Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 745 Golden Words
Perhaps it was the effect of those dozen or so intriguing meetings that had finally taken place, or perhaps it was the fact that the back pay had finally been paid in full, or perhaps it was the moving and thought-provoking speech by His Highness Thales that changed the attitude of the officials who came to report on their work in the afternoon, as well as the information they reported.

“Unbelievable, Your Highness,” the port officials reported with beaming faces, “but as you said, the situation at the port is improving…”

"Led by the famous Seawolf Fleet, many other fleets have reopened, even offering free escorts and cracking down on piracy, claiming they want to uphold professional ethics and stand guard until the very end, even if Emerald City sinks..."

"Under their supervision, at least seven cargo ships are scheduled to enter the port today to unload their cargo. The captains and cargo owners have all issued statements saying that they believe the waters around Jade Island are safe and suitable for doing business, and that they will come back again, and wouldn't dare not come... well, I mean, they'd be too embarrassed not to come..."

"Speaking of this, there were those cases of merchant ships being hijacked and extorted at sea recently. Well, the city's security forces intervened quickly, and they have all been investigated and cleared up in time. It seems that they were all misunderstandings, misunderstandings, and not piracy..."

"Those escort fleets that cooperate with the authorities... oh no, it should be just a single ship from a single fleet. The temporary sailors they recruited were not skilled enough and made a mistake with the toll rates, overcharging them. So it looked like robbery and extortion, leaving a wrong impression and causing unnecessary misunderstandings... But rest assured, the relevant departments acted quickly and have already compensated the affected businesses with berth vouchers for next year..."

"The maritime authorities have ordered the convoys that caused the problems to make thorough rectifications. As for the 'South Coast Catfish,' which is suspected of plundering civilian property, we just need to wait for this storm to pass... well, cough cough, I mean, the authorities will release the investigation results in a timely manner..."

"Of course, the security department thoroughly investigated the temporary sailors who had neglected their duties on that ship and found that many of them had a history of sailing overseas, residing in foreign countries, and even receiving foreign currency. It seems they were corrupt... Yes, residing in foreign countries. This point needs to be emphasized in the public announcements..."

"The bad things must have been done by spies. If one of our people did something bad, then he must be a spy... We must especially explain this to the honest, simple people... Does Your Highness understand what I mean...?"

Following the port came the trade market and the tax department, and even the civil affairs department and noble affairs. All sorts of news came in like snowflakes, and Thales didn't even have time to approve or respond. It involved all walks of life in Emerald City that had been dormant for a time.

"Your Highness, I can see that market prices are returning to normal, albeit slowly, but they are indeed recovering. Merchants are gradually returning to business, and the situation is steadily improving..."

"At least three creditors have written to us, claiming that for the sake of the bigger picture, they want to extend the debt terms and even offer partial interest waivers..."

"Some even offered to lend us more money to get through this difficult time, but I publicly and firmly refused! What a joke! You must know that Emerald City is a capital city with a rich history and a huge scale. It has never faced any difficulties..."

"Ahem, of course, if Your Highness still wishes to see them and refute their fallacies about the loan in person... hey, I've had them wait quietly at the back door. Don't worry, no one will see them, it's absolutely confidential..."

"Several huge overseas debts remain unpaid by the creditors, but strangely enough, their local agents seem to have made a pact and are no longer crowding the Financial Secretary's meeting room to demand payment..."

"I received intelligence that the five local families convened a meeting of the minor nobles in Emerald City. However, regarding the petition to His Majesty in support of the Iris Flower family, significant disagreements arose among the families, and the meeting ended in discord and nothing came of it... In other words, Your Highness, no one opposes you now... In other words, Your Highness, no one dares not support you now..."

"Business groups from the mining, metallurgy, textile, and agricultural sectors have jointly voiced their support for His Highness Thales's rule..."

As these messages spread, everyone in the departments became more diligent, with a positive attitude, enthusiasm, and high morale, creating a thriving and positive atmosphere from top to bottom.

"With the improved finances, we can resume all tasks according to the annual budget. In fact, the first batch of funds for public security and urban construction has already been allocated, actively making up for the government debts left over from previous piecemeal payments..."

"After a thorough ideological and moral education session, everyone in the various departments of the Emerald City government was invigorated, and most government affairs were returning to their previous operational efficiency..."

"The case of the fire caused by the brawl in the city center has been solved thanks to the intensive work of all the police stations. All the suspects have been apprehended, and it is said that many of them turned themselves in after hearing of Your Highness's magnanimity..."

"The number of tourists celebrating the festival is increasing, and there are fewer local homeowners fleeing with their families..."

"Many handicraft shops have reopened and started doing business again..."

You know, Thales.

Thales frowned as he waited for the officials to report, nodding occasionally in response, but inwardly he was silently chuckling.

Do you know why they did that, why they were arrogant at first and then obsequious?

Because of you, you, who were originally completely clueless, found a way. Starting with Kevin Deer, you leveraged several key points, and then, the Emerald City ship began to move.

Politics is such an interesting thing.

Isn't that much more interesting than those "there are no shortcuts to governing a region" statements you use to intimidate and scare them?
Because politics and power are nothing other than the art of finding shortcuts.

If everyone is down-to-earth, follows the steps, performs their duties, and accepts their fate, there is no need to take shortcuts...

Then where is the political struggle, the need for power and profit, and the distinction between superior and inferior?

But precisely because of this...

Politics can accomplish great things that many people, many ordinary people, and many scattered and fragmented individuals cannot.

As long as you can make good use of it.

Thales closed his eyes, trying to banish the unnecessary thoughts from his mind.

But compared to these opportunistic officials, opportunistic businessmen, scheming nobles, and trembling commoners, the guest who left the deepest impression on Thales among today's visitors was a barber shop owner in simple clothes and with white hair.

"This is an apology from the Blood Bottle Gang, leaders Ferg and Nekra," the owner, who tried his best to dress neatly and smartly but whose attire was still somewhat shabby compared to the interior of the Empty Palace, carefully but steadily handed over two gift lists in the study. "This is an apology from the Blood Bottle Gang, leader Catherine."

Fogg and Nekra, Catherine...

Wyatt accepted the gift list, but Thales, who knew the inside story, frowned.

"If I remember correctly, Catherine and Nekra were fighting each other to the death, right?"

The barber, looking honest and unassuming, nodded casually and pulled out another gift list:
“Indeed, you are very perceptive. And here, this is North Gate Bridge, over there at the Black Street Brotherhood, this is Boss Lazanchi Fissor’s greeting to you.”

Lazanchi Fisseau, Black Street Brotherhood?
Thales's brow furrowed, and he couldn't help but look at the person in front of him with new respect.

"why?"

"Oh, after that, they realized their mistake and, fearing your wrath, asked me to..."

“No, what I’m asking is,” Thales interrupted him, “that when the rival factions in the Blood Bottle Gang or the Brotherhood’s biggest drug kingpins wanted to curry favor with me, they all came to you by chance.”

Thales sized up the ordinary, unremarkable barber shop owner before him, narrowing his eyes:
"Who are you?"

"My name is Balta, and I'm a barber," Balta said calmly and respectfully, bowing respectfully. "Many years ago, I moved to Emerald City and opened a small barbershop. I've been fortunate enough to be tolerated by several local bosses, allowing me to run it until now..."

"Sell information and act as a middleman while you're at it?" Thales said with ill intent.

"Your Highness is wise."

Thales stared at Balta for a while and found that from any angle, he was just a small business owner with a blank expression, numb eyes, and several oily stains on his sleeves that he couldn't wash off.

Ordinary and unremarkable.

Balta, with a forced smile, let Thales look him up and down with a contented expression.

“Those who do intelligence business often act as intermediaries as well,” Thales recalled his experiences in Exter and the Western Wilderness. “It seems like this is the case everywhere?”

“To be a good intermediary, you have to be well-informed,” Balta replied calmly, as if the person sitting in front of him was not a high-ranking prince, but a day laborer at the food stall next door. “And once a person has mastered the work of information and climbed the ladder, he no longer needs to personally run intermediaries—except for those particularly important deals.”

His words made Thales thoughtful, but Balta immediately pulled out a dirty, thick notebook, wiped the stains off it with his sleeve, and handed it to Wyatt.

The prince's attendant opened his notebook and, while conducting a security check, was taken aback:
"what is this?"

"Oh, this..."

Balta gave a simple, honest smile and bowed to Thales:
"Whether it's His Highness being openly humiliated by Miss Hilla, the inside story of Duke Jann's imprisonment, or the truth behind several shocking serial murders... We have meticulously recorded and sorted out all the news and rumors circulating in Emerald City, whether they are outrageous or reliable, and tried our best to trace them back to their source and cause. We have had our literate scribes write them down for your convenience."

what?
Thales leaned forward from the back of his chair and took the notebook from Wyman's hand.

"In addition, we will continue to track public opinion trends in Emerald City, reflect the facts to you, and keep you informed of the grassroots situation."

Balta maintained his smile, while Thales, flipping through his notebook, frowned deeply.

Sure enough, the notebook was filled with all sorts of news, from how people were talking about the Emerald City serial murders, to how the conflict between the prince and the duke was being exaggerated and distorted, to the different versions of the shocking events on the day of the election, and even Thales's romantic affairs with a group of Emerald City socialites...

Of course, even more useful is the different reactions shown by everyone in Emerald City before and after the Emerald City coup:
Merchants across the country were suffering blows and losing confidence. However, the employees of different merchant groups were in various states of panic. Some were rushing to buy tickets, while others remained calm and composed.

Most high-ranking officials and nobles observed the situation from the sidelines, but the gardeners and servants who guarded their homes had subtle different reactions. Some tightened their belts and lived a secluded life, while others gambled extravagantly, even more so than before.

Before the celebration, rumors were circulating among the thugs of both the North Gate Bridge and the Blood Bottle Gang that the Water Corpse Demon was killing people everywhere. Some people cried out that their friends had disappeared because of this, but the news was mysteriously suppressed by the bosses of various territories.

A few days ago at an inn, a sailor from a certain fleet, while drunk, revealed that their Tanganga ship owner had been tossing and turning at night, unable to sleep, and had repeatedly confirmed with his first mate whether the ship could set sail at any time.

The servants who manage the garbage collection at the back gate of Kongming Palace complained that recently there have been far fewer recyclable old items in the palace garbage, but a huge amount of scraps of paper, which seem to be old and new contracts that have been scrapped and disposed of. They could vaguely see that many numbers were written on them.

The vendors in the square chatted, saying that there was always a rich young man in the prince's guard who liked to buy food from them. Along the way, they asked him about everything in Emerald City, and he was particularly interested in how the old duke died.

Thales shifted his gaze from the entry, "On the eve of the election, the coachman of the Tyrell envoy swaggered over his former employer, boasting that Emerald City would soon be finished, but bragging that he himself would soon make a fortune and become rich with his new master," handed the notebook to Wyatt, and sighed softly.

I wish he had seen this sooner.

Perhaps we wouldn't be so slow to realize things and react passively to them?
Balta continued:

"...Furthermore, we will spare no effort to reverse public opinion, counteract the unfavorable rumors and gossip against you these days, and rebuild your image from the ground up."

Thales was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter:

"I came to Emerald City, brought down a duke, dragged down an entire city, and ruined the livelihoods of countless people. Do I still have any image to speak of?"

"Of course there are. As long as you style your hair, you can change your image—a notorious thief can become a chivalrous knight-errant, and a respected knight can be portrayed as a hypocritical and cunning landlord. It all depends on how people cut their hair, or rather, how they listen to the stories."

Balta's eyes lit up, and he seemed to become very confident when talking about his profession:
"Please rest assured, Your Highness. We are professionals. We understand the principle that guidance is worse than suppression, that subtle influence is better than deliberate propaganda, and that we combine positive and negative approaches to achieve mutual progress..."

Hearing his words, Thales put down his notebook.

His smile faded, and he became wary.

"Now I know where Jenn's good reputation comes from."

Balta realized something and bowed humbly:

"But even the best reputation can't compare to a single, wielding finger from someone of your high position and power."

Thales chuckled, whether in a sarcastic or affirmative tone, it was hard to tell.

This guy's interesting, Thales.

The voice deep within Thales' heart quietly spoke:
He can sense the most subtle emotions and situations, and react accordingly, sometimes showing goodwill and weakness, sometimes flexing his muscles.

He can sense the immense power surrounding you and act accordingly.

A natural survivor.

Or, make good use of him...

Or, simply...

While Thales was pondering, Balta continued:
"I can also help you find Miss Hilley, who fled after kidnapping the criminal. According to my investigation, she was sent to the Sunset Temple for further studies in her childhood and had a close relationship with a priest. That priest was kind to Roger of the Blood Bottle Gang. Although Roger is dead, his secret stronghold in Emerald City is not without trace..."

The prince frowned.

“No need,” Thales refused outright. “I have more important things to do and I’m not interested in where Hilly is hiding.”

Balta frowned and looked up.

Thales looked at him, his gaze sharp:

"If I really want to find her, I have my own way, and I don't need help."

Balta remained silent for a moment, his brows furrowed.

“If that’s the case, I understand,” Balta said after a moment, his expression relaxing and a simple smile appearing on his face. “Your Highness is indeed a master strategist and a cut above the rest.”

For some reason, Thales felt slightly uncomfortable facing this unremarkable little barber, as if he were being seen through and exposed.

What did he understand?

"Then another thing we can do is boost people's confidence in the future of Emerald City to help you govern," Balta continued, "You have experience governing Starlake Fortress. I've heard that since you took office, the city has become a place where no one picks up lost items, doors are left unlocked at night, and life is vibrant with activity. These achievements can enhance your image..."

Wyman, who was standing to the side, looked at him with a strange expression, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

"But none of these are true."

Thales was getting a little annoyed.

No one picks up lost items on the road...

Indeed, they were so poor they had nothing; what could they possibly have to pick up?

Doors are left unlocked at night...

The main gate of Xinghubao is not even repaired yet, how can it be closed?

Full of life, with the sounds of chickens and dogs echoing in the air...

That's true; they even smelled each other's excrement and urine.

But what is the truth?

Balta asked himself the question and answered it with a patient smile: "The truth is what people are willing to believe and what meets their expectations."

Thales' eyes flickered.

“If these conditions are not met,” Balta’s eyes flashed, “the truth is not enough to be the truth.”

Thales was silent for a moment, then glanced at Wyman, who was flipping through his intelligence notebook and looking increasingly shocked.

The attendant immediately understood and spoke coldly:
"Speak plainly, Balta, you've offered His Highness so many benefits—what do you really want? To surrender and serve him?"

"I want nothing, it is the duty of a citizen to be loyal to Your Highness..."

Thales snorted softly:
"Balta".

The barber paused for a second, then bowed deeply and began to speak methodically:
"If I were to say that I did all this for any reason, it would be because of your magnanimity, for not holding a grudge against a commoner like myself..."

"What do you mean?"

Balta raised his head, his honest and simple demeanor vanishing, replaced by a serious and earnest expression:
"This is an apology, Your Highness. It's for the injustice you and Miss Hilla suffered in my shop on the day I was away."

Thales's brow twitched upon hearing this!
He recalled the adventure he and Hilly had had on the street that day in their pursuit of the defense attorney, Slimani, but then he remembered the glove Hilly had dropped on the street.

Not good.

"What grievance?" Wyman asked, his face full of suspicion.

Balta glanced at the attendant, then at the silent prince, and smiled slightly:
"Nothing at all. His Highness just gave my shop assistants a scolding that day, that's all."

Wyatt was surprised. He turned to Thales, but managed to suppress his doubts.

Thales instinctively wanted to deny it outright, but looking at Balta's calm and composed expression, and the small notebook in Wyman's hand, he ultimately just pursed his lips.

“You know that’s us.”

Balta nodded.

“I wasn’t in the shop that day. But the younger ones couldn’t hide it because they’d lost a large sum of money, so they had to tell me the whole story,” he said, his expression turning serious. “After removing the exaggerations and falsehoods, I guessed the truth and the identity of the person involved.”

Thales recalled his experience on the street that day, especially the misdeeds of those barbershop clerks, and couldn't help but sneer.

"So you're saying that your temporary workers were blind and offended someone important that day?"

Unexpectedly, Balta straightened his back, looked directly at Thales with a firm gaze, and showed no intention of flinching.

"No, they are not temporary workers, but employees in my shop. I took them in and took them in."

Thales raised an eyebrow.

“Secondly, they do such things not for any other reason than because they are blind,” Balta sighed, quite regretfully. “On the one hand, they are greedy for money, looking up to well-dressed lawyers and flattering them; on the other hand, they look down on people and bully poorly dressed outsiders without restraint.”

interesting.

Thales squinted.

“That’s why I was able to bully and oppress you that day—no, I was able to bully a brother and sister from another country who make a living by performing magic tricks,” Balta said with a heavy heart. “So, in conclusion, the one who really made a mistake that day was me.”

“You?” Thales asked with interest.

This is novel.

“Yes. Regardless of the appearance, ultimately, it is my management of the shop as the owner that has caused the problem,” Balta replied in a deep voice, his expression solemn and his tone stern.

"Oh?"

“Yes. Emerald City has been comfortable for many years, where people can make money even while lying down. As a result, I have neglected to teach them properly, and my subordinates have become mean-spirited, selfish, good-for-nothing idiots, lazy and negligent, soliciting bribes in private, bullying others by taking advantage of others’ power,” Balta bowed again. “I must thank Your Highness for visiting my shop, which has made me realize in time that this may be a fatal flaw.” Thales was silent for a while.

Ok.

In this era where every bureaucrat in the Emerald City pledges their loyalty and strives for excellence, I unexpectedly encountered a superior who not only didn't shirk responsibility but also took the initiative to shoulder it.

It's a breath of fresh air.

Or perhaps it was him, this well-informed survivor, who thoroughly understood your temperament.

The voice deep within Thales shrugged and said:
Therefore, he knows that taking the initiative to take responsibility in front of you is the best way to shirk responsibility.

Thinking of this, Thales's expression tightened.

What you should be curious about—but a voice inside him keeps whispering—is that if he hadn't offended you, but just an ordinary person powerless to resist, would he still be so eager to come and apologize…

"But fortunately, they encountered His Highness."

Before Thales could finish his thoughts, Balta spoke again:
"If they offend an ordinary person who is powerless and bullied, the consequences will be minimal and there will be no punishment. I will have no way of knowing or correcting it. That would be tantamount to encouraging and fueling their arrogance, corrupting their character, and making them do the same or even worse things next time."

He glanced at Thales, who looked slightly surprised, and nodded slowly:

"It's even more fortunate that it's His Highness. Otherwise, if one day in the future they offend some stern and ruthless big shot who refuses to forgive, or some highly skilled and vengeful thief and knight-errant, then disaster will befall them, and it will be far beyond what I can avoid by coming to Kongming Palace."

Faced with this attitude, Thales didn't know whether to praise or scold, so he could only go along with it:

"So you came to Kongming Palace to resolve this matter."

Perhaps by admitting his mistake, he could gain favor and make connections with this newly appointed "big shot."

A cold voice inside him reminded Thales:
In this way, he can maintain his influence no matter who comes to power or who governs.

“I assure you, Your Highness, I will strictly discipline the people in the shop,” Balta said earnestly, prompting Wyatt, who was standing next to him, to nod in agreement. “The more impoverished a person’s background, the more they should have self-respect and self-love, rather than taking advantage of their former self to bully others or groveling before those in power and the wealthy.”

The barbershop owner put on a stern face:

"Treat everyone equally, conduct transactions transparently, avoid dirty work and bloodshed—this should be the motto of my shop."

Thales did not speak.

"As for your affair with that young lady, Your Highness, please rest assured that no one will remember what happened in the shop and on the street that day, including myself," Balta said firmly and without room for doubt. "If even the slightest rumor spreads in the future, please come to me at any time, and I will stop the source for you—whether by means of force or by my head."

After hearing his words, Thales remained silent for a long time.

What a fine barber shop owner.

“You are truly impeccable and shrewd, Balta,” he said quietly. “After all this talk, even if I wanted to find fault with you and vent my anger, I wouldn’t know where to begin.”

"That's because I have no more faults to make."

Thales frowned slightly and sneered:
"Oh? Are you sure?"

Balta nodded respectfully.

“If I am truly at fault, yet Your Highness is ‘unable to address’ it, then Your Highness is incompetent and ineffective in governing,” the barber shop owner said calmly. “If I am not at fault, yet Your Highness insists on finding fault with me and using it as an excuse to get angry, then Your Highness is unworthy of your position and acts willfully and recklessly.”

Before Thales could react, Wyatt's expression changed drastically.
"What did you say?"

But before Thales could respond, Balta quickly bowed, first to the prince, then to the attendants:

"Clearly, Your Highness possesses both virtue and talent."

Wyman gave a soft hum, his expression softening slightly.

Thales, however, showed no anger and even found it quite amusing:
"Interesting. You dare talk to me like that? Aren't you afraid I'll get angry..."

Balta laughed.

“If Your Highness is the kind of person who acts on impulse, then I would phrase it differently. For example, I could grab that guy’s head and pin all the blame on him, or I could praise you to the skies, portraying you as a wise and benevolent ruler of a prosperous era, and use tears and lavish gifts to make you let me go…”

Balta changed the subject:
Fortunately, Your Highness is not that kind of person.

Wyman snorted coldly.

Thales did not respond immediately. He sized up the barber for a long time, his mind racing with countless options, including threats, intimidation, appeasement, arrest, and imprisonment. In the end, he nodded with a complex and subtle feeling.

"I won't accept the Blood Bottle Gang's and the Brotherhood's loot. I know where that money came from. If I accept it, it's tantamount to acknowledging this system of rent-seeking, encouraging them to continue plundering ordinary people layer by layer, using it as rent to pay to the powerful in exchange for the privilege of doing whatever they want," Thales said coldly. "Tell them that plundering the people is already a sin, and it's time to stop and think about how to use it for the people—don't wait until disaster strikes."

"I will certainly convey Your Highness's decree."

I paused for a moment.

“As for you, I’ll accept this notebook. I don’t want to hide it because it’s indeed useful,” Thales said, narrowing his eyes. “As for your apology… since it didn’t happen, what’s the point of talking about apology?”

Balta smiled, taking back the two gift lists from Wyman without a second thought and stuffing them into his pocket.

“Nothing is prohibited by law, but any abuse of power will be severely punished,” the barber nodded with a smile. “That is the wisdom of Your Highness.”

He finished speaking and sighed again:
"This is why this city prospered in the past, and what it should have been like."

Thales listened thoughtfully, while Balta bowed and prepared to leave.

“In fact, Your Highness, I have another reason for coming here.”

Thales looked up and saw Balta let out a long sigh.

“Brennan is a regular customer of my shop, well, an old friend too,” the barber said softly, his eyes filled with nostalgia. “For so many years, I’ve personally taken care of his hair and beard.”

Thales's eyes flickered.

“Brennan, the late Grand Inquisitor,” he said, looking at Balta before him, “so you know him.”

The barber nodded:
"When he first arrived in Emerald City, he lived in poverty and was shabby in every way. However, he always made sure to present himself in a neat and dignified manner when he went to court. His wife, on the other hand, was well-educated but not good at housework, let alone... Haha, coincidentally, my shop had only been open for a short time at that time, and I offered discounts to attract customers."

“Struggling financially? If I remember correctly, Brennan was hired by the Duke from afar, so he shouldn’t be treated poorly.”

“That is indeed the case, but Your Highness, do you know what that fellow said when he returned the large monthly ‘living allowance’ that Duke Lenster sent him?”

Baltay exhaled, his eyes unfocused:
"I have traveled a long way to get here, so I cannot treat Emerald City poorly."

Wyatt paused for a moment, but Thales seemed to understand something and was deeply moved.

“I know why the Duke invited him.”

Balta nodded, his eyes showing no sadness, only a faint sense of nostalgia.

“After the Duke’s assassination, Brennanto was the one who found a lot of the information behind that case.”

Thales' eyes flickered.

"He has a stubborn obsession. He likes to argue with himself about a certain detail or even a certain idea, and he has refused to give up for many years," the barber said with emotion.

“When I was young, I would laugh at him; when I was more mature, I would advise him; when I’m old, I will watch him with indifference,” Balta said, lost in thought. “But that day, when I watched from afar as his children scattered his, Brennan’s, and his wife’s ashes into the sea, I finally understood…”

He looked at Thales and Wyatt and sighed deeply.

“The prosperity of Emerald City is due to people like him,” Balta said quietly, “not people like me.”

Thales did not speak.

“I’m just a mortal, always looking out for good fortune and avoiding trouble, trying to protect myself, with no great ambitions. I may never be able to be like him,” Balta chuckled, a hint of mockery and sadness in his voice. “But from that day on, I told myself: whenever I meet someone like him…”

The old barber looked at Thales, bent down to take off his hat, and his eyes held a complex expression:
"I will never make sarcastic remarks again."

“I’m even willing to do everything I can to help.”

Thales listened in silence for a long time.

Balta also fell into deep thought.

Wyatt was the first to react and wanted to politely see the guest out, but Thales stopped him.

"The Emerald City is in decline."

The barber slowly raised his head, his gaze subtly changing.

The prince looked at him intently:
"What are your thoughts or suggestions on this, barber Balta?"

"I can not……"

“Balta, I treat you as an equal,” Thales said, his eyes fixed on him. “A deal made out to be.”

Balta paused for a moment.

He looked into Thales' eyes, then at the hat in his hand, and understood.

The old barber smiled, then quickly stopped smiling.

"Let it go unchecked."

"What?" Thales was taken aback.

Balta took a deep breath, overwhelmed with emotion.

“The people in this city, especially those in high positions who are bloated and arrogant, have had it too good for the past few decades,” he shook his head. “So good that they think everything is as it should be, as a matter of course, so good that they think the Emerald City’s wealth that fell from the sky was something they worked hard to create.”

Thales seemed to be deep in thought.

Balta then spoke slowly and earnestly:

"They're so happy that they don't want to open their eyes to see how much filth and corruption lies beneath this overwhelming wealth, or how many incredibly wealthy bosses and powerful families are growing ever richer and more powerful throughout the country..."

“Look at how many bankrupt landlords and impoverished families are in the corners of the border, look at how much grain the farmers and hunters on the fields and farms have to sell to buy a roof over their heads in the city…”

"Look at the apprentices in the bustling metallurgical workshops whose wages haven't increased in years, look at the Emerald City's tax revenue that grows faster than residents' wages, and the ever-improving facilities of the various government offices..."

"Look at the way out-of-towners look at Emerald City, look at the expressions on the faces of local workers after a year of hard work, look at the vast differences in social status and conflicts among the thugs from different areas of the Blood Bottle Gang, look at the stark contrast between the peaceful life and the sorrowful anxiety just a wall separates the city from the outside world..."

“Look at the rumors of water ghosts and missing persons that circulate in the dock area every year. Look at how many poor people can only stand at the door of the courtroom, looking at the seemingly serious and fair legal provisions, suffering in silence or even great losses…”

"Look at the North Gate Bridge again, look at the walking corpses inside, living day to day, not knowing where their next meal is coming from. Is what Lazanchi Fisseau is really selling just drugs? No, what he's really selling is numbness and escapism, revelry and euphoria, a kind of deadly poison that makes people flock to it even knowing they'll eventually be poisoned to death..."

This long speech contained many things that only Balta, who had lived here for many years, could see. Thales and Wyatt listened with heavy hearts, exchanging bewildered glances.

Balta sighed:

“Your Highness, those people are living too well, so well that they are no longer willing, or rather, unwilling and afraid to admit a fact.”

Thales looked back at him and listened intently.

"Just like the wealth and prosperity of the South Coast Territory were not accidental..."

Balta said seriously:

"The troubles facing Emerald City today, whether internal or external, are all natural and were bound to happen sooner or later."

The barber gave a light snort, revealing a hint of disdain and contempt, which was quite inconsistent with the cautious and honest demeanor he had displayed in front of the prince.

"Therefore, when they hold onto the market, assets, debts, land, and order, trying to force you out, they act so self-righteously—as if these things were rightfully theirs without you, without Federico, without the wicked people who covet their wealth, and without the powerful figures in the central kingdom."

Balta looked at Thales, his gaze grave:
"But they may not realize that they are already extremely lucky that this happened in Your Highness's hands, that it only happened in Kongming Palace, and that it was confined to the ridiculous infighting of the Iris family."

"Only when they realize this, wake up, have a correct understanding of the world, and make truly appropriate responses... instead of burying their heads in the blankets and tucking the corners in tightly, as if that would protect the pile of gold under their beds..."

He hummed softly:

"Otherwise, no matter how many ways you try to avoid trouble, it's just a temporary expedient and a shortcut. When the time comes, bad things will happen again and again."

Thales did not respond, but simply pondered.

But the barber's tone suddenly changed, becoming solemn and heavy:

"But they can't learn anything from their existing abundance, just as the strong can't learn anything from the weak who don't fight back."

“Because the strong don’t need to ‘retreat’,” Thales murmured, remembering something.

Balta nodded slightly:
"Therefore, only when the calamity truly arrives, destroys, annihilates, and reshapes, forcing everyone on this land, especially those who have benefited the most from the rise of Emerald City, to change and re-establish balance, can we achieve this."

He said coldly:

"Only then can the problems of Emerald City be considered truly solved."

A terrifying flame flickered in Balta's eyes:

"Before that, all attempts at rescue were merely adding fuel to the fire, not only futile but also presumptuous."

Add fuel to the fire...

In vain...

opinionated……

After he finished speaking, the study fell silent.

Thales let out a sigh of relief after finishing digesting his food and leaned back in his chair.

“I’m sorry, I talked too much,” Balta said, regaining his composure. He smiled slightly and instantly reverted to the seemingly honest but actually shrewd barber. “Perhaps Your Highness, you do have a certain charm that makes people unable to resist speaking their minds.”

Wyman was still reeling from the long speech he had just heard, and could only nod silently to the side.

"Balta".

Thales stared at the small notebook on the table without looking up:

“A person like you, who runs a barbershop and hides in a street gang buying and selling intelligence and delivering messages, is truly wasting his talents.”

Balta laughed.

“Your Highness is unaware of the truth. Someone like me, who is neither the best nor the worst off, is the most suitable for this place,” the barber chuckled, unconsciously wiping his hands on his clothes as if he were wearing a work apron. “If I were to climb any higher, with my abilities and methods, I would either encounter a stronger and smarter opponent, and die a horrible death, or I would inevitably be envied and make countless enemies, ultimately leading to my execution.”

Balta squinted:
"It's only a matter of time."

"But are you content with this? I'm at Starlake Fortress..."

But Baltay smiled slightly, gently yet decisively interrupting the prince:

"I am quite content, Your Highness. I have no great ambitions, and I have no desire to play any risky games where the winner takes all and the loser loses everything, no matter how high the potential profits may be. So when the Kingdom's Secret Service came to me..."

"The Secret Service also came to see you?" Thales' expression changed, and Wyman was also taken aback.

Balta shrugged:

"When they need me."

"So how do you respond?"

"Of course, we'll be very polite and do our best to cooperate with any needs," the barber said with a simple smile. "As for their good intentions in formally recruiting me, I can only appreciate it in my heart."

Thales stared at the seemingly ordinary barber who had refused the Kingdom's secret service with a complicated expression, remaining silent for a long time.

“Balta,” Thales murmured, as if remembering something, “maybe you will live to be a hundred.”

The old barber smiled, looking kind and honest.

"Then this old man will certainly strive to survive and prolong his life."

He bowed deeply.
"To prove that Your Highness's words are true and your promise is not false."