CHAPTER 592: SECRET PLOT

TL: Rui88

A simply decorated carriage slowly drove through the city gates of the Gabella Imperial Capital and spent another half hour continuing on to the Scholars’ Tower.

A cloaked figure was standing at the entrance, looking around. Seeing the carriage arrive, he immediately went forward to greet it.

“Ambolov, why are you here today?” a gentle female voice came from within the carriage.

The cloaked man opened the carriage door, bowed, and made a gesture of invitation, saying, “Honorable Lady Mariana, I am not on duty at the palace today.”

A tall woman stepped out of the carriage and said, “I need to see Master Aldridge and Master Arvis immediately.”

Ambolov looked left and right and said in a low voice, “The two masters are waiting for you. Also, Marshal MacDonald has also come secretly.”

Mariana’s expression became stern. “In that case, has His Highness also come?”

Ambolov shook his head. “No, His Highness was held up by some matters in the palace and cannot come today.”

Mariana bit her lip. “Alright, take me in quickly.”

A dozen minutes later, in the same pavilion where Aldridge and Arvis had spoken with MacDonald last time, Mariana met the two old scholars and the marshal of the empire.

She was already well acquainted with Aldridge and Arvis, but she did not know MacDonald very well. “It is an honor to meet you, Marshal MacDonald, the pillar of Gabella.”

MacDonald did not respond immediately but stared at the lady before him. Since becoming a follower of Prince Antonio, he had gradually come into contact with the core circle surrounding the prince, which included the high-ranking members of the Arcane Society. He was familiar with most of the Arcane Society’s governing body…the Council of Ten…except for two members. One was currently missing, with even the other members of the Council of Ten not knowing their whereabouts. The other was the Lady Mariana before him. When MacDonald became a follower of Antonio, this lady was on a secret mission in Horn Bay.

Of course, MacDonald had long heard from others that there was a lady in the Council of Ten, but he was still inevitably surprised when he first saw Mariana. One reason was her beauty, and the other was her youth (relative to the old men of the Council of Ten). He had heard that she had a son who was almost an adult, which was truly incredible. However, MacDonald also knew that one could not judge a witch’s age by her appearance alone.

“It is quite impolite to stare at a lady like that, Lord MacDonald.”

Mariana reminded him with a smile.

“My apologies, my apologies! It was my impoliteness. It is an honor to meet you, Lady Mariana.” MacDonald laughed heartily.

With the pleasantries over, the five people, including Ambolov, quickly got down to business.

“We have asked you to return this time because the situation has indeed reached a very critical point. We may need to use your power then.”

Aldridge said with a frown.

Mariana nodded, indicating that she understood. She had already learned about the recent events in Gabella from the Council of Ten.

More than two months ago, shocking news came from the north. The orcs on the Great Plains had suddenly launched a massive southward invasion, conquering several states to the north of Gabella. These countries were all vassal states subordinate to Gabella and under its protection. The orcs’ actions were clearly a serious provocation against Gabella, which was absolutely intolerable for a country founded on military might. His Majesty the Emperor was furious and swore to teach the furry barbarians of the plains a lesson.

The emperor hastily convened a court meeting and ordered the courtiers to immediately come up with a counter-attack plan. Duke Dias, the Prime Minister, proposed that MacDonald be appointed commander-in-chief, with Siegfried as his deputy, to lead the imperial army north to teach the orcs a lesson. Not only were they to retake the vassal states occupied by the orcs, but they were also to penetrate deep into the plains and completely wipe out several tribes, hitting the orcs so hard that they would not dare to think of moving south for more than a decade.

The enraged Emperor Bartley Griffin immediately approved the Prime Minister’s plan, ordering MacDonald and Siegfried to begin preparations on the same day. They had to set out on the expedition within two months, and he would find ways to supply them with enough soldiers and provisions.

But for Antonio, Aldridge, and the others, a problem arose. The two men recommended by Duke Dias happened to be Antonio’s right and left hands in the army. To be sent to the distant north like this, and to have to go deep into the Great Plains, who knew how many years it would take for them to return? Wasn’t this cutting off the Second Prince’s two arms?

This situation was extremely dangerous. The First Prince and Duke Dias also had their supporters in the army. The departure of MacDonald and Siegfried would instantly create an imbalance of power between the two sides in the military.

“This is the conspiracy of that old fox, Dias!” Aldridge said with a dark face. “We must take action before the army sets out on the expedition.”

Mariana looked at Ambolov. “What are His Highness’s thoughts?”

Ambolov, the captain of the palace guard, frowned and said, “His Highness is still hesitant about taking the final step.”

Arvis shook his head and said, “There is no more room for hesitation. The Dias family’s blade is already at our necks. What do you think, old marshal?”

MacDonald nodded. “I also agree to take action, but not immediately.”

Aldridge asked in surprise, “Why?”

MacDonald said, “As long as Siegfried, our army, and I are in the imperial capital, the First Prince and the Dias family will be on high alert. If we act now, they may be prepared, and we may be the ones to fail.”

Ambolov asked very anxiously, “Then when should we act? If you and Siegfried leave, it will be too late for everything.”

Just as MacDonald was about to speak, he saw a smile appear on Lady Mariana’s lips and asked, “My lady, what are your thoughts?”

Mariana said with a smile, “Does the old marshal mean to pretend to leave the imperial capital first, but not go far, and then strike the snake after luring it out of its hole?”

MacDonald also laughed, stroking his beard and saying, “Something similar, but not exactly.”

Everyone looked at him, hoping for an explanation.

The old marshal then explained to everyone, “If we have to wait for Dias to make the first move and we make the second, the initiative will not be in our hands. If we don’t handle it well, it will be too dangerous. My meaning is that we still have to make the first move. There is a saying from a foreign country called ‘striking first to gain the upper hand.’ The one who strikes first will definitely gain some advantages. But the timing of the strike should be when the First Prince and Dias are at their most relaxed, which is after Siegfried and I have left the imperial capital. If they don’t make a move at that time, then we will seize this opportunity and take the initiative to attack. Of course, Siegfried and I will also return to the imperial capital immediately.”