Free Web NovelChapter 77: Prince Gerad
"Hahaha, my dear nephew, it’s been five years. You’ve grown even more handsome and impressive."
Prince Gerad stepped out of the sedan chair and hugged Simon, vigorously patting his back with his right hand.
"Cough, cough." Simon nearly coughed up blood from the force of Prince Gerad’s pats. The sheer weight and momentum of this three-hundred-pound man were no joke. He quickly escaped Prince Gerad’s embrace and smiled. "Uncle, you’ve certainly grown even more... robust over the past five years."
"Ah, the capital of Burrow’s Town is filled with exquisite delicacies and fine wines. I don’t have many hobbies, but eating is one of them. If you ever visit Burrow’s Town, nephew, I’m sure you wouldn’t be able to resist either." Prince Gerad said, patting Simon’s shoulder.
The two appeared cordial as they walked toward the main hall. Outside, Prince Gerad ordered his personal guards to stay behind, entering the hall alone with Simon.
Once inside, Prince Gerad’s expression immediately darkened. As they sat down, the atmosphere grew tense, filled with an unspoken tension.
"Nephew, Darrel was my man. The smuggling of warhorses was done under the emperor’s tacit approval. You should release him now."
The pleasantries outside were merely for show. When it came to matters of interest, exchanges were often direct. Prince Gerad had no emotional attachment to Simon and got straight to the point.
"What! Uncle, why didn’t you say so earlier? Darrel has already been executed." Simon feigned surprise.
"Executed?" Prince Gerad’s bulky body nearly leapt from his chair. But then he paused, his eyes narrowing as he slowly sat back down. "Well, what’s done is done. After all, ignorance is no crime. But tell me, nephew, did you find a letter on him?"
Simon knew the real issue had finally come to light. He replied casually. "Ah, yes, there was a secret letter..."
Prince Gerad hesitated for a moment before continuing. "So, nephew, you’ve read the contents of the letter?"
"Indeed." Simon suddenly stood up and began pacing the room, a sly smile on his face. "Uncle, what are you prepared to offer in exchange for this letter?"
The contents of the letter were extremely sensitive for Prince Gerad, involving matters that could not see the light of day. This was precisely why he had come in person, accompanied by five thousand soldiers, a clear attempt to intimidate Simon.
Although Simon was displeased, he understood that if he were to expose this matter, Prince Gerad would be furious, potentially leading to a border conflict that would benefit no one.
Moreover, the contents of the letter did not concern the safety of the Eldorian Empire but rather involved Prince Gerad and Prince Aurelia.
"An exchange?" Prince Gerad’s expression relaxed slightly. "Nephew, you are indeed clever. This matter is merely a private dispute between Prince Aurelia and me. Besides, as members of the royal family, we should be working together."
"While that may be true, Uncle, it’s not right for you to bribe the Alkamite tribe to ambush Prince Aurelia’s merchant caravans in the grasslands. Those caravans carried documents bearing the emperor’s seal. And when did you become so friendly with the Alkamite tribe? Three years ago, reaver cavalry ravaged my domain, but didn’t venture south at all. If this were thoroughly investigated, it would surely give the court officials plenty to write about."
Prince Gerad’s expression changed dramatically. Simon’s smug grin made him seethe with anger. He hadn’t expected Simon to be so astute, immediately identifying the true crux of the matter, the relationship with the Alkamite tribe.
To purchase horses from the grasslands, Prince Gerad had naturally established connections with the Alkamite tribe, which involved significant bribes. Over time, due to the vast amounts of gold and silver he had provided, the Alkamite tribe had grown close to him. In the letter, he even referred to the tribe’s chieftain as a brother, a level of familiarity that far exceeded the boundaries set by Emperor Alaric.
If this were brought to the attention of the court, officials aligned with Prince Aurelia would undoubtedly launch fierce attacks against him, and Emperor Alaric would be furious, likely punishing him severely.
Although Prince Gerad was confident in the wealth and military strength of his domain, and even unafraid of the emperor’s five hundred thousand imperial guards, the Eldorian Empire was in decline, and Emperor Alaric still held significant authority.
If the entire empire turned against him, he wouldn’t be so confident.
"Nephew, let’s discuss what you want in exchange. How much silver do you need? How many beauties?" Prince Gerad wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Seeing this, Simon knew he had struck a nerve. He had indeed grasped Prince Gerad’s weakness. "I’m not interested in silver or beauties. I want one hundred thousand slaves and two million bushels of grain."
"One hundred thousand slaves?" Prince Gerad was taken aback. In his memory, Simon had only ever been interested in silver and beautiful women. This request surprised him.
But after a moment’s thought, he understood Simon’s reasoning. With Simon’s trade in soap, perfume, and other novelties, what he needed most was labour.
With slaves, Simon could build more workshops, earn more silver, and with silver, beautiful women would naturally follow.
"So, Uncle, what do you say? I have no interest in the conflict between you and Prince Aurelia. Your close ties with the Alkamite tribe are merely a matter of familiarity. But these are enough for someone to accuse you of colluding with the enemy in court. And the events of three years ago are more than enough to fuel speculation." freeweɓnovel.cøm
One hundred thousand slaves might seem like a lot, but Simon believed it was a manageable demand for Prince Gerad.
Given the wealth of Prince Gerad’s domain, wealthy households often kept private slaves. Moreover, Prince Gerad’s relationship with the Alkamite tribe meant he could easily purchase large numbers of slaves from them. One hundred thousand was not an unreasonable number.
"Is that all?" Prince Gerad asked hesitantly.
"That’s all," Simon replied with a smile. He had kept the demand at a level that was both achievable and unlikely to provoke Prince Gerad into a rage.
"Hahaha... Well, this trip wasn’t in vain. In the future, nephew, if you have any requests, feel free to ask me. After all, we are neighbours." Prince Gerad laughed heartily and extended his hand to Simon.
Simon then produced the secret letter, but suddenly tore it in half. "Uncle, it’s not that I don’t trust you, but the current situation leaves me no choice. The first half of the letter concerns Prince Aurelia, while the second half involves the reavers. We’ll each keep half. Once the one hundred thousand slaves arrive, I’ll return the second half to you."
Prince Gerad’s expression darkened. "Nephew, don’t push me too far. This shows you don’t trust me."
"Three years ago, I trusted you, Uncle."
Prince Gerad’s face flushed with embarrassment. Three years ago, he had promised Simon military support but had delayed sending troops, merely observing from the border. freewebnøvel.com
"Hmph, Simon, what do you mean by this? What if I refuse?" Prince Gerad, ever the shrewd man, suddenly threatened, attempting to intimidate Simon.
"My army may be weak, but we are ready to fight! How things will end, however, will depend on your capabilities, Uncle. After all, my domain is poor, it’s already a mess, so what’s a little more chaos?" Simon’s tone was firm.
Prince Gerad’s bulging stomach heaved rapidly for a moment before he finally slumped back into his seat. "You’re ruthless!"
