Facing this scene, Xiao Xun's first reaction was: Oh no, this food is poisoned.
He wanted to spit out what he had eaten, but he felt too embarrassed, as this was Selerpes' actual relative. He then looked at Sancho and said, "Eat! Why are you just drinking the soup? Eat together, eat together."
Sancho's second daughter heard Xiao Xun say this and picked up her chopsticks to pick up some food, but was glared at by Duke Sancho.
Then, with a smile, he looked at Xiao Xun, "Our rule is that the guest eats first."
"Saying that means you don't consider me one of your own. How can I be a guest? Let's eat together! If you don't eat, how can I eat?"
After Xiao Xun finished speaking, he put down his chopsticks and kept looking at Sancho.
Sancho nodded, "It's indeed the people around His Majesty who have strict rules. Then let's eat, let's eat together." Saying that, he picked up his chopsticks, gently picked up a dish in front of him, and put it into his mouth. Before he could swallow, his children couldn't hold back and started eating ravenously.
Xiao Xun was almost choked to death by the sight before him, thinking: Good heavens, have they been starving for days? They eat so shamelessly, where is any trace of noble demeanor?
He no longer doubted the authenticity of the food, but rather the authenticity of Sancho's ducal identity.
Xiao Xun coughed softly, "Duke Sancho, I wonder if His Majesty has spoken to you about the issue of mobilizing troops and logistical support."
"Cough, cough..."
Sancho was clearly choked. The Duchess immediately stood up and gently patted his back. After a long while, Sancho recovered and took a sip of soup.
"What did you just say?"
Xiao Xun looked at Sancho in surprise. Had he spoken too softly?
At this moment, Sancho's eldest son said, "He said about mobilizing troops and logistical support."
Sancho stood up and gently patted the shaking table, "When adults are speaking, children should not interrupt."
Actually, Sancho's eldest son was only four years younger than Xiao Xun, and in this world, he was already considered an adult.
Sancho's eldest son immediately lowered his head and silently ate the food on his plate. Those plates were indeed made of silver, but due to oxidation, they were no longer as bright, appearing to have been used for a long time.
Xiao Xun dared not lean back, fearing the chair might suddenly collapse. "Duke Sancho, confronting the Calamity Legion is not a matter for one person, nor is it His Majesty's affair. It is a matter for the entire planet. Do you know? The Beastkin have already sent envoys to form an alliance with us, and their army is already heading towards the direction of the Scorching Moon Kingdom. If we do not eliminate them while the Calamity Legion is still small, we will have no further opportunity."
Duke Sancho looked wronged, "It's not that I'm unwilling to mobilize troops, it's just that I have no troops to mobilize!"
Xiao Xun frowned, "I saw it on the way here. Your territory has fertile land, abundant harvests, and so many people from other countries trading with you. You say you have no troops?"
Duke Sancho nodded, "Yes, apart from the necessary city guards, there are really no surplus soldiers."
Xiao Xun took a deep breath, calming himself down, "You don't recruit soldiers at all because you think it's useless to keep them, do you?"
Duke Sancho lowered his head, rubbing his hands, and did not answer his question. It seemed Xiao Xun had guessed correctly.
Xiao Xun thought to himself: You are truly a remarkable person. Such a good place, and yet no one has attacked you. It's all thanks to Sainti Roman.
Xiao Xun felt extremely vexed and said to Duke Sancho, "Is there a place here where I can speak to all the citizens?"
"Yes."
Xiao Xun felt a little better, "Do you have a loudspeaker, the kind that plugs in and uses a microphone?"
"We can borrow one."
These three words almost made Xiao Xun spit blood. He really didn't know what Sancho was hoarding so much money for. Even small things should be spent on when necessary! Being so stingy is a disease.
"Alright, then help me borrow a loudspeaker, and take me to a place where I can speak to all the citizens."
Duke Sancho curiously asked him, "What do you want to do?"
Xiao Xun only said two words: "Recruitment."
He was taken by Duke Sancho to the grand square of Tejego, with a huge opera house behind it, larger than the one in the capital and looking very imposing. However, it was not built by Sancho, but by the citizens pooling their money.
Being wealthy, they enjoyed spending their leisure time there.
Duke Sancho stood beside Xiao Xun and quietly asked, "Your Highness Sven, I wonder if you wish to conscript soldiers or let the citizens volunteer."
Xiao Xun looked at Duke Sancho, "Of course, voluntary. If it's forced conscription, they will have no fighting spirit on the battlefield, they will be defeated, and there will be nothing but deserters."
Sancho said expressionlessly, "If there is no forced conscription, I'm afraid no one will volunteer to join the army."
Xiao Xun looked at Sancho curiously, "Why?"
Duke Sancho explained, "Life here is prosperous. No one would be willing to give up a good life to go to the front lines and die."
In his opinion, those willing to give up a good life were either perverts or fools.
Xiao Xun no longer paid attention to Duke Sancho. Instead, he picked up the microphone and walked to the front of the stage, "Citizens of Tejego, you may not recognize me. Let me introduce myself."
He turned to look at the indifferent Sancho, then continued speaking to the crowd below, "I am the commander of the Phoenix Army, and also the vanguard of this confrontation against the Calamity Legion. Many of you may have already heard or even witnessed the methods of the Calamity Legion. My purpose in coming here is to protect our Sainti Roman from invasion by the Calamity Legion."
After Xiao Xun finished speaking, he looked at the numb crowd below, his brows furrowed into the shape of the Chinese character '川' (chuan). "I won't waste more words. My purpose in coming to Tejego is to recruit soldiers. I hope everyone will volunteer to join the army, take up arms, defend our homeland, defend our territory, and defend our hard-won happy life."
There wasn't even a single person whispering among the crowd below. They were all numbly watching Xiao Xun on stage, who looked like a 'clown.'
"If anyone is willing to join, please report to the recruitment station of the Phoenix Army outside the city by noon tomorrow."
After saying that, he dejectedly walked down.
As soon as Xiao Xun left, the citizens also dispersed.
He turned and sat on the steps, facing the opera house. The Twelve Apostles stood quietly behind him, accompanying him.
Sancho walked over to him and said, "Your Highness, don't be discouraged. I told you before that no one here will enlist. If you force them to enlist, it might incite rebellion."
Xiao Xun looked at the opera house in front of him, "Is there no other way?"
Suddenly, Xiao Xun stood up, "There is a way."
This made Sancho beside him stunned, thinking: Why is this newly appointed Duke so jumpy?
Xiao Xun turned and said to Sancho, "Call the best scriptwriters and actors in your city. I have a good show for all the citizens to watch."
Sancho was overjoyed, "What are you saying? I was supposed to invite Your Highness to watch a play tonight, but instead, Your Highness is treating us." Saying that, he loudly called his guards, telling them to immediately summon the best scriptwriters and actors in the city.
Xiao Xun waved his hand, "No need to bother. Just have them wait at the opera house."
Although the opera house was funded by the citizens, watching a play required money, and no one was an exception, including the Duke.
When Xiao Xun said he would treat the entire city to a play, it meant he was paying for everyone in the city's ticket money, which was why Sancho was so happy.
Soon, Sancho's guards summoned the scriptwriters and several of the city's most famous actors to Xiao Xun.