When the Saintess Arrives, No King Exist-Chapter 622 - 585 Constitutional Assembly (Part 1 Completed)
By the time Horn and Moliat arrived, the brawl had already been suppressed under the clockwork projectiles and the gendarmes.
Upon seeing the six neatly arranged corpses under the eaves, along with the bloodstains and wailing wounded on the ground, Horn and Moliat both had grim expressions on their faces.
This "tavern riot" involved a total of 335 soldiers from both the Salvation Army and the Duke's Army, resulting in six deaths and twenty-two injuries. Shockingly, most participants were soldiers responsible for patrolling city security.
The number of participants was not the mere hundred at the start, as they were calling for friends to join them.
Even at this moment, soldiers were still arriving one after another from various districts.
"What is going on?" Horn squinted at the embarrassed Jeska. Those who knew him well could tell this was a sign of His Highness's impending anger.
On the other side, Moliat was also questioning the shivering Steve: "Do you have anything to say? Esteemed Sheriff Steve!"
Through both sides' accounts, the situation gradually became clear.
The passage of the "Abolish the Dead Hand Tax Law" had the Salvation Army cheering and the Duke's Army depressed. Coupled with the unresolved Article One of the Constitution, both sides were already harboring resentment.
This small seating dispute in the tavern quickly triggered that resentment, causing soldiers from both sides to lose control and retaliate with bows and holy guns.
Additionally, due to the neglect of several officers, the brawl escalated without restraint, turning into an internal conflict involving weapons.
During this period, two rumors rapidly emerged.
The Salvation Army spread the rumor that "the Duke's Army attempts to dissolve the Constitutional Congress and veto all laws."
The Duke's Army retaliated by saying, "The Salvation Army unilaterally passed Article One of the Constitution and plans to purge all nobles."
After the rumors erupted, each side drew over a hundred more soldiers to aid in the fight.
Fortunately, they didn't have long weapons, and officers and knights remained calm, mediating and collecting bows, crossbows, and holy guns everywhere, preventing further casualties.
In a sense, this could even be called a camp mutiny.
Both sides had been fighting outside for too long, their nerves extremely tight, and this coincidental spark led to this tragedy.
This segment was not in their script at all!
Originally, tomorrow was supposed to be the day under Catherine's host to push the revised Article one of the Charter for passage. Yet, this incident erupted at night.
Horn turned to look at Moliat, while Moliat seemed to share a mutual understanding, looking back at Horn.
They could no longer drag this out; they must quickly pass the first article of the Charter and completely prevent such incidents from happening again.
"Indeed, it's impossible not to shed blood..."
Lying low and mumbling a sentence, Horn raised his head and coldly said to Jeska beside him:
"Order all War Monks back to the camp, and impose a curfew! Inform Jeanne to summon the Military Judge and Legion Secretary to convene a military tribunal."
Moliat supplemented on the side, "Allow the gendarmes and Cheka to take over city security. Anyone wandering in the city after midnight, regardless of reason, arrest them and throw them all into the dungeon."
"Did you hear that? Follow His Highness the Despot's orders."
"Yes, Your Highness." Jeska dared not delay, quickly running off to make the arrangements.
Nodding at Moliat, Horn went over to console the frightened assembly representatives, who were shivering under their blankets.
Steve cautiously moved beside Moliat, "And us?"
"Summon all instigating soldiers and all our representatives from the Constitutional Congress!" Moliat's voice was icy, causing Steve to shiver involuntarily.
......
"Look at these soldiers, which of them is not my relative or friend, which one is not a mainstay on the battlefield?"
When Red Horse Knight Moro walked into the mansion's hall, Moliat was pounding the table heavily with his left iron fist.
"They made contributions, yet I have to kill them, my heart is breaking."
In the flickering amber candlelight, wood chips flew, even splattering and piercing the faces of nobles in the front row.
Before them, a row of heads lay neatly arranged, the scorching scent of blood filling the entire room.
"I understand, I've lost a hand, revealed half of my face, so you think I'm a weak woman, easily manipulated, that my orders are insignificant, is that it?!"
The nobles and knights from the Duke's side hung their heads, their legs awkwardly clamped together, pressing their lips tightly. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖
"Alright, alright, you mobilize a troop, I'll mobilize one too, let's head outside the city now and see who wins!" Moliat glared at the group of nobles, "I'll ask again, who instigated this?!"
"We truly didn't…" Count Nathaniel, being naturally mild-tempered, had never faced such a fierce lord; he was nearly brought to tears by the reproach.
"Hahaha, you all have been on the battlefield and know how long it takes to string a crossbow.
Our people initiated the trouble, fired the first arrow, and it was in the tavern where the representative of public opinion was. You claim it's coincidence, can I believe it, can the Shepherd Leader believe it?"
Moliat paced back and forth before the nobles with hands behind her back: "I've reiterated countless times, no one can undermine the unity of Thousand River Valley! Have you taken this to heart?"
"But it truly is a coincidence." Knight Steve, with a square head, sneaked a glance at Moliat and whispered.
"Coincidence, my ass!" Moliat grabbed the inkwell on the table and flung it, causing several nobles to instinctively dodge sideways.
"Such coincidence, our people acted first, the representative of public opinion was still there, what if the Shepherd Leader claims we did it intentionally, trying to threaten the representative and divide Thousand River Valley?"
"Are we supposed to beg him to unite with us?" As Clovin's voice fell, Moliat strode to his side.
Despite the alluring curve of the half face beneath the iron mask, facing those blood-red eyes, Clovin couldn't help but have his heart pound.
"Do you understand what we're facing? The civil war in Leia Kingdom, how long do you think it can continue? Can you guarantee our civil war with the Salvation Army will end before Leia's internal strife?
In a battle against the Salvation Army, no matter who wins, it's Leia Kingdom's victory! What did Leia Kingdom give you that makes you speak for them like this?!"
Like a lioness' roar, Moliat's unrestrained white hair moved without wind, and after a series of rebukes, sweat dotted Clovin's forehead.
Especially after the final soul-piercing remark, he couldn't help but feel his knees buckle and knelt directly to the ground: "I didn't mean it that way, Your Highness, I support the constitution and unity!"
The red light flickered behind the iron mask, and everyone in the hall dared not speak; only when Clovin was near suffocation did Moliat turn around: "For the next two days' constitutional meetings, you don't need to attend. Reflect at home for two days."
Only then did Clovin let out a long sigh of relief, and stood up with assistance from the nobles on either side.
"You can fight in the hall, argue in the hall, off the floor, we must be friends with the Salvation Army! Do you think that's the reason for this constitutional meeting?" As Moliat turned her back to the nobles and walked towards the throne, Red Horse Knight Moro softened the atmosphere with a rosy face.
"We all must restrain ourselves; only then does Thousand River Valley have a future." Moliat sat on the throne and spoke slowly and heavily.
In reality, this was the political consensus reached by Horn and Moliat.
Conflict in meetings and private quarrels are fine, but both parties' armies must never clash. This is the bottom line.
Both Moliat and Horn will impose punishments beyond standard on this matter in hopes that this political consensus will be deeply engrained.
"Then, what should we do now?" Sanboli asked anxiously.
"What else can we do? All my days of efforts and negotiations have been wasted because of you," Moliat grabbed the charter on the table and slammed it furiously on the cold floor, "Didn't they want to pass the first article of the constitution? As an exchange, we'll have to let it pass."
"Isn't this voluntarily placing the noose on our necks?" Lannes couldn't help but mutter, and the other nobles followed suit, whispering in agreement.
With her chest heaving intensely, Moliat sat on the throne, supporting her head with an iron fist, pondered for a moment before reluctantly sighing:
"I'll do my best to mediate, Horn will give me some face, but don't expect a complete cancellation; how much can be mediated will depend on the Holy Father's will."
......
On the morning of May 6th, 1446 of the Imperial Calendar, at the constitutional meeting, the Autocratic Duke and Shepherd Leader jointly appeared hand in hand and directly announced the passage of the first article of the Charter.
To many people's surprise, this did not meet significant opposition.
As the statute was carved on the bronze pillar, both left and right seats let out a sigh.
Even as they appeared, they pretended to embrace each other to celebrate the passage of the first article of the Constitution.
"The sovereignty of Thousand River Valley derives from the absolute authority of the Holy Father, nobles and commoners alike are servants of the Holy Father, sharing the sacred responsibility of maintaining order and pursuing justice.
The authority of the nobility is based on serving their territories and protecting their commoners, and commoners express their compliance with the Holy Father's will by acknowledging the leadership of the nobility."
