The Eastern Continent Swordsman

88. OLIGARCHY

--- This chapter only appears weekly yes, after a week I will likely delete, if you want to see the continuation, can check yutub iPus Channel or in the G00dN0vel------- application

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 “Young Master, we have reached the palace,” said a soldier Caihong while opening the mosquito net curtain of a horse carriage. The train stopped in a courtyard overlooking a large building.

“Good. Thank you,” Zhou Fu opened his eyes after the entire journey just sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed.

“A bodyguard will pick up the Young Master and deliver the Master to the meeting room. I say retreat,” he said as he bent back a few steps back. The convoy of soldiers who escorted Zhou Fu to the courtyard also began to disperse and left Zhou Fu himself flabbergasted at the palace building.

Zhou Fu turned his head on a tall and large building. The building must be passed by a long journey through hundreds of steps. However, it was not the grandeur of the building that hypnotized Zhou Fu's view. There was a detail from that part of the building that made him feel strange.

Zhou Fu was shocked to see a familiar statue in his vision. A statue shaped head of a lion with lotus flower decorations on it. The statue hangs majestically at the end of the building up there. It was the exact same sculptural form as the Lotus Flower Pavilion that existed within the Drowning Civilization in the Luzon Sea.

Zhou Fu was trying to cover up his shock. He was quite relaxed even when his eyes were glaring at the serrated teeth of the lion's head. He wondered if the lion's head also had a secret scroll inside.

“Young Master, let's come with me,” said a male bodyguard who was about forties. The man was assigned to pick up and escort Zhou Fu to the meeting room.

Zhou Fu nodded and started walking to explore the stairs. The row of stairs shone a light that slightly dazzled the eyes. Yes, it was still early in the morning that made the building facing east to be sparkling reflected by the sun. The lion head statue decorated with lotus flowers also looks very bright when exposed to the morning sun.

“Sorry, if I may know, who should I meet in this meeting, Uncle?” asked the curious Zhou Fu.

“Ehm, about that, later Young Master will find out. What is clear is that you will meet with the palace family. It was a rare experience and Young Master was lucky enough that not everyone could be invited directly by the palace family.”

Hearing the bodyguard's reply, Zhou Fu was convinced that the bodyguard understood nothing about the intent behind the government's invitation to him.

“Have there been many people who have previously been invited by the palace family?” asked Zhou Fu.

“Ah, yes.. There are some invited, but not many, Young Master. Quite rarely did the palace accept guests outside of first-rate noble families. And I deserve a thumbs up, Sir is the youngest guest the palace has ever invited in history!” said the bodyguard while giving a respectful and proud smile.

“Oh, so? Then, what about after? Did those guests then become important people within the palace?” asked Zhou Fu fishing.

The bodyguard halted his steps, observing Zhou Fu from top to bottom. It was like getting ready to give advice.

“Sorry, why did uncle call it the family that led Caihong? Does that mean they are not descendants of the royal family? Wasn't this country led by an emperor?” zhou Fu asked again, as he remembered, Patriarch Yuan Kai had told him a lot about the figure of the Emperor leading the Caihong palace, but it seemed that from the explanation given by the bodyguard, it was, caihong State was not ruled by a single Emperor.

“Given the Young Master getting a special invitation from the palace, it seems okay if I tell him about something,” said the bodyguard while now taking Zhou Fu step back.

“Yes, I got a special invitation stating that the palace family will make me king in the Caihong commonwealth. It seems that I also have to understand a lot about the palace family, wouldn't it be rude if I don't know anything about the palace family, Uncle?” said Zhou Fu as he continued to dig up information.

“Truely Young Master will be appointed as King? Wow, that would be some shocking news! A teenager will lead a territory as King??? Did I not hear wrong?”

“Yes. I can show my official invitation to Uncle. That's why, Uncle, it seems I need some information about the palace family so that I don't make mistakes when the meeting takes place,” Zhou Fu said seriously.

“Good. Good Young Master. I will be happy to help Young Master. Hemm...” says The Saraya squire is massaging the beard.

“So?” zhou Fu asked again as if he could not wait to hear the story of the palace family.

“Begini, Sir. The empire in Caihong is no longer a monarchy, I don't know when I really understood it. The system of government here is held by an elite family that has ruled the Caihong region for generations. The one who runs the system of government here is the palace family of 50 people. And uniquely, the number is always the same from year to year.”

***

The system of government in Caihong is in the form of Oligarchy, a government whose political power is held by a small elite group in a region. The elite group that ruled the Caihong palace was a descending family that had taken control of the great country. Unfortunately, the identity of this elite group is not well known to the citizens because they are very close themselves.

The elite group dubbed themselves as the Palace Family, as they did live and live in the Caihong Palace region for generations. When Zhou Fu heard all these stories, his body had goosebumps. He noticed there was a slight gap in the riddle in his head.

If the previous Caihong government was in the form of a monarchy and then changed into an oligarchy, then it is certain that there are irregularities there. Zhou Fu's mind flew in an uncertain direction. He wondered if the palace family was the party who staged the coup in the previous monarchical government?

Then the family changed the system of government to oligarchy and make their family have full power over the running of the system of government? If so, then where are the official royal family remnants? Were they killed after the coup? Or does?

Zhou Fu shook his head as a strange thought rose in his head. Luckily, he arrived in front of the meeting room. The tiredness in his head immediately changed with another feeling. Zhou Fu was curious about what was inside the meeting room.

“Master, you can enter the room first. Please wait a while before the palace family and the advisory ranks enter the room.” Said the bodyguard while bowing respectfully and getting ready to open the door of the room that was not guarded by anyone.

Zhou Fu's chest was beating quite fast. He hoped to meet Zhao Yunlei in the room. When Zhou Fu saw the door was about to be opened, he closed his eyes for a moment, took a breath and then opened his eyes.