Chapter 382: Laying Down
"I'm fine. Don't worry." Simon said to them.
Then, he turned to Prince Gerad. "What brings you here, Third Uncle?"
Prince Gerad smiled with a flattering face, his big belly sticking out. He said. "Dear nephew, it's not convenient to talk here. Why don't you come with me to the Genesis in Eldora for some tea?"
"That's unnecessary. My wedding is coming up soon. I don't want to cause any rumors." Simon frowned. He couldn't tell if Prince Gerad was truly foolish or just pretending. At a time like this, he was still trying to invite him to such a notorious place?
Prince Gerad suddenly seemed to realize something. He said. "Ah! Look at me forgetting. Right, right. In that case, nephew, please choose the place."
"Let's just talk inside the mansion," Simon said as he walked into the courtyard.
Because of the recent assassination, he no longer trusted anyone, especially Prince Gerad.
Back during the Preston war, Prince Gerad had already sent weak troops at such a crucial time. What else couldn't he do?
Simon was still young and lived far away in Brambleford. Compared to these power-hungry old players, he was still inexperienced. Whether it was the Third Prince, Prince Gerad, or others, all of them set traps for him with every step he took.
'I don't want to die before I even start my journey.' So now, he had to stay extra alert and avoid going to unfamiliar places. After his wedding, he planned to return to Brambleford and ignore the mess in Eldora.
If anyone dared come after him again, he would simply use guns and cannons to teach them a lesson.
Inside the mansion, Simon brought Prince Gerad to the main hall. In the Eldorian Empire, every royal mansion had a similar layout, so this included a hall for political discussions.
"Dear nephew, I only came to ask you for a small favor." Prince Gerad said with a flattering smile.
Simon sneered. "You're here because of the army you sent, aren't you? I really should talk to the Emperor about this, let him see your true face, and how you cooperated with me during the battle."
As he spoke, Simon suddenly slammed the teacup down on the table, causing tea to splash everywhere.
With such a forceful presence, Simon made Prince Gerad's face turn ugly. Prince Gerad held a high position in the entire Eldorian Empire; who didn't treat him with respect? Yet here he was, being humiliated by a junior.
He felt furious inside, but he knew that if Simon brought this up to the Emperor, it could truly cause trouble.
Over the years, he had come to understand his older brother, the Emperor,r very well. Though he seemed like a careless and useless ruler, he actually kept a clear mind on everything.
Prince Gerad knew the Emperor no longer trusted him. He was only pretending to favor him because there were still threats from the northern tribes and other powerful regional princes.
In the past, Prince Gerad was critical for the Empire.
But now, everything had changed. Simon had risen quickly, even defeating the northern tribes and taking back Snake Pass. His importance in the Emperor's eyes far exceeded that of Prince Gerad now.
After all, Simon now held the safety of the northern border.
That's exactly why Prince Gerad had sent a useless troop during the Preston battle, to drag Simon down and hopefully weaken him. If Simon lost power, Prince Gerad could remain safe.
But once again, his plan had failed.
"Dear nephew, I admit I made a mistake this time. I truly didn't expect the army I sent to be so useless. After all, they were once my elite force." Prince Gerad said with a look of regret.
"Elite force?" Simon got angrier. 'Does he think I'm a fool?' "Your army is the worst in your whole region. Do you really think I know nothing?"
Prince Gerad kept defending himself. "Dear nephew, they are my troops. I know their strength best. Maybe you just misunderstood."
Seeing his shameless attitude, Simon said coldly. "You'd better leave, Third Uncle. Let's just talk about this in court. I trust the Emperor and ministers will see things clearly."
Instead of being angry, Prince Gerad kept smiling and said. "Dear nephew, as long as you don't mention it, who would ever know my army is full of old and weak soldiers? Don't be angry. I'm here to negotiate."
"Then let's get to the point. I don't have time to waste arguing with you."
Simon was already furious with Prince Gerad's past behavior. Since this was a negotiation, there was no need to be polite. If he didn't embarrass Prince Gerad, he wouldn't get any real benefits.
Prince Gerad sighed. "Why don't you just say what you want? I admit defeat. We're both royal lords. We all fight for our own land and power. The Eldorian Empire belongs to your father now, and will belong to the Crown Prince in the future. Right now, I'm you in the future; why should we fight to the death?"
"Finally, some honesty." Simon smiled. "In the end, we're all just protecting our own turf. Since that's the case, I won't be polite. I can make this whole army thing as big or as small as I want. If I make the Emperor dislike you, it doesn't bring me much benefit. Even though your actions were hateful, if we start stabbing each other, it only makes others laugh at us."
Prince Gerad gave him a thumbs-up. "Nephew, you see things clearly. I was foolish last time. I'm willing to offer compensation."
Originally, Simon had planned to expose Prince Gerad in court, but the recent assassination changed his mind.
Even if the Crown Prince wasn't behind it, other royal princes surely were. There were also signs of involvement from other powerful regional lords. To Simon, Prince Gerad was now just a fat pig under his watch.
He could take advantage of him, but there was no need to slaughter him. It was better to let Prince Gerad support his cause for now.
So Simon smiled and said. "It's very simple. If you want to make up for it, just agree that the Brambleford Chamber of Commerce can sell goods in your region without paying any taxes. Also, local officials must not interfere in their trade or arrest any Brambleford merchants for any reason."