A Bold Idea

In the town hall.

Duncan Thorngate hurriedly entered to report to Magnus Valorion.

"My lord, we've captured Thomas Blackwood and Henry Vander's servants. How should we handle them?"

"What? You say Thomas Blackwood died from severe injuries sustained while protecting the mayor, Henry Vander, and his servants also sacrificed their lives?" Magnus Valorion said mockingly while cracking sunflower seeds.

"Uh... yes, my lord. I was just about to report this to you."

In a few words, Magnus Valorion and Duncan Thorngate sentenced Henry Vander's men to death.

...

Royal Overseer Edmund Hale was recently troubled.

Since witnessing the autopsy performed on Lucius Blackthorn and others, Edmund Hale was so nauseated by what he saw that he couldn't eat.

He always thought that the descriptions of gut-wrenching poison in novels were exaggerated.

But when the forensic expert opened the bodies of Lucius Blackthorn and the others, Edmund Hale realized those descriptions were indeed realistic.

Even though the forensic expert brought from the capital had extensive experience and a deep understanding of various poisons, he still couldn't identify which poison killed Lucius Blackthorn and the others.

Just as one wave settled, another arose. While the Lucius Blackthorn poisoning case had no leads, a bandit killing case emerged in Green River Town.

Originally, Edmund Hale wasn't supposed to investigate cases in Green River Town; he only needed to handle the Lucius Blackthorn case.

But the new governor of Fierce Lion Province and a group of officials argued that since Edmund Hale held the royal investigation decree, he was the highest authority in the province. Therefore, such a major case of bandits killing officials should be handled by him.

Left with no choice, Edmund Hale took his men to Green River Town to investigate.

As Edmund Hale approached the town and saw the towering walls, he was slightly taken aback.

"Wasn't Green River Town attacked by barbarians over a year ago, with its walls breached? How can there be such high walls now?"

None of the officials from Fierce Lion Province accompanying him could explain.

Edmund Hale could only secretly mock these people for their incompetence and greed for power.

At this moment, a familiar voice came from the right front of Edmund Hale's carriage.

"Magnus Valorion, the town clerk of Green River Town, along with the town constables, welcomes the esteemed Royal Overseer!"

Edmund Hale hurriedly got out of the carriage and saw a tall man with a noble appearance bowing to welcome him.

Edmund Hale quickly stepped forward, helping the man up, and said excitedly, "You must be Magnus Valorion!"

Magnus Valorion was slightly surprised, "Oh? I never expected the esteemed Royal Overseer to know me. It's an honor!"

"When you served in the army, capturing the enemy barbarian leader alone at midnight, you left a significant impression on the central officials."

"What's even more commendable is..." Royal Overseer Edmund Hale glanced around and didn't continue, fearing there might be spies among them.

Magnus Valorion naturally understood why Edmund Hale didn't continue, so he said, "A hero shouldn't dwell on past glories!"

"Royal Overseer, you've traveled long from Lionheart City. Our Green River Town is poor and has nothing to offer, but our well water is sweet. Please have a drink to refresh yourself."

Edmund Hale did not refuse. After drinking a cup of sweet water, he felt revitalized.

After drinking, Edmund Hale chose to walk with Magnus Valorion into Green River Town instead of continuing in the carriage.

Edmund Hale wanted to see what this town, breached by the Altai Tribe over a year ago, looked like now.

As Edmund Hale walked through the town, he saw new buildings being constructed everywhere. Although the townsfolk wore ragged clothes, their eyes shone with a different light—a light of hope for the future.

"Magnus Valorion, wasn't Green River Town breached a year ago? How did such high walls suddenly appear?"

Magnus Valorion began to weave a story, "Half a year ago, when I came to Green River Town, it was just as you described. The town was in ruins, with half the walls collapsed."

"But later, I attracted a wealthy businessman named Galen Veritas to invest here. Galen Veritas is a wealthy business genius. With his help, Green River Town underwent this transformation."

Green River Town wasn't large. A short walk from the gate brought them to the town hall.

As soon as Edmund Hale arrived at the town hall entrance, the actors arranged by Magnus Valorion took the stage.

An elderly man in tattered clothes, carrying half a sack, stumbled toward the town hall.

Seeing Magnus Valorion, the old man said, "Are you the clerk here? I'm here to pay my taxes."

Edmund Hale was stunned!

"Taxes? What taxes? Isn't there a decree stating that all twenty-one towns under Fierce Lion Province are tax-exempt for a year!" Magnus Valorion pretended not to know.

"Yes, the decree is clear—tax-exempt for a year!" Edmund Hale pointed to the notice at the town hall entrance.

The old man placed the half sack of wheat before Edmund Hale, crying, "What tax exemption? Mayor Henry Vander said the Emperor's decree demands we pay an additional 30% tax!"

"This little bit of grain was all I could gather after selling my last cow!"

The old man pointed to the words "tax-exempt for a year" on the notice, insisting it meant "30% extra tax."

Edmund Hale was deeply moved. He hadn't expected that the seemingly prosperous Green River Town was struggling so much.

Enraged, Edmund Hale pointed at Magnus Valorion, "Magnus Valorion, the Emperor personally awarded you a medal for your bravery, and yet you let that despicable Henry Vander exploit the people. Are you colluding with him to extort the people?"

At this moment, more actors arrived.

Duncan Thorngate, Ethan Thompson, and William Brown all rushed in, kneeling before Edmund Hale, lamenting, "Royal Overseer, please see the truth!"

"Magnus Valorion loves the people like his children. The day the decree arrived, he was out with our town soldiers fighting bandits nearby!"

"The 30% extra tax was entirely Henry Vander's idea!"

Hearing this, Edmund Hale was furious, "That damned Henry Vander dared to alter the Emperor's decree. He deserves to die."

"What merits does Henry Vander have? Was he appointed mayor based on merit or recommendation?"

"If he dares act so recklessly, I will report his crimes to the Emperor and make them public!"

At this point, an official from Fierce Lion Province who accompanied Edmund Hale to Green River Town saw an opportunity to report about Lucius Blackthorn's hardened body and quickly said:

"Royal Overseer, Henry Vander has no merits and wasn't recommended for his talent. He is merely a businessman."

"He became the mayor of Green River Town by bribing Lucius Blackthorn with 100,000 taels of silver."

Edmund Hale, being a man of integrity, was shocked to hear that Henry Vander had to bribe Lucius Blackthorn with 100,000 taels of silver to become mayor of a remote town. Suddenly, a bold idea formed in his mind.

"Henry Vander spent 100,000 taels of silver to become mayor of Green River Town. Could he be harboring resentment, leading to the poisoning...?"