noveldrama
Chapter 169 If the king of this kingdom is not Andre, then there is no reason for it to exist.
Chapter 169 If the king of this kingdom is not Andre, then there is no reason for it to exist.
Regent King.
Beneath one, above ten thousand.
It was mentioned in the bounty mission of [The Lost Golden City] that a greedy official became second only to one, above ten thousand, but not long.... he was sent to the gallows, and all the gold, silver, and jewels he embezzled during his tenure were taken by the King to build the Golden City.
What made the members of the Bronze Guild gape in astonishment was that in their imagination, the one who should have become the King was supposed to be Princess Elusha.
The person who sent the old master to the gallows should also have been Elusha, who became the Queen.
The one responsible for building the Golden City should still have been Elusha, who became the Queen.
But then.... something unexpected happened, the young old master staged a coup, removed the senile old King from the throne, and even had the old King hand over his position to Prince Andre.
This move was too domineering; they had never imagined that the young old master would use such a method to place Prince Andre upon the throne.
The forced abdicated old King went to enjoy his retirement.
The fate of the old King was of no concern to the members of the Bronze Guild; he was of great age, and in a few years, he would be laid to rest in the earth. Andre, who had become the King, would not persecute his own aged father.
Neither would the young old master.
What the members of the Bronze Guild now wanted to know was.... when would King Andre send the young old master to the gallows?
It was baffling.
The young old master had personally placed King Andre on the throne, causing Princess Elusha to be forced to flee the Eternal City.
Given King Andre's affection for the young old master, it seemed inconceivable that he would ever send him to the gallows.
What on earth happened later that made King Andre contemplate sending the young old master to the gallows?
Was he afraid that the young old master would seize power?
That shouldn't be the case, for the young old master had no interest in being the King; power was merely a convenience for him to accumulate wealth.
He had no desire for power, often delegating authority to capable subordinates while he leisurely enjoyed life.
Meredith once saw the young old master sleeping on a pile of gold, silver, and jewels....
The young old master was avaricious.
King Andre knew this, and from time to time, he would send some precious paintings and jewels to the old master.
To send the old master to the gallows for embezzlement....
This explanation made no sense.
Unable to figure it out, the members of the Bronze Bounty Guild gave up thinking about it and began preparing for the prison break.
The old master who became the Regent King didn't meddle in politics; if nobles, ministers, or businessmen brought him money for intelligence or a way out....
The old master would take money for services depending on the situation, accepting payment if he could help, and if not.... he was unable to assist. However, if someone showed enough sincerity in seeking the old master's help, he would soften and agree to it.
Then, he would later split the money with his student Andre....
Indeed, King Andre, having nothing better to do, would split money with his teacher, and then, taking the money, he, the King, would get to work. Those who had offended him, betrayed him, were let off with a mild talking-to, offering opportunities to the talented.
Those without talent.... were sent away on some pretext to retire in the countryside.
The members of the Bronze Guild were truly eye-opened, having never seen a King and his minister secretly splitting money before.
Sometimes, to get a larger share, King Andre would argue with the young old master until they were both red in the face. Eventually, when Andre couldn't out-argue the old master, he would say, "I am the King, so what if I take a bit more money?"
Then the young old master would retort: "I am still the teacher of the King, have I been arrogant?"
Eventually.... they would split it evenly.....
A King and his teacher colluding to share the spoils, such a thing.... unheard and unseen.....
Not to mention that they would argue to the point of flush faces over it.
Sometimes, in a huff, Andre would leave, but just as he reached the door, the young old master would say: "You don't want the money anymore?"
He would then turn back, pick up his share of the spoils, and then leave again....
This harmonious teacher-student relationship was something the members of the Bronze Guild could never have imagined ending with the young old master on the gallows.
Where did things go wrong?
As the members of the Bronze Guild were puzzling over this....
A terribly bad piece of news reached the Eternal City.
The Northern Borders had raised the banner of rebellion and declared independence!
The ruler of the Northern Borders was none other than Princess Elusha.
Proclaiming herself the one to punish the traitorous thieving courtier and great embezzler Lance, Elusha declared war on Andre who had barely served a year as King.
The soldiers of the Northern Borders, perennially at battle with the Barbarian Tribes, were countless and formidable.
Half a month after declaring war on Andre, Princess Elusha personally led her troops into battle.
King Andre ordered the other provinces to hold their cities and try not to meet the enemy in open battle.
With the Northern Border Soldiers invincible in the field, those troops within the kingdom's borders, which had never experienced such combat, would be no match for them.
Holding out in their cities would deplete the Northern Borders' supplies; without sustenance, the Northern Border Soldiers would have to retreat.
Princess Elusha could not afford to be away from the Northern Borders for extended periods because outside the region lay the Barbarian Tribes.
If she stayed away too long, the Barbarians might seize the opportunity to invade, and with insufficient military presence, the Northern Borders could fall to them.
As a King and a student of the young old master, Andre understood military tactics and knew that the soldiers of the Northern Borders were exceptionally skilled in field combat; it was inconceivable that troops who had never clashed with the Barbarians could match them.