Chapter 1068: Chapter 1065: Video Conference Chapter 1068: Chapter 1065: Video Conference No matter what, the plan to unite with the Steel Ridge Kingdom was still up in the air, success or failure uncertain.
The persistent problem of population shortfall was a significant issue for the Fla Kingdom, and Liszt, eager for rapid achievents, was unwilling to slow down his developnt plans.
Therefore, launching the Pioneer Mandate war was the best way forward.
“But the content of the Pioneer Mandate must be innovative,” Liszt said—”Wool can’t be sheared from the sa place repeatedly; you have to switch locations to continue shearing,” which was a principle he clearly understood.
“If we do not plunder the Eagle Kingdom, we can only plunder the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy,” Li Weiliam said.
“Then notify Marquis Yevich Shuihuasheng of Heroic Yellow City and Marquis Amat Ice Shield of Thorn Left Territory, to speed up the conquest of the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy. Before June arrives, I need at least five hundred thousand serfs transported back from there, and the more knights the better.”
The Snowstorm Mountain Duchy was not a large duchy. Situated on the plateau and quite barren, its population barely totaled six to seven million.
The internal war between the First Prince and the Second Prince had just begun, and already Yevich with the help of his father-in-law Amat had secretly transferred over five hundred thousand people to the Fla Kingdom. Now they wanted to extract another half million people; within a short year, the population would be reduced by a fifth.
Further, the Yellowstone Kingdom was also covertly shearing wool, perhaps by the ti the two princes decided the victor, the Snowstorm Mountain Duchy would be left with only half its population.
Of course, this had nothing to do with Liszt. He was only concerned about the developnt of the Fla Kingdom.
“Then I shall go and make the arrangents.”
“By the way, Father, I plan to hold your ducal investiture ceremony on January 15. I will have the Royal Inner Court prepare everything for the ceremony; just wait for the 15th to arrive.”
“I’m not fussy; any ti would do.” Li Weiliam’s usually unflappable face nevertheless revealed a smile he could not contain.
There was a ti when he was but an earl in the Sapphire Duchy, struggling to reach the status of marquis.
He had assud that achieving marquis status before his Dou Qi exhausted would be a knightly honor bestowed upon him, but with the rise of his second son, Liszt, his dreams had beco easily achievable. Unknowingly, the marquisate was in hand, followed by the acquisition of the “Domain Knight Manual.”
He beca an existence second only to a Dragon Knight.
Power always complented ambition, yet hardly had his ambition stirred when the prospect of ducal status was already within reach.
Everything seed like a dream.
When he left the Sun Moon Star Palace, even walking felt as though he were about to float into the air—as a Domain Knight could indeed fly in the air for prolonged periods.
On the Royal Palace Square, his mount, the Broken Horn Storm Dragon Horse, was pacing about idly.
The broken horn on top of this Super Dragon Beast’s head had beco even more magnificent. Not only was it forged from a Magic tal Alloy core, but it was also embedded with tiny gemstones and inscribed with Magic Runes. This had been custom-ordered by Li Weiliam from the Magic Association, equivalent to a piece of powerful Magic Equipnt.
Mounting his steed, Li Weiliam called out, “White Dragon Horse, let’s set off.”
Imdiately, the Broken Horn Storm Dragon Horse flapped its wings, taking to the sky like a bolt of Lightning, and rapidly headed towards Fla King City. Monts later, it already landed in front of the towering and majestic offices of King’s Castle.
The whole King’s Castle office was a six-story building reminiscent of the Victorian era, painted a conspicuous golden yellow, and faced the Triumphal Arch. The lengthy building was divided into three sections: one for the bureaucratic institutions of the King’s Castle, one for the Inner Cabinet, and another for the Outer Cabinet.
Li Weiliam’s office was on the sixth floor, spacious and lavishly decorated. Allowing his personal attendant to take off his coat, he went straight to his petrified wood desk.
He signaled his assistant, “Convene the Outer Cabinet ministers for a eting on the Magic Platform, set the ti for two-thirty in the afternoon.”
“Yes, my lord,” the elegantly dressed female assistant, who could score an eighty in appearance, swayed her slender waist as she walked into the small conference room attached to the office.
She began tapping away on a slightly large, intricately designed Magic Platform.
Her fingers were slender, magic power flowing at her fingertips; she was indeed a magician—although in Fla Kingdom, the term “magician” was about to be obsolete. She was now a registered arcanist, specializing in communication arcanistry, specifically trained to operate the magic platform.
The magic platform lit up, like a projector, casting a dozen screens on the walls of the eting room.
Before long, so screens turned from gray to colored, and then people dressed similarly to the female assistant appeared on the screens. Just as Earth had developed from text communication to video communication, the magic platform, after continuous developnt and improvent, had also entered the era of video communication.
For Fla Kingdom, which had already conquered the magic teleportation array, developing video communication posed no technical difficulties. Ach used his spare ti to co up with a video communication sche, and then handed it over to the Magic Guild for developnt and design.
However, the cost of video magic platforms was extrely high, and the current production was only enough for the use of the inner and outer cabinet mbers and the training of professional communication arcanists.
Others had yet to gain access to it.
“Posidoya Assistant, is the Pri Minister convening the magic platform eting?” a woman asked from one of the screens.
“Yes, Oliya Assistant, please notify the First Minister of Internal Affairs to attend the magic platform eting,” the female assistant replied.
“I will notify Lord Geoffrey right away, but since he is inspecting his domain, it may take so ti.”
“The eting is set for two-thirty in the afternoon; please make sure to inform the First Minister of Internal Affairs.”
“Yes.”
Thus, the female assistant went through the screens one by one, confirming the ti of the magic platform eting. Just as she finished the notifications and was about to shut down the magic platform, Li Weiliam had already walked in holding a glass of red wine.
“Posidoya, connect to Tulip Castle,” he said.
“Yes, my lord,” Posidoya Assistant said as she manipulated the magic platform, soon projecting another screen. Until the magic platform connected, the screen remained gray—Tulip Castle did not have a video magic platform, and this Tulip Castle was a new duke’s castle built on Tulip Island.
Coral Island had been returned to Sapphire Duchy, and that forr Tulip Castle had beco a thing of the past. Only Black Horse Island remained a possession of Liszt in the form of an enclave. Black Horse Island had a natural node, and a magic teleportation array would be established there in the future to strengthen control over Sapphire Duchy.
“This is Tulip Castle,” a male voice ca from the magic platform, and although it couldn’t achieve video communication, ordinary magic platforms had long since been upgraded to voice communication.
“Levis?” Li Weiliam asked.
“Yes, Father,” ca the reply.
“How is Loria’s health?”
“Very well, she’s constantly under the observation of a healing arcanist, and the twins in her belly are developing healthily,” Levis’s voice revealed excitent. This was Loria’s second pregnancy.
“Mm,” Li Weiliam was also pleased. Although his four-year-old grandson Richard had already shown excellent talent, he still held expectations for the unborn twins—after all, with Liszt as a shining example before them, who could guarantee that the second son might not turn out to be legendary.
Indeed, since Liszt’s rise, his legendary story had changed the awkward position of many noble second sons.
Originally, most nobles ignored their second sons and let them fend for themselves, as the primogeniture system ensured that by fostering the first son, the family legacy could continue. But now, many nobles were willing to spread resources to cultivate their second sons in addition to the first, not necessarily hoping to produce another Liszt.
As long as the second son could make a slight mark, the cultivation would not be in vain.
And Liszt had beco the irreplaceable idol in the hearts of many noble second sons. Every day, from the three great kingdoms and many duchies, a large number of noble second sons ca from afar to seek allegiance. A good portion of the city’s nobility were such second sons.
Without the resources of a family, they relied entirely on Liszt for support and beca vassals of the Fla Family.
After a pause, Li Weiliam said indifferently, “Levis, the 15th is my ennoblent ceremony. Calculate the ti for yourself, bring your grandmother and the others, and hurry to Sun Moon Star Palace.”
“The ennoblent on the 15th, Father? Rest assured, I will arrange everything at ho and rush to Sun Moon Star Palace imdiately!” Levis laughed heartily.
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