Blessed by Abundance, Scourge of Terra

"Thanks to you, sir, the Abundance Group is currently the fastest-growing company in all of Victoria. All profits will be delivered to your territory via convoy in the following year."

Shi Huaiya felt his breathing stop for a few seconds. Although he was the one keeping this company running, he didn't dare touch a single copper coin of the money it earned.

The last time someone in his family embezzled a single silver coin, Shi Huaiya had tied that person to a large rock and kicked them into the river that very night.

Speaking of which, the person who was sunk into the water was distantly related to Shi Huaiya, so many within the family said he was ruthless in his actions.

However, even if it were a relative he met frequently, Shi Huaiya might still harden his heart.

After all, for the prosperity and flourishing of the family, everything was worth it!

This was the creed of the Shi Huaiya family!

If Victoria were to judge a company with absolutely no corruption, the Abundance Group would undoubtedly be number one.

This was because the company sent all its profits, not a single cent left behind, to Eden every year.

"Don't worry, I naturally trust your management, but in the future, I will place a few people I trust to manage things. You will be responsible for cooperating with them. Also, they are all Sarkaz.

Try your best to create public opinion within five years to slightly improve this race's bad reputation in Victoria."

"In a few days, a letter will be delivered to your desk with a detailed plan and progress. You can improvise according to the milestones I've indicated."

"For the coming year, I will gradually reduce the supply of soil, but I will lower the price of Originium Inhibitors. You should hint to the new nobles to prepare for expansion and war."

Shi Huaiya turned pale with shock and said tremblingly, "What are you trying to do? Are you trying to contend for the King's throne?"

"I do desire King Aslan's throne, but it seems to have no great use after obtaining it. However, I very much want his power."

"As your Speaker, I can't just hide in the shadows, can I? And why is your tone so fearful? Are you intimidated?"

Of course, he was afraid!

After all, this was a business punishable by death, a complete and utter rebellion!

"There's no need to be afraid. You will live, and all of us will live."

"Because this is not a rebellion, but a drastic social transformation."

68

Chapter 68: Victoria on the Eve of Storm.

But this was also a fatal temptation.

Once successful, the Shi Huaiya family would firmly secure the top position among the new nobles in Victoria.

Then, Shi Huaiya's fate would be second only to one person.

This tiger took a deep breath, and even Huang Cao on the other end of the phone could feel the other party's struggle.

As a good boss and partner, Huang Cao did not consider this a lack of trust or betrayal towards him.

On the contrary, it was a very wise move, so he was willing to give the other party time.

After about ten minutes, Shi Huaiya's voice finally came through the phone.

"Esteemed Speaker, what should I do next?"

My Shi Huaiya family is in on this vote! The timid starve, the bold feast!

I, Shi Huaiya, would rather be a well-fed ghost than a starving one!

Perfect. I knew I wasn't wrong about you. Huang Cao was very satisfied.

"In six months, I will have a large shipment of soil sent to Victoria. You are responsible for leaking this news to Victoria's King Aslan during this period."

"At the same time, before this shipment of soil arrives in Victoria, I want you to spread a piece of news in my name: this soil will be provided free of charge to all members of the Lower House."

"Remember, the speed of this message's delivery must ensure that the old nobles find out before the new nobles."

"At that time, the Aslan nobles will absolutely not stand idly by and will definitely intercept this shipment of soil on the way."

Shi Huaiya asked with some confusion, "But isn't this soil very precious? To just give it away for free to the Aslan nobles?"

Huang Cao: "You can't catch a wolf without sacrificing your cub. Only by acting genuinely can you make these nobles believe. Don't worry, I will absolutely not let anyone gain a single cent of profit from this."

The fact that the soil is real is a good thing, after all, only tangible crop yields can make the new nobles even more envious of the old nobles.

Free means something that was originally mine is being snatched by you.

Taking someone's wealth is like killing their parents. How can the new nobles not hate them?

Moreover, this is a win-win deal that not only incites conflict between the new and old nobles but also allows his influence to continue to spread across Victoria's land.

Not everyone can guarantee rationality, especially when faced with benefits.

Thus, over the next six months, Victoria's stock market trading volume hit new highs every day.

Agriculture, in particular, saw unprecedented development, even attracting merchants from Yan Country.

However, these foreign merchants were unaware that Victoria was currently experiencing an unprecedented conflict.

Its chaos was comparable to future Siracusa, as nobles dressed in finery died on the bustling streets every day.

They were either hit by cars or stabbed to death on their way home at night, with as many as five or six dying in a single day.

The struggle was even more intense behind the scenes in Londinium, Victoria's capital.

Even the ordinary citizens there could sense that something big was about to happen in Londinium, and they didn't dare to go out at night.

The conflict between the two factions of nobles had, up to this point, only dared to be carried out in secret with veiled threats, without daring to bring it into the open before King Aslan.

No one could act recklessly under the eyes of the Son of Heaven; it was a matter of etiquette.

However, everyone had their limits. The private armies nurtured by the new nobles grew in number, and under the rallying cry of Huang Cao, their linchpin, they gradually began to unite.

After all, with a major backer providing the medicine to suppress Originium sickness, some Sorcerers had become so desperate that they began implanting Originium within their own bodies.

Seeing that the time was ripe, following the groundwork laid earlier.

The old nobles, having received advance notice, intercepted the soil that was about to be transported into Victoria without surprise.

When the news reached Londinium, the new nobles could no longer tolerate it. But then another letter arrived from The Speaker, and their anger began to build once more.

Huang Cao comforted them in the letter, saying: "Raise soldiers for a thousand days, use them for one. Today's humiliation is for a better revenge in the future."

"Defend your rights through procedural justice. Send all your grievances to King Aslan, and let the great King judge who is right and who is wrong."

This was another ruthless move!

In a sense, Victoria was a country that adhered to the law, and the law held authority in this nation.

In a sense, it was also a form of defense for the new nobles against the suppression by the old nobles.

Although the effect was minimal and rarely used, it was not entirely without purpose; at the very least, it symbolized King Aslan's authority.

Was it wrong for the old nobles to intercept the soil?

Of course, it was wrong. It couldn't even be called just. Victoria's laws fully embodied the rights of nobles, and both new and old nobles were subject to the same law.

At the very least, everyone enjoyed justice in the eyes of the public.

But in the face of justice, if King Aslan actively favored the old nobles, it would mean that the last shred of protection this country offered to the new nobles would vanish.

In his past life, the collapse of Emperor Zhou's authority began precisely with the destruction of the ceremonial system.

What Huang Cao was doing was nothing more than wanting the new nobles to become the representatives of justice.

After all, those who sought to remove corrupt officials always claimed to be on the side of justice. The importance of having a righteous cause was self-evident.

If someone were to observe Huang Cao's actions over the past six months from a bird's-eye view.

They would likely find that all the tactics he had employed against Victoria, apart from instigating conflict, were overt strategies. Victoria could only accept them, bewildered, without even realizing it had been outmaneuvered.

If it were a case of organized and premeditated instigation, Victoria's intelligence agencies would not be idle.

By focusing, they could always find a clue. But from beginning to end.

The mastermind behind all this chaos was only Huang Cao. In fact, everything he had done so far had only strengthened Victoria's national power.

Whether it was the establishment of the Lower House or the increase in the country's grain production, it undoubtedly strengthened its national power.

How could the intelligence agencies investigate?

They would probably be beaten up by both the new and old nobles while investigating, and wouldn't dare to say much more.

At the national level, there were too many smart people; playing schemes was easy to lose, but playing overt strategies was much simpler.

Although one might not win, the other party couldn't do anything about it either.

In the following period, the new nobles resorted to legal channels to try and resolve their disputes with the old nobles.

After all, they all lived in the same country, and there was no need to resort to armed conflict.

As long as you return what belongs to me, I can turn a blind eye.

But as Huang Cao had predicted with his overt strategy, the current King Aslan would naturally favor his own base.

"What's your background that you dare to dine at the same table as me?"

But he also knew that both the new and old nobles were fundamental to Victoria's strength, and neither could be offended.

So, he could only drag the matter out, but procrastination would ultimately not solve the problem.

69

Chapter 69: King Aslan: This is truly baffling.

And this delay lasted for a full six months.

King Aslan attempted to quell the anger of both sides through this method, wanting to show that he favored neither.

At the same time, he was subtly hinting to the old nobles not to escalate the matter, to just do it moderately.

But it was clear that, faced with such substantial benefits, the old nobles would not let go.

Thus, the lawsuits between the two sides continued for a full six months, and by the time of the recess, there had been no progress.

And in the end, both the new and old nobles unanimously agreed: King Aslan's inaction was the biggest problem.

This was the terrifying aspect of overt strategies.

Not taking sides with anyone meant offending both sides. As king, he couldn't be the one to lower his head and reveal his intentions first.

If he spoke his mind, it would imply the king wanted these two factions to reconcile. Then, how would the people assassinated before this be accounted for?

Therefore, if conflicts could be reconciled so easily, there wouldn't be so many unexpected events in the world.

The new nobles' thoughts at this moment were: If you don't uphold justice for me, then you're clearly biased towards the old nobles! Off to the guillotine with you!

The old nobles' thoughts at this moment were: If you don't execute all these troublemakers and are just stalling, are you planning to eliminate us? It seems you're headed for the guillotine!

King Aslan: Why is it always the guillotine? Speaking of which, isn't the guillotine a specialty from next door... Oh, it really is a Victorian specialty.

Actually, the first king in Western history to be guillotined was indeed from Victoria.

It's just that in my past life, people who made memes often used the King of Gaul as an example.

Huang Cao, the chaos-maker of Victoria, was practically dying of laughter at this.

As expected, King Aslan was indecisive. If he had just been a bit more decisive now, his plans would have been greatly hindered.

Verna's family was truly passing down traditions through generations.

However, now was not the right time to make a move. Both the new and old nobles were putting pressure on King Aslan. The current situation was like a pressure cooker.

During this time, Huang Cao could organize his troops.

After all, he couldn't rely solely on the new nobles to take the hits. If a fight truly broke out, these hot-headed cats might not be able to defeat the Steam Knights.

If these little kittens were smashed into a pulp by the Steam Knights, what would he use in the future?

It would be a shame for such good tools to die.

Huang Cao instantly transformed into the head of a cat-loving TV station. He couldn't let these new nobles all perish after acting on impulse.

Although, such a situation was unlikely to happen anyway.