Free Web NovelChapter 132: A Mutual Understanding
By the pond, the blood that once stained the ground had long been washed away by heavy rain.
The serene scenery made it impossible to tell that a brutal battle had taken place here not long ago.
Prince Gerad smiled as he watched Simon, waiting for his response.
"Uncle, if Dunmere cannot be held, can your domain truly withstand the onslaught? Or are you still counting on the other princes to come to your rescue?" Simon said coolly.
Now, he no longer needed to spare Gerad’s pride. The recent court debate had made it clear to him that the Eldorian Empire was overrun with treacherous ministers, its vassal kings harbouring nothing but malice, while his father, the Emperor, clung to his lofty ambitions yet refused to relinquish his extravagant luxuries.
No one could help him; he would have to endure this alone.
Prince Gerad looked awkward. "Nephew, you know full well my relationship with the other princes. If they don’t take this chance to kick me while I’m down, I’d consider myself lucky. This time, I believe only by joining forces can we overcome this crisis together. Don’t you agree?"
Simon thought this at least sounded reasonable. Before, Prince Gerad’s words had been nothing more than an attempt to use him as a pawn.
Preparing for the reaver invasion had kept Simon busy to the point of exhaustion. He said, "Uncle, since you’ve come to Brambleford, you must have a use for me. Let’s speak plainly, you’re here because you want my army to bear the brunt of defending Dunmere while you conserve your forces, avoiding deployment unless necessary. After all, you still need to guard against the other princes, am I right?"
Prince Gerad froze. He hadn’t expected Simon to be so direct. With a bitter smile, he dropped his usual jovial demeanour. It seemed his nephew could no longer be judged by his past self.
"Since you’ve put it so bluntly, I won’t mince words either. You must have seen through the schemes of those vassal kings, especially the King of Vael. He’s likely waiting for the reavers to sweep through the north, wiping out the other vassal kings for him. As for the Kings of Ravencrest and the others, they clearly have no desire to provoke the reavers, hence the seemingly contradictory decisions in court. Behind it all, this is nothing more than a power struggle among the vassal kings." Prince Gerad spoke slowly.
He paused, then continued, "The Emperor was forced into a corner this time. Over the years, the imperial family has poured money and grain into resisting the reavers, only to enrich the likes of the Kings. Meanwhile, the southern vassal kings have grown fat off our efforts, growing stronger while the imperial family weakens. If the reavers invade and destroy the two of us, the balance between the imperial family and the vassal kings will tip irreversibly. At that point, it would only be a matter of time before the throne changes hands."
Simon nodded. Prince Gerad’s words struck at the heart of the matter. Clearly, this was a sinister plot by the vassal kings to further weaken the imperial family, paving the way for their own ambitions.
After the first generation of vassal kings from the founding Emperor’s era passed, any semblance of loyalty between the imperial family and the vassal kings had vanished.
Their ever-expanding ambitions, in this brutal age, would inevitably lead to endless turmoil.
"Uncle sees things clearly. But as it stands, Father has no other choice. Right now, he can only rely on us. If we hold firm, we can thwart their schemes." Simon said.
Prince Gerad had said all this to redirect Simon’s resentment toward the other vassal kings, drawing them closer in alliance.
He replied, "So you see, it’s not that I’m unwilling to help you; I must also guard against unforeseen threats." freewēbnoveℓ.com
Simon smirked inwardly. Had he been the original Simon, he might have actually considered this so-called imperial kinship. But the truth was, he had no real ties to Prince Gerad or even Emperor Alaric.
In Eldora, the only person he cared about was Lady Isolde, his mother in this life, who still treated him with maternal concern.
As for defending Dunmere, he truly didn’t want Prince Gerad’s men involved. The man was more than capable of stabbing him in the back.
He sighed. "Ah, I was too naïve. Uncle’s foresight is truly profound. In that case, I’ll lead the army to defend the city with all our might. If we’re overwhelmed, I hope you’ll reinforce us in time."
Prince Gerad was overjoyed but kept his expression neutral. Feigning emotion, he grasped Simon’s hand. "Nephew, if we repel the reavers, I’ll personally commend your merits to the Emperor."
Simon smiled politely, then shifted the topic. "I must thank Uncle for this. While I can defend Dunmere, you must have seen my memorial to Eldora. I’ll need your help with this matter."
Prince Gerad’s hand twitched. Last time, Simon had extorted a hefty sum from him; was he about to demand more now?
But since he needed Simon to hold off the reavers, he couldn’t refuse. Reluctantly, he said, "I do have some iron and coal. If you need them, I’ll have them sent to Brambleford."
"Then I must thank you again, Uncle. With enough iron and coal, Dunmere might still stand a chance. Otherwise, even if I wish to defend it for you, I fear I won’t have the strength," Simon sighed.
Prince Gerad’s lips twitched. He had planned to offer a token amount to placate Simon, but now he didn’t dare.
Iron and coal were just a matter of silver, and Prince Gerad was known as the wealthiest man in the empire; he could afford it. But if the reavers breached his lands, his losses would be catastrophic.
Gritting his teeth, he said, "Don’t worry, Nephew. Even if I have to buy it, I’ll ensure you have enough iron and coal."
"Again, my deepest gratitude, Uncle. Now, let’s eat and drink."
The banquet was ready. Simon raised his cup, inviting Prince Gerad to join him.
As he drank, Simon glanced at Prince Gerad only to find him glancing back at him. The two exchanged a smile: one a seasoned fox, the other a young one.
For this banquet, Simon had the palace kitchen prepare many dishes that he had personally taught them. Prince Gerad, a known gourmand, savoured every bite, praising the flavours endlessly. freewebnøvel.coɱ
By the end of the feast, Prince Gerad was thoroughly satisfied.
Having arrived in Brambleford at noon and couldn’t possibly return today. Simon instructed Ysabeau to arrange accommodations for him in the castle.
Unlike last time, after tasting such delicacies, Prince Gerad was inclined to linger in Brambleford for a few more days and didn’t refuse the arrangement.
With the prince’s promise, the Brambleford army’s shortage of ore would be temporarily alleviated. But for Simon, this was far from enough.
In this era, even in Prince Gerad’s domain, the output of coal and iron was pitifully low. The entire Eldorian Empire’s annual production likely couldn’t meet Brambleford’s current demands.
After all, in the modern world, a single steel mill’s yearly output could surpass the entire ancient world’s combined production.
