Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 737 Overestimation
The meeting with the two Kevin Deere had an immediate effect.

Throughout the day, Thales kept sending out orders and letters, inviting guests from different industries, classes, and statuses to come to Kongming Palace for a meeting.

The first person to arrive was "Sea Wolf" Tanganga.

Compared to his splendid attire and perfumed perfume at the banquet, this famous ship owner from Emerald City was dressed today in a simple, somewhat worn-out nautical coat, thick captain's gloves instead of a gemstone ring, and a yellowed handkerchief around his neck. He had a fierce face and spoke in a rough manner, exuding an innate pirate aura from head to toe.

Upon entering the prince's (or rather, Duke Janne's) luxurious study, he was immediately struck by its furnishings and engaged in overly enthusiastic small talk, glancing frequently at Thales's face—the bruises on it were so prominent that they could not be ignored.

"He was hit by Jenn."

Beneath the classic medium-length portrait of the first Duke of Kevin Deer, Thales answered without looking up, while casually writing the reply "No money" on the report requesting increased security funds from the Goldpie District Guard Hall.

Tanganga's smile vanished.

He rubbed his hands together nervously, his eyes hesitant, looking embarrassed and at a loss as if he had asked the wrong question.

No, he did it on purpose.

Thales looked up and examined the person in front of him, and the voice in his heart rang out again:
This former pirate was naturally fond of luxury and indulged in pleasure, but he somehow heard that the prince was in dire straits and even penniless. So before the audience, he took off his jewelry and changed out of his fine clothes, dressing in a shabby and vulgar manner. He also deliberately acted carefree and even rude and foolish in order to avoid the prince's anger and sharp edge.

Thinking of this, Thales narrowed his eyes. He took the report back from Wyman, crossed out "no money," and wrote "please forward to the Finance Department for discussion," indicating that Wyman should explain something to his guest.

Seawolf was not invited here without a reason:
Recently, His Highness received a tip from the residents of Kongming Palace that a small group of "organized criminals" traveling on armed merchant ships were patrolling the shipping routes around the South Bank Territory. They were arbitrarily stopping ships, boarding them for "inspection," and extorting tolls and protection fees, claiming that "the Duke has fallen, and the licenses he issued are no longer valid."

This triggered a series of changes, from rising shipping costs and delayed ship arrivals, to disruptions to the lifeline of cargo transport and a sharp drop in confidence in maritime trade, to merchants' anxieties leading to hoarding or price gouging, causing market volatility, irrational prices, and even causing small and medium-sized craftsmen to suffer greatly and city residents and merchants to be filled with fear. Meanwhile, sinister rumors such as "Emerald City is really going to be finished" resurfaced...

"what?"

Before Wya could finish her statement, Tanganga hurriedly began to protest, first with an incredulous look, "How could such a thing happen on the Kingdom's territorial waters? It's outrageous!" Then, "Your Highness, you should know that our Sea Wolf Fleet is also a victim!" Then, "Given the current circumstances, we had no choice but to raise prices!" Finally, with a slightly shameless tone, "Alas, the world is like this, what are we supposed to do?"

“I don’t want to hear those reasons,” Thales replied expressionlessly, “nor do I want to know what role you played in this, but you have one day—just one day.”

Tanganga frowned.

“If you cannot resolve the problem within a day and restore the shipping order of Emerald City to normal, Tanganga,” the prince lowered his head, and on the official document of the Disciplinary Office requesting that twenty monuments be erected at the city gate, with “Prince Thales’ famous maxims on governance” to educate the people, there was a large dog’s head drawn on it, “then I will have no choice but to deal with you.”

Tanganga's expression froze.

The former pirate's expression shifted multiple times in that single second, from dissatisfaction to ferocity, then from anger to grievance, but he concealed it all very well.

Finally, he glanced at the bruises on the prince's face, then at the attendants standing guard beside the prince, then at Morgan and Kusta standing guard at the door, and at Batista and Nehi standing in the corner, full of vigilance, before his expression returned to calm.

He changed tactics, first speaking with righteous indignation, "This is all because of that wicked Janne that we were forced to do this," then complaining with grievance, "We never wanted to be dragged into the war between the prince and the duke," and finally weeping, "But we are outnumbered, weak, and powerless to resist..."

Tanganga gave a long and detailed account of his reasons, starting with how his Seawolf tribe was defeated and stranded in a foreign land, and how they were taken in by Jann out of kindness, and how they could not be ungrateful. He went on to talk about how they had finally settled in Emerald City after more than ten years, and how they had finally gained a foothold, only to have their weaknesses exploited and unable to resist easily. He then talked about how Jann used money and power to coerce and entice them in every way, completely controlling their fleet and ordering them around. Tanganga was like a fish on a chopping block, and could only submit and endure hardship for decades. He was so moved that he wept, and even Thales was touched.

“I see,” Thales mused, adding fierce and menacing fangs to the dog’s head on the document. “At the previous banquet, Jann said that anyone could betray him, but Tanganga was the only one who couldn’t—presumably because he has your weakness in his grasp and can destroy your fleet with a flick of his wrist.”

Under the strange gazes of the surrounding guards, Tanganga nodded bitterly, tears streaming down his face.

"Your Highness, please understand, we really are..."

"No wonder."

Thales sighed and put down his pen:
"No wonder you traveled all the way to the Land of Night to stuff Federico and his assassins into your hold and smuggle them back to murder Jann."

As soon as he finished speaking, Tanganga's sobbing stopped abruptly.

The entire study fell silent, and the guards present all turned to look.

"Your Highness, no, I..."

While Tanganga was speechless with fear, Thales picked up a pen and sincerely and carefully copied a thank-you letter from the draft provided by Butler Ashford. He then delivered it to Lady Tourier of the Popon family, the funeral industry magnates of Emerald City, to repay a debt of 35,118 gold coins, 9 silver coins, and 4 copper coins owed to the Empty Palace ahead of schedule. The check was then delivered directly to His Highness the Prince's desk.

In addition, the old lady also hinted in the letter, with both warmth and coldness, that if there were any shortcomings, the Popon family would be happy to provide services of equal value, such as providing the prince himself with a series of prestigious services from coffin making to tombstone carving, from grave excavation to funeral rites.

("Of course, His Highness is in good health and will live a long life, so he probably won't need it in the short term"—the old lady's handwritten letter)
Unfortunately, starting with John I the Black, the royal family of Shining Star has a tradition of cremation. Faced with such enthusiasm, Thales could only politely decline, no matter how envious he was.

("What do you mean by greedy? Thor, don't put it so harshly. This is called the cycle of life..."—The prince grumbled as he held up the 35,000 gold coin voucher, inhaling the ink scent on it.)
In the study, Tanganga finally calmed down from the initial tremor, but the next few minutes were slightly awkward.

In summary, the ship owner of the Sea Wolf initially tried his best to protest his innocence, vehemently denying the allegations and requesting a clarification. However, faced with the reliable, irrefutable, and popularly supported truth of the "report from the public in Kongming Palace," he ultimately succumbed to the pressure.

The infamous sea wolf, before the prince who represented justice and law, suddenly realized his mistake and sincerely repented.
“Oh dear, Your Highness… I have a few new sailors on short-term contracts. They’re inexperienced and in their haste, they accidentally took on a job escorting a VIP from the Night Kingdom to Emerald City… Yes, that’s Earl Li! But I swear, it was those temporary sailors who did all the work. I had no idea what kind of followers the vampires had in the cabin… Of course, I was unaware of this and didn’t participate in it. I was inexplicably implicated, but I am, after all, their ship’s owner. It’s my fault for not supervising and overseeing them properly. I have no choice but to take responsibility and will absolutely not shirk it…”

"Oh?"

“I swear, I truly didn’t know they were coming! Your Highness, you know vampires are secretive and never allow anyone to ask questions… I, I really never participated in their plot to murder the Duke. If I had known beforehand, then… then they wouldn’t have taken me no matter how much money they offered… After the incident, I immediately realized my mistake and took immediate action, already dismissing those short-term contract sailors at sea… Alas, I was so negligent, I truly regret it… But heaven have mercy, I never thought of betraying them, let alone murdering Duke Jann! Your Highness, you must believe me!”

Thales scratched his chin thoughtfully.

"Oh, I see... Of course I believe you, after all, everyone makes mistakes."

Tanganga was moved to tears, until the prince spoke his next words:

"But does Jenn believe it?"

Tanganga's crying face froze.

Thales didn't even glance at him. Instead, he drew an exaggerated two-tone cow cat on the cover of the 170-page summary (self-praise) report from the City Management Bureau about the all-night banquet.

In another letter that accompanied the official document, ostensibly a letter of repentance and apology but actually sarcastic and insinuating ("Since Your Highness took office, the whole city has been invigorated and surging with energy. Everyone in the government has disregarded their personal salaries, handled cases and affairs twice as much as before, worked tirelessly day and night, without regard to duty or personal gain, and risked their lives without daring to slacken. In my thirty years of service in Jade, I have never seen anyone like Your Highness who has so diligently trained his troops, inspired them to improve, exerted his authority both inside and outside the city, and benefited the entire city. This is truly a great regret for the South Bank, a great fortune for the kingdom, a great sage of the world, and a magnificent spectacle in the annals of history."), he wrote grandly, "Today I receive my salary to make up for the arrears."

"Giant View my ass—sorry, I wasn't talking about you... By the way, I heard from Jann that your Seawolves' business isn't just bodyguards and transport; you occasionally do kidnapping and extortion too?"

Thales spoke as he wrote, intentionally or unintentionally:

"Then, that ship that took Federico to international waters more than a decade ago, and ultimately let him escape, wasn't it also one of your men on board? — Hahaha, just kidding, just kidding! Of course I know it wasn't you... It's just a coincidence, it happened at sea and on a ship... If I were Jann, tsk tsk... Oh, don't be nervous, even if Jann finds out, as long as the Night Kingdom and Federico are willing to testify for you, proving you were innocently implicated... Well, even if no one testifies, it doesn't matter... With Jann's keen observation, meticulousness, intolerant of injustice, and unforgiving nature, well, he probably won't doubt your loyalty..."

Under Tanganga's constantly changing expressions and gaze, Thales calmly folded the letter for Madam Tory and handed it to Wyatt to put in the letter casket.

"...At most, I just doubt your abilities."

Tanganga wiped away his tears, his face turning deathly pale.

He looked up at the wall behind Thales—a framed portrait of the first Duke of the South Bank, "Deadly Iris," calmly playing with a dagger, a half-smile playing on his lips.

"Your Highness, may I ask how you learned that young master Federico smuggled himself onto my ship..."

Because one of your passengers is not discreet.

"A tip from the public," Thales said softly.

Tanganga frowned.

After several seconds of painful hesitation, he gritted his teeth.

"But if I do you this 'small favor,' and Lord Jann, after his release from prison, discovers that I haven't carried out his orders effectively, and even suspects that you summoned me today because..."

"Leaving aside whether he can even get out," Thales said softly, "if that day ever comes, would you rather have Jann complain that you're too cowardly to withstand the Second Prince's threats and intimidation..."

The prince paused for a second.

"Or would you rather he suspect: You're too audacious, plotting to overthrow Kongming Palace from the very beginning?"

At that moment, Tanganga's eyes widened.

The closed-door meeting between Prince Thales and the Tanganga shipowner ended successfully in a warm, harmonious, and joyful atmosphere.

At the meeting, the Tanganga ship owners expressed their firm support for Prince Thales' enlightened rule, their commitment to maintaining order and stability in Emerald City, and their determination to safeguard the personal safety and property of the residents on the south bank.

He emphasized that the Seawolf Fleet will set an example by taking the lead and launching a self-examination, self-correction, self-reflection, and self-discipline campaign among all employees. The fleet will vigorously address the shortcomings and faults of a very small number of temporary employees who lack self-discipline, fail to distinguish between public and private matters, have a lax attitude, and behave improperly. The fleet will conduct in-depth reflection, learn from its mistakes, identify and address any deficiencies, correct all errors, and ensure that such mistakes are never repeated. At the same time, the fleet will urge its peers and industry partners to follow suit, advance together, and strive for progress.

At the same time, the ship owner refuted the absurd rumors in Emerald City, pointing out that there were no "organized maritime speculators" in the waters surrounding the South Coast Territory in the past, present, and future. The South Coast Territory has always been peaceful, safe, stable, and orderly, with smooth trade and orderly shipping.

In view of this, the concerns of a few business owners about the local business environment, flight safety and market order are superfluous and unnecessary. Emerald City still boasts the world's healthiest, safest, most dynamic and promising market for economic and trade cooperation.

Furthermore, the Tanganga shipowner strongly criticized a small group of selfish merchants and artisans for their shortsighted behavior: a lack of self-respect, blind following of trends, spreading rumors, engaging in impulsive buying and selling, disrupting the market, and ultimately harming themselves and others. He believed that under Prince Thales's wise leadership, Emerald City would surely relive its glorious history as the City of Queens, the City of Wealth, and the City of Dreams.

His Highness Thales Starlight, Duke of Starlake Castle, Second Prince, First in Line of the Royal Family, His Majesty Kessel's Private Envoy and Acting Regent of Emerald City, a man of noble wisdom, kindness, and benevolence, expressed his high appreciation and support for the Tanganga ship owner's statement and stance. He emphasized to the attendees: As the saying goes, there's no smoke without fire, and no smoke without fire. Emerald City is a renowned city of law and order in the kingdom, and will never allow malicious adversaries to spread rumors and create chaos in order to divide unity, harm the people's livelihood, undermine confidence, and serve their ulterior motives.

The two sides engaged in frank, constructive, and productive communication. At the end of the meeting, His Highness personally escorted the Tanganga ship owner to the door of his study, waving goodbye with deep affection.

The prince's attendant, Wyatt Cassel, accompanied him to the meeting.

“Next time, Tanganga,” Thales added casually before seeing him off, “if you don’t want any leaks, choose your clients carefully.”

Tanganga's eyes flickered, as if deep in thought.

After seeing off the preoccupied Tanganga, Thales sat behind his desk, watching the door slowly close, lost in thought.

Can you feel it, Thales?
The voice in his heart said to him:
Have you seen through the true nature of this pirate?

He had no intention of serving you, but ultimately had no choice.

This is the effect that the power imbalance can have.

Whether it's the difference between big and small, the difference between having and not having, or the difference between knowing and not knowing.

It manipulates, coerces, and motivates people to do things that are outside of common sense, duty, self-interest, and rationality.

Thinking of this, Thales sighed helplessly: Yes.

I hadn't even done anything, but with just a few words, Tanganga was so frightened that he bowed his head in submission.

No, Thales, don't be silly.

A voice deep within my heart whispered in rebuttal:
What he fears is never a single word you say.

Thales' smile vanished.

“Wyatt, do you believe our Tanganga ship captain, and do you believe that he did not actually betray Janne?” the prince asked quietly.

The attendant who was organizing official documents was taken aback upon hearing this.

“I don’t know him, Your Highness, so I dare not make any judgments,” Wyatt said cautiously, choosing his words carefully. “But judging from his performance just now, I don’t think he—at least he doesn’t seem to—has such courage.”

“I think so too,” Thales nodded. “The entire fleet of several hundred people, their livelihoods, lives and families are all in the other’s hands. He is afraid of Jan, terrified of Jan, and dares not betray him.”

"That means he really didn't know, and was just deceived by his subordinates..."

"But he is a human being, and he possesses something far more complex than mere fear, courage, loyalty, or even self-interest."

Wyman looked puzzled.

Thales leaned back in his chair, gazing intently at the portrait of "Deadly Iris" on the wall.

"Tanganga was a seasoned seaman, and he knew perfectly well that there was something wrong with that deal, but he neither refused nor supported it; instead, he remained silent and stood by."

Jealousy, resentment, indignation, wishful thinking, laziness, greed, caution, mercenary nature, cruelty, impulsiveness...

Thales recounted, one by one, what he had just gleaned from Tanganga's eyes:

All of these factors combined, and constantly shifting and changing, make Tanganga a complex and multifaceted person.
He was sometimes jealous and resentful of Jan, sometimes deeply wary of him; sometimes filled with bitter resentment, sometimes satisfied and even grateful; sometimes grateful for his powerful backer, sometimes complaining about his patron's domineering attitude; sometimes cunning and scheming to kick him when he was down, sometimes wanting to play dumb to protect himself; sometimes hoping for Emerald City's prosperity so he could continue to make money, sometimes gloating over the possible decline of Iris and thinking of getting a share of the spoils...

All the complexities and possibilities, whether pushing or pulling, came to an end the moment those vampire guests stepped onto his ship.

Tanganga was caught in a dilemma, on the one hand convinced that this could not be considered betrayal, and on the other hand secretly gloating and adding fuel to the fire; he felt that such a trivial matter should not threaten Kongming Palace, but on the other hand secretly hoped that it would teach the big shots a lesson and make them suffer; afterwards, he tossed and turned uneasy, trying his best to distance himself from the situation, but on the other hand, he couldn't help but take advantage of the calamity to make a fortune...

“Jan is right. He has grasped the most fundamental chain of interests, and therefore is certain that Tanganga would never dare to, let alone be able to, betray him.”

Thales was lost in thought, as if he saw thin lines extending from behind the portrait of the first Duke of Leinster, enveloping the Palace of the Empty City, covering the Emerald City, and even the South Bank Territory:
"But he's not entirely right either: Tanganga stumbled between clear-cut loyalty and betrayal, ultimately heading down an uncontrollable third path."

In the field of vision, every thin line extending from the frame is trembling gently in different postures, amplitudes and frequencies, sometimes pushing or pulling, sometimes large or small, sometimes fast or slow.

Wyatt pondered for a moment:
"But his actions still led to the Duke of the South Bank losing power, which was tantamount to betrayal."

“That’s where the fun begins,” Thales said, a smirk playing on his lips as he met the gaze of the first Lenster Kevindir, who was also wearing a half-smile in the painting, across a distance of seven hundred years. “If Tanganga had truly been determined to betray Jann from the very beginning, the course of events, the situation we faced, and even the final outcome would have been entirely different.”

He shook his head and sighed softly:

"I'm afraid I won't have the chance to 'cooperate' with him like I do now."

“So, Tanganga’s behavior is different from true betrayal,” Wyman realized, “just as it is quite different from pure loyalty.”

Thales nodded and sighed:
"People don't always make choices consciously, clearly, rationally, proactively, or consciously. More often than not, they make choices with ambiguous orientations, either forced, unintentionally, numbly, belatedly, or perhaps firmly at the time but regretfully afterwards."

“Like Tanganga,” Wyatt nodded, “and in this storm, countless officials, merchants, workers, farmers, and ordinary citizens of Emerald City, from top to bottom?”

Thales looked at Wyman with slight surprise:

"Exactly."

He sat up straight.

"History may not be made by heroes, especially those heroes we remember as steadfast, great, courageous, and purposeful. Rather, it is the torrent formed by countless spectators like Tanganga, who are numb, lazy, yet restless, who are unconsciously united and lifted up together."

Thales sighed in a daze:
"Therefore, in the Sunset Bible, the prophet Mohassa says: 'That is not just history, but destiny.'"

Everyone is struggling, but few realize that from beginning to end, they are only trapping themselves in their own web.

Wyatt looked at the prince with concern:
"Your Highness, are you all right?"

“What? Oh, of course,” Thales snapped out of his reverie. “Alright, please welcome the next guest…”

Wyatt nodded without hesitation, his gaze sweeping over the bruises on the prince's face.

So the door was opened again.

"Hasha! My dearest Hasa! My most beloved Ambassador Hasa!"

"Your Highness! Your Majesty! My most respected Prince Thales!"

The special envoy from the Tyren Trade State across the End Sea, Lord Hassa, laughed heartily and opened his hands, which were adorned with jeweled rings, to warmly embrace Thales, whose face was also contorted with laughter, as if they had been as close as brothers since day one—even though this was their first meeting alone.

“Since Your Highness arrived in Emerald City, Your Majesty has never been so warm to me,” Hassa’s Common Tongue had a distinctive accent from the desolate mountains, but it wasn’t heavy. His smile remained unchanged, and his movements were enthusiastic. He ignored the injury on Thales’ face while cleverly avoiding the wound during the cheek kiss. “It really makes me feel uneasy!”

“The sunset bears witness, and fear arises from the unknown,” Thales wiped the powder off his face, took his arm, and urged the large Hassa to sit down first. “But you are a visionary, how could you be fearful?”

"Oh? What do you say?"

Thales smiled mysteriously after taking his seat:
"I heard that after you came to Emerald City, you united more than a dozen merchant groups, dignitaries from various countries, and special envoys from friendly nations—the kind of groups with branches in Emerald City—to form a temporary commercial alliance?"

Hassa raised his artificial eyebrows, which were painted in four colors—white, yellow, red, and black—to show his reverence and worship for the four sacred states of the Sun Lord: solemnity, mercy, anger, and chaos.

"Who told you that? Oh, ha, haha, it's just a small gathering, all friends I hang out with... At most, it's used to bargain with Duke Jann and negotiate on import tariffs." Hassa laughed and waved his hand naturally.

Thales squinted:
"Isn't it because you were so prescient that you were certain something big would happen in Emerald City?"

"Ah, that's right—what could be more important in Emerald City than your esteemed presence?"

Thales and Hassa exchanged a glance and burst into laughter at the same time. One of them marveled at how difficult their opponent was to deal with, while the other secretly wondered which brat had leaked the information.

“There are indeed bigger ones than me,” Thales said with a forced smile. “For example, taking advantage of the change of ownership of Kongming Palace, the instability of people’s hearts and the depression of the market, your alliance joined forces to hoard goods and drive up prices, break industry rules, create shortages and panic, squeeze out local businesses, scare away new and old customers from upstream and downstream, and make a quick buck when the market is in chaos, pushing Emerald City, which was already on the decline, into the abyss?”

The smile in Hassa's eyes disappeared.

"Ah, now I know why you invited me here."

Thales also stopped smiling:
“You, Ambassador Hassat, and your ‘little gathering’ involving various industries abroad, are not here in Emerald City to discuss tariffs.”

“In fact, we came to Emerald City to discuss customs and trade policies,” Hassa said calmly. “It’s just that this time, the negotiation terms are a bit… well, special.”

"Is this Jenn's request?"

Why ask a question you already know the answer to?

Thales let out a long sigh:

"What's the point of negotiating good tariff terms if Emerald City just dies like this?"

“Markets won’t die,” Hassa shook his head. “They will only decline.”

Those who are smart enough, have enough capital, and have strong enough connections can also profit in a declining market.

The profits were even greater than in a bumper harvest year.

Thales remained silent for a moment.

"Now that things have been made clear, may I ask that you stop supporting Jenn?"

"sorry?"

"I say, please, Your Excellency, use your connections in that small foreign merchant alliance. I don't ask them to operate at a loss or even give back to the people. I just ask them to act normally, do business properly, stop spreading panic and spreading rumors about the environment, and stop controlling transactions and manipulating the market. Let the stock and prices in the shops of Emerald City return to normal, and let this declining city be revived."

The envoy from Hastak pondered for a moment.

“Those people in that circle are all shrewd enough to make a profit, Your Highness,” he said slowly. “They do it because it’s profitable, and when it comes to matters of profit, if they’re not willing, I also…”

“Then let them be happy,” Thales interrupted him decisively, “just like you, as the instigator, incited them to be unhappy.”

Under Thales's aggressive gaze, Hassa frowned slightly.

"As the sun shines, what benefits would we gain if my friends and I were willing to cooperate?"

"benefit?"

Thales gave a strange snort, revealing the bruise on his cheek:
"Did you see that? The beating Jenn gave him this morning, it's probably all over the place by now... Any thoughts on that?"

Hassa squinted and actually examined it seriously for quite a while.

“It was forceful, sudden, but unprofessional, more like an impulsive act,” Hassa muttered. “Based on my understanding of my old friend Jan, he is very well-mannered and has never lost his composure like this before, let alone resorted to violence.”

Hassa looked at him with suspicion, his face practically screaming, "What did you do to him?"

Thales had to cough and straighten his face to steer the conversation back on track.

"Now that you've seen it, Your Excellency, the question you should ask is: what harm would it do if you continued to stand with Jann and disrupt 'my' Emerald City?"

Looking at Duke Starlake like this, Hassa frowned slightly.

"Ok."

He pondered for a moment and sighed:

“I assure you, Your Highness Thales, that we will not, as Duke Janne—no matter how favorable the tariffs he has promised—help you to take control of Emerald City.”

"Thank you very much."

"But it's not appropriate for us to take your side."

"What do you mean?" This time it was Thales' turn to frown.

Hassa smiled and said:
"What I mean is that we will remain neutral for the time being until the outcome is decided. Whether Lord Janne or Young Master Federico takes the throne, or even if you personally lead the Emerald City—incidentally, none of these will affect your status as the heir to the kingdom, nor our respect for you—I assure you everything will return to normal, and we are happy to continue our sincere cooperation with the Emerald City..."

Thales fell silent.

He looked up at the image of the deadly iris and took a deep breath.

"not enough."

Hassa raised his eyebrows.

Thales turned around, his tone turning cold:

"In a war where the strong and the weak are clearly divided, if you remain neutral, it is tantamount to siding with the strong."

"What do you mean?"

“It means that you’re not on my side,” Thales said, leaning forward on his elbows, his face cold, “you’re on their side.”

Hassa frowned as he looked at the prince.

"Hmm, you and Lord Jann are really different."

"Why is it different?"

“Business is business,” Hassa said naturally. “Business matters should, of course, be resolved with real money.”

Does he want more benefits?

Thales was displeased.

“You are the Chief Minister’s trade envoy, Your Excellency Hassa,” the prince said, his face ashen. “Isn’t your existence, and your position, precisely because some large deals cannot be settled with cash?”

"As a prince of a country who will inherit the throne in the future, you should have a longer-term vision."

"for example?"

“Money, wealth, goods, and even the position of city lord are nothing but trivial things to you,” Hassa laughed, looking like an experienced man lecturing a prince. “Focusing too much on these things and getting involved personally will not be good for your reputation and standing in the eyes of people—both at home and abroad—and that is the foundation of your future rule and where your true interests lie.”

"Your Highness, why don't you look to the north? At this point, is there anyone still willing to believe the words of the patricide king and make a deal with Black Sand City?"

Thales did not answer immediately; he lowered his head and remained silent for a long while.

"Then look at my face again, Envoy Hassart. Add to that the time I was humiliated by his sister, and as a prince, I'm already utterly disgraced and my reputation is ruined," Thales raised his head and said coldly. "Reputation? Fame? What else do you think I could lose in Emerald City?"

Looking at Thales's face, the envoy from Hassat stopped laughing.

He didn't say anything, he just pursed his lips.

The two sat facing each other silently in the study, both expressionless.

But just as the atmosphere was becoming increasingly unbearable, Thales turned his head and sighed.

"Alright, I don't want to seem too aggressive. How about this, did you see the Tanganga ship owner who just went out?"

Hassa was taken aback and couldn't help but look at the doorway.

"Yes, um, he didn't seem... very happy?"

“More than that,” Thales said with a cold laugh, leaning back in his chair. “It should be said that he is very tough, unyielding and incorruptible, declaring that he would rather live or die with Jann than compromise with me. He even secretly supports pirate activities in the open sea, constantly harassing shipping lanes, intimidating passing ships, and causing trouble for the order of Emerald City.”

Hassa listened to the news and seemed to be deep in thought.

"After all, the captain of the Tanganga ship is the son of a young girl, a man of the sea, a man who licks blood from the edge of a knife, so it's inevitable that sometimes..."

"Your Excellency, let's make a bet."

Hassa's eyes flickered.

Thales raised a finger: "If within a day, this troublemaker Tanganga yields to me, tones down his stance, and allows Emerald City's maritime trade to return to normal..."

He observed the other person's expression and paused for a moment.

"Then Your Excellency, could you do me this 'small favor' and urge your 'little' foreign merchant alliance to stop colluding to hoard goods and raise prices, resume normal operations, and even, if necessary, contribute some funds to help restore market order..."

Hassat's eyes flickered:
"But what if the Tanganga ship owners are too thick-skinned and too stubborn to yield?"

Thales's eyes turned cold:
"Then he wouldn't exist in this world."

Hassat's expression changed slightly. He didn't bother with making demands and quickly pressed for an answer:

"You're going to kill him? Kill Tanganga?"

“Since the kingdom has explicitly banned piracy,” Thales shook his head, looking indifferent, “they have to set an example.”

Hassa frowned at his hand-drawn eyebrows.

"That's not a good example."

"How to say?"

The envoy pondered for a moment, then leaned back in his chair with a worried expression.

"As a foreign subject, I am not in a position to say much, but Your Highness Thales, Tanganga comes from a maritime family..."

"You mean pirates?"

"...They've been operating offshore for generations, have a wealth of experience, and know many renowned captains..."

“Yes, he’s been living off Janne for over a decade,” Thales said absentmindedly, “and has long since become the watchdog of the Empty Palace.”

“But you are the current master of Kongming Palace.”

“Not so soon,” Thales sneered. “Thanks to him, and you, and many other forces in this city, including a certain young lady who likes to play tricks and snatch food from the jaws of death, I feel like I’m living on pins and needles in this position.”

Hearing the other party's tone, Hassa suddenly had a bad feeling. "I understand that Your Highness's rule is not going well, but in a place like Emerald City, harsh punishments are by no means a wise move."

His expression was solemn, and he spoke earnestly:

"If you drive Tanganga to the brink of despair or even take his life, the fleets and ship owners who have served Emerald City for many years—many of whom are descendants of the former Casse pirates—will not only fail to submit to your rule, but will also feel a sense of shared fate and indignation, and the consequences will be unpredictable."

Thales shrugged. "Is that so?"

"If Tanganga is forced to rebel and return to piracy with his loyal ships, the seas will be in turmoil, all the nations along the way will suffer, and even Emerald City and the Star Kingdom will lose more than they gain—"

"Him? Hmph."

Thales sneered, and with a flick of his sleeve, swept several picture frames off the table and onto the floor.

Hassa was taken aback at first. He picked up one of the palm-sized picture frames and looked closely. He found that it was painted with portraits of all kinds of ladies.

That's not a big deal, but the key point is that the clan emblem in the painting is quite eye-catching and unique.

"The sun shines on everything, this emblem is... the sun sword and shield?"

Hassa stared at the small statue in his hand, his face ashen, his smile turning cold, as if he had seen some kind of monster.

“Yes, Prime Minister Cullen’s granddaughters and great-granddaughters, more than a dozen,” Thales said lazily, holding up one of the photos. The girl in the photo was dressed in gorgeous clothes and accessories, looking bright and noble. “You know him, don’t you?”

"of course."

Hassa's expression was solemn.

“Bob Cullen, Lord of Bright Harbor, Duke Guardian of the East Sea, and the current Prime Minister of your country, known as the ‘Sword of the Gulf’,” the chief envoy stared blankly at the family crest on the painting, “In his youth, he embarked on a voyage of blood to quell the pirates of Kase…”

Anyone who frequently travels across oceans and crosses the seas knows this.
“Yes, yes, that’s it,” Thales scratched his ear. “If I can’t win over Emerald City and marry the beautiful and noble Miss Hille, well, I’ll have to go to Bright Harbor to pick a wife.”

Hassat's expression changed slightly.

“Oh? Oh, a marriage alliance between the Starry Sky royal family and the Cullen family, that’s good, very good,” Hassa said hesitantly, “but these candidates are all grandchildren of Duke Cullen, and they don’t seem to be as prestigious as Miss Hilaire…”

“Their dowries aren’t as extensive as Kevin Dildo’s, but the variety is better, like the Cullen family’s Polar Sun Fleet,” Thales narrowed his eyes. “The fleet certainly won’t be given to me, but I can give them a few ships to help my good son-in-law wipe out some of the most arrogant and lawless pirate groups…”

Hassa frowned deeply.

Thales raised his hands and leaned back:
"So, if I were Tanganga, I'd better be sensible and not forget what happened to his maternal grandfather..."

“He won’t forget,” Hassa stared intently at the emblem of the Sun Sword and Shield, his brow furrowing even more, “and that’s the problem.”

"Oh?"

Hassa put down the picture frame, his eyes serious.

Many years ago, young Bob Cullen did much more than just suppress the Qassem Solitaire pirates.

Amidst the complex political maneuvering on both sides of the End Sea, more and more powerful groups were forced to become involved in the conflicts of interest between the Cullen family and the End Sea pirates, the East Sea people, and the Kasai Islands. This ultimately led to the formation of an alliance of the East and West Mainland, six navies, and eight fleets, which then went to war with the once rampant and ruthless pirates who had spread across countless islands and dark harbors throughout the seven seas.

On every inch of navigable sea, in every port where anchors can be made, and even on every mast where footholds can be placed, the two sides fought day and night, their blood staining the sea, while the sea-herding maidens offered abundant sacrifices.

This went on for decades, with countless famous ships sinking to the bottom of the sea and countless sailors perishing in the belly of fish. Under the combined military force of various countries, the five great pirate kings of the seven seas were finally wiped out one by one. Three died, one went missing, and one was captured.

One of them was none other than Tanganga's maternal grandfather, the once-mighty "King of the Skeletons" who raised his lone sail in desperation to launch a desperate attack on Radiant Harbor, only to be defeated and captured in Radiant Bay.

It is said that he and his last remaining men were not allowed to die quickly, but were instead tied to the ram of the Cullen family flagship, the "Erol Grace," and paraded along the shore to boast of their achievements.

Exposed to the sun and rain, battered by wind and waves, and pecked at by seagulls and birds.

Until each corpse dried up and shrank, becoming a veritable "skeletal flag".

Since then, the girl has lost her child, and the pirate has lost his father.

The seven seas are a pack of wolves, without a master or king.

The bone flag is gone, the sun shines on the sea.

Of course, countless clans in the Kasai Islands who had made a living by raiding for generations also suffered, and the surviving clansmen—such as Tanganga's mother—had to find other ways to survive.

"By His Majesty the Sun God, no matter how fierce the turmoil and how miserable the people are here, it is only a disturbance in a corner of Emerald City. But if the blood feud between the Cullen family, the Kase people, and even the Seven Seas Pirates is dragged into it, then things will become complicated. Moreover, there is no precedent for this; the sea is not just a matter between one family. Ending the conflict around the sea might very well lead to..."

As Hasa spoke, he sighed:
"Peace is precious..."

Thales frowned slightly upon hearing this, but ultimately just snorted coldly, completely unconcerned:

"So now, whether it's my marriage, ending peace on the sea, oh, and of course the bet with you, it all depends on whether Tanganga will back down? Ha, this is getting more and more interesting."

Seeing his nonchalant attitude, Hassa's expression grew even uglier.

"Your Highness, please reconsider. Relying on the Cullen family to coerce Tanganga, and even on Kevindir and the Kasei pirates behind him... you may feel momentarily pleased, but it could lead to endless trouble... Furthermore, what will happen to Emerald City if the End Sea descends into chaos?"

Thales snorted coldly.

"Then take another look at my face, Your Excellency."

He turned his head again, revealing his bruises, his tone filled with resentment and ferocity:

"Unfortunately, because of the mistakes made by the Kevin Deer siblings, Emerald City has already suffered endless consequences."

Seeing the unprecedented ruthlessness on the prince's face, Hassa was speechless.

This time, the silence in the study lasted especially long.

One side glared angrily and coldly, their attitude clear.

One side was filled with worry and preoccupation.

Finally, as if he had made up his mind, Hassa sighed helplessly, "Fine, let me go and persuade him."

Thales' expression shifted:
"what?"

The envoy from Khashat shook his head:
"Tairun is also a maritime trading nation and an important client of major shipping corps. I will try to persuade the Tanganga ship owner to cooperate with you to stop the pirate attacks and the non-commercial activities of the major shipping corps."

“I don’t understand.” Thales squinted.

On the contrary, he understood it all too well.

According to tips from the public in Kongming Palace, the Kingdom of Tailun (including other states along the trade routes, whether competing or cooperating) prospered by the sea, and the Sea Wolf Fleet (as well as the pirates and naval forces with whom they had complex relationships) depended on the sea for their livelihood. In the same sea area, even if they were not closely related, they were at least closely connected.

“I know that Your Highness has encountered obstacles in your governance and suffered repeated humiliations. At this moment, you are burning with anger and only swift and decisive measures can quell it.”

Hassa looked exhausted.
"But we have a proverb in our country: a ruler should value benevolence, a general should value stability, a merchant should value steadfastness, and an official should value forbearance. Even if it is for you to eventually control Emerald City, you should spare the lives of Tanganga and the other opponents at this time."

"Oh? I thought you, who had been protesting the tariffs with Jann, didn't like Emerald City?"

"For both sides of the Taiwan Strait, cooperation is always the better choice than confrontation."

Thales stared at him suspiciously for a while before finally looking up.

"Let's say that works for now, but how are you going to convince that grumpy pirate? Lick his balls?"

Hassa took a deep breath, ignoring the prince's vulgarities:

"I will tell the ship owner of Tanganga: the Kingdom of Terran and our allies have decided to set aside our prejudices and cooperate with Your Highness. We will open our cargo holds and shipping at a loss to help restore order to the market and work to restore order to Emerald City. I think he will understand the general trend."

Thales was stunned for a while before he realized what was happening:

"You mean... I thought you just said you wanted to remain neutral?"

Hassa gave an awkward smile:

"I have just figured it out: in a war where the strong and the weak are clearly equal, to stand by and remain neutral is tantamount to siding with the stronger side."

Thales raised an eyebrow.

Hassa smiled broadly, his expression gentle and natural:
"Now, Your Highness, what do you say?"

Thales was stunned for a while before finally reacting, and he too put on a broad smile:

“Oh, in fact, Your Excellency’s words have been a real eye-opener for me: you are right: I should not marry the granddaughter of the Cullen family unless absolutely necessary—the Prime Minister already has enough power.”

"Your Highness is wise."

"Your Excellency is also wise."

“However, I am of low rank and have little influence. It is not easy to persuade so many great merchants to cooperate,” Hassa rubbed his four-colored eyebrows. “If you could promise that after the matter is settled, the tariff policy of Emerald City on several categories of goods will be slightly relaxed…”

"talk later."

Thales smiled and declined, then lowered his head and pretended to start processing official documents.

"As strong as you are, you truly deserve to be the future king," Hassa remarked, unable to get any information out of him.

"Excessive praise."

"I'm sure you'll succeed quickly and take over Emerald City."

"Thank you very much."

"Maybe Tanganga will surrender on his own before I even have a chance to persuade him?"

"I accept your good words."

"Because he already yielded to you, right?"

"It's...what?"

Thales was startled and looked up, just in time to see that Hassa's expression had changed, and he was now staring at him with confidence.

Not good.

The prince, displaying his remarkable thick skin, subtly smoothed things over:
"Oh, ha, I'd like to, but that arrogant pirate doesn't know what's good for him..."

"And you, from the moment you spoke until now, you've only been cheating me: using the matter of Tanganga and the Kulen family as a pretext, deliberately creating the impression that if things don't go your way, you'll destroy everything, killing Tanganga and causing chaos in the End of the Sea, in order to force me to submit and compromise with you, right?"

Hassa recounted the story in a detailed and engaging manner, making audible sounds.

They completely dismantled Thales's little scheme.

Thales tried his best to control his expression and explained:
"What? No, in fact..."

“I just spoke with him outside,” Hassa said gently, but with a fatal blow. “I must say, Tanganga is not good at hiding his true intentions.”

Thales' smile vanished.

what?
he……

Ambassador Hassat calmly raised his teacup and drank the first sip of tea from the day's meeting:

"Tanganga's past is not hard to find out, but how are you so sure this tactic will work on me?"

Looking into the other person's eyes and movements, Thales finally realized something and couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

“Because you are the trade envoy of the head of the state of Telangana,” he said helplessly, “your position and the weight of your words depend on peace and stability, not chaos.”

Thales said dejectedly:

"If I were to overturn the chessboard in a fit of anger and disrupt the situation in the coastal states, your words would no longer carry weight in the state of Terran, let alone your candidacy for the next head of state—two of the three nobles in Terran who control the fleet and city defenses are your political enemies, and chaos will only benefit them."

Hassat's eyes flickered slightly.

"After all, the current chief of Subanat took advantage of the end of the years-long war between the Kulun family and its allies and the Seven Seas Pirates, and the return of maritime trade to normal, and with the support of the Temple of the Sun, persuaded the major families to vote for him to take office."

Hassa gently put down his teacup.

"Your Highness is very knowledgeable about our country, some of it even being secrets. Hmm, your intelligence gathering is quite comprehensive."

It should be said that the clues from the masses regarding Kongming Palace are quite complete.

but……

Thales sighed helplessly:
"Since you saw through me all along, have you been playing along with my act all this time?"

Hassa laughed.

He remained calm and unhurried, first waving his hand:
"If I hadn't agreed to help you, would you really have been so angry that you summoned the East China Sea Fleet and the Seven Seas Pirates, turning the End of the Sea into chaos?"

Thales stared at him for a long time, then sighed:
"will not."

"Oh?"

Hassa shrugged:

"Even though Lord Jann beat you so badly that you were disfigured, and his sister humiliated you in front of the whole city, making you lose face and fly into a rage, and it looks like you're about to lose Emerald City?"

Thales got a headache as soon as he heard this.

He took a deep breath.

"First of all, I'm not disfigured; secondly, I have a large face, so it's not that easy to lose it..."

But seeing Hassa's increasingly gleeful expression, Thales finally gave up and abandoned his attempt to argue.
"All right.

"First of all, moving pieces at the cost of overturning the chessboard is not my style."

"Secondly, it is the most foolish thing to start a war without knowing what it will bring you."

"Thirdly, the marriage alliance with Cullen, well, that's something I made up. As for all of this, these are all cheap illustrations from the secondhand market. Even the family crest on the Sun Sword and Shield was hastily drawn up..."

Thales casually waved a portrait of a lady.

"I can see that; there are quite a few flaws."

Hassa also picked up a picture frame, his eyes filled with complex emotions—a mixture of nostalgia and resentment.

“A long time ago, my mother, and of course me, we made a living by copying cheap illustrations for people in the old market.”

Looking at the envoy, Thales suddenly realized that this time, the other party did not use the humble term "this humble one".

The special envoy from the Republic of Taren sighed softly, put down the illustration, and slowly removed the two gemstone rings from his right hand—only then did Thales realize that they were not just rings, but decorative finger sleeves connecting two prosthetic fingers.

Hassa's right hand, where the thumb and index finger belong, only has a small part of the base of the fingers left.

It was almost completely empty.

Thales was stunned. He recalled the extravagant scenes of Hassa having everything done for him on various occasions, even having servants serve him food and drink. Suddenly, he understood.

He turned his head away, suppressing his curiosity to ask the other person "what happened," and also forcing himself not to look at the other person's prosthetic finger.

Hassa gazed at the spot where his finger had been lost, his expression calm and composed.

They didn't seem to care about him as much as that cheap illustration.

and many more.

Thales suddenly realized that something was wrong.

what did he say?
Hassa used to copy illustrations... he knows this...

That means……

Thales snapped out of his daze and stared at the other man in disbelief:

"It was you! You were the one who cheated on me just now?"

Hassa slowly put his prosthetic finger back on, regaining his luxurious and dignified appearance, and smiled slightly.

“What, you really think I got information out of Tanganga? Please! Your guards are all fierce and ruthless, they won’t let me get close to him at all—sorry, no offense intended, please continue.”

what?
Thales stared intently at the envoy for a long time, until the other party humbly apologized, before he huffed and puffed:

"I'm done."

He got so angry before he could finish speaking.

Hassa chuckled and apologized repeatedly.

“I can see that, Your Highness. You are indeed different from Jann Kevin Deer. At least you are not as shrewd, wise, skillful, or admirable as him.”

Thales' expression shifted:
Is this an insult directed at me?

Hassa shook his head regretfully, looking disappointed and disappointed.
"No wonder you, despite holding the throne, were still brought to a sorry state by him, who was imprisoned, leaving you in dire straits and trapped in a state of distress."

Okay, they really were insulting me.

Thales frowned, wanting to argue, to say something like "Actually, I'm not bad either" or "The advantage in this battle is mine," but in the end he was speechless, with no words to refute him.

The next second, having heard enough laughs, Hassa rubbed his hands together in satisfaction and stood up.

"In that case, I'll head back now. Good luck, Your Highness."

Thales sighed.

Seeing Hassa walking further and further away, he couldn't help but speak:
But at least—

Hassa stopped in his tracks.

Thales took a deep breath and could only say helplessly:
"I know it's a bit late to say this now... but Your Excellency, could you please, as you said before, at least remain impartial and neutral?"

Hassa frowned and turned around.

Thales gritted his teeth:
"Please, I only need a few weeks, no, a few days, to save Emerald City. If all else fails..."

"neutral?"

Hassa chuckled and interrupted him.

“Your Highness, I know Jann Kevin Deer, and he will never be the loser.”

He squinted, raised his finger—the prosthetic finger—and shook it, as if he had heard something amusing:

"And you, Prince Thales, at least for now, are destined to lose."

Thales sighed in disappointment.

hateful.

He could have lured the other person into a trap.

How did the problem arise from a cheap illustration?
That's even more foolish than the Meteorite finding that invitation.

"therefore!"

The next second, the envoy from Khashat suddenly became serious!

He stared intently at Thales:
"Tairun and our allies, we have decided to abandon speculation and profiteering."

Thales looked up and stared: Huh?
"In fact, we will do everything we can to stabilize the market, quell rumors, facilitate trade, restore people's confidence in Queen's City, and even extend a considerable debt to help Emerald City return to normal."

what?
Thales was stunned and didn't react for a moment.

Hassa bowed slightly, and when he looked up, he had a smile on his face:

"Hopefully, this will give you a slight advantage in this unfair contest."

The study remained quiet for a long time.

Until Thales came to his senses:
"Wha, what?"

Hassa shook his head:

"There are no other conditions attached, Your Highness, not even the tariffs they're clamoring about—I can handle that with those short-sighted, unscrupulous merchants."

Thales finally understood what the other person was saying, word by word, and looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Hassa didn't say much, he just nodded slightly:
"As for the rest, it's up to you."

After speaking, His Excellency the Special Envoy turned and left.

Steady pace.

The sleeves fluttered in the wind.

It is enormous in size.

But it was decisive and efficient.

Thales was left alone, sitting behind his desk, lost in his own wonder.

"Wait a minute, sir!"

Thales still couldn't figure it out, and just as Hassa was about to leave the room, he couldn't help but call out to him:

Would you mind telling me why?

Hassa turned around, still smiling.

"why?"

He pondered for a moment, then his eyes lit up:
"I told you so."

Thales looked puzzled.

"Lord Janne is a shrewd and capable leader."

Hassa slowly and deliberately rubbed his ring together:
"The Emerald City is thriving under his rule, provided that his power and position are not threatened. Otherwise, he will not hesitate to sacrifice the Emerald City—just as he prepared in advance for us to cause trouble and create problems for the Emerald City in order to force its new master out."

His gaze shifted, and he stared directly at Thales.

For a moment, Thales had a strange feeling: the person in front of him was not a messenger from some neutral trading nation.

He was a battle-hardened general who commanded troops.

“But you are a prince of a country, and you will inherit the throne in the future. You should think further ahead,” Hassa repeated his words carefully. “Your reputation and public image are the foundation of your future rule and the real source of your interests.”

Thales's breath hitched.

“But Jenn has a very good reputation and public image,” he said instinctively.

“It is very good,” Hassa nodded without hesitation, his gaze unwavering, “among those who do not know him.”

Thales' eyes flickered.

“The sun shines with teachings: Without a holy heart, it is difficult to perform holy deeds.”

Hassa performed an exaggerated prayer gesture, and immediately afterward, his expression reverted to its previous diplomatic, polite, and insincere demeanor.
"Now, I must rush off to organize a 'small gathering,' please excuse me..."

"Your Excellency Hassa."

Thales spoke instinctively.

He meant to say thank you, but then realized it was inappropriate, and the words that came out were something else entirely:
"This idea of ​​creating danger and forcing you to comply came from a tip-off from the public—I mean, from getting information out of Jenn."

Thales said quietly.

Hassa frowned upon hearing this.

Thales looked at the other person with mixed feelings:

"But now it seems that Jenn underestimated you."

Hassa hummed in agreement, then lowered his head in deep thought, his expression intriguing.

A few seconds later.

“No, in fact,” the envoy looked up and smiled with relief, “he overestimated me.”

"Just like I've overestimated him for a long time."

The envoy from Telangana, Hatshepsut, stroked his four-colored eyebrows, swung his massive body, and stepped out of the study with an undiminished smile.