Imperial Crown.

Chapter 625 The sky is high enough for birds to fly, and the sea is wide enough for fish to jump

Many thanks to Qidian's [Sun Liansheng] for the 2000 RMB reward! (I apologize for not being able to add more chapters at the moment.)
I caught a cold yesterday. My body aches and my head hurts too, so I can't continue.

The book has quality issues; it's already a huge thank you that you've all subscribed, so please don't spend any more money on tips. Thank you again to all my readers. I'll try my best to keep going.

……

The Warcraft vehicle runs fast and smoothly.

Hamilton's magical chariot was led by two large, reindeer-like beasts. These creatures were not only enormous, standing about 5 meters tall, but also incredibly strong and remarkably docile. Adorned with shimmering, colorful magical ornaments, they looked not only eye-catching and beautiful but also exceptionally noble.

Stepping inside the carriage reveals a completely different world. The carriage is clearly crafted from extremely precious spatial-type magical plants, or enhanced with spatial-type gems and ores. The interior space is at least three times larger than the exterior.

Upon entering, one finds a spacious and high-ceilinged main hall with a transparent glass-like dome that allows sunlight to stream in, making it very bright. To the left is a partition labeled "Restroom." To the right is another partition labeled "Banquet Hall." At the back is a large, unmarked partition, presumably the bedroom with a bed.

There were at least four maids inside. They were all busy. Some were making tea…some were playing music…some were dancing seductively, almost naked, behind a thin screen, singing sweetly…and some were kneeling beside them, dressed in black and white maid outfits, their long, fair legs encased in black stockings…

It truly deserves the description "there's more to it than meets the eye"!
Besides, Raven felt a surge of energy the moment he entered. In an instant, his entire soul seemed to melt into mustard seeds, each "soul mustard seed" being gently cleansed. His body also received a thoroughly enjoyable massage. All fatigue vanished, leaving him wanting only to groan with comfort. This was at least a fourth-tier fragrance. A precious resource for meditation that countless mages would covet, Hamilton used it merely as ordinary incense in the carriage.

Raven stared in disbelief, utterly astonished. Thinking back to his days in the Orc Empire, the suffering he endured was unimaginable! "Old Money" was indeed "Old Money," he had to admit defeat. The things Raven enjoyed were things he'd never even seen, let alone tried to emulate. However, this kind of large space capable of holding living beings was different from a spatial ring. Firstly, the space itself was enormous, and secondly, it offered little in terms of protection, making it completely inconvenient for military campaigns.

Many people disapprove of Raven's words and actions, unaware that among these old-money nobles, everything Raven did was as pure as a baby's. A truly good citizen. A genuine saint. He was practically a "savior"! If the continent of Middlesex had a Nobel Prize for Good People, it would undoubtedly be awarded to this saintly figure, Raven.

Raven was dragged into the carriage, looking around with interest. But he was really eager to get home. He absolutely didn't want to go to Hamilton's house.

"What?" "Interested?"

Hamilton chuckled. "Then I'll give this to you."

Raven shook his head. "I can't accept something for nothing." "Prime Minister, let's talk here. I won't go home."

Hamilton led Raven to a small table. "Sit down," he hurriedly urged Raven to sit, then sighed sadly. "Raven," he said, "don't call me Prime Minister anymore." "The Prime Minister is Serafino now." With that, Hamilton took out a bottle of wine. "Since you don't want to come to my house," he said, "then let's be frank, shall we?" "Let's play a game: a drink, a sentence."

Raven raised his hand to stop him, a flash of light from his ring revealing a bottle of homemade liquor. "Today I'm happy, let's have a good drink." To be honest, Raven was genuinely delighted. After all, the conflict with Habs and the break with the capital over the past few years had been like a stone weighing on Raven's chest. It's no exaggeration to say that this pressure was almost comparable to the Blood Curse. Now that Habs was dead, for Raven, it truly felt like entering a stage where the sky's the limit. "Let the Prime Minister try my good liquor." He didn't understand why high-ranking officials like Keynes liked playing games so much. Habs, on the verge of death, wanted to play a game of fate with him, and Hamilton wanted to play truth or dare with him. Although he didn't understand, he showed respect.

"You, you..."

Hamilton seemed to misunderstand something, pointing at Raven with his finger, and reluctantly withdrew his drink. He sighed, "Raven, today you uttered those words, 'A true man knows when to yield and when to stand firm.' I knew then that you were an unfathomable and unpredictable person. I admit, I underestimated you before. You are indeed different from those incompetent nobles." "You'll rebel against Seraphim sooner or later, won't you?" "But you're a little too cautious." "Sometimes," he said, "being too clever isn't always a good thing." "Habs was just like you, young and intelligent, and now he's met a gruesome end."

"Ouch"

Raven then realized that Hamilton had misunderstood, thinking he was afraid the other had poisoned his drink, and therefore refused to drink it. Raven smiled and shook his head, offering no further explanation. Instead, he poured a small glass for each of them, downing his own glass first to show it was unpoisoned, before chuckling self-deprecatingly, "As the old Keynesian proverb says," "Wealth" is "just a wooden house, no matter how fortified on the outside or how beautifully decorated on the inside," "its shelf life is only a few decades." "Power," on the other hand, "is an ancient stone house, able to withstand wind and rain, scorching sun, standing for hundreds of years." "When I first received the barony from my uncle Donald, the territory was impoverished, everything in ruins." "To maintain the dignity of the nobility, and to survive," "I had to devote myself entirely to economic development." "Being looked down upon from the bottom of my heart was only to be expected." "It was perfectly reasonable."

"In the end, those words were just a way for me to save face when I was being insulted." "You flatter me, sir. I am unworthy of such praise."

Having said that, Raven poured himself another glass of wine and drank it without changing his expression. "Since this game doesn't allow for lies, I won't lie to you either." "I, Raven," "have absolutely no intention of rebellion." "Born a citizen of the Keynes Empire." "In death," "I will be a ghost of the Keynes Empire." Whether Hamilton came for reasons he wanted to know himself, or to probe for information at Serafinu's behest, Raven could not possibly reveal his truest thoughts.

Raven's answer was impeccable. This, however, aligned with Hamilton's newly formed understanding of Raven. He desperately wanted to know Raven's true thoughts, understanding the latter's distrust and defensiveness. He could only continue to probe indirectly: "Rumors circulated that you possess a bone dragon, which I didn't believe." "But just now," "you admitted it yourself in the palace." "Raven," "I'll only ask you one question," "Do you truly possess a bone dragon?" "And a sixth-tier one?" "Is this true?" With that, Hamilton mimicked Raven's gesture, downing his glass of liquor in one gulp. But immediately, he made the classic expression everyone makes when drinking baijiu for the first time. It was the incredulous look on the face of the goblin-like green alien in *Alien* when he first drank baijiu, accompanied by continuous "hoarse" sounds from his throat. Clearly, he was quite taken with the spiciness!

Upon seeing this, Raven burst into laughter.

Perhaps this is his real purpose in bringing out the liquor. It's hard to say.

Seeing this, Hamilton immediately understood Raven's mischievous intentions. He inwardly groaned, "Oh dear!" After a moment, he burst into laughter. This was the biggest difference between Raven and Habsburg. The young man was down-to-earth, unlike Habsburg who always maintained a haughty air, afraid of being underestimated because of his youth. Raven, on the other hand, would openly prank the old man like this. This amusing scene subtly eased the tension between the two, bringing them closer together.

The laughter subsided, and Raven placed his hands on his knees, shaking his head. "I do have a bone dragon." "But not a sixth-tier one, but a fourth-tier one." "Otherwise, I wouldn't have needed to negotiate with Seraphim." "And I wouldn't have needed to stop Eric." "I would have had him chop everyone in the hall to pieces long ago." Raven took a sip of his drink, then suddenly remembered something, looking up with a piercing gaze. "I said, except for you." "Do you believe me?"

Hamilton: "..."

"Is it my turn?"

Raven smiled and said, "I'd like to know what exactly happened in the capital?" "Please, sir, tell me in detail." "I'll drink this first." Raven touched Hamilton's glass with his own across the small table, then tilted his head back and drank it down.

"Ugh--"

Hamilton first let out a long sigh, a faint glimmer appearing in his old eyes. It was tears. It was regret. His voice was hoarse as he said, "For a moment," he "didn't know where to begin." Before he could finish, he broke down in front of Raven with a "plop." He cried, a sudden, resolute cry. A heart-wrenching wail. Raven was incredulous. "Raven!!!" "I...I regret my actions!" "I am deeply sinful!" "I have no face to face my ancestors!!!" Hamilton wailed in anguish, crying out like a dying man.

Raven was slightly moved.

When the empire collapsed, nobles truly grieved and wept. When Habsburg died, nobles truly wailed and wept for him.

The four maids knelt down, heads bowed, desperately trying to suppress their sobs, their delicate bodies trembling uncontrollably. They seemed to have a premonition of their impending fate.

Hamilton drank three glasses of wine before his face flushed and he stopped crying. Wiping away his tears, he said, "After Ferdinand and Egihard left the capital, Seraphim immediately had Witus kill Gottfried." "Then he had Witus launch a coup." "Although Witus belonged to the new faction, he still had the integrity of a soldier and was unwilling, but Seraphim killed his entire family and installed his son and nephew in power." "Seeing the situation was bad, I was afraid that Seraphim would become too powerful, so I forcibly protected Egihard." "But in exchange, Seraphim forced me to poison Habsburg." "I didn't want to!" "You believe me, Raven!" "I really didn't want to!" "But at that time, Seraphim had already controlled the capital's magic array." "No one could stop him." "So..." "Alas!!" Hamilton sighed heavily. He couldn't continue.

Raven felt a pang of unease, mixed with a cold laugh. These old-money aristocrats and political families were all born actors. Every word they uttered strictly adhered to the rule of 7% truth and 3% falsehood. They distorted the truth, obscuring all that was meant to deceive. Hamilton's words were more eloquent than his performance. For example, he concealed the fact that he had colluded with Seraphim first. He also made no mention of his true motive for seeking revenge against Gottfried. Publicly, this could curb the arrogance of the old school. This suited Habsburg's tastes perfectly. Privately, he could avenge his grandson's fall from genius to ruin. After all, Veston was Gottfried's grandson-in-law! Little did he know that Seraphim's ambition was far more greedy and ruthless than he had imagined!

He didn't mention any of this, as if he were treating Raven like a child!

This outcome is simply reaping what they sowed!

They are all selfish and self-serving individuals. They are all sophisticatedly self-interested politicians. They are all cunning and shrewd foxes. They are all cunning and deceitful nobles. They are all flies that chase after filth, placing their family interests above the interests of the nation and the people.

Raven took a sip of his drink and said calmly, "Sir, you're being dishonest. You didn't say where your medicine came from."

Hamilton was taken aback, a hint of surprise and unease flashing in his eyes. "You guessed it all?"

"I'm not stupid." Raven was a little speechless.

“Yes.” Hamilton nodded. “That colorless and odorless drug, which can control the mind with just a few sniffs, came from the Church of Light.” “That’s why Seraphim was able to obtain the national treasure so easily.” “Speaking of which, that armor didn’t originally belong to the Keynes family.” “Do you know who its true owner is?” Hamilton’s tone held a hint of mockery.

Raven remained unfazed. "Don Quixote Griffith."

Hamilton chuckled. “Raven,” he said, “I came here with sincerity. Don’t be discouraged. You’re bluffing, and so is Serafino. That armor recognizes bloodlines; he can’t actually unleash its true power. That’s why I can contend with it.” With that, Hamilton took another sip of wine.

Raven knew the real show was about to begin. This was where Hamilton's true purpose in seeking him out would be revealed. Raven slowly sat up straight.

Hamilton, seeing Raven's appearance, couldn't help but feel a glint of admiration in his eyes. If only this guy were a descendant of his family! He couldn't help but feel the same sentiment Viscount John had felt years ago. "Raven," he said, "you and Habsburg are different, yet very similar." "Habsburg's downfall was that, while he possessed the suspicious heart of an emperor, he didn't know how to recognize talent, appoint capable people, or forge alliances." "He ascended the throne at a young age, trusted no one, and firmly believed that an emperor should be a solitary figure, which fostered his autocratic style." "Little did he know," he continued, "that in this world, besides the sun, the most unbearable thing to look at is the human heart." "He didn't understand the unpredictability of the human heart!"

Hamilton's words were exactly the same assessment Raven made of Habs inside the house.

If Habs had chosen to trust Hamilton or Raven, he wouldn't be in this predicament.

Hamilton continued, “Yes.” “He’s shrewd.” “Ambitious.” “Young and vigorous, unwilling to be second to anyone.” “On the surface, he supports the new faction to balance the cabinet.” “Inside, he cultivates unknown figures to exploit the nobility.” “He feels perfectly secure.” “Do you know?” “Trust is the foundation of loyalty!”

"You're the same." "You poured your heart and soul, paid the price to cultivate the second generation." "Yet you let them split into two factions." "One local, one from out of town." "This way, they can compete with each other, creating a virtuous cycle, while preventing them from threatening your position." "But you made the same fatal mistake as Habsburg." "That is, while this stabilized the internal situation, it left both factions without support." "When they realize they can't rely on you, they'll make the grave mistake of 'finding their own way out'!"

"I don't know if you and Habs have been reading too many novels?" "You deeply believe in the imperial art of balancing power." "Do you know that the true art of balancing power requires you to favor one faction?" "Trust one faction, then suppress another." "Win over one faction, then distance yourself from another." "Only in this way can you truly master the art of imperial power."

"Just like a moat, does it mean we shouldn't use it because the water is muddy, or we shouldn't use it because the water is clear?" "The consequence of insisting on using it only when it's both muddy and clear is that the moat will have no water to use."

"He'll prove his loyalty even more by showing the faction you trust." "He'll fawn over the faction you suppress even more." "Trying to be impartial to show his fairness is the dumbest idea." "Does fairness even exist in this world?" "If it does, why wasn't Habsburg's brother the one who succeeded him?" "If he had only chosen to support two factions as his new faction, regardless of who he favored, this disastrous outcome wouldn't have happened."

"This applies to emperors," "and even more so to ordinary people." "The same principle applies to friends," "to wives," and "to children."

"If you blindly pursue your so-called fairness, in the end, everyone will be unfair." "A person who pursues true fairness will never gain true friends." "He will never win a woman's true heart." "He will not be treated well by his children in his old age."

"Sometimes," I really couldn't understand what Habs was thinking. "He harbored a deep distrust of me, his trusted advisor." "But after learning about your deeds, I felt relieved." "You are all young people in power; perhaps young people have their own ideas!"

Hamilton sighed deeply.

To be honest, Hamilton's twisted logic even swayed Raven. Ultimately, Hamilton wanted to form an alliance with Raven to counter Seraphim. But he didn't say it directly; he used roundabout methods to persuade Raven, hoping Raven would take the initiative and approach him. Wasn't his message essentially, "Raven, kneel down and beg me for an alliance?" Clearly, forming an alliance was also a self-defeating dilemma where "whoever takes the initiative becomes passive." It must be said, Hamilton was indeed a shrewd politician. After his words, Raven almost teared up and wholeheartedly chose to ally with Hamilton.

Compared to Hamilton, Tyrone's methods are a thousand years behind.

But Raven eventually came to his senses and nodded, saying, "Your words are right." "You're right." But after he finished speaking, he silently started drinking again, not saying another word.

Hamilton licked his lips. "Raven," he said, "I know you've always had reservations about me." "You think I wasn't telling the truth?" "But you weren't telling the truth either." "The reason I was deceived, kept in the dark," he said, "was because I didn't believe Seraphim would dare harm Habsburg, because I didn't foresee that he had you as a backup plan." "Otherwise, with Habsburg dead, Seraphim's family would definitely have been buried with him." "But I never expected him to have you as a backup plan." "Perfectly taking the blame for regicide." "Avoiding his own risks." "Clearing himself of suspicion."

“Tell me,” Hamilton asked, tapping the small table. “When did you start…” “Collaborating?” Hamilton continued. “I’ve already told you everything about drugging Habs.”

Raven shook his head. "I really can't talk about this for now." "Sir," "You're a smart man." "I think you understand that sometimes digging to the bottom isn't necessarily a good thing." "In life," "it's good to be a little confused."

Hamilton chuckled. This kid really wasn't one to back down easily; he was already lecturing him so quickly! "Then let me ask you another question." "What exactly was the backup plan Habs left you?" "Before he died, he was willing to cooperate with Serafino because he wanted to see you. There must be a reason behind this." "Raven." "Believe me, we only have a chance of winning if we join forces." "Don't be so stubborn and follow in Habs' footsteps!"

Raven grinned, revealing his red teeth and white gums, and said, "I swear, if Habs really left me some kind of backup plan, I'll jump out of the car right now and kill myself." "Really!"

After saying goodbye, Raven actually jumped out of the car.

……

(End of this chapter)