Chapter 493: God's will
Those granted an audience with the imperial emperor in the second prince's study were all nobles the imperial family had deemed trustworthy.
Through intelligence networks that had infiltrated every region, the emperor had long since identified many powerful nobles dissatisfied with the Church. A substantial number of them also met the requirements of his plan.
But beyond that, the old man seated on the imperial throne still needed to verify certain small details himself.
Having ruled the Qinggelie Empire for decades, he understood all too well the madness religious faith could inspire.
Some nobles might resent the Church over conflicts of interest, but if they themselves were fanatics, they could never be trusted.
The emperor had sent letters to the great nobles asking them to send members of their younger generation to present tribute. Naturally, the reason he gave was not his true objective, but the selection of a husband for the empire's youngest princess.
He instructed the nobles not to reveal this to their descendants, as designated personnel in the capital would assess them in secret.
With such a pretext, it hardly mattered whether those nobles privately informed the younger generation.
Although the emperor knew the older nobles well enough, he had not met them personally in years. Those whom they acknowledged as outstanding descendants would naturally be family members who met their expectations in every respect.
The small reflected the greater whole. Understanding these young people was enough to infer the state of their noble families. Nor had the testing been limited to this ball; it had begun with subtle probes from the moment they entered the city.
The six young nobles represented the great noble families behind them, and considerable care had gone into their selection.
The emperor's familiarity with their families was