Chapter 19: Confiscating the Estate
Wait two years before succeeding as city lord? In two years, what couldn't happen? How could Keane endure living under Widow Wade's thumb for two whole years?
"I believe I am capable," Keane said firmly.
Widow Wade's expression turned serious. "Keane, calm down. You're still just a child. The city lord of Chir County governs millions of the empire's subjects. You cannot bear such a heavy burden yet."
At this moment, Jenny, standing beside Keane, spoke up: "Stepmother, imperial law does not state that one must be an adult to inherit the position of city lord."
Widow Wade looked at Jenny.
Jenny met Widow Wade's gaze without flinching. The two women of different ages simply stared at each other.
"That's true," Widow Wade said with a smile. "Imperial law indeed has no explicit rule requiring adulthood to inherit the city lord position. However..."
Widow Wade's tone turned sorrowful. "After your father passed away recently, the clan learned of the situation here. Originally, your eldest brother was to inherit the city lord position, but my poor child..."
"When they learned that Keane was only fourteen, the clan issued an order. Chir County is one of the most important counties in the Northwest Province, and it borders the provincial capital 'Basil.' Its administration is extremely critical. The clan decreed that Keane must reach adulthood before assuming the city lord position."
"The clan?"
Both Keane and Jenny were stunned.
Hearing that it was the clan's command, the siblings were also at a loss. As members of the Jax family, Jenny and Keane understood what the clan meant.
"Stepmother, did the clan truly issue such an order?" Jenny stared at Widow Wade.
Widow Wade frowned, looking at Jenny. "Jenny. Do you think I would fabricate a clan order? Hmph... Until Keane inherits the city lord position, all county affairs will be temporarily handled by me."
"I am the future city lord. I have the right to decide who serves as acting city lord," Keane shouted in dissatisfaction.
Widow Wade's gaze turned icy as she looked at Keane.
Linley, who had been silent all along, finally spoke up: "Widow Wade, your so-called clan probably didn't order you to serve as acting city lord, did it?"
Widow Wade was momentarily speechless.
As bold as she was, she wouldn't dare fabricate a clan order.
Jenny and Keane both belonged to the Jax family, one of the most powerful clans in the entire O'Brien Empire.
The Northwest Province, one of the seven provinces of the O'Brien Empire, was controlled by the Jax family.
Jenny and Keane's father, Wade Jax, was merely a collateral member of the Jax family. If not for the Jax family's influence, how could that coward Wade Jax have become a county city lord?
Now Wade was dead.
In the Jax family's view, Chir County should naturally continue to be governed by a Jax family member.
Although Widow Wade had married Wade, she was not of Jax blood. The Jax family was unlikely to let her sit in the acting city lord position.
"Hmph, if not for those old fossils in the clan..." Widow Wade thought bitterly.
No matter how formidable she was, she couldn't compare to the Jax clan. One word from them, and this noble lady might be begging on the streets tomorrow.
"I am not yet an adult, but my sister is. I will send someone to the provincial capital 'Basil.' I believe the clan elders will appoint my sister as acting city lord, not you!"
Keane declared proudly.
The conflict between the siblings and Widow Wade was impossible to hide.
In just a few words, it was fully exposed at this banquet. After all, their mother had essentially been persecuted to death by Widow Wade. Jenny and Keane had even been targeted by assassins along the way.
"Fine, fine. If you have the ability, go ahead and petition the clan. I'd really like to see if the clan will entrust the acting city lord's responsibility to an eighteen-year-old girl." Widow Wade lifted her chin arrogantly.
Keane's face was full of defiance.
A fourteen-year-old boy was at the most rebellious age. The more arrogant Widow Wade was, the more Keane wanted to resist. He also believed the clan would side with him, since he was a Jax family member.
After the banquet.
Linley, Jenny, Keane, and Lambert gathered together. Only after asking did Linley fully understand how powerful Jenny and Keane's Jax family was.
Their father, Wade Jax, was merely a collateral member.
The true direct lineage of the clan wielded terrifying power. The entire Northwest Province was controlled by the Jax family, and it was hereditary. The Jax family had governed the Northwest Province for over a thousand years.
"The imperial family of the O'Brien Empire is indeed confident. They dare to entrust an entire province to a single family for a thousand years," Linley mused inwardly.
A province's territory was larger than the Kingdom of Fenlai.
Letting a family govern a province for so long could easily give that family astonishing power. It was also a factor for 'rebellion' and 'secession.'
But the O'Brien Empire's imperial family was very confident.
Because they had the 'War God' and the War God's Gate with its many powerful warriors. Moreover, the empire's two most important provinces, the 'Central Province' and the 'O'Brien Province,' were controlled by the imperial family.
"With the War God around, no family dares to rebel. Forget the War God—the disciples of the War God's Gate over thousands of years alone are a terrifying force."
Linley understood.
In the face of supreme experts, so-called armies were a joke. Armies only intimidated ordinary people. But Saint-level experts were the most crucial factor determining a nation's fate.
"The Jax family, which has governed the Northwest Province for over a thousand years, must be incredibly powerful," Linley thought to himself.
"Hmph, that vicious woman. I don't believe the clan will support her," Keane said angrily.
Lambert chuckled. "Young master, rest assured. If the clan supported her, she would have acted differently today."
Indeed.
At this moment, Widow Wade was furious: "Those country bumpkin siblings are so arrogant... Truly. I should have had them killed years ago. Then there wouldn't be this trouble now."
Back then, Widow Wade had believed her son would become city lord.
But she never expected her son to die so young.
"That fool Holmer, living over three hundred years like an animal," Widow Wade's eyes flashed coldly. "In three hundred years, Holmer must have amassed quite a fortune."
...
Late at night, Chir County was very quiet.
Holmer's mansion was located in the eastern district of Chir County. The estate was vast, with many beautiful maidservants. Holmer was a man who greatly indulged in carnal pleasures.
Suddenly, dense hoofbeats sounded.
Two guards at Holmer's mansion poked their heads out from a hole beside the main gate. Their faces turned pale. A large number of armored city guards had gathered outside the gate.
"Open the gate," a proud knight in white armor, mounted on a warhorse, shouted loudly.
Widow Wade and her two brothers, also on horseback, watched the scene with amusement. Holmer's family had no real experts. With Holmer dead, the family was nothing but a piece of fat ready to be butchered.
The gate slowly opened.
"Gentlemen, what business do you have here so late?" A middle-aged man in disheveled clothes ran out, having just gotten out of bed.
"Countess." The middle-aged man suddenly spotted Widow Wade, and his heart trembled.
Widow Wade said coldly, "It has been confirmed that Holmer was involved in the assassination of the city lord heir, Keane. All members of Holmer's family are to be arrested, and all family property is to be confiscated."
Hearing this, the middle-aged man's legs went weak, and he fell to his knees.
"No, Countess," the man quickly said. "My grandfather was invited by your two brothers..."
"Slandering a noble, an additional crime. Kill him." Widow Wade's face turned cold.
The leading knight's lance suddenly spun, like a giant python emerging from its cave. With a tearing sound as it cut through the air, the lance pierced the middle-aged man's throat.
Widow Wade's eldest brother shouted loudly, "Move faster!"
The city guards rushed into the mansion like wolves and tigers. These city guards loved nothing more than confiscating people's homes. They could secretly pocket some benefits.
Of course... they didn't dare take too much, as others were watching.
"What are you doing? What are you doing!"
Men and women, all disheveled, ran out shouting. Some private guards of the mansion grabbed their weapons but dared not act.
They could see that these were city guards.
How could private guards of a mansion dare to fight city guards?
"Holmer is suspected of plotting to assassinate Young Master Keane. Arrest everyone in Holmer's family. Kill anyone who resists," the leading knight said coldly. Hearing these orders, the people in Holmer's mansion were dumbfounded.
Faced with the ferocious city guards, they were helplessly captured.
But many who didn't want to be taken without a fight immediately fled. The city guards chased after them.
"That bitch Wade." An old man with graying hair emerged from a secret room, clutching three magic crystal cards in his bosom.
"Grandfather was invited by her, and now that he's dead, she comes to confiscate our property. Truly vicious."
Holmer was over three hundred years old. Of his many sons, only two were still alive; the others had died of old age. These two sons were relatively young. As for grandsons... the oldest was over two hundred, while the youngest was only in his thirties.
"Stop!" A city guard suddenly spotted the old man.
The old man waved his hand, scattering a handful of powder.
"Ugh." The city guard's face instantly turned purple. He clutched his throat, letting out painful groans, and collapsed dead after a few moments.
The old man sneered and nimbly fled along a small path.
"Stop!" A loud shout came from afar.
The old man ignored it and ran even faster.
"Swish." An arrow shot through the air at incredible speed, whistling as it pierced the old man's back.
The handsome blond knight lowered his bow and sneered, "Trying to escape? Dream on. Search him for magic crystal cards."
"Yes, sir."
...
Not only was the mansion filled with city guards, but the area outside was also surrounded by several layers. No one from Holmer's family could escape. Although some in the family knew about poisons, their skills were far inferior to Holmer's.
Inside the main hall of Holmer's mansion.
Widow Wade and her two brothers were looking at a pile of treasures and magic crystal cards before them.
"This old bastard really knew how to amass wealth," Widow Wade's eldest brother said, eyes gleaming.
Widow Wade smiled faintly. "Don't be greedy for these small gains. Once we control the county, wealth will flow in endlessly."
At that moment, in the night sky above Holmer's mansion.
Linley, with transparent wings on his back, hovered in the air, looking down at the chaotic scene of the confiscation below.
"Widow Wade really is ruthless. And Holmer... what terrible luck," Linley murmured with a faint smile as he watched from the night sky.
(First chapter of the day!)