Chapter 39: Power, Hypocrisy, Acting
On the streets of the royal capital, Su Xiao and Bubu Wang walked slowly, each holding a fruit that resembled a peach in shape.
One person and one dog took a large bite of the fruit in near-perfect synchronization.--
Su Xiao was severely hungry, and Bubu Wang was the same. From last night until now, Su Xiao had either been fighting someone or on his way to fight someone, with no time to eat or even drink a sip of water.--
By late night, he had finally finished his battles, but he still had no time, because he needed to go to a small village to root out the mastermind behind the scenes.--
After that, he handed the mastermind over to the old king, thinking he could rest for a while, only to find out he had to immediately visit those princes and princesses.
By the time Su Xiao finished all this, it was already 3 AM. When he visited the last princess, she was very nervous, thinking Su Xiao had come to her for a one-night stand.
At 3 AM, of course no shops were open on the streets of the royal capital, so Su Xiao got some fruit to fill his stomach. It had to be said, the fruits in this world looked a bit ugly, but they tasted decent.
"Woof."
Bubu Wang barked, meaning: "Master, I want to eat meat."
Crunch, crunch, crunch...
Su Xiao chewed the fruit pulp in his mouth. Although the taste was decent, with his physique, it only slightly alleviated his hunger.
"Bear with it for now."
Su Xiao said indistinctly, and Bubu Wang sighed.
"If nothing unexpected happens, the old king will hold a banquet later."
Su Xiao had been running around all night. Now, returning to the palace at 3 AM to report, if the old king didn't show some appreciation, it would be too unreasonable. After all, after Su Xiao solved the "Little Princess Murder Case," the old king hadn't even given a verbal commendation.
Of course, Su Xiao didn't want a verbal commendation. Based on his judgment, the old king wouldn't forget about this matter.
Hearing Su Xiao's words, Bubu Wang, who had been walking with unsteady steps from hunger, perked up considerably, meaning: "Really?"
"Of course. If he doesn't hold a banquet, we'll rebel against him."
Su Xiao smiled. He wasn't joking. If the old king didn't reward him at a time like this, it would mean the old king had begun to suspect Su Xiao.
If that happened, Su Xiao would kill the old king and a large number of princes and princesses before his power was stripped away.--
When Su Xiao returned to the palace to report, the old king hadn't set up a banquet. Instead, he was resting on the throne in the council hall.--
Su Xiao looked at the old king sitting on the throne. At this moment, the old king gave him a very strange feeling, as if he was barely breathing, as if he might die at any moment.
Just as Su Xiao thought the old king was about to kick the bucket, the old king's eyes opened, and that barely-breathing feeling disappeared.
"Is it handled? Cough, cough, cough..."
The old king let out a series of dry coughs, his face turning bright red.
"It's handled."
Su Xiao felt that the old king's condition was very wrong.
The old king's trembling hand pulled a clay bottle from his chest. He poured out some gray powder from the bottle, placed it on the tiger's mouth of his left hand, raised his left hand to his nose and mouth, and took a sharp sniff.
"Ahh~"
The old king's breathing became much smoother, and his flushed face gradually returned to normal.
"Hard work. I originally wanted to hold a banquet for you, but it seems I won't last much longer."
The old king waved at Su Xiao, signaling him to come forward.
Su Xiao still didn't know exactly what the old king wanted to do, but just now, he sensed that the old king didn't have long to live.
"Iron Hand, among my offspring, who do you favor the most?"
The old king's eyes were bloodshot. He probably hadn't rested well in the past few days.
"The eldest prince."
Su Xiao knew who the old king supported the most, so he chose a relatively stable prince.--
"Valentine also favors him."
The old king smiled. The Valentine he mentioned was Chief Executive Officer Joe Valentine.
"Hesherit is not in the royal capital. Whoever you and Valentine support, or rather, whoever you are willing to assist, will be the one to seize the throne the fastest."
The old king shifted his gaze to the side hall of the council chamber: "Valentine, come out."
With a creak, a wooden door was pushed open, and Chief Executive Officer Joe Valentine walked into the council hall. This powerful minister who was afraid of his wife looked exhausted, probably having rested little in the past two days as well.
"You and Iron Hand made the same choice."
The old king signaled Chief Executive Officer Joe Valentine to come forward. Joe Valentine bowed and approached the old king.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
The old king started coughing violently again. His hand trembled, and the clay bottle in his hand fell to the ground. Joe Valentine
rushed forward, picked up the clay bottle, and poured the gray powder into the old king's hand.
"Huff, huff, huff..."
The old king gasped for breath.
"I used to take the medicine once every five days. Now I need it at least thirty times a day. Getting old is useless."
The old king let out a few dry laughs. Joe Valentine kept his head down beside him, not daring to join in the laughter.
"How much longer can you hold on?"
Su Xiao asked. Hearing this, Joe Valentine's eyes twitched.
"I might not... make it through tonight."
The old king gave Su Xiao a meaningful look, clearly indicating that if Joe Valentine's expression showed the slightest abnormality, Su Xiao should kill him on the spot.
"Your... Your Majesty?"
Joe Valentine was thunderstruck. He stared at the old king in shock, his already bloodshot eyes turning red, and tears welled up from his eye sockets.--
The old king stared into Joe Valentine's eyes. A few seconds later, the old king felt a pang of guilt. Earlier, if Joe Valentine had shown the slightest sign of wrongdoing, he would have had Su Xiao eliminate him.
From the current situation, Joe Valentine was a loyal minister. When the old king said he might not make it through the night, Joe Valentine's eyes immediately reddened. The old king had seen countless people, and he could tell that Joe Valentine's grief was genuine.
"Valentine, at my age, life and death are normal matters."
The old king wanted to raise his hand to pat Joe Valentine's shoulder, but he no longer had the strength to lift his hand. The secret medicine he had taken three days ago was rapidly losing its effect.
"But Your Majesty, you..."
Joe Valentine knelt on one knee, tears dripping onto the smooth marble floor. In his mind, Joe Valentine recalled the past, when he was thirty years old and just a subordinate of a great noble.
"This person is good. He may be ugly, but he has ability. Send him to the royal capital."
Those were the words the old king had said to that great noble. At the time, Joe Valentine, kneeling prostrate on the ground, was filled with fear. But in the following decades, he was filled with gratitude, grateful for the old king's kindness in recognizing his talent.
"I'm already sixty-five. Having to deal with so many damn things every day, of course my body can't take it."--
The old king wasn't afraid of his impending death but faced it calmly.
"Valentine, go summon the eldest prince."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Joe Valentine wiped his tears, turned, and walked out of the council hall. When Joe Valentine left the council hall, the old king looked at Su Xiao.
"This is my choice, and also your choice. It may not be according to the rules, but rules are made by people."
The old king still looked half-dead, but Su Xiao felt that this old lion was very off.