Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 763 Provocation

"Yes, I didn't believe it at first either."

Then, Fesseau grinned:

"But Little Knife did spread the word in the underworld: she forgave you and old Ferguson, and she also pardoned those high-ranking rebels, even though she lost a hand and countless loyal subordinates for it."

They even lost the Blood Bottle Gang's industrial territory that was spread throughout the city—and you know, this is Emerald City.

While inwardly reflecting, Fabre continued to speak:

"Therefore, she asks you and old Ferguson to put aside your grudges, sit down with her to negotiate, reconcile, and reunite the divided and infighting Blood Bottle Gang—as long as you and Ferguson agree to reconcile, she will not only forgive past transgressions, but is even willing to give up her position as gang leader."

Relinquishing the position of gang leader...

The opponent bowed his head in a gesture of goodwill, but Nekra felt no joy in victory, only extreme anger.

let?

He can take the position of gang leader himself, why would he need that bitch to give it to him?

What right does she have to yield? To do so arrogantly?

Who does she think she is?

Is it Old Turnbull or Black Sword?

No.

Can't delay any longer.

We need to kill this old bitch as soon as possible, so she won't come out and disgust people again.

At worst, we can spend some money to hire a better assassin—damn it, just when we needed him, how did King Losang II disappear?

If all else fails, he'll go back and talk to old Ferguson, then get together with those idiots Gutierrez, Gamandia, and Sangare, and mobilize a large number of people to search for her, not stopping until she's dead...

"And Catherine ordered all Blood Vial Clan members: until the three of you reach a compromise..."

The alpha wolf squinted and spoke, interrupting Nekra's train of thought:

"No one is allowed to start conflicts, seek revenge, or retaliate in private. Even those who have formed blood feuds in internal strife must live in harmony with each other to avoid brothers killing each other, which would play right into the hands of spies."

what?

Nekra's thoughts froze.

No conflict should be started without authorization.

Nekra suddenly realized something and became inexplicably angry.

"An order? She, that bitch, issued an order?"

The red viper grinned sarcastically.

"From whom are you giving orders?"

Rick's eyes flickered.

“She doesn’t even open her eyes,” Nekra gritted her teeth. “Frango, Tommy, Zeca, Jaga, even Roger the Dung Egg… all the high-ranking officials in Emerald City who were loyal to her are long dead. The rest are all traitors or people who don’t like her. Who can this crippled old woman, Knife Bitch, ‘order’ anyone?”

Order someone to die?

There are still a few fearless and loyal thugs left in Emerald City who are willing to risk being held accountable by him and Ferguson to work for her.

As for the day they betrayed us, that expert with legs in the warehouse... there can't be another person like that, right?

"Anyway, that's what she said..." Fei Suo said quietly.

"She's desperate!"

The red viper spat fiercely, but its breathing became increasingly rapid:

“I know, that barber from Balta brought a message from the palace: the new regent prince has many rules, and both the legitimate and criminal elements in the city are being suppressed and are not allowed to cause trouble. That bitch is trying to play the field and take advantage of this to save her life…”

He kept repeating and affirming it in his heart:

Yes, she was facing death, so she resorted to her old ways, putting on airs and acting like a bully.

As for the so-called "compromise reached by the three"...

"Using a broken tile as a flatbread, who does she think she is? Does she really think she's that prince, born to be high above others, and that everyone should kneel before him?"

Nekra was barely containing his anger, and his words carried a hint of resentment and injustice that he himself was unaware of:

"Just by sitting there and shouting 'My father' and beckoning with a finger, would Duke Iris and his sworn enemy cousin be running for their lives, abandoning their grudges and kneeling to beg for mercy? Would Miss Kevindale rush to offer kisses and herself? Would all the high-ranking officials and wealthy families in the city obediently come to his door to deliver gifts and beg for his mercy? Would the ignorant masses of the entire South Bank Territory wish they could erect monuments and statues in his honor for all eternity?"

Fisseau frowned repeatedly as he listened.

The red viper's eyes were cold and filled with hatred.

Thank goodness I didn't kill that bitch with the knife that day.

Otherwise, it would be too easy on her.

Once he catches her, he'll make her wish she were dead...

"why?"

Fesso and Nekra both turned their heads at the same time.

Rick, who had been lost in thought and had unconsciously spoken, realized what had happened and turned pale.

“Oh, I’m sorry! Sir, Boss Nekra, I didn’t mean to bother you… I, I was just wondering why Boss Catherine…”

Seeing the red viper's gaze grow increasingly fierce, Rick dared not speak further and quickly lowered his head.

“She said she believes you and Ferguson are innocent,” Fesso said casually, carefully flicking off his cigarette ash. “She said this infighting within the Blood Bottle Gang was instigated by a treacherous spy to sow discord between you and her, thereby weakening the Blood Bottle Gang.”

"A spy? To weaken the Blood Bottle Gang?"

Nekra was completely bewildered:

"What do you mean? She's shifting the blame onto you again, putting it on the Black Street Brotherhood?"

Does Dao Biaozi think that if she goes back to the old ways, makes up a story about a spy to shirk responsibility, and tries to appease them and show weakness, he and Old Ferguson will forgive her and let her go?

Fisseau didn't answer; he simply looked up and smiled at Rick.

What do you think, Mr. Rick?

Rick was initially filled with fear, but then he suddenly realized something.

It's time, Rick.

His inner voice of reason encouraged him to take a deep breath, first bowing slightly to Fesso, then glancing at the Red Viper.

Countless thoughts raced through my mind in that instant.

But they all ended when Nekra turned his head menacingly.

Showcase your value.

Seize your opportunity.

It's time.

“Um… sir, Boss Nekra…”

Rick coughed, and under Fisseau's encouraging gaze, he mustered his courage and cautiously said:

"Regarding spies, I'm not sure if it's true, but recently, everyone in Emerald City has been saying... that all the bad things that have happened in Emerald City lately, such as the Duke's downfall, the deterioration of public order, and the sharp decline in trade, are all instigated by spies sent by the Hambur people across the sea, with the aim of disrupting Emerald City and overthrowing Kongming Palace... Perhaps it's related to this?"

Hambul...a spy?

Nekra looked puzzled.

Rick nodded.

Yes, that's right, he heard that this morning.

It is said that Kongming Palace also dispatched the Jade Legion to protect the post station where the Hanbul envoy was staying, lest it be besieged by the angry residents, while the well-informed Mingye Temple even arranged the repertoire overnight:

"The Heroes of Chenbo Fortress Display Their Abilities to Capture the Evil, and the Holy Princess Turns the Tide and Settles the Situation" - Of course, the heroes of "Chenbo Fortress" could not have done without the grace and guidance of the God of the Night, and the "Holy Princess" who turned the tide also owed much to the reminder from the God of the Night in a dream.

(“The place name and gender are completely different, so it can’t possibly be alluding to the contemporary politics of the kingdom!” — Waeber, contemporary playwright and honorary priest of the Cultural and Creative Department of the Temple of the Night)

Faust was still smiling.

But Nekra was still puzzled: "But what does this have to do with the Blood Vial Gang...?"

"To this end, Catherine also called on her colleagues in the Blood Bottle Association to put aside past grievances."

Fasseau interrupted him, speaking slowly and deliberately:

"We must unite as one, for the sake of the country and the people, for the sake of Emerald City and Sky Palace, to find out the traitors and cooperate with the wise and intelligent Prince Thales to set things right."

How to expose the traitor?

To set things right?

but……

Nekra was stunned.

"I understand."

Rick's voice trembled, causing the two gang members to glance at him.

"Sir, and also Boss Nekra. Um, I guess Phantom Blade seems magnanimous, but..."

Rick cleared his throat and hurriedly said:

"First of all, since the old leader passed away, the Blood Bottle Gang has been torn apart. Whether Phantom Blade is the new leader recognized by everyone, and whether he is qualified to 'give up the leadership,' is still up in the air..."

Nekra nodded slightly, thoroughly annoyed.

"Secondly, did she forget to mention who the leader's position is specifically going to be given to? Is it to you, Boss Nekra, or to Fogg? Or perhaps, the one who compromises first? Or maybe..."

Rick paused, then cautiously looked at the red viper:

"The one who first labeled the other party a spy?"

The red viper shuddered.

"Furthermore, forgiveness and pardon, letting bygones be bygones, sounds nice, but does it mean that you and Fogg, boss Nekra, actually have 'past faults' and have betrayed your own people in the past?"

Fisseau raised an eyebrow.

"Furthermore, she's gone to such lengths to 'appeal' to the authorities, offering such 'generous' terms. If anyone in the Blood Bottle Gang still disagrees and insists on opposing her, preferring to lose their leadership rather than compromise and cooperate, wouldn't that mean... what did we say earlier, that they're spies sent by the Hambur people?"

Rick's words became increasingly clear and logical, and Red Viper grew more and more alarmed.

Only Lazanchi Fisseau, the "alpha wolf," lightly pounded his own calf, his expression unassuming, casually toying with the pipe in his hand.

"Finally, and worst of all, I've received quite a bit of news these past few days... Especially since the Prince Regent invited a bunch of people to the palace for a meeting, Emerald City has started to recover... The entire Emerald Legion and the guards, even the city hall's tax bureau, have been unusually diligent, working tirelessly to maintain order, improve security, and crack down on crime..."

Nekra's expression changed.

"But whether it's a coincidence or not, these days the thugs have been on a rampage, from illegal businesses to tax evasion, from immoral acts to shortchanging customers... The ones they've been raiding the most are none other than the old businesses of the Blood Bottle Gang's former leaders who betrayed Catherine, and the new businesses they seized after their infighting, some of which are even 'Wanderer' Fogg's own ill-gotten gains..."

Upon hearing this, Nekra trembled violently!

"The arson on Ruhsan Street involved the escort gang and the shovel gang, who were originally small gangs under the Blood Bottle Gang, under the jurisdiction of 'Wheel' Rupert and 'Dung Egg' Roger respectively. But ever since their boss disappeared... these days, they've been arrested and imprisoned by thugs in droves. If it weren't for our Brotherhood lending a hand and paying a ransom..."

The ancient well of Feisuo was still.

"Even your legitimate businesses, which have no problems, have been investigated and fined... You should know that the Blood Bottle Gang has always valued official-business relations and is better at public relations than we are. These things have not happened often before, so at least the damage is limited..."

Rick frowned:

"Even 'Sea Wolf' Tanganga, who originally had a good relationship with the Blood Bottle Gang, had his wicked wolf cubs hand over any Blood Bottle Gang members who had fled to sea to the Guard Bureau and the Emerald Legion as soon as they captured them, claiming that they were law-abiding citizens and following the prince's teachings..."

"But this time, the thugs had incredibly accurate intelligence and complete evidence. They caught everyone on their turf, as if they had experts guiding them. They even knew the Blood Bottle Gang better than the Blood Bottle Gang itself..."

The intelligence was accurate, and the evidence was complete...

Every time, they catch them, they're right...

Knows more than the Blood Bottle Gang...

The red viper's heart skipped a beat, and it took a deep breath:

"Knife bitch!"

Nekra, realizing what was happening, was filled with resentment:

"Damn it! She betrayed her brothers, used thugs to get back at her own people... Don't any of the gang leaders or the brothers in the underworld have any objections?"

Betraying your brothers?

Nekra, boss, isn't it inappropriate for you to say that?

Rick took a deep breath and looked at his boss, but unfortunately, Fisseau still didn't react.

“Well, Nekra, I think, at least in the Emerald City’s Blood Vial Gang,” Rick’s voice lowered, “the ‘insiders’ who are qualified to speak, who have influence, and who are still loyal to Catherine, have probably been slaughtered by you and Boss Ferguson….”

Nekraden was speechless.

As for those traitors who were disloyal to Catherine, and even those who stabbed her in the warehouse...

Rick shrugged.

She probably wishes those thugs would cause them trouble every day.

"Furthermore, I suspect that even if some people in the underworld have objections, no one dares to speak out—the entire Emerald City is in an uproar, saying that the criminals arrested these past few days must be spies infiltrated by the Hambur people, and that they deserved their fate..."

“Killing them all wouldn’t be unjust, would it?” Nekra said hoarsely, his voice filled with sorrow.

Rick nodded cautiously.

Of course, what if a few people are truly wronged...?

When the greater good is at stake, some accidental injury is unavoidable.

Even if they are all wronged, probably no one will care.

But if anyone dares to disagree...

See? By luring the snake out of its hole, they've found the traitor, Hambul.

Thinking of this, Nekra put his hands on the table, picked at his hair, and just wanted to burst out laughing.

Only the laughter was desolate.

“I don’t know how you and Boss Fogg divided the shares… but if things continue like this, with the green-hatted thugs sweeping back and forth, the underworld colleagues kicking you when you’re down, and the public opinion in the city being hard to change in a short time… not only will you have to give back the profits you’ve swallowed from Phantom Blade, but even Fogg’s own business in Emerald City, which he has been running for many years… I’m afraid it will be difficult to maintain.”

boom!

Nekra slammed his fist hard on the table.

“That’s right. On the surface, Catherine was stabbed in the back by you, Boss Nekra, and lost her territory and manpower in Emerald City… Now there are really very few people in the city who are still loyal to her.”

Rick continued cautiously:

"But after the upheaval at Kongming Palace, the prince became regent and needed to restore order. So from the city hall to the tax bureau, from the sleazy dens to the cuckolded guilds, from the Sea Wolf Fleet to the major guilds and merchant groups, and even our Black Street Brotherhood, given the prevailing circumstances, whether they wanted to or not, whether they were acting voluntarily or involuntarily..."

Rick swallowed hard.

"At least for now, many people outside the Blood Bottle Gang have had no choice but to become...her people under the Prince's regency and the banner of 'For Emerald City'."

Her people.

The red viper swayed upon hearing this.

Rick, sensing the tension, didn't say anything more.

Fisseau remained silent, simply sitting quietly, glancing sideways at his old partner, occasionally glancing at Rick, who was drenched in cold sweat.

The office fell into complete silence.

----

"At present, both Kevin Deere are keeping to themselves."

Inside the Kongming Palace, Thales sat behind his desk, reviewing administrative documents while listening to reports from his subordinates.

"Although they have regained their freedom, Duke Janne and young master Federico still spend most of their time in the Kongming Palace, occasionally going to places such as temples and government offices, and all of these visits are reported and recorded, and their itineraries match up when checked," Komuto reported cautiously.

“They rarely receive outsiders. Even the city’s nobles, wealthy families, officials, and envoys rarely come to visit. Even if they do, it’s only a brief meeting, and all of them report it. All correspondence is recorded in official documents.” Wyman flipped through his notebook.

Thales nodded absentmindedly.

It's a pity, he wanted more people to see these two troublemakers being released.

"Even high-ranking officials and capable ministers who are accustomed to coming and going from the palace, such as the Grand Steward Myrahovic and the Judge Ibonin, traditional vassals under his banner such as the Kalabyan and Lassia families, and even stalwarts of the military and police such as the Seychelles Captain and the Second Lieutenant Cherkey, foreign envoys from places like Hamburg and Terran, and even the iconic wealthy merchants and business leaders of Emerald City, not many of them come to visit Duke Jann..."

Paul was the one who reported this—but didn't he find it inconvenient to carry that bow around everywhere? "Ah! So it is with young Federico! Although he has sent out many letters and invitations, not many people dare to reply, let alone visit him..." Neshi and Bastia replied in a hurry, one after another.

Because at this moment, Emerald City is full of cautious and shrewd people.

Thales understood perfectly.

Even now, with both Kevin Deer acquiescing and being released, Emerald City seems to have returned to calm.

Jann's supporters were wary of the prince's attitude and Jann's reaction after losing power in the Kongming Palace, so they dared not approach him at this moment.

Federer's supporters, who are already furtive and secretive, dare not show their faces now.

Of course, after he had appeased and utilized so many representatives from all walks of life in Emerald City, some rumors had already begun to circulate from Skylight Palace regarding the whereabouts of the two Kevin Deer.

It's likely that some well-informed high-ranking individuals have already deduced from various signs that the "Red and Black" factions in Emerald City will be forced to coexist peacefully under the pressure from Polaris.

But in any case, seeing that the two Kevin Deer were safe and sound and even freed, and witnessing the harmonious atmosphere when they spoke with them, the people of the city should be able to put their minds at ease to the greatest extent possible.

This is not a war of either/or, nor is it a war of life and death.

No matter which side you stand on, you don't need to worry about being targeted by the prince or your opponents.

Prince Thales, whom many considered to have ill intentions, has used various means, both explicitly and implicitly, to assure people that Emerald City, including the South Bank Territory, will not suffer a devastating collapse and complete liquidation in this turbulent wave that affects the ownership and structure of power.

As for why...

Thales sighed and closed the document he had finished reviewing:

Who made you so rich and able to make money?

Otherwise, if it were another place in the kingdom, such as the Dunes of Blade Fang, which experienced similar political turmoil, do you think that pretty boy from the Wings of Legends would have settled scores afterward, chopping off heads in the camp—oh, I just remembered, he would have, and he already has, and the effect was indeed devastating.

The situation was slightly better in the Northern Coldhold. After the struggle, all they did was imprison Duke Arend until he died of old age—and incidentally send royal officials to strip him of all his sympathizers and supporters, rendering the Duke's rule a mere formality.

As for the Tebak family of Blade Ridge and Blade Tomb City, they don't need to worry—after all, the whole family has already died once.

"As for 'over there,' as Your Highness instructed, their whereabouts are strictly kept secret, and they are to be discreet and careful when they come and go. That vampire villain is still in custody, under strict 24-hour surveillance, and Knight Casian is also there... It's just that the esteemed Miss Hilaire seems uncooperative and is often nowhere to be seen..." The Toledo messenger carefully observed Thales's expression, choosing his words carefully.

That's normal.

After all, even her brother couldn't keep an eye on that girl...

But there's no need to worry. With Hilly's personality and abilities, even if she doesn't reveal her identity, she'll be the one causing trouble for others, not the other way around.

After listening to a series of reports and giving a series of important instructions ("You have to say something to prove that you are different from the little teddy bear." — A certain, venomous, ruthless, and doomed guardsman whom Thales wished to keep anonymous), Thales dismissed everyone and sent them back to their posts. Then, unhurriedly, he approved the list of those who had submitted their requests for an audience with the emperor that day.

A retiring town mayor who wanted to donate money to the government and recommend his son for the position—was handed over to Judge Ibonin.

A shipowner who was robbed and threatened to take the throne to the capital to file a complaint if he was not given triple compensation—was thrown to Tanganga… no, Tanganga was thrown to him.

A food stall owner came to collect money with an IOU signed "Huaiya"—I tossed it to DD... no, to the old housekeeper, since his food and lodging should be reimbursed by his host family.

A herbalist merchant, eager to acquire land at a low price while Emerald City was still recovering, handed the task to the tax bureau's chief steward, Myrahovic.

An excited young count, who claims he's going to duel the prince again to win back Kevin Deer's fiancée—just go straight for it... cough cough, please get out.

A concerned citizen who claimed to have witnessed Miss Hilly and the thugs' whereabouts came to claim the reward—if it's fake, kick him out; if it's real, send someone to check it out and then say it's fake.

There was a knock on the door at that moment.

"Your Highness?"

Thales looked up:

"Oh, it's Mira. You're back from your shift over 'over there' and taking a break?"

Miranda entered the study, trying to ignore the prince's persistently incorrect way of addressing her:

“Actually, I changed shifts in the early morning. Now I’m rested and getting ready to go back ‘over there’ to change shifts back to Grover.”

It's not time to leave work, it's time to start work.

"Ah, sorry!"

Thales slapped his forehead in frustration:

"I've been so busy these past few days, I've lost track of time. I haven't had a chance to check on you or how you're settling in with the team..."

“I came here because,” Miranda frowned at the mess of documents and letters piled on the table, decisively cutting off the prince’s tedious small talk, and handed over three letters, “because I stopped a suspicious messenger in front of the guards’ quarters…”

suspicious?

Thales took the letter with a puzzled look, saw the words "store discount" on it, and tore it open without hesitation.

Hmm, this is a standard thank-you letter, signed by the official betting agent of the election. The three letters are identical in style and content, except that the recipients are three "Mr. Wyman" from stands eight, nine and ten, thanking them for their generous betting as "high-net-worth clients" during the election—wait a minute.

Thales' eyes widened as he flipped the page over:

Mr. Wyman's predictions were accurate and his betting strategy was sound. The winnings ticket has been delivered by courier. Please sign for it. We look forward to your return in the next election and your continued success!

(Special note for the messenger: All three Mr. Wymans are unable to receive guests. Please do not make noise, do not reveal your identity, and do not deliver the redemption ticket directly to them. Instead, deliver it to Room 6 of the guest barracks in the guards' quarters, the bed with the small teddy bear on the bedside table, for the youngest of the Wyman family, the fourth brother, to sign for.)

Thiels suspiciously picked up the magnifying glass and examined it three times.

Wyman received it?

Will they elect someone?

Betting prizes?

That is to say, at the height of the election turmoil, at the most intense moment of conflict, at the most dangerous moment for Prince Thales...

"He even won money?!" Thales exclaimed incredulously.

Under Miranda's suspicious gaze, the prince quickly composed himself, lowered his voice, and calmly summoned Stoddart's logistics officer (who was overjoyed upon hearing the news). He secretly ordered the officer to bring the little teddy bear, posing as "the youngest of the four brothers in the Wyatt family" ("If he doubts your age, you say you were adopted halfway through." — the scheming Thales), to receive the messenger and, incidentally, to sign for the prize money tickets for his three older brothers, Wyatt.

Well, I don't have to worry about the fare back to Xinghubao.

As for DD...

Thales shook his head reluctantly.

You should know that a certain guard, whose name cannot be revealed, is notoriously ruthless and vicious. If he discovers DD's heinous crime of "slacking off at his workstation and betting on cards," he will skin him alive, behead him, and then grind his bones to dust. He might even confiscate his teddy bear from his bedside.

Too cruel.

But what could Prince Thales do? He was kind-hearted. Even a treacherous minister with a heart of stone, such as a certain guardsman whose name could not be revealed, was tolerated and employed by him without regard to social norms.

"Alright, alright," Thales waved his hand, "let's make this a small matter and let it go. DD is off the hook. There's no need to let that ruthless Marius know."

Incidentally, have Stoddart's logistics officer quietly dispose of this illicit gain (after all, Emerald City is a maze, and it's common for messengers to deliver to the wrong place), and pretend it never happened.

At most, Thales will suffer a slight loss by setting up a vault to temporarily hold the money.

Well, maybe we shouldn't tell Doyle himself. After all, the prince is kind-hearted and wouldn't want to see Doyle feel guilty after finding out he helped him get away with it (what if he can't understand it and commits suicide out of shame and indignation?)...

Thales stroked his long, beautiful beard, which hadn't yet grown out, and nodded with satisfaction:

If the prince doesn't love money and the DD (a derogatory term for a person) doesn't fear death, then the world will be at peace.

If this continues, how can Xinghubao not prosper and its territory not flourish?

"What is Your Highness busy with?" A familiar voice came from outside the door.

Ah!

Thales hurriedly stuffed the three letters to the bottom and randomly pulled out another document:

“Ahem, Thor, look at this! This old priest of the setting sun named Fables is incredibly audacious! He actually wrote a letter implying that I am not good enough for Hilaire! Don't you think he deserves to die? Or should we send an assassin to the temple…”

Miranda gave Thales a strange look and awkwardly bowed to Marius.

Seeing the two men's strange behavior, Marius was slightly taken aback and closed the door behind him.

“I spent the morning on patrol: Emerald City is gradually returning to normal,” the Watcher said solemnly. He saw through the two men’s unease but didn’t point it out. Instead, he moved on to the main topic, “Especially after you released Duke Janne and that…Young Master Federico, both the atmosphere in the city and your reputation have improved considerably.”

well.

Thales breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this and put down the document in his hand.

He didn't discover the election bonus.

“Very well, then I’ve achieved my goal by releasing those two Iris flowers,” Thales breathed a sigh of relief. “At least until they tear off their masks, start fighting again, and drag Emerald City back into the gutter…”

“They won’t,” Miranda said confidently, “at least not so obviously and foolishly as to seek their own demise—at this moment, you are the most powerful and influential person in the Emerald City.”

Miranda has only been with them for a short time, so there haven't been many opportunities to discuss matters like this, but for now...

Mira is a good comrade—Thales concluded with a slight smile.

“At the height of the storm, Jenn and Federer may not be so compliant, but their lackeys are unlikely to be so quiet,” Marius suddenly said, without any politeness.

Thales' heart sank.

Indeed, the Karabyan and Lassia families alone, and even those merchants, bureaucrats, and pirates, are enough to cause me trouble.

Or rather, they've already caused quite a bit of trouble.

Hopefully they won't change their minds at the last minute.

Hmm, I need to ask someone about Balta and keep an eye on their news. Also, I need to find out where those rumors about "Hamblest spies overthrowing Emerald City" came from.

After all, Dusuan—that incognito visiter Lisheng Talal—had done him a great favor, but now the people of Emerald City are indignant, forcing this Lord of the Congzhong City to not even dare to leave the post station, which is quite embarrassing.

"You have already shown us a lot of face by condescending to appease them and releasing the two Kevin Deer to show your stance."

Miranda's eyes are sharp:

"The various forces and factions in Emerald City, whether they support Janne, sympathize with Federico, or remain neutral for self-preservation, should at least understand that compared to the loser's loss, mutual destruction, or even the decline and fall of Emerald City..."

Her tone left no room for argument:

"Thanks to your mediation, both sides have reached a compromise and a balance, which is the most peaceful and most in line with the interests of all parties."

The topic shifts again: The Fortress's Neverwinter Sword

"And you need to let them know: His Highness the Prince will not tolerate any party disrupting the peace or starting a war."

After saying the last few words, Miranda's expression turned cold, and her right hand was already on her sword.

Thales swallowed hard.

"Wouldn't being too forceful backfire? After all, we are outsiders, we are 'Ext's'?"

Miranda's eyes sharpened:

"Then this is a perfect opportunity to make an example of someone."

Clearly, the Aarond family's dictionary only contains the word "tough," not "too tough."

"At present, it seems unlikely."

Marius, who had been deep in thought, spoke up:

"Because the two representative Kevin Deer are still alive, and more importantly, because you will be leaving after the banquet, and at this moment the two sides in the city—or perhaps not just two sides, but all sides—have different interests and positions. Rather than challenging your regency with a futile effort, they are more likely to look to the future and thus check and balance each other."

Thales' eyes lit up.

Marius explained:

"On the one hand, even a powerful family like the Karabyan family would be extremely cautious after being summoned by you, avoiding making the first move to prevent giving others a handle to use against them; on the other hand, all parties will be watching closely, keeping an eye on whether their opponents have overstepped their bounds, so as to provide ammunition for their attacks. All parties are wary of you, but they are even more wary that your thunderous might will be used by your opponents to incite them; they look forward to you, but they look forward to your kingly wrath being used to punish their political enemies."

That seems... to make some sense.

Thales rubbed his chin.

Thales felt quite pleased with himself after being flattered by the phrases "thunderous might" and "the wrath of the king."

“That’s right. In the Emerald City that you have saved with a combination of kindness and force,” Miranda said menacingly, “no one and no force dares to make any small moves, dares to offend your authority, disrupt the balance, or reignite the war.”

Thales scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly. He wanted to say something modest, but he held back—too much modesty would be hypocrisy!

Speaking of which, Marius, well, really, really...

Thales grinned and scratched his forehead.

I really misunderstood him before.

Perhaps we should treat him better in the future...

"But you're not naive enough to think that this will all end well..."

The next second, Marius changed his tone and said coldly:

"Now you can rest easy, can't you?"

I knew it.

Thales, who was still basking in the glory of the Holy Lord, suddenly snapped out of his reverie and quickly waved his hand in a heroic and extraordinary manner:

"of course not."

Thales sighed:

"After all, I still have to leave."

He had to settle everything at the celebration banquet, so that everyone, including Janne and Federico, would willingly accept the final outcome.

Thales leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and said:

"As for what happens after I leave, who cares about the floods—cough cough! I mean, I'm making plans and arrangements for what happens after I'm gone..."

“Or you could force them to take action,” Miranda said coldly.

Both Thales and Marius were taken aback.

"what?"

The female swordsman's eyes flickered, and she took a step back in a salute:

"I apologize, I misspoke. What I meant was, you can expect them to take action."

expect?

Under the strange looks from Thales and Marius, Miranda whispered:

“Your Highness, you have shown great magnanimity by releasing the two Kevin Deer. But what if one of them is still greedy and unable to restrain himself, disregarding authority and the overall situation, and breaks the tacit balance before you leave, making the first move against his cousin?”

Thales was taken aback for a moment, then sighed: "Then Emerald City is in danger of falling back into chaos..."

"As long as one of them is defeated or put at a disadvantage before the harm spreads, then as regent, you have reason to be angry and take action to punish the remaining person."

Miranda remained calm, but her words were firm and cold, which made Thales uneasy:

"At that time, everyone will see that the two Kevin Deer's mutual destruction is the result of their own actions, and their authority will plummet, making them no longer a threat. Only you, by staying out of the fray and cleaning up the mess, will be able to more easily control the Emerald City and even have the Palace of Restoration come to claim the spoils of war."

Miranda finished speaking.

Marius remained silent, simply scrutinizing Miss Arendt.

what?

Thales listened, somewhat dazed.

Are we expecting... or even allowing, or instigating, one of them to strike first?

Let them kill each other?

Thus stripping them of their power?

"No, let's put aside whether they're that stupid or not..."

Thales shook his head instinctively.

"If we really do that, wouldn't we be back to where we started, watching one Kevin Deer fight another to the death, only for the conflict to escalate and get out of control, dragging ourselves and Emerald City into trouble..."

"Different."

Miranda interrupted him, her words firm and sincere:

“Previously, everyone assumed you were Jann’s enemy, Federico’s backer, and someone who came to Emerald City to ‘stir up trouble,’ so they hindered you at every turn. But now, Emerald City has weathered a period of chaos, you have mediated a round of events, and the various factions in Emerald City have revealed their true intentions, understanding that you are here to ‘mediate.’ Your situation is naturally different from before. And most importantly…”

She paused.

“Previously, you had a good reputation but were just a passerby in Emerald City, insignificant,” Miranda said, pressing her hand on her sword, Eagle Soaring, with full confidence. “Now, you are the regent, and your word can determine the direction of the South Bank. You are of paramount importance.”

A passerby, a regent...

Insignificant, yet extremely important...

Thales shuddered, realizing for the first time that the chair beneath him was different.

The next second, Mira lowered her head and lowered her voice:

"The four-winged giant lizard has a long history of dividing enemies and conquering the swamp—I believe that by then, there will be many more 'smart people' and 'royal supporters' in Emerald City."

In the study of Kongming Palace, Miranda Aarond, a descendant of Marshal "The Fierce Eagle," frowned sternly:

"What do you think?"