Chapter 1744 - 488: The Choice of the Crowd and the Crowd’s Choices (5)

Under the gray sky outside the cabin, the snow-bright sword blade radiated a bone-chilling coldness, which also silenced the sounds of people stirred up.

Inside the cabin, only the sound of chattering teeth remained.

Looking at this group of frightened peasants, the escort remained expressionless, holding the longsword upright before him, with the tip pointing directly at the cabin ceiling.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I know your hearts are filled with fear, but I hope that apart from this, your humble souls also harbor something else. Such as loyalty to the Lord, enthusiasm for Saint Sis, and the determination to defend order at all costs!"

"You are fighting for Campbell's future! For the future of all of us, to avoid being dragged into that bottomless abyss, Jelock needs your bravery!"

"If you don't want to live in a time where farmers have no land, then fight alongside our King!"

Sarve's mind was blank, unable to hear the noise in the cabin, nor had any time to sort through the chaotic yet meticulous logic.

If a clever person were here, they would probably refute that irrational logic point by point—

Although Light of Praise indeed did not choose Edward, it also did not choose Jelock.

They were fundamentally not defending order, but breaking it, simply because the choices did not suit their interests.

And the notion of farmers having no land is utterly absurd; the land the peasants work on has never belonged to them, nor would it suddenly belong to them if they defeated another lord.

But tyrants are all very clever.

When Edward first ceded power to the populace, they realized that a fool was shaking their foundation, so they did not indulge it at all.

The auction for diamonds was only a smokescreen; the Duke did not even care about money or that shiny diamond on the crown, it was all about leveraging the strength of the Colin Duchy for his own affairs!

And Erin was clearly not a better choice either.

She squandered industrial wealth on useless welfare and education, which was worse than her brother!

Once the Campbell people truly shook off ignorance, they would unleash a terrible monster, and this monster would first consume the tumor on its own body.

That tumor, is themselves.

In December of Aus Calendar 1053, not a grain of food from the Valley Plain of Campbell Duchy was shipped to the port of Thunder City, yet eerily, barges floated across the river heavy upon the waterline.

A grand army split into two routes; the alliance army of nobles headed straight for the capital Campbell Castle, while soldiers disguised as grain ships went directly to the suburbs of Thunder City, preparing to collaborate with the demons stirring within the maze.

A disastrous calamity sweeping the duchy was silently approaching…

Sitting in the Andes Manor, Edward finished reading the secret message in his hand, sighed, and lightly sent the letter into the fireplace.

The thing he feared the most still happened.

And this was what Mr. Colin had always warned him about.

No noble would tolerate the reforms he was pushing forward, they would not wait until Campbell's spring arrived to turn the tables.

Thinking of the king hiding in the shadows rejoicing quietly, a shadow flickered across Edward's young and handsome face, and he clenched his fist tightly.

At this moment, a knock came at the door.

Standing in front of the fireplace, Edward didn't turn around, and said coldly.

"Come in."

The door opened.

Entering was his steward, who looked at him and bowed slightly.

"Your Majesty."

Edward turned, expressionless, and said.

"Where have they reached?"

The steward was taken aback for a moment, then said heavily.

"They… have already reached your castle."

Edward nodded, then asked again.

"What about our people?"

"They have already set off according to your instructions…"

Finally, a smile appeared on his taut face.

He walked over to the window of the study, gazing out at the sparse birch trees, staring for a long time, and said coldly.

"Very good."

After dealing with those disobedient vassals, the next one was that drowsy old man.

He swore to make that guy pay the price!

Every drop of blood shed by the Campbell people will be repaid by the Ryan people!

"Your Majesty…"

Hearing the steward's voice, Edward turned his head back, expressionless, and said.

"Is there anything else?"

With anger in his heart, his voice naturally carried a hint of frost, like the cold wind patting against the glass window.

The steward stared straight at his forehead, not knowing how to speak for a long time, finally silently handed over a mirror.

Edward frowned slightly, took the mirror, and was stunned for a moment when he looked at himself.

That cold frost had not only climbed onto the window sill but had silently crept up his head. That sunshine-like brilliant golden hair had actually sprouted a few strands of silver.

In December of Aus Calendar 1053, the energetic Campbell Duke was in his prime, having recently celebrated his thirty-sixth birthday.

Due to the delicate situation, he didn't celebrate lavishly this year, instead, at the "Embrace of Dawn" hotel on Queen Street, he had a small gathering with friends from the Gana Continent and the city's nobles and citizens, expressing the royal family's support for industrialists and overseas trade.

Edward touched his temple, finally came to his senses after a long while.

He had grown white hair...