"It was him! He beat my father to death for our family's land, and my wife was taken by him after he exercised his (censored) first night right, forcibly brought into his mansion as a maid… He's the one who ruined my family! Wuwuwuwuwu…" The man kneeling at Artoria's feet roared, his tears full of grief.
"Yes, that's why we're here." Kayal half-knelt and helped him up, his eyes filled with sorrow.
These people had sacrificed countless things for the rules and discipline of society. It wasn't that they didn't want to resist or didn't dare to resist; it was because these were the rules of society. Every time they encountered such situations, when they had given everything to abide by the laws and rules, those in power always failed to follow the rules. It was at these times that they were needed to uphold the law.
The fairness of the law must not be trampled upon.
Artoria, standing beside Kayal, had a cold and serious expression. More direct than Kayal, she pointed at the Earl: "You have destroyed the lives of the people, exploited them, treated human lives as grass, and in the name of the King, I strip you of your title and sentence you to be hanged."
"Clang!" A hundred and fifty knights behind her simultaneously stamped their armored feet on the ground, causing the entire earth to tremble.
"Yes!" Two knights shouted in a low voice, stepping forward and walking towards the pot-bellied nobleman who clearly had enjoyed a lifetime of luxury.
"What are you doing! Don't come near me! I am a hereditary noble! Our family has thrived for a hundred years! We have rendered countless meritorious services to the King, how can you do this! How can you treat me like this?!" He struggled and wailed like a wild boar about to be slaughtered.
However, in the hands of two Titled Knights, this "wild boar" was no different from a rabbit.
"Firstly, your merits are merely those of your ancestors; you are not the creators of merit, but the enjoyers of it. Secondly, over a hundred years of merit have already been largely used up by your predecessors. Finally, nobility is not the foundation of the King…" Kayal smiled and stepped aside, behind him were countless commoners, their eyes filled with hatred looking at him.
He had seen such gazes before. They showed them when he took their property, when he took their land, when he took their wives and daughters. He even thought they had grown accustomed to such gazes, such emotions, but that was merely fermentation, accumulation.
"They are the foundation of the King… If they say you are guilty, then you are guilty of a capital crime." Kayal smiled, directly stating the principle of a nation founded on its people.
"Then I ask you all…" Kayal raised his bronze staff high, turned around, and asked loudly.
"Do you believe he is guilty?"
"Death! Death! Death!" The roar of the people swept over the knights, Artoria, the Claymores, and the nobleman whose face had turned ashen. Oh, no, the hereditary nobleman, like a mountain tsunami.
"Then what punishment do you believe he deserves?"
"Hanging! Hanging! Hanging!"
The roar grew louder and louder.
Looking at the commoners below, roaring with tears in their eyes, he trembled as if facing the axes of the Gauls.
"Then it shall be hanging." The bronze staff fell heavily onto the flagstones, the sound echoing like a booming bell.
"Your Majesty, give the order!" Kayal turned and knelt before Artoria.
"Your Majesty! Please give the order!" Artoria finally understood the cries of the people. Why Kayal often told her that the people were the most important, the most crucial. At this moment, the power of the people made even the hundred and fifty Titled Knights behind her turn pale. Although each of them could easily slaughter these weak humans, the power contained within these people made them unable to resist.
"Hanging!" Artoria roared, causing the fat pig to finally give in to his fear and faint.
Even if he fainted, he would still be hanged!
Amidst the cheers of the people, the man was successfully hanged on the gallows.
"From now on, the entire country's policy will be structured into villages of one hundred people, towns of ten thousand people surrounded by ten villages, and cities of at least one hundred thousand people surrounded by ten towns. Each village, town, and city will have a village chief, town mayor, and city mayor. Nobles will only have their own fiefdoms and will not be entitled to knights, soldiers, or administrative power! In other words, nobles will no longer have the right to decide your lives!" Kayal shouted.
This directly excluded the nobility from the political and military systems.
Officials were nobles, but nobles were not officials. Knights were nobles, but nobles were not knights. Kayal had played a brilliant move.
"One last thing!" Kayal raised his bronze staff and shouted: "October 20th! The entire nation marches north for war with Scotland! All good men can go north to earn merits! Except for women and children, the heads of enemy men can be exchanged for merits! Those interested can sign up at the Royal City and form their own teams to go and kill the enemy!"
The elderly can bring culture, and while the young are labor, they are also the source of rebellion.
Since Kayal intended to transform everything in one fell swoop, he could not be soft-hearted. The ten-year plan was being executed step by step, in an orderly fashion.
"Lily, have you seen the power of the people?" The two rode their horses along a country road. Along the way, farmers planting (sweet potatoes) on the roadside bowed and knelt on both sides as they saw the King's banner.
"Although they are humble and hardworking, they don't realize their own strength. That's why we, who hold power, must ensure their rights." Kayal turned back to Artoria, his expression entirely one of instruction: "Otherwise, we completely wouldn't be able to withstand the power they unleash."
"All we can do is slowly guide their power, so they can contribute to this country, rather than letting them directly blow up this country." Kayal looked at the endless wheat fields, his expression full of emotion.
Artoria seemed to be deep in thought.
"We can't tolerate it anymore! This is already the fifth one!" The table slammed with a resounding crash, indicating the anger of the person who hit it.
"I propose we launch the plan now!" The man roared.
"Seconded!"
"Seconded!"
"Seconded!"
"Seconded…"
"The plan has been unanimously approved and will be launched." The leader's face radiated a chilling light that no one could meet directly: "It's time to let that little girl know why we are called 'hereditary'!"