Reinhardt watched as the dagger was slowly pulled from his chest. His body seemed to feel no pain, but he could feel his life rapidly slipping away with the gushing blood.
He didn't want to die; he still had so many things he hadn't had time to do.
He reached out to cover the wound on his chest, but blood gushed out from the wound on his back.
Due to excessive blood loss and excruciating pain, Reinhardt's legs could no longer support his body, and he collapsed to his knees.
"Crow" sheathed his sword, slowly walked to Marquis Charles's side, turned around, and stood still.
Reinhardt's eyes widened, filled with resentment and confusion. He had so many questions he wanted to ask, but he couldn't even open his mouth to speak. Every time he opened it, blood flowed out.
Reinhardt's eyes were glazed over. Right in front of him lay the body of the Marquis of Ferlinan.
Is this my fate?
Reinhard was unwilling to accept this. He was so close to the throne, and what he had been pursuing was within his grasp. Why? Why did it turn out like this?
Reinhardt stretched out his bloodied hand, trying to grab something, but he grabbed nothing and lost his balance, falling to the ground.
He hates it.
Reinhardt, his eyes wide, gripped the ground and crawled step by step toward Marquis Charles, leaving a trail of blood a foot wide behind him with each step.
Seeing this terrifying scene, the surrounding ministers were all stunned, feeling a chill creep up their spines.
Directly opposite, Marquis Charles rested his chin on his hand, a smile on his face, watching the amusing scene unfold with great interest.
Time passed second by second.
It was only a few seconds, but it felt incredibly long. Watching the once high and mighty prince crawl on the ground like a beggar was torture for some of the ministers.
Fortunately, this torment did not last long. Reinhardt crawled to the side of the Marquis Ferlinan's corpse. The corpse lying in front of him was an insurmountable mountain for Reinhardt at this moment.
Reinhardt tried several times to straighten his back, but ultimately failed. With a thud, his head hit the ground hard, and he died.
"Alas, how foolish..."
A sigh came from the high platform.
Grand Duke Ryan leaned back on the throne, his expression sorrowful.
He was not saddened by Reinhardt's death; if we disregard his status as a prince, Reinhardt's crimes were enough to warrant ten hangings.
Grand Duke Ryan was saddened that he ultimately failed to fulfill his brother's wish to take care of his brother's only son.
That was such a foolish death! Where did you get the confidence to use that old fox from the Charlie family? Even on your own, you weren't confident you could take on that old fox by yourself.
Grand Duke Ryan was filled with mixed feelings.
Fortunately, he had his companions.
It's wonderful to still have a few trustworthy companions from my youth when I'm getting old.
Grand Duke Ryan looked up, suppressing his tears, and resumed his cold expression as he looked down at his two companions.
“Although I’ve always believed that being in the comfort zone of the capital would erode a soldier’s will,” Zhu Yifu said, looking up thoughtfully, “the Imperial Guard still has the foundation of elite soldiers. I don’t think a bunch of thugs can defeat them.”
“This ‘Raven’ gentleman… let me guess.” Erwin, who had been drinking with Zhu Yifu, put down his teacup, but his eyes were on Marquis Charles. “If I’m not mistaken, this should be the ‘Wolf King’, right?”
Marquis Charles smiled but said nothing.
“That explains it. No wonder Shadowfang couldn’t find him.” Zhu Yifu said with great emotion, “It turns out he’s been right under our noses all along.”
"The most dangerous place is the safest place." The crow coldly looked at the crowd in the hall, as if they were a group of dead men. With this one sentence, he essentially admitted his identity.
The leader of the largest "gang" in the Duchy of Ryan, known as "Raven," and the lieutenant general commander of the elite special forces legion of Fashan, known as "Lone Wolf," are the same person—Udinese, also known as "Wolf King."
"This really proves the saying, 'You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub.'" Grand Duke Ryan looked at Reinhardt's corpse on the ground and said with a wry smile, "Charlie, what are you trying to do?"
"Your Majesty, shouldn't I be the one asking you that question?" Marquis Charles's smile faded, and he looked directly at Grand Duke Ryan on the high platform.
Grand Duke Ryan stared at Marquis Charles for a long time without saying a word, then suddenly laughed, and finally burst into laughter.
"Hahaha—it's so easy to talk to smart people, no need for so many beating around the bush. I'll just say what I want." Grand Duke Ryan stopped laughing and looked serious. "The Charlie family can retain their titles, and we will provide each member of the Charlie family with allowances and subsidies according to the standards for members of the royal family with the same titles."
The conditions were extremely generous, with allowances and subsidies provided according to the standards for members of the royal family of the same rank. This meant that even if members of the Charles family were lazy and didn't work their whole lives, they could still live very comfortably.
"And the price?" Marquis Charles neither agreed nor disagreed.
"The Charlie family withdraws from politics," Grand Duke Ryan said, enunciating each word clearly.
Marquis Charles grinned, and almost without thinking, blurted out:
"This! Is! Impossible!"
"Then what do you want?" Grand Duke Ryan already knew that Marquis Charles would not agree, but he still said this only to try to get the other party to talk.
What do I want?
Marquis Charles glanced at the ministers around him and smiled.
"The national television station will broadcast a news report tomorrow."
"The content states that the Fasham Army's 'Lone Wolf' special forces attacked the Adelaide Royal Palace, resulting in the deaths of more than thirty officials, including Minister Ryan and other ministerial-level officials. Prince Reinhardt and Marquis Ferlinan were also brutally murdered by the 'Lone Wolf'."
"And I was 'severely wounded' while protecting Grand Duke Ryan, so on your deathbed you entrusted the throne to me..."
Marquis Charles seemed to be telling a story that took place in the future, but the ministers around him were in a panic. Although Marquis Charles was just telling a story, no minister thought he was just telling a story.
No one doubts that Marquis Charles has the ability to make this story a reality very quickly.
"Will others believe it?" Grand Duke Ryan frowned. "A story full of flaws can really grant you the throne?"
"Whether others believe it or not is no longer important," Marquis Charles said with a smile. "The point is that you are all dead. A country without a leader and a panicked people need someone to rely on, so I don't need to bring it up; the people will push me into that position on their own."
Grand Duke Ryan remained silent.
“Moreover, according to Ryan’s laws,” Marquis Charles said, “in the absence of a qualified heir, the King, the Minister of State, and the Grand Elder…”
“Look, all the eligible heirs are dead.” Marquis Charles glanced at the two corpses on the ground, then pointed to the corpse of Marquis Ferlinan. “The acting minister of state is also dead.”
"My king, to whom else can you entrust power?"
"It seems that only you, as the Grand Elder of the Senate, can handle this," Grand Duke Ryan said after a moment's thought, somewhat helplessly.
“Yes, that’s what the law says.” Marquis Charles smiled slightly. “If you, as the king, can’t be above the law, then I certainly can’t. So I can only reluctantly take on this mess.”
"You've really had a hard time." Grand Duke Ryan smiled. It was hard to tell if it was a genuine smile or a forced laugh born of anger.
"Of course," Marquis Charles replied readily, without a trace of guilt.
"Do you really intend to kill everyone in this council chamber?" Grand Duke Ryan sat up straight, maintaining his royal authority.
Marquis Charles froze, his expression shifting several times, and for the first time, his usually confident heart wavered.
Marquis Charles looked up at Qiu Wanyan, who was standing next to the Queen, and Qiu Wanyan was also looking at him.
“Madam, if you come down to my side now, we will still be husband and wife,” Marquis Charles said slowly. “I will still treat you as before.”
Qiu Wanyan glanced at the audience below the stage, then at the two corpses. She felt a sudden tightening in her hand. Looking down, she saw that it was the Queen who was holding her hand tightly, looking at her with a worried and helpless expression.
Qiu Wanyan patted the Queen's hand to comfort her, then smiled gently at those below.
What if I don't?
Marquis Charles's face immediately turned ugly. He felt that everything was under his control, and now it was his closest confidants who were embarrassing him instead.
“I know that Madam is no ordinary woman; she possesses a spirit that rivals any man.” Marquis Charles’s face was grim. “Madam has been married into the Marquis’s household for twenty years, and I have always treated her with utmost respect, without ever showing her any disrespect…”
"Is that so?" Qiu Wanyan laughed. "As far as I know, the one you really want to marry is 'Xi Liang,' not me, right? In that case, you are naturally only paying respect to 'Xi Liang.'"
"I..." Marquis Charles was speechless for a moment, his face growing increasingly ugly, especially with the ministers around him watching the show with secret amusement, which made him feel even more ashamed and angry.
"Madam, do you really have to go this far?" Marquis Charles's face was already terribly dark.
"May I ask, Your Excellency?" Qiu Wanyan ignored Marquis Charles and instead bowed slightly to Grand Duke Ryan, asking, "According to Ryan's laws, if one spouse commits treason, can the other spouse unilaterally dissolve the marriage?"
“Indeed.” Grand Duke Ryan pondered for a moment, then nodded. “According to Ryan’s laws, the marriage of a traitor is automatically dissolved.”
"We've been husband and wife in name only for twenty years, and today it should end." Qiu Wanyan sighed, and then, as if she had broken free from some kind of restraint, she seemed to become lively again.
In name only, in reality?!
Marquis Charles's face turned deathly pale. The surrounding ministers exchanged astonished glances.
How did Princess Alice come to be?
That's not right. Princess Alice is Madam Qiu's biological daughter. There's no doubt about that. You can confirm it just by looking at their appearances.
As for Marquis Charles…
"In vitro fertilization! In vitro fertilization is acceptable, isn't it!" Marquis Charlie roared, his eyes fixed on Qiu Wanyan as if he wanted to devour her.
He didn't need to explain, but as a man, he had to. Even though these people were all going to die soon, he couldn't stand their strange looks; they were driving him crazy.
“Indeed.” Qiu Wanyan stood on the high platform, her eyes cold and her tone full of sarcasm. “A man with an impaired constitution can only rely on medical technology to cover up his defects…”
The surrounding ministers exchanged bewildered glances, thinking to themselves: So that's how it is!
It turns out that the Marquis Charles's many wives and numerous children were merely a cover-up, using asexual reproduction to conceal his impotence.
"Ahhh—" Marquis Charles completely lost his composure and calm demeanor from before. At this moment, he smashed the teacup and teapot on the table to the ground like a madman, pointing at Qiu Wanyan and cursing loudly.
"You filthy bitch! If it weren't for Xiliang, would I have put up with you for twenty years?" Marquis Charlie's bloodshot eyes were filled with rage as he pointed at the platform and gritted his teeth, "Kill him! And that woman too! Now! Immediately!"
Clang—
"Wolf King" Udinese drew his longsword once more, stepping over the corpses of Ferlinan and Reinhardt, and walked step by step toward the high platform.
The ministers around him were shouting for the guards at the top of their lungs, but since Udinese was able to appear in the council chamber, it meant that there were no royal guards outside.
These ministers seemed to have forgotten that, besides shouting for help, they could have stood in front of Udinese, shielding him from the bloody blade. After all, they were the ones with the numerical advantage inside the council chamber.
But nobody does that.
Udinese found it ridiculous. He walked in the center of the council chamber, ignoring the people on both sides, and went straight ahead.
A wolf walking in the middle of a flock of sheep doesn't need to care how many sheep are on either side.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Udinese walked steadily, step by step, up the steps to the high platform, and then to the throne.
Grand Duke Ryan calmly watched the assassin approach, neither leaving his seat nor fleeing. Below the stage, Erwin and Zhu Yifu also remained unmoved, indifferently observing everything unfold.
Amidst the ministers' curses and cries, the long sword was raised and swung down...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com