Chapter 760: A Big Problem
For over a week, the Gephra Financial Index fluctuated repeatedly, mirroring the stalemate between the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance.
Neither side seemed able to deliver a decisive blow. Both appeared trapped in a deadlock—unable to retreat, yet struggling to move forward.
The upper echelons of the entire empire were focused on this battle. Some who had initially believed in the Prime Minister’s ultimate victory were no longer so sure, sensing possible changes ahead.
These changes stemmed from the Finance Minister’s ruthlessness. He never left himself an escape route, and even other nobles would choose to back down when dealing with him.
It didn’t seem worth it to completely fall out with the Finance Minister over relatively minor issues. Even some nobles in the Prime Minister’s camp were starting to waver in the face of his demands.
After all, the damage from a full investigation into the companies involved would be enormous.
Just when people thought the standoff between the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister might drag on until the end of the year—or even beyond—a seemingly trivial event completely changed the course of the situation.
That morning, the head of the Royal Bank’s Loan Department had just finished washing up and was reading the newspaper over breakfast. The bank’s workday started at 9:30, giving him plenty of time to enjoy a pleasant morning and all that came with it.
The newspaper’s stories felt stale: yet another financial official exposed for corruption and arrested, or some public company penalized for fraudulent operations and suspended from trading for a month.