Sue for peace

Prince Edward frowned. He had directed his question to Louis because he could tell that the man wanted to get closer to him. He also felt that he could easily pry information from him. What he did not expect was for Duke Albert to cut in.

"Your Highness, the settlements that were lost are under Mills," Duke Albert explained his interruption when he noticed the prince's frown. He did not trust that Duke Louis would not let something slip, so he spoke up, forgetting that the prince had not been addressing him.

As a Duke, Albert was not afraid of the Crown Prince; he was only worried about revealing too much.

"I would like to visit these settlements and meet any survivors. These are difficult times," Prince Edward said. If he could not break through the nobles' defenses, he would turn to the commoners.

Prince Edward observed that although the Dukes seemed to have internal conflicts, their interests were deeply intertwined, making it difficult to gain much from any of them. Moreover, if the news about the mine was true, everyone noble must be involved and on willing to be exposed.

When the Duke and the Lord heard this, they exchanged subtle glances.

"I will make arrangements. When would Your Highness like to go for this visit?" Duke Albert asked.

"Tomorrow would be a good day," Prince Edward replied. He knew that the longer he stayed in the East, the harder it would be for him to achieve his goal.

"Then I will make the arrangements," Duke Albert said. The settlement was close to the mine, but the refugee camp was not.

"The Prince has the people's best interests at heart. The survivors will be happy to see him," Duke Louis flattered. Normally, he would have been offended that Duke Albert had interrupted him, but this time, he was grateful—he had been careless when speaking to the prince earlier.

"Yes, Nexit would be blessed to have you as our next Emperor," Lord Freeman said. A round of flattery followed, lightening the mood at the table.

---

The Queen's Courtyard, Royal Palace

"Your Majesty, the girl does not look bad. Although she is the daughter of a mistress, she still appears presentable," the lady-in-waiting who had visited the Duke's house reported.

"Lily, are you trying to comfort me? I have seen the reports about that girl—she does not seem to excel at anything. At most, she is beautiful, but her manners must be very poor."

"Not at all, Your Majesty. I have seen her with my own eyes. Her temperament is not bad, and her noble aura is no different from that of a legitimate child," Lily said.

"Are you telling the truth?" the Queen asked. She knew she could not change the King's mind about this marriage, so her only option was to send Magdalene over to observe and perhaps teach the girl a little.

"Your Majesty, this is the truth. I also saw the Duchess of the house—she seems like a petty woman. She almost lost her composure when we offered gifts to Lady Anastasia. I believe all the rumors started from her. Lady Anastasia does not attend any parties, so the rumors have gone unchallenged," Lily explained.

Hearing these words, the Queen felt slightly relieved. It was one thing for her son to marry the daughter of a mistress, but it would be humiliating if the girl lacked proper manners.

"Then, I will wait for Magdalene's report," the Queen said.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" A maid hurried into the room, almost tripping over herself.

"What is it?" The Queen frowned; she hated clumsy maids the most.

"There is news from the front line. The Second Prince, His Highness, is reported to have been injured and is in critical condition," the maid said.

The Queen, who had been about to pick up her teacup, froze. Although she had known her son would be on the battlefield, she had not expected him to be injured so soon.

"Are you sure?" The Queen refused to believe the news.

"Yes, Your Majesty. His Majesty has just received the report. He is preparing to send the best royal physician," the maid confirmed.

The Queen quickly rose from her chair and hurried toward the King's study.

---

The King's Study

"What is the situation in the Sixth Region?" the King asked. He was seated in his chair, but his health was failing. In fact, he was growing weaker by the day. It was only thanks to the seer's medicine that he could still sit up and speak.

"The situation is dire. Our army has been forced to retreat twice already. If this continues, we may truly lose the Sixth Region to our enemies. The soldiers are already feeling defeated, especially after the prince's injury in the last battle," the messenger reported.

"Then sue for peace," the King said after a short pause.

"Your Majesty..." The man was shocked—the King was never one to bow his head.

"You just said our chances of victory are slim, didn't you?" the King asked.

"Yes," the man nodded.

"Then send a message to begin negotiations. Take the Third Prince with you to discuss the terms," the King instructed.

"Yes, Your Majesty," the man bowed. Thinking it over, he realized that negotiating might be the only way to resolve the crisis.

"Then, Your Majesty, what are we willing to offer for peace?" he asked.

"Let the King of Shu make his demands. We will try our best to fulfill them," the King said, waving his hand to dismiss the man.

"I will make the arrangements," the messenger bowed before leaving the room.

"Your Majesty, the Queen seeks an audience," the eunuch's voice called from outside the study.

"Let her in," the King said, already feeling exhausted.

"My King," the Queen said as she stepped inside.

"Why are you here?" the King asked.

"I heard the report from the Sixth Region. I wanted to know the Prince's condition," the Queen said.

"He is not dead yet. Why not go to the chapel and offer prayers instead of coming here?" the King said coldly.

Hearing his tone, the Queen knew he was in a foul mood. The situation in the Sixth Region must be worse than just the prince's injury. Her husband would not be so irritable if it were only that.

"Then, I will go and offer prayers. I will also pray for peace and prosperity for the kingdom," the Queen said, rising to leave the room.

"Send for the seer," the King instructed his trusted aide after the Queen left.