Kingdom Bloodline

place a bet.

  gambling?

Facing Zhane and Thales who were looking at him, Federico was sweating profusely and muttering to himself.

How did the topic turn...

Are we here yet?

"I know, cousin, I don't like this result either," Zhan En said slowly, "but he is right about one thing: this is the option with the least loss for the three of us."

Thales nodded slightly, trying his best to get rid of the non-existent web while taking deep breaths.

"The loss...is minimal?" Federico looked at Jane with sharp eyes, like a captain who had found his compass in the fog.

"When I was a kid, Father Feble said in politics class: Triangle is the balance."

Zhan En picked up the teacup, but did not taste it. He just rubbed the rim of the cup carefully:

"If one of the parties wanted to suffer less loss..."

"It means that the other two parties will suffer greater losses," Federico interrupted him. He glanced at the silent Thales and said in a trance, "You forgot that I also took his class. Just when you..."

"Before I went to the East Continent to study," Duke of Nan'an showed a dangerous smile at the corner of his mouth, "Fortunately, fortunately you didn't forget."

Federico's expression changed slightly.

The triangle is the balance...

Then the other two...

"What do you say, Feder?"

  Thales looked at the Eternal Clock and checked today's schedule:

"Become a Viscount, or I'll find you another place?"

Federico looked at Thales, who had a tense expression, and then at Zhan En, who was confident about what he had done. Suddenly, he realized that he was the only person still standing in the study.

Abrupt and isolated.

Thinking of this, Federico's expression became even uglier.

However, in just a few seconds, the exiled noble took a deep breath, restrained his expression, sat back in his seat with a straight posture, and thought seriously.

Rebalance the height in the study.

Kevin Diehl indeed.

Seeing how quickly Federico adjusted his mindset and returned to calm thinking, Thales couldn't help but secretly admire him.

He is worthy of being the one who can bring down Zhan En.

He is indeed a man who would crawl back to the Emerald City for revenge even if he had been in exile for more than ten years and lived under someone else's roof.

If he wasn't born this way...

Thinking of his past experience as a hostage to Exter, Thales stared at Federico at the moment, understood something, and nodded slowly.

A good opponent.

The voice in the boy's heart expressed approval:

I just don’t know if he is also a good ally?

Thales felt depressed.

"Don't worry, I don't mean to force you to put aside your hatred and love each other." Thinking of this, Thales spoke again, trying to add to the bargaining chip, "One day, you will have the opportunity to fight to the death again - and I will never interfere then."

Maybe he's even happy to fan the flames.

The Kevin Dill brothers frowned in unison.

"After all," Thales sipped his tea and deliberately repeated the words he had used to tease his opponent, "I'm not a demon."

"That's true," Zhan En sneered, stroking the teacup, "Devils are not as cruel as you."

"Thank you for the compliment." Thales was not angry at all, and even tasted a little more yerba mate.

Well, once you get used to it, the bitterness will fade away.

"But I have no chance of winning, right?"

  Feder looked lost in thought:

"Like I said before: Back in Emerald City, back in Kongming Palace, back in the home turf he has run and ruled for more than a decade, it will be difficult for me to defeat him - even with the support of His Highness."

Thales paused for a moment.

"Is this the reason why you don't dare to place a bet?"

Zhan En laughed at his cousin:

"When you came back with all your might to seek revenge, didn't you have 'a noble person to help you'?"

A noble person helps...

Federico's expression changed slightly, but he didn't say anything back.

"I understand, Feder. This is not an easy decision to make."

  Thales observed his appearance, and deliberately looked down at the schedule again, and said gently:

"It's okay, just take your time to figure it out. You have plenty of time before the Praise Feast."

"It's not necessary to figure it out." Zhan En added indifferently.

"I suggest you shut up, Zhan En," Thales turned to the Duke of South Shore and put away his good face, "By the way, as a reward for you, from now on, you are free."

Federico frowned and turned to look at Zhane who was also stunned.

"Reward? Freedom? Now? Even before the Feast of Praise?"

  Zhan En paused for a moment, then chuckled disdainfully:

"After this gets out, will people think that you have already decided that I will win the case?"

Federico lowered his head and clenched his fists.

"Don't push your luck, Zhan En." Thales said coldly, "I will still be the regent before the Praise Feast. If you think the Emerald City is too big and want to go to the capital to be imprisoned, I welcome you anytime."

Zhan En's smile froze.

"The meeting has exceeded the time limit. You can leave now." Thales lowered his head and pretended to make a few meaningless circles on the schedule that had already been annotated. "I still have a lot of things to do today."

"This is unreasonable."

Federico suddenly spoke up, causing Thales and Zhane to turn their heads.

"Your Highness, Zhan En, you...the conversation just now, the smooth talk, the gambling..."

Federico took a deep breath, and seemed to be thinking of something, his expression kept changing:

“None of this makes sense.”

Thales' eyebrows jumped.

"nonsense."

  Zhan En said with disgust:

"If there is a more reasonable way, who the hell would be willing to play along with him and gamble with the Emerald City?"

"Do not!!"

  Federico looked up suddenly, emotional:

"You, Zhan En, are the gambler who is eager to turn the tables, and your Highness is the dealer who has other plans. You have reached a compromise and joined forces to cheat. The one you have to deal with is the master of the gambling game - the dealer!"

Thales and Zhan En paused.

"But you shouldn't have so easily and carelessly dragged me, and another gambler at the gambling table, into your gambling game."

  Federico had an unpleasant expression and shook his head slightly:

"Especially when this gambler entered the game, he was so close to the dealer - what if after hearing the conspiracy, he not only refused to join in the cheating, but even went to inform the dealer?"

  Feder picked up the teacup and emphasized again in a trance:

"This shouldn't happen, and it doesn't make sense."

Thales' fingers tightened around the teacup.

"Ask this guy," he pointed at Zhan En and sighed, "He has to say it so bluntly."

Zhan En remained calm.

"unless……"

  In an instant, Federico figured something out. He stared at Zhan En in disbelief, then looked at Thales:

"Unless this was deliberate."

The study became quiet.

"He deliberately made it clear and dragged me into this," Federico's eyes widened, "in order to force me... to make a choice."

The prince and the duke couldn't help but look at each other.

  Thales had to cough:

“Are you thinking too much…?”

  But before he could finish his words, Zhan En interrupted him loudly:

"Choose what?"

The Duke of South Bank stared coldly at his cousin:

"At this point, Federico, do you think you still have a choice?"

Federico turned his head in a daze and looked at his brothers of the same clan and his biggest rival.

"Choice..." He understood something while muttering to himself and smiled suddenly, "I see, Zhan En, that's it."

  Federico turned the cup in his hand around:

"Now, as someone who knows about this 'cheating', if I don't compromise... even if it's just for our own safety, you and His Highness must not let me leave here alive."

His mind was quick, and the more he thought about it, the more certain he became:

"You created this situation to force me to this point, to make me realize that I can either compromise with you or be killed by you."

Thales frowned when he heard this.

  Zhan En's eyes became colder and colder. He glanced at Thales:

"Who knows? This useless guy is always kind and lenient..."

  Thales looked grim:

What snacks?

Which dessert?

Zhan En said, "...even if you refuse to compromise, he will probably still let you go and surrender to the 'banker' and tell on you?"

Federico's eyes narrowed when he heard this.

"In contrast, the dealer must be able to distinguish right from wrong."

Zhan En picked up the teaspoon absentmindedly and stirred the cup gently:

"He probably wouldn't wonder why you survived the Emerald City despite your failure, just to tell him a well-known secret and continue to serve him?"

  Boom!

Federico slammed his cup down on its holder.

His face was livid and he stared at Zhan En.

"So, the three sides are in balance... After you said this, I, as the third party, no longer have any choice."

  Federico suppressed his anger and tried to think:

"...either join the group or be eliminated?"

Zhane said nothing.

Thales had to scratch his head:

"It's not that absolute..."

"In other words," Federico said quietly, unable to hide his disappointment, "you two have been in collusion since the beginning."

  Thales avoided his gaze awkwardly and scratched the back of his hand:

"Of course not! Otherwise, we just talked so much, wouldn't it be..."

“It’s all acting.”

Federico stared at Zhane with a burning gaze, leaving the guilty Thales speechless for a moment.

"As for the shock, hesitation, and struggle just now, as well as the tense bargaining, you pretended to cooperate with His Highness... It was to create a situation and emphasize to me that he had won a great victory. You had no choice but to bow your head, leaving me alone. It's best to judge the situation."

Thales coughed repeatedly, but Zhan En remained calm.

  Federico looked at Zhan En with a serious expression:

"That's right. I should have thought of it earlier. His Highness took control of the Emerald City so easily, so effortlessly, even before the Kingdom's Secret Department... No, without your active cooperation, without the secrets you leaked, without your help in opening up various connections, with only the bargaining chips I gave him, this would simply be impossible."

Federico shook his head slowly:

"So Zhan En, you gave up resistance a long time ago. You compromised completely in exchange for His Highness' leniency. As for waiting for the Praise Banquet, killing the first one to get into trouble, getting a discount for the one who agreed first, and rewarding him with freedom...haha, it was all acting."

Federico laughed sadly.

Thales was extremely embarrassed, but Zhan En remained silent.

"Because in today's three-party negotiation, the only person Your Highness needs to convince from beginning to end is me."

Federico took a deep breath, his eyes filled with anger:

"Because to you, I am the person closest to the 'dealer', the one who is the most difficult to compromise with, and the most dangerous and disturbing factor."

After the words were spoken, the study fell silent.

Thales gently covered his forehead and closed his eyes.

Damn.

He hates smart people.

Zhan En was right before, the other person in this palace...

Also Kevin Diehl.

  So what should you do?

The voice in his heart spoke to him:

And you, Thales, do you have the ability to re-hook the silk thread and force him back into your trap?

Thales clenched his fist unconsciously.

"Listen, Fed."

Thales sighed, pointed at Zhan En, and told the truth:

"I was going to be honest with you. But Zhan En couldn't bring himself to give up. He said I couldn't agree too quickly and I had to give him some dignity, otherwise he would never compromise..."

Federico kept staring at Zhane, the sneer on his face never diminishing.

"Did he also say that he knows me well, and that I would only agree to compromise if you create an atmosphere where we compete with each other and stir up my competitiveness and resentment?"

Tells paused, about to explain, but he thought of something, and finally just sighed and looked away:

"It seems that he doesn't know you that well."

Especially after more than ten years of living in exile and relying on others.

"Sorry, Fed."

At this moment, Zhan En finally broke the silence.

He ignored the look Thales gave him and slowly turned to Federico:

"I apologize."

This made Thales look at him with new eyes.

  Huh, this guy can apologize too?

And to the enemy?

Until Zhan En's next sentence full of disdain:

"I overestimated you."

Thales raised his eyebrows slightly: No, I overestimated you.

Sure enough, people don’t change.

Federico's eyes turned cold.

"Yes, he and I, we colluded, had a tacit understanding, linked up, you name it - but so what?" Zhan En said softly.

Federico frowned and met Zhane's eyes.

Only Thales was caught in the middle, rubbing his head awkwardly.

"so what?"

Federico narrowed his eyes and slowly repeated his cousin's words.

  Zhan En nodded and said:

"You saw through our plan. Great. This made us embarrassed for a while, but did you have any other choice?"

Federico did not answer.

"If I were you, Feder, I would use the wisdom of the officials of the Emerald City. Even if I found something strange, I would pretend to be ignorant, cooperate with us, and accept the conditions with tears of gratitude. That's it."

  Zhan En raised his teacup nonchalantly:

"Why do you have to expose it and embarrass everyone?"

  Federico curled his lips:

"So I am not you."

Zhan En nodded, then shook his head, and blew the tea, which was not hot at all, with a relaxed attitude:

"It seems that you have been away from the Emerald City for too long - so long that you have forgotten your last name."

Federico was furious.

  Thales frowned:

Is this really good?

  Their goal is to reach a compromise, isn't it?

At that moment, Federico stared at his cousin, the expression on his face was first anger, then surprise, and then relief.

"No, this is not you, cousin."

Federico chuckled as if this was the most ridiculous thing in the world, forming a sharp contrast with Jann's serious face.

"You can't compromise so easily, take risks and be so decisive..."

He glanced at Thales:

"I guess the idea I gave Your Highness worked?"

Thales' eyelids twitched, while Zhan En's face darkened slightly.

"Tsk tsk, it seems to be more effective than expected - you probably vomited all your underwear for Xilai," Federico observed Zhan En's expression and sneered, "Should I say you are too weak, or too afraid of death?"

Zhan En's expression became increasingly ugly.

Oops—Thales instinctively felt that something was wrong.

"And I was counting on you to resist and die heroically so that I could get my revenge."

Federico narrowed his eyes:

"I overestimated you."

  Feder smiled and looked at Thales:

"You shouldn't have kept it from me, Your Highness. You should have let me enjoy his panic-stricken look, as he could only bow his head to you in humiliation just to save his sister."

Zhan En clenched his fists, closed his eyes, and tried his best to suppress his anger.

Thales frowned and warned:

"Feder, that's enough."

Perhaps the prince's words worked. Federico stopped smiling and stopped mentioning Xilai, but he kept pestering Zhan En:

"It's incredible, cousin. You've become more docile and obedient than Uncle Greg's hound. By the way, where did Uncle go after he changed his last name? Became a bankrupt baron in a small town under the name of a branch of the iris? Farmed on a country estate? Spend his days in a brothel? Checked the account books in a business? Traveled around the world on a ship? Or did he travel overseas?"

Zhan En suppressed his anger, took a deep breath, and shook his head:

"He died of illness."

"It's no surprise," Federico said with a look of resentment, "Since when, the number of family branches and blood relatives who are qualified to leave their names on the Ancestral Rock has become less and less."

"Uncle Sona should have been up there," Zhane said coldly, "and so should you, Fed."

Federico's smile disappeared without a trace when he heard the name.

"As long as you are willing to compromise and consider the overall situation," Zhan En regained his composure and returned to the topic, "I know this is difficult because it requires restraint and sacrifice."

  Thales scratched his head:

It was a bit strange that these words came out of Jane's mouth.

  Federico said bitterly:

"'Sacrifice' like my father did?"

Thales couldn't help but frown as he felt the topic was turning towards personal grudges.

"Trust me, cousin," Zhan En said solemnly, "As long as the Iris Flower is unified and the Emerald City is out of danger, we can solve the rest behind closed doors."

"Solve it behind closed doors?"

Federico snorted coldly:

"that's it?"

Thales shrugged: "If you have any other requests..."

"What about the truth?"

Federico said quietly.

When these words came out, Thales and Zhan En were both stunned.

  Thales frowned:

"the truth?"

"Yes, the truth."

The next second, Federico looked at Zhane, who remained calm, and then at Thales.

"Today, you talked about power, explained interests, and even arranged things for the next few years or decades." He smiled awkwardly, and the resentment in his eyes turned into resentment and indifference, "but you didn't say one thing..."

  Federico said solemnly:

"the truth."

the truth.

At that moment, Thales was a little distracted.

the truth?

At this moment, this word was somewhat unfamiliar to him. Thales recalled the conversation he had with Mallos:

【The truth, Thor, is nothing to 'some people'.】

Yes, the truth is nothing.

  At this moment, the voice in his heart cruelly told him the truth:

It's just a way of saying it.

It’s just that among the many versions of the story, this is the one that best fits power.

Of course, as to what kind of power, what kind of power...

It's up to you.

Thales pressed his chest, instinctively feeling uncomfortable.

but……

【But you are not 'someone', Your Highness. 】

  Mallos's voice echoed in his ears, drowning out the disturbing explanation deep in his heart:

【To you, the truth means everything. 】

"What is the truth behind the old case?"

  In reality, Federico raised his voice and looked determined:

"My father died in prison just like that, inexplicably."

He turned to the silent Zhan En, full of indignation:

"Even Uncle Leinster - that's your father, Jan - was assassinated in such an unclear way, and the truth remains unknown? If so... then why did I come back?"

Zhan En still had no expression on his face, like a stone sculpture.

Federico's smile slowly faded.

  He paused for a moment, then shouted rudely:

"Play house with you guys!"

Perhaps because the noise was too loud, there was a knock on the door and Huaiya's worried question.

"I'm fine! No need to come in!"

Thales calmed his subordinates outside the door with a bit of annoyance, then turned back and sighed.

I knew it.

"Feder, people break the cage in order to get out of it," Thales said softly, thinking of the killer prisoner in the Ghoul Tunnel, "rather than reinforcing it, carrying it on their backs, and only being able to see it from now on."

Feder said nothing, and no one knew what he was thinking.

"And I said, Federico..." Thales paused here, and the rest of his words even felt hypocritical to himself, "As long as you promise... your father will be cleared of the charges..."

"why?"

Federico was not grateful:

"Is it because he is innocent, or is it because I compromised and made a shady deal with you?"

Thales was speechless for a moment.

"And him?"

  Fed turned to face Zhane angrily:

"Whether it's plotting to usurp the throne, framing someone, fabricating charges, or covering up the truth, what punishment should he receive? Is it just a deal?"

Thales' heart sank.

"really?"

At this moment, Zhan En, who had been silent, with a stiff expression, and seemed to be lost in thought, suddenly spoke, attracting the attention of the two:

"Is that true?"

Zhan En turned his head slowly, and his empty eyes gradually gathered spirit:

"All you want, Feder, is the truth?"

Federico was stunned.

"how?"

  He looked at Zhan En like this and said warily:

"What are you going to argue about?"

Zhan En snorted.

"You are the one who is quibbling, Feder."

"What do you mean?"

  Zhan En suddenly smiled:

"Tell me, for so many years, you have been hiding in the underground world of the Kingdom of Night, living under the roof of others, in the dark. Life must have been hard, right?"

  Federico's expression changed, and he looked gloomy:

"Thanks to you."

  Zhan En sneered:

"You must be tired of being manipulated as a bargaining chip, and having to act coquettishly and sell your value so that those inhuman old ghosts can give you some leftovers?"

The last of Federico's smile disappeared.

Zhan En continued with ill intention:

"And in order to get rid of such days, to escape from such a quagmire, to get back everything you once had, Federico, what price are you willing to pay?"

Federico turned his head away with a cold face:

"I've had enough of your nonsense, Jan. Your Highness, I think..."

  But Zhan En refused to let him go. He shouted:

"Be honest! What you want is not the truth at all!"

  Zhan En sneered, raised his hand slightly, and clenched his fist slowly:

“It’s power.”

Federico shuddered slightly.

Thales also raised his arms.

"The power that allows you to change your circumstances, forget the past, and numb yourself."

  Zhan En tutted his words, full of contempt:

"Perhaps there is also the opportunity to return to the center of the stage... status and attention?"

Federico stared at Zhane in disbelief, anger in his eyes.

  Thales coughed:

"Jen, maybe we should get back to the topic..."

“That’s the theme!”

Zhan En interrupted him rudely:

"Since you keep saying you want the truth, Feder, and you use it as your amulet to accuse me of hypocrisy and cruelty, then, dear cousin, let's talk it out!"

  He looked directly at Federico and said, word by word:

"The truth is, what?"

Federico's eyes sharpened.

"All the dirty laundry you tried so hard to cover up, your father and my father..." he whispered.

Zhane sneered.

"Why, Feder? Use your intelligence to think about it: our fathers, Leinster and Sona, the two brothers who once trusted each other, why did they turn against each other and fight each other?"

He raised his voice and shouted angrily:

"tell me!"

Huaiya was knocking on the door again, asking questions. Thales had no choice but to continue to comfort his subordinates through the door.

  Perhaps he was shocked by his cousin's sudden change of attitude. Federico paused for a few seconds before speaking with difficulty:

"Emerald City."

He gritted his teeth and said:

"Back then, the political struggle in Emerald City was fierce. They stood in different camps, representing different groups of people and diametrically opposed interests..."

Zhan En asked coldly:

"What camp, what group of people, what interests?"

Federico frowned and looked at Thales.

"Don't look at him! You're a damn Kevin Deere!"

Zhan En had a cold face, as if he was scolding his younger brother:

"Look at me and answer me!"

Federico seemed shocked by Zhan En's determination. He took a deep breath and continued:

"Your father, Uncle Leinster, he made bad decisions, was impatient and radical..."

"really?"

"Yes!" As if not wanting to show weakness in front of Zhan En, Federico involuntarily emphasized his tone and quickened his speech, "Tax system, service, official system, land, trade shareholding, Emerald Legion, Blood Bottle Gang... Especially after the Bloody Years, my uncle's measures were too hasty and too fast, which aroused a lot of opposition..."

"Whose objection?"

"Everyone!"

Federico answered angrily, then he took a deep breath and adjusted his tone back to normal:

"Everyone...except those who benefit."

Thales listened to their conversation and felt inexplicably uneasy.

Federico stared at Zhane:

"My father saw the hidden dangers of the Duke's actions. He valued old friendships and human relationships. He was indignant, unfair, and dissatisfied, so he stood up and took on his responsibilities, speaking out for them, for those old friends, relatives, and loyal ministers who have supported us since Kevin Dill was knighted!"

"Really? Speaking up for justice?" Zhan En said sarcastically, "Speaking up for a group of parasites who are dreaming about their achievements, and for a group that is destined to become obsolete?"

Federico snorted in response:

"Don't forget, your mother's family, the Popon family, is in such a group! My mother's family is also in this group, and there are many who originally..."

  But Zhan En continued with ill intentions:

"Or is it because if your uncle doesn't oppose the Duke, then he will lose a lot of privileges and benefits when he changes his surname and fiefdom one day? Because he can't bear to give up the past, he just gets rid of the Duke of South Bank and becomes the Duke himself?"

  boom!

Federico slammed his fist on the armrest of the chair, his eyes cold.

"Father is not you. He is not so narrow-minded and selfish, nor is he so cold and cruel."

He said coldly:

"No matter what the outcome is, no matter what the disagreement is, everything my father has done is for the greater good and to proceed step by step, so that the Emerald City will not fall into chaos and the Iris Flower can continue to prosper!"

  boom!

This time it was Zhane who hit the armbar.

Unexpectedly, he did not mock or deny the other party as he did before, but agreed out loud:

"Then you are right."

Federico, who was ready for another argument, was stunned.

"Your father, Uncle Sona, he never took sides."

Zhan En showed a look of nostalgia and regret:

"As the most outstanding male of the previous generation of the Iris family, as well as my father's closest brother and most trusted right-hand man, my uncle has never stood against the Duke of South Shore, let alone been his enemy, never, not even once."

Federico and Thales were both startled.

"And the reason why he is regarded as the spokesperson for those old nobles and old stubborn people - many of whom are Iris's in-laws and his classmates and playmates since childhood - and even has to confront his eldest brother from time to time, is to temporarily appease them, to ensure that their actions will not be too extreme, to retain their already limited sanity, to give them an outlet for their resentment and hatred, and to prevent them from losing their families and being destroyed in the future tide!"

Zhan En closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then opened them again and said angrily:

"Do you think that if they had not already made an agreement with Uncle Sona, those poor stinking lizards in the marshland who were still dreaming of making a fortune with a small investment could have escaped my reckoning? How could the Popon family, whose entire clan of men were tied together and whose grandmother was married from the East Continent, be able to get such a lucrative job in the funeral industry? As for our aunt who couldn't even count the copper coins and her husband who only liked young male servants, could they get the opportunity to cooperate with Karabiyan in mining? How could the little idiot of the Pintor family owe a low-interest loan that even his father couldn't pay back by committing suicide and cheating, and still extend it indefinitely?"

Thales frowned slightly.

"Not only that, Uncle Sona stood in the middle, easing the conflict between the two forces, and used all his strength to support and keep the Emerald City from falling apart! Even when my father was slandered as a believer in witchcraft and demented, and when my uncle was elected by his supporters to rule in his brother's place, he refused to accept it."

Thales was somewhat surprised by Zhan En's attitude, but what shocked him even more was the role of Viscount Sona in Zhan En's words.

In the middle...

Struggling to support...

Maintain... not to collapse...

Thales clenched his fists lightly.

So he died for this?

The voice in the boy's heart sighed softly: What a pity.

Just because you stood in the middle?

Federico looked at his cousin in surprise: "You..."

"That's right! Our fathers, whether they were dukes or viscounts, have always been on the same side," Zhan En said painfully, "Kevin Dill's side."

The Duke of South Shore raised his head suddenly and stared at Federico as if he was interrogating a criminal:

"You know all this, Feder. You know it. You've known it from the beginning. You know your father."

Federico stared back at Zhane in a daze.

"But you don't care, not about your father's last wishes, nor about his sacrifice as Kevin Dill."

Federico's face changed.

  Zhan En sneered:

"Because all you care about is yourself and your own status and interests."

"No!"

Federico denied it subconsciously.

But Zhan En ignored it and continued coldly:

"Do you know why we offer you the title of Viscount of Gonghai City?"

Federico clenched his fists.

"Because I know, Federico Kevindier: From the very beginning, what you wanted was neither the truth, nor justice, nor even revenge. You didn't want to see me punished. You didn't even want a happy ending!"

  Federico's eyelids jumped!

Zhan En stated his conclusion coldly, even disregarding politeness:

"You're not a fool, but you're trying your best to link our fathers' old feud to me and pin the blame on me, not because you really think so, nor because it concerns your father's innocence, but just because of me - because I'm the current Duke of South Bank."

Thales subconsciously looked at the expensive chair under his butt.

Federico trembled slightly, not sure whether it was out of anger or shame.

  Zhan En sneered:

"You didn't accept the compromise just now, not because you hate me, nor because the truth is not clear, but because you feel that the spoils are not evenly distributed: even if you become the Viscount of Gonghai City, you are still in a situation inferior to me, listening to my orders, being controlled by me, and paying tribute to me."

Federico scowled.

"As for the old cases of our fathers, what you hate is not the injustice, not the unfairness, not the fact that justice and truth cannot be upheld."

  Zhan En shook his head:

"What you really hate is that the unjust power does not belong to you, that you cannot benefit from the injustice, and that the justice and truth that are being upheld are not smart enough to not stand on your side."

Federico was stunned.

  Zhan En's eyes became sharp:

"And you, Federico, I see through you. You don't deserve to be Uncle Sona's son, and you don't deserve the last name Kevin Dill."

  Federico was shocked!

"What did you say?"

He gnashed his teeth, seething with rage.

"Come on, Federico Cavendish!"

  Zhan En suddenly raised his voice and laughed:

"The so-called truth, how your father, Uncle Sona, died, and even how my father, the Duke of Leinster, died..."

The Duke of South Shore spoke out bitterly:

"You really don't know anything at all, don't you?"

Federico was shocked and angry, but he glanced at Zhan En and Thales, and hesitated to speak:

"You, no, what excuses are you going to make..."

  But Zhan En continued, his eyes cold and never leaving Federico:

"That's right. For the sake of our family and his brother's ideals, Uncle Sona did his best and self-righteously burned himself to light the last bundle of firewood left in the Emerald City from the old times - to prevent them from spreading to the entire city, even if it meant that he himself would be buried in the sea of ​​fire."

Zhan En paused, his voice hoarse:

"But before that, the accident happened first."

  The Duke of South Shore shook his head wearily:

"My father died when the conflict was out of control, so my uncle naturally became the most suspected murderer."

"No!"

  Federico couldn't help but retort:

"My father, my father protested, explained... He did not murder the Duke, he did not murder his brother..."

"Of course he didn't!"

Zhane interrupted him abruptly.

"But if he persists in his defense, if his subordinates rebel like you do, just to make him the Duke..."

Zhan En glanced at Thales with a chilling look:

"That would play right into the enemy's hands."

  Thales repeated subconsciously:

"enemy?"

  Zhan En ignored him and continued to look at his stunned cousin:

"The Duke of Leinster was assassinated in the midst of a political struggle. Viscount Thorna, his political enemy, refused to admit the crime. As a result, the forces loyal to Kevin Dill split into two factions. The Emerald City was in danger. The old story of the Eight-Fingered King and the Duke of Cork confronting each other was about to happen again..."

He sneered:

"For foreign enemies, is there any better time than now to intervene in Iris Flower?"

  Thales reacted and said in surprise:

"Wait a minute, you mean Viscount Sona—"

  boom!

Zhan En clinked his teacup, his eyes cold:

"Shut up, Tails."

Thales couldn't help but frown and think carefully.

"I don't understand why, what does this have to do with my father..." Federico was in a trance.

Zhane sneered.

"What's not clear?"

  He spoke angrily, with repeated emphasis and fierce attitude:

"The Duke of South Shore has been killed, Uncle Sona has no way of defending himself, the Emerald City is torn apart, and the enemy is at the gates - they are coming!"

By the end of his speech, Zhan En's chest was heaving, his breathing was rapid, and he could hardly control himself.

"They?" Thales couldn't help but interrupt.

"Tails, shut the fuck up!"

This time, Zhan En didn't even look at Thales and almost yelled at the top of his lungs.

Feeling the other party's unusual anger, Thales could only remain silent.

Federico said nothing, just stared blankly.

"We are facing a powerful enemy. If we delay and do nothing..."

  Zhan En realized his own loss of composure and began to consciously adjust himself, but he still couldn't hide the trembling in his voice:

"They will send envoys to Emerald City, just like they did today, to label my uncle a suspect of fratricide, and use the 'Rodri Ordinance' to arbitrate the 'fratricide' of the Kevindill family, determine the punishment the family should receive, and decide on the succession of Iris. They may even go a step further and take Emerald City and even South Coast Territory into their pockets."

"They?" Feder asked with difficulty, but he just repeated Thales' question.

"At that time, the whole city was in a panic, and the subordinates had their own ulterior motives. The major forces were divided, and even the Blood Bottle Gang at the bottom was completely disintegrated by them. The situation was even worse than it is now," Zhan En nodded with difficulty. "I think Uncle Sona, your father, he is sitting between his brother's body and the Duke's throne, and he is in a dilemma."

  I only heard Zhan En say faintly:

"So, after discussing with my mother, Uncle Sona made the bravest choice - before they launched a complete rebellion and took over the Emerald City."

"what?"

Federico subconsciously clenched the teacup in front of him.

It seems that the small cup handle is the only handle at this moment.

"Yes, Feder."

Zhan En closed his eyes:

"Only if your father sacrifices himself, only if he confesses his guilt, only if he dies in prison, only if he uses justice and reason to force Judge Brennan to bend the law and violate his conscience, so that this case can be stopped without evidence, and only if this case can be concluded without delay and quietly..."

Zhan En said painfully:

"Only the dying iris could barely cut off its arm to survive, and survive the deadly poison that the enemy had prepared for a long time."

At this moment, the entire Duke's study fell completely silent.

Silence fell.

Federico didn't move.

Thales couldn't believe it.

At this moment, he suddenly remembered the heartfelt suicide note left by Inquisitor Brennan.

There were a few words in it that Thales couldn't understand no matter how hard he read them:

[Ever since that verdict was made eleven years ago, I knew this day would come...]

[…Are the so-called justice, morality, and law merely tools for us to unite ourselves and gather public support? Their significance lies in deceiving the masses, maintaining power, and serving the rule. Their value is worse than nothing, and their significance is unclear?]

[… Where should the line between justice and public interest be? Where should the people who have the right to interpret them be?] (End of this chapter)