Chapter 394 New World (IV) [Two in one! Please subscribe! ]

“First place…”

"Ethan Myers, twenty-seven years old, from Idar City!"

When the name Ethan Melson finally came out from the mouth of the government officials and echoed in the ears of all the candidates and the public present...

Thunderous cheers!

The simple people of Idar might not know who Ethan Myers is, but at this moment, everyone is cheering for him.

after all……

This is the first civil service examination since the establishment of the Principality of Idar.

As the first place in this exam, the name Ethan Myers will surely be known to all Idar people and will become a role model in the hearts of countless candidates and children.

"Ethan is my son! My son won first place!"

In the crowd, an Idar man who looked quite old and was dressed as a farmer shouted excitedly.

The old farmer's voice was very hoarse, and his face was full of wrinkles and scars, as if confirming the countless ups and downs and hardships he had experienced in his life.

And now, the old farmer couldn't help but burst into tears, and tears of excitement gradually flowed from the corners of his eyes.

Not only did his son pass the exam to become a civil servant in the Principality of Idar, he even won first place! This is simply... the blessing of our ancestors!

"Ethan is my neighbor! He has been very clever since he was a child, and he works very hard. He is a filial and good man!"

"Ethan should be at the top of the list for the time he spends every night crouching under the streetlight reading!"

All the people who knew Ethan Myers seemed to be proud of him at this moment, and shocked shouts from Ethan's relatives and friends could be heard from the crowd from time to time.

At this very moment,

Ethan just stood there blankly, his face full of disbelief.

Ethan Myers, that's his full name.

But... how is this possible?! I actually got first place! First in the written test, first in the interview, and first in the overall score!

As an Idar commoner who was completely self-taught through reading the Idar Daily, Ethan's biggest wish was to successfully become a civil servant. As for the first one... To be honest, Ethan had never had such a luxury.

But... I actually did it!

The hard work day and night paid off, and my hard work in learning spelling was finally recognized! The joy of achieving the goal after trying my best can only be experienced by those candidates who broke through many obstacles and finally obtained the quota for the civil service ape!

"Ethan! You got first place in the exam!"

"Ethan! Awesome!"

Soon someone recognized Ethan in the crowd. They rushed over excitedly, hugged him happily, and some even couldn't help hugging Ethan and biting him a few times.

This is the first place! Maybe if I hold it a few times, I can get some good luck! "All this is thanks to the Duke. If it weren't for the civil service exam organized by the Duke, and if it weren't for the Duke's painstaking training, when would we civilians have a chance to succeed!"

Finally getting a break, Ethan couldn't help but shout loudly to the crowd around him.

yes!

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present suddenly came to their senses.

If the Duke had not founded the Idar Daily, if the Duke had not ordered the establishment of community schools, if the Duke had not called on the Idar civilians to learn spelling regardless of the cost, then I would probably have been tied to the fields for the rest of my life! But...

Bruno Stuart, the Duke of Idar, gave them a chance, a chance to redefine and rewrite their own lives!

"Long live the Principality of Idar!"

"Long live His Excellency the Duke!"

I don't know who started it first, but the candidates and the public present all shouted heartfeltly.

Commoners can also change their lives through their own efforts. I would like to ask, apart from the Principality of Idar, which other noble territory can do this? ! No one!

No other noble territory can be like the Principality of Idar! The voices of the common people of Idar resounded through the sky.

What they lacked was an opportunity, and Bruno took the opportunity to put this opportunity in front of all the Idar people.

If you learn to spell well, you can try your luck by taking the civil service exam.

Even those who are not good at spelling can sign up for the army. After all, the treatment of the Idar army is just as good.

For these simple Idar people, this is enough! "Long live the Principality of Idar!"

"Idar..."

The Idar guards who were responsible for maintaining order were also very excited, but they still remained loyal to their duties and maintained order in the area.

The ones who reacted the most to these calls were undoubtedly the brother and sister Ferona and Johann, who were mixed in the crowd at the time.

When the brother and sister finally came back to their senses from the deafening cheers, they looked at each other with expressions of disbelief on their faces.

As members of the Norman aristocracy, when had they ever seen such a scene? !

In the interior of the Norman Empire, whenever common people saw nobles, they would all be servile, fearful and cowardly.

The common people would kneel on the ground in fear, trembling with caution and waiting for the nobles' decision.

But……

Are the people surrounding him now really still those cowardly and shrinking civilians?

Felona didn't know.

Johann didn't know either.

Although it was not stated explicitly, the rickshaw driver's calm expression and words when facing the nobles had already surprised the brother and sister.

They originally thought that this was only because the coachman had carried many noble lords before, so he could be so calm and composed.

And now...

The cheers of the civilians in front of her and the power contained in these Idar civilians suddenly shocked Firona.

These people are still civilians, but they are completely different from those living in the inland of the empire.

In the inland of the empire, nobles could beat and scold commoners at will. Although there was no personal dependence relationship in name, if the noble masters were upset, then there was actually not much difference between commoners and serfs.

The life and death of the common people depends entirely on the preferences of the nobles. They cannot see the future and can only crawl at the feet of the nobles to survive.

But……

In the Principality of Idar, in this territory located in the eastern part of the empire, the lives of civilians are completely different.

Yes, this is still a land ruled by nobles, but Bruno Stuart, the Duke of Idar, did not turn this land into the inland of the empire.

Civilians can work, study, and do anything permitted by the laws of the Principality of Idar. They have the power to decide their own lives.

It is precisely for this reason that the common people of the Duchy of Idar support the Stuart family, love the Duke from the bottom of their hearts, and are willing to defend the Duchy of Idar and maintain the rule of the Stuart family.

After finally squeezing out of the crowd, Firona felt extremely complicated.

Shouts such as "Long live the Principality of Idar" caused great shock to her heart.

Even since the founding of the Norman Empire, no noble has been able to gain the support of so many common people and to mobilize their power so thoroughly.

What the civilians presented to her made Ferona feel both confused and shocked.

She could feel that, under Bruno's leadership and with the support of the common people, the Principality of Idar was embarking on a completely different path from before.

Perhaps before this, Filona didn't know whether this road could be taken, but...

Listening to the deafening shouts and watching the people's excitement, she seemed to finally realize the strength of the Principality of Idar and understood why this noble territory in the eastern part of the empire could easily keep the Odin Empire out.

The Principality of Idar, this noble territory located in the eastern part of the empire, is truly terrifying...

…

Idar City Hall.

Two cups of steaming coffee were neatly placed on the table beside the siblings by the staff.

The elderly Ford sat opposite the siblings.

Ever since the anti-gang operation in Valens City ended, Old Ford returned to Idar City without stopping to take charge of the situation. After all... he is the most respected person in the entire Principality of Idar, second only to Bruno.

Old Ford used to be the steward of the Stuart family, who managed the Principality of Idar in an orderly manner. Now, he is the political official of the Principality of Idar, responsible for implementing Bruno's orders in every inch of the Principality of Idar.

In this era, as a man in his seventies, old Ford can be considered long-lived.

His waist was slightly hunched, his head was covered with sparse white hair, and the scars left from fighting on the battlefield with the ancestors of the Stuart family would still ache from time to time.

But even so, his eyes were still bright and seemed to contain the spirit of a young man.

From a remote and desolate border noble territory to the dominant Principality of Idar today.

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Although old Ford was not like Lister, Mundell and other personal servants who always followed Bruno around, he witnessed the changes taking place on this land with his own eyes.

Although a long time ago, old Ford was particularly troubled by Bruno's extravagant spending and regarded him as the first prodigal in the history of the Stuart family.

But as time went on, he gradually accepted Bruno's views, was amazed by many of Bruno's insights, and faithfully implemented every word of the young ruler.

It is also with the dedicated help of old Ford that Bruno's ideas and orders can be carried out unimpeded in this land and can be truly implemented on every Idar person.

Therefore, even though he is old and frail, old Ford is still Bruno's extremely important support and Bruno's most trusted and capable assistant in the true sense.

"Have some coffee, this is a specialty of the Principality of Idar, the honorable Marquis Soto, and Miss Ferona of the Graf family."

Facing the Norman nobles who came from afar, old Ford greeted them neither humbly nor arrogantly.

During this period, there were more than one or two nobles who immigrated to the Principality of Idar. If it weren't for the fact that the Graf family was a little special, there would be no need for old Ford to come and receive them in person.

You know, the Graf family is the most well-informed noble family in the inland of the empire. If we leave aside the Idar CIA in Bruno's hands, the Graf family's intelligence network is one of the best in the entire inland of the empire.

Although the Idar CIA has the most well-trained intelligence personnel, don't forget that aristocratic families like the Graf family, which have been rooted in the interior of the empire and have been operating for generations, should never be underestimated.

So…

If the Graf family's intelligence network could be taken over and incorporated, the overall strength of the Idar CIA would undoubtedly be greatly improved.

Picking up the steaming coffee in front of her, Firona took a sip. It was a little bitter at first, but then she could taste the unique rich aroma of coffee.

"The Graf family hopes to become citizens of the Principality of Idar and contribute the intelligence network that the Graf family has built for generations, but at the same time..."

Filona emphasized the term “generational business” and continued:

"...The Graf family also hopes to receive more favorable conditions than other nobles."

really!

In fact, old Ford had already anticipated Ferona's proposal.

after all……

He is a marquis, and a marquis from the inland of the empire. Both in strength and wealth, he is much stronger than Earl Dale and other nobles in the eastern part of the empire.

Therefore, it is not difficult to understand that when you first arrive, you may be a little bit arrogant and fight for more rights for yourself.

"For example?"

Old Ford's face was calm, without any sign of emotion.

Although she knew that the possibility of agreeing was slim, Filona still wanted to struggle: "The land of the Graf family..."

"impossible!"

Hearing this, Old Ford interrupted Ferona without hesitation: "The Principality of Idar will never allow nobles to own autonomous territories. Miss Ferona, you should have seen when you came here that the lives of the common people under the rule of the Principality of Idar and the common people under the rule of you Norman nobles are worlds apart."

"The Principality of Idar will never allow the Norman nobles to hinder the development of the Principality with their actual actions, nor will they leave hidden dangers for the future of the Principality."

Ferona: “…”

actually……

What old Ford said was more or less hurtful.

Although Ferona wanted to refute, she had no choice but to accept that this was indeed the real situation in the inland of the empire.

The civilians in the inland of the empire were suffering, while the civilians in the Principality of Idar lived and worked in peace and contentment. Any noble who had walked into the Idar Government Hall with his eyes open would have seen the stark difference between the two.

"Since we can't keep the land, if the Graf family wants to give up the intelligence network they have built up over generations, they must at least give some benefits in other ways..." Ferona said pitifully.

In fact, ever since they witnessed everything that happened in the Principality of Idar with their own eyes, Ferona and Johann had already decided to board the Principality of Idar's warship that was ready to go.

But... we have to talk about it!

Based on Ferona Graf's understanding of the Duke, since she has provided such help to the Principality of Idar, Bruno will definitely give her some benefits.

You know, in addition to the intelligence network owned by the Graf family, the fact that Marquis Soto became a citizen of the Principality of Idar was itself a big news worth publicizing, a news that was enough to shock the nobles in the inland of the empire.

Prior to this, all the nobles who joined the Principality of Idar, including Earl Dale and others, were small nobles in the eastern part of the empire.

Therefore, they did not have much choice but to join the Principality of Idar.

But,

The joining of Marquis Soto has a completely different meaning.

The Graf family's intelligence network spread throughout the Norman Empire. This has almost become a consensus among the vast majority of Norman nobles. Such a well-informed noble would rather give up his fiefdom and travel to the eastern part of the empire to become a citizen of the Principality of Idar.

This is undoubtedly sending a signal! A signal that can make the nobles living in the interior of the empire rethink their future.

The choice of the Graf family meant that the Principality of Idar, located in the eastern part of the empire, must have huge benefits that they were unaware of and that were enough to make Marquis Soto give up his fiefdom.

Bruno did not intend to wipe out the entire aristocracy of the Norman Empire. After all... the Stuart family, as the rulers of the Duchy of Idar, was itself a member of the aristocracy.

Uniting all forces that can be united to allow the Principality of Idar to achieve more comprehensive development was the tone set by Bruno at the beginning of the reform.

The support of the nobles can greatly consolidate the regime of the Principality of Idar and accelerate the pace of Idar people's overseas exploration. Therefore, Bruno will naturally not be stingy with the Graf family, the inland nobles who were the first to serve the Principality of Idar.

Besides...

The Graf family has an intelligence network throughout the empire, but the Idar CIA is no pushover either.

In fact, Bruno had received the news long before Ferona and Johann arrived in the Principality of Idar, and convened old Ford and others for many discussions.

However, although there are preliminary countermeasures, this is not something that old Ford can promise.

Many words need to be said by Bruno himself; many honors and rewards need to be bestowed by Bruno himself.

"The Principality of Idar can indeed offer the Graf family better conditions, but not now. When the Duke returns to the Principality of Idar, I believe he will give you two a satisfactory answer." Old Ford said bluntly.

"Your Majesty the Duke?"

"Lord Bruno is not in Idar City now?"

Hearing this, Felona couldn't help but wonder.

Originally, Ferona had planned to visit the young Duke who ruled this land with her brother.

Old Ford did not deliberately conceal it, but said in a deep voice:

"According to my estimation, His Excellency the Duke should have arrived at Dorne Harbor by now."

(End of this chapter)