Strange Oil Painting!

Those raised silver swords exuded an incredibly strong aura of killing intent, sending chills down the spines of anyone who saw them.

This painting is clearly the work of a master; every detail in the painting is depicted with remarkable realism, and the atmosphere of war and conflict is palpable.

However, the man couldn't help but feel a little puzzled. Why would these obviously powerful Knight launch a direct attack on the tightly closed Castle gates? This was practically suicide. No matter how powerful the Knight were, they couldn't possibly break through the incredibly heavy Castle gates.

The man's gaze involuntarily fell on the Black Robe Knight was leading the way.

Everyone else was dressed in silver armor, but he wore a distinctly different black noble robe with silver trim. However, his head and limbs also seemed to be covered by a layer of black armor, reflecting a dark metallic luster in the sunlight.

What a strange Knight!

The longsword he held aloft was longer than those of the other Knight; though not ornate, it exuded a simple yet majestic kingly aura.

This clearly extraordinary Black Robe Knight held his longsword high, his black warhorse, much larger and stronger than the others, clad in silver-black armor, galloping ahead of the Knight behind him, Speed towards the Castle gate.

In the artist's depiction, the Black Robe Knight and the entire Knights do not exude tragedy or desolation, but rather sharpness and an inevitability of victory!

The Black Robe Knight exuded an unstoppable aura of power, as if he could cleave the city gates open with a single strike and lead his Knights into the Castle the moment he brought his longsword down!

Moreover, the entire oil painting is truly incredible, as if it were not the painter's imagination, but a real event.

All of this sounds like a long story, but it actually happened in the blink of an eye; only a few seconds had passed since the man opened the door and entered the room.

The man, who had been captivated by the incredibly realistic yet bizarre oil painting, quickly remembered his purpose. He put aside his doubts, composed himself, and looked down at the young man sitting behind a solid wood desk below the painting.

The man, who was over forty years old, did not show any disrespect to Chen Mo because of his youth. Instead, he bowed respectfully to Chen Mo and said something very respectfully.

"Sir, it is an honor to receive you!"

Seeing the man's performance, Chen Mo was quite satisfied. He nodded slightly and spoke slowly and deliberately.

"Please sit down!"

"Thank you, sir!"

After bowing and thanking him again, the man walked to the chair in front of the desk and sat down.

"What's the situation on the Republican Party side?"

Chen Mo spoke first, asking casually.

"Sir, after two years of development, our Republican Party is no weaker than the Democratic Party, and we have firmly established ourselves in Congress."

Sensing the restlessness in the other party's heart, and considering the current political situation in the United States, Chen Mo quickly understood his purpose.

"So, you want to compete with the Democratic Party for the presidential nomination this time?"

Although Chen Mo's words carried a question, his tone was absolutely certain.

Seeing that Chen Mo had seen through his thoughts, the man was surprised, but he still nodded and said so.

"Yes, sir! We are now fully capable of standing up to the Democratic Party!"

Looking at the tall, thin man in front of him who exuded confidence, Chen Mo gently shook his head.

"Lincoln, do you think slavery can be abolished peacefully?"

Indeed, the tall, thin man sitting in Chen Mo's study at this moment is none other than the leader of the newly formed Republican Party, Chen Mo's spokesperson, and also the future greatest president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln!

Upon hearing Chen Mo's question, Lincoln answered without hesitation.

"Of course not! You once said that slavery was the economic foundation upon which the Southern plantations depended for survival, and those Southern slave owners would never give up their fundamental interests!"

Chen Mo nodded slightly. This was a fact that he had already clearly conveyed to them and that had long been accepted by everyone. No one in the Republican Party now dared to dream of peacefully resolving the issue of slavery.

"So do you think the people of the whole country are now ready for war?"

Chen Mo looked up into Lincoln's eyes and asked in a deep voice.

"This?"

Lincoln's initial confidence was shattered by Chen Mo's question. Under Chen Mo's sharp gaze, he suddenly began to doubt whether his original idea was correct.

Moreover, out of respect, he hadn't really looked at Chen Mo closely before. But now, when he met Chen Mo's gaze, Lincoln suddenly realized that the young capitalist sitting in front of him had a pair of incredibly deep, dark eyes that seemed to see right through people and contained boundless wisdom.

Under those eyes, Lincoln felt as if all his thoughts were laid bare, no wonder he could so readily reveal his ideas.

Having finally escaped Chen Mo's gaze, Lincoln listened to Chen Mo continue speaking.

"We do have a firm foothold in Congress now and truly represent the interests of Northern business owners and Western ranchers, but the vote is in the hands of all citizens!"

Chen Mo's words made Abraham Lincoln's eyes widen in surprise.

"Our stance on slavery has always been one of resolute resistance. If our party is elected, we will inevitably take a hard line on the issue of slavery, and a civil war could break out at any time."

"This is not what ordinary people want to see!"

Before Lincoln could speak, Chen Mo added another sentence.

"At least not now!"

At this point, Chen Mo paused slightly, glanced at Lincoln who looked thoughtful, and continued.

"The Democratic Party's campaign platform has been released. They promise to maintain economic prosperity and stability, call for unity between the North and the South to preserve the unity of the country, and repeatedly emphasize that Republican Party victory would mean the disintegration of the Union."

Do you think the Republican Party, with its radical anti-slavery platform, can win?

After hearing Chen Mo's words, Abraham Lincoln's expression became serious. He looked up at Chen Mo and asked in a heavy voice.

"Sir, are our principles wrong?"

Chen Mo gently shook his head.

"Our program is not wrong, but the timing is wrong. The domestic situation is not yet fully mature, the harm of slavery has not been deeply understood by the general public, and the people are not ready to face war."

"It's like a boil on your body. Don't rush to pop it before it's fully swollen. Wait patiently, and when the time is right, it will naturally burst and expel all the bad stuff!"