Chapter 234
Raul thought. ‘Had I not sent Joshua, Avery, and Andrew to apologize to Margaery?
‘How did the matter spread everywhere? Moreover, Dermot said…
Raul felt a chill all over. If the people disliked him, could he remain as the Chancellor?
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Raul snapped back to his senses and looked at the King, wailing loudly, “Your Majesty! I was deceived by villains. Tessa harbored malicious intent, colluded with Mark, and switched the water, causing me to misunderstand Margaery…”
“You misunderstood, so she must die?” The King finally spoke, glancing at him with a calm tone, “Even if she is not your daughter, she is the Star of Fortune.
“I am the Star. Do you wish for the Star of Fortune to die?”
Though his voice was not loud, it was chilling. Raul’s face turned deathly pale, and he felt as if all the blood had frozen.
Hardly giving him a chance to speak further, the King had already issued an order, “Raul failed to discern the enemy, neglected the safety of the nation, and plotted against the Star of Fortune. He is no longer fit to hold the position of Chancellor.
“Effective immediately, the Chancellor’s title is revoked. Go to the Ministry of Rites and serve as an assistant.”
“Your Majesty!” Upon hearing this, Raul was stunned, and he wailed as he fell to the ground, “I know I was wrong, I truly know I was wrong! I beg you for mercy!”
Under the King of Eastvale Empire, the highest official was the Chancellor, and that was Raul.
Among the six ministries, the Ministry of Rites appeared the most prestigious on the surface, serving as the face of the court. In reality, however, its most important duty was examinations, which were reclaimed by the King three years ago and handed over to a separate institution dedicated solely to the Royal Examinations.
Thus, the current responsibilities of the Ministry of Rites were now limited to overseeing ceremonies and sacrificial offerings.
To put it plainly, the Ministry of Rites was now just an empty shell, merely managing state parties, rituals, and a variety of miscellaneous ceremonial protocols.
The Eastvale Empire valued ritual, but such rituals were hollow.
Struggles in the court were fought with real swords and spears, amidst blood and storms, not with ceremonial protocols.
Let alone, it was merely the position of an assistant in the Ministry of Rites!
When he was Chancellor, he held the highest rank!
The assistant in the Ministry of Rites was of the sixth rank.
He did not even qualify to attend the imperial meeting. This was a demotion of six levels at once. The collapse was imminent!
Speaking of heartbreak, this was the most painful moment Raul has experienced in his life.
Even when his mother died, he was not this distraught
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Chapter 234
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The King, however, remained unmoved, his voice as emotionless as ever. “Should we expel the Wallen family from Sinderin City? In this position, I must follow the will of the people.”
He raised his hand to summon Dermot and quietly asked, “Who leaked the news?”
Dermot broke out in a cold sweat and replied, “It was… Margaery.”
The King thought, ‘She is remarkable! She is only sixteen, so ruthless!
‘Moreover, she achieves her goals without bloodshed, always turning the traps set by others to her own advantage.
The King nodded and said, “She is gifted.
“Prepare issue the imperial edict. Effective immediately, the Chancellor is dismissed. In one month, Raul will take up his post at the Ministry of Rites.”
“Yes!” Dermot responded and hurried to prepare.
The turmoil in the court unfolded immediately.
In less than a moment, the position of Chancellor, which had existed for centuries in the history of the Eastvale Empire, vanished. Raul, once second only to the King and above all others, became an assistant in the Ministry of Rites, unqualified even to attend an imperial meeting.
Immediately after, the second imperial edict was issued to Joshua.
His position as the King’s personal bodyguard was revoked, yet no new official post was arranged. from now on, he could only remain idle at home.
Raul watched helplessly as Dermot took the imperial edict out to announce it to the world. He fainted.
The King rose, looking down at Raul, who had collapsed on the floor, and uttered shocking news, “Raul, the Chancellor’s seat was never meant for you. One day, the true Wallen family will rise, and your Smith family will be wiped out.”
Behind him, the commander of the palace guards was shocked by these words and asked, “Your Majesty, do you intend to overturn the case of Harlan’s death?”
“It is not yet time.” The King narrowed his eyes and said to him, “Summon Marc. I have matters to instruct him.”
“Yes!” The commander of the palace guards departed swiftly.
Immediately afterward, Dashnell came to the palace.
“Dad” Dashnell was still seated in his wheelchair, yet before the King, he showed no sign of timidity. Instead, there was a sense of composure and warmth.
“Did you go to the ley Pool?” the King asked.
He glanced at Dashnell, his gaze resolute.
Dashnell nodded and replied, “I did.”
At this moment, pain welled up in his eyes, and his voice grew hoarse.
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The King got straight to the point, “The establishment of the Cabinet is imminent. I see you have managed well and chosen people without any personal bias. Therefore, there are two rewards. You may choose one.
“First, a royal title and fief.
“Second, have the Minister of Personnel recognize Margaery as his adopted daughter.”
The first was obviously a reward, and an extremely prestigious one at that.
After all, to this day, no prince had been granted a royal title in court.
The second seemed entirely unrelated to Dashnell and hardly counts as a reward at all.
Yet Dashnell could only choose the second.
Choosing the first would make him the target of everyone. With so many elder brothers above him, he did not wish to stand out for now.
Most importantly, the King was wise and formidable, with ruthless methods. If anyone stepped forward, they would surely be the first to be eliminated.
Dashnell had a hunch that the King actually knew many of his secrets.
But the King said nothing, which was tacit approval.
However, even this tacit approval had its limits. A single misstep could mean utter ruin with no chance of redemption.
Thus, what appeared to be a reward was, in fact, a test.
The second option, which seemed unrelated to him, was actually the true reward.
He had rendered meritorious service, and the King’s reward to Margaery was a tacit acknowledgment that they were a pair and would not be separated.
This credit fell upon Margaery. She fell from being the daughter of the Chancellor to an ordinary person, becoming an orphan. Then, she rose swiftly to become the daughter of the Minister of Personnel.
This was paving the way for her, giving her backing.
So, who required such a distinguished status? It was the Queen!
Clearly, Margaery had passed the King’s test and had become the designated candidate for the next Queen.
Dashnell was delighted and bowed, saying, “Thank you, Dad. I choose the second option.”
“Very well, convene the cabinet immediately and hold a meeting overnight!” The King looked deeply at Dashnell.
He admired Dashnell.
The Eastvale Empire had suffered internal and external troubles for many years and had never truly recovered.
In such circumstances, a single generation of the King could’t strengthen the nation. He needed successive generations of
wise rulers.
One must remain composed, control the situation, possess strength, and know when to advance or retreat.
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