Lacey listened quietly the entire time, his face devoid of expression, as if they were discussing someone who had nothing to do with him.
Meklen Neum watched this scene with great interest, his fingers tapping lightly on his armrest.
As for the militaristic Elector, he stood with his arms crossed and a look of disdain, seemingly uninterested in this war of words.
Only when all the accusations had gradually died down and the hall fell silent again did Lacey slowly raise his head, his calm gaze sweeping over the several Electors who were filled with righteous indignation.
"Are you all finished?"
"If you are, then it is my turn."
He did not rush to defend himself. Instead, he took a document from his coat—it was Otto's handwritten confession.
"You are all grieving for the death of Otto Gladstone, claiming he died for the glory of the empire."
"Then, I would like to ask, was it also for the glory of the empire to lead an expedition into Kazdel, only to be used as a pawn by a Victorian duke, suffer heavy losses, and flee back in disgrace?"
His first question made the elderly Elector Hoffmann's face turn ashen.
"To compensate for his own foolishness and failure, Otto implemented a birth tax in Wasser Fief, where a tax had to be paid for every newborn baby."
"And a death tax, where families had to pay a fee to bury their deceased loved ones!"
"Sucking the very marrow from his people's bones—is this, too, the glory of the empire?"
Lacey's voice suddenly rose.
"When the people of Wasser Fief could bear it no longer and initiated peaceful strikes and protests, Otto dispatched the Tower Guard—not to pacify, not to negotiate, but to slaughter!!"
"He wanted to use the blood of millions of his subjects to wash away his own shame!"
"Tell me, is slaughtering the people under one's rule also the glory of the empire?!"
He slammed the confession onto the table, the sharp "crack" making everyone's heart jump.
"I, Lacey, entered Wasser Fief because I received the blood-soaked appeals of its people, and because I was acting on Her Majesty the Empresses' will to cherish her subjects!"
"I prevented a human tragedy that was about to unfold!"
"Otto Gladstone did not die by my sword. He took his own life out of fear of punishment for his crimes! He died by his own tyranny and stupidity!"
After he finished speaking, the entire hall was utterly silent.
Lacey then turned to the Twin Empresses on the high dais and bowed slightly. "Your Majesties, everything I have done was not to challenge imperial authority. On the contrary, it was to uphold the dignity of imperial authority."
"A cruel and inhumane lord who preys on his people only tarnishes Your Majesties' brilliance and shakes the very foundations of the empire."
"I have eliminated such a degenerate and pulled a collapsing Wasser Fief back onto the right path. Is this not the duty of a loyal subject?"
The faces of the Electors who had initiated the attack turned from red to white, then from white to ashen. Their mouths hung open, but they could not utter a single word.
Lacey's words were merely a statement of facts, but these facts were more powerful than any eloquent argument.
On the high dais, the Black Empress Herlinmarte's brow was furrowed, the chill in her eyes growing even colder.
She could detect the hidden edge in Lacey's words; this young man was far more difficult to deal with than she had imagined.
Lizelotte, however, was surprised to find that Lacey showed none of the crudeness or impatience of the nouveau riche. Instead, he displayed a composure, wisdom, and political skill that even many long-established nobles lacked.
"You speak well, Lord Lacey," Lizelotte finally said, her voice still gentle.
"So, what is the situation now in Wasser Fief under your governance?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty," Lacey replied, neither servile nor overbearing.
"After abolishing all exorbitant taxes and returning the land and factories to the people, everyone in Wasser Fief today has food to eat and work to do. The people's enthusiasm for labor is at an all-time high."
"I predict that in the next tax quarter, the tax revenue Wasser Fief submits to the Imperial Household will be more than three times what it was under Otto Gladstone's rule."
"And as the new policies are implemented, this number will continue to grow."
The others had yet to react to this statement, but Meklen Neum, from a family of merchants, saw his eyes light up immediately.
"A stable, prosperous Wasser Fief that can provide more tax revenue to the nation," Lacey concluded.
"I believe this is more in line with Leithanien's interests than a poor Wasser Fief that only brings disgrace to the empire."
"And more in line with the expectations of both Your Majesties."
With that, he gave a slight bow and returned to his seat.
The parliament fell into a long silence.
Lizelotte smiled and clapped her hands softly.
"Brilliant," she said gently.
"Lord Lacey, your eloquence is on par with the finest debaters of Trullinczentyr."
"Hmm… perhaps I shouldn't put it that way. You already demonstrated this talent during the public trial in Salem."
"But it seems the rapid restoration of order in Wasser Fief was no accident."
Then, her smile faded, and her tone shifted. "Very well. As for the merits and faults of Otto Gladstone, history will be the judge."
"Since Lord Lacey is now an Elector personally ennobled by the Imperial Household, let this matter end here. Gentlemen, do not forget the true purpose of today's conference."
Although Elector Hoffmann was reluctant, he did not want to publicly defy the Empresses' will and could only sit back down resentfully.
Lizelotte looked down at Lacey, her thoughts racing, and then spoke, "In that case, let us move to the main agenda—Imperial Tax Reform."
The topic was changed. Regardless of what the other Electors present were thinking, they had to, at least on the surface, acknowledge the status of their new colleague.
As the topic of tax reform began, the atmosphere in the parliamentary hall eased slightly.
A minister in charge of finance began to report on the empire's current financial situation. The figures were complex and the items numerous, making one feel drowsy just listening.
The core idea was simply that due to recent natural disasters, border conflicts, and the aftereffects of the war against the Witch King, the imperial treasury was stretched thin and urgently needed to increase revenue and reduce expenditure.
Thus, it was proposed to add new taxes on top of the existing system, targeting luxury goods, inter-regional trade, and so on.
This immediately drew opposition from several of the established Electors.
"More taxes? Your Majesty, our apple wine and fur businesses in our fiefs already operate on thin margins. If you add more taxes, the merchants won't be able to survive!"
The militaristic Elector from the Heidenshweir Grand Region grumbled, as his territory was primarily based on agriculture and animal husbandry.
"Indeed. My fief relies mainly on the export of handicrafts. A tax on trade would be like strangling us," another Elector chimed in.
They spoke one after another, but their core message was the same: tax increases are fine, just don't tax me.
The merchant Elector, Meklen Neum, chuckled and tried to smooth things over. "Gentlemen, please calm down. Her Majesty and the minister are also thinking of the empire's best interests."
"However, how to tax, and who to tax, certainly needs careful consideration. We cannot kill the goose that lays the golden eggs," he said, glancing meaningfully at Lacey.
Everyone understood that the simplest way to increase revenue was to target the wealthiest and most profitable regions.
For example, the commerce of Caplania, or... the newly redistributed Wasser Fief.
Just then, Lacey, who had been silent, spoke up.
"Your Majesty, Your Excellencies." He stood up, drawing everyone's attention.
"I believe that simply increasing taxes is not the fundamental way to solve our financial problems. It is tantamount to draining the pond to catch the fish."
"Oh?" Lizelotte looked at him with interest. "Then in your opinion, Lord Lacey, what should be done?"
"I believe the key lies not in increasing revenue, but in cultivating the pond to raise the fish," Lacey said unhurriedly.
"The foundation of taxation lies in the output of the fiefs and the purchasing power of the people."
"The more prosperous the people, the more vibrant the commerce, and the empire's tax revenue will naturally rise."
He changed the subject, beginning to introduce the new policies of Wasser Fief.
"In Wasser Fief, I abolished all exorbitant and miscellaneous taxes like the birth tax and death tax, and significantly lowered the tax rates."
"At the same time, the land and mines confiscated from the Gladstone family were returned to the workers and farmers under a system of collective ownership and distribution according to labor."
As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of several old noble Electors turned extremely ugly.
To them, this sounded like the mad ramblings that could shake the very foundations of the nation.
But Lacey seemed not to notice their expressions and continued, "Perhaps you all think that tax cuts will directly lead to a decrease in fiscal revenue, but the opposite is true."
"When the people are no longer struggling for survival, they have spare money to spend; when factory owners and merchants see their tax burden lightened, they will expand production and trade."
"Just before I came to Trullinczentyr, the first public canteen in Wasser Fief had already opened, the price of grain in the market has dropped to a ten-year low, and the workers' motivation has reached an unprecedented high."
"This is utter nonsense!" the Elector of the Fordgang Grand Region, Ziegler Augustin, could finally no longer hold back.
"Giving land and mines to those commoners? Do they know how to manage them? This is a desecration of sacred private property!"
"Lord Ziegler," Lacey responded with a smile.
"Facts have shown that the commoners you speak of know better how to make the land yield grain and the mines produce ore."
"More importantly," he emphasized, "a safe and stable fief where everyone has food to eat can provide a continuous and stable tax revenue for the empire."
Meklen Neum's eyes lit up.
He didn't care about any sacred property; he only heard "consumption," "expand production," and "market."
The Wasser Fief Lacey described was, in his eyes, a blue ocean filled with infinite business opportunities!
Lowering the tax burden to stimulate production and consumption—isn't this the cornerstone of commercial prosperity?
"Lord Lacey's insight is truly... novel," Meklen said, smiling like a fox that had stolen a chicken.
"I, for one, think this model might be worth studying."
"After all, a method that allows everyone to make money is a good method!"
Even the Elector of Heidenshweir, who had been hostile toward Lacey, was now lost in thought.
Although his fief was primarily military-focused, it also required large amounts of grain and supplies to support its army.
If Lacey's method could really increase output significantly, then…
Lacey said no more.
He just wanted to plant an impression in everyone's mind, including the Empresses'—that Wasser Fief, represented by the Workers' Party, was implementing a more efficient model of social development.
Lizelotte gave Lacey a deep look, offered no judgment, and merely said, "Lord Lacey's method of governance is indeed unique. The Ministry of Finance will study the Wasser Fief model as a case."
"Very well, the tax issue is set aside for now. Let us move on to the next agenda item."
As her voice fell, the light of Originium Arts flared on the floor in the center of the hall. A huge map of the continent of Terra slowly materialized, with the territory of Leithanien positioned at its center.
The atmosphere grew serious once more.
The militaristic Elector of Heidenshweir immediately stood up and pointed to the vast, deep-red area to the north on the map:
"Your Majesty, the Ursus Empire's military movements in the northern borderlands are becoming more frequent. They are getting restless. We must reinforce the Heidenshweir defense line to prevent any unforeseen events!"
"The Ursus people are insatiable wolves, it's true, but the jackals to our southwest are equally worthy of vigilance," another Elector said indignantly, pointing to Victoria's territory.
"Duke Casto's treachery indirectly caused Otto's death. This matter absolutely cannot be let go! Victoria must pay the price!"
His words were pointed, but Lacey pretended not to hear them.
"And those families in Siracusa have been creating a lot of friction at the border recently, as if trying to test our bottom line."
"The Kazimierz commercial federation is also constantly infiltrating our markets…"
The Electors began to argue again, each from the perspective of their own fief, emphasizing threats from different directions and using them as a reason to demand more military support and financial subsidies from the Imperial Household.
Lacey did not speak this time, listening quietly and updating his mental map of the world.
He saw Ursus to the north, a vast and aggressive military empire, yet plagued by internal strife.
Victoria to the southwest, cunning and profit-driven, skilled at backstabbing, and equally formidable in military strength.
Kazimierz to the northwest, a nation corrupted by commerce and knightly competition.
And Siracusa to the southeast, a chaotic land composed of countless mafia families.
Leithanien was located in the center of the continent of Terra, truly a battleground on all sides, surrounded by enemies.
And these so-called pillars of the empire, when discussing national defense, were still only thinking about their own little patches of land.
Heidenshweir only wanted to defend the northern border, while others were more concerned with their trade routes and the peace of their own borders.
The entire empire appeared strong, but in reality, it was riddled with cracks.
"Enough."
The Black Empress Herlinmarte, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke.
Her voice instantly silenced all arguments.
"Ursus, Victoria, Siracusa... these jackals and wolves have always coveted Leithanien's lands." Her gaze was like a knife, sweeping across every Elector present.
"But our greatest enemy has never been external."
She paused, her gaze finally settling on Lacey, but her words were directed at everyone.
"An empire that cannot twist its strength into a single rope, an empire that still squabbles over individual interests when facing foreign enemies, is the most fragile of all."
Everyone present heard Herlinmarte's words, but they all turned a deaf ear.
To so bluntly desire centralized power, to weaken their influence as Electors—how could they possibly let her have her way?
They had already experienced a reduction of their power once at the hands of the Witch King; they would not stumble in the same place again.
Lacey, too, was left speechless listening to this.
He felt that the Black Empress, compared to the White Empress, was more of a political novice, completely unsuited for her position.
Nevertheless, he raised his head, met Herlinmarte's gaze, and nodded slightly, indicating his agreement with her thoughts.
This subtle gesture seemed to melt some of the ice in Herlinmarte's eyes.
Finally, Lizelotte parted her lips: "Today's agenda is concluded. The conference is adjourned."
The Electors rose and left one by one. The few who had initiated the trouble looked dejected, not daring to even look at Lacey again.
Lacey also stood up, preparing to leave.
Just then, a member of the Voice of the Empress walked briskly to him and bowed respectfully.
"Lord Lacey, Her Majesty the Empress has summoned you. She wishes to have a private meeting with you."
Lacey looked up and saw that on the high dais, Lizelotte was giving him a meaningful look.
He understood immediately.
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