Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

Chapter 367 Isa's Bedchamber Arrangements

"Important person?"

"Yes, it's because of these people that even if Holden vaguely knows something, he'll pretend he doesn't."

Windsordler asked in surprise:

"What important figure could be so feared by even a provincial governor?"

Cohen's voice held a strange undertone as he slowly spoke:

"Those who fought alongside the Corleone ancestors to conquer the land."

Apart from the four knights who were granted the title of Grand Duke of the Four Realms, most of the rest settled down in several wealthy provinces in the east.

Later, as the economy of Da'ang Province developed rapidly, these people and families gradually gathered in Da'ang Province.

A knowing look appeared on Windsor's pretty face, and she nodded her snow-white chin:

"No wonder, they are all descendants of founding heroes, which makes them quite difficult to deal with."

Cohen sighed:
"Yes, who knows what connections these people have behind the scenes."

If Governor Holden were to actually investigate, he himself might be impeached and removed from office before the case is even resolved.

Governor Holden was loyal and capable, and the Military Intelligence Bureau found no evidence of collusion between him and those people.

Therefore, I don't want him to suffer this pain for nothing.

In the future, Effie's territory and sphere of influence will only grow larger, so we need to reserve some capable officials for the future.

That's when I discussed it with Adel..."

Windsordler waved her fair, delicate hand and said:

"Alright, alright, she's your princess now, I'm not really angry."

"But seeing Adele keeping us all so busy while she's having a good time with you makes me a little unhappy."

Cohen comforted her:
"Windsor, this is usually all done by Adele alone. Put yourself in her shoes, how tired must she be?"
"It's rare that you're all back, can't she rest a few more days?"

Windsordler wanted to argue, but who told her that she was the queen and had been doing this since she was a child, so she was quite skilled at it and might even enjoy it.

However, he moved his lips but ultimately didn't say anything.

Having calmed the elf lady down, Cohen spoke to the female official who had been hiding in the distance:
"Go and summon Governor Holden."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Holden Caulfield walked slowly into the palace and immediately noticed the King and the Queen beside him.

A hint of doubt arose in my mind.

It's actually His Majesty the King and His Highness the Queen?

Where is the Queen?
He quickly suppressed his doubts, performed a meticulous bow, and with a respectful expression, said:

"Governor of Daon Province, Holden Caulfield greets Your Majesty and Your Highness the Princess."

Cohen waved slightly, gesturing for the other person to sit down.

Then he said:

“I remember that the Marquis has been the governor of a province since my father’s time.”

"It seems to be the Fogheart Province in the Southern Territory?"

Holden immediately replied:
"Your Majesty has a good memory. That's right, I started out as the governor of Wuxin Province."

Cohen said with a smile:

"The Marquis has always served as governor of the various provinces and never thought of coming to work in Florence."

Holden frankly stated:

"Your Majesty, I am a soldier by origin, and I am able to reach this position half of the time because of the favor shown to me by the late King and Your Majesty."

The other half was earned through battle, one sword at a time.

Someone like me isn't really suited to developing my career in the capital.

When listening to someone, don't listen to what they say, but listen to what they don't say.

Holden mentioned the importance placed on him by the late king and the current king, as well as his personal efforts and loyalty.

The only thing they didn't mention was their family background.

The implication is quite clear—I don't have the deep family background and connections of those high-ranking officials and ministers; the high-level political games in Florence are beyond the reach of someone of my caliber.

Cohen understood Holden's meaning and followed his lead:

"Therefore, the highest evaluation of Lord Holden by the late King, including me, and the Queen, can be summed up in two words."

Cohen paused deliberately, and Holden visibly tensed up, also wanting to know what kind of evaluation he would receive from his lord.

This largely determines the direction of the conversation and one's fortune or misfortune today.

Cohen slowly uttered two words:

"cautious!"

Holden's expression wasn't very good.

Caution seems like a positive assessment.

However, given the current situation, with Effiin's rapid expansion, its growing national power, and the imminent unprecedented upheaval on the mainland, what Effiin needs is not prudent officials.

Holden lowered his head and remained silent.

Sure enough, Cohen then asked:

"Marquis, haven't you been a little too cautious lately in handling matters related to the Gynt, Nedland, and Remarque families of Daon?"

Governor Holden's heart skipped a beat; sure enough, it was about this very issue.

At the end of last year, in order to support His Majesty the King's military operations in the Kingdom of Ceylon, Her Majesty the Queen requested the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Audit to re-examine and compare the taxes levied in the provinces of Efine.

Many suspicious points were discovered, especially in the most economically developed province of Da'ang.

There is a significant discrepancy between the taxes collected and economic data such as industry and commerce.

In light of some historical issues in the province of Da'ang, the Queen quickly dispatched Viscount Bire from the Audit Department to Da'ang to audit the accounts.

But an accident happened just a few months later.

The hotel where Viscount Bi Rui worked and lived was burned to the ground.

The official investigation by Daon concluded that Viscount Bire died in an attack by remnants of the Goblin Alliance, which had been wiped out by Cohen three years prior.

This conclusion was certainly not convincing, but at the time, Adele had to support Cohen's expedition and was unable to leave, nor did she have anyone she could trust by her side.

To avoid alerting the enemy, they chose to remain inactive for the time being and accepted this explanation.

Later, when they had time, they sent the Military Intelligence Bureau to investigate the matter thoroughly, and the culprits were pointed directly at the Gint family, the Netherlands family, and the Remarque family.

Holden knew perfectly well what was going on.

Viscount Bire's death was inextricably linked to the three founding families: the Ginter, the Netherlands, and the Remarque.

But he was helpless. As a governor with no foundation in the capital, who could barely see the king, queen and prime minister a few times a year, he had no way to shake the three powerful and deeply entrenched families with their connections to the highest levels.

Especially after the so-called official report was submitted to Florence, Her Royal Highness the Queen did not make any special remarks, nor did she send any new auditors, but only asked Dahan to conduct a local self-examination.

Holden dared not provoke these three families.

Only now, with Cohen making his point so clear, has Holden finally realized what was happening.

The Queen remained patient and waited for His Majesty the King's return! Only His Majesty the King was truly suited to handle such a thorny issue.

Governor Holden was not wrong; Adele did indeed want to wait for Cohen to return before dealing with the matter.

It wasn't that she didn't dare to take drastic measures against those three major families; it was simply that she didn't have a suitable person at her disposal.

The only one who was usable was Nephthys, who was in charge of intelligence on various aspects of Ceylon at the time, unless she personally took charge.

This is why things have been dragging on for so long.

Having figured all this out, Holden had no more worries. His expression became unusually serious, and he raised his voice:

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"It is my fault for failing in my duty; I have not been able to protect Da'ang for His Majesty."

Cohen waved his hand gently, signaling all the maids in the hall to leave.

Then, by gently pressing the armrest, the eight pillars emitted a dazzling light, intertwining to form a golden magic circle that enveloped the entire hall.

He said calmly:
"Those ladies-in-waiting were all maids who had grown up with the Queen since childhood, and were absolute confidantes of the Corleone family."

However, to put your mind at ease, I'll let them leave.

In addition, this magic array is sufficient to block eavesdropping from those below the Saint rank.

Now, tell me your most honest opinion about those families.

Remember, three years ago I personally executed the elder of the Senate and a prince of the Corleone royal family.

Therefore, you don't need to worry about anyone.

Holden took a deep breath, his eyes no longer showing any hesitation, his face resolute, and said in a deep voice:
The Kint, Nedland, and Remarque families have long been rooted in the Da'ang province, owning an astonishing number of properties, fields, farms, factories, banks, and large enterprises.

They used their political influence to manipulate local tax, finance, and audit systems to evade taxes by falsifying assets, concealing income, and abusing privileges.

Local officials in Da'ang, either accepting bribes or under pressure, assisted the three major families in falsifying tax records, fabricating accounts, and providing illegal tax breaks, resulting in a significant loss of national tax revenue.

Many wealthy businessmen even voluntarily registered their assets and businesses under the names of the three major families, paying a so-called "service fee" to ask the three families to help them evade taxes.

Even more seriously, they colluded with the remaining forces of the Goblin Alliance and brazenly attacked Viscount Bire, who had been sent by the capital to audit the accounts.

To put it bluntly, these three families are like three vampires clinging to Effin!

A cold glint flashed in Cohen's eyes. Sure enough, it was those three parasites. They were incredibly audacious.

However, the power behind these three families is indeed not to be underestimated.

They were all founding fathers with extensive connections, spanning from the capital to local areas, and including various departments and regions.

Most importantly, they had no idea how far the connections between these three families extended.

Cohen even suspected that they had spies within the cabinet.

It's not fair to blame Governor Holden for his inaction; frankly, Holden wasn't qualified to deal with these three families.

Cohen collected his thoughts, looked at Governor Holden, and said:
"You've dealt with them for so long, you must have some clues by now."

Governor Holden replied immediately:

“I have some leads, but I lack manpower and I’m afraid of alerting them, so I haven’t investigated.”

Cohen nodded slowly and said:
"We can begin the investigation starting today."

Governor Holden's lips moved, clearly indicating that he wanted to say something.

Cohen raised his hand to interrupt Governor Holden and said:
"I know your difficulties. You don't need to investigate. You just need to cooperate."

I will assign someone else to investigate.

Holden was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice:
“Your Majesty, I am worried that there will be a second Viscount Bire.”

Cohen's lips curled slightly, and he pointed to Windsordler beside him, saying:

"The investigator for this case is Princess Windsor!"

Holden's eyes widened in astonishment, which quickly turned into ecstatic joy.

Princess Windsor as an investigator?

Even if the three major families were incredibly ruthless, they wouldn't dare to harm the princess.

Not to mention that this queen is a powerful ninth-tier winged elf.

Holden answered without any further hesitation, bowing deeply:

"Your Majesty, I will definitely cooperate closely with the Princess to eradicate these three malignant tumors completely!"

Having resolved his biggest worry, Governor Holden left the palace with much lighter steps.

Cohen held Windsordler's small hand and whispered:

"Be careful. I will assign two special operations agents to protect you secretly."

Windsordler smiled slightly and said:
"Don't worry, Your Majesty. Your Queen has served as a cabinet minister in the most powerful empire in human history."

Dealing with a few families involved in corruption and bribery is no problem.

Cohen smiled, pinched Windsordler's cheek, and said:

"Go quickly and come back quickly. I'm waiting for you to go to the Central Empire to participate in the Noble Martial Arts Festival together."

You must not have seen Her Majesty the Empress for a long time either.

It would have been better if this hadn't been mentioned, because as soon as this was brought up, Windsordler immediately thought of the engagement between Shanes and Cohen.

A cryptic look flickered in his eyes.

I wonder what Shanis is planning?
Could it be that the Empress of the Central Empire really intends to share her husband with other women?
Seeing that Windsordler seemed a little dazed, Cohen waved his hand in front of her.

Windsordler snapped out of her reverie, a slight smile playing on her red lips:

"Yes, I'm really looking forward to meeting Shanis!"

……

In the early morning, soft light filters through the carved crystal glass, quietly illuminating the luxurious bedroom of the royal palace.

On the enormous four-poster bed, the curtains were lifted by a fair, jade-like hand, and the morning light shone in, bathing Adele's breathtakingly beautiful body in a golden glow.

Yadel stretched lazily, gathered her hair, got up and went to the dressing table to clean the hickeys off her body.

Hearing the strange noise behind him, he didn't even turn his head, his voice slightly hoarse from unrestrained indulgence:
"If you don't get up, your Golden Winged Daughter will come to your palace to find you."

The movements behind them were noticeably faster.

A pair of strong arms wrapped around Adele's chest. Cohen lowered his head and gave his sister the Queen a long good morning kiss before hurriedly getting ready to greet Isabella, who was returning from the dwarves.

It had been almost half a year since the two had last seen each other, and Cohen had almost forgotten what it felt like to hold the Golden Winged Daughter.

After finishing up, Cohen was about to leave when Adele called him back:
"What are your plans for her accommodation? Will she stay in Rose Lane again?"

Cohen thought for a moment and replied:
"Rose Lane hasn't been maintained for a long time. There are still empty rooms in the palace. Let's tidy them up and let Isa move in first."

Adele walked barefoot to Cohen, a hint of a smile in her eyes:

"She is, after all, the daughter of Jin Yi, the heir of the richest family on the continent, and has made such a great contribution. It's not appropriate for her to stay in a side hall as soon as she returns."

Cohen's eyes lit up.

Adele grabbed Cohen by the collar:
"Keep it down, don't break my bed!"

(End of this chapter)