Sending Treasure, Deploying Troops

After Mora arranged for a messenger to inform the reinforcements to change course, he started to feel down again.

He kicked away the eunuch who had just wiped his sweat, and Count Lagos quickly told the eunuch to leave.

The Count Lagos comforted him, saying, "Your Majesty, you need not worry. We might as well just order the loyal nobles to send troops to besiege these rebel territories in the interior."

Mora shook her head. "We can't do that. If those nobles take these territories, won't I get a share of the spoils?"

Count Lagos and Viscount Borey exchanged a glance, not expecting that this was what was troubling Mora.

"How about we let those rebels go for now, and then send troops to sweep through their territories in the interior after spring?"

"That won't do either. We're giving them so much time. We can't let them run off with all the wealth in the territory."

"This..." Count Lagos was speechless.

Upon seeing this, Viscount Borey kept his mouth shut.

Just as the three of them fell silent, a guard entered the hall to report.

"Your Majesty, a representative of Count Black has come to pay his respects, saying he has important matters to report."

Mora frowned. "Why did this old man send someone here? I'm in a bad mood and don't want to see him. Let him go."

Count Lagos quickly stopped the guards who were about to leave.

"Your Majesty, the Count Black must have something important to say if he sends someone here at this time. Why don't we let him in and have him say something?"

"Alright, then go and let him in!"

Having received the Grand Duke's order, the guards turned and left the main hall.

After a while, a young man carrying a small box followed the guards into the main hall.

Upon seeing Grand Duke Mora, the young man put the small box aside and immediately knelt on one knee to pay his respects.

"Your Majesty, I am Baron Lovesky Elderwood, representing Count Black in the Noble Council."

I have come to see you today for two reasons: first, to present you with the gift that Count Black has intended for the Grand Duke; and second, to request Your Majesty's permission to make a request.

Mora was curious about what gift Count Black had given him. "Then bring the gift up first."

Baron Lovsky opened the wooden box and took out a round object wrapped in red velvet, which looked about the size of an egg.

The people inside the hall looked at him curiously. Then, he carefully lifted the red velvet cloth layer by layer. The candlelight in the hall suddenly dimmed by a third, and a pearl the size of a pigeon's egg appeared on the red velvet cloth.

This pearl shimmers with a golden glow reminiscent of the setting sun, its surface shimmering with seven layers of iridescence.

The bead is not perfectly round; its naturally formed spiral pattern is inlaid with star-like gold foil crystals. Whenever the candle flickers, it looks like thousands of tiny diamonds floating in liquid gold, creating a magnificent sight.

"This is the Golden Light Flowing Flame Pearl!" Count Lagos asked in a trembling voice.

Baron Lovsky nodded. "Indeed, it is a long-standing treasure of the Great Oak Family."

Mora looked at Count Lagos with curiosity. The pearl was indeed very beautiful and must be very valuable, but he had never heard of the name before.

Count Lagos looked at the pearl and said in a captivated tone, "There used to be a Count family in the East Sea Alliance called the Reef Coral Sunflower Family. Their territory was on the coast, and they had a special plant called Reef Coral Sunflower, which grew in the sea."

Legend has it that this plant can help people stay underwater for extended periods of time. This noble family used this plant to search for rare treasures in the sea, including this pearl, which was found by their family.

Later, several powerful noble families in the East Sea Alliance, including the ruling Marquis Papyrus, coveted this noble family and sent troops to besiege it.

As a result, this family was extremely fierce. Before their territory was breached, they used a special poison to kill all the Reef Coral Sunflower and threw all their treasures into the sea, leaving their enemies with nothing.

I always thought this family's rare treasures were just legends, but I never expected to actually see one of them today! How lucky I am!

At this moment, Lovsky also presented the pearl to Grand Duke Mora. Mora looked at the pearl and liked it more and more, and carefully picked it up.

Mora examined the pearl closely by candlelight. As the angle of the candlelight changed, the pearl emitted different lusters, and the crystals inside swayed up and down like flames and flowed like water.

Mora was overjoyed, and he said to Baron Lovsky.

"What a magnificent Golden Light Flowing Flame Pearl! How wonderful that Count Black would give me such a treasure! Tell me, what is his request? I will surely grant it."

"Count Black deeply regrets his previous support for the traitor Jorah and is eager to gain His Majesty's forgiveness. This is why he is sending you this gift."

"Don't worry, I've already forgiven him. After all, he gave me such a nice gift."

Mora gave a perfunctory reply.

Baron Lovsky hurriedly explained, "Count Black is loyal to His Majesty and is only sending you this treasure out of a subject's courtesy. He knows he has made a grave mistake, and this little thing is far from enough to make up for it."

He was willing to contribute more to His Majesty, but after hearing that the Northern Frontier nobles, led by Count Colt, were plotting a rebellion, he was so angry that he became ill and was unable to attend the meeting.

The Count wishes to request permission from His Majesty to lead the army of the Great Oak Territory and the private armies of the Eastern Nobles as the vanguard to first conquer all the rebellious territories of the Eastern Four Counties. At that time, the Count will not take any of the spoils of war, but will hand them over to His Majesty the Grand Duke.

He only begged that His Majesty would forgive his mistakes and allow the Great Oak Family to continue after his death.