Chapter 1287: Chapter 1286: Returning Home
"What exactly did you do?"
Standing at the port, Count’s gaze had just returned from the secret policemen not far away.
Just like people from the Federation can easily distinguish a plainclothes officer from an investigator or special agent, Gafura’s people can easily tell who is a police officer and who is a secret policeman.
From a distance, the Count sensed the "stench" emanating from these individuals.
No one likes secret police, not even the nobility. These secret policemen, equipped with many privileges, always find ways to disgrace the nobility, which is why they’re disliked.
The Count was curious about what Lynch had done that necessitated his departure, especially with a troupe of secret policemen "seeing" him off.
There were more than just those few people around, quite a number.
Lynch gazed at the distant city and smiled, "You’d better not know."
He sighed softly, "After I leave, you’d best return to Amelia soon. The political landscape in Gafura is undergoing massive changes. Regardless of whether it’s for now or his future, the Governor of Amelia will ease some restrictions."
"Your power and convenience there will be greater than now, and development will be quicker."
With the Emperor dead, the Governor is uneasy. Regardless of who orchestrated the assassination, the Emperor’s death leaves him as the last obstacle in the reform of the monarchy.
Fortunately, the Amelie Province is designated as a "Special Zone," which ensures the Governor’s safety and power, at least for the short term. However, in the long run... it’s not so easily guaranteed.
He needs to seize power, expand his influence, and will rely more than ever on the province’s nobility.
Industries and fields previously off-limits to the nobility will gradually be opened to them, presenting a rare opportunity for individuals like the Count.
Once Amelia Province’s future is settled, Gafura’s Prime Minister Cabinet or the Central Government will not allow Amelia’s special industries to be touched by the nobility.
But for what they’ve already "consumed," the government can’t do much. Ultimately, to maintain stability, what the nobility currently acquire will essentially belong to them.
The Count was evidently aware of this too, as Lynch had discussed many plans with him over the past days.
He nodded firmly, "I’m taking the ship in the morning."
The two embraced once more. Under the protection of security personnel, Lynch boarded the ship.
The passenger ship quickly left the port, and the secret police returned to report.
When the Prime Minister learned Lynch had left, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Even now, he could not entirely confirm that this incident was orchestrated by the Federation.
Because there is no evidence!
As a politician, he knows that in facing such potentially war-inducing events, evidence is far more important than intuition.
Lynch’s words and the Prime Minister’s own feelings made him conclude that even if the incident wasn’t directly organized by the Federation, there were unavoidable connections with them.
Yet without evidence in reality, he could only make decisions completely contrary to his suspicions, letting Lynch go.
He had no reason to detain a diplomat, especially without evidence.
These past days, under his direction, the secret police had identified the "assassin," and confirmed from the assassin’s parents that he was indeed their son.
This confounded the Prime Minister and everyone involved in this case, as the assassin was Gafura’s citizen. Even if he had gone to Amelie Province to support local educational endeavors.
The assassin had no reason to assassinate the Emperor, even if influenced by anti-government forces from Amelie, he had no connection with Lynch or the Federation.
To unravel this mystery, they must find the key individual.
The assassin.
But he couldn’t be found, and at one point, the Prime Minister doubted whether Lynch’s claim was true—that the assassin had departed in a submarine, perhaps it was indeed the case.
Yet again, no evidence exists to support this hypothesis, so he could only pretend Lynch was joking.
Fortunately, Lynch finally left.
The Prime Minister then immersed himself in new tasks, as the highest decision-maker in Gafura, he couldn’t remain silent about the Emperor’s assassination. He must not only act but also express.
Despite not locating the assassin, perhaps this is the best outcome, at least from his perspective.
If they found the assassin and he admitted the Federation instigated him, then what would be done—pursue or not pursue?
Pursue, and war would inevitably break out.
Not pursue, the citizens emotionally couldn’t accept it.
The Emperor was assassinated by the other side. If the Prime Minister continues to retreat, it will only lead the entire Gafura nation into utter despair.
Now that the assassin has vanished without a trace, it actually provides great convenience for the Prime Minister.
After a brief moment of contemplation and a few phone calls, he confirmed the nature of this assassination case!
Some nobility stripped of their titles were dissatisfied with the Emperor’s decision, and alongside nobles equally displeased with the emperor’s deprivation of their privileges, they orchestrated this horrifying assassination!
Yes, it was the nobility who directed the assassin to kill the Emperor, and there are witnesses and evidence. Perhaps, aside from the "orchestrator" who might be unclear about how they carried out this series of events without any knowledge, everyone else is well aware!
Utilizing the elites’ venting of these emotions also helps accelerate and intensify the execution of abolishing the nobles’ privilege bill, turning the public completely against the nobility.
Of course, this isn’t to say all elites are bad; some are still good, like the great nobility.
They are the first ones to relinquish their identities and integrate into society, ultimately representing public opinion.
When the Prime Minister’s Cabinet announced the investigation results, the entire nation was in uproar, and some citizens, as if having lost all reason, began attacking stores related to the nobility.
Although these people couldn’t be called royalists, at this moment, they harbored intense hatred towards the nobility.
The minor unrest lasted less than three days before stabilizing, and the Prime Minister continued his governance.
He delivered a public speech, urging citizens to transform their internal grief into the power of revenge, using this power to build Gafura, and reconstructing Gafura as the greatest country in the world!
A series of policies were announced for this, quickly drawing the populace out of all sorts of chaotic emotions into a new era.
The abolition of the monarchy and the reform of the government structure allowed more commoners to have the opportunity to enter governmental institutions and assume important positions. This was indeed a major upheaval for Gafura.
The night before the Prime Minister formally took office, he took time to meet with the Eldest Prince.
The meeting was brief, and afterward, the Prime Minister left.
In the room, the Eldest Prince sat silently in his chair, his mind constantly echoing with the Prime Minister’s last words.
"...Indeed, I promised your father that I would resign after the reforms, but I never said that I would not re-run for Prime Minister as a commoner..."
This... perhaps this is politics!
Filled with wisdom, lies, deceit, and all things beautiful and ugly!
Turning to Lynch, who had returned to the Federation, he quickly participated in his first court hearing, attending as an observer.
Beside him was the legal advisor from Future Light Investment Company. He needed to understand the nature and outcome of this case to some extent.
Serra sat innocently in the defendant’s seat. This case wasn’t brought forth by any natural and independent Federation citizen but by the prosecutor.
"Generally speaking, prosecutors aren’t interested in such minor cases. There’s a good chance there’s some information here that we haven’t grasped yet."
Lynch slightly nodded from the observation seat and exchanged a distant greeting with Serra.
The judge noticed this and picked up the gavel, ready to knock it a few times to let the young man wildly gesturing in the courtroom understand the court’s sanctity.
But after being reminded by the assistant judge beside him, he noticed that the young man was Lynch, and his grip on the gavel loosened.
A child, seeing his mother in court, what’s wrong with a simple greeting?
Even the Chief Justices often say that on the basis of emphasizing human morality, some passionate acts can be leniently forgiven.
Lynch was unaware that the judge had just prepared to ask him to leave, and after retracting his hand, he softly said, "Is it possible they’re really doing this recruitment business?"
The legal advisor was momentarily stunned but quickly reacted, "Mr. Lynch, if the nature of this case is truly that simple, then you needn’t worry about Ms. Serra losing the case."
"According to the Federation’s legal definition, only when someone enters into the...of the opposite sex or...and pays money for such a one-time transaction is it considered recruitment."
"As far as I know, You’Er Mei does offer some adult services, but these services aren’t intended to provide relief for one side, nor is there any monetary transaction involved."
Lynch nodded noncommittally, "I’m not clear about these, but there must be a reason for them doing this...," he turned to the legal advisor, "in this aspect, you’re the expert, surely with enough connections, find out."
He glanced at the Saint Harmony Association badge hanging on the legal advisor’s chest, of the lowest level, looking very new.
Lynch was somewhat of an "old member," though he rarely participated in Saint Harmony Association activities, and the Association wasn’t organizing secret meetings as people might imagine.
Perhaps not having an official meeting for one or two years, most of the time, members contact each other privately.
The legal advisor nodded, indicating he understood, and then left.
He must consider his future, and satisfying Lynch was the best approach.
