"Oh?" Sun Fei neither agreed nor disagreed, but simply smiled and drank the red wine in the crystal goblet. After a while, he pointed to the empty stone chair next to him, indicating that everyone should sit down and talk.
This action once again conveyed the wrong message to Sherwood and others.
Sherwood was immediately invigorated, and his initial anxiety vanished.
He hurriedly greeted the others with a fawning smile and invited them to sit down. Then, he eagerly began to pour out his grievances, putting on a righteous and awe-inspiring air, saying, " My Martial Saint, I know you once held the Byzantium King in high regard and even taught him Byzantium arts. You were wholeheartedly devoted to the empire, cultivating promising talents. It's a pity that the despicable Byzantium King betrayed your trust. Although he is young, he is cunning and treacherous. Let me just mention one thing: my Lord, think about it. This time, the Ten Empires Allied Army invaded, and the entire Southern Frontier was devastated. Why was it that only his Kingdom of Byzantium could hold out for two days before being breached? Moreover, it is said that the Kingdom of Byzantium family's treasures were completely unscathed?"
Sun Fei glanced at him casually. "Is it because the Kingdom of Byzantium army is strong and the people are united in their Resist?"
Sherwood shook his head with a sigh, "At first, I and all of you gentlemen thought so too. Unfortunately, we later discovered by chance that Constantine, that despicable fellow, had long since betrayed the Empire and sided with the Lyon. That's why he received special treatment. Otherwise, think about it, how could a third-class vassal state of Kingdom of Byzantium have held out for so long? The two first-class vassal states in the Southern Frontier of the Empire only lasted for a few hours before completely falling..."
After listening, Sun Fei looked into Sherwood's sincere gaze, said "Oh," and shook the crystal wine glass in his hand without saying anything specific.
Rennes Knight reacted quickly and poured Sun Fei another glass of red wine.
Sherwood gritted his teeth, seeing Sun Fei's skeptical look, and decided to add fuel to the fire, continuing, "These past few days, all of us here have been secretly observing Constantine and have gathered some evidence of his treacherous intentions. Now, a large number of imperial citizens and scattered soldiers have come to Kingdom of Byzantium because of your influence and prestige, yet this Constantine completely disregards you. He is of lowly status, yet he resides in the royal palace, while you, the Imperial Martial Saint, who has devoted yourself to the empire, are relegated to a small inn..."
This is tantamount to sowing discord; their intentions are despicable.
Sun Fei nodded, still not saying anything explicitly.
Sherwood was overjoyed at the sight and nodded, indicating that the Martial Saint agreed with what he had heard.
He perked up, his face beaming, and continued, "That's not all! Constantine, in your name, recruited soldiers and built an army. In the Battle of Storm Cape Bay, it was you who appeared in time, defeating the Lyon fleet and capturing a large number of warships, supplies, and Lyon slaves. But he kept all of it for himself, forcing his subjects and stragglers who came to join the Kingdom of Byzantium army. He didn't kill a single Lyon soldier he captured. Even the Lyon commander, whom you personally captured, is said to be treated exceptionally well, with three meals a day. He wasn't sent to the capital to be dealt with by the imperial family. It's said that several times the people and soldiers of the capital demanded the execution of this executioner Executioner were stained with the Bloody of the imperial people, but Constantine refused..."
At this point, Sherwood glanced at his other colleagues.
The others immediately understood and indignantly echoed their sentiments.
Tax official Berezov: "Yes, yes, Lord Sherwood is absolutely right. I think this young man Constantine is malicious and a malignant tumor on the Southern Frontier of the empire. Sooner or later he will become a scourge and tarnish your supreme, flawless, and immaculate Glory and reputation, Lord Wusheng!"
Quartermaster Josen: "He's now frantically seizing power, completely disregarding the Empire's military system and laws; he's utterly audacious!"
Garrison Commander Vincent: "Indeed, according to the laws of the Empire, at this time, only Lord Sherwood has the right to form an army, the authority to handle prisoners of war, and is the supreme commander of the entire Azure Wind Province. This Byzantium king, hmph, is overstepping his bounds, seizing power for himself, and trying to control everything. He's truly treacherous!"
The butler, Gulait, sneered, "Because only by doing this can he cover up his crime of treason and surrendering to the Lyon, preserve his throne, and fetch a good price if he later joins the Lyon!"
Sun Fei listened quietly to everyone's opinions without interrupting.
Only after everyone had expressed their opinions did he slowly down his glass of red wine, look at Sherwood with a half-smile, and ask, "So, based on the opinions of the city lord and all the other officials, what should we do next?"
Sherwood had been waiting for Sun Fei to ask this question.
Upon hearing this, he declared with righteous indignation, " The Kingdom of Byzantium has now established an elite army and navy, greatly increasing its strength. Its manpower is plentiful, and its food supplies are not a concern for the time being. In my opinion, Your Excellency, you should immediately order the execution of the traitor Constantine, the extermination of the Byzantium royal family, and nip this in the bud. This will serve as a warning to others with ulterior motives. Then, unify the government, clarify authority, streamline the system, and elect a virtuous and capable nobleman of high status to command the army. Only in this way can we unleash the full potential of the current army, fully mobilize the people of the empire, and protect the millions of civilians in my Azure Wind Province!"
"Execute traitors, unify government orders, and clarify authority?" Sun Fei smiled.
"Exactly, that's the best way right now," Sherwood nodded.
"Yes, yes, now the Kingdom of Byzantium army is the only force in the Southern Frontier of the empire that can contend with the allied forces. This force must not fall into the hands of some lowly people. I think Lord Sherwood is brave and loyal, has led the army to fight for the empire for many days, and is also a hereditary first-class noble of the empire. He is the best candidate for the new commander!" Tax collector Berezov suggested.
"That's a great suggestion, that's what I was thinking too."
"Indeed, indeed! It is a misfortune for the empire to allow a villain like Constantine to gain power. If Lord Sherwood could spare no effort to turn the tide, it would be a blessing for the empire. I hope Lord Sherwood will not refuse!"
"I have witnessed Lord Sherwood's tireless efforts and dedication to the Empire and the Royal Family these past few days, and I admire him greatly. I wholeheartedly agree that Lord Sherwood should become the new commander!"
The other nobles echoed this sentiment, appearing righteous and wholeheartedly devoted to the interests of the empire.
Sun Fei sighed inwardly.
These people are utterly shameless.
Second update.
There will be more updates tonight.
Thanks to: SleepSleepSleep, So-and-so, rob73, Top-notch Kid, I Love Big and Small Chengcheng, Time-Space Hidden Hero, and Mars Forbidden Army for their support.