NOVEL NEXT
Chapter 434
Lai En called out to "Father" Lafeier.
Lafeier stopped in his tracks. For a moment he did not react, then he slowly turned around: "What's the matter?"
Lai En: "Why weren't you resting in your room waiting for me? Is your stomach not hurting anymore? Do you still need to call the doctor then?"
"Lafeier" looked at his caring son, keeping a straight face as he smoothly responded: "It doesn't hurt anymore."
Lai En: "That's good to hear. Everyone has already gathered in the Grand Hall, shall we head over now?" "Lafeier" murmured in agreement.
But he thought to himself: A stomachache? Lafeier sure knows how to fall apart at critical moments.
"Lafeier" had originally intended to observe from the audience stand, but now had no choice but to follow Lai En to the Grand Hall on the first floor.
"Lafeier": "Did you bring all those family members over?"
Lai En: "Every single one, all invited. After worrying sick for an entire day, I'm sure they'll be especially happy and grateful to see their loved ones now."
"Lafeier" smiled, seemingly in great agreement with what Lai En said.
By now, it was around 9 pm.
The royal family members in the Grand Hall automatically divided into two groups.
One group had already enjoyed a scrumptious dinner, appearing spirited and refreshed as they calmly awaited the final victory.
The other group, having gone hungry and thirsty under mental strain for an entire day, were as wilted as eggplants, utterly listless with exhausted looks in their eyes.
It was evident they desperately wished to escape this place.
Both sides were fairly quiet, seemingly ignoring each other. But with just the slightest provocation, a fight would surely break out.
Lai En and "Lafeier" arrived fashionably late.
"Lafeier" went before everyone, smiling as he asked with concern: "How is everyone resting?"
Naturally, one side responded positively.
The other side remained silent as a grave, resentment apparent in their eyes that screamed 'we dare to be angry but don't dare speak'.
"Lafeier" looked discontentedly upon that group who refused to give him face: "It appears you all have not rested well. But at this critical juncture, even though I had wanted everyone to return home and rest, I'm sure none of you wish to leave now."
He went on: "But since I've already said that I would represent the Howard family and shoulder responsibility at this time, I certainly can't just stand by and do nothing -- Lai En, bring those people in."
Lai En: "Yes, sir."
The king's supporters watched Lai En exit with a sense of foreboding: "What are they trying to do?"
"Who have they captured?"
"Could it be..."
Just as everyone was anxiously speculating, Lai En led the guards to bring over a hundred people flooding into the Grand Hall.
At first glance, most were old, weak, women and children.
There were elderly in wheelchairs, infants still needing to be carried by their mothers, the cries of toddlers ringing one after another incessantly. Timid women were so frightened they knew not what to do until, upon seeing the pillars of their families in the hall, they finally found their backbone.
They wanted to rush forward and reunite with their families, but were mercilessly blocked by the soldiers.
The king's supporters, catching sight of their own families, couldn't stand their fearful pleading any longer. Disregarding all else, they charged forward.
Duke Cornell, the old king's younger brother, remained standing where he was. He did not rush to his family. Seeing this scenario of holding the Son of Heaven to order the feudal lords about, he could endure no more.
He angrily questioned Lafeier: "Just what exactly are you trying to do!?"
Lai En: "Why is the Duke so furious? To relieve everyone's high-strung nerves after this stressful day, we went through the great trouble of bringing over all your family members for you to reunite with, to alleviate the mental pressure. Yet, not only does the Duke show no appreciation, he looks as if he wants to gobble us up — look at them, how happy they are!"
"Dad, Duke Lafeier said that Prince Lin Cheng was killed by the Crown Prince, that the Crown Prince committed regicide and treason. He said all of you are plotting to rebel alongside the Crown Prince, is this true?"
"Dad, rebellion is punishable by death. You absolutely must not act recklessly, Mom and I don't want you to die along with Grandpa and Grandma."
Hearing their families' urgent questioning, they glared furiously at Lafeier. They had not expected him to so shamelessly invert black and white by portraying them as the rebel faction.
Other than fury, there was nothing they could do. Nothing they dared to do, for no one dared gamble with their families' lives.
With their relatives' safety at stake, who still cared about righteousness or the country? Moreover, it was already utterly hopeless for them.
Unsure of how to die properly, they could only look to the only one still daring to speak out — the old Duke Cornell.
In fact, if not for Cornell's presence at this moment, they might have already surrendered under the Howard clan's domineering might; secretly, some had already been planning to capitulate.
"Lafeier": "I trust everyone now understands who should rightly be C Country's new king."
His gaze finally landed upon Cornell: "What say you?"
Not waiting for Cornell's reply, "Lafeier" answered on his behalf: "Ah, I forgot. You're merely a Duke soon to abdicate. Although royal kin, just collateral royalty. Even these princes and princesses hold greater right to speak than you. Lai En, please invite them in."
Lai En: "Yes, sir."
Soon enough, aside from the Crown Prince and the second prince who had gone to find Lin Guli, the old king's remaining children including the Queen were brought into the Grand Hall.
"Lafeier" smilingly asked them: "Everyone, we were just conferring the succession of the new king. All agree that Lai En Howard is the most suitable candidate, hmm, except for old Duke Cornell that is. What do you think?"
Seeing those detained families, the princes and princesses had nothing left to say other than hurling accusations of 'despicable, shameless'.
Clearly, besides this lone elderly Cornell, no more allies stood behind them.
"Lafeier": "Very good, it appears everyone has no objections to Lai En Howard inheriting the throne."
It was then that Karina in her wheelchair suddenly said to those members of royalty who had collaborated with Lafeier from the start: "There is a saying in Hua Country — nothing in common between those of different paths. While no one here is necessarily right or wrong, I still wish to remind you all that by following a treasonous minister who murdered his lord to rebel, sooner or later, even if you don't end up like Lin Cheng you will definitely become a Lin Guli who gets exterminated."
Cornell: "What? Prince Lin..."
Shocked voices rang out, Cornell not the only one.
After being absent from C Country for so many years with his princely title only remaining to grant Lin Cheng his title before it was revoked, Lin Guli no longer posed any threat to them, let alone that he had already departed C Country with Lin Cheng's body. There was simply no need to exterminate him. Moreover, Lin Guli had contributed to C Country before...
For a moment, the entire hall fell silent.
The news of Lin Guli's death leaving Cornell utterly heartbroken as he tightly gripped his cane to barely support himself.
He told Lafeier: "C Country needs a wise king, not a tyrant. If you want me to agree today to Lai En Howard becoming the new king, it will be over my dead body."
"With the Howard clan lording over all beneath the heavens, yet unable to cover the hearts of the people, my age leaves me powerless to do anything more for the royal house or C Country. But I, Cornell Karolin, am unwilling to watch C Country's future get ruined in the hands of disloyal, unscrupulous ministers who violate those above and below them. I am willing to give my life to warn the people that as long as the Karolin clan still stands, we will fight the Howard clan to the death!"
The old duke's voice rang loud and clear, echoing through the hall for a long time. As he spoke, his once hunched back now stood tall and straight, eyes filled with unyielding determination.
Then suddenly, he charged headfirst towards the sculpted Roman pillars in the hall. The soldiers rushed to intercept but it was already too late.
Duke Cornell Karolin fell dead, blood spattering on site.