Chapter 788: Section 576: The Empire’s Upper Echelons’ Game
Yan Yi earnestly said, “I had hesitated at first.”
“But think about it, isn’t it thrilling and fulfilling to assume actual power as a Bronze Level?”
“Besides, I had given it thorough thought.”
Yan Yi gave his reasons, “Firstly, I am from the Multiple Eyed family. I naturally possess the legal right to inherit this place.”
“Secondly, I am the spy leader of this area, and I control many covert powers. The identity of a spy allows me to keep a mysterious profile, and rarely does an outsider learn of my true face and level.”
“Lastly, I have a solid background, I have a big backer! The Seventh Prince stands right behind me.”
“Shut up!” Tan Mo suddenly changed color and berated Yan Yi.
The mission involving the Seventh Prince was highly secretive. The Seventh Prince had strictly ordered the utmost confidentiality in the search for Purple Vine’s hidden treasures!
But now, Yan Yi had violated the confidentiality principles by revealing the Seventh Prince as the person backing him!
How dare he?!
“Your audacity is too great, you’re seeking death, you know?” Tan Mo narrowed his eyes, making no attempt to conceal his murderous intent.
The Bishop of Wealth smiled and soothed, “Lord Tan Mo, please don’t be overly nervous. We only know that the Seventh Prince is your highest leader, and nothing more.”
Yan Yi then said, “Lord Tan Mo, I have been a veteran spy and have been responsible for this region for many years. How could I possibly make such a low-level mistake?”
“I just played a bit on the edge.”
Tan Mo coldly laughed, stepping back, “You’re playing with fire, Yan Yi. Heh, do you believe that with just a simple word from me reported up, without exaggeration, just stating the facts, you’d be finished, completely finished!”
Yan Yi shrugged, “It doesn’t matter, I am merely a Bronze Level, insignificant.”
“To the likes of you who are at the Gold Level, I am as tiny as an ant.”
“In the eyes of a great man like the Seventh Prince, I am probably not even worth a speck of dust.”
“Thus, my death would be just that.”
“But as for you, Lord Tan Mo, you might likely be implicated this time, not only failing to gain any money but also never receiving an appointment from the Seventh Prince again, right?”
This threat from Yan Yi made Tan Mo’s complexion drastically change.
Indeed, Yan Yi was not wrong!
To the Seventh Prince, he had plenty of Gold Level individuals willingly attached to him.
Being the core strength amongst the Transcendents, such personnel were not lacking under the Seventh Prince’s command.
In fact, Tan Mo had also bribed an upper layer to secure this task, just to serve the Seventh Prince and gain exposure.
If this task were mishandled and complications arose, one could imagine his standing in the Seventh Prince’s mind!
“This guy, Yan Yi, must have investigated a lot of information about me.”
“I’ve been played by him!”
“I can’t believe I’m being threatened by a mere Bronze Level…”
Tan Mo found it unbelievable, and yet he was indeed being threatened!
Yan Yi then handed a letter to Tan Mo, “I belong to the Multiple Eyed family and am eligible to inherit this place.”
“I have gained the recognition and support of the Bishop of Wealth.”
“Not only that, but here are also joint letters from several major guilds. You may check them, sir.”
Tan Mo unfolded the letter and quickly skimmed through the contents, his eyes growing darker.
On Twin Eyes Island, there were numerous small to large guilds, with the main ones being Clam Cloth, Firestone, and three others.
The joint letter was signed by many, with the main five guilds listed first, followed by a series of other smaller guilds.
It was not surprising that Yan Yi had garnered the support of these guilds.
After the battle against the Fishmen, Hun Tong had almost turned against these guilds. He had killed many merchants for the Devil’s Gold Coins and, after the war, offered no compensation. He even attempted to alter many major contracts previously signed with the guilds, which severely violated business ethics, favoring only his own interests.
This approach provoked strong dissatisfaction among the merchants.
“But how could these shrewd and cunning merchants dare to sign jointly, leaving such evident proof?” Tan Mo was not doubting the authenticity of the joint letter.
After all, it was easily verifiable.
He was merely curious, “Shadow, how did you persuade these merchants to sign and create this joint letter?”
Yan Yi responded, “Lord Tan Mo, you overestimate me.”
“How could I possibly convince these people to put their names on it?”
“They signed it voluntarily, or more precisely, they were instructed by their higher-ups.”
Seeing that Tan Mo still looked doubtful, Yan Yi continued to explain, “I believe, Lord Tan Mo, you also know that Twin Eyes Island has been chosen by the Empire to be developed into a pivotal seaport in the future, right?”
Tan Mo nodded, “That’s correct.”
Yan Yi said, “According to the Great Emperor’s orders, in the future, Twin Eyes Island will become a military-controlled area, and all guilds will be expelled and cannot remain.”
“But the five major guilds wish to continue staying here.”
A glint flashed in Tan Mo’s eyes as he suddenly understood, “So that’s how it is!”
In the Main Plane, the Holy Bright Empire is the strongest force. And within the Empire, the Great Emperor holds the ultimate authority.
However, the Empire’s system was a feudal one; aside from the Great Emperor and the Royal Family, there were also other living gods and major Nobles entrenched in power.
A vassal’s vassal is not my vassal.
Every major Noble’s territory was like an independent and autonomous small Kingdom.
Furthermore, with the districts of the living gods, power was decentralized, intricately intertwined, and mutually checked, preventing true unification.
In the Great Emperor’s plan, Twin Eyes Island was to become a military-controlled zone, a transportation hub, bearing the weight of an important maritime supply route for the Empire.
This was the plan of the Great Emperor.
However, behind the five great Guilds, the high-ranking Empire officials, the Clan Leaders of those great Nobles, and those living gods had their own ideas.
They also wanted to set up transportation nodes at sea, using these nodes to continuously transport materials and garner greater war dividends.
Transportation was a highly important matter.
On one hand, by dispatching military forces from the core, one could maximize war gains. On the other hand, by transporting spoils back, they could be more efficiently processed, exchanged for greater strength growth, and further boost frontline forces, thereby creating a virtuous cycle.
However, the cost of spatial transportation was quite high, and alchemy techniques had not yet developed to the point of transporting large-scale troops and materials.
The Ice Sculpture Kingdom’s alchemy techniques were absolutely world-class. On their territory, the Teleportation Array was never the first choice for large-scale transportation. Their primary mode of transportation was still the traditional caravan.
The Great Emperor’s plan for Twin Eyes Island was based on the interests of the Empire and the Royal Family. And the powerful entities behind the five great Guilds had their own interests. There was a subtle distinction between them.
The high-level strategies eventually led to the political struggle at Twin Eyes Island.
As Yan Yi had said, he had never pressured or persuaded the Guilds to sign the joint letter; it was an initiative taken by the five great guilds themselves.
Tan Mo, having realized the truth, acknowledged, “Once the struggle succeeds, if Hun Tong is taken down, they could indeed retain the fruits of their victory!”
Because this was within the scope of noble political conscience struggles.
If the five great Guilds won and supported Yan Yi ascending to power, it would be entirely consistent with the rules of the game.
Even the Great Emperor couldn’t forcefully intervene.
This was the matter of the Multi-Eye family. The best way for the Great Emperor to intervene was to do something similar, supporting a member of the Multi-Eye family as a proxy, to pursue and struggle for internal power within the Multi-Eye family.
Of course, the Great Emperor’s strength and prestige could also allow him to forcefully intervene.
Once he did that, the five great Guilds and the gods behind them would recognize their defeat and voluntarily step back.
But Tan Mo firmly believed that the Great Emperor would not do so.
Because as the supreme leader of the Empire, he was surely inclined to uphold the Empire’s order, not to violate it.
Because, to the Great Emperor, all the interests of Twin Eyes Island were trivial; if he forcefully intervened, it would be like picking up a sesame seed and losing a watermelon, no, more accurately, picking up a pebble and losing a castle.
Eventually, the Great Emperor would implicitly acknowledge the victory of the five great Guilds and the Wealth Sect.
Having figured out the situation, Tan Mo was utterly stunned!
In his heart, he lamented, “Oh, Heaven have mercy, I just wanted to embezzle and take bribes, to make a little money.”
“I had never thought of getting involved in such political struggles.”
“Especially since I wanted to align myself with the Seventh Prince, to show my face under his watch.”
The Seventh Prince was a member of the Empire’s Royal Family, the son of the Holy Emperor, and Tan Mo wanted to align with the royal faction.
If he accepted the invitation from the Bishop of Wealth and the five great Guilds, what would he count for? What would the Seventh Prince think of him?
Yan Yi was observing his reactions carefully.
When he saw Tan Mo’s changing expressions, he could not help but smile, “Lord Tan Mo, you might be overthinking this.”
“Actually… You don’t need to carry such a psychological burden.”
“Because even if you get involved in this, to the Seventh Prince, it really doesn’t count for anything.”
“What does Twin Eyes Island amount to in his eyes?”
Tan Mo was momentarily stunned, his awakening directly prompted by Yan Yi’s words.
Indeed, in the Seventh Prince’s heart, what mattered most was the Purple Vine Secret Treasure, never something like Twin Eyes Island.
Based on the current plan, he could also pretend to have been “used as a pawn.”
After all, Tan Mo’s reputation for greed was well-known.
Fifty thousand Gold Coins.
That was fifty thousand Gold Coins!
Thinking of this, Tan Mo’s expression gradually settled down.
He looked at Yan Yi, “If you’re not afraid of being roasted over the fire, I’m always willing to help.”
“I’m not like you, I’m scared. Being drawn into such a vortex terrifies me.”
“I’ll need more money!”
“Fifty thousand Gold… not enough.”
Tan Mo shook his head, his tone firm, his eyes gleaming with greed.
Yan Yi and the Bishop of Wealth exchanged glances, both breaking into laughter.
The most difficult first step of the negotiation was already accomplished.
What followed was merely a matter of haggling over the price.