Chapter 408: Contract

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"Don’t think this is over between us Dexter, you asked for this. When I get out of here, I will make your life a living hell that you will wish you were never born. Mark my words, I will make you suffer... Suffer!" Lyon said. In a grave tone.

****

Duncan’s hand froze around the wine glass the moment he heard the word ’Imperial court’; his expression changed.

The Eldorian Empire was the heart of the Advocate Empire, where the Emperor personally oversaw. For countless officials, securing a position in the Imperial Court represented the pinnacle of their careers.

"Yes, the Imperial Court."

Simon deliberately clarified his meaning. "The current Minister of Dulafit Temple will retire in the next three years. Several officials are already competing for the position. Although the Minister of Dulafit Temple is not considered particularly lucrative, the Minister is still a fourth-rank official."

Duncan remained silent for a moment before shaking his head. "But what does that have to do with me? I’m afraid this is as far as my career will go."

"Not necessarily."

Simon smiled

"If you are willing to work for me, I can recommend you to the Emperor. Given my current status, arranging for you to become the next Minister of Dulafit Temple would not be difficult at all. If you agree to serve me, I guarantee that you will assume that position three years from now."

His words were direct.

Simon had already seen through Duncan. The man cared deeply about his official career. There was an enormous difference between serving as a low-ranking official under Prince Valeric and becoming a fourth rank Minister in the court. Furthermore, even if his attempt to recruit Duncan fails, Simon wouldn’t lose anything.

At worst, he would simply fail to gain the upper hand in dealings with Prince Valeric.

Duncan fell into a deep thought. His father had once served as a ninth-rank official in the Imperial Court. Before his death, his greatest wish had been to see his son become a respected court official.

But under Prince Valeric, that dream had gradually become unattainable. As Simon had said, he was still young. But if this continues to go on, he will soon have no choice but to return to his hometown with nothing.

Becoming the Minister of Dulafit Temple, however, was an entirely different matter. He would enter the imperial court, participate in important affairs, and stand among the emperor’s most respected officials.

What an honor that would be.

He finally raised his head.

"Your Highness truly intends to honor this promise?" He asks.

"Of course," Simon said with a smiley face.

As he had said before, betrayal often occurred not because people were inherently disloyal, but because the temptation placed before them was insufficient and people were selfish by nature.

Very few could completely reject temptation for the sake of loyalty.

Duncan hesitated before saying, "A verbal promise is ultimately insufficient. I ask His Royal Highness to put it in writing. If His Royal Highness regrets this promise in the future, then even if I die, I will ensure that every righteous person in the empire knows that His Royal Highness (Prince Simon) is a man who doesn’t keep to his word."

Simon burst out laughing.

"How difficult could that be?"

He immediately called Ysabeau over, instructing her to get a paper, ink, a brush, and an ink stone. Once everything had been prepared, Simon personally wrote down his initial promise. Then he looked at Duncan.

"Here is the agreement between us; both parties should sign it."

Simon signed his name first before handing the brush to Duncan. Duncan reached out and looked at it.

Yet the brush remained suspended above the paper for a long time. He understood exactly what signing the contract would be. Once his name appears on the contract, he would be obligated to follow Simon’s orders in the future. And if he refuses, Simon could use the written contract as evidence against him and ruin his reputation.

For a moment, Duncan hesitated.

But memories of the humiliation he had suffered after being sent to Brambleford, along with the frustration that had accumulated over the years, finally resolved him.

He lowered the brush. His name appeared beneath Simon.

"From this day forward, whenever His Royal Highness gives an order, I will do everything within my ability to carry it out." After speaking, Duncan stood and bowed.

Simon waved his hand.

"Sit down."

This was the first time Simon had personally attempted to recruit an official from another faction. Fortunately, he had not expected the process to be easy. Now that he had succeeded, he finally understood why the minister of the imperial court had chosen to serve different Princes.

These vassal Princes has operated within the empire for decades. Naturally, they possessed far more experience than he did in winning over important officials.

"Envoy, there’s no need to be nervous."

Simon took another sip of his wine.

"I will not ask you to do anything dangerous. All I need is for you to provide me with information about Prince Valeric Domain from time to time. If Prince Valeric makes any plans during our transaction, inform me immediately."

Since he had signed the agreement, Duncan was now fully aware of his position.

He nodded.

"His Royal Highness, I’m merely a low-ranking official in Prince Valeric’s domain. Although the title sounds impressive, my actual duties consist only of recoding the governor’s daily affairs."

He paused.

"However, precisely because of the position, I have learned quite a few things that ordinary officials do not know."

Simon raised his wine cup and took a slow sip.

He waited.

Duncan continued.

"At present, Prince Valeric possesses approximately fifteen thousand musketeers and more than three thousand large merchant vessels."

Simon’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Those three thousand ships are only the large merchant vessels. They do not include the medium-sized or small merchant vessels."

Duncan smiled bitterly.

"If those are included, then Prince Valeric possesses nearly eight thousand merchant vessels in total."

Simon’s expression changed slightly.

Eight thousand merchant vessels.

The scale of Valeric maritime trade was even greater than he had expected.

"This time, when Prince Valeric came to purchase artillery from His Royal Highness, he never intended to give you his large merchant vessels. Instead, he planned to exchange with the medium-sized and small-sized merchant vessels for the artillery. As for the shipyards, Prince Valeric currently controls thirty of them."

He paused

"But he has no intention of handing over his important and most skilled shipbuilding Craftsman. The ones he plans to send out are merely low-profile workers."

Duncan proceeds to reveal everything he knew.

Before coming to Brambleford, Prince Valeric had personally instructed him on many of the limits he was unwilling to cross during the negotiations. Naturally, Duncan knew all the details of the plan.

What Valeric had never imagined was that his own envoy would be the one to stab him in the back.

Throughout the empire, an envoy has always occupied an extremely dangerous position. Those sent to foreign lands often risked their lives. If the foreigner becomes extremely displeased, they would simply kill the envoy. Even among the vassal Princes, envoys were treated harshly. If an envoy proposed something that displeased the other side, he might get humiliated, imprisoned, or even killed.

Therefore, when Prince Valeric selected Duncan as his envoy, He was already disappointed.

Prince Simon nodded repeatedly.

Prince Valeric truly did want artillery from him.

But at the same time, however, he intended to take advantage of the transaction by offering inferior ships and shipbuilding craftsman in exchange. If Simon had not secured Duncan, he might still be in the dark about Valerie’s evil plans.

Duncan continued speaking.

He told Simon about the relationship between Prince Valeric and the Fletcher Family, as well as the ongoing trade with the Dutch in Valeric Domain.

Generally speaking, the Dutch currently purchased porcelain, silk, and many other goods from Prince Valeric.

Prince Valeric, however, primarily purchases only matchlock guns from the Dutch. And worse those matchlock guns were sold for an astonishing price at about five hundred caps of silver each.

A few days earlier, the Dutch had even sold mineshaft to Prince Valeric at an exorbitant price, causing him to suffer another substantial loss.

"The real reason the Dutch are dissatisfied with Valeric this time, was because they believe they are losing much money in their trade with him. Purchasing those goods from Prince Valeric has drained a considerable amount of money and Prince Valeric rarely purchases anything of comparable value from them."

Simon nodded slowly.

A trade deficit, that was the real problem. The Dutch were spending money in Prince Valeric Domain, while he was taking little of their merchandise in return.

Truly cunning man.

Prince Simon was now satisfied with the information Duncan told him. He will continue to provide information to him for the next three years, and at the same time, he will continue to uncover the traps in this trade to prevent him from being fooled by Prince Valeric.

After the meal, Prince Simon personally took Duncan to Tokyo Hotel to rest, while he was planning how to get large merchant ships and high-quality shipbuilding craftsmen from Prince Valeric.

While he was thinking, a sudden ’boom’ the explosions came from the direction of Oxford Academy, which startled Prince Simon.

In order to facilitate the teaching, Oxford Academy was only a few streets away from Prince Simon Castle. Something significant might have caused such a huge explosion.

With that, he turned in that direction.

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