237, Chapter 237

In the afternoon, under the scorching sun in the sky, the fat little man ran into Garlan's palace dripping with sweat.

He had a gloomy look on his face every time he came here before, and one could tell at a glance that he came to complain to Garlan because the Trade and Commerce Department was not making any progress.

But today, he has changed from his previous bitter look, and his chubby face is radiant.

With a cheerful look on his face, as soon as he entered the palace, he trotted towards Garlan.

The soft flesh all over his body swayed up and down as he ran, looking like a round ball rolling over.

Although the sun was hot, the fountains sprayed water in the courtyard inside the palace, dissipating some of the afternoon heat.

Tall olive trees surround the courtyard, and their dense canopy casts large swaths of shadow in the courtyard.

In a pavilion made of white stone shrouded in the shade of trees, the Young King sat inside, with his long blond hair spread out on the white stone platform. Juice with ice cubes was placed next to it, and the juice that emerged was cold. The mist seemed to wrap around the ends of the hanging blond hair.

The huge golden-brown lion is lying in front of Garlan, resting his huge head on Garlan's knees, looking lazy, dozing with squinted eyes, letting Garlan comfortably Smooth yourself.

Even if Tal came running staggeringly, it would just glance at him casually and not bother to pay attention to him.

Tal didn't care, he leaned over happily, beaming.

"Your Majesty, do you think I'm pretending to be cool these days?"

These days, he pretended to be anxious and helpless, and kept running towards Garlan with his head raised.

Those people mocked him openly and covertly, but he just lowered his head and remained silent, as if he was speechless.

He looked frustrated on the outside, but he was actually happy on the inside.

Let you little people play it for a while before you succeed, and let you be proud first.

When the time comes, you guys won’t even have a place to cry——

The little fat man thought so sinisterly in his heart, waiting patiently to slap those guys in the face.

The big businessmen who were causing trouble had no idea that they had been targeted from the moment they started doing tricks in secret.

Every move they make is actually under the eyes of others.

They thought their private behavior had been exposed long ago.

Garlan knew everything they had done, one by one.

Talming's identity on the surface is the newly appointed Director of the Department of Commerce and Trade.

However, only a few people know about his other secret position.

Head of the Intelligence Department.

After Garlan ascended the throne, he immediately began to rebuild the destroyed legions. Everyone's attention was naturally attracted to the reconstruction of the legions.

However, only a few people, including Shermur and Kayhos, knew that at the same time, Garlan secretly established such a department.

Intelligence Division.

Specially used to secretly detect and collect various information.

Tal, who was good at collecting and organizing information, was in charge of its work.

In more than a year, its power may still be weak in other areas, but in the royal city with Garlan's support, it has already extended to all aspects of the royal city.

The actions of those big businessmen have always been under its surveillance.

Tal, who everyone thought would be over sooner or later, silently watched from behind as this group of big businessmen, who thought they had control of the situation and could overwhelm the king, jumped up and down, as if they were watching a monkey show.

"Speaking of which, Your Majesty, since you sent people to warn them and hint them to calm down, why did you only select some of those guys?"

Tal asked as he sat cross-legged next to Gallan, happily drinking the iced juice that Gallan gave him.

"Wouldn't it be better to just give them all a warning? Maybe there will be a few more people who become honest."

Garlan hummed.

"Indeed, they actually do the same thing."

In fact, these big businessmen took advantage of the lack of standardized and unified business laws and regulations. They relied on the power of their backers to monopolize the business in the royal city and earn huge profits.

Although this behavior is illegal, their behavior does not violate the law.

In the final analysis, it is a problem of imperfect business regulations.

Therefore, at the beginning, Garlan only planned to warn them, let them withdraw voluntarily, let them lose a small amount of money, and punish them a little.

However……

Gently stroking Nerga's thick mane, Garlan's golden eyes became slightly colder.

"Some people are careful and don't do anything too extreme. I can give them a chance."

While stroking Nerga's mane, Garlan reached out and picked up a piece of cooked meat placed in the basin next to him, and brought it to Nerga's mouth.

Seeing Nerga obediently biting the piece of meat in his hand, Garlan continued.

"However, some people's behavior is beyond what I can tolerate."

he said, his tone understated.

The coldness hidden in the depths unconsciously made people feel tight.

Garlan wanted to clear up the business structure in the royal city, but he did not intend to kill everyone because of this.

Forget about the few big businessmen who just colluded with the powerful to monopolize money and make money. As long as they honestly retreated, he would let them go.

However, some guys are not satisfied with having such huge profits, and instead become more and more greedy.

Over the years, they relied on the powerful people behind them to bully others, buy and sell by force, harass and drive away colleagues with harsh methods, monopolize trade routes, and even waste their lives. In order to seize other people's goods, they colluded with some officials to forcibly accuse them of unwarranted crimes. , and finally forced the person to despair and commit suicide unjustly.

The Young King raised his head and looked into the distance, his eyes as sharp as a sword.

It’s time to clean up the silverfish in this royal city.

…………

……………………

The news that the big businessmen had been arrested spread quickly throughout the royal city, which of course also alarmed the backers behind them.

You must find a way to fish out your own bitch.

Otherwise, who will help them make money in the future, and who will give them a large amount of money?

Naturally, at the court meeting the next day, someone immediately mentioned this matter impatiently.

"Those guys are instigating the people behind their backs. They should be punished a little to serve as a warning to others."

The powerful ministers knew exactly why those big businessmen were arrested.

"But, Your Majesty, they did misbehave, but they did not break the law."

"They didn't bear any charges, so you arrested them directly. This behavior is really inappropriate."

"Your Majesty, you are praised by the people for your justice, and now you have arrested those innocent businessmen. If this matter spreads, I am afraid..."

When one person takes the lead, others follow.

Many people said so.

Those guys deserve to make you angry.

They did not directly propose to release them, but changed the subject and persuaded Garlan tactfully.

You are a wise king, a king known for your justice. Arresting these businessmen who just make you angry but have no definite charges will do great harm to your reputation.

You can just punish them a little to calm down their anger. For the sake of your own reputation, let them go as soon as possible.

Sitting on the cold malachite throne, the Young King tilted his body slightly, supporting his chin with one hand and looking at the ministers below who were persuading him.

The expression was light and indescribably calm.

After a while, his eyes fell on the minister who was the first to stand up and was still persuading him righteously.

"Tal."

Garlan suddenly spoke.

Tal, who had long been forgotten by everyone, trotted out with his body shaking.

Garlan glanced at him, raised his hand, and pointed at the minister he was looking at just now.

Tal nodded understandingly, then turned around and looked at the minister.

"Els."

Tal said the man's name.

"Last night you dined with a man and received a bribe of one thousand gold arrones from that man."

With a snap, the minister named Els turned pale suddenly. The upright and resolute look he had just now completely disappeared, and a look of panic appeared in his eyes.

"No...it's not..."

He forced himself to retort.

"This is a false accusation, Your Majesty, he is falsely accusing me! I definitely did not do anything like that!"

On the throne, Garlan smiled.

He ignored Els who was desperately trying to defend himself. He just raised his hand and pointed at someone again.

Tal stared at the man, thought for a few seconds, and then spoke.

"Gada, at noon three days ago, someone came to visit with his female family members and presented 800 Aaron's gold coins in a food box in the name of giving delicious food. In addition, the man's female family members gave his wife a set worth 300 gold coins. Malachite charms for Aaron’s gold coins.”

The expression of the executive named Jiada who worked in the Finance Department also changed instantly.

Compared with the minister who supported him, he was obviously much more aware of current affairs.

After his eyes flashed rapidly for a few times, he did not defend himself and knelt down with a bang, his whole body lying on the ground, his forehead pressed tightly to the ground.

The sudden change of situation in the court caught all the ministers off guard and looked at the scene in front of them in surprise.

While they were all still in shock, the young king on the throne looked calm, still stretched out his hand, and nodded a few more people seemingly casually.

Each time he clicked on one, Tal looked at the person and spoke out the time, place and amount of the bribe the person had received.

One after another people were pointed out by Garlan.

The positions went from low to high, and in the end there were even ministers at the level of director.

The amount of bribes from Tal's mouth also increased from small to large, and finally reached as high as 5,000 Aaron gold coins.

One Aaron gold coin is the living expenses for a commoner family of four for one year.

This shows how big a sum of money five thousand Aaron gold coins was.

And from this, we can see how wealthy those big businessmen who can easily spend such a huge sum of money to bribe officials are already——

At the beginning, there were still one or two people who stubbornly resisted with a lucky mentality and refused to admit it.

However, Tal snorted coldly, and then unceremoniously told the ministers who said he was falsely accusing them of all the misdeeds of the ministers who had committed crimes besides accepting bribes.

At this time, those who denied the crime were immediately accused of several more crimes than the others, and the others suddenly did not dare to act rashly.

At this moment, all the noble ministers looked at the young king on the throne.

Look at his hand with such an understatement.

It made them tremble with fear, fearing that someone would point the finger at them.

When Garlan finally put down his hand, half of the ministers who were trying to persuade him to release the big businessmen for the sake of Garlan's reputation knelt on the ground.

After all, not everyone was bribed, and some ministers did make suggestions out of their heart.

At this moment, a dozen people were kneeling below.

Their official positions ranged from big to small, from officials to nobles. At this moment, each of them had different expressions. Some were pale and sweating profusely, some pursed their lips to reveal a violent look, and some looked solemn.

The remaining nobles and ministers also had different expressions.

Someone secretly glanced at Garlan on the throne, their eyes flickering and showing a bit of nervousness.

There was also a group of ministers headed by Zuo Sixiang who stood at attention and frowned at the group of kneeling colleagues, showing disapproval or sighing in their eyes.

Garlan sat on the throne with one hand on the armrest of the throne.

He looked down at the crowd.

Condescending.

There was no anger on his face, and he looked calmly at the group of kneeling ministers.

However, it is this kind of calmness that gives people an invisible sense of oppression, which makes everyone below feel awe-inspiring.

The golden eyes were like the scorching sun in the sky, as if they could see through everything.

All the darkness in this world cannot escape under the sunlight.

[Under the golden pupils of Shamash, the God of Judgment, no one's crimes can be hidden. 】

At this moment, looking at the young king on the throne, everyone could not help but think of this well-known saying of Aaron Landis.

Suddenly, an indescribable feeling of fear arose in their hearts, causing them to subconsciously lower their heads under each other's gaze.

I dare not look at him again.

Looking across the bodies of the people below, Garlan spoke again.

He said: "Shemur, you are responsible for the trial of these people's crimes."

The high priest of Shamash bowed slightly and saluted the young king on the throne.

"Do your will."

Shermur replied solemnly.

Then, with a wave of his golden priest's staff, he strode forward.

Dozens of Shamash priests quickly walked out from one side of the chamber. With their strong and burly bodies, they stretched out their hands, picked up the ministers like they were catching chickens, and dragged them out unceremoniously.

Priests of Shamash, the god of judgment, uphold justice, strictly abide by justice, and abhor any behavior that violates the rule of law.

They are ruthless and never show mercy to sinners.

Seeing that they were about to be dragged away by the priests of Shamash, some people became anxious. While struggling with all their strength, they loudly begged Gallan for mercy.

He shouted, pleading with King Garlan to show mercy and forgive him this time.

As soon as someone took the lead, the others also came to their senses and followed suit, loudly begging for mercy.

Suddenly, the court was noisy and chaotic. Zuo Sixiang scolded him several times angrily, but those people still begged and shouted to the king regardless.

At this moment, Xie Muer had already walked up to the minister who took the lead in shouting.

Then, he expressionlessly raised the golden scepter in his hand.

Swing down hard.

Bang.

The man was knocked unconscious on the spot by the high priest's scepter, and fell limply on top of the priest who was carrying him.

The chamber, which had been shouting just now, suddenly fell silent.

Looking at the heavy scepter in the hand of the high priest, everyone was silent for a while.

In this eerie silence, everyone watched quietly and silently as the priests of Shamash dragged out those who dared not shout any more.

In the quiet court, Garlan stood up.

He turned around and left, his azure cloak flying up as he turned around.

His long blond hair covered his side cheeks, making it difficult to see clearly.

Just like what he did when he got up from the throne and left more than ten days ago.

Generally the same.

Only this time, no one would think that Garlan got up and left because of avoidance.

Everyone bowed and respectfully sent the young king off.

If before today, they only admired and respected the young king who saved Aaron Landis.

So from now on, they have become afraid of him.

Just like he was afraid of the Lion King before.

However, there are always some people in this world who cannot see the situation clearly, or who are not clear-minded. They are reluctant to let go of things that are occupied by them but do not belong to them. Their greed for gold coins gives them the foolish courage to let them go. He wants to try it again.

Just as Garlan stood up to leave, a brown-skinned noble stepped forward and spoke loudly to Garlan's back.

"Your Majesty, although I don't know what crime those merchants have committed, but if you arrest them all, the business in the royal city will be uncontrollable and the order will be chaotic. This will cause chaos in the royal city..."

Garlan didn't even look back, and his steps never stopped.

A sky-blue cloak fluttered behind him.

Heimos, who was leaving with him, turned back and glanced at the noble.

At that glance, it was as if the most terrifying thing in the world came overwhelmingly and swallowed it whole.

The noble who wanted to chase him took a breath and froze in place.

Heimos turned his head and quickly chased after Garlan who had gone away.

…………

"Does what you did just now fulfill your request of 'terrorizing those guys'?"

Sitting next to Garlan, Heimos asked.

Garlan thought for a moment, then nodded.

The corners of Heymos' lips curved.

"So, can I ask for a reward?"

"what do you want?"

"Since it's a reward, of course it's up to you to decide."

Garlan thought for a moment.

He turned his head, raised his face, and looked at Heimos sitting next to him.

Then, he raised his hand, reached over, and patted Heimos' head gently.

"good?"

The boy tilted his head and said tentatively while stroking Heimos' hair.

Then, the hand he was touching his head was bitten by Heimos, who was laughing angrily and teething in anger.