Chapter 649: The urgent matter is

So... directly support Prince Watching Qiaoshuya and let the Wang Hou and Minister of Finance behind him fight the Princess?

After hearing the old noble's proposal, the group of old nobles could not help but begin to weigh the pros and cons, falling into deep thought one after another.

For more than half of the old noble group to change together and lean toward the royal family, which wants to curb the power of the old nobles, sounds like the stupidest idea imaginable.

After all, Prince Watching Qiaoshuya and the Wang Hou are also members of the royal family. Leaning toward him will also be subject to quite a few constraints. If he truly defeats the Princess and successfully ascends to become the "representative" of the royal family's will, he will also crazily target the old nobles, and the situation will still not change.

But just like what the Lionheart Duke did, when one no longer has the ability to be a chess player, one might as well try to sell oneself to the person most willing to pay the price.

For the Princess who has successfully grown powerful, these old nobles of ours do not have much value. But for Watching Qiaoshuya, whose right to inherit the throne is precarious and who is at any time likely to be "married" out of the kingdom to marry a mother monkey across the sea, the support of these people is like sending charcoal in snow!

In order to obtain the power to contend with the Princess, Watching Qiaoshuya and the Wang Hou standing behind him will definitely spare no effort to win over these people, and will take the initiative to cede benefits and offer exceptionally generous conditions. This leaves room for maneuver.

As for what Watching Qiaoshuya will do after he ascends... we can talk about future matters in the future!

Right now, if we cannot suppress the growing Princess, these people of ours will immediately be locked in dog cages, or even have a large group directly slaughtered, without even the qualifications to consider the future! What's more, compared to the cunning Princess, the arrogant and conceited Prince Watching Qiaoshuya is much easier to deal with!

"This method is not bad... I agree!"

The young noble who previously wanted to vote Li Ang and his sister down together stood up first this time, being the first to express support for the new proposal.

Following closely, a large group of old nobles whose interests were threatened and who extremely resisted the implementation of the new decrees stood up, also expressing their support.

"I also agree."

"Seconded!"

"Let's go with this, we have no other choice!"

After more than half of the old nobles had expressed their stance, those who remained more conservative, even if they still had doubts about this proposal, could not come up with a better solution for the time being, so they chose to acquiesce, or simply held the intention of trying it out and agreed along with them.

"Since the vast majority of people agree, let's decide on this for now."

After looking around at the almost one-sided situation in the room, the middle-aged man presiding over the meeting took over the conversation and announced loudly:

"In order to oppose the Princess's new decrees, in the future, we will collectively lean toward the Wang Hou and try our best to support Prince Watching Qiaoshuya's succession.

In addition, I will say the ugly words up front: among the ninety-two noble families present today, even if there are those with different opinions, please keep in step with everyone. Even if you do not support Prince Watching Qiaoshuya, please do not hold us back.

Otherwise... don't blame others for not being polite."

For the old nobles to collectively lean toward the Prince, such a big matter naturally could not be kept secret. Even when the gathering of the old nobles had just dispersed and they had not yet begun to act, the Princess had already obtained the corresponding intelligence.

"This is troublesome..."

After obtaining the list of old nobles who chose to lean toward Watching Qiaoshuya, looking at that long string of shocking names, the Princess could not help but frown deeply.

Not to mention Watching Qiaoshuya, she could not know that ambitious stepmother of hers any better. Even without this turn of events, she would not give up the plan to have Watching Qiaoshuya succeed to the throne and would definitely find an opportunity to make a huge scene. Now that she had the support of the old nobles, the commotion she would make would definitely be even greater.

The unfortunate thing is, if it were just some scheming, that would be fine. For her, whose brain was exactly the same as Watching Qiaoshuya's, she only needed to dig a small pit, and she would fall into it, bruised and swollen, and be obedient for the time being.

But her brother, that cheap uncle of hers, was the current Minister of Finance of the Ministry of Finance. He and the family behind him were the actual controllers of the Ministry of Finance, and she could not intervene at all.

And what she needed most to implement the new decrees was financial support. She didn't even need to do much; just by using some small tricks while competing for the throne to block the financial gate, it would be enough to make her new decrees stillborn. As for the way to break the situation...

Picking up the quill pen dipped in ink, after writing a few words on the paper, the Princess could not help but sigh faintly.

The best way is to take the initiative to provoke a small-scale border conflict and trigger a bloody incident.

With the lesson from the War of National Defense six years ago, as long as they entered a state of combat readiness, even if it were only the most basic state of combat readiness, the Wang Hou and the Ministry of Finance would not dare to hold her back in the slightest.

Otherwise, let alone letting Watching Qiaoshuya inherit the throne, if the Wang Hou dared to cause trouble at such a time, I fear the father would directly crawl out of his sickbed, wishing he could strangle Watching Qiaoshuya with his own hands.

However, although this method could break the situation, and she didn't even need to truly come forward herself—as long as she gave a hint to Old Hill, as the Minister of National Defense, he could do things silently and perfectly.

But the purpose of her implementing the new decrees was to avoid the kingdom falling into the flames of war as much as possible. This kind of thing truly went against her original intention...

Then she could only try other methods.

After picking up the pen and crossing out the option of "war," the tip of the Princess's quill pen moved to the side and drew a circle forcefully around "forceful push."

Right now, the most suitable thing is to take advantage of the timing when the old nobles have just leaned toward Watching Qiaoshuya and have not yet fully negotiated cooperation, and first complete the legislation of some new decrees through the Laien family's Upper Academy seat.

As long as the new decrees that restrict the privileges of the old nobles and facilitate commercial development are forcibly pushed out, the chambers of commerce that control the Lower House will have a place to exert their strength and will help her push some of the new decrees forward.

Subsequently, even if the Ministry of Finance wants to block her, they will be checked and balanced by the merchants because they touched the merchants' interests. As the kingdom's largest source of financial tax, the chambers of commerce composed of merchants also have no small influence on the Ministry of Finance. In this way, she will have the possibility of prying open the Ministry of Finance and obtaining the budget to fully implement the new decrees...

Let's go with this!

After picking up the pen and putting a checkmark on "forceful push," the Princess did not stop writing, but instead tapped the paper with the tip of the pen and continued to ponder.

To achieve all this, she must obtain the Laien family's Upper Academy seat and push her new decrees out, and to obtain the Laien family's Upper Academy seat...

She must complete the marriage alliance with the Laien family! That is to say, she must handle Li Ang!

The quill pen dipped in some ink, and after writing "Li Ang" behind "forceful push," the Princess, who had completely cleared her thoughts, pondered for a while, then rang the bell to summon the maid waiting in the outer room:

"Milly, is Master Wang Erde's Morning Star Troupe performing recently?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

The maid recalled for a moment and nodded, then asked considerately:

"If you want to go and relax, the Morning Star Troupe has sent the top-level suspension stage tickets..."

"No need."

After waving her hand to refuse the maid's proposal, the Princess ordered:

"Help me buy two tickets in the box area on the second floor that are slightly better... Remember to buy a couple's box!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 650 =====