Free Web NovelThe winds of the Imperial Capital always carried an indescribable chill, especially recently.
The news of Joseph’s beheading and the Kaladi Family’s liquidation had spread throughout the entire imperial nobility in just half a day.
While rumors were rampant in the streets, the banquets and salon gatherings in the mansions became unusually quiet.
Everyone was discussing one thing in hushed tones: The Emperor had been too heavy-handed this time.
“No matter what, he was a fifth-generation noble—uprooted without a single word?”
“Alas, Kalrad—he was not, after all, someone the Emperor personally elevated.”
“Don’t forget, this is already the third great noble to be purged this year.”
“It’s still the same old trick—‘balance of power.’ By the end, no one can stand firm except the Emperor.”
No one dared to openly criticize the Emperor, but beneath the thin veneer of respectful language lay an undeniable sense of fear and vigilance.
The old nobles understood that this was a “liquidation” by proxy, carried out under the guise of rectification, but in reality, it was to eradicate old forces not of his own making.
And this tactic was not appearing for the first time.
In recent years, almost every scandal, coup, rebellion, or corruption case
could be traced back to an old noble who was implicated, entangled, and ultimately quietly swept off the chessboard of power. Simultaneously, one by one, “trusted nobles” among knights and border generals were promoted, ennobled, and enfeoffed.
The high-sounding justification was: “Reshaping balanced forces to prevent regional secession.”
The reality, however, was that the gears of centralization were already crushing the old surnames rooted for centuries.
The study was filled with the scent of sandalwood, and the fire in the hearth flickered gently, casting a shimmering golden light on the family crest hanging on the wall.
Duke Calvin closed the intelligence dispatch in his hand, narrowed his eyes slightly, and leaned back in his chair.
For a long time, he said nothing.
The news of Joseph’s beheading and the Kaladi Family’s complete purge did not particularly shock him.
The head of the Kaladi Family...
A typical old-school noble, arrogant, slow-witted, clinging to old power as a talisman, yet failing to see that the times had long since changed.
Their defeat was not unjust.
Calvin picked up a cup of warm wine, took a small sip. It was smooth, with a subtle herbal fragrance.
His gaze fell on the fireplace, and with a casual poke, a spark burst from the crackling wood.
“Another mountain has collapsed,” he murmured to himself.
It wasn’t fear, just a sigh of emotion.
People like him had seen too many rises and falls.
The noble circle was never a stable fortress, but a battlefield constantly collapsing and rebuilding.
The downfall of the Kaladi Family was merely another ancient pillar crashing down.
“The Empire no longer needs old nobles,” he understood deep down.
Names that had once drunk alongside him, that had clashed in the noble council for years, were now cold criminals, stripped, shattered, and liquidated.
The Empire’s noble class was being pressed with a “restart button” by an iron-blooded Emperor.
“In another ten years, perhaps half of the surnames among these great nobles will have changed,” he mused thoughtfully.
Heavy thoughts coiled in his mind like a thick fog.
Calvin gazed at the flickering fire in the «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» fireplace, then suddenly let out a soft sigh.
“Thinking about these things is too heavy,” his eyes softened, and another matter came to mind.
Compared to power struggles, noble infighting, and the Emperor’s iron fist, this matter seemed much milder.
But its significance for the future was no less than any political duel.
Louis and Emily’s engagement was finally settled.
The marriage of Louis and the Edmund Family’s eldest daughter was finally confirmed after round after round of probing, ceremonial maneuvering, private messages, and secret letters.
It would be false to say he wasn’t relieved.
When he received the letter that day, Duke Calvin stood before the dispatch, silent for a long time.
He was satisfied with this marriage alliance.
In fact, it was one of his few proud strategies in recent years.
Emily Edmond, he didn’t know her at all, only heard that she was of proper appearance.
As for his own son, he couldn’t claim to truly understand him either.
Especially Louis in recent months.
The development of Red Tide Territory, the Battle of Qingyu Ridge, establishing a foothold in the North—one after another, it was as if this silent, almost transparent young man had suddenly undergone a complete transformation.
Although the engagement was set, feelings and emotions were irrelevant. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
This alliance, from beginning to end, was not for romantic love, but a primal self-preservation for both families under high pressure.
A meticulous and cold exchange of resources. The Edmund Family, holding the strongest heavy army in the North and known as the “Lord of the North,” was essentially a local emperor in the North. Although its strength had weakened somewhat in recent years due to war, it was still not to be underestimated.
The Calvin Family, on the other hand, had been entrenched in the Southeast for a hundred years, controlling eight major ports, and countless merchant groups and networks, holding immense sway in the noble circles of the Southeast Province.
Both families were among the Empire’s “Eight Pillar Nobles,” with top-tier lineage, military power, and status.
But ultimately, they also shared a common weakness: they were both old founding nobles.
And in this era of iron-blooded new policies, old nobles were no longer needed; they were merely nails to be pulled out sooner or later.
So, they shook hands.
Confirming the engagement was just the beginning.
The truly troublesome part was yet to come.
The wedding process had to be impeccable, at least on the surface.
Both families were old nobles; any mistake would become fodder for gossip.
And at this critical juncture, neither side could afford to lose.
Ceremonies, letters, etiquette, envoys, banquets—not one could be omitted.
Three official marriage contracts had to be prepared: one for the Imperial Noble Guild, one for the Royal Archives, and one for each family’s archives. The Edmund Family’s gift list also needed to be checked in advance to avoid misunderstandings of “too little” or “too much.”
Calvin gently rubbed his brow, murmuring, “It’s not suitable for me to go.” ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com
He wasn’t shirking responsibility; he simply couldn’t go.
If he personally set foot in the North, even just to attend a wedding, in the Emperor’s eyes, it would be tantamount to an open declaration:
“We are allied, and you, Emperor, cannot control us.”
Too blatant, too dangerous.
He knew that the Emperor disliked being provoked, disliked being tested, and especially disliked “huddling for warmth” among old nobles.
Especially old nobles like them, who had lived too long, whose roots ran too deep, and who had eaten too much.
And besides avoiding suspicion, there was a more practical reason.
The situation in the Southeast was no longer a territory completely controlled by the Calvin Family.
In recent years, His Majesty seemed to be playing chess in his leisure, quietly placing pieces into the Southeast.
Although the Southeast Province was still ostensibly under his control, it was in reality already layered with constraints, restricted at every step.
If he left for too long, even just to attend a wedding, he didn’t know how much of his territory would still belong to him upon his return.
So, he couldn’t leave.
Not only could he not leave, but he also had to be more docile 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, finally settling on a particular figure.
He’s the one.
A faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared on Calvin’s lips.
