A conversation between two elderly people and a young man lasted for three hours.

To be more precise, most of the time it was a conversation between Emerson and Todd, with Cumberland only expressing his dissatisfaction and doubt through coughing.

“You’re right. The kingdom has only been established for a short time and there are indeed many drawbacks. I admit that these are facts.” After listening to Earl Emerson’s analysis of the monarch and power, Todd nodded and said, “To be honest, I have never been involved in domestic and foreign affairs before. My only knowledge comes from books.”

“No, you misunderstand me. A king should be the one issuing orders. If he does everything himself, then such a kingdom has no future. Therefore, you are not wrong in the shortcomings of domestic and foreign policy; at most, you simply chose the wrong people.” Emerson glanced at the nervous Cumberland and continued, “However, regarding the handling of power, I think you are somewhat…”

"Regarding your mention of the evil in human nature and monarchical autocracy, I can only say I partially agree," Todd said after racking his brains, desperately recalling the political and philosophical theories he had heard during his teaching career.

Emerson raised an eyebrow: "Please speak."

"Let's talk about the human nature you mentioned. Generally speaking, there are two views: one is that human nature is inherently good, and the other is that human nature is inherently evil. Personally, I think both of these views are somewhat biased. From birth, a person is almost like a blank sheet of paper, without an absolute classification of good or evil. But as they grow up, they encounter things and face pressure from the real world, which gradually leads them to think in a way that is either self-interested or altruistic."

Emerson carefully considered Todd's words before asking, "I understand the experience of growing up, but what do you mean by the pressures of reality?"

"Most of the 'evil ones' who use 'self-interest above altruism' as their action strategy do not have their basic needs met in terms of their living environment. These needs include the most basic physiological needs, such as food and shelter; and the second level of safety needs, such as personal safety and family safety. Ask yourself, when people are lacking food and clothing and their lives are in danger, who would have the awareness to talk to them about dedication and kindness?"

Emerson stroked his two small mustaches, lost in thought and speechless.

Todd continued, “If a monarch simply treats his subjects as evil, believing that the only way to deal with them is through violence and deception, without trying to improve their basic living conditions, then the relationship between the king and the people will fall into a vicious cycle until a revolution changes classes and ranks.”

"So you mean that no one is born evil, and those in power should try their best to improve the living environment of the people. Only by improving the living environment and meeting basic needs can the selfishness of the people be reduced and their sense of national identity be improved?"

Todd scratched his itchy right arm and nodded, saying, “This is the relationship between a monarch and the people, but when it comes to the relationship between nations, the perspective is completely different. There are many things about this that I myself don’t understand, so I won’t go into detail here. Next, I intend to talk about the centralization of monarchical power. Earl Emerson, I know you do not approve of my move to decentralize power.”

Emerson smiled: "Throughout the history of all kingdoms, your behavior is indeed unique."

"So I have a question first—is the king always right?"

Todd's words startled Emerson and Cumberland. The two exchanged a glance, unsure of what the king meant.

Todd did not wait for their reply, but continued his speech: "Personally, I think that the kind of omnipotent leader in myths, legends and novels simply does not exist. Think about it, a person who knows everything about astronomy and geography, is morally like a saint, and is flawless in strategy. Such a being cannot be called human at all. It is a completely deified fictional figure."

"Why do such figures exist? More often than not, it's because the public or authors often use rumors, poems, and literature to create these characters to satisfy their own spiritual needs, reflecting their own preferences, desires, and even dreams. But what is the reality? Kings are also human beings, with their own history of growth and learning process. Their personalities, experiences, knowledge, and preferences influence their methods and processes of governance. However, this kind of rule, mixed with personal emotions, often leads to irrational deviations."

Todd paused for a moment, recalling historical texts he had read: "For example, rulers who are military men often tend to favor a policy of struggle; rulers who are literary men tend to favor culture and influence; rulers with experience in commerce or production tend to focus on the economy as the future direction of the country. Can we say that any ruler's policy is wrong? No, there is no way to draw that conclusion. We can only say that a certain person is more suitable for the kingdom in a particular environment."

Emerson looked at King Muxi and suddenly asked, "So, Your Majesty, what type of ruler are you?"

Upon hearing the question, Todd was momentarily lost in thought. After pondering for a long time, he finally smiled wryly and said, "As a king, I might be more inclined towards the path of science and research."

Emerson nodded as if he understood: "I understand. You studied at the San Sidlow Monastery for a period of time before. I suppose that experience influenced you."

"A monastery? Ah, actually... never mind, none of that matters." Todd waved his hand, steer the conversation back to his own thoughts: "What I mean is, no ruler is perfect; they all have their own preferences. But governing a country involves many areas: politics, economics, law, people's livelihood, technology, military, culture, and so on. This requires the king to possess absolutely rational emotions and extremely broad knowledge, but in reality, that's impossible. That's why I said it's necessary for me to delegate some power to my subjects, allowing them to assist in governing the country."

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