"Are you saying Zhang Yuan is doing quite well in prison?"
Seeing the guard nod in affirmation, George waved his hand to dismiss him and turned to pour himself a cup of coffee. He felt the necessity to reassess his two brothers. This incident was almost entirely within their control, even the countermeasures he had taken were anticipated by them! Two hours, damn it, two hours!
Just thinking about it made George feel he had been played. He violently threw the coffee cup in his hand!
During this period, Bruce was indifferent to both soft and hard tactics, and Reinhardt remained silent, relying on George to incessantly send people for investigation. However, the investigation into Bruce’s forged document was stuck. The key witness from the Investigation Bureau had vanished ever since Fatty was imprisoned.
Although it was clear that Bruce had either hidden him or silenced him permanently, there was nothing George could do. After all, Bruce was also a prince and not so easily questioned by the Royal Court. Zhang Yuan’s records were notably simplistic; as a drifting vagabond out of the public eye, there were indeed many gaps in his timeline.
A vagabond who bypassed immigration checks, sneaking between countries, mingling in slums full of ruffians and beggars, using odd jobs or even theft to get food and travel fare. How could the blanks in such a lifestyle be properly explained?
If Bruce had somebody in prison torment Zhang Yuan, George could have found an excuse to confront the matter. But now, what Bruce had done left George feeling like a dog trying to bite a hedgehog—there was no place to start. Where exactly was the problem?!
In his completely private study, George slowly sat on the chair in front of his desk, closed his eyes. This chair was identical to the one in his father James’s study. Every time he sat in it, he felt a peculiar sense, as if it helped him see further, think more clearly, and get closer to his goals.
The door of the study opened. George knew without opening his eyes that it was his mentor Philip entering. Only he had the privilege to enter this room without knocking, and only he could walk so silently, like a cat prowling in the dark.
"Still haven’t figured it out?" Philip’s voice sounded beside George’s ear.
George opened his eyes, looking at Philip standing quietly before him. There was no need for pleasantries between them; both knew their roles, now and in the future.
Philip walked to the side of the desk, sat on a vast and comfortable chair, and glanced at the coffee stains and cup remains on the precious handmade silk carpet. He frowned, "Losing your temper won’t solve anything. Don’t make yourself look like Stephen."
George sighed, walked over to the carpet, picked up the cup from the ground, and placed it on the desk, speaking softly, "It appears I have indeed underestimated my two clever brothers."
Philip nodded with satisfaction, "As princes capable of vying for the throne, would you believe me if I said no one is giving them advice from behind? It’s not that you underestimated them; they have seen through you."
George poured a cup of coffee and placed it in front of Philip, standing quietly, like a student receiving a teacher’s guidance, respectful and obedient.
"You, like your father and your brothers, are too eager for quick success." Philip took a sip of coffee, his tone indifferent, showing not an ounce of reverence when discussing the Emperor and the Imperial Family, "Do you know why Reinhardt remains silent, leaving you to struggle alone?"
George remained silent. At this moment, there was no need for him to express any opinions. Philip would unravel everything for him, as he had done since becoming George’s mentor.
"Originally, you were doing well, growing ever closer with the Mythical Army. Many in the noble circles noticed it, and families initially leaning towards Stephen began to reconsider. On our side, right before this incident, they were full of confidence in you."
"However," Philip’s words pierced George like a needle, "your impatience and greed destroyed the trust you initially built with Reinhardt!"
"When the mechanic was captured, you were the first to receive the message and should have immediately appeared at the Investigation Bureau, but you didn’t. You wanted to use this opportunity to drive a wedge between Reinhardt and Stephen!" Philip’s sharp gaze drilled into George, making him feel like he was sitting on needles. He tightly clenched his fists; two hours, damn it, those two hours!
"Who gave you the information? Christina or your guard? Do you think Reinhardt wouldn’t know when you got the message? You’re too clever for your own good!" Philip’s tone grew stricter, "Your delay certainly intensified the conflict, but you never expected Stephen would come forward and collaborate with Bruce in a public act of breaking ties! Nor did you foresee your own blunder turning a manageable matter into a tool to force Reinhardt into a position!"
"You need to understand, to whom does the Mythical Army belong? Not yours, not Stephen’s, not even Reinhardt’s. It is the Imperial Family’s force under Your Majesty’s direct command! Under your father’s watchful eyes, how can you expect Reinhardt to openly side with you against your two brothers?"
"Foolish!" Philip’s angry scolding turned George’s face a deep shade of embarrassment.
"At a critical stage in the Mecha Design of the Mythical Army, with a genius mechanic overseeing it, do you think Reinhardt wouldn’t be enraged about losing him? Would he not want to reclaim his man from Bruce? Why didn’t he step in but instead sought to repress the anger in the research lab and among several Legion Commanders? Why? Because of you!"
"This matter, through your involvement, has escalated into a struggle between you and your two brothers. You let Zhang Yuan be sent to Abnosk Prison and then jumped in to confront your brothers, leaving Reinhardt no choice but to remain silent. Do you think he would choose someone pulling him into the water or spoil your father’s balancing act?"
George fell into complete silence. He had already grasped these insights but had made the blunder regardless. Now, the critical point was how to remedy the situation, how to salvage the position. As the de facto military leader, as a proud Mythical Army Commander, Reinhardt could not tolerate anyone playing tricks behind his back, even if that person was the first in line for the Gazarine throne!
Remaining silent before Philip was George’s long-cultivated hobby, as usually, after berating him, Philip would provide solutions. This mentor was adept at teaching and wouldn’t leave George directionless.
Indeed, Philip pulled out two portable encrypted folders from his coat and placed them on George’s desk. "Since your brothers have made a move, focusing only on their surface actions would underestimate us." He pointed to a red file, "Read this one first."
Philip’s hand slightly trembled, and his voice bore a gravity beyond words. George opened the file with curiosity.
"This can’t be true!" George sprang up, his face contorted with shock.
Anyone discovering their two brothers plotting against their father might react similarly. George found it inconceivable that such a plan could be devised against their own father by his brothers!
"Does Father know?" After the initial shock, George’s eyes glimmered with excitement. If this document was genuine, handing it to James himself would secure his position forever!
Philip took a deep breath and looked away, "He doesn’t know."
"Then..." Unable to contain his excitement, George headed toward the door. "Thank you, my dear mentor, I will hand this document to my father personally!"
George walked briskly to the door, his steps light and hurried. Just as his hand reached the doorknob, Philip’s cold voice stopped him. "If I were you, I’d read the second document before making a decision."
George halted, turning his confused gaze upon Philip. How could anything be more crucial at this moment than imminent victory?
Philip’s deep eyes focused on George, then shifted to the dark red folder lying quietly on the desk.
It dawned on George. He returned to the desk, glanced once more at Philip, finding an unusual expression on his face. Opening the folder, its contents struck him like thunder, leaving him shattered. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ N(o)vᴇl(F)ire.nᴇt
"Madness, he’s gone mad!" George felt weak all over, stumbling to the chair behind the desk, muttering, "Mad, completely mad..."
(To be continued. For the s, please visit WWW.CMFU.COM, support the author, and read the original works.)