Chapter 741: Scum Among Men

Starting from early morning, Emerald Palace was filled with people coming and going, its gates as busy as a market.

Aside from the various offices reporting for work and attendance as usual, the guests rushing over from inside and outside the city, from places near and far, included local nobles and foreign merchants, property owners and workshop bosses, merchant-group agents and officials of every rank, even representatives of the coachmen's guild and dockworkers. They covered the vast majority of livelihood circles that could be reached within Jade City.

Because of this, the palace gate was jammed tight and extremely noisy. The open ground was packed with carriages, sedan chairs, attendants, and servants, and from time to time people argued over parking positions and order, even coming to blows.

Of course, most of them were residents who had come to watch the excitement. After hearing the news, they did not even go to the celebration activities scattered around the city. Instead, they stood in a black mass outside the security line drawn by soldiers and guards, pointing with great interest at the extraordinarily lively sight at the palace gate. They judged the guests entering and leaving the palace, guessed again and again why the Jade Legion had such grave expressions, chatted eagerly about the anecdote of Miss Hilley teasing the prince, which had somehow spread, discussed the turbulent situation in the city, sighed over where Jade City should go after the sky fell, and lamented even more over how the Kingdom of Stars had decayed to its current state.

Someone in the crowd could not hold back and stopped a guest to ask. Only then did they learn that these people had all received temporary invitations from His Highness Thales and had hurried over to enter the palace for an audience.

As for the purpose, no one knew, including the invited people themselves. The invitations did not explain either. They only left the words, "The Duke of Star Lake sincerely invites you to meet."

But this made people even more nervous and curious.

What? After a series of governing failures, had this prince, who had been frustrated everywhere, finally run out of options and been unable to resist revealing the true face of a northern barbarian? Was he sharpening his knife and preparing to slaughter, using blood to forge his regency and wash away the humiliation he had received from a woman?

Hmph. Truly laughable!

Then it was time to teach this yellow-mouthed child that wherever there was oppression, there would be resistance.

We South Coast men were also unyielding men of iron. We were not vegetarians, and even less like those soft eggs in the capital who feared power. Wife, do you not always say married life is not romantic? How about this. I will exchange the bank drafts, and you pack up the valuables at home. We will take the children and the cat and travel outside for three months. Oh, not for anything else. It is just that you have raised children and cooked for so many years, so virtuous and wise, and my conscience has awakened. I want to compensate you a little...

Compared with the heat and bustle outside the palace gates, the scene inside the main palace was no less intense.

Guests entering the palace to wait for audiences came in an endless stream. At first they arrived in twos and threes, but later they became a bustling crowd. The lounges gradually filled, then three large halls were packed with standing people. In the end, the Royal Guards and the Emerald Palace guards had no choice but to reorganize order, making the guests line up in a long S-shaped queue that wound through seven turns and eight bends all the way into the corridors.

Whether born noble or rich beyond measure, every guest in the queue was uneasy. Some stared fixedly at the entrance with full concentration. Some had blank faces and said nothing. Some nervously straightened their appearance, waiting for the etiquette officer to call their names. Some pretended to be relaxed and chatted with acquaintances, discussing who had just gone in, who had come out, who could enter as soon as they arrived, who went in and never came out again, who looked miserable when they came out, who was smiling when they left the palace, whether that fierce-looking person was Pirate Tanganga, whether the one surrounded before and behind was the special envoy of Tyron State. You openly emphasized that His Highness Thales was wise, martial, bold, and extraordinary, while I loudly praised that the Duke of Star Lake was a heaven-sent genius who lived up to his reputation.

But only Thales himself knew who the most exhausted person in Jade City was today.

For an entire day, from high nobles to rich merchants, from foreign envoys to local bureaucrats, he received all kinds of people without stopping. His attitude toward different people could not be the same. Sometimes he had to comfort gently, sometimes speak harshly, sometimes laugh and chat, sometimes remain cold and solemn. Some people had to tangle with him for a full hour, while some could be sent away with two sentences. Some required a private audience to show importance, while some needed guards beside them and blades nearby.

These guests from every trade and profession were either neither humble nor arrogant and gave no kind words, or hypocritically polite and full of nonsense, or trembling and humble with fear. But everyone had one thing in common: they all turned a blind eye to the bruise on Thales's face, treating it as normal, as though every person was born with a swollen dark patch on their face.

Only one younger medicinal-material merchant could not help mentioning at the end of his audience that his family's secret concealer paste was very effective. But senior colleagues whose expressions changed when they heard it quietly stepped on his toes, and before he finished speaking, they half-pushed and half-dragged him away. After a chorus of thanks and apologies, Thales could still hear the scolding voices of his elders through the door:

"Wicked son! How is that a wound? That is Jade City's humiliation of him, contempt for the prince of a kingdom, a slap across his face!"

"Worthy nephew, you actually dared mention this matter in front of him. Do you not want to live?"

"Covendier struck that slap, but he cannot bear it, and outsiders cannot mention it. Mentioning it means blood will be spilled!"

"Perhaps he can do nothing to the iris flower, but taking our heads would be as easy as flipping his palm!"

"Prepare several more generous gifts later and send them every day. Absolutely do not let him hold a grudge..."

"Too late. I hear this highness is very petty and bears grudges fiercely..."

"He suffered anger and frustration at Covendier's place and is just worrying that he has nowhere to vent..."

"But his attitude was quite good. He even guaranteed that our industry's structure and rules would remain as before..."

"Fool! What butcher shows the slaughtering knife before leading the pig into the pen? They all use good food and drink to trick it over!"

"Do not look at him smiling now. This Highness came back from Eckstedt. It is said that on the road home, he killed until heads rolled..."

"I heard the Born King once forced him to drink wine he did not like. Well, you all saw what happened later..."

"Now we have offended him. Ah, what can be done..."

"Duke Zayen merely refused to marry his sister to him. Tsk, tsk. Look where the duke is now."

"Do not be too naive. He has been utterly defeated in Jade City. Whether this happened or not, he was going to find someone to cut open and regain face..."

"I hear he is short of money. Big money..."

Thales, already used to it, listened with a numb face and without the slightest ripple.

Aside from this, quite a few guests, whether humble in attitude or impassioned in speech, all pointed out openly and secretly, in words and between the lines, that Duke Zayen's younger sister had been physically weak and sickly since childhood, raised deep inside the house with little experience of the world. In addition, the old duke and duchess pitied and spoiled her, indulged her somewhat, and were a little lax in teaching. After the new duke succeeded, it became even more so. He doted on her and indulged her, worsening the situation, which was how Miss Hilley developed her present personality.

Of course, who was His Highness Thales? He was a heavenly noble, a wise prince with a broad heart, and had long possessed a good reputation for tolerance, benevolence, and loving the people as his children. He was a wise king reborn.

He absolutely would not lose the greater for the small and vent anger on others. Ah, look at me. I ramble too much. How could Your Highness not know these things?

Moreover, Jade City now had countless affairs and still needed Your Highness to oversee, manage, and govern with care. The matter was of great importance.

So, that, that saying from a distant country is good. A Great Commander's belly can hold a boat, right?

As if, if they did not say so, Thales would erupt with thunderous rage the next moment and slap Jade City to death.

Most of the time, Thales responded with a smile.

But with certain people, he was not like that.

"Last night at North Gate Bridge, the operation to arrest Lausanne the Second was carried out secretly. Many participants only learned the news at the final moment," Thales said softly to this new group of guests. "Because it concerned the cases of Zayen and Federico and involved many connections, I had no choice but to bypass Emerald Palace's people. Even the specific execution was handled by that female boss of the Blood Bottle Gang..."

He raised his head and looked at the Jade City officials of every rank who filled the room, having just hurried over from their respective offices.

"But tell me. Hilley Covendier, how exactly did she know about my operation? And where did she learn it?"

The officials held their breath, startled and tense.

"No, she did more than know. She accurately found the address, seized the timing, killed her way out halfway, and snatched away the criminal without the slightest error."

Thales thought of the previous night and grew absent-minded.

"It was as if... as if she had specifically been waiting there, waiting for me to arrive, so she could snatch food from a tiger's mouth at the most critical moment and then slap my face hard."

At this point, Thales lightly patted the half of his face that had not been injured.

"Making my arrest fail while I became the laughingstock of the whole city, my prestige swept away."

The officials looked at one another, cold sweat streaming as they listened.

Especially when Royal Guards stood in front, behind, left, and right, staring at them with unfriendly expressions.

A senior administrative officer swallowed. Under the urging gazes of his colleagues, he braced himself and stepped out to speak.

"Does Your Highness mean..."

"His Highness means!"

The administrative officer was interrupted.

"Someone betrayed us," said Wya Caso, the attendant officer standing near the prince's left side, coldly adding, "right here in Emerald Palace, among the various offices that could have known the inside story, perhaps even among the gentlemen standing in this room at this very moment. Someone leaked the information ahead of time and reported it to Miss Hilley."

As soon as these words came out, the officials' faces all changed.

They reacted and all denied it repeatedly, crying injustice with every sentence, fearful and aggrieved.

Amid the noise, Thales closed his eyes to rest and said nothing.

"Although the entire operation was kept low-key, our departure from the palace could not be hidden from the palace guards or from the eyes and ears of the Security Hall in various places. It is very possible that you received the news halfway through."

The person speaking was still Wya. The attendant officer turned toward one group of officials and questioned them sternly.

"Correct?"

The city defense officer and several Security Hall chiefs turned pale and denied it with all their strength.

"Your Highness is discerning. These past few days, we have given heart and soul, working until exhausted. How would we have time to care about that garbage heap at North Gate Bridge? Uh, I mean, public security incidents there are generally handled according to normal procedure. We absolutely did not pay special attention, still less report information..."

"It is entirely normal for His Highness to leave the palace for inspection. How could we dare ask too much..."

"We support His Highness with all our hearts. How could we do such a thing..."

"I will go back and investigate those temporary workers. I knew they had problems..."

"It is this subordinate's failure in supervision. I will go down immediately and vigorously carry out a rectification campaign, strictly investigate and deal with matters in the department, strengthen prevention in every corner of Jade City, and strictly guard against sinister people with ulterior motives, especially those hidden among the masses..."

Wya watched their pitiful and ridiculous defenses and did not say more. He merely turned to another side.

"For last night's operation, His Highness approved a special budget."

The prince's attendant officer's gaze was cold, his words sharp.

"The Finance Office should know of this major expenditure, correct? Although you did not say it aloud, you must have discovered the signs long ago and known we had a major operation at North Gate Bridge?"

On the other side of the room, with Chief Myrahovich at their head, the group of finance and taxation officials, who had been playing dead as though the matter had nothing to do with them, woke from their petrified state of watching their noses and hearts.

Their expressions changed, and they rushed to explain first.

"My lord attendant officer's words are mistaken..."

"Yes, but all official documents were sealed confidentially! We absolutely could not have leaked secrets..."

"Not at all. This old man has dim eyes and cannot understand what money His Highness approved or what it was used for..."

"Our account checking is not that diligent. We report once every half year. Recently it has been even more hands-off. How could we discover... Ah, that is, after we return, we will absolutely rectify vigorously and work hard to improve the department's ability and frequency of audits..."

"In truth, every department has its own little treasury. Those of us responsible for approvals may not necessarily discover it. Of course, little treasuries are wrong!"

"If the prince wants to use money, it is just a matter of approving a note. How would we dare ask too much? Do we not want our official hats? I mean, the budget expenditures of superior leadership departments, under what project name they are established and what they are used for, are not within our authority to review, just as we cannot report or supervise beyond rank..."

"Our security expenditure this week was a bit higher, but we also did not know what it was used for, let alone North Gate Bridge..."

Wya's face was icy. After listening to their defenses for a while, he did not say much and only turned toward another group of officials in military attire and with sturdy bearing.

"Captain Cecil," Wya said to the Supreme-class knight standing quietly on one side, his tone carrying suspicion. "Last night, His Highness also invited you to North Gate Bridge to help?"

Cecil slowly raised his head.

The Royal Guards in the room grew tense together.

Although he had surrendered his weapons when entering and was empty-handed, every move of his still carried the oppressive feeling of a Supreme-class expert.

Only Wya's expression did not change. He looked down from above and glared at Knight Cecil.

The latter slowly said:

"I accepted the invitation to act in order to capture the criminal, prove Duke Zayen's innocence, and end this farce as early as possible..."

But Wya interrupted him impolitely.

"But when Miss Hilley took Lausanne the Second away, you did not stop her."

Cecil frowned slightly and glanced at Thales.

"Yes."

"And Miss Hilley is Duke Zayen's, meaning your master's, younger sister."

"Correct. But the situation then was special. His Highness also did not dare act rashly..."

This time, Wya interrupted him even faster than before. His tone was cold and stern, carrying reprimand.

"What did you say? What did His Highness not dare?"

Cecil's expression moved slightly. He looked at Thales, but the latter still leaned against the chair back with his eyes closed, saying nothing.

As if he had not heard at all.

Facing the gazes filling the room, Cecil hesitated for a moment.

"I... I acted at first and tried to stop them," Cecil defended himself. "But beside Miss Hilley was Cassian. He is also a dignified Supreme-class knight, with skills learned from the Tower of Eradication. I did not have absolute confidence in taking him down..."

"So you let the conveniently appearing Miss Hilley, Duke Zayen's sister, take away the criminal who might play a key role in the duke's case," Wya said softly.

Cecil pursed his lips.

"I was not the only one present. There were also..."

But Wya, uncharacteristically, did not allow him to explain at all.

"As far as I know, you and Lord Cassian, how coincidental, he is also an officially enfeoffed knight of Jade City, are old friends?"

Facing this ill-intentioned suspicion, Cecil's face showed anger, and his words gained some hardness.

"We once were. But please believe, Your Highness, I would not let personal feeling affect..."

"But unlike him, Cecil, before being knighted, you were a mercenary in the Eastern Continent. Commonly called a 'sword seller'?"

The back-and-forth between Wya and Cecil was filled with hostility, making the others in the room listen carefully, not daring to breathe loudly.

Cecil, having been interrupted several times, took a deep breath and forced down his anger.

"Yes. But from that time on, I obeyed every employment contract and performed my duties with all effort..."

Wya snorted coldly.

"Since it is a contract, a market transaction, then regardless of position, does the highest bidder get you?"

Cecil could no longer endure it. He suddenly opened his mouth and glared at Wya.

"You fucking..."

Bang!

A muffled sound interrupted the argument in the room.

"Enough!"

Everyone was startled together. Only then did they realize that the one who had spoken was Prince Thales, who had been pretending to nap. The prince stood tall, his face cold.

"All of you."

Wya turned solemnly and bowed respectfully.

"Your Highness."

The officials reacted and followed the prince's attendant officer in bowing, including Cecil, whose face was angry and unconvinced.

"Please rest assured. I am here not to hold everyone accountable."

Thales looked around, took a deep breath, relaxed his expression, and spoke steadily.

"And even less to force you to pay for mistakes I made."

The officials looked at one another. The clever ones had already picked up the thread.

"Not at all. Your Highness has exhausted heart and strength to govern Jade City..."

"A few small setbacks are common in governance. How can they be called mistakes?"

"A gemstone shines brighter the more it is polished..."

"Your Highness truly has a broad heart and is a man who does great things..."

Thales raised his hand, his tone gentle, signaling everyone to calm down.

"I invited you here today for this letter."

He drew a letter from the drawer and handed it to Wya, who respectfully passed it to the officials below.

"I need all of you to sign it jointly, then secretly send it to the capital."

The high officials in the first row gathered to read the letter. The more they read, the more confused they became, looking at one another.

Others could not wait, and upon hearing "jointly sign," their faces turned wary.

"Jointly sign?"

"For what?"

"What letter?"

"A statement giving up unpaid wages?"

"Please do not..."

Thales sighed.

"It is a letter from me to His Majesty, requesting that he reject a motion."

Everyone froze together.

"What motion?"

Thales slowly sat down, his face solemn.

"The emergency control order for Jade City."

What?

Everyone froze again, not understanding.

Thud.

Everyone turned together and saw that among the judges, Eborning, student of the late Judge Brennan and acting grand judge of Jade City, had gone deathly pale. The official scrolls in his hand had scattered across the floor.

"Emergency... control?" he murmured. Behind him, the judges who understood something bent to pick up the scrolls while their faces showed shock.

The letter passed from hand to hand, and Thales was silent for a long while.

"You know that the iris flower duke is suspected of killing his father to seize power, hiring a murderer, and covering up the truth. Whether or not it is true, the Covendier family is now in internal disorder, the South Coast Territory's political situation is unstable, and Jade City is growing more desolate by the day, with public resentment rising."

Everyone present felt their eyelids twitch.

Thales spoke slowly.

"Therefore, the gentlemen before the throne believe that Jade City at this moment needs emergency control to stabilize order and prevent disaster."

As soon as these words came out, the study exploded.

"What?"

"Emergency in what way?"

"Controlled how?"

Thales closed his eyes, his tone low.

"As a safeguard, someone proposed recommending Baron Arracca Murkh to lead one thousand royal standing troops to Jade City for temporary garrison duty and to stabilize the greater situation."

The officials grew even more shocked.

"The Kingdom's Wrath?"

"Why troops? Standing troops?"

"Who will pay the garrison expenses?"

"What about the Jade Legion? Where does that leave them?"

"When would they come?"

"We do not have bandits here. What needs stabilizing?"

"Not only garrisoning, right?" Acting Grand Judge Eborning, in the prime of life, thought of something and looked serious. "Just like the Western Desert back then. This is to use the kingdom center's temporary control authority during an emergency period to temporarily replace the local lord's ruling authority."

The study instantly quieted.

Thales said nothing either.

Chief Financial Officer Myrahovich widened his eyes in disbelief.

"No. That cannot be?"

"How is that possible?"

"Let those soldiers rule?"

"And they come from the Central Territory..."

"Jade City will be ruined!"

Thales sighed softly, and the noise in the study gradually vanished because he had spoken.

"Not long ago, with the lesson of Blade Fangs Camp before them, the Imperial Conference lost confidence in local lords, and so this motion arose. Of course, they also know this matter is extremely controversial. Therefore, before it is officially issued in written form, the government will not acknowledge it."

"No!"

Chief Myrahovich spoke in shock.

"You cannot let such a thing happen!"

After their surprise, the other lords nodded one after another.

"Everything is perfectly fine here. There is no disorder. No garrison is needed!"

Captain Cecil also frowned.

"The Jade Legion has guarded Jade City for generations. Every person's contract is written clearly in black and white..."

"This has no legal standing," Judge Eborning gritted his teeth. "For something this large, at minimum it requires the National Affairs Conference, at least the High Noble Council, to raise the motion. The Imperial Conference cannot..."

Thales nodded.

"Indeed. But regardless of the procedure, I believe that as we speak, Baron Mu has already received transfer orders and begun mobilizing manpower."

The study quieted again.

"But even if he brings people here," an administrative official thought of something, a little hope in his words, "You, Your Highness Thales, will still be regent, correct? Temporarily governing Emerald Palace?"

Thales smiled. Having received guests all morning, his face was exhausted.

"I hope so."

"You certainly will," Judge Eborning said with certainty. "Aside from His Majesty himself, no one in the entire kingdom is nobler or more qualified than Your Highness. And if they remove you from office at this time, that would be equivalent to telling the world that Your Highness failed as regent of Jade City, and that Renaissance Palace no longer trusts you..."

As he spoke, he thought of something, his words stopped, and he looked at Thales in shock.

The surroundings once again fell silent.

This topic was too sensitive and too dangerous.

No one dared interrupt at such a time.

Thales smiled bitterly in a low voice.

"Arracca Murkh saved my life. Moreover, his personality is hard and stubborn, and his identity is special, with brilliant merits."

He avoided the topic just now.

"I may not be able to order him around."

The study remained silent.

No one dared speak.

Thales looked around and had no choice but to continue by himself.

"So once he comes..."

"No. The Kingdom's Wrath cannot come." Eborning's face was iron blue as he interrupted the prince.

His words quickly received support.

"Correct!"

"We are perfectly fine. There is not the slightest problem!"

"No control is needed!"

"The Imperial Conference needs to think carefully. Jade City's current problems cannot be solved by military control..."

"Jade City prospers and grows wealthy through the passage of merchants and travelers. If troops come, that may no longer be the case..."

"Someone needs to remind His Majesty..."

"That is what I am saying," Thales agreed gently. "That is why there is this letter."

Everyone turned together. The letter had just been passed to Captain Cecil. Before the whole room's gaze, he frowned tightly and returned the letter to the cold-faced Wya.

"I want to write to His Majesty before the Imperial Conference formally raises the motion, and do everything possible to reject it," Thales said solemnly. "Of course, I cannot say it openly. That would only have the opposite effect. I can only, while expressing concern for His Majesty's health, emphasize between the lines that the overall situation in Jade City has already been settled, its order as steady as Mount Sigh, requiring no further expenditure of strength, laboring the army and hurting finances."

The gentlemen in the room woke as if from a dream and spoke one after another.

"Exactly!"

"Send the letter quickly!"

"There can be no delay. We must not let the gentlemen in court worry..."

"His Highness Thales has always had a wise reputation. He will surely persuade His Majesty..."

"Our remote countryside cannot trouble Renaissance Palace, still less trouble the famous Kingdom's Wrath..."

"The Kingdom of Stars is reviving and rising. Where does it not need money and troops? How could time and energy be spent here?"

"The great national matters of the kingdom center are more important. Let our Jade City commoners suffer a little more. It is no great matter..."

"Exactly, exactly..."

Until Thales let out a heavy sigh, causing everyone's hearts to rise again.

"Unfortunately, everyone has seen my experiences and my 'political achievements' these past days," Thales said heavily, mocking himself again and again. "Let alone last night, when I could not even capture one criminal, and was even humiliated by Miss Covendier. My prestige was swept away, I became a laughingstock, and the royal family's face was completely lost."

The officials could not hold back and spoke up to encourage him.

"But that was not Your Highness's fault!"

"Your Highness was forced by circumstance..."

"Especially yesterday, the fault was not with Your Highness!"

"It was because we had... a mole?" an official cautiously added.

"Not only did Your Highness not lose face, you instead brought glory to the royal family, demonstrating your tolerance and magnanimity, not lowering yourself to argue with petty people and women!"

"Alas, Miss Hilley was too willful. In her eagerness to save her brother, even appeals and protests must be done in the proper manner..."

But Thales ignored these remarks. He only looked defeated and shook his head absently.

"Once news reaches the capital, the Imperial Conference will know that after Zayen stepped down, I lacked virtue and talent and ultimately failed to govern Jade City..."

These words made everyone feel rather unable to bear it.

"Your Highness..."

"You only just took office. Some omissions are unavoidable..."

"Yes. All along, Your Highness has been working hard to solve problems. We have all seen it..."

"These days, we all understand. Who dares say Your Highness has not poured out blood and thought, exhausted heart and strength?"

Thales gave a bitter laugh and waved a hand, interrupting everyone's jumble of words.

"In short, this letter, with only my signature, is not persuasive enough."

At this point, he took a deep breath, raised his head, and looked at every official.

"I need you. I need more Jade City officials, pillars of Emerald Palace, to sign it together."

The officials' faces grew solemn.

"To prove to my father that Jade City is stable as before."

Thales's gaze was firm and decisive.

"And reject the motion."

As his words fell, the officials looked at one another.

"I understand."

Judge Eborning reacted first. He sighed and stepped forward, reaching toward Wya.

"Where do I sign?"

Thales let out a breath. Looking at the acting grand judge, he revealed a smile.

"This city is Teacher Brennan's life's work and pride. He would not wish to see it fall into military disaster."

Eborning decisively reached for the pen and signed his name below the letter.

"I ask Your Highness to consider the tens of thousands of commoners and argue with reason and all strength."

Thales looked at him seriously and nodded heavily.

The other officials came back to themselves, nodded one after another, and stepped forward together, expressing agreement to sign jointly.

Wya had no choice but to step forward and maintain order, having them sign one by one.

"Of course, in order to prove to His Majesty that this place needs no military control," Judge Eborning said seriously, "the Judgment Hall will work hard to hurry the cases that have piled up these past days and finish judging them as soon as possible."

His statement also stirred the officials of other departments.

"Yes, yes. We might as well work some overtime these next few days..."

"This old man will go find Miss Hilley. If she can be found, I will strive to persuade..."

"Then our Finance Office will go back and study how to save a little expenditure..."

"There is no need for that."

Thales suddenly spoke, interrupting the chief financial officer.

The prince opened a drawer and handed a draft to the finance officials.

"Here are more than thirty thousand gold coins. Make up the unpaid wages from every department's clerks to the Jade Legion. Make up as much as possible. If there is any left, according to the system, treat it as overtime bonuses."

As soon as these words came out, perhaps because the sum was rather large, perhaps because it concerned salaries, all the officials in the room turned their heads together and stared fixedly at the draft in Thales's hand.

Looking at this sum of money, Chief Myrahovich could not avoid surprise. But having seen large sums before, he still tightened his collar and pretended to be calm as he accepted the draft.

"In truth, our salaries are secondary. It would be better to first use this to solve urgent needs and repay Jade City's debts..."

The officials' gazes dimmed.

"Only after eating your fill yourself do you have strength to repay others," Thales smiled.

The officials' eyes brightened again.

Myrahovich's eyelid twitched, flattered and overwhelmed.

"Yes, Your Highness. You... you spend so generously. It truly makes us..."

"There is no need to thank me. This is money the Bourbon family owed Emerald Palace," Thales shook a finger. "The extra portion proves their enthusiastic participation in city affairs, their sincere hope for Jade City to return to order, and their grace in supporting my regency."

As soon as these words came out, everyone's thoughts moved, and they looked at one another.

"At the year-end commendation, remember to award Old Lady Turiel a good-citizen prize."

Thales sat back down, but he thought of something and raised a finger again.

"Also, Special Envoy Hashan of Tyron State promised me that he would lead the coordination with several foreign merchant groups to waive, or at least postpone, several debts of Jade City. The number seems not small."

He pointed casually.

"Recently. Chief, send someone to implement it."

If the thirty thousand gold coins just now had merely been strange, this time Myrahovich was solidly shocked, then immediately delighted.

"Yes, yes, Your Highness!"

Thales snorted softly and looked seriously at Emerald Palace's financial chief.

"Remember. It must be precise down to every copper plate. This money is not mine, nor that of everyone here. It was created by Jade City's residents and merely entrusted by the Sunset Goddess to our temporary management."

When the officials heard this, they became even more motivated. Their gazes toward Thales grew increasingly admiring and eager, their words even more flattering and pleasant.

"Your Highness is correct..."

"A supreme truth..."

"It should be carved on a stele to teach the people..."

"If everyone had such awareness, how could the kingdom not prosper?"

"The great ship of Stars, held in the hands of such a wise helmsman, will surely ride the wind and break the waves!"

But Thales turned a deaf ear and paid them no attention.

"I know many industries in Jade City are intricately tied to local nobles. Without their cooperation, even if you want to do things, you will get twice the work for half the result."

Thales waved a hand.

"Relax. I have spoken with them and discussed some conditions. They will not become obstacles. Instead, they will help you clear obstacles."

"Some merchant groups hoarding goods and affecting the market should soon resume normal business. Of course, restoring market confidence will still take some time..."

Thales continued item by item, orderly and confident.

"By the way, the robbery incidents along the sea frontier have already been proven to be misunderstandings. There are no pirates in the South Coast Territory. Shipping routes and cargo channels will soon become smooth. Relevant departments should follow up."

"Also, the misunderstandings between me and many local nobles have already been resolved. Their protests against my rule should quiet down somewhat, and by extension, the products and taxes on their lands and manors should also return to normal."

"Street order will gradually recover in the next few days. The Blood Bottle Gang and the Brotherhood both agreed to give me a little face. Of course, when arresting Lausanne the Second, the former bungled the job, and the latter left a gap in the trap. They now do not dare refuse me face."

"And the aftermath of that fire..."

Every sentence Thales finished solved one matter. The officials of the relevant departments reacted with both surprise and joy, sometimes praising and sometimes sighing.

The Royal Guards in the room, including Wya, listened in stunned silence, and the way they looked at Thales grew increasingly amazed.

By the time Thales finished speaking, the officials lining up to jointly sign had finally written the last name.

The prince breathed out and felt as though the weight on his shoulders had been lifted, making him much more relaxed.

In response, the Jade City officials, who had suddenly become loyal and morale-filled for all sorts of reasons, patted their chests one after another and declared that they would surely exhaust heart and strength, repay him with their bodies, and absolutely not fail His Highness the prince's painstaking effort and expectations.

"We have delayed here too long. We will go back immediately to handle official business and improve efficiency..."

"The repairs and aftermath of the market fire are accelerating. We have decided to discuss it again and produce an even better plan..."

"Security Hall patrols will return to three rounds a day, ensuring citizens live and work in peace and travelers feel at home..."

"After Lord Brennan's death, the Judgment Hall's efficiency declined and many dispute cases piled up. We will go back and strive to catch up..."

"The prison has discussed internally. With optimized procedures and systems, one-third of the cells can be cleared to hold those awaiting detention, so there is no need to keep indulging those minor offenders..."

"The Discipline Office has reflected on this. We still need to keep our feet on the ground. Carving quotations on steles is too absurd and unrealistic. Right, we need to shift focus and deal with market bullying and financial fraud, to be anxious over what the people are anxious about..."

"The entertainment activities in the Iris District have been rather monotonous these past few days. We can liven things up, stir the atmosphere, and win everyone's confidence back..."

"We will study market preference measures again and see whether we can stimulate the economy further and recover confidence..."

"Regarding the maritime crimes people have been worried about recently, we will dispatch police vessels to patrol, achieving constant alertness, peace of mind at every step, and reassurance for every person..."

Thales listened to these many heroic words setting goals, expressing loyalty, and establishing determination, and gradually smiled. But as the lords' words became increasingly heated and public-spirited, his smile slowly disappeared again.

"Gentlemen."

Thales spoke softly, and the study quickly quieted.

"After Emerald Palace suffered great change, regardless of why you, sitting in these positions, declined, gave yourselves up, and willingly degenerated, whether because of interest, ideals, duty, salary, position, tradition, habit, or something else..."

Thales thought of the series of events after Zayen stepped down.

"And regardless of why you have swept away chronic illness, changed your natures, and become as enthusiastic, upward-looking, selfless, diligent, and hardworking as you are now, regardless of how long this current state will continue and how long it will take effect, and regardless of what view you have of me or what opinions..."

The prince took a deep breath.

"Please remember. The rise and fall of this place, the livelihoods of tens of thousands of citizens, including your own life fates, are all in your hands."

He swept his eyes over every official with incomparable seriousness.

"You are not working for Jade City, still less for Zayen or the iris flower."

Thales's gaze was sharp, and he lightly tapped his chest.

"You are working for yourselves."

"And even more, you are saving yourselves."

"Because if you do not do this," Thales said sincerely, "believe me, in this world, there are things far more terrifying than the Kingdom's Wrath."

As soon as these words came out, everyone grew solemn.

At this moment, Knight Cecil, who had been silent in the queue, suddenly strode forward and stepped out from the crowd.

The Royal Guards were startled and moved forward one after another, until Wya stopped them.

"Please rest assured, Your Highness."

Knight Cecil gritted his teeth, his face full of anger.

"This subordinate will immediately mobilize people and dig three feet into the ground to find that vampire killer, including Miss Hilley..."

Thales first froze, then smiled.

"And then?"

He interrupted Cecil.

"While digging three feet into the ground, let people laugh once more, saying that Lady Hilley seized the prince's captive, and I still have to search the whole city with great fanfare to find him back?"

Cecil paused at those words, somewhat embarrassed.

"Forget that stupid killer, and there is no need to find Hilley," Thales stood, sighing with emotion. "After these days, Jade City's experiences have taught me one thing."

He walked to the window and stared absently at Jade City's bustling streets below.

"There are no shortcuts in governing a place."

Thales spoke quietly, without the least restraint.

"Whether I can sit firmly in the city lord's position, what personal grievances exist between me and Covendier, how many slaps Hilley gave me, whether Zayen truly killed his father years ago, or how much the kingdom center wants Emerald Palace's wealth, these are all branches and details."

Each sentence he said was more sensitive than the last, making others' faces change again and again. They could only look at one another, hold their breath, concentrate, and pretend they had not heard.

Only Wya took quick notes in a small book, listening thoughtfully.

Thales gazed at Jade City, dazed and absent.

"The most important thing is to govern Jade City well and let everyone have food to eat. No, to let everyone have hope in their eyes."

Everyone listened in confusion while Thales took a deep breath and turned back.

"This is far more useful and practical than using maneuvers, alliance and suppression, shifting contradictions, factional struggles, slinging mud at political enemies, assigning crimes, and all sorts of methods that seem clever, powerful, and praiseworthy to preserve my own position, maintain my authority, and hold my own rice bowl steady."

He said softly:

"In truth, this is what I, what Zayen, what those high nobles and scum among men who sit in this position, truly ought to do."