Miss Wang Weina, even your cousin won't do!

Chapter 166 Victoria Chronicles

Victoria, Lentinium.

The City of a Thousand Cities, the largest and most prosperous city on Terra, is now adorned with colorful flags from Ursus and Victoria. More than a month has passed since Londinium and St. Arthur's Castle began their cooperation, and based on the information released by the Victorian and Ursus royal families, this cooperation may continue for another two weeks.

This means that the citizens of Victoria and the residents of St. John's Castle may very well bid farewell to the turbulent year of 1092 and usher in a new year of 1093.

1092 was the first year that Wayne officially arrived on Terra, and also the source of most of the tragedies. Wayne successfully prevented these tragedies, which also meant that he was about to leave the "storyline" that had been revealed and enter an era that had not been mentioned in the original story. In 1093, many things must have happened on Terra, and there must have been countless sorrows and joys all over the land. Fortunately, as far as Wayne could see, there was only a scene of peace and prosperity.

They returned to the palace in Lentinium from the palace in St. Jungleburg in a private car. The area between the two cities was so vast that even though they were connected, Wayne could not see the dome of the Ursus Palace from the top of the tower in Lentinium.

Ernest and Mayor Arthur had already prepared the ceremonial arrangements for the Prince's return. At Vina's request and with their tacit approval, the welcoming ceremony was planned, arranged, and held on the scale of an emperor's triumphant return. More than 300,000 citizens of Lentinium and St. John's Castle lined the streets along the route of Vina's carriage to welcome him. The event, broadcast live across the entire Terra, even overshadowed the Kazimierz Knights Tournament, which should have dominated headlines at that time.

Regarding the Kazimierz Knights Tournament, Wayne had specifically sent someone to investigate the competition. The final result was exactly as Wayne already knew: the young and ambitious Radiant Knight Margaret Nearl won the championship. Subsequently, Nearl was suddenly revealed to be an Infected, leading to a joint complaint from the Kazimierz Knights Association, the Supervisory Council, and the Commercial Federation. Ultimately, under pressure, the National Assembly stripped Nearl of her knighthood and exiled her from Kazimierz.

This was an almost unacceptable setback for Nearl at the time. After being forced to leave Kazimierz, she quickly cut off all contact with her family and entered the desolate wilderness alone.

Wayne had intended to get involved in the Kazimierz Knights Tournament, but unfortunately, Victoria always looked down on such "noisy" and "violent" competitions, and Wayne couldn't even find any capable young people willing to participate. When the tournament officially began, Wayne was forced to abandon his original plan to go to Kazimierz because Theresa was going to the tundra. Instead, he chose to communicate with Ursus, indirectly supporting Theresa.

Things can never be perfect. By the time Wayne came to his senses and paid attention to the matter again, Nearl had already disappeared. The observer Wayne sent to Kazimierz also reported the mission failure after contacting Nearl after her victory.

At the time, the ambitious and spirited Lin Guang had no intention of coming to Victoria. Later, when he fell on hard times, he disappeared without a trace.

"Sigh. There's nothing we can do but let things take their course. I wonder if Nearl can find a new way out without Shining and Nightingale."

After indirectly confirming with Principal Theresis at the academy that Shining was still within the Pardoners' ranks, Wayne made this remark.

Of course, he did send out the relevant search and rescue teams, but the wilderness between Victoria and Kazimierz is so vast that whether they can be found is truly an unknown.

"Your Highness, these are some events that have occurred in Victoria recently that deserve your attention. I'm entrusting them to you."

After Wayne returned to his office, Mayor Arthur quickly found him with a folder. He placed the folder on the table and explained its contents to Wayne as he turned the pages.

"This is about the recent financial report of Londinim. After losing Columbia as a competitor in the financial industry, the financial exchange in the core city of Londinim suffered a moderate shock. However, thanks to you, the merchants in the core city were well-prepared for the shock. We quickly stabilized the market and swiftly recovered the share stolen by the New York State Financial Exchange. Now, the only financial trading center in the entire land that remains independent of us and holds a certain market share is Lungmen."

Wayne nodded. He casually remarked, "Lungmen won't be peaceful for much longer either."

A golden light flashed in Arthur's eyes, and his spiky mustache fluttered in the wind from his heavy breathing.

Prince Wayne visited Lungmen not long ago, and now he's saying Lungmen won't be peaceful for much longer either... Could it be...?

As expected of you, Prince Wayne. Even Columbia couldn't withstand your majesty, let alone a mere Lungmen!

But in reality, this matter has little to do with Wayne. Even if Wayne hadn't given Jingzhe the evidence of Wei Yanwu's rebellion, or Pulitzer's identity, Wei Yanwu would still have started an uprising. And once war breaks out, the economy of Lungmen will inevitably be greatly affected, and the shock to the Lungmen Financial Exchange is unimaginable.

By providing Jingzhe with that evidence, Wayne might, in a way, have prevented the rebellion, saved many civilians who could have died in the war, and reduced the likelihood of the Lungmen Exchange collapsing. However, the final decision rested with Jingzhe and the Great Yan Dynasty.

“Go on,” Wayne said.

"This is a report on your search team's search for Margaret Lin Guang in the no-man's-land. Unfortunately, we have not yet found any trace of Margaret. The search in the no-man's-land is now one-tenth complete, and there is still a chance."

"Yeah. Keep it up." Wayne sighed. The no-man's-land is still too vast; after more than a month, they've only searched one-tenth of it, which is already considered incredibly fast.

"This is a grant application submitted to you by Rhine Lab. Mr. Henry reports that Rhine Lab is currently conducting a scientific experiment on improving the adaptability of Originium Arts. General Medical believes that this experiment is of great value, but the cost is too high, so it has been submitted to you for your decision."

Wayne raised an eyebrow and glanced at the price. Five hundred million Victoria gold coins, tsk, and this is just the initial cost?

Henry really dared to say that.

“Give them two hundred million, then have Henry and the chief technologist in charge of this project come to the palace to see me… or rather, to my villa in the suburbs. Keep it low-key. If they can't produce even the slightest result with those two hundred million, then this plan will be put on hold for now.”

Wayne promised to invest in Ursus and planned a major construction project in New Wales, all of which would cost money. Even with the generosity of Pope Lateran, it would still be a large sum. Immediately investing so much money in a scientific experiment with an uncertain future could very well delay important matters. Let's give them some money to stabilize things, try it out, and then decide what to do next once we've funded things better.

It's not that Wayne is broke, it's just that spending so much at once is painful. If this experiment really yields some valuable results, Wayne wouldn't mind reporting to Vina again and asking Her Majesty the Queen to allocate more funds directly from the national treasury.

"This last matter originated in the north."

Arthur paused, then said rather nonchalantly,

“There have been some unusual activities among the Tara people living in northern Victoria recently. The local garrison has chosen to move into the city, and it should be quelled soon.”

Wayne frowned. He wasn't as nonchalant as Arthur. Victoria was thriving, yet a border city was experiencing unusual activity. Why was that?

"Unusual activity? What's causing this unusual activity? Where exactly is it located?"

Arthur was taken aback, not expecting Wayne to care so much about this, and answered truthfully:

"A small border town - Xiaoqiu County".

Brothers, I'm not updating anymore, I'll talk about it tomorrow! Playing LOL.

Congratulations to EDG!!!

Congratulations to EDG!!!

Congratulations to EDG!!!

Congratulations to EDG!!!

Congratulations to EDG!!!

Chapter 167 A Helpless Solution

"Xiaoqiu County?"

Wayne searched his memory for the name and confirmed that it did not appear in any of the plots he knew.

It makes sense, though. Wayne's knowledge of the plot only extends to the two-year anniversary; she's unaware of what happened under the tide of rebellion. The events involving Victoria are clearly a new chapter that won't appear until Chapter Nine or even later. The person involved is most likely Regent Theresis, who occupied Londinium in the original storyline. Now, with the shift in the timeline, Theresis can't possibly take over Victoria and become Regent, let alone deal with Theresa. Victoria is no longer an empty shell with a vacant throne; it's a rapidly modernizing, rock-solid empire on which the sun never sets.

In this situation, even if Wayne knew what would happen next, he didn't think it would be of much use.

Since we don't know, we'll have to use our intelligence network to investigate. Wayne pondered for a moment, then asked:

Is there a clock tower in the area?

The clock towers are the dwellings of unicorns, and each clock tower has a unicorn serving as Victoria's bell ringer, responsible for relaying intelligence, monitoring nobles, and carrying out risk management tasks assigned by the royal family when necessary.

Arthur shook his head: "There is no clock tower here, Your Highness."

Unicorns are rare, making it impossible to set up clock towers and station people in every place. A region like Little Hill County, unremarkable, with little strategic significance, an underdeveloped economy, and many ethnic minorities, naturally wouldn't warrant a dedicated clock tower for control. In fact, there wasn't even a single noble in the area; the city council, wealthy merchants, and the military all clashed and balanced each other.

Wayne pursed his lips. Since there was no clock tower, assigning tasks to the unicorn would be a bit troublesome. Besides, the unicorn wasn't really free right now.

Vayne is about to strike while the iron is hot and hold a large-scale ceremony to abolish the Holy Covenant. To ensure the smooth running of the ceremony, a large number of unicorns will be recalled to Londinium for guard and protection.

There aren't many people on this land who can't stand Victoria's strength, but there are definitely quite a few who can't stand Victoria's continued strength. When Wayne holds a ceremony to resolve historical issues, he will certainly encounter not only interference from Deep Pool, but also obstruction from many other forces whose names he may not even know.

He hesitated for a moment, but decided to prioritize the overall situation and instructed Arthur:

"Make arrangements. Go and inform Ernest to select a trustworthy nobleman of good character who has no prejudice against the Tara people, and also select an officer of the same type to form an investigation team to go to Hillshire to investigate this matter. After the selection is complete, come to me to collect the relevant seals. Try to resolve these issues as perfectly as possible."

Arthur nodded, but still pursed his lips in disbelief:

“Your Highness Wayne, why are you so concerned about a mob? They’re just a bunch of Tara people, nothing to be afraid of. I think the local garrison can handle everything. Colonel Hamilton, the garrison commander of Little Hills, is my friend’s son. He is an outstanding patriot and soldier. He and his troops have been stationed in Little Hills for many years and should have enough experience and intelligence to deal with those Tara people.”

Wayne understood the unspoken meaning in Arthur's words. He pushed off the table, causing the office chair to slide a meter away, then casually crossed his legs, placed his arms across his chest, and smiled as he looked at the municipal official before him, saying calmly:

"That's right."

Arthur's face lit up with joy, but then Wayne suddenly said:

"Don't let me hear you say that again."

“Victoria’s military affairs are handled by Field Marshal Ernest. If Colonel Hamilton, whom you mentioned, is capable enough, you should recommend him to Ernest. Given your past relationship, even if you are now in different systems, I think it shouldn’t be difficult to get this done. Why bother coming to me?”

"Do you not trust 'The Wise Norfolk,' or do you not trust your Colonel Hamilton?" Wayne narrowed his eyes, his tone casual as if inquiring about something trivial, yet it sent a chill down Arthur's spine. He quickly explained:

"No, no, Your Highness, you misunderstand. I had no intention of seeking a promotion for Hamilton..."

"You'd better not have it."

Wayne stood up, dusted off his sleeves,

"Also, stop talking about 'those Tara people' or 'a mob.' Victoria is indeed great, but we are only a tiny, insignificant part of that greatness. The mob you're talking about is the majority of it."

“I haven’t paid enough attention to this before. It’s been a bit biased to always focus on the outside world. Now, please remember this, Sir Arthur—there are no small matters concerning the people. Stick to this, and it will be good for your future life and work.”

After Wayne finished speaking, he gently tapped the table, waking Arthur from his daze, and urged him:

"Now, go quickly. I hope that by the time the ceremony is over, I will receive good news that you have resolved the Little Hills problem."

Arthur, trembling with fear, bowed respectfully, pushed open the door, and hurried away.

Wayne walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows of the palace. Today was his first day back in Londinium, which should have been a wonderful day of rest. He was supposed to have breakfast with Vina, then show Talulah around the beautiful scenery of Victoria, and then get a good night's sleep. But the events in Little Hill County shattered this rare tranquility.

Uprisings, the Tara people, the north....

This always reminded him of some unpleasant things, such as Dublin, the Deeppool, Reed and her sister whom he hadn't seen in a long time, two real Draks, and pure-blooded Draks. Perhaps simply sending a few nobles and officers there wasn't enough security, but the available personnel around Wayne were truly stretched thin.

Surtr and Mudrock were taken to the Ursus border by Theresa and have not yet returned. The Unicorn has no clock tower in Hillshire and is also responsible for the security of the ceremony. Kal'tsit is capable of handling these issues, but Vayne needs Kal'tsit by his side to advise him; sometimes, he alone is simply not enough.

The Tower of Babel has not yet been formally built.

We can't exactly let Theresis take the Sarkaz to handle this kind of thing. Even if the Chairman were willing to take on the job, given his personality, he'd likely just go and see the so-called "mob," then send the pardoners to each and every one of them to be shot. This not only doesn't align with Wayne's vision, but it would also completely ruin the impression Wayne and Theresia had painstakingly cultivated among the Victorians regarding the Sarkaz.

"We have no choice but to leave it to them."

Wayne let out a long sigh.

"Hopefully nothing goes wrong."

Chapter 168 You got scolded too, so I'm not at a loss.

Leaving his office, Arthur immediately went to Ernest's office, now too afraid to make a move.

He thought he had been subtle enough, but he still felt a sense of panic that Wayne had seen right through him, as if Wayne could see right through his every scheme. Colonel Hamilton was indeed his old friend's son, and his personal abilities and military skills were certainly not in question, but he had never been promoted in the military, which was largely due to his extreme personality.

His attitude towards the Infected and the Tara was so appalling that even during the most critical period after the death of the King of the North and when the entire Empire adopted a more moderate policy to maintain stability, violence continued to erupt in Hillshire, where Hamilton's garrison was stationed, with soldiers frequently clashing with civilians. To put it mildly, his personality was merely somewhat extreme; to put it more bluntly, it showed a narrow-mindedness that limited his potential for greatness.

Unfortunately, Arthur's friend doted on the child too much and repeatedly pleaded with Arthur, who was half the prime minister of the empire, for Hamilton's future, hoping that Arthur would help Hamilton get a promotion so that he could inherit his father's title.

Arthur thought about it for a moment and also felt that Hamilton was capable and intelligent, so he subtly hinted at the matter to Wayne. But after Wayne's prompting, he immediately understood.

As long as Wayne is still alive, Victoria will not have a so-called prime minister. He, as the municipal official of Lontinim, can only be a diligent and conscientious person. If he really wants to be fair and give a talented but unappreciated young man a chance to rise to prominence, he can naturally plead with Marshal Ernest instead of feeling guilty and bypassing Ernest to find Wayne, who is not very involved in military affairs.

Arthur rubbed his nose in regret, his heart heavy. But he was also clear-headed; the most urgent thing now wasn't to wallow in self-reproach, but to do what Prince Wayne had asked of him and salvage his image.

He adjusted his breathing, trying to make his expression appear as relaxed and normal as possible, and knocked on Ernest's office door, asking:

"Marshal, are you there?"

There was no response from inside. Arthur glanced down at his watch. It wasn't noon yet; it should be working hours. Marshal Ernest should be in his office.