In the room.
Looking at the sleeping beauty, Ye Xuan dotingly kissed Luo Tianyi's tender, impossibly smooth cheek. Such a scene would surely ignite envy in countless others.
Luo Tianyi, in her sleep, sensed someone kissing her. She stirred her delicate body, shifted into a more comfortable position, and drifted back to sleep.
Watching his stunning wife's playful demeanor, a curve formed on Ye Xuan's lips. This girl seemed truly exhausted just now. He then rose and left the room.
Before long, he arrived at a pre-arranged room nearby.
Two soldiers, who had been waiting for a long time, stood ramrod straight upon seeing Ye Xuan, as if undergoing inspection. This was not for any other reason than that the person before them was the master of their Grand Duchy of Best, their incomparably noble Duke!
Outsiders might not know, but as confidantes of Puxis, these two certainly did, and this was the reason for their profound respect. It was precisely this lord before them who, single-handedly, had annihilated their former greatest enemy, the Grand Duchy of Mixi, whose territory now belonged to them.
Furthermore, not only was Count Puxis present, but Count Weir was also in the room. The fact that these two most esteemed counts had gathered here to confer with the Duke indicated that the matter at hand must be of extreme importance.
Ye Xuan noticed the soldiers' expressions and smiled faintly. They pushed open the room door and he entered.
The first thing he saw was Puxis, whom he hadn't seen in a long time – currently, the uncle of Prince William of the Eagle Nation and the current King of the Eagle Nation. The other person was none other than Count Weir, the supreme commander of the War Department of the Grand Duchy of Best.
These two, one in governance and the other in military command, were the highest officials of the Grand Duchy of Best.
"Puxis (Weir) greets His Grace, the Duke!"
Upon Ye Xuan's arrival, Puxis and Weir immediately rose from their seats and bowed respectfully to greet him. The fact that Duke Ye Xuan had summoned them both at this time already signaled that the upcoming discussion was absolutely vital to Best.
The subsequent conversation perfectly confirmed their suspicions.
"Rise."
Ye Xuan was not surprised by the solemnity of Puxis and Weir. It would be strange if they weren't this way, as the tasks he was about to assign them were exceedingly weighty, though for Ye Xuan himself, they were nothing.
"Thank you, Your Grace, the Duke!"
Puxis and Weir bowed in thanks before straightening up, their minds now on high alert, determined not to miss a single moment of what was to come.
"I have summoned you two here for one matter only."
A calm voice emanated, causing Puxis and Weir to tense up. "Your Grace commands!"
"We two shall undoubtedly go through fire and water for Your Grace!!"
Both Puxis and Weir felt this way. If it had been before, perhaps they wouldn't have been so resolute. Just recently, they had learned that it was this very Duke before them who had directly assisted William in ascending the throne – a feat that had left them stunned for days.
"Going through fire and water is not necessary, but the next period will likely be quite busy for you."
Ye Xuan looked at their determined expressions with satisfaction. "Next, what I require you to do is very simple: to change the designation of the Grand Duchy of Best. Officially rename the Grand Duchy of Best to the Kingdom of Best."
Boom~!!
Upon hearing this, Puxis and Weir's hearts trembled. What had they heard?
The Duke intended to rename the Grand Duchy of Best to a Kingdom? This...
This information struck them like ten thousand bolts of lightning, leaving them utterly stunned. It was too fast!
Indeed!
This was the unanimous thought at that moment. They had considered the possibility of the Grand Duchy of Best becoming a Kingdom, but they had anticipated it would be at least three, or even five, years down the line.
They had only just managed to bring the territory of the Grand Duchy of Mixi under control, and even then, it was only just.
"Hoo~"
Count Puxis and Count Weir took a deep breath, exchanged a look, and saw certainty in each other's eyes.
"We respectfully obey the Duke's command!"
With their right hands placed on their left shoulders, they bowed respectfully in response, but their shock had only just begun.
Seeing their resolute expressions, Ye Xuan nodded slightly and continued, "Furthermore, effective immediately, a nationwide proclamation will be issued. All citizens within the territory of the Kingdom of Best will be exempt from taxation for ten years. Additionally, a general amnesty will be declared, and the country's gates will be flung wide open."
"Refugees from all nations will be permitted to enter the Kingdom of Best. All who enter the territory of the Kingdom of Best will be granted citizen status, along with allocated land and housing, for a period of one month."
Boom!!!
As these words were spoken, Count Puxis and Count Weir were struck with shock, their minds reeling. They looked at the man before them in utter amazement – the master of Best City, and in the near future, potentially the King of the Kingdom of Best.
Good heavens!
Opening the country's gates, attracting refugees, providing them with land and housing, and exempting them from taxes for ten years – such a move was truly unprecedented.
Although it had not yet been officially announced, Count Puxis and Count Weir could already envision hordes of refugees pouring into the Kingdom from the borders of the Grand Duchy of Best, or rather, the Kingdom of Best. And people, undoubtedly, were the foundation of a nation's prosperity and strength.
"Your Grace, your wisdom is unparalleled!!"
The two bowed deeply. This action aligned perfectly with their own thoughts, except that the Duke had executed it more thoroughly, and its impact would be at least ten times greater than what they had imagined.
Having held high positions for many years, they understood the desires of the populace. Often, what mattered to the people was not who was king or who was in power, but rather how their lives would improve. To protect their way of life, they would naturally fight with all their might against enemies who threatened their stability.
Such a virtuous cycle, resting and recuperating with the people, would inevitably lead to their national strength increasing several, or even more than ten, times over within a few years.
The more they thought about it, the more excited they became. Puxis and Weir exchanged a look and, with a thud, declared,
"We are willing to follow His Grace, oh no, His Majesty the King!!!"
Surrender!
At this moment, the two truly surrendered from the depths of their souls!
They understood one thing clearly: the future Kingdom of Best would usher in an era of unprecedented prosperity, where tributes from all corners of the world would not be impossible.
"Heh heh, work hard, both of you."
Seeing their excited demeanor, Ye Xuan smiled calmly. "If this endeavor is successful, and the Kingdom is established, you two will be among the founding heroes of the Kingdom of Best. At that time, I will grant you both ducal titles and fiefdoms."
Boom!!!!!!!!
Upon hearing Ye Xuan's words, Puxis and Weir's eyelids twitched incessantly. An unprecedented brilliance flashed in their eyes, and their hearts trembled with excitement. "Thank... thank Your Majesty the King for your cultivation!!!"
"We shall absolutely not fail His Majesty the King's trust and expectations!!"
With a thud~
At this moment, the two once again knelt on one knee. The dull sound echoed in the room like two war drums. If this scene were to be known to the United States, perhaps countless conspiracies would immediately be aimed at the Grand Duchy of Best.