Deposed Crown Prince: After three years of service on the frontier, the entire court knelt and begge

He didn't need to hesitate or be coy, and agreed immediately.

Nie Bing then said to Xiao Ce, "Mr. Sean, isn't the time right now...?"

Xiao Ce nodded upon hearing Nie Bing's words: "President, you are wise. These kings from various countries have spent several days in the Alliance City, ostensibly enjoying themselves, but in reality, they have different intentions and are already restless. Especially the orderly progress of everything in the Alliance City has clearly surprised them..."

Vice President Victor's 'victory' was like a timely rain, allowing them to witness firsthand the Illuminati's swift and decisive actions and their ability to maintain control after making mistakes. Now that negotiations are underway, their moral compass will undoubtedly tip in favor of the Alliance. I think the time is almost right..."

"If the president has no objections, I will have Vice President Ed spread the word that we will meet in the Sunburg council chamber tomorrow to discuss important matters."

Nie Bing nodded, a sharp glint in her eyes: "Alright! It's set for tomorrow. Mr. Sean, you laid the framework for this alliance charter; the flesh and blood will require your careful attention. Remember our bottom line: the Illuminati must be the helmsman of this behemoth, and the core authority will not be conceded an inch! The rest of the details are yours to handle..."

"Don't worry, President!" Xiao Ce's tone was calm and confident.

"With the framework set, the details of the game are all under control. I have a clear understanding of all the strategies, from the division of interests to coercion and enticement. I will make this Western alliance the sharpest sword in the chairman's hand."

Nie Bing was quite satisfied after hearing Xiao Ce's words.

"Alright, Mr. Sean, I look forward to your wonderful performance..."

Xiao Ce smiled at Nie Bing and then said, "President, are you sure you don't need to take a look at my plans? What if there's anything wrong with them?"

Nie Bing shook her head: "I don't need to look. Besides, your thinking is definitely more accurate than mine. And I'll be listening tomorrow too. Furthermore, they need to weigh your suggestions and discuss them in detail... The final decision still needs to be made by me... We can just listen together then..."

"I trust you!"

Nie Bing looked at Xiao Ce with a serious expression as she spoke. Xiao Ce smiled and nodded, then exchanged polite words.

"President, I will definitely not let you down..."

The atmosphere in the Sunburg council chamber at noon the following day was completely different from the somber atmosphere of the previous day.

A huge oak table was covered with a deep red velvet cloth, and the Illuminati emblem hung high above the main seat.

Nie Bing sat upright in the main seat, her silver-white embroidered robe gleaming coldly in the light streaming through the stained glass windows.

Sean (Xiao Ce) still stood by his side, dressed in a dark gray scholar's robe with a black trench coat over it, understated yet impossible to ignore.

The kings of various countries and the heads of the twelve families sat on either side of the long table according to their national power and status.

Charles Bourbon of Gaul, von Habsburg of Austria-Hungary, Medici of Rome, Leclerc of France, Vichy Telles of Bavaria, and Okayama Bolton of Bolton are among the top.

Representatives from twelve families, including Cassivus Aurelius and the head of the Rust family, followed closely behind.

Logically speaking, these twelve families should be more powerful than these kings, but in terms of position, the kings are still of higher status...

However, for those families, such empty titles are not important.

Ed White, as the de facto administrator of Alliance City and Nie Bing's deputy, sat slightly to Nie Bing's left and below. Although Victor King was allowed to attend the meeting, his seat was relatively far back, and his face still carried a hint of "weariness" and "melancholy," sitting silently to one side.

Without any unnecessary pleasantries, Nie Bing's gaze swept across the entire room like lightning, and her clear, cold voice rang out: "Your Majesties, Your Clan Chief, welcome back to Sun Fortress. The banquet the other day was a testament to our friendship; today's gathering is for building a shared future."

The Illuminati proposed the establishment of a Western alliance not for its own selfish interests, but to unite the strength of the West, overcome difficulties together, share prosperity, and deal with the increasingly imminent threat from the East.

The core clauses of the alliance charter have presumably been discussed and agreed upon by Vice President Ed and the heads of various families. Today, we will discuss and finalize each clause, and put them into writing to mark the beginning of the alliance!

The group nodded in agreement.

Nie Bing said, "Next, Mr. Sean will explain these specific matters to everyone..."

The king and the family heads naturally nodded in agreement...

Xiao Ce slowly stood up, then looked at everyone and said, "Alright, Your Majesties, Clan Heads, and Nobles of your Kingdoms, let's get straight to the point... I will begin reading. If you have any opinions, please express them directly!"

"If there are no problems, I will assume that you have approved this plan!"

The group nodded in agreement.

Xiao Ce began to speak:

"First and foremost, the most important task is the core of the Alliance's power: the Alliance Council. According to the Chairman's decree and the Illuminati's proposal, the Council will have three supreme decision-making seats!"

As he spoke, he paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, especially the patriarchs of the twelve families and several powerful kings.

"The first seat will be permanently held by Nie Bing, the president of the Illuminati. He is the supreme leader of the alliance, overseeing the overall situation and possessing the final decision-making power and supreme command authority in wartime."

No one questions this.

Nie Bing's strength, the Illuminati's "formidable martial arts," and Viktor's "victory" are still fresh in our minds, making any opposition seem pale and powerless.

King Leclerc's eyes held scrutiny, but he merely nodded slightly.

"The second and third seats are rotating seats." Xiao Ce's voice rose a few decibels!

“Elected by the alliance of twelve families and the representative councils of various kingdoms, with a term of three years and the right to be re-elected once.”

The moment the words were spoken, the atmosphere in the room became subtly tense.

“Mr. Sean…” King Charles Bourbon of Gaul spoke first, his tone steady yet carrying undeniable weight.

"How should this 'Council of Representatives of the Kingdoms' be structured? Should each country have one vote? Or should the weights be divided according to national power, territory, and population? If it is based on the number of votes, small countries may become vassals of large countries; if it is based on the weights, what are the standards? This is the foundation of the parliament and cannot be ambiguous."

His gaze swept over Tels in Bavaria and the hills of Bolton.

“Exactly!” King Vichy Tels of Bavaria immediately agreed, twirling his meticulously groomed mustache.

"Although Bavaria's territory is smaller than that of Gaul and Rome, it is extremely wealthy and has contributed greatly to the alliance. How can it be compared with a small state?"

He glanced at the silent Austro-Hungarian Crown Prince von Habsburg beside him. It was an open secret that the old Austro-Hungarian king was critically ill and the country's power was declining.

"Hmph!" Leclerc, the "Iron-Blooded Lion" of the French Empire, snorted coldly!

"The strength of a nation and the size of its territory ultimately depend on how much gold coins it can spare and how many elite troops it can send out! I suggest that the rotating seats in the parliament should be determined by a comprehensive assessment of three factors: the number of troops, tax contributions, and strategic location! Talking about power without considering the consequences is meaningless!" He pointed out the core issue directly: power must be tied to the price paid.

Cassivus Aurelius cleared his throat at the opportune moment, drawing everyone's attention: "Your Majesties, Patriarch. The Twelve Families have been rooted in the West for a thousand years, possessing profound heritage and connections throughout various countries, controlling numerous core resources and technological legacies. The rotating seats in the Council are elected by the Twelve Families as a whole, ensuring the continuity and professionalism of the alliance's decision-making and preventing it from being swayed by short-term interests. As for the seats in the Kingdom Council..." He looked at Sean (Xiao Ce), cleverly passing the buck to him.

"Mr. Sean is the architect of this architecture, so he must have some brilliant insights."

All eyes instantly focused on Xiao Ce, who was already prepared.

Xiao Ce calmly stepped forward, bowed slightly to Nie Bing, and then faced the crowd. His voice was calm yet penetrating: "Your concerns are all reasonable. The distribution of power is crucial to the survival of the alliance. The Illuminati recommends a three-tiered weighted system for the composition of the Kingdom Council."

Upon hearing Xiao Ce's words, the entire audience erupted in uproar.

"Three-tier weighted system? What is a three-tier weighted system?"

"Yes, Mr. Sean, could you be more direct..."

"Yeah, I don't understand any of what you're saying..."

Xiao Ce didn't rush to speak. Instead, he let them each say a sentence, waiting until they gradually quieted down before he held up three fingers and slowly began to explain...

"Please don't worry, everyone. I will definitely give you a satisfactory answer and make sure you all understand the key points of this matter!"

"The three levels are: Level 1, the core kingdoms: Gaul, France, Rome, and Auschwitz, based on their current territory and influence. Each enjoys three basic seats. Their kings or their designated plenipotentiaries automatically become permanent members of the Council of Kingdoms."

Charles Bourbon, Leclerc, and Medivh nodded slightly, while a glint flashed in von Habsburg's eyes.

"The second tier consists of important member states, such as Bavaria (wealth) and Bolton (minerals, military power), which are kingdoms with outstanding contributions or strategic value. They have two votes in the council. Their monarchs automatically become members of the council of kingdoms."

Tels smiled with satisfaction, and Okayama Bolton grinned and nodded.

"The third level, ordinary member states: the remaining kingdoms and duchies that have joined the alliance. They share five votes and elect representatives from within the Kingdom Council. All votes are used only to elect the Kingdom Council's sole rotating parliamentary seat, that is, to elect the representative who holds one of the three seats in parliament. Specific election rules can be formulated by the Kingdom Council itself and submitted to the parliament and the president for approval."

Upon hearing this, everyone wore expressions of admiration.

A hint of arrogance flashed across Nie Bing's face...

He looked around and added, “The weights are not static. Every five years, the Alliance Parliament will reassess and adjust the ranks and voting rights based on each country’s actual contributions, such as taxes, manpower, strategic resources, and technology sharing. This way, we can both take into account the current power structure and leave room for advancement, and also incentivize countries to contribute more to the Alliance.”

In his final sentence, he glanced at the seats representing the nobles of the smaller nations that had not yet joined, hinting at future possibilities.

Leclerc pondered for a moment, a glint of light flashing in his eyes: "This method is...not bad, but what about the authority of the rotating chairpersons? Can they veto the chairman's orders?"

This is the core power he cares about most.

Xiao Ce glanced at Nie Bing, pretending to be exchanging opinions.

In truth, Nie Bing knew nothing. Xiao Ce nodded in a perfunctory manner and then replied, "Rotating councilors have the right to propose motions, vote on major issues, assist in daily affairs, and supervise the alliance's administrative bodies! This includes the soon-to-be-established Alliance Governor's authority. However, all decisions ultimately require a three-seat majority in the council to be valid. The chairman has the final say and veto power. In wartime or a state of emergency, the chairman can act unilaterally, and will report back to the council afterward."

After hearing Xiao Ce's words, Nie Bing nodded affirmatively, even though it was the first time she had heard them.

A moment of silence fell over the hall. The kings exchanged glances, weighing the pros and cons.

It's a foregone conclusion that the Illuminati will hold one seat and have the final say. As for the competition for the remaining two seats, at least the rules are relatively clear, and there is a path for advancement.

Finally, Charles Bourbon, representing the kings, slowly nodded: "The three-tiered weighted system proposed by the Illuminati can serve as the basis for the Council of Kingdoms. The details can be finalized later. We also have no objection to the Twelve Families Alliance electing another rotating seat."

He represented the approval of the most powerful kingdom. Other kings, including Leclerc, tacitly agreed. Formal "equality" was impossible; securing relatively fair weight and a voice was the practical choice.

The patriarchs of the twelve families secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Electing a seat as a whole means that although the internal coordination costs are high, it ensures that they always have a place at the highest level of the alliance and will not be marginalized under the pressure of the power of the kingdoms.

After exchanging glances, some of the nobles nodded in agreement.

Xiao Ce never expected that everything would go so smoothly than he had imagined...

"You all have no objections, right?"

The group nodded in unison: "We will follow the president's instructions..."

Seeing this, Xiao Ce glanced at Nie Bing again, and Nie Bing nodded, signaling Xiao Ce to continue.

...

Xiao Ce nodded and then said, "Alright, next, let's talk about some of the requirements and terms for entering the Alliance City. I believe Mr. Ed White has already mentioned this to you."

The group continued to nod.

"Now, let's begin by discussing the positioning of Alliance City as the symbol and core hub of the Alliance, as well as the talent admission standards and approvals... Alliance City will serve as an invincible fortress of the Western Alliance, a place where wisdom and wealth converge, and a symbol of the Alliance spirit! To attract the best talents from around the world, the Illuminati will open up special residency rights in Alliance City for four types of talent!"

"Distinguished figures, wealthy merchants, skilled craftsmen, and those who have made exceptional contributions—President Ed White should have mentioned all these details to you, and you should all be aware of them. I hope everyone has no objections to the admission criteria! If you have any opinions or suggestions, please feel free to raise them now..."