"What exactly have you done!"
"Didn't I tell you before? With some people, you can't reason; you have to use the whip."
"But I didn't agree to this!"
"But you didn't oppose it either, did you?" Edward III leaned on the table, his face wearing a rogue smile, and said, "You're far inferior to your father. Supporting you involves significant risk. You're weak; don't we have the right to take some actions on our own? Besides, hasn't the outcome turned out well? The Gruglu family has agreed to support you. You should thank me for that."
Yilin was shaking with anger, yet there was nothing she could do.
Her gender and age were her two weakest points. In front of these old subordinates of her father, she didn't have much authority. Perhaps to them, Yilin had always been just a little girl. Even now, they don't genuinely believe she's the right heir.
Clenching her fists, Yilin took step after step backward.
Edward III slowly sat down, leaning against the back of the chair, looking at her with a playful expression. His attitude didn't seem at all like someone who had just orchestrated an earth-shattering event.
Retreating to the corridor, Yilin turned and walked away. Huoersi and Mike, who were guarding outside the door, quickly followed her.
Soon, Yilin arrived at another room.
Gray, Shelley, and Count Gruglu were all in the room. There was also a medic officer carefully applying medicine to Count Gruglu's hand.
Observing his wound carefully, Count Gruglu didn't even raise his head and casually asked, "Did you see him?"
"Yes, I saw him," Yilin nodded, stammering.
"Good, it's always necessary to have a meeting." Count Gruglu let out a long sigh.
"Doesn't Uncle Gluglu want to know what he said?"
"Not interested."
"Doesn't Uncle Gluglu want me to handle this and seek justice for you?"
"Justice?" Count Gruglu snorted coldly, slowly turned his face to look at Yilin, and said, "We're willing to support you, but on one condition: the Field family's army must not be deployed with ours. Not even on the flanks. Do you understand what I mean?"
Yilin hesitantly asked, "Does Uncle Gluglu suspect Edward III is a spy for His Majesty the King?"
"It's just a suspicion, without concrete evidence for now," Count Gruglu replied softly with half-closed eyes. "I've heard that Baird Sharp, our King Baird VI, hasn't attended to state affairs for a while. After questioning your succession, he hasn't made any moves. Everyone in Isaac is discussing it; no one will support his decision... When he commanded a grand army to conquer the Allen Kingdom back in the day, he wasn't so reckless. I've always wondered why he'd do such a thing. Could it be just because he's gotten old? He thinks he can easily swallow the Beishier Duchy with just a command at any time?"
Count Gruglu stared at Yilin.
Yilin could only shake her head blankly, "I don't know."
"I didn't know either, before. But now, I think I might have an idea. For the King to swallow the Beishier Duchy without anyone else's support isn't easy. But if you give him a suitable reason to dispatch troops, it becomes quite simple. For instance... an internal conflict within the Beishier Duchy."
Upon hearing this, Yilin inhaled sharply.
Shelley sat nervously beside her grandfather, not quite understanding but feeling safe as long as Gray was beside her. She was holding Gray's hand.
As for Gray, he seemed to be daydreaming. After all, knights aren't concerned with such matters; he just kicks whomever Yilin tells him to kick.
Deeply inhaling, Count Gruglu sighed, "I don't like engaging in things I don't fully understand. Initially, I wanted to avoid getting involved in this matter at all costs. But now, it seems I have no choice. Let Edward III kill me and leave a letter supporting the Beisher family without any code. This way, the Gruglu family will definitely believe it was you who acted and will rally troops. Then the King will have ample reason to dispatch troops to quell the unrest in the Beishier Duchy. He's not doing nothing; he's waiting, waiting for an opportunity. At that time, giving the position of Duke to someone else would just be a casual selection."
"But... but Edward III brought his only son here. What benefit did the King offer him to take such a risk?"
"Are you sure that's his son? Edward III's son, Little Jimmy, has been frail and sickly since childhood, and not many have seen him."
"This..." Yilin was confused. She couldn't believe her ears. Or rather, she couldn't believe that human nature could be so dark.
"Moreover, he's very confident." After pausing, Count Gruglu continued, "Don't worry, I won't force you to deal with him for now, as there's no way to deal with him. This is also why I agreed not to dispatch troops against the Field family attackers. You can't deal with him; we don't have enough evidence. His attempt to assassinate me can be interpreted as a means to foment civil war for the King, but it can be more easily explained as a way to help you subdue the Gruglu family. If you act against him now, other small lords will be concerned. They will worry about whether you will truly safeguard their interests. At that point, the difficultly gathered allied forces will disband. Additionally, if you act, the Field family can also cause trouble, making it internal conflict again. The King will still dispatch troops."
Yilin was completely stunned.
Count Gruglu stood up slowly, supporting himself on the armrest, and said, "I will stand with you through thick and thin. This matter hasn't reached a point of no resolution yet. But you'd better heed my advice, or no one can help you. Now, you can monitor Edward III and his son."
"Yes! Thank you, Uncle Gluglu!"
"No need to thank me, I do this for Shelley's sake," Count Gruglu smiled.
...
It was already in the early hours, yet the entire castle was still brightly lit. A large number of soldiers patrolled the area continuously.
Not only the castle, but the entire White City was like this. There were numerous checkpoints set up throughout the city.
No one knew exactly what happened, as Yilin had sealed off the news. But everyone could tell that the situation was very tense.
As Gray left the room, he intended to walk in the opposite direction from Shelley, but Yilin pulled him back.
"You escort Shelley back to her room."
"Why?" Gray was shocked. He was eager to return and check if "The Knight's Guide to Maturity" was intact.
"Why do you need so many reasons? Just escort her if I tell you to!" Yilin's face was slightly displeased.
Helplessly, Gray could only look toward Shelley beside him.
Shelley smiled sweetly, linking her arm with his.
"Fine, I'll escort her. After all, it's just here. Obeying Yilin's orders is also part of the oath," Gray said to himself in resignation.
"And." Just as Gray was about to leave, Yilin stopped him again and softly said, "Thank you for what you did tonight; if you hadn't arrived in time, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Also, I apologize for what happened during the day. I shouldn't have reprimanded you in front of so many people."
After saying this, Yilin turned and left.
Gray stood behind, staring blankly at her retreating figure.
...
The fire in the fireplace crackled and burned.
Yilin sat alone in the vast living room, the firelight casting shadows on her face. A lock of hair fell from her forehead, her expression weary and helpless.
A glass of clear water was handed to her.
"Thank you," Yilin gently took it, drank a sip, and cradled the cup in her hands. She continued to stare intently at the fire in the fireplace: "Am I useless? I can't see through their actions. Even when I know, I'm helpless."
As she spoke, Yilin's eyes reddened slightly.
"How could that be?" Abi Robbs smiled and said, "Miss Yilin is the most outstanding girl I've ever met."
"But still a girl, right?" Closing her eyes slowly, Yilin said with a bitter smile, "My father once said that it would be better if I were a boy. If only I were a boy... Ha, I also want to know why I'm not a boy. Why am I not a boy?"
"Even if you were a boy, it wouldn't necessarily be any better," Abi Robbs said, "The old Duke passed away suddenly, and no one was prepared, including himself. So no arrangements were made. In such a situation, whoever takes over would face a lot of difficulties. The vast majority of male heirs, at your age, wouldn't do as well as you. Growing up takes time."
"But if I were male, the King wouldn't even have an excuse. Even if there were illegitimate children, they couldn't claim a higher succession rank than mine, could they?"
Abi Robbs quietly looked at Yilin, without saying a word.
After a while, Yilin spoke softly again: "Rest assured, I won't waver. I'm just... just speaking casually. Even though I'm a girl, I will definitely guard, guard my Beisher family's legacy, and let no one take it away. Even if I'm the last one standing, I'll prove to my father that I'm no worse than a boy."
The hall was silent, with only the crackling sound of the fire in the fireplace.
Abi Robbs quietly looked at Yilin.
"Moreover." Lifting her head, Yilin looked at Abi Robbs and smiled, "At least I have you, don't I? There's you, Huoersi, Mike, Gray, and now Uncle Gluglu is willing to help me."
A tear slipped down her cheek, and Yilin gently wiped it away, her eyes wide open, "I'm not alone. I am the new Duchess of Beishier, and no one can defeat me!"
Under the firelight, the resolve in her brows was as firm as rock.
"Yes, my Miss Yilin," Abi Robbs replied with a smile.