Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

Chapter 349 The Shocking Speculation of the Cheap Old Father-in-Law!

The unbearable silence and deathly stillness were broken by a woman's voice.

"How is Ya'en doing?"
Was he injured?

Xia Zuo felt a tightness in her chest, thinking, "What kind of time is this? You still have the mind to care about your lover?"
He secretly glanced at Emperor Eberron's face and found that the latter still had that expressionless expression, which made him even more uneasy.

She didn't answer her cousin's question either.

To be honest, even if he wanted to answer, he couldn't. He hadn't seen Joren and Yann since leaving Ceylon, so he had no idea how they were doing.

However, given their status, Cohen certainly wouldn't kill them; he would probably just extort some money from them.

But Xia Zuo didn't want to answer, while Emperor Eberon was also concerned about the safety of his future son-in-law:
"Grace has a good question. What about your brother-in-law? How is he doing?"

Xia Zuo frowned deeply. In his memory, Emperor Eberon was never the kind of monarch who couldn't distinguish between public and private matters. How could he care so much about a son-in-law he had never even met in the face of such defeat and national humiliation?
However, faced with Emperor Eberron's question, he dared not refuse to answer and whispered:

According to Cohen, Yann and Joren handed over what they had obtained from the Southern Empire and left Ceylon.

I reckon Commander Ya'en has probably returned to his base and will likely contact my cousin soon.

After a moment of "excessive" concern, Emperor Eberron got down to business:

"From your account, this whole thing was planned by King Cohen Corleone of Alfiein alone from beginning to end?"
After he learned that Prince Greg of the Southern Empire had entered Ceylon, he revealed this information to Yaen. Yaen then asked you and Joren to discuss kidnapping the prince of the Southern Empire.

Cohen then deliberately left a weakness in the Southern Empire's army to lure you in, and finally seized all the wealth you had extorted from the Southern Empire.

So, in other words, he fooled all the young talents of the three great empires, right?

Xia Zuo's face showed signs of strain, but he still nodded slightly:
That should be the case.

It's mainly about intelligence!

His military intelligence network is too powerful; it seems to be everywhere. I suspect he might have some powerful trump card that allows him to easily gather intelligence…

Emperor Eberon interrupted Xia Zuo, saying calmly:
"The Noble Martial Arts Festival is about to begin. You are a strong contender for the title of 'Strongest Gold Saint.' Go back and prepare well."

Don't let me down this time.

Xia Zuo stared wide-eyed, his heart filled with bewilderment.

Is this... the end?

Such a crushing defeat, such a great humiliation, that Xia Zuo had even prepared himself to be stripped of his princely title.

As a result, Emperor Eberron simply dismissed the matter with a casual "Don't disappoint me again?"
Xia Zuo was completely bewildered by this unexpected surprise.

He couldn't help but wonder if his emperor uncle was really getting old, and that old people are sentimental and unwilling to punish their own nephew.
Prince Shazor was surprised by Eberron's attitude, and all the ministers present also showed astonishment.

His Majesty's behavior is completely different from usual.

In everyone's eyes, Emperor Eberron has always been a model of fair rewards and punishments, regardless of personal relationships. How could he let it go so easily this time?

Princess Grace, in particular, looked extremely unhappy.

She had originally intended to take this opportunity to severely damage Xia Zuo's power and prestige, but why did her father let him off so easily?

Grace was determined to talk to her father in private and make sure he didn't get away with it so easily.

Prime Minister Tiberius began by asking:
"Your Majesty, what should we do about Effie?"

Let's not even talk about the assets of the Southern Empire in the Northwest Continent. Anyway, we didn't acquire them honorably. We all got them through our own means. If Effie can take them, let them take them.

"But His Highness the Prince has been humiliated, and so many elite and special forces troops are being held captive by them. We must make our stance clear."

Emperor Eberron's voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable authority:
“I have received King Alfie’s personal letter. He claims that our soldiers are tourists who got lost in Ceylon and asks us to send someone to pick them up.”

What pretext does the Prime Minister think we can use to sanction Affin?

Prime Minister Tiberio paused, thinking, "An excuse?"

When did the five great empires ever need something like this to get things done?

When did Emperor Eberron become so docile?

They've been provoked to their doorstep, and now they're suddenly starting to follow some international rules?

Not only was Tibi slightly surprised, but everyone present was astonished.

Without waiting for Prime Minister Tiberius's reply, Emperor Eberron continued:

"As for Xia Zuo's humiliation... Xia Zuo, do you think it's necessary to use the entire nation's resources to retaliate for you?"

Xia Zuo quickly said:

“Your Majesty, I have not been insulted. My interactions with King Efein were normal military exercises and exchanges.”

Xia Zuo was eager for this matter to pass quickly. He could also see that his uncle, the emperor, had no intention of retaliating against Aifein, so he went along with it.

Emperor Eberron then looked at his ministers, who had by now grasped his intentions and naturally refrained from raising any further objections.

"By the way, King Efein said in his letter that he wants us to pay for the food expenses of those five thousand people... Your Excellency, you should handle this matter. As long as his demands are not too unreasonable, just grant them."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

After the court session ended, Grace was preparing to ask her father, the emperor, to further sow discord between Prince Xia Zuo and Prince Xia Zuo when, unexpectedly, Eberon approached her.

“Grace, come with me, I have a few questions for you.”

Grace paused for a moment, then thought it was perfect, and followed Eberron to the study.

After entering the study, Eberron did nothing else but sit down, pick up a letter from the table, and begin to read it.

Grace glanced at it and immediately noticed it was the letter Cohen had written to his father, and she felt a little flustered.

At this moment, Eberron suddenly spoke up and asked:
"Hasn't Ya'en let you know she's safe yet?"

Grace paused for a moment, then whispered:

"Not yet, probably busy."

Emperor Eberron put down the letter in his hand, stared into Grace's eyes, and asked softly:
"Has Yann Hughes ever told you about his background?"

Grace's unease deepened; she wondered why her father was suddenly so concerned about Cohen's disguise as "Pirate King Yan Hughes."

For a moment she didn't know how to respond, so she could only bite the bullet and answer:

"I haven't said much about it."

"You should know that he is a descendant of the Fifty-Eight Demon Gods."

"know."

Aberron looked away and continued:

"Tell me how you met this Yann?"
"Father, I haven't heard you mention this before. In my memory, my daughter is a very discerning person. How could she suddenly take a liking to such a man?"

Grace paused for a moment, then suppressed her unease and recounted the story Cohen had made up to Eberron.

Emperor Eberron frowned slightly:
"The son of a demon god, willing to lie low and serve as a lowly employee by your side for your sake?"

Grace's cheeks flushed slightly, and her tone carried a hint of reproach:
"Father, I'm very charming, okay?"

Emperor Eberron chuckled softly, ceasing his discussion of Yann and instead asking another question:
"Have you recently severed ties with the Golden Wing daughter of the Golden Wing family?"

Grace was a little overwhelmed by her father's unconventional thinking. After a moment's thought, she replied:
"Yes, we don't keep in touch much anymore."

Emperor Eberron seemed particularly concerned about his daughter's private affairs today, and then asked:

"You two had such a good relationship before, don't you think it's a pity to break it off so decisively now?"

I remember that the Golden Winged Daughter helped you establish your trading company back then.

Grace replied cautiously:
"Yain chose to cooperate with the King of Ceylon, and Isa's lover, King Cohen, had a sharp conflict with Ceylon."

The two of us, naturally, also…

Emperor Eberron chuckled and said:

“You’ve omitted something else entirely. In addition to this, King Effie also schemed against Yann once.”

Grace added:

"Yes, and this time too."

Eberlen's voice rang out immediately afterward:

"Grace, there's something your father doesn't understand."

Because of the conflict between Cohen and Yann, you can sever ties with your longtime friend.

But I heard not a trace of hatred in your words towards King Cohen Corleone of Effie, the culprit.

You didn't even offer to avenge your fiancé against Effie.

Can you answer Father's question?

Eberron's expression remained gentle, but Grace was completely bewildered.

She froze on the spot, then quickly recovered and said:

"Hasn't Father Emperor's attitude in court already been very clear?"
As for hatred... I think that having such an opponent is a good opportunity for Yann to hone his skills.

Grace is quick-witted enough.

Emperor Eberron suddenly let out a hearty laugh and asked:
"You clearly had something you wanted to say to me. Go ahead and say it."

Grace suppressed her flustered emotions. She had originally intended to sow discord between Xia Zuo and others, but this would bring up Cohen again, and feeling guilty, she simply kept quiet and replied:
"Father, the list of participants for the Noble Martial Arts Festival has been finalized. Please take a look and give your opinion."

Aberron said with a faint smile:
"You should discuss this with the Prime Minister."

Grace said:
"Alright, Father, I have nothing else to do, so I'll be leaving now."

As Eberron watched Grace's retreating figure, which seemed to be fleeing in disarray, the smile on his face gradually disappeared, and then his gaze swept to the space to the side.

A figure slowly emerged.

Aberron asked:
"What do you think?"

The man said:

"The princess reacted quickly enough, and her explanation was reasonable. However, she didn't take the opportunity to accuse Xia Zuo, which is not in line with her personality. It makes her seem guilty."

However, these are merely very subjective speculations, Your Majesty, and I still cannot believe your conjectures.

King Cohen Corleone of Effie and Yann Hughes, the descendant of the ancient Pirate King, are the same person!

With a hint of reminiscence in his eyes, Emperor Eberron said softly, "Grace looks a lot like her mother."

She is intelligent, bold, and confident, but when it comes to the man she likes, her tone of voice and her eyes cannot hide it.

I've noticed many times that her tone and expression are almost identical when she talks about Yann and King Efein.

The recent events in Ceylon have only solidified my suspicions.

No matter how powerful King Efein was, it was impossible for him to have planted so many spies around Joren and Shazo in such a short time.

The fact that they are fully aware of all their actions can only mean one thing: one of the three of them is up to no good.

I initially thought Yann was supported by King Effie, but based on Grace's reaction just now, I believe they are the same person.

The man asked:

"Is this why His Majesty did not retaliate against Effie for this?"

Emperor Eberron remained silent, staring intently at the letter in his hand. After a long silence, he slowly spoke:
“I already owe them, mother and daughter, so much. Grace has never cared for a man like this before.”

"Let's let it go this time; it's Xia Zuo's own fault for being so useless."

The man then asked:

"But this is still just His Majesty's speculation. What if he's wrong..."

Emperor Eberron said:
“I told Grace that after the Noble Martial Arts Festival, I want to come to the Eastern Empire so I can meet him in person.”

We'll be able to confirm it then.

"If he really is King Efein, what does Your Majesty intend to do?"

Emperor Eberron did not answer, perhaps because even he himself did not know how to face the situation.

……

Grace returned to her palace, patting her ample bosom with lingering fear, a wave of apprehension washing over her.

Fortunately, I reacted quickly and didn't let my father see anything amiss. But why would my father suddenly suspect Cohen's identity?

After thinking about it, she contacted Cohen.

After hearing Grace's account, Cohen's expression immediately turned sour.

Seeing the silence on the other end, Grace said reassuringly:
"My response was reasonable enough, so Father Emperor probably didn't suspect anything too deeply."

Cohen snapped out of his daze. He dared not be so optimistic. Emperor Eberon would never suspect him without reason. His suspicion must have some basis. Had he given himself away somewhere?

To avoid worrying Grace, he suppressed his concerns and said with a light laugh:

"I understand, Your Highness. It's good that you're alright."

After saying a few words to Grace, Cohen ended the call.

A pair of jade-colored arms wrapped around Cohen's neck, and Windsordler whispered:
"What's wrong?
Has something happened in the Eastern Empire?

Cohen felt the softness pressing against his back, turned around and kissed the elven queen's red lips, mumbling:

"Yes, but it's a good thing. We don't have to worry about retaliation from the Eastern Empire anymore."

It's still early, let's continue..."

Windsordale stretched out her stunning figure, pushed Cohen down onto the bed, and a captivating desire surged across her exquisite face.

The ebb and flow of the tide, rolling layer upon layer of snow-white waves, accompanied by the naturally beautiful voices of the elves, gave Cohen, who had experienced numerous life-and-death battles, a double sublimation of body and soul.

……

……

……

The Eastern Empire chose to handle the conflict between Cohen and Shazo in the Kingdom of Ceylon discreetly.

Cohen's initial plan was to work with Emperor Monroe of the Western Empire to help him resist the pressure from the Eastern Empire.

Surprisingly, the other party did not take any countermeasures.

Cohen was initially puzzled, as Emperor Eberon didn't seem like an easy person to talk to. However, after Grace's communication, Cohen had a pretty good idea of ​​the reason behind it.

His cheap father-in-law, the emperor, must have already become suspicious of his identity, and perhaps out of respect for Grace, he has chosen to handle the matter quietly.

Cohen shook his head slightly, no longer dwelling on the matter; at this stage, he couldn't interfere with an emperor of an empire.

The Eastern Empire has been dealt with, but there's still the Central Empire.

This makes it even easier.

Cohen happened to have other matters to discuss with Shanis, so he simply chose a time to contact Her Majesty Shanis Klein of the Central Empire directly.

Shanis was in a good mood these past two days, as the annoying Chief Heisenberg had finally stopped trying to sell her his good-for-nothing nephew.

I heard that this young master Qiao Lun suffered heavy losses in the Kingdom of Ceylon and returned home alone in a sorry state. He even lost all the assets of the Southern Empire that he had just acquired.

After offering a few perfunctory words of comfort, Shanis gave very clear instructions:
With the Noble Martial Arts Festival about to begin, and the Grand Minister of the Royal Palace having just become King Effie's Queen, it's not advisable to antagonize Effie now, so let's just let this matter rest.

Chief Heisenberg was naturally extremely unwilling, but what could he do when his nephew was so incompetent, leading such a large force to a dismal end?

Faced with questioning from the cabinet and the military, Chief Heisenberg could not forcefully defy the overall situation.

Shanis was handling official business in her study when she received a communication request from Cohen.

After the call connected, Cohen got straight to the point and asked:

"Your Majesty, how does your Central Empire plan to handle the events that occurred in the Kingdom of Ceylon some time ago?"

Given Cohen's outstanding performance, Shanis didn't mince words and said directly:
"It's all been taken care of. We won't take any action against you, Effie, so don't worry."

"You did a good job this time; I will award you credit."

Cohen thought to himself, "Do I need you to give me credit?"

He cleared his throat, chatted with Shanis for a while, and then got down to business:

"Your Majesty, the Noble Martial Arts Festival is about to begin. What about that thing you promised me before..."

Shanis blinked, thought for a moment, then her expression became somewhat unnatural, and she asked with a flickering gaze:

"whats the matter?"

Cohen quickly reminded him:
"It's about providing me with personal protection."

So many forces in your Central Empire are interested in me. If His Majesty doesn't step in to help me, I really wouldn't dare to go.

"And now that I've squeezed another hefty sum out of your Central Empire, I wonder how many people are eyeing my wealth."

Shanis suppressed her emotions, and her voice became much colder:
"I understand. Don't worry, I will do what I promised you. Just don't blame me for not warning you in advance. The method I used may be a bit... unexpected. If it causes you any trouble later, don't blame me."

What if there are follow-up problems?

Cohen scratched his head and asked:
"What kind of follow-up troubles will there be? Are they serious?"

Shanis thought to herself, "There's a high chance that your real queen will be very unhappy that you're my fiancé, and your whole bunch of lovers won't let you off the hook either."

She said lightly:
"It's not too troublesome, and it won't affect your safety."

At most, it's just a fire in the harem.

Cohen asked again, still not entirely convinced:
"Your Majesty, is the method you mentioned truly effective?"

Shanis answered affirmatively:
"Don't worry, once this method is used, I can't guarantee anything else, but in the entire Central Empire, apart from me, no one will dare to mess with you!"

With the gods as witnesses, and as the fiancé of Her Majesty the Empress of the Central Empire, no one in the Central Empire dared to have any designs on Cohen.

Chief Heisenberg, in particular, was even worried that Cohen might run into trouble under mysterious circumstances, because in that case, the House of Nobles, which had a grudge against Cohen, would be the prime suspect.

He can't afford to take that charge.

After Shanis said that, Cohen felt relieved.

As it was ending, Shanis gave one last reminder:
"Remember, you promised me that you would use the Holy Radiance Academy as a betrothal gift. Don't forget!"

Cohen was about to say that Windsor didn't need any dowry when Shanis ended the call.

Cohen shook his head, looked back at Melantha and Windsordler, who were sleeping peacefully, glanced at the time, and returned to the beauty's embrace.

……

Florence, a magnificent building not far from the royal palace, is a place that many people in Effie, especially high-ranking officials and ministers, fear and dread more than the royal palace itself.

Effie Military Committee Investigation and Statistics Bureau.

He possessed supreme power of judgment and adjudication, and in particular, he had numerous intelligence agents and secret agents at his disposal.

Rumor has it that even the whispered secrets you shared with your lover the night before could end up on the desk of the head of the Military Intelligence Bureau the next day.

The office at the top of the building is the acting director's office, where a tall and stunningly beautiful woman sits.

It's hard to imagine that the highest leader of such a fearsome intelligence agency is such a beautiful woman.

But no one dared to question it.

There are many speculations about this woman's identity, but only one is generally considered the most reasonable.

One of His Majesty's many lovers.

What's most impressive is that this was something Her Majesty the Queen tacitly approved of; she often appeared as Her Majesty's assistant on various occasions.

After several years of development, Nefertiti's charm has become increasingly irresistible.

Nephthys's office was filled with people, all of whom were core high-ranking members of the Military Intelligence Bureau. They were discussing only one thing.

Provide detailed and robust intelligence support for Efein's impending offensive on the Ceylon border in the south.

The discussion was reaching a fever pitch when a hurried sound of footsteps interrupted everyone's conversation.

Not long after, Griffin, the deputy director of the intelligence department, knocked on the door and stood outside. Given his rank and authority, he was not allowed to enter the office without permission.

Deputy Director Lord Snape asked a question:
"Who?"

The other party quickly introduced themselves.

Upon hearing that it was the deputy director of the intelligence department, everyone's eyes turned to the current director of the Military Intelligence Bureau, Derek Corleone.

(End of this chapter)