Free Web NovelChapter 130: What Now?
"I’ve said everything that needed to be said. Given Father’s temperament, he will surely adopt my plan."
The Third Prince gently fanned himself with a paper fan, exuding confidence. fгeewebnovёl.com
Constantine, upon hearing this, revealed a sly smile. "Your Highness, this is a plan that kills two birds with one stone. The most important target is Prince Gerad. When the reavers invade, neither Prince Gerad nor Prince Simon will be able to stop them. Once Simon and Gerad fall, the reavers, driven by their greed, will inevitably continue to seize the remaining lands in the north. The territories north of the Rushmore River will be lost."
"Therefore, if we can take this opportunity to weaken Prince Gerad, the fertile lands south of the Rushmore will belong to your uncle, Prince Vael. When the time comes, all we need to do is wait for the right moment. If the reavers reach the gates of Eldora, the emperor will have only two options: perish with the city or flee to Vaelric and establish a new capital. At that point, he will have no choice but to rely on your uncle. How could the throne escape you then? And if, by misfortune, the emperor perishes, Your Highness, can ascend to the throne with your uncle’s support."
"My uncle has already mentioned this in his letter. I never expected his vision to be so far-reaching. I only hope the reavers don’t just raid and retreat this time." The Third Prince said with a cold smile.
Constantine chuckled. "They certainly won’t. According to my sources, the Reavers have already ceased hostilities with the Saphire. This time, they won’t retreat easily. The fate of the north is sealed. The reavers are poor at naval warfare, so the natural barrier of the Rushmore River will ensure our safety. Your Highness should not hesitate any longer and must make preparations early."
The Third Prince sighed softly. "Very well. Once I ascend the throne in Vaelric, I will work diligently to gradually reclaim the lost northern territories."
"Your Highness is wise," Constantine said with a smile.
---
The next day, during the morning court session.
After a night of contemplation, Alaric addressed the civil and military officials: "The matter of the reavers’ southern invasion requires careful consideration. After all, the Eldorian Empire and the reavers are currently at peace, and we should not make rash assumptions. Prince Simon and Prince Gerad, as feudal lords, are responsible for defending their territories. If the reavers invade, they must resist with all their might to show the reavers the strength of the Eldorian Empire. If the two princes cannot hold them off, we will negotiate peace and increase the tribute to appease the reavers. Meanwhile, the other princes must also strengthen their defences. If the reavers remain unreasonable, we will fight them to the death!"
"Your Majesty is wise!" Darrel and other ministers exclaimed with joy.
Lancet clenched his fists, ready to speak again, but a fellow military official beside him shook his head subtly. From Alaric’s expression, it was clear that he had already compromised.
The Crown Prince and other princes remained silent, each harbouring their own plans. Prince Ravencrest had instructed the Crown Prince to side with the peace faction, and though he did not speak, many of the peace-seeking ministers were his allies.
In Prince Ravencrest’s view, Alaric was ageing, and in a few years, the Crown Prince would ascend the throne. Therefore, it was crucial to stabilise the reavers and preserve the northern territories until he could secure his rule.
The Fourth Prince, backed by Prince Dornhal, shared the same sentiment. If the reavers invaded, it would be the northern princes who suffered, while the southern princes could use the opportunity to grow stronger.
Thus, the northern princes were not foolish. If the reavers truly invaded, their priority would be negotiation, with resistance as a secondary measure.
"However, Prince Simon has explicitly stated in his letter that his domain lacks high-quality iron and coal. I believe we should not make things difficult for him. He should be allowed to purchase coal and iron within the empire."
Alaruc spoke with a tone of resignation. This was the only way he could help Simon.
The ministers raised no further objections. If the reavers truly invaded, they could simply watch from the sidelines, letting Prince Simon and Prince Gerad bear the brunt of the attack. If they failed, peace could be negotiated.
This would show the reavers that the Eldorian Empire was not an easy target. At that point, increasing the tribute and ceding Prince Simon and Prince Gerad’s territories could secure peace.
If the reavers refused to negotiate, then the imperial guards could be mobilised for a decisive battle.
After announcing this decision, Alaric seemed utterly exhausted and ordered the eunuch to dismiss the court.
---
Three days later, Brambleford.
"A bunch of cowards!" In the prince’s castle, Simon angrily threw the imperial edict from Eldora to the ground.
Baldwin was horrified and immediately picked it up. "My Lord, if the eunuch sees this, he will surely report your disrespect to His Majesty."
"What is there to fear? The reavers are invading, and the empire is on the brink of disaster. And what are they doing? Each one is only thinking of their own interests. It’s utterly absurd, laughable, and a disgrace to the entire world!" Simon fumed.
Along with the edict, a secret letter from Lady Isolde had arrived, detailing everything that had happened in the court.
"At least General Lancet is a true man," Lancelot said.
"General Lancet may be righteous, but even he cannot stand against the traitors in the court!" Simon retorted.
Aiden pondered for a moment and spoke. "My Lord, the edict orders us to defend Dunmere alone, with Prince Gerad providing support. This plan is likely the poisonous scheme devised by the Third Prince."
"Mother mentioned that Father was furious in the palace that day, so it must be true. My Third Brother is probably already dreaming of the north falling and him ascending the throne in Vaelric."
"Exactly. This plan is primarily aimed at weakening Prince Gerad. We are merely collateral damage." Aiden explained. "From the perspective of the other ministers and princes, it’s clear that Prince Ravencrest, Prince Dornhal, and Prince Augustus have no intention of getting involved in the defence of Dunmere. As long as their own domains remain safe, that’s all that matters to them."
Baldwin nodded. "Aiden is right. It seems the fate of Prince Ezekiel has now fallen upon us."
Simon nodded as well. Back when the reavers attacked, the court in Eldora had acted no differently. Sacrificing one domain in exchange for ten years of peace. Unfortunately, Prince Ezikel, a wise and noble ruler, chose to take his own life in his mansion rather than surrender.
"I will not let Prince Ezikel’s tragedy repeat itself in Brambleford. At least there’s one piece of good news: Father has agreed to let us purchase high-quality iron and coal from other provinces." Simon said.
He had never expected help from others, and the recent court confrontation between Alaric and the various princes only confirmed this.
Aiden said. "My Lord, now is the time to demand money, grain, iron, and coal from Prince Gerad. Otherwise, defending Dunmere will be extremely difficult."
"Hahaha, you’re absolutely right..." Simon suddenly burst into laughter. Aiden was indeed cunning.
At this moment, Prince Gerad must be furious. He probably never expected that his smooth-sailing reign would be betrayed by the other princes.
As the first line of defence against the reavers, Prince Gerad would undoubtedly hope that Simon could hold Dunmere. Therefore, asking for some support wouldn’t be unreasonable.
Baldwin forced a bitter smile. "My Lord, the entire court is plotting against you. How can you still laugh? Even if we secure the money and grain, resisting the reavers will likely cost us dearly."
