The concept of time exists in every civilization, it is elusive, formless and insubstantial, but it continues to affect a world and every life in that world.

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, everything that is glorious in the past will pass quickly, and every day ushers in a new future.

The Great Silithus War in the southern part of Kalimdor in Dark Gate 16 has become a point in history, and when the summer of Dark Gate 17 comes, even the most boring people will no longer discuss the war that has passed for a year.

Of course, the continuing effects of that war are still there.

For example, now, on the streets of Baita Harbor in the New Lordaeron Kingdom, there are many noble children or veterans who ride colorful beetle mounts and swagger through the city.

These docile beetle mounts are as hideous as they used to be, looking like a tenfold magnified mixture of ferocious ants and scorpions, but now they're part of the human empire's transportation facilities... With the help of the neutral organization Blightburner's efforts to heal the world in Silishus, the secrets of its Worm Pullers have been cracked.

The influence of the crystal obelisk of the Qila Empire on the zergs was cracked by the learned druids, and only a small crystal was needed, even a three-year-old child could give orders to the lowest level of the Qila Zerg civilization, and after the mages of Dalaran blessed the crystal with a small magic circle, it seemed very safe.

Compared with expensive war horses, the number of insects is very large and cheap, and this weird insect is extremely powerful, and it is more than enough to pull the carriage, and they are omnivorous creatures, and it is much cheaper to raise insects than to raise war horses.

As a result, the Blightcaller's business of selling bug mounts has grown rapidly in the Human Empire, and the Empire's transportation department has purchased a lot of workers and insects to transport materials or minerals, just like the federal civilization on the other side of the sea used undead labor to replace human farmers and workers for unskilled jobs a few years ago, many miners and porters in the transportation department have lost their jobs, and they are said to have also demonstrated in Baita Harbor and New Stormwind.

But the increase in productivity is unreasonable, but fortunately, the pace of rebuilding civilization in the human empire is getting faster and faster, and these workers who have lost their jobs are soon accepted by the civil affairs department and sent to the borders of the empire to open up wasteland and farm.

Ahem, that's a bit far... In short, the Empire's civilizational changes are slow and backward compared to the scientific and technological productivity that the Commonwealth has been improving day and night, but they have begun to change, which is a good sign.

And today, on the summer solstice of the 17th year of the Dark Gate, a great news spread throughout the human kingdom, causing many people to cheer.

Alsace, the paladin king of the kingdom of Lordaeron. Minahir and Gianna of the Kingdom of Kurtilas. Princess Prodmore is about to get married, this is the first time that such a high-level noble marriage has been made after the human empire was rebuilt in Kalimdor, and it is the absolute high-level of the two kingdoms.

Alsace and Gianna represent extremely important political significance in their respective countries, although the two young people had a lot of scandals during the old empire, but this sudden marriage will definitely have an extremely significant impact on the aristocratic system and international relations of the two kingdoms, it stands to reason that such a high-level marriage is impossible to achieve without a year and a half of fighting, but this time it is very smooth, and it is very secretive.

From the beginning to the end of this matter, only a few high-ranking nobles of the two countries knew about it, all of which was too unreasonable, and of course this also led to the crazy spread of various gossip.

Some people swear that Princess Gianna has a deep love for His Majesty Alsace, and does not hesitate to tear her face with her brother His Majesty King Redk, and also marry Arthas, and the angry Drake Majesty announced on the spot that Princess Gianna will be expelled from the Proudmore family, and it is said that Lady Gianna also shed tears of grief and despair on the spot.

It is also said that it was because His Majesty Alsace and Lady Gianna had a secret marriage after a night of love, and it was really impossible to hide that the two countries had to make such a marriage arrangement to cover up the scandal... Well, as soon as this story spread, the manor of a small nobleman with a broken mouth was looted by a gang of bandits that night, so this theory quickly disappeared with the accidental death of the nobleman with a broken mouth.

And on the third day of the death of the broken-mouthed nobleman, a certain nobleman in Gilneth who did not want to be named drank too much at a banquet and accidentally revealed some "dry goods"... It is said that in order to marry Lady Gianna, His Majesty Arthas went to Kurtilas in person, and talked secretly with His Majesty Drake for several hours, and only in exchange for giving up the throne of Emperor did he persuade His Majesty Drake to allow the marriage between the two.

The last argument is plausible and politically sound, and therefore it is also the most widely circulated, from the fortress of Blackcloud Peak on the border of Gilneth to the border town of Kul Tiras, which is almost unknown to everyone, and this statement is spreading like a plague at a crazy rate, and even reaching the territory of the Federation, and the recent issues of Stormwind newspapers have been using the analysis of this incident as the front page, and it is said that the sales are extremely hot.

The ignorant maidens of the two continents were moved to tears by the love of Arthas and Gianna, and fantasized about their future love based on it, while the rough men who had drunk too much wine vividly talked about the secrets of the nobles' blood-pumping boudoir, as if they were watching the records when the nobles were doing business.

Until the end, the royal family of Kul Tiras, feeling the horror of the rumors, was overshadowed by the official spokesman who rejected this nonsense...

King Drake has not met His Majesty Alsace at all in the past 3 months, and what secret talks for hours, and what relinquishment of the emperor's throne are all groundless rumors... The spokesman also vaguely warned those guys who spread rumors that it was originally something out of nowhere, and if you bastards spread it again, it means that you are also responsible!

In the end, General Tanred personally led the kingdom's navy and captured several old nobles who were unwilling to be lonely, jumped up and down while the rumors were flying, and questioned His Majesty Drake's traitorous country, which completely suppressed this unhealthy atmosphere of making trouble.

But the discussion about this matter did not end there, but it was not until three days before the wedding of His Majesty Alsace, when an important person suddenly appeared in the port of Baita, that all speculation came to an end...

It's true that Arthas didn't make some dirty deal with Drake... The marriage of King Lordaeron and Princess Kul Tiras was done by another person.

Well, this mysterious and skillful man... Who is it?

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On this day, the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Lordaeron were hoisted on the 21 piers of the expanded White Tower Harbor, blue ribbons fluttered in the sea breeze and bright sunshine, the knights of the kingdom in ornate ceremonial armor lined up in the various passages of the port, and the foreign ministers of the kingdom with a kind of officials waited at the docks for the arrival of distinguished guests.

And in the stands on both sides of the pier, countless melon-eating people are waiting for it... The huddle of the minor nobles and the commoners was unimaginable in the past.

However, the empire rebuilt civilization for several years, probably because it saw the advanced nature of the civilization of the federation opposite, and some new decrees were also issued between countries, such as abolishing the backward etiquette that commoners must bow to nobles, and nominally announcing the protection of the property and dignity of commoners.

It's good to be able to escape from the battle of Northern Xinjiang, not to mention, now that civilization is rebuilt, the nobles don't dare to oppress the commoners too much, once a territory loses too much labor, the defeat of the territory is just around the corner, but not all nobles are so "well versed", and there are still some guys in various countries who are not very peaceful, and they are doing some things openly and secretly.

And now the strength of the entire empire has not been fully restored, and the kings can't spare time to deal with these guys who "take advantage of the fire", but sooner or later they will do it, and many people have reached a consensus on this.

"Bang Bang Bang"

With the shadow of a fleet appearing on the sea, the roaring salute made the entire dock boil, and just as the fleet approached, a low-key but luxuriously decorated black carriage, pulled by 6 horses, and cheered by the civilians, appeared at the entrance of the dock, after the guards laid out the red carpet, the young king of the kingdom of Lordaeron, the sincere paladin Arthas. Minethil stepped out of the carriage.

His loyal bodyguards, Pharik and Marvion, wore heavy armor and vigilant guards at the king's side, while the king himself wore no armor, but a black gown, a simple iron crown, and a sheathed, austere sword.

The king walked on the carpet and kept waving to the commoners on both sides, after the young king came to power, he issued several decrees to reduce the kingdom's taxes, vigorously develop commerce, and recruit exiles in the name of the country to pioneer the land, and constantly give the commoners various opportunities to rise, although the top of the kingdom is still controlled by the nobility, but in the lower level, there have been some commoner-born administrators.

This gave Alsace a high status in the eyes of the people, especially in a commercial port and a large city like the White Tower Port, and the fact that the King of Alsace was a well-known believer also made the followers of the Church of the Light very fond of him.

His handsome appearance and vigorous temperament, as well as the legend of his bravery and fearlessness on the battlefield, made the young people also admire him, so regardless of the level of domestic politics of the kingdom, the level of personality cult of the king by the commoners of the kingdom is still very high.

From this point of view, Arthas definitely has the foundation to become a Ming monarch, but the voice of the nobility in the internal affairs of the Lordaeron Kingdom is very heavy, Arthas is too young, and he does not have the strong connections and prestige accumulated by his father King Terenas for decades, so the young king often feels a lot of pressure, and some good decrees cannot be passed, and this frustration occasionally makes Arthas feel confused, but this is not enough to say to outsiders.

"Bang"

The fleet flying the flag of the Stormwind Kingdom docked, and on the edge of the largest flagship, the sturdy planks were placed on the docks, and the royal guards of Stormwind City, dressed in blue, freshly improved military uniforms and rifles with bayonets, walked off the boards and lined up on the edge of the docks, while surrounded by a group of ministers, Varian in black coats. Wryon stepped down from the deck.

Varian looked a little tired, but in the sea breeze, his tall figure still stood straight, like the most qualified general, and behind him, a High Elf girl in a long skirt pushed a wheelchair, and in the wheelchair, Marshal Wendsor, who was also wearing a new military uniform, had neatly combed white hair and a serious face, like an old but majestic lion.

Seeing Varian stepping on the ground of the dock, Arthas immediately stepped forward, and in the eyes of the people, he hugged Varian warmly, this scene also made the surrounding nobles applaud while muttering in their hearts, it seems that the personal friendship between His Majesty Arthas and His Majesty Varian is almost as deep as a family, and this rumor is not groundless.

The communication between the two did not conform to the traditional aristocratic negotiations between kings, but more like brothers who had been on the battlefield together and gave each other's lives.

"Anna is still waiting for you in the embassy, Varian, come with me."

Arthas held Varian's arm and made a "please" gesture, Varian nodded, and at this moment, Arthas saw the beautiful High Elf behind Varian, and he was keenly aware that the relationship between his brother Varian and this High Elf girl he had never seen before was a little ambiguous.

"What is this?"

After the two got into the carriage, Arthas looked at the girl sitting next to Varian with a good look, Varian coughed slightly embarrassed, but Valiera graciously took Varian's arm, those green eyes looked at Arthas, she said in a slightly hoarse voice:

"My name is Valeera, Valeera. Sangunar is His Majesty Varian's personal attendant and the sub-commander of MI7 in the Stormwind Kingdom. ”

This answer left Arthas not knowing what to call Valeera, who he thought was one of Varian's lovers, but after a few seconds of embarrassment, Varian raised his head, shook Valeera's hand in front of Arthas, and said:

"Don't listen to her, Valera is my wife... For one, she has a good relationship with Tiffany, so the kid... Don't be cranky! ”

"Oh."

Arthas snorted, he looked at Varian's slightly tired eyes, he could probably guess that Varian's life might not be easy in the past six months since returning to the Stormwind Kingdom, so he thought about it and brought up another topic.

"Varian, how the hell did you try to convince His Majesty Drake?"

The young Paladin King asked in a low voice:

"His stubbornness is almost like Uncle Daline's, and Anna is surprised by this, have you paid some price for my marriage to Anna? Please tell me the original. ”

"Ah, this."

Compared to the seriousness of Alsace, Varian leaned back in the buckskin chair, he casually looked at the scenery of the White Tower Harbor outside the window, and he laughed and said:

"It's very simple, in order to get the stubborn Drake to agree to your marriage..."

"I beat him up!"