As soon as Manstein returned to his room, he saw a handsome young man who had been waiting for him for a long time.

This young man was named Gape Soi. He was another member of the royal family who had come with the army. His background and status were more prestigious than that of Yom, who had become strange at this moment. He was the eldest son and grandson of the current emperor. Although he was of a lower generation than Yom, in terms of favor, he surpassed all the other princes and grandsons.

At this moment, the boy named Gape was sitting upright in a chair, exuding a maturity beyond his years. When Gape saw Manstein open the door, he gracefully rose and bowed.

"Greetings, Marshal. When I arrived, the guards told me you weren't here, but they were worried I'd get tired from waiting too long, so they allowed me to come in and rest. If I've offended anyone, please don't blame the soldiers; they were just being considerate of my health." With that, he covered his mouth with his hand and coughed lightly.

Manstein put on a broad smile, most of which was genuine. After all, who doesn't like a humble and polite child, even if his purpose in coming here would likely put him in a difficult position?

"Your Highness is too kind. This is not a military stronghold, but just a place where I rest. Your Highness's visit so late at night must be due to some trouble?"

"Ah, Marshal, please forgive me. It's nothing serious. My father wrote me a letter asking me to convey his regards to you and also to inquire about the possibility of General Model being transferred to your command. However, my father knows that you are currently leading nearly half of the country's military in the eastern expedition and are very busy. So he asked me to inquire when I have time and is not in a great hurry for your reply."

Manstein breathed a sigh of relief; the problem was much easier to handle than he had anticipated. It was merely a ploy by the Crown Prince to install his cronies and claim credit; it wasn't difficult to deal with at all. However, if he agreed, he would be openly supporting the Crown Prince, no longer a neutral general. Manstein wasn't afraid to take sides; his main concern was that he favored Heidelberg, Jon's brother, more than the Crown Prince, and whether his current stance would arouse suspicion from the other side.

Perhaps this was actually a test. Looking at the obedient boy in front of him, Manstein suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. "This is a test of my attitude and stance. Whether I agree or disagree, this is a trap I cannot escape. They will know my true attitude."

"If only I could talk to Heidelberg right now," Manstein thought to himself, waving his hand with a smile.

“I will write a personal letter to the Emperor, in which I will mention Model’s importance to the front lines at this time. After all, the progress is going too smoothly, and there is obviously a shortage of manpower. I think His Majesty the Emperor will agree with my opinion. Then it will be up to your father.” Manstein spoke eloquently, while observing the changes in the young man’s expression.

A flicker of disappointment and anger crossed Gape's face, but he quickly regained his polite smile. These expressions came and went so quickly that only a cunning old fox like Manstein could discern Gape's emotional shifts.

"The Marshal's approach is indeed prudent, but with this back and forth, another ten days or so have passed. Even if His Majesty the Emperor agrees, the current war probably can't wait that long."

"Hahaha, hahahaha," Manstein laughed loudly. "Your Highness really knows how to talk. But Your Highness need not worry. Even if there is no war, maintaining the security of the new territory will always require people. Isn't that safer and more rewarding than the military merits gained by fighting on the battlefield?"

Jia Pei smiled slightly. "Marshal, you have such foresight. Alas, I am still too young. Thank you for your guidance, Marshal. I will write to my father to explain your good intentions. I will not disturb your rest any longer. Farewell." With that, Jia Pei bowed and left the room.

Manstein did not stop him, but smiled and watched the boy leave.

The moment the door closed, both men dropped their pretenses. Manstein frowned slightly; Gape's reaction seemed a little too submissive. Gape, on the other hand, was furious, silently cursing Manstein as a cunning old fox.

At the same time, news of the siege of the capital spread throughout all the dukes and marquises of the Galician Empire. However, everyone's attitude towards this matter was quite intriguing.

Marquis Juan Carlos fled into the capital with Domingo, with fewer than five thousand men. Considering the number of soldiers they had brought, it was a miracle that so many had escaped after being ambushed.

As for Juan Carlos's younger brother, the famous Guéan Carlos, he was on his way back to his brother's territory. The coincidence of the timing is intriguing.

The Empire's only two dukes, Asini and Field, have maintained a very ambiguous stance, and to this day have not responded to the Galician royal family's order to send troops. Marquis Clayton responded promptly, but did not send a single soldier. Marquis Morris is similar; his soldiers only reached the border of his own territory before slowly advancing towards the capital, at such a slow pace that they have only covered twenty miles in nearly ten days.

A strong wind reveals the strength of the grass, and adversity reveals true friendship. At this moment, Juan Carlos was the only one truly standing by the side of the Galician royal family. Unfortunately, even this sole heir had lost more than 90% of his troops and fled into the besieged capital.

The palace had lost its usual cheerful and extravagant atmosphere, and for the first time appeared solemn and somber.

The city can be defended; food, weapons, and soldiers are not lacking. There's just a minor problem: in recent years, due to the Galician royal family's benevolent policies and excessive exploitation, the emotions of the capital's populace have become somewhat unstable. Although national interests come first, and internal conflicts should be set aside, these unruly people refuse to comply with the royal family's wishes, continuing to hold demonstrations and riots every now and then.

On the day Juan Carlos fled into the capital, he witnessed three arson attacks, two riots, and a day-long demonstration in the lower city. It wasn't that the imperial soldiers were lenient or gave the demonstrations a break; rather, they were so eager to extinguish the fires and suppress the protests that they completely abandoned the relatively mild demonstration.

Faced with this situation, Juan looked worriedly at Domingo beside him, "Do we still have a chance to win?"

Domingo's face was ashen; he had suffered a defeat today and was unusually dejected. "We can win, as long as those adults are willing to give up something and let those wolves fight it out first. There is still a chance for a turnaround."