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“But,” Margaery’s tone shifted, “if they have someone on the inside within the palace, they wouldn’t need so many.”
The King looked at her, and starlight flashed in his deep eyes.
“Your judgment is sound,” he nodded.
“So, you want General Griffith to step down first, then send the enemy up, open the city gates, and let the enemy in.
“Then, regain control of the city defense troops, seal the city gates, and trap these people who have walked into the net, capturing them all at once?” the King asked.
Margaery nodded, “That’s not difficult to accomplish.”
“The difficult part is the situation with the palace guards,” she pointed out.
As Margaery knew nothing about this, she said, “These matters still require tYour Majesty’s careful arrangement.”
With those words, she offered a respectful curtsy.
The King nodded, turned to the painted screen behind him, and said, “Go prepare. Tell Lady Freda to pray for the late King for one month, and she is not allowed to step out of the chapel.”
Someone left from behind the screen.
Margaery watched the King’s reaction and had a strange intuition: the King was on guard against Callum.
Not only on guard, but even in control.
She was unsure whether her visit to the palace tonight had truly made a difference, nor could she guess.
The King looked at her, “You look haggard. Are you troubled by this matter?”
Margaery shook her head, “It’s because I’m anxious to train myself.”
“I hardly trained for a long time. Now, suddenly increasing the intensity, it’s inevitable to feel a bit unaccustomed, but it’s nothing serious. Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty,” she said.
The King nodded, “To wear the crown, one must bear its weight. I believe that after two years of tempering, you will surely amaze the world.”
This was already the highest praise.
Margaery bowed her head, one hand placed over her heart in a pledge. “Your Majesty, I will not fail you.”
“Hmm, go to the side hall and rest for a while. Although this matter is dangerous, it is not too difficult,” the King reminded in a steady tone.
He glanced at Dermot, “Take the Star of Fortune to sleep for a while.”
“Miss, please!” Dermot said.
He stepped forward, his expression toward Margaery especially kind and amiable.
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Once they reached the side hall, he smiled and said, “Miss, you have the King in your heart. It means the King’s care for you was not in vain.”
Margaery hurriedly replied, “I rely entirely on the King’s protection.”
“Having this intention is best,” Dermot smiled.
“Rest well. Those people below who wish to ascend to the heavens will find it is not so easy,” he reminded.
Margaery nodded and lay down on the bed.
Indeed, the King had dismissed the Chancellor, established the cabinet, and was simultaneously testing Nathaniel, Marcus, Callum, Isander, and even Eldric Sutherland, who had gotten involved.
How could he possibly be unprepared?
‘But at present, a chaotic situation is probably unavoidable,‘ Margaery thought.
But in the end, she was truly exhausted.
Even in an unfamiliar place, as soon as her head touched the pillow, she closed her eyes and drifted into a deep sleep.
Meanwhile, in the Imperial Study, the King felt somewhat envious of her.
After all, she was not in his position; if she wished to sleep, she could do so for a while.
But he could not.
At this critical moment, he estimated he would have to endure another month before the complete reshuffling of the court was finished.
“Perhaps, the court and the Royal Examinations should be opened to women.”
The King looked at Simon and said, “Back then, Grace was wasted. Now… The Eastvale Empire is weak and needs everyone’s efforts to forge a new path. I hope to use every talent as they come, casting aside prejudice.”
Simon sank to one knee, head bowed. “Your Majesty’s vision is profound. The women of the realm, and all your subjects, will be forever grateful.
The Warrior King of the Eastvale Empire possessed not only means and strategy.
‘He also had magnanimity, Simon mused.
The only reason he had agreed to serve as High Priest was that he had been won over by the King’s character. Nothing else could have kept him.
The King gazed out the window into the deep darkness of the night, slowly took a deep breath, and said. “Whether they are grateful to me is not important. This life will eventually become nothing but a fleeting cloud, but still hope to do something.”
“Perhaps, this is what it means to be human,” he sighed.
Silence fell in the Imperial Study.
After a long while, the King spoke again, “The highest hall is also the deepest hell. My throne glitters with gold, but beneath it, countless people’s blood and heads float.”
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“I am at the summit, and also in the abyss. This place is heaven, and also hell,” he added.
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Simon pondered his words and suddenly understood why the King possessed such breadth of mind. It was because he had seen through the meaning of the word “human.”
‘Indeed, he is the most outstanding disciple of his generation in the Chapel of Wisdom,’ Simon thought.
Soon after, General Griffith arrived.
In his fifties, with some gray in his hair, he entered and immediately knelt on one knee. “Your Majesty, I have failed my duty. I await your judgment.”
He had never imagined that during a citywide lockdown, the city defense troops responsible for security would actually attempt to assassinate the Star of Fortune. Was this not the same as slapping the King’s face?
When the news reached him, he already felt he was doomed.
‘Have you found out who those people are and when they joined the army?” the King asked.
He was much calmer than General Griffith, barely responding to his words.
General Griffith almost cried upon hearing this. “I’ve investigated. They joined the city defense troops two years ago!”
‘At that time, there was a bandit problem on the mountains outside the city. I was ordered to suppress them. On the way back, for some reason, my horse was startled and went mad, throwing me down the mountain. Because I broke my leg, I recuperated at home for half a year,” he recalled.
‘During that period, replacements were made for those lost in the bandit suppression, about two hundred people. Tonight’s operation involved some of these men!” he said.
Everyone has a record, so it is not difficult to check.
However, the matter is not so simple!‘ he thought to himself.
He lowered his head, dejectedly admitting defeat. “These people came in at that time, since there was only this one personnel change in recent years. But the time shown on the records was delayed by eight months.”
Eight months later, after recovering from his injuries, he took office.
After reviewing the documents from that time, he thought it was just routine procedure to expand the staff, but he never expected such a major trap to be hidden!
“It was my failure to conduct a thorough review!” General Griffith admitted.
General Griffith pleaded guilty, “I have betrayed Your Majesty’s trust. I request to be stripped of my rank.”
The King, upon hearing this, glanced at the side hall entrance, then exchanged a look with Simon.
As expected, the enemy was targeting the city defense forces.
General Griffith was forthright to a fault. Before a word of blame could even be spoken, he had already asked to be demoted.
And once he was gone, the city defense would fall straight into enemy hands.
“Don’t be in a rush,” the King said.
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“Tell me, who recruited this group of people? Never mind what the documents say; I want to know what actually happened,” he demanded.
General Griffith thought for a moment and said, “This matter… was handled by Vance. He was responsible for expanding the staff at the time, but whether he was acting under someone else’s orders, I do not know.”
He stood shakily, feeling somewhat confused.
The King does not seem very angry?
He even told him not to be in a rush?‘ Simon thought.
Upon hearing this, the King instructed Warren, “Go investigate Vance, focusing on his family connections and associates.”
Warren nodded and went out to make arrangements.
The King looked at General Griffith, “You need not be too anxious about this matter. Next, I need your cooperation with something, and you will have to endure some hardship.”
General Griffith was somewhat astonished, “Please instruct me, Your Majesty!”
For a moment, he could not tell whether the King was tactfully punishing him or truly entrusting him with another task. After the King finished explaining what needed to be done, General Griffith was surprised, “Does Your Majesty mean someone is planning a mutiny?”
This is serious!‘ he thought.
‘I have long been aware of this. Just put on a show,” the King said.
General Griffith dropped to one knee, fist over his heart. “Your will shall be done, Your Majesty.”
The King waved his hand and ordered someone to take him away, “General Griffith is guilty of dereliction of duty, allowing the city defense forces to attempt to assassinate the Star of Fortune. The death penalty may be spared, but punishment is inevitable!”
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Chapter 288
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
