The night passed quietly, and the faint light of morning streamed into the room through the window. Earl White rose early, washed, and enjoyed a simple yet exquisite breakfast. He was then led obediently by his servants to the magnificent council hall.

When Earl White entered the hall, it was already bustling with activity. Many nobles had already arrived. Guided by servants, these nobles each found their seats. Earl White also walked steadily to his own seat and slowly sat down.

As time went on, more people arrived, and the seats gradually filled up. The nobles chatted among themselves, and whispers rose and fell. Earl White occasionally caught some gossip, which suggested that the prince seemed to be planning to take action against the nobles within Dragon Fang Pass.

Finally, all the nobles arrived. His Royal Highness then walked calmly to the front and took his seat. Instantly, the hall fell silent, and the parliament officially began.

The prince first solemnly praised the noble coalition led by Marquis Roderick, announcing in a resounding voice: "Gentlemen, the coalition led by Marquis Roderick has performed exceptionally well in this battle. As a reward, his territory will not have to pay taxes to the kingdom for the next three years."

If the territory is damaged by war, the kingdom will relocate civilians from other places to maintain the normal operation of the territory, and will exempt taxes for an additional five years! "As soon as these words came out, everyone present showed amazement and envy.

Then, the prince turned his gaze to Earl White, his expression full of admiration. "And Earl White has made great contributions. According to statistics, the Royal Tenth Legion and nearly three knight orders were destroyed, and the buildings in the Sword Oath City were severely damaged.

But Earl White, with his extraordinary strategy and unwavering will, pinned the orc army to the Frost Zero Plains. With the unanimous approval of the Royal Capital Council, a generous reward has been granted: his territory will be exempted from taxes for ten years, with all collected taxes going to the Earl personally. Additionally, he will be awarded four pieces of A-grade knight armor, ten A-grade potions, two A-grade staffs, and 150,000 gold coins!

This series of incredibly generous rewards stunned the nobles, leaving them unable to believe their ears. They whispered among themselves, their faces filled with surprise and shock. But the nobles within Dragon Fang Pass were completely silent, no one raised a voice to discuss the matter. They knew that the more generous the kingdom's rewards to others, the more severe the punishments would likely be for them. A sense of foreboding hung over them like a dark cloud.

As expected, after the reward session, the prince's face turned grim and the atmosphere instantly became solemn.

His eyes were like torches as he slowly scanned the people present. He then began to call out names in a cold and clear voice: "Nobles in Dragon Fang Pass, listen up! Count Carlos, Count Feldman, Count Leon, and eight viscounts and thirteen barons, step forward immediately!" The nobles whose names were called turned pale in an instant, and they moved forward with heavy steps, their hearts filled with panic and uneasiness.

After everyone stood still, the prince raised his voice and announced, "According to the resolution of the Royal Capital Council, Count Carlos, Count Fehrman, and Count Leon, at the critical moment when the orcs attacked the northern border, they kept their troops idle and refused to participate in the war, which almost led to the fall of the northern border. Their crimes are unforgivable!

The punishment is as follows: Each of the three families must immediately form three fully staffed knight orders and incorporate them into the soon-to-be-reorganized Tenth Royal Legion as atonement. Furthermore, each family must be fined five sets of A-grade knight armor, fifty A-grade potions, ten A-grade staffs, and three hundred thousand gold coins!

Hearing such a severe punishment, everyone present couldn't help but gasp.

However, the prince did not stop there. He immediately turned his gaze to the viscounts and barons, his tone becoming increasingly stern. "As for you eight viscounts and thirteen barons, blindly following the trend and ignoring the king's orders is equally unforgivable. Each viscount will be fined 250,000 gold coins, and each baron will be fined 150,000 gold coins. All fines must be paid to Prince Herbert stationed at Dragon Teeth Pass within seven days."

This series of severe punishments was like a hammer blow, leaving everyone present dizzy and stunned. The entire room was in an uproar, and the nobles murmured and discussed the situation. No one had expected the Royal Capital Council to impose such harsh penalties. Having previously believed that the law would not punish the masses, these nobles within Dragon Fang Pass had been hoping for a lucky break, but now they were being harshly punished by the kingdom without mercy.

After the punishment announcement was made, His Royal Highness the Prince looked dignified as he glanced at the punished nobles and said in a cold voice: "No matter what means you use, the fines must be paid within seven days. After seven days, if anyone fails to pay or refuses to pay, don't blame me for personally leading the Royal Legion to flatten the territory and replace the lord!" After that, he strode out of the parliament hall, his footsteps echoing in the empty hall, revealing an unquestionable determination.

Seeing this, the other nobles also stood up and left in groups of two or three, leaving those who had been severely punished inside Dragon Fang Pass standing there in shock, their faces livid. Count Carlos was the first to recover. He sighed deeply and said helplessly, "Everyone, go back and prepare your fines."

After saying this, he walked away with heavy steps. The remaining nobles looked at each other, their eyes filled with bitterness and helplessness. In the end, they could only disperse and prepare the astronomical fine.

As soon as they escaped Dragon's Teeth Pass, they hurried back to their respective castles. When they informed their clans of this cruel punishment, an uproar erupted. Shock, anger, despair—a tangled web of emotions.

Such punishments were even more deadly than the orcs' burning, killing, and looting. Each punishment precisely calculated a family's wealth and manpower. Even if they managed to scrape together enough, the family would inevitably suffer a severe blow, never to recover.

But even with their hearts full of reluctance, they were helpless. The prince's royal legion was stationed at Dragon's Teeth Pass, a sharp sword hanging overhead. If you disobeyed his orders, no matter your origin or background, the prince would show no mercy. This harsh reality forced these families to bow their heads and reluctantly embark on the difficult road of raising funds.

My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!