Aitchison and Eddie both frowned.

"Indeed, everything you have done recently - whether it is taking a stand, speaking out for Zhan, condemning Federico, or forming a clique to oppose my monopoly of power - seems to be seamless and consistent with your status as an important local official on the south coast.

What you should do is be honest and honest, and don’t appear to be a hypocrite.”

Thales smiled slightly.

"As for every time, every time you move, you add fuel to the fire and make the situation go in the direction that is not good for Zhan... It may be just a coincidence," at this point, Thales changed the subject.

, "But if it wasn't a coincidence, it would be interesting."

The eldest son of the earl frowned and was about to reply, but Thales didn't give him the chance and continued to speak:

"For example, when I first arrived in Emerald City, a case came to the court, which was related to a grain tax dispute between a local baron and farmers in his territory. Thanks to Zhan En's personal presence at the scene and his eloquent words.

The late Judge Brennan acted appropriately and impartially, which helped to calm down more disputes and prevent the situation from escalating."

As soon as these words came out, Earl Achison's expression changed slightly.

"But the matter is not over yet. My people persevered to investigate, and found out that someone had secretly made a plan. He did not show up, but let the greedy Grain Merchants Guild come forward and hired street gangsters from the Blood Bottle Gang to provoke those people.

A baron and his peasants intensified their conflict until the situation intensified and broke out in the Kongming Palace, tearing apart the contradiction between the new system and the old aristocracy in the South Bank Territory bloody."

Thales sneered:

"No matter who is behind the scheme, they must have a good understanding of how the finance, taxation, and money operations between local lords and farmers work. They may even have personal experience and empathy, so that they can accurately intensify conflicts. But the most powerful thing is that they are hiding behind the scenes.

, the entire relationship was borne by the parties concerned, and even the profit-seeking Grain Merchants Guild—even Judge Zhane and Judge Brennan didn’t notice anything was wrong.”

If Glover and Rolf hadn't crashed into the meeting of the Blood Bottle Gang and happened to hear some inside information, and the dear prince's attendant is an obsessive-compulsive person who likes to chase people, take notes word by word, and then comb through the details of the investigation.

Strange, I'm afraid Thales may not be able to find out.

Thinking of this, Thales shook his head:

"He really has a 'no teeth, no claws, but hidden murderous intent' demeanor."

Hearing this, Earl Acheson couldn't hold it in any longer. He gritted his teeth:

"Your Majesty, if you continue to be so eccentric -"

"Father!" Eddie interrupted the count at the right moment.

He slowly raised his head and looked directly at Thales.

"Your Highness's accusation is very dangerous."

"That's not all."

Thales shook his head slightly.

"In order to arbitrate for Zhan and Federico, I had to look through old cases: when Iris was fighting among themselves, the Lacia family in the Zeland was in a dilemma and could only remain neutral. Until the old Duke of Leinster was unfortunately assassinated and died.

The Rashia family chose to take sides and surrendered to Zhan, who returned to power. He was the murderer behind the death of Sona Kevindir..."

At that moment, Count Lassia's expression stiffened visibly.

Thales shook his head, as if talking about a trivial matter.

"What happened next was much simpler: He was involved in a political dispute and was accused by thousands of people. The most suspected Sona Kevin Deer was sent to the dock and accused of committing the crime of brother-killing. But before the case was concluded, Sona

I left a note in prison and committed suicide out of fear of crime."

"This was the case at the time, and the evidence is conclusive."

Compared to his father, Eddie replied in a deep voice, cleverly avoiding the trap in Thales' words:

"The Lassia family just made the most realistic, wisest and most conducive choice to the stability of the situation on the south coast and the peace of the kingdom."

Thales nodded.

"So later, when young Federico avenged his father and tried to seize power in Gonghai City and rebel against the new Duke, you were the first to learn about it and informed Kongming Palace, allowing Zhan En to send troops to Gonghai City to annihilate Sona.

The remnants of the Viscount captured Federico... and the matter ended here. The Emerald City and the South Bank have overcome the chaos of the change of rule and restored the tranquility and peace of the past."

Thales looked sharply at the father and son:

"Tsk, tsk, the Laciya family always stands in the right direction at critical moments, plays a role, and turns the tide. They are truly a pillar of the kingdom and a pillar of the South Bank."

Facing the increasingly obvious yin and yang, Earl Achison clenched his fists in anger, but his eldest son held his wrists firmly, so he remained silent.

"It's just that you may not have thought that in these years, besides Federico who has been on the run, there is another person in the Emerald City who is brooding about the past and cannot resolve his doubts."

Thales' face darkened:

"That's right, the judge of the old Duke's murder case was Grand Inquisitor Brennan, who unfortunately passed away a few days ago."

As soon as these words came out, both the earl and his son changed their expressions!

Thales opened the drawer and slowly took out letters and notes one after another, laying them out on the table in an orderly manner.

"The unfinished case became a worry that Brennan couldn't let go of for many years. It was written in his letters and diaries - even if the victim was the old Duke who knew him well, even if the defendant who committed suicide was

For Sona, his most hated political opponent, even if the case is closed, it is the most realistic, wisest and 'most conducive to the stability of the situation in the South Bank' option."

"Brennan? That old guy, huh," Earl Acheson looked at the letters on the table and snorted, "Who in the right mind keeps a diary?"

Thales shook his head:

"So Brennan has been relentlessly investigating for many years: the Iris civil strife that year involved many parties and different forces, but a certain family claimed to be neutral, but it was just a pretense."

Earl Aitchison wanted to speak again, but his eldest son slowly shook his head.

So Thales chuckled and continued:

"In fact, they actually formed an alliance with Viscount Sonar early on and helped him fight against the old Duke of Leinster: encouraging the old nobles to squeeze out the new nobles, oppressing merchants and craftsmen, opposing new systems and businesses, and inciting farmers to be dissatisfied and rebel against Shangguan officials.

, and even secretly spread rumors that the old Duke is insane, superstitious and unable to govern..."

"Your Highness——"

This time, there was no need for his eldest son to comfort him. Thales himself did not allow the earl to interrupt, and was determined to finish the sentence at once:

"But the death of the old Duke was unexpected. The family felt that something was wrong and were afraid of being suspected, so they immediately openly sided with Zhan En.

"In the trial hall back then, in full view of the public, it was the head of that family who was the first to stand up and accuse Viscount Sonar of murdering his brother. This forced the grumpy Sonar to become so angry that he knocked out two of Viscount Sonar's teeth.

, which not only made the trial unsustainable, but also made people think that Sona was so angry that he was suspected, while the count was upright and innocent.

"Brennan guessed afterwards that it was just a show. The earl probably made a deal with Viscount Sonar: the latter made a fuss in court to delay the trial and buy time to commit suicide, while the former fulfilled his promise to deal with Sonar's affairs -

—Later Federico managed to steal his life on the high seas and took refuge in the Kingdom of Darkness, which probably stemmed from this."

Having said this, Thales didn't look at the faces of the two people in front of him, he just closed his eyes and sighed.

"Yes, these days, I have been thinking: Federico dares to return after many years for revenge, subvert and seize power in the Emerald City, which is run by Zhan without leakage. He is by no means alone, and there must be his internal agents in the local area.

"

Thales opened his eyes and looked at the earl who was gritting his teeth and trembling, and the earl's eldest son who had a cold expression.

"But I kept guessing the wrong person."

Not Hilley.

Nor is it the secret science of the kingdom.

"Because his allies are hidden here too deeply, too closely, too innocent, too irrelevant, too harmless, yet the things they do are not noticeable at all."

Thales picked up the thick "Chronicle of Important Events of the Princes of South Bank" and carefully wiped the old cover:

"Just like the conquest of the swampland in history, the function, attitude and stance of the four-winged monitor lizard must not be taken at face value."

He looked at the two people in front of him with interest:

"No claws or teeth, but hidden murderous intent."

The descendant of the four-winged monitor lizard, Count Lassia and Eddie did not speak. The latter held his father's shoulders tightly.

"etc."

Thales seemed to have thought of something and blurted out like a joke:

"You wouldn't happen to be the murderers who killed the old Duke, right?"

Not satisfied that this was enough, he continued to ask with a smile:

"No way, right?"

The study room is very quiet.

No one answered him.

At this moment, compared to Earl Acheson who was furious and almost lost his temper, Eddie himself was calm and quiet.

Only the eyes staring at Thales.

Deep and complex.

"Hey, don't be angry."

After a few seconds, Thales, who had had enough testing, let out a sigh and took back the book:

"I'm just kidding."
To be continued...