CHAPTER 187: CHAPTER 187: FAST ACTIONS!

Alex picked up the wine jar and continued to pour more wine for Mr. Shah and himself.

From his point of view he could not help but feel odd that this Mr. Shah was extremely timid, yet he was still constantly asking him questions about the country and the Emperor which was in itself contradictory.

The man seemed nervous about everything except the very topics that should have made him most cautious.

Mr. Shah downed the wine Alex had poured in one desperate gulp.

He could not help but ask with some urgency that he failed to hide.

"Alex, is what you said true? Or is this merely your speculation and guessing? I need to understand the basis of your claims."

Alex took another sip of wine and said somewhat drunkenly "It is not exactly guessing. I observed many signs over these months that all point to the same conclusion.

Anyway let us not discuss the Emperor anymore. Let us continue drinking see this wine is quite delicious. Come on let us drink another cup."

County Magistrate Sai and Sheriff Bowen looked at each other with completely speechlessness about the situation unfolding before them.

It would be strange if this wine was not delicious after all.

This was wine reserved for the Emperor himself, brought out only on the most special occasions.

For this meal they had brought out the most precious and oldest wine in their personal collections, bottles that they had been saving for years.

They would never have been willing to serve it if His Majesty had not come to honor them with his presence himself.

But now this benefited Alex instead, who had no idea of the treasure he was casually consuming.

At this moment they looked worried and sighed constantly.

The wine was a minor matter in the grand scheme of things.

Discussing the Emperor and the imperial court so brazenly was the genuine problem that could cost them all their lives.

"We hope Your Majesty does not take offense," they prayed desperately in their hearts.

The Emperor nodded slowly as his heart filled with intense turmoil.

A storm was raging within his mind as he processed everything he had just heard.

If Alex was truly correct about this, what should be done about the entire military campaign?

The Northern Canal was a vitally important waterway for the empire that connected multiple provinces.

It served as a crucial logistics hub for fighting against foreign enemies and moving supplies to the border regions.

If the northern canal suffered from severe drought, the war with the barbarians would have to be postponed indefinitely.

The focus would need to shift to dealing with the drought conditions and preventing massive famine among his own people.

Thinking about these implications the Emperor lost his appetite entirely and stopped eating and drinking altogether.

"Alex, it was a genuine pleasure drinking with you today and hearing your fascinating insights."

"But I have urgent business matters to attend to right now that cannot wait any longer."

"I must take my leave before the evening grows any later."

"I will invite you to drink again next time when circumstances allow."

"Oh one more thing before I depart."

"I am giving you this jade pendant as a gift to remember our meeting."

The Emperor spoke his farewell with careful formality.

When leaving he removed the jade pendant from his waist where it had hung for years. He gave it to Alex with a meaningful gesture that the young man completely missed.

Then the Emperor stood up and turned around to depart. He took his entire entourage downstairs immediately without looking back.

"Young Master Alex, we must take our leave now as well," the magistrate and sheriff both bowed deeply. They hurriedly followed the Emperor as he departed, their robes fluttering behind them.

In the private room at the restaurant only Alex and Jacob remained amid the half-finished dishes.

"Mr. Shah left so quickly after all that interesting conversation. What a waste of this table of excellent food that we waited so long for."

"Come on Jacob. Let us finish this meal together since it would be a shame to let it go to waste."

Alex did not mind the sudden departure of them at all. He even invited Jacob to dine with him properly now that the formal atmosphere had relaxed.

"Mr. Shah was quite polite despite his nervous demeanor."

"He even gave me a gift before leaving, which was unexpected."

Alex picked up the jade pendant from the table where the Emperor had placed it.

The jade pendant was emerald green in color and felt warm and smooth like genuine jade when held. The surface featured carved dragons that were extraordinarily lifelike and seemed alive somehow. They appeared to be soaring and dancing within the jade pendant itself as if frozen in motion.

What Alex did not know was this simple fact.

This jade pendant belonged to the Emperor personally and had never been given to anyone before.

The raw material was top-grade jade which was extraordinarily hard to find anywhere in the world.

The craftsmanship was created by the finest artisans in the empire who had spent months perfecting every detail.

Halfway through his meal Jacob could not help but voice his earlier doubts that had been bothering him throughout the dinner.

"Boss, that man’s background seems quite extraordinary based on his bearing and manner. I noticed the servant standing beside him had a higher martial arts than me. Even if I went all out fighting I might not be able to defeat him in combat."

Alex did not take it seriously and said drunkenly.

"That is perfectly normal for someone of his status. He comes from the capital so naturally his guards would be skilled in martial arts to protect wealthy merchants. Come on let us drink more and enjoy this excellent wine."

County Magistrate’s Office

The Emperor left the restaurant as quickly as dignity would allow.

He changed out of his ordinary people’s clothing and back into garments befitting his station.

He was escorted back to the magistrate’s study by his disguised soldiers who had maintained their cover throughout the evening.

In the study the Emperor looked at the county magistrate with an intense gaze. He asked urgently.

"Tell me honestly without any embellishment. How much can I trust what that fellow Alex just said about the northern situation?"

Magistrate Sai gave a wry smile and chose his words carefully "Your Majesty, I truly knew nothing about these matters beforehand or I would have reported them immediately.

If it were not for Your Majesty’s presence here tonight, Alex would surely be guilty of discussing important court matters and criticizing Your Majesty directly, which normally carries severe punishment."

He was demonstrating his loyalty cleverly to protect himself from any suspicion.

He knew to show his allegiance to His Majesty immediately in such delicate circumstances.

The Emperor remained silent for a long moment.

He toyed with the ring on his finger as was his habit when thinking deeply.

After what seemed like an eternity of contemplation he frowned and looked at the magistrate. He spoke with absolute authority that left no room for discussion.

"Investigate! This matter absolutely must be investigated thoroughly and without delay! You will convey my imperial decree to all relevant officials! Investigate from the beacon towers to the postal stations along the Northern Canal route! Go and verify whether the Northern Canal near the barbarian border has truly dried up as Alex claimed!

Also dispatch scouts to the Lesser Khan’s territory with all possible speed! Investigate whether there is severe drought there affecting their livestock and people!

This must be completed within the next few days regardless of difficulty! Find out the truth for me! No matter how much manpower and resources it requires you must discover the facts!"

He desperately wanted to know the truth of the situation.

He needed to know whether Alex was correct or incorrect in his detailed analysis of the northern conditions.

It did not matter if Alex was wrong in the end.

It would merely waste some manpower and resources that could easily be spared.

However!

What if Alex was correct about everything he said?

Then the great battle would surely end in catastrophic defeat that would echo through history.

What did defeat in a major war signify for the empire?

The generals and soldiers would suffer heavy casualties that would devastate entire families!

This meant that the empire would suffer a major blow that could take generations to recover from!

This indicated that the Emperor’s decision-making was incompetent and he would be remembered as a fool!

The consequences were far too severe to contemplate without thorough investigation first.

The Emperor felt he had absolutely no choice but to conduct a thorough investigation immediately before any troops were committed!

"I obey the decree!" County Magistrate Sai looked respectful and bowed low.

In his heart however he felt intense pressure rising like a tide.

It seemed His Majesty valued this matter at the highest level of importance.

As soon as he received these orders he would thoroughly investigate the two things Alex mentioned without rest.

Certainly this situation had both advantages and disadvantages for someone in his position.

As a county magistrate he held high position in Ironhold and commanded respect.

But compared to the prime ministers and ministers of the imperial court he was merely an insignificant figure among thousands.

His Majesty’s visit to Ironhold gave him a rare opportunity to distinguish himself before the throne.

Sai understood this perfectly and meant to seize the moment.

His Majesty’s assigned investigation must be completed flawlessly and efficiently.

He was determined to accomplish it no matter what obstacles arose along the way.

If he performed well he might be able to earn a promotion to a bigger position in the capital itself.

But there were prerequisites for such advancement.

He must not mess things up or disappoint the Emperor in any way.

Without further thought Sai did not linger in the study.

After taking his formal leave he immediately ordered his men to prepare the fastest horses. He rushed off in great hurry to organize everything and dispatch riders in all directions.

In the study the Emperor sighed deeply as the weight of command settled on him.

"Matters of state and military importance cannot be compromised or taken lightly. It is better to be safe than sorry when so many lives hang in the balance. Since this Alex can solve the problem of bringing rain to Ironhold through his methods, then his words carry some credibility that cannot be dismissed."

Alex never expected this outcome from a simple dinner conversation.

These were merely his drunken observations and logical deductions shared over wine.

But it was like the butterfly effect spreading across the empire.

This caused a huge uproar throughout the entire bureaucracy and military command!

At this moment Alex was still at the Hartwell estate teaching Lucy about various matters and enjoying their time together, completely unaware of the storm he had unleashed.