Chapter 360: Castles Often Fall from Within

"A few months is too long?" Philip's emotionless remark left Wilson, who had never been exposed to such matters, deeply shocked. He looked at his grandfather and father in disbelief.

Seeing his son's frightened expression, Charles felt a bit of pity. "Father..."

Philip, however, paid no attention to Charles's concern. Stroking the beard on his chin, he said calmly, "He's already 18. It's time he started learning about certain things. Look at William's experiences—hardship is the best teacher."

"But William had no choice. Wilson has both me and you to rely on. You taught me that in the current situation domestically, the king doesn't need to resort to so much scheming. Even the most perfect plan will show its flaws eventually. It's better to act with openness and integrity."

"That's right, I did say that. But that's when we had no choice. The public doesn't want to see the nobility owning too much land or property, and we've been continuously restricted. Politicians constantly curry favor with voters by attacking us for the sake of winning elections, leaving us wealthy yet living in fear.

"We've fought for over a hundred years, and the situation shows no signs of improving. Despite trying to follow the rules set by capitalists, the nobility has produced few who can generate significant wealth—aside from Grovener, who's only made a name in real estate, a low-tier and publicly criticized industry.

"But now things are different. The world is ultimately a game of money. If William can dominate an industry and affect the livelihoods of more people, he will gain more influence, and our lives will become much easier.

"That's why I must ensure that William Devonshire stands with the hereditary nobility. And inheriting a title is the simplest, most direct way to achieve that."

This straightforward logic made sense to both Charles and Wilson. Charles nodded. "You're right. Helping him, in a sense, is helping ourselves. If our ranks can produce the world's richest man or someone who dominates an industry, it will definitely benefit us. My only concern is that William is so stingy—it's not easy to get any advantage from him."

"Have we really not benefited?" Philip chuckled, narrowing his eyes. "William is no fool. He understands the benefits of aligning with us. In the short term, it may seem like we're doing him a favor without any immediate gain.

"But the technology William has shared is already mature and ready for market. The £5 billion valuation only means we missed out on getting the original shares at a cheaper price.

"Think about it. In just over a month, I know at least 50 people who've purchased more than one set of these bulletproof suits. This month's sales alone are at least a hundred units. Do you know what that means? A full £500 million in sales! For a company that hasn't even gone public yet, reaching £500 million in a month. And what about annual sales?"

Charles quickly did the math. "Even if the England market gets saturated, we could still easily sell several hundred units. If the technology remains secure, selling 1,000 units worldwide in a year should be simple."

"Crack the technology? Haha, forget about it. I had people searching for nearly 20 days, and we still don't know where these suits are being produced," Philip said with a mysterious tone. "The Devonshire family has a long history in espionage. It's not easy to crack their secrets."

"So, no one can replicate the suit in the short term. A thousand units a year—my God, that's £5 billion!" Charles and Wilson both realized the numbers within seconds. Any dissatisfaction they had about not getting a better deal instantly evaporated.

Seeing his son and grandson understand, Philip smirked. "You get it now. Not only did we not lose out, we actually came out ahead. Think about the most immediate, tangible benefit. As shareholders, won't we be the first to get new products?

"Knowing William's money-grubbing nature, he'll likely limit the supply or create a gap between the new and old products. Don't you think those who can't get the latest version will come to us for help?"

Wilson burst into laughter. "Grandfather, they certainly will! Just a few days ago, someone approached me asking to buy the older bulletproof suit. Looks like I'll need to talk to William about making sure the new version is sold in limited quantities—invite-only for people of a certain status. Those who don't qualify can stick with the old model."

"Haha, no need to remind him. From what I know of William, that's exactly what he'll do," Charles said confidently, having dealt with William the most.

As they laughed, the car pulled into Buckingham Palace. Before getting out, Philip turned to Charles and said, "Tomorrow morning, tell Grovener the parts of our conversation that are appropriate."

"Why not tell Duke Grovener tonight?" Wilson asked curiously.

"Tomorrow will teach him a lesson. I don't need to guess to know that Grovener will spend the whole night smoking, unable to sleep. I've heard he's been having some mental health issues."

Charles glanced at his father, feeling a bit guilty. "Grovener has a lot on his mind. The financial crisis hit him hard, so he may indeed have some problems. I'll keep an eye on him and try to console him."

"Good. One more thing—I've heard that some people in Oxfordshire aren't very friendly to William's mother, Lena Devonshire?"

"What? How could that be?" Charles and Wilson were both surprised.

"Why not? Some fools can't see the bigger picture. They cling to their ancestors' glory while living like beggars and still look down on England's wealthiest family. From now on, stay away from such people."

"Understood, Father."

"Yes, Grandfather."

"And have Diana find a chance to visit William's mother. She's the one we should be paying attention to. Think about William's recent actions, and you'll realize Lena is the only person in the world he truly cares about.

"William made Lena the actual owner of the Devonshire family foundation, not only out of filial piety but also as preparation for potential scenarios.

"Charles, Wilson, our enemies aren't just the common people who hate the nobility. Castles often fall because of what's inside."

"Understood, Father."

"Good. Goodnight, my children."

"Goodnight, Father," "Goodnight, Grandfather."

Watching Philip walk into the palace, Charles pressed a button near the car door. "Drive. Take Wilson and me back to Kensington Palace."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Sitting in the car, Charles reflected on Philip's words. As they neared Kensington Palace, he noticed Wilson hesitating to speak and smiled. "We'll take a walk when we get there."

"Alright, Father."

After the car pulled into Kensington Palace, Charles and Wilson got out and strolled into the garden. Only then did Charles speak. "Go ahead, what did you want to ask me in the car?"

"Father," Wilson hesitated for a few seconds before finally asking, "I've heard rumors that the Earl of Oxford had a child when he was younger. Then why—"

"Shut up."

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