213: Growing discontent

As soon as the words fell, the guards burst into an uproar.

"Oh my god, only 1 Luo coin!"

"Really, Captain? You're not lying to us, are you?"

"Yeah, Captain. We heard a single lamp here costs 150 Luo coins. How can there be such a huge difference?"

"If I secretly brought lamps from the Tianlong Republic, wouldn't I get rich?"

"Captain Hall, did anyone in your family bring lamps from over there?"

"Could it be that the cheap lamps from the Tianlong Republic aren't sold to us?"

"Is that true, Captain Hall?"

The guards were all a bit bewildered by the massive price difference.

At this point, the guards all questioned Hall, and their questions could be summarized in four words—why is that?

In fact, there were some things they didn't dare to ask.

Why were they born in the Luo Lan Empire and not the Tianlong Republic?

Why weren't they nobles?

What was the actual difference between them and the nobles?

Could they become nobles?

...They didn't dare to voice these thoughts, after all, if someone exposed them, they might even lose their families' lives.

Actually, they didn't just start having these thoughts; it was just that the more they interacted with nobles, the more these thoughts accumulated.

When they were still commoners, they rarely saw nobles and only knew that nobles lived very well. In their imagination, nobles merely had enough to eat and wear warm clothes every day. People cannot imagine things outside their cognition.

However, now they sometimes guarded nobles and saw their lives with their own eyes, only then realizing how vast the difference in living standards between people could be.

In fact, they had many questions about this kind of life, but they didn't dare to ask, fearing that even if they did, no one would answer them.

(Why do those nobles prefer to throw away food rather than give it to them? Why do they prefer to send people to kill sick individuals rather than treat them? Why, with so much water available, do they prefer to let it evaporate freely rather than let thirsty people drink? ...)

The guards looked at Hall with eager, questioning eyes.

Hall felt even more pleased. He only thought his subordinates were shocked by the price of the lamps and was unaware of their other thoughts.

"I'm not particularly clear on the exact reasons, after all, I'm just a small squad leader.

But I've heard it's a decision from above. When my relative came back from there, his belongings were all inspected, and many were confiscated. The country didn't allow him to bring them over."

As Hall spoke, a surge of anger welled up in his heart, for if they hadn't been confiscated, he might have even gotten an electric lamp cards.

At the same time, he also heard that those cardss were divided among other nobles, and he didn't receive any money. Alas, there was still a big difference between nobles.

The soldiers also voiced their dissatisfaction, seemingly sharing Hall's enmity.

However, they added another mark against the nobles in their hearts.

This was just the tip of the iceberg of the Luo Lan Empire. Who knew how many people in the Luo Lan Empire were dissatisfied, and when would this dissatisfaction be completely ignited by some event... As this squad of guards chatted among themselves, a nearby shadow slowly moved, getting further and further away from them.

In fact, this shadow's heart was also very restless upon hearing their conversation.

His impression of his parents wasn't particularly deep, but he still remembered his mother's smile as she sent him away.

His parents didn't not love him; they loved him too much, which was why they sent him away, so he didn't hate his parents at all.

How should he put it? It was all caused by poverty.

Although he also wanted to do something for the common people, when he thought of the weapons possessed by the nobles, he was still too weak in comparison.

Never mind, no more thinking. He should continue searching for things.

This was the task his master had given him, and he had to complete it, otherwise, he wouldn't have a good outcome later.

Suddenly, he touched something. After pulling it out, he looked at it under the faint moonlight, confirmed it was indeed what he was looking for, then tucked it into his pocket and slowly retreated.

All of this happened unnoticed, without anyone discovering it... In the early hours of the morning.

The night was still deep, but First Prince Julian was not asleep; he had been waiting for news.

"Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock."

A sound came from outside the window. Julian held his breath and listened intently. Hearing the agreed-upon signal, he walked over and opened the door.

The person outside the door, seeing the First Prince, quickly knelt and greeted him.

"Good evening, Your Royal Highness First Prince. May the glory of the Empire shine upon you."

"Good evening. Did you find what you were looking for?"

"I found it."

The arriving guard replied while holding the item above his head.

Julian took it and returned to his room, and the guard outside the door turned and withdrew.

Inside the room, only First Prince Julian was present. He nervously paced around twice.

He knew the item inside was very important, but he was also a bit worried about whether it would be useful. If it wasn't, he would only have one last resort.

Julian closed his sapphire-blue eyes, raised the item in his hand, and reverently placed it on his forehead, praying.

May the glory of the Empire shine upon me.

After a period of prayer, he finally relaxed and slowly opened the item in his hand.

Seeing what was inside, he opened his eyes wide in shock.

So this was the leverage his mother held. This leverage was indeed fatal to Second Prince Theodore.

Since the other party was unjust, he shouldn't be blamed for being disloyal.

Mother, you will be free soon. Perhaps you don't care about Father's fate anymore, and I will respect your wishes.

Julian's thoughts began to drift.

When did the relationship between Father and Mother become distant? It seemed to be when Father became king.

After becoming king, Father would consider more things, and at the same time, his power was the greatest, no one could stop him, and his desires gradually grew, didn't they?

He didn't know if he would become a king like his father in the future, and he also didn't know if his mother would be disappointed in him in the future.

He could only say that he would try his best, try his best not to disappoint her.

At this point, he also had the mental energy to think about his other brothers. A lot had truly happened since the King fell ill.

The Third Prince died in childhood. The Fourth Prince and Second Prince shared the same mother and were currently alive, but he heard that the Fourth Prince had drunk the Mental Corrosion Potion and didn't have many years left.

The Fifth Prince was publicly declared to have died in an accident, but his investigation revealed that he seemed to have escaped. He didn't know if he would return later. And the Sixth Prince was also publicly declared to have died in an accident, but he had secretly hidden him away.

Royal family members dying one after another—this must have already become a joke among the nobles.