"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
As the ceremonial officer, Blanche Orlando, took the lead in saluting, all the officials knelt together, forming a low human wall on both sides of the palace.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
Next were the attendants and servants in the courtyard, who were responsible for the daily chores and chores in the palace. Wherever Roland looked, everyone lowered their heads, their expressions full of respect and fear.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
Finally, it was the First Army who followed behind him. Their shouts were especially loud, as if they were endless waves.
Roland had thought that he had a certain immunity to such an occasion because he had seen so many people and seen so many magnificent military parades. However, only after experiencing it himself did he realize that the feeling of being looked up to by so many people, no matter how many times he experienced it, would make his blood race.
Amidst the cheers of the crowd, Roland walked up the stairs step by step and entered the core area of the old king's city — the Holy Temple of Twin Towers.
After he sat on the throne, the officials entered the hall one after another and lined up in three rows in front of the throne. Seeing nearly a hundred people, Roland could not help but feel a little emotional. The City of Dawn was indeed the center of the Graycastle Kingdom in the past. In just a year, it had recruited so many people who could read and write. What was even more commendable was that most of them were civilians. Apart from Neverwinter, this level of education was probably one of the best in this era.
"Your Majesty, this is your scepter." Blanche handed over a golden scepter, which was not only engraved with exquisite patterns, but also embedded with a clear sapphire at the end. "It was made by a professional goldsmith. Every king has a different scepter."
Roland was not interested in this naked symbol of power, because it was too straightforward and crude, making people feel like he was a nouveau riche. However, he soon realized that this object wasn't just for show. After all, it wasn't easy to get everyone's attention in such a spacious hall.
But the scepter could do this very well.
He raised the scepter and knocked on the floor. Soon, the crowd quieted down.
"You all know who I am, so there's no need for any opening remarks." Roland scanned the entire hall and said slowly, "The purpose of my trip is very simple. Firstly, it's to eliminate threats, and secondly, it's to restore order. The former does not only refer to those who oppose the new policy, but also those who obstruct the implementation of the new policy. No matter if they were nobles, merchants, freedmen, or rats, as long as they are detrimental to the new policy, they will end up no different from rebels. "
"The latter is to formalize order, which is to establish an administrative system similar to that of Neverwinter. You should have already heard that once you become an official of the City Hall, you can enjoy generous remuneration and treatment, and the road to promotion has nothing to do with bloodline or family background. In other words, as long as you have enough ability, even a commoner can have the opportunity to become a minister of a department, or even the Prime Minister! "
The crowd immediately started whispering to each other. Not to mention the commoners, even a small noble wouldn't dare to dream of such a high position in the past. It was no secret in the old king's city that Barov, a disciple of the Minister of Finance, had become a hot figure in His Majesty's court. At the thought of the opportunity to become a minister of the royal family, the people's eyes lit up.
"But not everyone can enter the City Hall. You have to pass the test," Roland said unhurriedly.
The murmurs grew louder.
"Your Majesty … may I ask what the test is about?" a bold person asked.
"It's a question and answer about reliability. This is also a part of the Neverwinter City Hall's examination," Roland explained with a smile. "You don't have to answer all the questions correctly to pass, but you have to at least meet the minimum requirements. As for the specific content, we'll only tell you before the test. "
In fact, this set of questions and answers was a variation of the Ten Questions of Loyalty written by Scroll. At the same time, some questions about the people's attitude towards work and expectations were added, mainly to ensure the purity of the team. The reason why it was not called a loyalty question and answer was to avoid scaring away people who thought too much. In this era, disloyalty was definitely a serious crime, and it could be a big or small crime. Did it count for insulting the royal family in their hearts? Did it count for making up stories about the king when they were drunk? However, which commoner did not complain in private? Not to mention the nobles. According to the law, these were all acts of disloyalty. If they heard that this was going to be investigated, most people would try to avoid it.
Of course, Nightingale would not be able to investigate everyone clearly in the future. But at least in the initial stage, Roland still hoped to ensure the political system was as reliable as possible. After all, as long as these people could adapt to the new administrative system, they would most likely become the backbone of the government in the future.
"In addition, after choosing to join the City Hall, you have to give up your original property," Roland continued. "In short, City Hall officials are not allowed to have any business dealings with any businessmen. Otherwise, you'll be punished with a felony. I hope everyone will consider this carefully. "
Roland's words were like a basin of cold water. The hall suddenly quieted down.
Unlike the people in Border Town, almost everyone in the old King's City had their own livelihood. It was undoubtedly a dilemma for them to abandon everything they had accumulated in the past and devote themselves to a new job.
But to promote the concept of "professionalization", this was an inevitable step. Even if some people would hand over their property to distant relatives or hire others to manage it, they had to maintain it on the surface. Roland knew that there were no real "officials" in the Four Kingdoms. The so-called ministers were the nobles trusted by the king. It was an honor rather than a duty to handle affairs for His Majesty. When the honor was gone or when there was a crisis, the first thing they would consider was their own interests.
Professionalization, on the other hand, tied people to their posts. There was no way out. It could be seen as the unification of interests. Only when the kingdom was prosperous would they get more benefits.
Another point was that the separation of business and politics could, to a certain extent, avoid the awkward situation of being both a player and a referee.
"Finally, regardless of position, the name of any official City Hall official will be recorded in front of my case." Seeing the gloomy atmosphere, Roland threw out the sweetener he had prepared. "Your treatment and position will not only be effective in one city. As long as it's under my rule, I'll recognize your power."
This was the trump card of the professional bureaucratic system — the establishment.
The significance of being part of the system was self-evident. It was not only a form of recognition but also the most stable guarantee. The people in the hall might not realize its benefits immediately, but as time went by, they would eventually understand the wonderful taste of being part of the state.
Since the old king's city had been screened several times, the aristocratic class was almost non-existent. It was much more convenient to reorganize the city than the previous cities. Although many people still had doubts, no one jumped out to oppose it openly. They just wanted to give it a try. When the meeting was over, a long line soon formed at the registration office.
When Roland returned to his study and was about to summon Theo, Yorko, and other old fellows for a private chat, a guard hurried in.
"Your Majesty, a messenger from the guards stationed in the Northern Region reported that they found the army of the Kingdom of Dawn west of Hermes."
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