The 146^th chapter “betrayal” (part two)

Seeing the scene in front of him Earl Raymond sighs softly as he whispered to himself: “I haven’t seen this scenario for 20 years……”

With that, he raised his head and looked at Augustine the 6^th standing at a distance. Using a clear voice, he said:  “Sire, the magic array is already activated…… As far as I know, the magic array would require the full strength of the entire court magician team to activate it. Not only does it require an hour to fully power it up, but once powered, it cannot be stopped! Also, once it is fully running, the barrier cannot be shut down for at least three full days. During that time, those court magicians presiding over the magic array cannot move from their posts!”

After Earl Raymond said all of this in a gentle voice, the eyes of Augustine the 6^th became very somber: “Raymond, you even found out about this…. For my son to rebel at such a time, did you also help him plan all of this?”

“You’re still so wise.” Earl Raymond bows slightly before speaking in a light calm voice: “Presently, 3,000 of the most elite of the King’s Guard have already perished in the victory square. With only 7,000 of the 10,000 soldiers left, there is no way you can protect the huge palace behind you. Also, the power of the court Mages cannot be mobilized for three days. Not to mention, even if you can hold out for that duration and wait for the court mage to help you, what can they do after exhausting all their energy.” Speaking up to here, Earl Raymond sighs: “Of course, under normal circumstances, you can just fortify yourself inside the palace and wait for reinforcements from the other armies. But unfortunately for you, the magic barrier was activated. Within the next three days, no one can enter or leave the capital. Even if you manage to mobilize an army to reinforce you, they are forced to wait outside until the ordeal ends! Three days is enough for us to finish everything, am I right? In other words, the palace doesn’t have enough forces for you to rely on at this time.”

Earl Raymond suddenly bowed deeply in front of everyone and performed a respectable salute towards the emperor: “Your majesty, please abdicate!”

“Please step down!”

The several surrounding high ranking nobles belonging to the Crown prince’s side also spoke up in unison to form a vocal ball…..

Augustine the 6^th’s finger started to tremble, his eyes filled with poison as he looked through the people around Earl Raymond. Then when his sight caught onto an old man, he stopped.

“Marquis of Solomon!” Augustine the 6^th suddenly became infuriated with a deep bitterness in his eyes: “You! You white eyed wolf! I always trusted you and even let you manage the wealth of the royal family! Now you are also betraying me with them?!”

Under the staring gaze of the emperor, Marquis of Solomon calmly lifted his head and nodded: “That’s right your majesty, it was I and the others that orchestrated this whole thing. You see those archers down below? They were all quietly shipped here on the royal commerce fleet under my name. Thanks to your special seal, no inspector on the river even dared to check the inventory.”

“What about you Jean Claude! “All of a sudden, Augustine the 6^th’ pointed to the general standing not so far behind Earl Raymond. In a low growl, he began to speak: “Jean Claude, I trusted you so much and even made you the second division’s commander! Not only that, the entire defense of the capital was given to you!”

Jean Claude’s face remained cold, even his body cannot stand straight as he replied: “Your majesty, you did indeed left me with the capital’s defense….. But if I’m guessing it right, you would have replaced me in the coming months! You are already old and paving the way for Prince Son’s succession. For old generals like me that still control a certain amount of military power, I fear we would be soon suppressed by you and reassigned to some far off places! I know it very well, in order for the young prince to properly inherit the throne, he needs some new trusted people to serve as his top officials…. Unfortunately for me, my relationship with Prince Son over the years has never been good.”

The old emperor’s body trembled so violently that he even bit his lips. With drops of blood running down the corner of his mouth, this aging old man looked like he is about to fall apart.

“Traitors! Traitors! All of you are traitors!!” Augustine the 6^th’s voice roared in fury.

Looking at the aging old emperor in front of him, Earl Raymond sighs in disappointment: “Sire, I said it before; it is you whom betrayed us and not us betraying you!”

“You…… You! Spouting nonsense!!”The Emperor suddenly limped backward and sat back into the Chair, When he went down, the people around exclaimed in disbelief.

With his breathing intensifying, the old emperor stared at Raymond: “You people say I betrayed you?! Nonsense! Nonsense!!”

“On the contrary, what we say is true.” Earl Raymond calmly looked at Augustine the 6th: “Your Majesty, every word I say are the facts!”

With that, Earl Raymond raised his hand to point at the people behind him…. Most of the people present are from rich and influential noble families belonging to the Crown Prince’s side.

“Dear sire.” Earl Raymond spoke slowly: “Did you notice? The people that support the Crown Prince are all around his age! I believe you didn’t forge the words from the Crown Prince earlier, right?”

Watching the indifferent attitude from his father as he stood in the back, Du Wei suddenly developed a hard to describe feeling in his heart.

“Your Majesty, it was when the Crown Prince was still young. During that time, you said that everything he is learning then is to inherit and rule the empire! When you said these words, you also said it to many of us at the time!” Earl Raymond raised his finger and pointed at the Crown Prince: “Back when the young Prince Son wasn’t born… No, to be precise, it was when the Crown Prince was still a young adult. For 20 years long, you treated him like the future heir to the throne! For the rest of us around his age group, we were already dumped into the Crown Prince’s circle and cultivate as so!

I can still clearly remember it. 20 years ago before the war broke out in the Northwest. I accompanied his highness to the battle front in the dessert! At that time, you even summoned me to the palace alone and said ‘Raymond, you are the best candidate in future! You represent the empire’s future!’ This sentence was never forgotten by me! Starting from that morning, you unintentionally put me and many others into a unbreakable link with the Crown Prince! From the moment we entered into the political circle, we were already branded as the ‘Crown Prince’s party’! That mark was not of our choice, but yours! Because you wanted to groom a successor, because you wanted to groom assistants for the prince, you started all of this long before Prince Son was born!”

Subsequently, Earl Raymond’s tone took a complete turn: “30 years coming…… The young adults back then are already full grown adults with white hair. We grew up together with the Prince, we are friends, we are partners,  all this was due to your words! You said back then the Crown Prince will be the future ruler, he will be the future emperor of our generation and that we must swear our loyalty to him! Like you asked, I think I managed to do that…. There are many people like I standing behind me…. All of us are doing what you said! But……” He smiled wryly: “Suddenly, you changed your mind one day! Just because of your ridiculous decision without reason! People like us that followed the Crown Prince for 30 years, where will we go in the future? Back then, you told us the Crown Prince will be the emperor and that we need support him. Fine, we did it like you tasked us to! But 30 years later, you suddenly say that you want the younger prince to take the throne! Then let me ask you… Those of us that are here today, where will we go? Because of your decision on a whim, the 30 years of effort by us became pointless! Prince Son is young and smart, but unfortunately, he is not the master I swore my allegiance to! Say I’m treasonous, but if the young prince takes the throne, he will have his own group of people to support him. If that happens, where will we be stationed?? So…..”

This Rowling family patriarch finally sighed. Then looking at Augustine the 6^th, he continued: “So, it’s not us betraying you, but you betraying us! You gave us a goal to strive for. Then after 30 years of struggle, you can so easily cancel our target! 30 years of effort and struggle, all became nothing! Excuse me, but if this is not heresy, then what is?!”

This round of words from Earl Raymond was so moving that Du Wei wanted to cheer loudly at his father!

” Earl Raymond.”

Suddenly, a sweet to voice slowly floated into the ears of those present. Prince Son that was quiet up till now suddenly opened his mouth and showed his iconic warm smile: “Earl Raymond, I want to ask you a question. If it as you say, then would you and the people behind you swear your allegiance to me if father had asked you to do so in the beginning?”

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