Chapter 189: Two Sides
General Lancet was walking toward Hughes’s residence, a newspaper from Brambleford in hand.
Unlike before, the price of this issue had actually gone down instead of up. Lancet still vividly remembered what the merchant selling it had said:
"Though I am a merchant, I am first a citizen of the Eldorian Empire. How can I care only for profit at a time of national celebration?"
As he walked, Lancet couldn’t help but reflect that Simon’s victory had come at the perfect time. When the people of the Eldorian Empire had nearly grown numb to humiliation at the hands of foreign enemies, this sudden triumph was like a thunderclap that woke the entire nation. In the past, no one wanted to talk about politics. Now, even the street vendors selling sesame pancakes were passionately discussing the Dunmere Victory.
Soon, he arrived at the Baker’s residence, where the butler was already waiting at the door.
"The master knew you would come, General." The butler said with a smile. "He told me to wait outside and welcome you in."
"Oh? That sly old fox." Lancet chuckled and followed him in.
Inside, Hughes was already waiting in the main hall. As soon as he saw Lancet, he held up his own copy of the newspaper, grinning. "You beat me to it this time." Lancet laughed as he sat down.
In recent days, the peace faction had fallen completely silent, while the pro-war ministers were full of momentum. As the leading voice of the war faction, Lancet was naturally in great spirits.
Hughes smiled. "I had to move quickly; this victory at Dunmere finally helped our people vent their anger. I just finished reading the paper and still feel my blood boiling with excitement."
"No kidding." Lancet nodded. "I read it on the way here, and I almost shouted out in joy. The report is incredibly detailed. Winning that battle wasn’t easy."
Hughes narrowed his eyes. "You’re this happy because of Liam, aren’t you? The paper specifically praised the commanders who performed best in the battle, and Liam was listed first."
"You can’t say that. The real number one should be Benjamin." Lancet replied modestly. "If it weren’t for his leadership, Liam wouldn’t have had the chance to shine. But Benjamin’s a convicted man, so I guess Prince Simon left his name out on purpose, to avoid giving people like Darrel an excuse to stir trouble."
Still, the joy on his face was impossible to hide. After all, the Quake family had contributed to this major victory, and as a father, how could he not be proud? With such a feat under his belt, Liam’s future career in the military was as good as guaranteed.
Hughes, who knew Lancet’s character like the back of his hand, understood exactly what this visit was about: he had come to brag about his son.
"I see," Hughes said. "Well, if you’re too shy to ask for credit, I’ll do it for you. I’ll speak to His Majesty on Liam’s behalf. How’s that?"
"You really shouldn’t," Lancet replied with false humility. "Liam only benefited from following Prince Simon. His Majesty will make the right decision."
Hughes smiled knowingly. Compared to Benjamin’s bluntness, Lancet was clearly more politically savvy. That’s why he was still a top-ranking general despite his strong stance in favour of war. First, he had real battlefield achievements. Second, he knew when to advance and when to hold back. He wasn’t rigid.
If Liam were promoted now, the Quake family’s influence in the military would rise again, and Lancet’s voice would carry even more weight against those who pushed for peace.
"That may be so," Hughes said. "But credit must be given where it’s due."
Lancet grinned. "Then I owe you a drink, Hughes."
After a bit more chatting, Lancet lowered his voice and changed the subject.
"I heard His Majesty is personally arranging a marriage proposal between Prince Simon and your daughter. What are your thoughts?"
Hughes’s smile faded.
He sighed. "To be honest, His Majesty did bring it up again. His tone was much firmer this time; he seemed determined to see it through. But you know about Elin’s health. I really don’t want to send her far away to Brambleford."
"This victory put His Majesty in a great mood," Lancet said. "Naturally, he wants to reward Prince Simon, and arranging this marriage is the best way to honour such merit. It’s also His Majesty’s way of ensuring Prince Simon’s long-term security."
Hughes nodded. "That’s true. But I’m still worried. Prince Simon’s recent fame will inevitably attract jealousy from the other princes. And the reavers will surely see him as a threat now. More importantly, he destroyed the noble clans in his domain. The rest of the aristocracy won’t forget that. His future won’t be an easy one."
Lancet, who had been basking in happiness, now grew serious. "You’re right. I hadn’t considered all that. Prince Simon’s merits are impressive, but his support base is still weak. He has no powerful maternal relatives, and the throne has always followed the order of seniority. It’ll be hard for him to claim it."
"Exactly," Hughes said with a furrowed brow. "That’s what troubles me. Based on this merit alone, he deserves to marry into the Baker family. But I worry he’ll meet the same fate as Prince Ezekiel."
At the mention of Prince Ezekiel, Lancet’s expression changed drastically.
He looked around cautiously before whispering. "Hughes, are you out of your mind? How could you even mention that name? His Majesty hates hearing about him. Many ministers who pleaded for Prince Ezekiel were executed. Isn’t that warning enough?"
Hughes’s face went pale. If a royal spy overheard this conversation, it would be easy for a court official to accuse him of sympathising with Prince Ezekiel. Even as head of the Baker family, he could end up stripped of his title and sent home in disgrace.
He bowed slightly. "Thank you, Lancet. That was careless of me. I only meant to draw a comparison. Every new emperor is wary of powerful brothers with battlefield glory. I just don’t want my daughter to suffer for it."
Lancet sighed. "That might not be the case. Prince Simon isn’t like others. Think about it, how long has it been since Dunmere fell? And now he’s taken Brambleford’s army and avenged that loss. That alone proves he’s incredibly talented. Maybe he was just lazy before. Now that he’s on the right path, perhaps one day he’ll be like Prince Gerad, guarding the borders for generations to come."
Hughes didn’t seem convinced. He rubbed his temples and said. "Let’s not talk about this anymore. I’m tired of sitting around. Let’s go for a walk."
With that, the two men left the hall. As they exited, Hughes glanced toward the corner beside the main room.
Comments