From the Ship of Fools to Earl of Wugang

In the evening, the invited guests arrived at Wangchao Fort one after another. Servants led the guests into the entrance hall, where the laurel boat lanterns wrapped in black gauze made the place somewhat dim.

The Prishchenko royal flag flew in the center of the hall, and where the music stand had been, a long table covered with a black cloth was placed.

The attack on Silver Bell Palace, the disappearance of the crown prince, and the martial law in the capital had become the focus of all conversations. Edmund stood on one side of the hall, listening to the hushed whispers around him.

There are many conflicting reports, and it's difficult to discern the truth from the news coming from the capital. The only certainty is that the Silver Bell Palace was indeed attacked, and the Crown Prince's whereabouts remain unknown.

At some point, Congressman Wells of Red Anchor Development Company stopped in front of Edmund.

"Mr. Cole, that check was impressive. I hope to hear more specific plans tonight."

"You'll hear it soon enough." Edmund raised his glass in a toast, which contained one of the few bottles of champagne at the banquet.

Before the banquet began, the Earl announced a reduction in alcohol and food, with the remaining funds donated to the Royal Hospital. This move was praised, but it also left several guests who had been looking forward to a pleasant experience somewhat disappointed.

At exactly seven o'clock, Earl Schinkel, wearing a black veil, walked behind the long table where the royal banners were hung, and the conversation in the hall gradually ceased.

"Thank you all for coming to Wangchao Castle at this time. Last night, Silver Bell Palace was attacked, resulting in many innocent casualties, and His Highness Crown Prince Leopold is still missing."

The count placed his hands on the table, his gaze sweeping over every face in the hall.

"Before we discuss Twilight Harbor and the Schenkel family, please join me in a moment of silence for His Highness the Crown Prince, the dead and wounded, and their families."

The guests in the hall lowered their heads at the same time, and the sound of waves crashing against the cliffs in the distance could be faintly heard through the thick walls.

After a minute of silence, the count raised his head.

"The Schenkel family's title dates back 127 years. At that time, the Black Crown Fleet blockaded the western route of the Heartbreak Sea..."

Behind the count, two servants held up an old flag that had been preserved for many years: beneath a laurel-encircled lantern, an embroidered sailboat sailing through stormy seas. Reporters in the hall raised their cameras, and flashes went off one after another.

After reviewing the history, the Earl paused for a moment and then turned to the issue that many people present were truly concerned about.

"My grandfather and father both tried to find the lost old port. After I inherited the title, I also invested in investigations several times—most of these efforts failed, and some of the responsibility lies entirely with me."

The hall was unusually quiet. The people of Dusk Harbor were used to amusing themselves with the Schenkel family’s treasure hunt stories, but few had heard the Earl admit defeat in public.

"These failures have caused losses to many who were willing to believe in the Schenkel family, but failures do not prove that Old Port did not exist."

The count straightened up and looked at the royal banner hanging in the center of the hall.

"From tonight onward, the Schenkel family will pay homage to the glory of the Knights of the Laurel. We will restore the old relief center, maintain the coastal facilities that the family still holds rights to, and once again search for the Old Harbor and the Black Crown."

He turned to Edmund and extended his hand: "To this end, the Schenker family has reached an agreement with the esteemed Mr. Adrian Cole. He will provide funding, equipment, and management expertise for the first phase of the investigation."

Edmund walked behind the long table and stood side by side with the Earl, and a round of polite applause rang out in the hall.

MP Wells spoke at the front of the crowd: "His Excellency the Earl's remarks are admirable, but given that Red Anchor Development Company has long been responsible for the maintenance of local facilities, we have a responsibility to remind the council and the residents of Twilight Harbour of the risks."

The Earl glanced at him: "Please speak, Councilor Wells."

The legislator stepped out of the crowd and acted like a legislator who genuinely cared about the public interest.

"Mr. Cole previously worked for a marine equipment trading company and has no local salvage experience; the Schenkel family's financial situation has not fundamentally improved either. If divers are injured or go missing during the investigation, the local authorities will likely still bear the costs of rescue, compensation, and facility cleanup."

The congressman looked around at everyone before asking the last question.

"Fifty thousand gold coins is indeed a huge sum, but how can we confirm that this is a long-term investment, rather than a short-term speculative move leveraging Old Port legends and the earl's title?"

Several employees of Red Anchor Company immediately echoed in hushed tones, while other guests also showed expressions of anticipation for an answer.

Edmund picked up the prepared investigation report: "Congressman Wells is right. I have no local experience in salvage operations, so the salvage operation will be led by locals."

A slight commotion arose in the lobby as Edmund handed a budget sheet to the bank manager and then showed it to the reporters near the front row.

"The funds for the first phase will be used to repair the old relief center and seaside warehouse, inspect the equipment, and organize the records kept by the Schenkel family before conducting further investigations. I will set aside five thousand gold coins from the investigation funds to open a bank account, solely for medical relief and insurance."

The bank manager took the budget sheet, looked at it carefully for a moment, and then said in front of everyone, "Our bank is willing to provide supervision for the segregated account."

The atmosphere in the hall had clearly changed.

After Edmund had roughly listed the pay increases for dangerous jobs, the collaborative supervision of divers, and the record-keeping system, he added a supplement.

"The cost of safety should always be considered in terms of human life. Mr. Marlowe Finn, a local resident, has certainly sounded the alarm for us, and I don't want my investigation to add another name to the bulletin board."

The hall fell silent as Edmund placed the budget sheet back on the table.

"As for short-term speculation, I have not asked Twilight Harbor to provide subsidies for the investigation or to raise funds from ordinary residents. I will bear the losses from the first phase, and the equipment and relief facilities will remain in Twilight Harbor."

After saying this, Edmund stepped back half a step and handed the speaking position back to Schenkel.

The Earl concluded by saying, "Member of Parliament Wells, the Schenkel family will be responsible for resolving the ownership dispute over the old relief center—I should have a fairly good reputation in this regard."

This time, the applause was even more enthusiastic than before. Several shipyard managers clapped while discussing in hushed tones the equipment needed for the new project, while union representatives sitting in the back row had already asked the housekeeper for recruitment instructions.

Representative Wells did not press the matter further: "It seems Mr. Cole has indeed made preparations, and the council will continue to monitor the progress of the investigation."

After the formal explanation, the banquet entered a relatively free period.

With the ball canceled, the guests gathered around the map and the old flag, wine glasses in hand, asking the Count and Edmund for details, creating a lively atmosphere.

Edmund then left the pleasantries to the Count, took a glass of champagne, and headed toward the small circle of journalists.

He stood a little further away, listening to their debate about whether the front page should use "Crown Prince Missing" or "Crown Prince Kidnapped."

One of the middle-aged men, wearing round-framed glasses, quickly noticed him and stepped forward.

"Mr. Cole, I am Martin Lyle, the supplement editor of the Cape Evening News. That explanation was excellent."

Edmund clinked glasses with him, and the editor said with a smile:

"Fifty thousand gold coins, an earl's family, and the missing Old Port—these alone are enough to pique the readers' interest. If the investigation yields any results, we are willing to send reporters to follow up on the case long-term."

Edmund took a stack of manuscript papers from his pocket: "Actually, there's one more thing I'd like to discuss with the newspaper."

Lyle took it, and the first thing he saw was the name written at the top: "A Study in Scarlet?"

"It is the first part of a long detective novel, and the first draft has been completed."

Lyle unfolded the paper and began to flip through it, casually asking, "A military doctor, hmm. The writing is very fluent, not bad. Did you write this?"

But he ignored Edmund's explanation and just kept flipping through the manuscript.

It wasn't until Edmund finished his champagne and coughed lightly that the editor looked up and realized he had been completely absorbed in watching.

After gathering his thoughts, he gave his assessment: "Some plot points and place names felt a bit forced, but to be honest, the opening was very engaging."