Chapter 14: Chapter 14: What a Prince Louis, today is truly an eye-opener
As expected, the little swan never considered a question.
Marquis York, although a member of the royalists, a sharp sword in the hands of the royal family, also holds another identity that cannot be ignored...
A politician.
When a confidant makes a mistake, you can criticize them publicly, even get angry, because this might be your only chance to express anger.
But privately, you must compensate the confidant, or even promote them secretly, otherwise, they might betray you before the task is completed.
When an officer makes a mistake, it’s better not to criticize them publicly, but to encourage and praise them, giving them face, and then remind them privately. This is the basic tactic to win people’s hearts.
So here comes the question.
Among the people present, who is a confidant? Who is an officer?
Answer:
1. Factory Director Snow is Marquis York’s confidant;
2. Marquis York is an officer of the royal family.
So, does Olivia belong to the royal family?
Yes.
Can she represent the royal family?
...No.
For the royalists, there are only two people qualified to represent the royal family in exercising their jurisdiction.
One is His Majesty on the throne.
The other is the First Princess Beatrice.
This does not include the Second Princess recuperating in the palace.
Louis could guess that Olivia approached Marquis York, a royalist, because Factory Director Snow’s superior was Marquis York.
With the help of the superior, investigating cronyism would be much easier.
Louis initially thought of slowly investigating it, trying to find an opportunity to explore the inside story, so that he could naturally uncover the risk of the major explosion.
Knowing the result and then backtracking the process would be much easier.
——After all, facing him was the strongest form: "Hindsight Genius."
But for some reason, even though Olivia was just here to investigate a cronyism case, she seemed very impatient.
She even presented her findings on improper waste disposal processes.
As if... she wanted to gain strong support from Marquis York?
But she forgot, she was not Beatrice.
Her actions might instead trigger the sensitive nerves of an old politician like Marquis York.
"Not going through proper procedures, directly demanding an investigation, even a reckoning of my confidant?"
"Is this a provocation? Or is she being instigated? Or... planning to vie for power with the Eldest Princess?"
"She is essentially representing certain people, targeting me!"
...Marquis York would probably think this way.
As it turned out, he guessed right.
Marquis York smirked at the two, not showing his displeasure was the highest level of cultivation he could exhibit in this position.
Luckily, Louis had no intention of investigating the cronyism issue.
He kept a card up his sleeve...
So he approached Marquis York and whispered, "Apologies, Marquis York, for your reputation, I’m afraid we can’t let you be involved in this matter."
Louis took out some letters from his pocket, personally delivered them to Marquis York, and whispered a few words in his ear.
Marquis York’s face turned pale, his head dipped down, a stiff expression as if plastered with glue.
Everyone didn’t quite understand what was happening, but judging by the upper management’s demeanor, the atmosphere quickly fell to freezing point.
Marquis York tapped his fingers on the table, the plant personnel dared not speak.
Olivia leaned in for a look and softly exclaimed, "Anonymous tip-off letters?"
Factory Director Snow suddenly raised his head, "Anonymous letters? About what?"
Louis slightly curled the corners of his mouth, "Factory Director Snow, don’t get me wrong, there are some situations I don’t completely understand, today I’m addressing the issue, not the people.
Let me be frank with you now, on the day I moved to the Prince’s Mansion, several anonymous letters were found consecutively, and each letter was addressed to me personally.
The letters mentioned someone in the factory embezzling a large sum meant for procuring new equipment, and now the plant can no longer afford to handle magical waste, resorting to night shifts for waste disposal."
The atmosphere paused.
Marquis York lightly tapped the table, "How absurd, His Highness Louis, do you know that the waste treatment plant has always been a model organization in Tino City?"
Louis nodded, "Precisely because I know that I find this suspicious.
Marquis York, in what situation would a whistleblower feel compelled to secretly place a report in the Prince’s Mansion, which has not yet established defenses, and has a high rank?"
Marquis York laughed, "Do you mean to say that someone is obstructing the reporting of the anonymous letters, forcing the whistleblower to throw the letters to a high-ranking yet undefended Prince’s Mansion?"
Louis blinked, "I didn’t say that, but the Secret Guard of the Eldest Princess investigated, the sewage disposal timing and the content recorded in the letters matched exactly.
That’s why Her Highness Olivia called you here.
If we didn’t call you, it would be almost impossible to open the treatment plant’s sealed workshop."
This was a lie.
Louis’s goal was different from the little swan who wanted to uncover cronyism.
His goal was merely to nip the Tino explosion in the bud.
In other words, for him, evidence was not needed.
Once it’s confirmed there’s an issue in the plant, the next step is just to find a way to pressure Factory Director Snow to open the workshop for inspection.
As for the consequences of being caught fabricating evidence afterward... as long as the dark truth is exposed, there will be no consequences.
Yes!
These so-called anonymous tip-off letters, weren’t actually delivered to the Prince’s Mansion by anyone; every word was handwritten by Louis himself.
There was no anonymous whistleblower.
Only an unlucky fellow trying to save himself from the guillotine.
Factory Director Snow’s expression was stiff, he muttered, "You came specifically for me, didn’t you?"
Marquis York also looked at him, "His Highness Louis, anonymous? Tip-off letters? With just these, you want to turn the treatment plant upside down? You do know you haven’t been given the authority yet."
Louis respectfully said, "Lord York, I too was once a citizen.
But when my village was burned down and I was abducted by traffickers to be sold to the White Tower, then I realized that sometimes, it’s not enough to just speak up; someone must be willing to listen.
Back then, I desperately hoped someone could hear my cries, now standing here, I heard someone else’s cries, yet no one can hear them.
Why don’t you help me solve this mystery, let us see what the situation in the plant really is."
Louis uttered these beautiful words without a trace of embarrassment.
Thick-skinned and heartless?
Just like Paradox Interactive players claiming, "losing means being a war criminal," Louis too had already decided the outcome, victory was assured.
Louis spoke earnestly, Marquis York snorted coldly, "Have you considered what price you must pay if there’s nothing wrong inside?"
"I have."
"What can you pay, what can you bear?"
Louis calmly said, "Everything."
"Everything?"
"Everything that belongs to me, everything I can give, please, help me, open the door."
"Marquis York, I’m going all-in, it’s up to you"
However, Louis never thought how much shock his fearless words brought to others.
Marquis York became somewhat restless, he knew exactly what being turned into a mage’s experimental subject meant.
Those who survived didn’t like to recall that part of their past.
But this boy, this boy...
What a Prince Louis! Today he truly broadened his horizons.
That serene gaze on the clean and fragile face softened Marquis York’s heart, but he still stiffly said:
"Alright then, I’ll satisfy your curiosity, Snow, open the treatment chamber."
Snow turned to Louis and said, "Aren’t you putting me in a difficult position?"
"Snow, did you hear what I said?" Marquis York said in a deep voice, "Open the treatment chamber."