Kingdom’s Bloodline Chapter 161: A self-righteous brother

The round-faced freckled girl held Thales's hand with one hand, and lifted the skirt skillfully with the other hand, revealing a pair of rough and thick walking boots that were incompatible with the dress, and stepped up the stairs. , proficient, quick and dexterous.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Be quiet and keep your eyes on the road. If you fall, you will not be compensated."

Thales had no choice but to follow Xi Lai up the stone stairs all the way to the third floor of the Sunset Temple.

Thales had mixed feelings about this young lady of Kevin Dill who appeared suddenly last night, and he didn't even know how to treat her.

There is no doubt that Cecilia Cavendir is by no means as innocent as in the portrait, or as Jane said. She is pure and innocent. At least her interest and skills in creating atmosphere, diverting attention, and pretending to be scary are not Ordinary people can reach it, and it can be called a must (Thales is indignant about this).

Secondly, as Zhan En's younger sister, the secret identity she reveals is really appalling and unbelievable.

But considering the ability of the kingdom's secret department, and King Kessel's appearance of winning, it seems that the fact that the noble daughter of the Iris family was instigated by the Fuxing Palace is not so unacceptable.

What's more, Thales recalled his official reason for coming to Emerald City, and realized that the cause of all this was this girl.

But therein lies the problem.

Thales calmed down, looking at the girl in front of him who was dragging him forward.

That night, King Kessel, who visited Xinghu Castle in person, once told him that the "covenant" between their father and son was destined to be a top secret that could not be known to outsiders, and the kingdom's secret science was also in it. List.

But last night, this noble lady spy, who was instructed by King Kessel, claimed to be from the kingdom's secret department, and she was well aware of Thales' purpose in coming to Emerald City.

This cannot but make Thales suspicious:

What does she know?

What did King Kessel tell her?

How much does she know about her "covenant" with King Kessel?

How much can I trust her?

Is this endangering myself?

Besides, Thales couldn't help but feel depressed when he thought of this:

Thales, how do you know that King Kessel didn't hide, deceive, or mislead you about the Emerald City, or even about the "covenant"?

For example...the existence of Shirley Cavendir?

Or, in addition, how much did he hide?

For the king, to what extent is the so-called top secret that "cannot be treated by outsiders" established?

At that moment, the voice in my heart was full of vigilance, quietly reminding:

Maybe, maybe it's just your father's lies to make you feel at ease and obedient.

As for himself, he never cared about it.

As soon as it is profitable, as soon as the situation requires it, as soon as there is a better reason, the Iron Fist King will not hesitate to sell you, no matter the price.

Just like his attitude towards you in the past.

Or the future too?

Thinking of this, Thales became more and more uneasy.

Not long after, they walked around a corridor, and vaguely heard voices outside the window.

"Ah, here we are!"

Healey came to a door at the end of the corridor and turned the handle.

"Hey, it's locked."

Healy took a step back, snorted coldly, reached out and pulled out a thin hairpin from his hair, and approached the door lock.

Thales' complexion changed slightly amidst the rustling of the machine:

"What are you doing?"

"Pick the lock."

"Picking the lock in the temple? You are Kevin Dill, the lady of the Duke's family!"

"Why, have you never seen a noble pick a lock?" Xi Lai didn't turn her head, but just concentrated on dealing with the lock.

Thales was taken aback for a moment, but then became angry:

"Actually, I've actually seen... Can you do this technique?"

Hile waved:

"Shut up, don't bother me."

She pulled out her hairpin, took a deep breath, and waved her palm around the lock.

"It's all about attention and wrong guidance," Hilley said to himself, his expression focused, and his palms were waving faster and faster, "That's right, so I just need to guide the attention of the door lock. If you don't pay attention to this lock, you can successfully open it..."

Wrong guidance...

While the lock is not paying attention...

Thales looks weird:

"Uh, maybe the secret of magic is this... But are you sure this is the secret of picking locks?"

Xilai turned around with a shy look, her eyes were gloomy and unfriendly:

"Are you doubting me?"

Thales thought of the girl's tricks, and quickly smiled:

"No! I'm just making a trivial..."

Just then, the door lock snapped open.

Hile's expression brightened, and he turned around quickly:

"Look! Take advantage of the lock and pay attention!"

Thales looked at the door that opened slowly, and then at the hairpin still in Xi Lai's hand, frowned and said:

"Are you sure you opened it?"

At this moment, an old man wearing a priest's robe poked his head out from behind the door, cautiously:

"Who is Miss Hilley?"

The old priest behind the door breathed a sigh of relief:

"Hey, I thought it was some daring little **** who was... uh, it's you again, Your Highness Thales?"

Thales smiled awkwardly as he looked at the Chadvi priest whom he had just met not long ago.

"It's you, Chadway," Xi Lai wasn't surprised, but instead looked stunned, "I remember being at the door of the confession room, didn't I tell you to stay away?"

"Yes, yes, but..."

Chadwei looked behind him and then at Xi Lai, the grievance in his eyes was very clear:

Isn't that far enough?

Thales followed his gaze and looked back, only to realize that behind the door was the roof of the temple.

Heilei pushed the door open and took a step forward, with a look of righteousness on his face:

"Give up the place, go out, do what you should do."

Chadwi's complexion changed:

"But Miss, here are the few who can avoid work"

"Get out now," Shirley shrugged, "I'll pretend I don't know about Earl Pintor's mother's affair."

Thales twitched the corners of his mouth, but Chadwei's expression changed drastically:

"I, you, you can't do this..."

"Do you want me to tell you which room in the new suburb you cheat on every Wednesday?"

The next second, Chadwei jumped out nimbly and disappeared in front of the two of them.

Thales followed Xi Lai to the rooftop, and was shocked:

Citizens crowded into the temple square below, lined up and divided into areas. Some were listening to a few priests preaching, and some were praying with the priests and receiving the communion.

"You have sacrificed a lot this year, for yourself, for your family, and even the Emerald City and the Goddess of the Sunset." A priest closed his eyes and led everyone to pray.

"Sincere repentance, you will be rewarded by doing good things," a priest stood on a high place, preaching loudly, "the setting sun forgives your sins!"

But no matter what kind, you will never forget to bring a donation box.

"What is this?" Thales asked.

"Prayer Day."

Healy jumped with his arms indifferently, and sat on the edge of the roof, a pair of boots dangling in the air, making Thales frown again and again.

Looks like she doesn't have a fear of heights.

"While the great and the rich pray publicly in temples and altars, in churches and ministries, the general public, I mean poor and common, pray here."

"I see."

Hilley snorted softly:

"The Emerald Festival is a carnival festival in the whole city, but it is a pity that the Sunset Temple believes that all revelry, alcoholism, overeating, games, drug abuse, pleasure and even excessive **** are depraved behaviors that violate the teachings and are harmful to one's own body. It is even an extremely irresponsible manifestation of the soul.”

After speaking, Xi Lai stretched her arms back, leaned her upper body back, and looked up at Thales:

"But here, in the Emerald City, custom and precept strike a delicate and convenient balance."

Thales subconsciously covered his eyes and turned his head to hide, but Xi Lai did nothing:

"The temple hosts public prayers, and the church is responsible for evangelism. They will judge what you did in the previous year. Of course, most of the time depends on how much donation you gave. After that, your carnival in these seven days is due diligence The reward you deserve after doing your due diligence and hard work is justified, of course, and blessed by the goddess. So after you eat the communion, listen to the sermon, leave the temple and go to the church, you can be satisfied and have no burden, and go drinking and carousing happily.”

"So convenient?"

"In order to fit the reality, it is more convenient to have a carnival for six days, and then come to the public prayer drunk on the evening of the seventh day after the celebration. It is also effective, but the donation may have to be doubled, but it turns out Donations are the most on the last day.”

Just as Thales was thinking about whether he would be able to get out of the Emerald City alive if the girl slipped and fell, and whether the Star Kingdom would be able to avoid the threshold of the civil war, he suddenly discovered that Xi Lai's weird action was not To startle him again, but to reach for something on the ground and lift it up.

"This is... a hookah?" Thales frowned and looked at the snuff bottle that was brought up.

"Hey, good insight."

"No way, in the Sunset Temple?"

"Chadvi is an old smoker, he has a full set of utensils," Hilley skillfully took out the tools without even looking at him, "I just need to bring the cigarette holder and tobacco leaves. The tobacco leaves are imported from Tuoluo."

"Forget it, Zhan En...how come you are so proficient?"

"Who do you think taught my brother to smoke?"

Thales had no choice but to shut up.

Heilei quickly lit the hookah:

"Take a bite?"

Thales smiled awkwardly and waved his hands, thank you for not being sensitive.

"I remember," Thales looked at the hookah, suddenly said, "I have seen that Chadvi priest, at a dinner party a few days ago, he said at that time, 'Only civilization and Only a pious marriage will be blessed by the goddess of the setting sun', and then yin and yang imply that I am neither civilized nor pious.”

"My brother must have ordered him to do it," Hilley took a small sip of a cigarette, and the whole person looked elegant and mysterious in the smog. To be sent to the temple to receive instruction, learn etiquette, and improve education."

"A little joke?" Thales looked suspicious.

"At that time, it was Chadwei who spoke up and helped me get away with it."

"Oh, speaking out of righteousness to get away with it..." Thales looked strange, "Don't you think there is something wrong with this sentence?"

The sun was shining brightly, and Xi Lai exhaled a puff of smoke, raised his arms to the sky, and stretched comfortably on the rooftop: "It was also from then on that I discovered that although the old guy had no religious beliefs, his taste in tobacco was not bad."

If she wasn't holding a shisha pipe in her hand, this scene would have been beautiful.

No, in fact, holding a hookah pipe, surrounded by smoke, does it have a certain charm?

Thales shook his head, waved away the smell of smoke, sat on the ground, and returned to reality:

"Did you learn from Chad Wei to smoke?"

"You insulted me, Your Highness, do you still need to learn this thing?"

“…”

"In addition, Chadwei also has a believer who was born as a street magician, so he can make himself appear full of miracles and radiance during sacrifices and preaching. Of course, it also benefits me a lot."

A lot of benefits...

Recalling what happened to him yesterday, Thales swallowed.

"Okay, let's get started," Xi Lai leaned on the roof, basking in the sun, lazily, "If you have any questions, now is the time."

"Just, right here?"

Thales took a step forward, looked at the crowd below, and said sarcastically:

"It's great, there are at least 10,000 people below, and you can see us when you look up!"

"Not that much, at most eight thousand."

Does this matter?

Thales resisted the desire to complain:

"Why don't you go to the confession room just now, it's more hidden..."

"Only when the knights look at the stupid guy, you will feel that the spies are all meeting in the dark and airtight place, thinking that it is the safest way no one will see," Xi Lai said disdainfully, "If you want to say something in private, It's better to talk about it in public, as if nothing happened, like this."

But she took a puff of cigarette and frowned:

"Oh, sorry, did I get it wrong? Then you want to find a dark, narrow and unknown corner, and do something with me, um, things that can't be done in broad daylight?"

Thales' complexion changed, thinking of the twins of the Karabyan family:

"Ahem, ma'am, please respect yourself"

"Great!"

The eyes of Xi Lai, who was lying flat, brightened: "The dark and oppressive small space can enhance the atmosphere of terror! It is most suitable for 'crying ghosts through the wall'!"

Ghosts cry across the wall...

Thales' smile disappeared instantly:

"You're right, it's good to be here."

Xilai looked at him, as if she had seen through something, she smiled mysteriously, and looked outside the temple.

Looking at the weird girl lying flat in front of him, Thales frowned more and more.

"To be honest, Ms. Kevin Dill, I've been thinking about your role since last night."

"I understand," Xi Lai took another puff of smoke, "A good performance always makes the audience toss and turn, sleepless all night, scratching their hearts and livers, and will never forget it for a long time."

"After frightening the audience and letting them experience a sensory stimulation, give them a period of relief to understand and digest the last feeling, applaud the performance, and cultivate the atmosphere for the next climax .”

But Thales ignored her nonsense and went straight to the point:

"My father, besides those few code words, what else did he tell you?"

"You mean, the part you should know, or the part you don't need to know?"

Thales was taken aback:

"Is there something else I don't need to know?"

Is the second prince, the heir to the kingdom, and the secret collaborator of the king really a show?

Sheila shrugged noncommittally.

"Okay," Thales cleared his throat, letting go of his unhappiness, "Then what should I know about the former if I ask you?"

"The stars are revived, the king's authority is high, the Emerald City and even the South Bank will soon belong to the king, and obey the king," Xi Lai replied simply, "and we will be the witnesses of this history. Of course, if something goes wrong Harmonious, we will be participants."

Witness to history.

Participants.

"I don't understand," Thales folded his arms, "Why did he tell you this? The sister of the first target of this trip?"

Healy turned sideways, shaking the pipe at Thales.

"Yeah, it's like I didn't understand at first," the girl exhaled two puffs of white smoke from her nose, "Why did His Majesty tell you this? Someone who clearly opposes him in the kingdom?"

Thales shook his head: "This is different."

"But I can understand," Xi Lai replied very quickly, "because in this mission, His Majesty needs a surprise soldier. There are some things that the Kingdom's Secret Division can't do, and it's best not to know."

The Raiders.

Kingdom Secret Science can't be done, it's better not to know...

Thales frowned slightly.

"Okay, it's my turn," Xi Lai rolled his eyes, "What did my brother tell you in that suspicious and soundproof confession room?"

"He said," Thales cheered up, "he didn't kill Dagory Moss."

"The wine merchant who followed you into the city?"

"Yes," Thales carefully stared at the other party, trying to read the clue from the girl's face, "So, was he killed by the Kingdom's Secret Division?"

But Shirley shook her head.

"Don't know."

"What?"

Thales looked suspicious:

"Don't be kidding, you just showed up on your front foot and warned me that 'someone else will do it for you', and Moss died on your back foot. How can there be such a coincidence in the world?"

"I said, we are in one-way communication, how can I know what the Kingdom's Secret Division is doing?"

"No, such a big matter, even if it is a one-line contact...how could you not know?"

"You are the second prince, don't you know that too?"

"I'm not from the secret department!"

"I'm not from the secret department either."

"Then what can you tell me?" Thales reacted, a little surprised.

"I said, I really want to help," Xi Lai shook his head indifferently, "but unfortunately, I am neither a member of the Kingdom's Secret Division, nor do I have a way to contact them, so I can't confirm it."

Thales was taken aback again when he heard the words, and asked:

"What? What did you just say you weren't?"

Shirley shrugged.

Thales is extremely puzzled:

"But last night, didn't you say..."

"What did you say?"

"Your last sentence, remember?"

Heilei couldn't help being puzzled, and thought for a while:

"Oh, you mean, 'Kingdom Secret Science, send you my greetings'?"

Thales raised his eyebrows:

"Yes?"

"Oh, that sentence."

Heilee's face is as usual, it seems that this is just a small matter:

"It is used to adjust the atmosphere when saying goodbye."

Adjust the atmosphere...

It was quiet on the rooftop for a long time, and for a while, only the sound of the square could be heard.

After a few seconds, Thales urged the crime of prison river, trying his best to maintain a smiling face:

"What? Atmosphere?"

The doubtful point that kept me up all night, you just explained it with a light sentence of "adjusting the atmosphere"?

"But don't you think that farewell line is cool and interesting? It just brings the suspenseful atmosphere to a climax."

Healy took a puff of cigarette and pulled out a grimace mask under his sleeve:

“The greatest reward for a magician is to enjoy the unbelievable expressions of the audience after performing a trick.”

Thales didn't know what an unbelievable expression was.

He only felt his brows twitching at the moment.

"If I had to do it again..."

The round-faced girl sat up, her gaze turned cold.

I saw her approaching Thales with a calm expression but deep eyes:

"The majesty's photo shows boundless grace and power. Kuntana, who comes from the distant mountains and lands, sends his highness greetings."

Thales took a deep breath.

That is to say...

Xi Lai put away her expression and lay back on the stage, but she was startled when she remembered something.

"Wait, so," the girl frowned and turned around, "you don't really think I'm from the secret department just because of this line?"

Yes.

Otherwise?

"No way, how is it possible," Thales coughed, trying to squeeze out a calm and disapproving expression, "I have already seen that you are not from the Kingdom's Secret Department, just now I was just testing you, Let's see if you can find out the truth with just one sentence from me."

"Really?"

"Really!"

"Oh, please," Xi Lai looked at him pitifully, and shook his head, "We are the ones appointed by His Majesty to make 'immediate decisions'. Come to disrupt our situation?"

"I know!"

"Don't go."

"Don't go to what?" Thales was still in a mood of anger from embarrassment.

"Don't try to find or contact the Secret Department of the Kingdom." At that moment, Xi Lai's voice was ethereal, drifting with the smoke, "My brother not only rules this city, he also controls it, owns it, and dominates it , to an extent that you can hardly imagine."

Own it, dominate it...

Thales' expression changed slightly.

"But at the Battle of the Frontlines," he asked tentatively, "Zhan En was very disturbed, and he was worried all night, wary of the king's next move..."

"It's better to die because of friends than to die because of enemies."

Shirley interrupted him.

The girl turned to Thales. At this moment, she stopped smoking and her eyes were sharp:

"Do you think you are my brother's friend or his enemy?"

"And my brother thinks, are you his friend or his enemy?"

Thales was stunned.

He was about to speak, but Xi Lai robbed the words again:

"To sum up, what do you think he will let you see about him?"

Thales' expression disappeared, and he fell into deep thought.

Hile looked at Thales with deep eyes:

"If you go to contact the secret department, it's okay if you don't succeed. If you succeed, you will expose each other and bring disaster to their actions."

Hile turned around:

"And I don't need to remind you: Kingdom Secrets shouldn't even know we exist."

Thales escaped from his complicated thoughts and took a deep breath.

"In that case, what role should I play here?"

"That's what His Majesty said, 'You don't need to know'." Shiley shrugged.

"Ha, thank you," Thales sarcastically said, "Thank you for telling me 'I am not my father's favorite child'."

"Think about it, in this task, everyone has their own role to play, even me," Xi Lai snorted softly, "It's like His Majesty must have told you that certain things only a prince is worthy of know, and the part I 'don't have to know', right?"

Something only a prince deserves to know...

Thales squeezed out a smile with a certain chance of winning:

"Yes."

Not true.

He didn't tell me the shit.

"So, we're even, are you happier?"

Thanks, not at all.

But the next moment, Thales' gaze changed.

"So why?"

He stared at Hilley, who was lying comfortably and was about to take a puff of cigarette: "As Kevin Dill, why do you want to stand by the king against your brother?"

Hile's hand holding the pipe stopped.

"Skip this question," the girl said blankly, "Change to another one."

Thales narrowed his eyes.

"So, do you know, once our mission is completed, what fate will your brother, Jann Cavendir, face?"

Hile's gaze froze.

"You broke the rules."

"What?"

Heilei turned to him with indifferent eyes:

"I believe that you have violated His Majesty's instructions and talked about the part of me that I don't need to know."

Your Majesty's instructions...

Thales frowned.

"That means you actually know, right?"

He pressed, "So, why?"

Healy frowned:

"You're back to the question you just skipped."

On the roof of the temple, the boy and the girl looked at each other and faced each other silently.

But a few seconds later, Thales smiled.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, I'm just thinking," Thales shook his head, sighing with emotion, "If Jann knew that the biggest enemy of Emerald City came from his side, from his close relatives..."

Hile's face turned cold.

"Don't worry, he's not you, even if he finally finds out the truth, he won't cry."

Thales' expression changed slightly: "What do you mean 'he's not me'?"

Xilai snorted coldly, and the freckles on her face moved slightly.

"With my brother's temperament, he would just grit his teeth fiercely, wipe away a tear in an invisible corner, and then raise his head in the next second and squeeze out a smile: 'That's great, sister, as expected of our Kai Wen Dier, has always been loyal to the emperor and patriotic, never falling behind!'”

Hile turned to Thales:

"Then, on the surface, he respectfully obeys, but secretly he will continue to think of ways to use his best method to cause damage and trouble. Why are you looking at me like this?"

"Although your description is very strange," Thales narrowed his eyes, "but my intuition tells me that what you said may be right."

Hile and Thales looked at each other, and after a few seconds, she smiled.

"I know what you want to ask, Your Highness."

Heilei sneered:

"Yes, that's right, I know, I know what kind of fate my brother will eventually face in the current situation."

In the next second, Xi Lai looked firm:

"That's why I'm doing this."

"Because this is the only way to save him."

This time it's Thales' turn to change his expression:

"Save him? You did this to save Zhan En?"

The round-faced girl nodded.

"I'm not an idiot, Your Highness, nor is my brother," she looked towards the sky, and the pipe in her hand had not been moved for a long time, "but facing the same thing, many people have different choices."

"It's as if His Majesty gave you the power of discretion." On the setting sun temple, Xi Lai looked at the sun covered by clouds in a daze, "And I, as long as I complete the mission and goals His Majesty gave me, I will be able to do my best in the world." Under this premise, I will do my best to reverse the fate of my brother."

Thales frowned:

"Is that so?"

"What else?"

"I, I thought..." Thales hesitated, but Miranda appeared before his eyes.

"Thought it was me who wanted to become a duke and rob his seat?"

Heilei raised his eyebrows and sneered disdainfully:

"Don't be kidding. After you sit in that seat, you will no longer be a human being."

Thales' heart moved.

"It makes sense," the prince sighed, "however, it is precisely those who are still human who envy those who are no longer human."

"That's reasonable," Xi Lai nodded in agreement, "It's a pity that there are not many people listening."

"In that case, why don't you try talking to Jann?"

Thales couldn't help but said:

"With your help, we can negotiate a condition with him and settle this matter decently."

There is no need to make a mess, Thales said in his heart.

"Decent?"

Shirley shook her head.

"Don't look at him pretending to be gentle and rational," the girl put down the pipe, and pulled out an exotic pendant from her collar with a few golden threads spirally intertwined with a red gemstone, "but in his bones, Zhan En is an extreme and stubborn guy who hates him, and he will never give up until the end."

Until the end, never give up.

Hearing this, Thales fell into deep thought.

Xilai looked at the slowly rotating pendant:

"What's more, in his eyes, I'm just a little girl who doesn't know anything, am I?"

"That's why you came to me," Thales suddenly realized, "Report yourself to increase your confidence and achieve what you want."

Hile held the pendant in his palm, his eyes sharp.

"So, can you help me?"

She jumped in front of Thales~IndoMTL.com~ and slowly stretched out her right hand:

"That way, I can help you and we can help each other."

Thales lowered his head, looked at the girl's outstretched palm, and frowned.

"Okay, at most one more thing," Xi Lai sighed, and withdrew his palm, "As long as you help me, I won't scare you anymore, how about it?"

Thales suddenly smiled as he looked at her.

"What are you laughing at?"

Thales shook his head, looked at the sky and the sun rushed out of the clouds, so that he had to squint his eyes:

"I think, Jen En probably thought that he was the one protecting you all this time."

Hilley's expression changed.

"Yeah," she lowered her head and put the pendant in her collar, "just like all self-righteous older brothers."