Chapter 368 — Shifting Tides

"The royal diplomatic mission set out by carriage. To keep pace with Thibault, they won't travel too fast—by now they should have just left the Holy Spirit Plain and not yet entered the Eastern Province," Gao Yang said, waving the sealed letter in his hand. The letter had been sent out by Military Intelligence agents stationed on the Holy Spirit Plain, carried along the trade routes, and finally handed to him by Amber. "If all goes well, formal contact and negotiations will begin at the end of the Month of Revival or the start of the Month of Fire. According to the intelligence, Anzu and Thibault have jointly built a 'Pact Keep' on the border for these negotiations."

Byron looked at the intelligence in Gao Yang's hand and muttered with some surprise, "Our intelligence network has already reached Saint Sunil?"

"Not last year, but since spring this year our potion merchants have entered the Holy Spirit Plain—thanks should go to Mr. Padrick's efforts, and to the assistance of Baroness Ropenny Gran," Gao Yang nodded, then continued, "Traveling with Francis II is Edmund Moen; the one left to hold Silverhold is Wales Moen."

"The king's eldest son?" Hedy was taken aback at once, finding it rather strange. "They say he's mediocre in ability, poor at politics, and has been far from the kingdom's affairs for years—at present merely a prince with little real power... Why would the king leave him to hold the capital instead of Prince Edmund?"

"Francis II most likely isn't comfortable letting a heir so exceptionally gifted out of his sight—especially when he himself is leaving the capital," Gao Yang said, shaking his head. "I've met that Prince Edmund. He's a young man of strong opinions—too strong, perhaps. As for Wales, left behind in Silverhold... whether he can govern the country well hardly matters, because Duchess Victoria Wilde of the North and Duke Baiyu Franklin of the West have already arrived at Silverhold in advance, and the king's chancellor Aiden stands as the pillar of the royalist faction besides. Silverhold remains stable."

"...Then Wales really is a pitiable prince," Sujilin shrugged. This high-ranking ranger, who had witnessed seven hundred years of Anzu's history with his own eyes, seemed to have little regard for the present "bastard royal house," and still less respect. "In that castle he's nothing but a symbol."

"It makes no difference to Francis II. The entire Second Dynasty was founded with the backing of the Duke of the North—whether or not a Wilde is in Silverhold, the name Moen is merely a symbol. Under such circumstances, Wales, being easier to control, saves him no end of trouble," Gao Yang waved a hand indifferently. "It has little to do with us."

Amber found it odd. "Then why did you call us here?"

Gao Yang ignored the half-elf lady beside him and looked at Byron. "How go the battle corps' spring expansion and the fielding of the new weapons?"

The moment the question was thrown out, everyone present was stunned.

From Gao Yang's manner, they caught a whiff of something unsettling.