Chapter 69: Time to Collect Evidence

Chapter 69: Time to Collect Evidence

It had already been a week since my accession to the throne.

During this period, the armies of Lord Warung and Lord Chamneaux occupied and secured the fief that was originally under the direct control of the Emperor. Although, there wasnt much resistance. Most of the magistrates in the Chancellor and Regent factions who were in control had already fled.

The capital had issued an imperial decree regarding the Rebellion of the Three Families. This was only announced to the capital and its surroundings, but I intend to notify all the lords about this along with other information.

I had declared this at the audience, but I had only placed the responsibility on Aquicurl House and Raul House. I have decided to charge the lords who had attacked LMitedeau House and the other two families under the instructions of the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies.

This was our limit. If we are too harsh on the lords in the Chancellor and Regent factions, then they will all turn against us. We wont be able to win the civil war if all the lords from the factions turn against us and then I wont be able to govern.

This was my basic policy as the Emperor. I will severely punish Aquicurl and Raul House and be relatively lenient with the other lords. I intend to be lenient towards them for a while.

The lords who participated in my coronation ceremony are still under the guise of interrogation instead of being unjustly imprisoned. The Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies committed many crimes, including assassinating the Emperor and the Crown Prince and tax evasion. The lords were being questioned about whether they helped the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies with their crimes or if they had known about their crimes.

Well of course I expect all of them to say, I dont know.

I dont expect to get a testimony from them either. Their interrogation was only conducted to buy time. In the meantime, I had the spies and bureaucrats working under the Treasurer to spend a week scrutinising every document that remained in the palace.

I will release most of the aristocrats but not all of them. If there is evidence that deserves to be judged, then it will be judged. It was necessary to make an example.

As it turned out, there was little evidence of any wrongdoing.

They arent stupid; theyve already covered everything up. The wrongdoings of the Regent Faction were probably covered up by Lord Aquicurls eldest son who held the official position of Secretary General, and the wrongdoings of the Chancellors faction were probably covered up by the Chancellor himself.

But they had evaded tax as well as other crimes on a large scale. The figures were obviously unnatural because they were all covered up. These documents which were apparently never disclosed even when the Treasurer requested them were apparently documents that pretended they hadnt evaded tax.

On the other hand, the Treasurer had good records of reported tax revenue and reported annual expenditure. All the tax evasion took place before the reports went to Lord Newnbal. So, what he had with him were the post-tax evasion records. We found many discrepancies when we compared the two documents.

It was impossible to know who had evaded taxes and to what extent since the documents had been falsified, but it was clear that they had done this illegally, so they will be judged for it.

And we have also secured evidence of their wrongdoings although it wasnt much. We hadnt gotten this evidence through investigation; it was brought to us by the Western Church.

By the way, Count Newnbals close associate who was suspected to have been involved in the disappearance of the Emperors personal funds was found to be innocent. I know who the culprit is but I dont know what to do with them.

Your Majesty. Daniel de Pierce has come to make his report.

Timona interrupted my pondering.

Let him in.

An Imperial Guard had been assigned to protect him since the coronation ceremony. Timona had settled into his attendant role as he should.

Daniel looked around the room for a moment after he entered. I wasnt surprised since the interior had changed so much.

I had cleared out all the excessive dcor that wasnt to my liking. I dont feel at home with all the gold and jewel dcor in the room. Ill put up with it to a certain extent when Im out though.

It will stabilise as soon as the turmoil in the nation is over.

Well, thats true. Whatever happens wont happen until the situation in the nation has completely settled.

Did you have something else to report?

I asked Daniel since he looked like he wanted to say something. He hesitated then spoke as if he had made up his mind.

Your Majesty, Count Palatine Vedett must stop interrogating the palace doctors immediately.

Count Palatine Vedett was currently interrogating the palace doctors who were involved in the assassination of the previous Emperor. The way he was conducting the interrogation must be the problem.

Hes like a beast.

It probably isnt pretty to watch.

He was more like a machine than a beast from the moment he decided to help me. He was like a robot who had been programmed to be the Guardian of Lothar.

I believe Count Palatine Vedett has extraordinary feelings about the assassination of the previous Emperor. Am I wrong?

No, you are right. tThat is why you should rein him in. His actions are like

Like vengeance?

The assassination of the previous Emperor Edward IV. If he hadnt been assassinated then I might have been able to ascend to the throne more easily, but then again, I might have been killed off early by the Chancellor and the Chief of the Ministry of Ceremonies for being an obstructive successor. So, I didnt want to seek revenge against those who had assassinated the previous Emperor.

But I was overlooking Count Palatine Vedetts actions because I dont plan on forgiving them either.

He might be doing it out of revenge, but at least hes not venting his anger out on them. The only people who are still being questioned by him are those who are definitely guilty. Some of the palace doctors were released without even being questioned.

The palace doctor who had examined Baron Nan was one of them. Perhaps that doctor was allowed to examine Baron Nan at that time because they were innocent.

I wont stop him as long as he doesnt make a mistake since he would do the same for me. He has done other work and has achieved results there as well.

The way he did things was problematic but the things he did werent wrong, and most importantly, he got results.

Or perhaps that seemingly vengeful interrogation was the best solution he could come up with.

I know he is a dangerous man, and I also know why you are worried, so dont worry. You may continue to monitor him.

I apologise for bringing this up. That is all I have to report.

Daniel bowed after he said that.

Did something happen between these two that I dont know about? I have to be careful