dmims Chapter 236 The Imperial Edict Arrives in the City
Chapter 236 The Imperial Edict Arrives in the City
Chapter 236 The Imperial Edict Arrives in the City
A cold wind blew, and the boat rocked.
Perhaps because the floorboards under his feet were too old, the sound Dick made when he stepped on them was unusually dull.
But what was even more oppressive was undoubtedly his heart.
He stood on the deck, watching the coastline become clearer, and a hint of melancholy appeared in his eyes.
The harbor is right in front of us.
This ship departed from Caogang and is now returning.
But its owner's soul remained forever in the distant sea.
That sea that will continue to weep, mourning and grieving for the heroes.
What he feared even more was how he should face his adult family members.
A true rider should be fearless.
Dick thus realized once again that he was not ready to become a knight.
Look, even now he is still making mistakes that a knight should not make.
But Dick could not tolerate making one mistake after another.
He was afraid, but he could not back down.
This was his mission; he had to bring Lord Hubert's legacy back to that ancient castle.
The ship entered the port.
The people of the harbor immediately recognized the loyal dog's boat and gathered around the dock.
Only one path was left for people to walk on.
Dick knew that was a path left for the loyal dog.
Lord Hubert may be indifferent to outsiders, but he has always governed with benevolence towards his subjects.
A loyal dog is indeed upright and incorruptible, and equally impartial in the face of the law; he will sentence the people to cruel punishments without expression.
However, no one would resent him for this, because he was simply enforcing the law impartially.
In addition, he always did things personally, so he absolutely deserves the title of "wise ruler".
That's why the Bai people of Caogang love and respect such a monarch.
So much so that when the lord's ships returned, they would wait early at the port and on the road, just to catch a glimpse of the monarch's heroic figure.
Thinking of this, Dick's heart couldn't help but feel even more sorrowful.
He is bound to disappoint these people who have such high hopes.
All he brought back was Hubert Peyton's mutilated body and tattered armor—"
He held only the news of his death in his hands.
at last.
The sails were furled and the anchor was moored; the ship docked.
First mate walked over: "Sir—"
Dick ordered, "Have the soldiers disperse the crowd first."
"Yes"
The first mate nodded and carried out Dick's orders.
Dick could sense the goodwill of the people.
But no matter what, he didn't want these people to see the adults in such a wretched state.
If possible, Dick hopes that the people of Chau Harbor will forever remember the image of the loyal and heroic dog.
Dick then ordered the first mate to have the man's body wrapped up in a precious blanket to prevent it from being seen.
Once everything was ready, Dick took the documents from the drawer of the captain's cabin cabinet and put them in his pocket.
Only then did he lead his troops back to the castle.
When he arrived at the castle gate, he found members of the Peyton family already waiting at the gate.
Dick knew they were waiting for the Earl's triumphant return.
The adult is indeed the victor—
but--
Dick looked ahead.
Standing directly in front was the Earl's wife, Farah Montero.
On the right is her eldest son, Peña Peyton, along with Peña's wife and two children, who were also waiting there early on.
On the left is her youngest daughter, Peggy Payton.
The second son, Payne Peyton, along with his wife and son, stood to Peggy's left.
Mrs. Farah and Earl Hubert also had a daughter, their first child, named Peony Peyton.
However, she had married far away and was no longer in Caogang, so she could not appear in the group.
Besides the loyal dog's relatives, important figures in the city, such as Herald Horney and Instructor Randolph, also participated.
They were present as always, standing behind the Peyton family members.
They all smiled and looked eagerly at the team led by Dick.
When Dick and his band of soldiers stood opposite them, they finally frowned.
Mrs. Farah asked first, "Buchanan, where is the Earl—"
Hmm... how should I answer that?
Dick opened his mouth several times, but no words came out.
Farah's brow furrowed even more: "Could it be that my husband hasn't returned?"
"No—" Dick shook his head, "The master—he has already returned—"
"But why didn't I see him?"
Dick then raised his chin, and the soldier placed the blanket on the ground and spread it out.
With the loyal dog's body revealed, Dick had no choice but to announce:
"The sir—sacrificed—"
Whether it was Dick's voice or her husband's corpse, Farah gasped, then rolled her eyes and fell backward.
Fortunately, Randolph, who was behind him, reacted quickly and caught Mrs. Farah, preventing her from falling onto the hard ground.
The others were also completely stunned.
Master Horney shouted, "Quick! Get the doctor! Madam has fainted!"
His voice, though aged, was like the tolling of a bell, rousing everyone from their shock.
Peggy shook her mother's arm, and Payne slumped to the ground.
As for Pena, in a dazed and ashamed state, she slowly walked towards the body of the loyal dog.
Soon, the castle gates were in complete disarray.
Shouts, cries, and chaotic footsteps all mingled together.
Pena finally looked up, her eyes trembling as she asked:
"Buchanan, what on earth happened?!"
"My lord, it's a long story," Dick said, bowing his head. "In short, the Earl has been killed."
"My father's head has been cut off! That means he died in battle! But I know better than anyone just how strong my father was! Buchanan, who killed my father?"
Dick gritted his teeth and replied, "The Navigator."
"A leader?"
Pena shook his head and backed away.
"Is it that pirate?"
Just then, Horney walked over.
It seemed that Mrs. Farah had already been taken away, which allowed him to extricate himself.
He cut to the chase: "Lord Pena, please accept my condolences, but this is not the place to talk."
"I see,"
Pena shook his head and spread his hands.
"Can.-"
"My lord, do not let your emotions affect you. There are many things to do now!" Horney said. "Immediately order the castle gates to be sealed off, and also close the entire trough harbor."
"Isn't this unnecessary?"
The elderly Horney, however, was like a young man in his early twenties, full of energy and sharp mind.
He narrowed his eyes to a slit, so no one could see his gaze, but Dick could feel the coldness in them.
"If it were Earl Hubert, he wouldn't hesitate for even a moment," Horney said with a hint of sarcasm.
Pena nodded in surprise, "Okay, I understand, I'll give the order!"
"Yes, I have asked Randolph to gather the city's troops and to inform all members of the Peyton family to immediately proceed to the audience hall."
"Huh? All of them?" Pena looked at Horney in confusion. "Does my mother have to go too?"
"Of course," Horney said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"But she just fainted!"
"She will lie quietly in the room, but soldiers will stay by her bedside to ensure her safety. Whenever she wakes up, someone will help her to the bedside."
"Is it really necessary to go this far?"
"These are extraordinary times, my lord. That is why I took it upon myself to issue the order to Randolph in your capacity without your consent. Please forgive me, my lord."
"Well—well, I forgive you, Master Horney, after all, you said it yourself, these are extraordinary times," Pena nodded, "so shall we proceed to the Hall of Desire immediately?"
"No, we're not going."
"But what you just did..."
"Not including you."
"Are we just going to leave our younger siblings to wait around?"
“That’s right,” Horney nodded.
"Then what do we do?"
"My lord, please first summon all the knights and generals in the castle and have them report to Randolph's men," Horney said. "Then, please go to the study."
"A study? Why?"
"The death of Earl Hubert has immediately created many problems. Therefore, you must confirm the information with the Earl's squire, who is also the one who brought the news of the Earl's death—this is Dick Buchanan, who is standing before you."
As soon as he finished speaking, Dick felt both of their gazes fixed on him.
He didn't say anything, he just nodded calmly.
Peña then turned to Horney:
"And what about you?"
"If you allow me to listen in or offer advice, as the herald of the port, I will certainly fulfill my duty," Horney said.
"Please, Master Horney!"
With his emaciated body, Horney curtsied to Pena.
After standing up straight, he immediately said:
"Then, sir, please proceed."
Pena nodded and left.
Horney immediately turned to Dick and said, "Mr. Dick Buchanan, please come with me."
Afterwards, Horney led Dick to the Earl's study to wait.
Horny said, "It would indeed be more efficient to ask you some questions first, but right now the most important thing is loyalty. I cannot inquire about this information behind Lord Pena's back. So, warrior, please stay with me and wait in silence."
Dick nodded, and the study returned to silence.
Twenty minutes later, Pena finally arrived at the study.
Horney then bowed and said, "My lord."
"Everything's taken care of, Master Horney."
"Well done, sir. I'm also very sorry, as you've only just learned of your father's death. This is the most crucial moment, and there's no room for error. So, sir, please put your personal feelings aside for the important matters."
Pena nodded: "What do we do next?"
Upon hearing this, Horney turned to face Dick:
"Well then, Lord Buchanan, it's your turn to speak now. We have learned of the Earl's death and that the Navigator killed him, but what exactly happened at the time is not the most urgent matter right now."
"I want to ask you, before Lord Hubert died, did he give you any instructions or leave any arrangements?"
"Yes, Master Horney,"
With that, Dick walked over to the loyal dog's desk and began rummaging through it in front of the two of them.
Soon, he found the "imperial edict" that the loyal dog had mentioned.
Dick then took out several documents from his pocket, stacked them together, and handed them to Horney:
"Once you've seen these, you'll understand."
Honey took it and immediately handed it to Pena.
As Pena flipped through the pages, Dick noticed his eyes darting around.
Suddenly, Pena's face showed shock:
"This is—my father's will! My God, my father had already foreseen that he might die!"
"Sir," Horney asked, "what is it?"
Pena handed the edict to Horne.
After reading it, Horney's face showed a relieved expression:
"Hmm—that way, there's no dispute about its legitimacy. —Lord Pena, you will inherit Lord Hubert's title and territory, becoming the new master of the Trough Harbor."
Upon hearing this, Pena remained serious and then lowered his head to read the following documents.
Horney said to Dick:
"Your Excellency Buchanan, you seem to have found this edict in your study?"
"Yes," Dick nodded, "the master told me of its existence before he died—"
"Hmm—Lord Hubert is truly thoughtful and as always far-sighted. However, I'd like to ask you, did he tell you the contents of this edict?"
Dick nodded: "Yes, the Earl said that Lord Pena will inherit everything from him."
"Since you're aware of all this," Horney's tone turned stern, "then your choice is somewhat ill-considered."
Dick's heart skipped a beat, and he frowned:
"Master Horney, please enlighten me."
"You should not announce the death of the Lord openly and publicly, but should instead send a messenger to secretly inform Lord Pena of the news."
"In this way, it would be much more convenient for the heir, who would have sole control over the news of the count's death, to do whatever he wanted."
"Your choice has undoubtedly added a lot of chaos and sown the seeds of future problems; the chaos at the castle gate is the best proof of that."
Upon hearing this, Dick immediately realized that what Horney said was true.
He immediately bowed and said, "It was my dereliction of duty, but I have also learned a lesson."
Dick felt that he was very immature in many ways.
But why did Lord Hubert place such high hopes on him and entrust him with such a heavy responsibility before his death?
Regardless, Dick understood that if he wanted to live up to his loyal dog's expectations, he had to grow up as quickly as possible.
It's not just about martial arts skills, but more about strategy and political maneuvering.
Just then, he heard Pena speak:
"Dick Buchanan!"
Hearing the call, Dick looked at Pena.
At this moment, Pena stared wide-eyed at Dick with a furious look.
"Yes, sir," Dick replied, bowing his head.
"Why did you forge my father's dying wish!"
Honey hurriedly asked, "Sir, are you up?"
"Look for yourself," Pena said, handing two of the letters to Horney. "He's now bestowing titles upon himself in my father's name, and even wants to seize a territory and become a lord!"
Dick was not interested in territory or lordship, but as for titles, he did yearn to become a knight.
However, he also believes that with his current skill level, he is not good enough to become a Cavalier.
But the loyal dog insisted on giving all of these to Dick.
Dick was about to explain when Horney spoke up:
"My lord, you may have misunderstood. This is indeed Lord Hubert's handwriting, and it also bears the signature and seal of the righteous man. Do not forget, I am a herald; I would never mistake the name of the Blazing Sun City."
"But-"
Pena angrily shoved the last document into Horney's arms.
"He actually dared to trick me into marrying my sister!"