?"
When Joshua had dramatically slammed his hand on the podium, the middle-aged female parliamentarian had thought he was going to stand up for justice and chastise the acting speaker for his antics. Her heavily made-up face was filled with surprise.
However, to her surprise, Joshua not only slammed his hand on the armrest but also glared at her, appearing ready to uphold justice. But he merely posed, and after his display, he didn't say a word. The middle-aged female parliamentarian couldn't contain herself any longer. She shouted in a mix of shock and anger:
"Your Highness, Prince Joshua!
Your presence here on behalf of the royal family is to supervise the king and prevent people like him from acting out of line! If you don't stand up now, what will become of the royal family's reputation?"
"..."
Yes!
Upon hearing the female parliamentarian's words, the freckled prince suddenly realized that if he didn't speak up at this moment and showed that he was afraid of her, it would be a disgrace to the royal family and a devastating blow to his personal prestige.
However, just as this thought emerged in his mind, it was as if a cigarette butt had been thrown into a river, immediately extinguished by Leon's somewhat delighted expression.
So be it. There's nothing that can't be endured. Moreover, from his expression, it's clear he's waiting for me to be "defeated." If I ignore this matter, I'll lose face at most. But if I intervene, I'll first get slapped and then humiliated.
Since I'm going to lose face either way, why would I voluntarily ask for a beating? That would be insane.
"It seems that Prince Joshua also agrees with my temporary proposal."
After waiting for a while on the podium, Leon sighed in disappointment when he realized that no matter how much the middle-aged female parliamentarian yelled, Joshua on the throne remained silent, keeping his head down and picking at his fingers. Leon turned around and gestured to the guards below.
"Bring in two guards. She's no longer an upper house parliamentarian and has no right to stay here... Drag her out!"
"You?! Who dares?"
When she saw two guards approaching to take her away, the middle-aged female parliamentarian became furious. She grabbed the podium with both hands and shouted hysterically:
"I am a count of the kingdom! My family has been in the upper house for two hundred years! You have no right to revoke my parliamentarian status! And you two! Get your hands off me! Scram!"
The two guards were probably unprepared for this unusual situation. The woman was now hugging the podium, and if they pulled her forcefully, it might not be appropriate. Although she was no longer a parliamentarian, she was still a noble lord. They couldn't just knock her unconscious.
The two guards hesitantly tried to pull her, but they ended up tearing her dress, exposing her shoulders. They dared not pull further and instead looked helplessly at Leon, hoping the powerful acting speaker would offer a solution.
Not this again... You can't even handle such a simple task, and you still need me to teach you?
Noticing the pleading gazes of the two guards, Lyon couldn't help but shake his head in exasperation. He then reached into his pocket, pulled out a rope, and handed it to them.
"Huh?"
"Still don't get it?"
Seeing the guards' bewildered expressions, Lyon sighed and pointed at the middle-aged female parliamentarian hugging the solo podium and wailing.
"She's not letting go of the podium, so just tie her and the podium together and carry them both down. That should do it, right?"
Exactly!
Enlightened by the Vice Speaker's guidance, the two guards immediately followed Lyon's instructions, using the rope to bind the parliamentarian and the podium together, and then carried them both away, person and podium in one go.
Unfazed by the loss of the podium, Lyon picked up the documents that had fallen to the ground, held the small silver hammer and golden bell, and turned back towards the high royal throne on the main platform.
"Move aside a bit!"
Lyon shoved the freckled prince to the side, making room for himself on the throne. He placed the documents on the spacious seat and, amidst the shocked gazes of the parliamentarians, rang the small golden bell with the silver hammer once more.
"Alright, let's continue the meeting!"
"..."
Wait, are we still holding a wholesale market here? The freckled prince, bullied to the point of turning pale, dared not utter a word. The lower house members below the stage could no longer contain themselves.
You've already raised your left hand and then your right, and with that, two-thirds of the votes are considered passed. Joshua is spineless and won't stand up to you. Now, the Upper House is just your one-man show. Anyone who dares to oppose you is immediately dismissed on the spot, tied up like a pig for slaughter and carried away. Who would dare to challenge you? You can pass anything you want by voting for yourself, and then it's done. Why bother tormenting us like this?
"Vice Speaker!"
In response to Lyon's outrageous actions, an elderly parliamentarian with white hair stood up, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"This Upper House session you're presiding over will surely go down in the kingdom's history! Whether it's the replacement order or the proposal for universal suffrage, you can decide what to pass, and we won't play along!"
"Sure, take your time leaving."
Lyon remained unperturbed by the mockery and instead scanned the room, politely suggesting,
"Are there others like him who oppose the replacement order and the proposal for universal suffrage? If so, you may leave together.
Rest assured, I won't take away your parliamentary seats. Parliament is a place for free speech, so feel free to leave if you wish. Don't worry, I won't retaliate."
"Since the Vice Speaker has said so, we won't play along either."
After hearing Lyon's words, another parliamentarian stood up and left for the exit.
One by one, more parliamentarians rose, their faces darkening as they exited early, occasionally muttering curses under their breath.
"Absurd!"
"Don't think that being a duke gives you the right to do as you please! His Majesty will never tolerate this!"
"This matter isn't over yet!"
Touching the tip of his black ram's horn, Lyon watched as a parliamentarian with a soul that was a mix of black and purple left through the main gate. The parliament hall's spiritual realm became noticeably cleaner as Lyon narrowed his eyes in satisfaction.
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
After most of the opposition parliamentarians had left, Lyon rang the small golden bell with the silver hammer and, with a hint of embarrassment, admitted:
"I didn't expect there to be so many people opposing me. It seems I'm not fit to be the Speaker. I deeply apologize...
How about this: I declare a temporary recess. Please stay in your places and don't move around. Joshua and I will go to the palace to bring back someone qualified to preside over this session!"
(End of Chapter)
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