In the Name of Empress-Chapter 348 - 237: Xidai’s Sky_2

In fact, the old nobility forces within Jin Yuan Kingdom are still above the reformers.

If they are pushed to the edge, their backlash would be hard to deal with.

If a highly influential old noble appears, the entire country could fall into endless civil war or even split apart.

Mr. Carlo is from the old nobility, but his proposals definitely stand on the position of the entire nation.

To show his position, Carlo even returned most of the ancestral lands to the state, retaining less than one-fiftieth.

However, all his efforts, in Marco’s eyes, were nothing but betrayal.

The phrase Marco said, "An incomplete revolution is equivalent to no revolution at all," was not said for nothing; he acted upon it.

When facing former comrades, he hardened his heart and raised the butcher’s knife.

Carlo is old nobility, a double agent within the revolutionary ranks.

Carlo must die!

Marco secretly allied with the radical reformers, launching a coup in the capital, and overnight, scattered Carlo and his followers.

Carlo knew Marco disagreed with his political views, so he never entrusted Marco with important tasks and remained wary of this ambitious fellow.

Yet he still underestimated the anger of the disappointed.

Allen sighed lightly, looking up at the sky.

That’s how it is in West City during winter; though there’s sunshine, it’s mostly gloomy, just like his current mood.

He didn’t want to comment on who was right or wrong between Carlo and Marco.

But he always felt that there should be better solutions to political differences, as after all, they were comrades who fought side by side to overthrow the old dynasty; they shouldn’t be killing each other.

He didn’t agree with Carlo’s political stance, but he also disagreed with Marco’s black-and-white attitude and the labels he put on Carlo.

Carlo was merely born into a noble family; he was not a part of the decaying old forces.

If Carlo was aligned with the old nobility, why didn’t he make himself Emperor, but instead drafted civil rights codes and other laws, providing the Jin Yuan People with the basis of freedom and equality from a legal perspective?

This doesn’t make any sense at all.

Marco accused Carlo of being power-hungry, yet Carlo retreated to a secondary position, while Marco, after coming to power, continuously struck dissidents, holding power firmly in his hands.

Thinking of this, Allen only felt a headache coming on.

If given a choice, he would rather choose Carlo over Marco, though unfortunately, he had no chance.

He had long been branded as Marco’s loyalist, an imprint he couldn’t remove.

He had done too many things against his conscience for Marco, which couldn’t be cleansed away.

Though uncomfortable, he could only stay tied to Marco’s big ship, advancing and retreating together.

Compared to Marco, he even less understood what Alina wanted to do.

Surely she didn’t really think a mere few tens of thousands of rebels could take back West City, did she?

Times have indeed changed.

During the time Carlo was killed, and Alina was in hiding, Marco continuously nibbled away at the territory of the old forces, finding various reasons to send the old nobility to the guillotine.

Though the resistance from the old forces was intense, President Marco truly had a gift for struggle.

Using various means, he divided the old nobility, making many nobles believe he really was only eliminating the scum of the nation rather than settling scores with the nobility.

By the time the old nobility reacted, the most powerful dukes were already dead.

The remaining nobles, though not lacking in strength, had lost their backbone and couldn’t unite at all.

They either fled overseas or hid in their castles waiting for death.

The downfall of the old nobility was just a matter of time.

In Allen’s view, as long as President Marco systematically eliminated the old forces, providing visible benefits to civilians and merchants, he could unite the majority and reshape a new order.

Though this path was strewn with thorns and rivers of blood, it could definitely succeed.

If there were no accidents.

No, as long as he’s around, no accidents are allowed!

Allen thought fiercely.

He was so focused on his thoughts that he didn’t pay much heed to the few people approaching him from the opposite direction.

These people wore hoods, their faces obscured. Though somewhat unfamiliar, Allen’s professional intuition told him these individuals had formidable combat capabilities.

Presumably, they were recruited by President Marco to execute special tasks.

Allen shrugged, not thinking much of it, and continued walking.

Until he felt a chill on his back.

The sense of danger, honed by years in intelligence work, allowed him to evade a fatal strike.

However, the enemies were prepared, and he didn’t avoid the fatal second and third attacks.

Allen wanted to shout, but a handkerchief was pressed over his mouth.

He struggled desperately, but the assassin’s strength was astonishing.

With his throat tightly choked, he couldn’t make a sound.

He was held up by two assassins, and the three of them staggered along, appearing like drunken revelers leaving together in pairs.

Allen’s vision gradually blurred; with his last strength, he looked up at the sky.

It remained overcast and gray, though a few rays of sunshine streaked across the horizon.

Allen disappeared.

The director of intelligence was kidnapped at the gates of the President’s Mansion, vanishing into the vast crowd.

It sounded like a cold joke, yet it happened so real.

Hearing the news, Marco was stunned for a long time before deciding whom to kill.

Coldly, he ordered that dozens whom he suspected were involved were added to this week’s guillotine queue.

The guillotine was used so frequently lately that it was worn out, requiring regular maintenance and a daily limit on its use.

The guillotine had dulled from overuse, indicating the sheer number of deaths during this time.

Marco’s face was contorted; this time, his anger was indeed genuine.