Thales raised his head and took a deep breath. He adjusted his breathing and pulled his heavy thoughts back to the lesson.
"I have seen relevant historical data in two books, including 'The Joint Ruling Pledge' and 'The Disaster of Black Eye'. Compared to the endless chaos in Eckstedt after Raikaru's death, Constellation's warlike and warlike 'Black Eye' John Jadestar the First successfully inherited the King of Renaissance's army and territory, and obtained the loyalty of the vassals."
Hicks and Saroma listened to him attentively, but only Thales himself knew that even now, his mind was still preoccupied. He was only reading the notes and reading from the book.
"In less than a year, Black Eye almost unified the south and completed what the King of Renaissance did not finish. He took over Blade Edge Hill and part of the coastal area, which is today's South Coast Hill, and Constellation became more and more powerful …"
Thales thought about the disdain on Putray's face when Nicholas showed off the 'Joint Ruling Pledge' to them when they first arrived in Eckstedt, and his explanation.
"At this stage, because the peace treaty between Raikaru and Tormond was invalid, and because the suzerains in Eckstedt were in conflict with each other and had endless internal strife, Constellation began to take the opportunity to expand northward. When the Arunde Family of Constellation and the Tanen Family of Northland had a conflict over the ownership of Overwatch City, John Black Eye gathered an unprecedented Constellation army to the north …
"Two days after 'Black Eye' marched into Overwatch City, Nuven Walton, the 'Smiler' of Dragon Clouds City, who was also the first Nuven, made a proposal. With the help of the Queen of the Sky, he mediated the conflict between Prestige Orchid Region and the City of Faraway Prayers. The ten suzerains gathered in front of Raikaru's tombstone, and the Joint Ruling Pledge was signed. Nuven the First was crowned king, and the nine suzerains were promoted to archdukes."
Thales exhaled and flipped through the notes he made in the library a few days ago. "So, to a certain extent, I believe that it was the threat from the newly rising Constellation that made the ten suzerains, who were in conflict with each other, compromise, and work together to fight against the enemy. What happened after that is the proof.
"In response, the Tanen Family asked for help from Nuven the First in the name of the Joint Ruling Pledge. Even though the archdukes were still in conflict, with the power of the pledge, 'The Smiler' Nuven still gathered the army and vassals he wanted. A great war broke out with Constellation's army around Overwatch City, forcing John Black Eye, who originally had the upper hand, to give up on the idea of advancing northward, and turned westward to attack Western Desert.
"That was the first time the Joint Ruling Pledge came into effect. It was also the first time Eckstedt waged war against Constellation in the name of the kingdom. To a certain extent, it was also the first time Eckstedt intimidated the Western Peninsula. No one could imagine that after the Battle of Eradication, other than facing the calamities, which other force could mobilize such a large military force?"
Hicks rolled his eyes and seemed to be deep in thought.
Thales sighed. "So, back to the main topic, Constellation's strength and rise to power also contributed to the 'Joint Ruling Pledge' and the unification of the strongest country in the Western Peninsula to a large extent. It allowed the ten archdukes to temporarily set aside their differences, and created the system that this country would follow in the future."
"In other words," Saroma asked curiously, "Constellation wanted to seize the opportunity to attack Northland, but in the end, it helped to unify Eckstedt?"
"Yes." Thales nodded. "In this case, not only did Black Eye John's plan to launch a war and invade Eckstedt from the north fail, it also strengthened the Kingdom of the Great Dragon."
When Thales finished speaking, he realized that Saroma was already staring at him with starry eyes. He could not help but cough.
Hicks laughed out loud.
"Starting from the Joint Ruling Pledge, we seem to have found an even more interesting topic. You want to weaken a certain person or a certain country, but you intend to crush the other party's fist, and instead help the other party." The Old Crow sighed slightly and spoke in another language. "There's a phrase in the Far East called 'overreaching oneself'. Are there any more examples?"
Thales narrowed his eyes. "Of course."
Unknowingly, his attention was attracted. He lowered his head and flipped through his notes. "It's still Constellation and Eckstedt, but in reverse. The Virtuous King, Mindis the Third's reform."
At that moment, Hicks' gaze froze slightly.
"During the Fourth Peninsular War, Eckstedt's pressure and destruction on Constellation left behind a land of devastation, but it also left behind a blank space and an opportunity. The suzerains in various parts of Constellation became weak and were in urgent need of assistance and recovery. They scrambled to seek help from Eternal Star City, which made the obstacles the king faced unprecedentedly small. Mindis the Third was able to promote his officials on a blank piece of paper, create his system, borrow money and levy taxes without any qualms, and appease the nobles' dissatisfaction with a very small price. The Great Dragon's threat and invasion, on the contrary, made it convenient for him to start his own game of chess, and formed the system of Constellation today."
Thales quickly concluded this example that he was all too familiar with in one sentence. He raised his head, only to find that Hicks was looking at him with a strange gaze.
"My dear, I really didn't expect you to use the 'Virtuous King' as an example." The Old Crow snorted softly. "You must know that even in Dragon Kiss Academy, the evaluation of the 'Virtuous King' is mixed. Of course, it's focused on his imitation and innovation of the Mane Nox official assessment system, as well as his support for the establishment of a private academy."
Thales scratched his head. "I'm sorry, erm, due to various reasons, I'm still quite familiar with this part of history, so I tried my best to find historical materials in this area in the library."
Hicks coughed softly. "Then, according to what you just said, war is a very complicated topic, because temporary victories and defeats seem to only be superficial, and the positions of the victors and losers can change at any time?"
Thales' gaze had already left the notebook.
He suddenly thought of King Nuven and Lampard, King Kessel and Arunde.
King Nuven attacked Black Sand Region and suppressed the Lampard Family for decades, but created a terrifying and ambitious person who would take his life in the future.
Arunde plotted to usurp the throne and plunged Constellation into a crisis, but after his failure, he gave Kessel a reason to control the Northern Territory with the royal authority.
What about himself?
He seemed to have saved the Walton Family's fate perfectly and cleverly, sent the archduchess to the throne, and ensured Constellation's interests.
But … all the things that he thought he was infallible in the past became questionable after Lampard's visit.
Thales sighed slowly.
Suddenly, he had a deeper understanding of the Virtuous King's words: 'A momentary victory or defeat is but a fleeting moment.
How … interesting. '
Thales raised his head and said quietly, "In fact, I think that simply using victory or defeat to describe the outcome of a war is lacking in consideration."
The Old Crow raised his eyebrows slightly. "Do you mind saying a little more?"
Thales cleared his throat, as though he had returned to the past in his dream.
"War is not a carpentry game, and the opponent is not a piece of wood. If something protrudes here, you just hit it with a hammer, and it will behave. No."
Thales muttered to himself for a while.
He continued, "War is the gathering of many factors, and it is also the interaction of two parties or even many parties. The wood you hammer may become fragile, or it may become tighter, or it may become harder, or it may become rougher and harder to touch. But it is not determined by whether you hit it with a hammer or not. It depends on the conditions and factors of countless wars, as well as our perspective of observation."
Hicks encouraged him to continue speaking with his gaze.
Thales sucked in a breath. "War is a declaration of war, the ideal of a country's unification, reconciliation of contradictions, sharpening of weapons, and defining one's own moment in blood and fire …
"But it is also the opportunity for Ying Zhanguo to react spontaneously in a crisis, to decisively break away from his old ways, to reconstruct himself, to close his loose fingers, to clench his fists tightly, and to face the enemy in a brand new state.
"Even after the war ends, this influence will still continue."
He could not help but think of the Virtuous King.
"And after the war, both parties will no longer be the same. I think Constellation and the Great Dragon are the best examples. Over a longer period of time in history, the two sides of the war will change and change accordingly. The forces of power will rise and fall, and the balance will shift. That is why the society we live in and the situation we live in will become what it is now, and it will deeply affect our lives until today.
"Perhaps, compared to what we can see in a short period of time, the glory or pleasure of victory, and the humiliation or pain of defeat, this is what we have always ignored when we face war?"
After Thales finished speaking, he sank into deep thought.
"Very good." Hicks clapped softly. "I have to say, it has exceeded my expectations, young Sir."
Saroma furrowed her eyebrows and said thoughtfully, "So, in other words, when we face war, we should consider more, and not just stop at the superficial level of 'whether we can win' or 'what will happen if we lose'?"
Thales' eyes lit up, and he gave her a thumbs-up.
Hicks smiled faintly. "You are right, my dear Saroma. I like this conclusion very much."
He blinked his eyes casually, revealing a trace of slyness.
"So, I can still sum it up."
Both students showed expressions of interest.
The Old Crow sighed, and his eyes behind the lenses trembled slightly.
"First of all, Constellation and Dragon, your fates are intertwined with each other. This is definitely not an empty statement. Be it in the past, present, or future, you have long been entangled together and are inseparable from each other for hundreds of years. Your origins are so deep, you are so close to each other, and you are so closely connected that any change in either of you will have an impact on the other party that is difficult to detect immediately, but cannot be ignored and irreversible in the future.
"Is that right?"
The two students nodded vigorously.
Their teacher sighed and coughed uncomfortably. "I think we can at least reach a consensus. War is not that simple. It is neither simple destruction and reconstruction, nor is it simple plundering and reconstruction. As for victory and defeat, this is the most superficial of all."
Hicks looked out of the window. There seemed to be emotions flowing in his eyes. "So, both of you have the conditions and the power to wage war in the future, even against each other. I am not advising you to hate war, but before you make up your mind to wage war, I think you should first think clearly about whether doing so will really achieve your goals. How many unexpected things will happen because of this? What additional consequences will there be? What will it symbolize in the long-term future? How will the impact on both of you be calculated? "
Thales and Saroma fell silent as they pondered about something.
"War is not an overly idealistic game. It is not a one-way assault by one party against the other to determine who is superior or inferior. I actually hope that it is that simple. So simple that we only need to sit in the tent and count the number of chips and listen to the battle cries outside the tent. Then, victory and defeat will be decided, and everything will be over."
Hicks stared out of the window in a daze, as if he had forgotten that he was just summarizing and 'chatting'. He continued on his own, "But it is not.
It is not. "
"Death? Sacrifice? Benefits? Price? Victory and defeat? These are only the most superficial things in war. "The Old Crow was rather sentimental." More importantly, the fate of thousands of people in both countries will be decided by this. The direction of the future for thousands of years will be affected by it. All factors will be tested in this cruel furnace. And you and I, whether we are suzerains with high positions of power or commoners who rise and fall with the wind, are just the most powerless chess pieces, because most of the time, it is not up to us to decide, even if you are the instigator or the victor of the war.
"Please remember, dear gentlemen and ladies.
"Beyond the hypocritical moral accusations, beyond the simple calculation of benefits, beyond the illusory warrior's honor …" Hicks sighed deeply, as if he had remembered something from the past. "Do not belittle war itself. It is not as simple as you think. It is not a game in which you must win or lose, in which you must pay a price, and in which you must live or die."
Thales and Saroma stared at their teacher's expression and seemed to feel the heaviness in it. They looked at each other and did not dare to breathe loudly.
"Alright, it's just a little sentimental." Hicks snapped out of his daze and smiled nonchalantly. "So, let's go back to the main topic. Do you have more examples where the outcome of a battle cannot be determined by the outcome of a battle?"
The Old Crow did not wait for them to speak. He blinked his eyes behind his spectacles in a seemingly unintentional manner. "If not for the time being. Then, I would like you to continue thinking about an example."
Thales and Saroma were slightly taken aback.
Then, the weak old man uttered a word.
"The Bloody Year.
"Apart from victory and defeat, from what perspective and to what extent should we evaluate the gory year that was full of wars?"
Thales froze on the spot and stared at his teacher in a daze.
He had the illusion that the moment Hicks said that word, he glanced at him lightly.
It was a scrutinizing glance, and it was a stark contrast from his usual relaxed and relaxed demeanor.
"Consider it your extra homework, but you don't have to hand it to me, because we won't discuss it next time." The Old Crow stood up laboriously and laughed. "Then, let's call it a day."
Before Thales could think about the meaning of the question, the two students quickly and respectfully sent their ailing teacher out of the door.
* Thud, thud, thud … *
"Saroma." As he watched his teacher leave, Thales shook off the shadow in his mind and said to Saroma in the most solemn tone, "Listen."
Saroma, who was tidying up her notes, was slightly startled.
"What's wrong?"
The prince's face was solemn. He took a deep breath and stared into Saroma's eyes with an exceptionally serious expression.
The girl felt uneasy as she stared at him.
"Today, after the outdoor class, it will be around dinner time."
Thales clenched his fists. Recalling what he saw and heard yesterday, he became even more nervous.
"I … I have something very, very, very important to tell you."
His tone was unprecedentedly serious.
Saroma stared at him in a daze, as if she was not used to the prince being so serious. "Very important?"
"Yes." Thales seemed to feel that she was not paying enough attention, so he quickly added, "You must consider it seriously! It's about — it's about our futures! "
It's something that will affect our entire lives! "
The archduchess was stunned.
She blinked behind her pince-nez, then …
She blushed.
"Okay, okay." The girl cleared her throat. She was a little flustered, but she immediately displayed her usual dignity as an archduchess. She raised her neck arrogantly and snorted softly. "I hope you'll be on time, Your Highness."
Without waiting for Thales to react, in the next second, Saroma made a standard dance step and left the study room with a whoosh.
'Huh?
Why did she run away without even putting away her books? '
Thales stared at her back, puzzled. He stared at the tips of her red ears.
'And, why did she …'
In the next second, Thales suddenly remembered something.
The prince was shocked. He stood up abruptly, extended his right hand, and chased after her with a strange expression.
"Hey, aren't you thinking too much again, Little Rascal?!"
On the other side of Heroic Spirit Palace.
Hicks walked further and further away with his walking stick. He walked out of the corridor.
He exhaled a mouthful of air from his weak lungs and coughed painfully. Then, he waved his hand and rejected the servant who wanted to help him.
"Thank you, but I'm not that old …"
* Clatter, clatter, clatter … *
Hicks looked at the gradually fading Northland scenery outside the window and recalled the conversation just now. His relaxed and playful expression disappeared, and he became serious.
'Even though he's very smart, even though he has those eyes.
'But …
'No.'
"But he's not like his father." The Old Crow sighed with a sentimental expression and muttered in a low voice, "And he's not like you either …"
Hicks curled up the corner of his mouth and looked at the sky outside the window. He shook his head in amusement.
'What do you think, Therren?'
The old man walked out of the corridor of Heroic Spirit Palace alone with a hunched back and a limp.
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