Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 161 The Engagement is Confirmed
The wind in the capital always carries a certain indescribable chill, especially lately.

The news of Joseph's execution and the purge of the Carradi family spread throughout the imperial aristocracy in just half a day.

Rumors spread like wildfire, and the banquets and salon gatherings at the official residence became unusually quiet.

Everyone was whispering about one thing: the emperor had gone too far this time.

"No matter what, they were a noble family for five generations... and they were wiped out without leaving a single word?"

"Alas, Karadi... was ultimately not someone the emperor himself had helped to rise to power."

"Don't forget, this is already the third high-ranking noble to be purged this year."

"It's still the same old thing... 'balance of power'. In the end, no one can stand firm except the emperor."

No one dared to openly criticize the emperor, but beneath that thin veneer of respectful language lay an unconcealable fear and vigilance.

The old nobles understood that this was a "purge" using someone else to do their dirty work; under the guise of rectification, it was actually an attempt to eradicate the old forces that were not of their own origin.

This isn't the first time this tactic has been used.

In recent years, behind almost every scandal, coup, rebellion, and corruption,

In each case, one can find the shadow of an old nobleman who is implicated and dragged into the situation, and is eventually swept out of the game of power without a sound.

At the same time, one after another knights and border generals’ “close confidants” were promoted, granted titles, and enfeoffed.

The high-sounding explanation is: "To reshape the balance of power and prevent local separatism."

The reality is that the gears of centralized power are already crushing those old surnames that have been rooted for hundreds of years.

…………

The study was filled with the scent of sandalwood, and the fire in the fireplace flickered gently, casting a golden glow on the family crest hanging on the wall.

Duke Calvin closed the intelligence letter in his hand, narrowed his eyes slightly, and leaned back in his chair.

He remained silent for a long while.

The news of Joseph's beheading and the complete purge of the Carradi family did not shock him much.

Head of the Karadi family...

A typical old-fashioned aristocrat, arrogant, dull-witted, clinging to the old power as a shield, yet failing to see that the times have already changed.

Their defeat was not unjust.

Calvin picked up a glass of warm wine, took a small sip, and found it smooth and mellow with a subtle herbal aroma.

His gaze fell on the stove, and with a casual flick of his wrist, a spark crackled from the firewood.

"Another mountain has collapsed," he thought to himself.

It wasn't fear, just a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a feeling of mixed emotions, often including regret or reflection).

A man like him has witnessed far too many rises and falls, successes and failures.

The aristocratic circle has never been a stable fortress, but a battlefield that is constantly collapsing and rebuilding.

The fall of the Carradi family was merely the collapse of yet another old pillar.

“The empire… no longer needs the old nobles.” He knew this in his heart.

Names that once drank side by side and clashed in the noble council for years are now cold, hard criminals, stripped away, shattered, and settled.

The empire's aristocratic class is being "reset" by an iron-fisted emperor.

"In another ten years, perhaps half of the surnames in this great noble family will be changed," he thought thoughtfully.

Heavy thoughts swirled in my mind like a thick fog.

Calvin gazed at the flickering flames in the fireplace and suddenly sighed softly.

“Thinking about these things is too heavy.” His eyes softened, and another thing came to mind.

Compared to power struggles, aristocratic infighting, and the emperor's iron fist, this matter seems much milder.

But its significance for the future is no less than that of any political duel.

Louis and Emily's engagement was finally settled.

After rounds of probing, polite maneuvering, private conversations, and secret letters, the marriage between Louis and Edmund's daughter was finally confirmed.

It would be a lie to say I didn't feel relieved.

When the Duke of Calvin received the letter that day, he stood before it in silence for a long time. He was satisfied with the marriage.

It could even be said that this is one of his few successful strategies in recent years.

He didn't know Emily Edmund at all; he had only heard that she was pretty.

As for his own son... he dared not say he truly understood him.

Especially in recent months, Louis.

The development of the Red Tide Territory, the Battle of Qingyu Ridge, establishing a foothold in the northern border...

One thing after another, it was as if all of a sudden, this taciturn, almost transparent young man had been reborn.

Although the engagement was arranged, feelings were irrelevant.

This marriage was never about romantic love, but rather an instinctive act of self-preservation by both families under immense pressure.

A meticulously planned yet cold exchange of resources.

House Edmund, commanding the strongest army in the North, is known as the "Lords of the North" and is considered the local tyrant of the North. Although their strength has weakened somewhat in recent years due to war, they should not be underestimated.

The Calvin family, on the other hand, has dominated the southeast for a century, controlling eight main ports and countless merchant groups and networks of connections, making them a force to be reckoned with in the aristocratic circles of the southeastern province.

Both families were among the "Eight Pillars of Noble Family" of the empire, and their bloodlines, family backgrounds, military power, and status were all at the forefront.

But ultimately, they also share a common weakness: they are all founding members of the old aristocracy.

In this era of iron-fisted reforms, the old aristocracy is no longer needed; they are merely thorns that will be removed sooner or later.

So they shook hands.

Establishing an engagement is just the beginning.

The real trouble begins now.

The wedding ceremony must be glamorous, at least outwardly flawless.

Both are long-established aristocratic families, and any mistake they make will become fodder for gossip.

At this critical juncture, neither side can afford to lose.

Ceremonies, letters, etiquette, messengers, banquets—none of them can be omitted.

Three copies of the formal marriage certificate must be prepared: one for the Imperial Noble Hall, one for the Imperial Archives, and one for each of the two families.
The Edmund family's gift list should also be checked in advance to avoid misunderstandings about whether the gift is too small or too large.

Calvin gently rubbed his temples and murmured, "It's not appropriate for me to get involved."

He wasn't shirking responsibility; he just couldn't show his face.

If he were to personally set foot in the North, even just to attend a wedding, in the Emperor's eyes, that would be tantamount to openly declaring his stance.
“We’ve formed an alliance; it’s none of your business, Emperor.”

That's too explicit, too dangerous.

He knew that the emperor disliked being provoked, disliked being tested, and disliked the "sticking together for warmth" among the old nobles.

Especially for old nobles like them, who have lived too long, have deep roots, and have eaten too much.

Besides avoiding suspicion, there are more practical reasons.

The situation in the Southeast is no longer a territory where the Calvin family can control everything.

In recent years, His Majesty has been playing chess as if he has nothing better to do, with each piece quietly falling into the southeast.

Although he is still nominally in charge of the Southeast Province, in reality, he is already entangled in layers of difficulties and restricted at every step.

If he leaves for too long, even just to attend a wedding, he doesn't know how much of the territory will still belong to him when he returns.

Therefore, he cannot leave.

Not only could they not leave, but they also had to be more obedient and "loyal" than anyone else.

Therefore, he had to choose someone who was neither too conspicuous nor too unreliable.

Duke Calvin scanned several names in his mind, but his thoughts finally settled on a certain figure.

It's him.

Calvin, however, revealed a faint smile.

(End of this chapter)