Lothair and Simon were both taken aback.

They had expected Cedric’s first words to be a defence of himself, yet he had unexpectedly confessed right away.

Simon looked at Cedric with interest and chuckled. "Master Cedric, I haven’t even questioned you yet. Why are you already admitting guilt?"

"Your Highness, some days ago, I inspected my estates in the various cities and discovered that my nephew, Richard, had been hoarding Plow oxen and selling them at exorbitant prices to the common folk. I have always been devoted to assisting Your Highness since the implementation of the Land Cultivation Decree, but alas, I have failed in my judgment of people and allowed such a grave mistake to occur. I implore Your Highness to punish me!" Cedric wiped the cold sweat from his forehead while kowtowing.

Lothair sneered. "Master Cedric, you’re truly calculating. In such a short time, you’ve already found yourself a scapegoat. You’ve never liked Richard, and now you’ve killed two birds with one stone, clearing yourself of guilt while eliminating Richard."

"What do you mean by that, Master Lothair? The Goldwynd and Chandlier families have always coexisted peacefully. Why must you be so venomous and seek to destroy my Goldwynd family?" Cedric growled.

It was true that Walter had mentioned the illegal salt trade in front of Simon under Cedric’s instructions. In the past, Simon had always favoured the Goldwynd family, allowing them to navigate Brambleford effortlessly. There were even times when Cedric had treated Simon with condescension.

Back then, Simon had indeed been an incompetent fool, living lavishly off the Goldwynd family’s silver. But times had changed; after his severe illness, he had undergone a drastic transformation overnight. Not only was he now a shrewd ruler, but he also keenly adopted the strategies of Baldwin. Cedric was no fool; he knew Baldwin was no ordinary man, and it was likely that many of Simon’s actions were influenced by him.

Now, the Chandlier family was growing wealthy under Simon’s patronage. If this continued, in just a few years, they would surpass the Goldwynd family. At that point, the Chandlier family would wield power just as the Goldwynd family once had, using Simon’s influence to suppress them.

This was something Cedric could never allow. That was why he devised this ruthless plan to drive a wedge between the Chandlier family and Simon.

"Hahaha! Master Cedric, you’re truly shameless, like a turtle without teeth. Who was the one who slandered my family before His Highness, falsely accusing us of trading illegal salt?" Lothair’s beard trembled with anger.

Had Simon not been present, the two men would likely have come to blows.

"Hmph! Whether or not the Chandlier family traded illegal salt, you know better than I do." Cedric scoffed before turning to Simon with a bow. "Your Highness, please investigate thoroughly!"

Simon’s gaze flickered between the two.

Both the Goldwynd and Chandelier families held significant influence across the six cities. Many local officials were either related to or closely tied to them. Their vast estates housed not only private soldiers and retainers but also countless tenant farmers and servants.

If he were to take sides and wipe out one family entirely, the other might act out of desperation, which would be disastrous. Right now, his domain was still in the early stages of recovery, and stability was what he needed most.

If these disputes dragged on for years, it would only hinder his progress. Instead of taking a definitive stance, why not strike both sides and extract benefits from them?

He could continue to manipulate their rivalry, ensuring they remained at odds while he reaped the rewards. Once he had built his new army and fully consolidated control over the six cities, these aristocratic families would no longer be a threat. By then, he could deal with them however he pleased.

Having made up his mind, Simon said. "Enough. There’s no need to argue further. You may both leave. Since the issue of the Plow oxen stems from Master Cedric’s nephew, it remains an internal family matter. How you handle it is up to you. However, regarding the oxen..."

Cedric’s heart lifted. Simon was letting the matter go! He quickly responded. "Your Highness, I will ensure that the surplus Plow oxen in my estates are sent to the local cities for allocation. Your Highness needs only to provide a small rental fee each year."

Simon nodded in satisfaction. At least Cedric knew how to be flexible. This arrangement would significantly ease the shortage of Plow oxen in the collective farms. He then turned to Lothair. "As for Master Lothair, I will personally investigate the matter of illegal salt trading. Until a verdict is reached, there must be no further spreading of accusations."

Lothair’s heart clenched, Simon’s words implied that the matter was far from settled. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Both men rose, throwing each other a hateful glare before turning to leave.

Once they were gone, Roland chuckled. "Your Highness, your tactics are becoming more refined. You just granted the Chandlier family a boon, only to immediately tighten the leash. And by not punishing Cedric, he’s been forced to surrender his oxen. As for the illegal salt matter, Your Highness now has a blade hanging over the Chandlier family’s neck."

"Exactly." Simon laughed. "Lothair surely understands this, too. In the future, he will be even more obedient than the Goldwynd family."

---

Meanwhile, outside the Goldwynd family estate...

"Cedric, you’re ruthless! Just you wait!" Lothair spat. The Chandlier family had clearly suffered a loss; illegal salt trading was an offence that could be as minor or as severe as Simon decided.

Cedric smirked. "Ruthless? You’re no better, Master Lothair. Hmph!"

With that, the two men stormed off in opposite directions.

Back at the Chandlier family estate, Lothair remained uneasy. After careful consideration, he realised Simon had let the Goldwynd family off lightly due to the oxen issue. With this in mind, he immediately paid a visit to the Duskry family. Ever since his daughter had married Brandt, their two families had allied, growing increasingly close.

At the Duskry estate, Lothair recounted the entire incident.

"You’re suggesting that we donate all our surplus oxen?" Arnulf’s face twitched in reluctance.

"This is a long-term strategy," Lothair explained. "A single Plow ox is worth no more than ten caps of silver. But now, a single bottle of Bramleford’s Finest wine earns us more than that. With production expanding, our annual profits will reach tens of thousands of caps. We must weigh the costs and benefits."

Arnulf grumbled sourly. "No matter how much you earn, it’s still your money, Master Lothair. All I can do is envy you."

Lothair chuckled. "Come now, let’s not be petty. Your family is the largest grain merchant in the six prefectures, with the most farmland and oxen. Giving up a thousand oxen is hardly an issue. If need be, I’ll compensate you in silver."

Arnulf sighed. "Since you put it that way, I have no choice but to help."

Though reluctant, he knew that with Lothair offering compensation, he wouldn’t be losing much. He then added. "However, Master Lothair, you must put in a good word for me with His Highness."

Lothair hesitated for a moment before laughing. He patted Arnulf’s hand. "Rest assured. I will make sure His Highness hears of your generosity. If we can win his favour, both our families will prosper. Times have changed, Cedric once seemed like an ally, but now his true ambitions are clear. Our families are still relatively new among the aristocracy; we must rely on His Highness to withstand the Goldwynd and Redwyck families."

Arnulf nodded. "You’re right, Master Lothair."