After days of journey, the three knights, weary and dust-covered, returned to Milin, the capital of Bell Province, and immediately delivered Arno’s secret scroll to Terman’s desk.

  This was a man in his fifties, his silver-gray hair combed with meticulous precision, devoid of the trinkets young nobles favored. Deep wrinkles on his forehead and around his eyes gave him an air of awe-inspiring dignity, making him appear extremely imposing. He cast a cold glance at the knights, waved them away, and the knights stomped their feet before turning to leave.

  Gazing at the golden wax sealing the secret scroll, a sharp glint flashed in Terman’s eyes. This was a privilege reserved for Golden Families, using golden wax just like the royal family.

  Terman was a wise old man, but he also had the faults common to elders: rigidity, prejudice, arrogance.

  He crushed the golden wax, unfurled the scroll, and as his eyes scanned the lines of text one by one, his brows furrowed deeply, the wrinkles on his forehead rising like fissures on a plain. His complexion grew increasingly gloomy, and finally, he let out a heavy, angry snort, slapping the letter onto the desk. He stood up, paced back and forth in the study a few times, then sat back down, read the contents of the letter again, and finally squeezed out a few syllables through his teeth, "Truly too arrogant!"

  Yes, just arrogant.

  A young man from the imperial capital, even a Golden Noble, had no foundation or heritage in Bell Province, yet dared to challenge the dignity of the Bohr family. It was simply unthinkable. Before the founding of the Orlando Empire, the Bohr family had been rooted in this land for nearly two hundred years, already nobles of the Holy Empire at that time. Bell Province was like their home, and now a lodger had come to their home, attempting to embarrass the Bohr family. How could Terman not be enraged?

  He was also well aware that this was the governor’s trick, deliberately provoking conflict between the Bohr family and the Golden Family to watch the drama from behind the scenes. No matter who lost or won, the ultimate beneficiary would be the governor.

  If Bohr won, that Arno who had caused so much trouble would become obedient, and the absurd things he had done would come to an end.

  If Arno won, the Bohr family, rooted here, would be dealt a blow and provoked, which would have extremely favorable implications for the governor’s rule.

  It was indeed a well-planned scheme.

  Terman clearly knew this was a pit, but he had to jump into it. This was not about the governor’s conspiracies or open plots; it was about Terman needing to prove one thing: in Bell Province, the Bohr family still possessed ruling-level political prestige and power.

  In Terman’s view, this exchange should have been harmonious and successful. An outsider should naturally bow to the local powerful family. What did Arno have? No money, no followers… Oh yes, he had just sold a few licenses, perhaps gaining some wealth, but what could his meager funds accomplish? The wealth from those one-time deals was not even enough for the Bohr family’s three-year accumulation.

  Yet this family had accumulated wealth and influence for over five hundred years.

  Too arrogant!

  Arno’s words were filled with an unyielding tone, not taking the Bohr family seriously at all. He had harshly rejected Terman’s demands with the sternest rhetoric and even rebuked Terman’s stupidity in the letter. As a rigid old man, Arno’s words felt like a slap across his face, striking him again and again.

  At this moment, Terman had only one thought in his heart: to go to war!

  As the head of a noble family, Terman had remembered too many lessons in his fifty-odd years of life. Starting a war was not an easy matter. The nobles of Bell Province were not just one or two, and it was not a world where his family dominated alone. If war were to break out, those who had always been on bad terms with the Bohr family would surely not stay quiet. This was a matter that would affect the entire situation, requiring careful planning, but the tone for war had already been set.

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  Without a resounding, satisfying victory, how could he witness that insolent boy begging for mercy in a humble manner?

  He would not kill Arno, but humiliation was indispensable.

  After all, the other party was a Golden Noble.

  Joberg had been closely monitoring Terman’s actions. When Terman sent messengers, Joberg had been nervous and conflicted for a while, fearing that Arno would compromise under Terman’s pressure, leaving him, the governor, in a difficult position. However, information obtained from spies showed that Arno was indeed a hothead, perfectly fulfilling Joberg’s not-so-cunning open plot.

  He had simply asked someone to persuade Terman’s advisors, making this somewhat arrogant old man explode with anger over the interception of some of the family’s goods, and the result was as expected.

  For this reason, he convened a cold buffet reception of moderate scale, inviting city lords and nobles from all sides of Bell Province to the feast.

  In the luxurious hall, the women huddled together discussing the fashionable clothing and accessories popular in the imperial capital this winter. Although they were tens of thousands of miles away from the capital, they had already learned of and purchased the latest styles from a few days ago, sparing no expense even if it meant paying freight charges dozens of times higher than the goods themselves. In addition, they gossiped about the big stars in the imperial capital. The content of their conversation, if heard by an innocent young man or girl, would likely make them flee in embarrassment.

  But then again, wasn’t this the life of noble ladies?

  Discussing clothing, discussing accessories, discussing good-looking men, and cursing good-looking women.

  The men, on the other hand, sat scattered on the other side, with Joberg sitting in the middle of everyone. After all, he was the governor of Bell Province. According to the imperial official hierarchy, he was responsible for the entire Bell Province, but in reality, the cities he could truly influence, speak to, and intervene in, including Milin, were only three.

  "Terman that old fellow is furious," a well-informed nobleman said, holding a glass of red wine, unable to resist showing off. "My nephew told me the old man is deploying five hundred cavalry in Westflow City, preparing to attack Pramisburg. He said, ‘I want that damned boy to apologize to me in person, and then I’ll spit in his face!’"

  His imitation of Terman’s tone caused a burst of laughter among the crowd. Such words were indeed something Terman would say. When the old man was truly angry, he lost all noble grace and acted like an old ruffian.

  Another person continued speaking, "Come to think of it, Arno’s methods are quite skillful. He took that city filled with stench and scum without shedding a drop of blood, which I didn’t expect." He took a sip of wine, a common tactic to demonstrate one’s grace and strength by complimenting an opponent. "I find his actions very interesting. After Terman captures Pramisburg, I think we can form a council to continue his policies."

  When this topic was brought up, the group of nobles obviously became more serious. They never denied that Arno had done a splendid job, of course, from the perspective of absolute bystanders. Arno had directly hit their lifeblood: it could be said that ninety percent of the nobles’ profits in Bell Province came from smuggling. Arno’s establishment of checkpoints for strict trade inspections had choked off their livelihoods.

  Even if Terman hadn’t jumped out, someone else would have taken the initiative to do so; Arno had incurred public wrath.

  What displeased them the most was that Arno intended to monopolize the benefits, not considering bringing them into the game at all. This was the most intolerable thing for them.

  When this nobleman proposed forming a council to continue Arno’s undertakings, everyone inwardly agreed without much thought. The smuggling trade between Orlando and the Byron Empire had to be completed in Bell Province. Controlling this channel was equivalent to grasping the lifeblood of one-tenth of the empire’s nobles. It would bring enormous benefits, both for family profits and political interests!

  If they could, who wouldn’t want to enjoy an extraordinary life in the imperial capital? Who would want to stay in this rural place? Despite their status as the ruling class and prominent nobles, in the core of the empire, they were seen as barbaric nobles who had just shed their animal skins, country bumpkins exuding the smell of earth. People in the imperial capital didn’t even bother to look at them directly, regardless of their wealth or strength.

  After a moment of silence, Joberg nodded solemnly, "I think it’s feasible. We can form it right now, with everyone present."

  Someone laughed and said, "What about Terman? Is he not included?"

  Joberg nodded affirmatively, "Terman is not included!"

  Terman certainly couldn’t be included. This matter had been orchestrated by Joberg. Regardless of whether Terman ultimately won or was unexpectedly defeated by Arno, he had played a disgraceful role. If he lost, it would be fine, but if Terman won, did Joberg want to wait for him to return with a victor’s halo and settle accounts? That was not Joberg’s style. He wanted to take the initiative and exclude Terman from the new power circle. By then, even if Terman was dissatisfied with him and wanted to settle accounts, he would have to swallow his anger and accept it.

  The other nobles had no major objections to Joberg’s move. The fewer people sharing the benefits, the better. Why spit out the meat already in their mouths and give it to others?

  This was nobility: naked interest exchange, power collusion.