I was a prince in the Middle East

Chapter 24 The Showdown! My House is Full of Rebels!
Sunlight streamed through the towering stained-glass windows of Prince Khalid's Palace, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow on the gold-leaf-inlaid marble floor.

Yesterday's dramatic turnaround not only saved Prince Faisal's life but also salvaged the fragile balance within the Sudri faction, carrying political weight far exceeding that of a mere victory.

Thus, on Walid's birthday, this weight was transformed into a truly astonishing "respect".

The representatives sent by the various families were not merely symbolic young princes, but rather their powerful and influential chief stewards who were in charge of both internal and external affairs. They personally visited the families.

This level of recognition and importance represents the highest level of acclaim within the strictly hierarchical Saudi royal family.

Sending a prince to offer birthday greetings is a much more respectful and substantial gesture than sending a prince to congratulate someone on their birthday.

The Salman family's envoy arrived first, carrying a ebony box inlaid with ancient runes in both hands.

Upon opening the wooden box, a simple, understated desert scimitar lay quietly on a deep red velvet lining.

The scabbard and hilt are intricately inlaid with diamonds, like stars in the desert, which gleam with a cold and noble luster in the morning light.

"Your Highness,"

The Salman family's head butler bowed, his voice as steady as a rock.
"This is the 'Alliance of the Sands,' symbolizing the unbreakable friendship and alliance between the Salman family and the Talal faction."

May it protect Your Highness as the desert protects an oasis.

Walid took the scimitar; it felt slightly heavy in his hand, and a sense of historical vicissitude and the sharpness of metal striking stone seemed to emanate from his fingertips.

He nodded in acknowledgment: "Please convey my gratitude to His Highness the Crown Prince for his kindness. This gift is of immense weight."

The "gift" brought by the head butler of the Sultan family, who followed closely behind, made everyone present jump.

He presented a beautifully crafted yacht model and title documents.

"Your Highness, Prince Sultan has ordered me to deliver the yacht 'Salama,' which is already anchored in Jeddah port. Please be sure to accept it."

Even though Walid was mentally prepared, his eyelids still twitched almost imperceptibly when he heard that the "Salama" was valued at $2.5 million.

The surrounding servants and core family members were filled with shock.

The Salama, measuring 139.3 meters in length, ranks 6th among the world's top ten superyachts.

This was no birthday gift; it was the Sultan family's way of thanking Walid for saving Prince Faisal's life.

Otherwise, Prince Ahmed, having lost his beloved grandson, would have declared war on the Sultan family.

Walid also preserved the unity of the Sudri faction.

Gifts from other princes of the Sudri line also arrived in droves.

It could be a priceless antique, a promising oil field stock, or a rare work of art whose value is hard to estimate.

When the final gift list was presented, the eunuch beside Princess Mona quickly and quietly estimated the amount before whispering an astronomical figure into her ear.

The total value has exceeded one billion US dollars.

Princess Mona stood beside her son, looking at the magnificent scene before her and listening to the blessings that represented the respect of the top noble families, and couldn't help but smile.

Her beautiful eyes, visible through the veil, narrowed into slits with overwhelming joy.

It's not because of how much money they have, but because of how successful their son is now.

Walid maintained just the right amount of humility throughout, engaging in friendly conversations and expressing his gratitude to each of the head butlers.

His demeanor already subtly revealed a maturity beyond his years.

There's nothing we can do; everyone's here to give us money, so we should at least give them a smile.

Anyway, bowing down to say thank you won't make you too tired.

However, in the eyes of these chief stewards, Al-Walid's kindness was quite unusual among the pampered new generation of the Saudi royal family.

The boisterous gift-giving ceremony came to an end, and the midday sun blazed brightly across the courtyard.

Prince Khalid had already ordered that all visits and celebrations by non-core members be declined.

Deep within the palace, a private family banquet was quietly taking place.

The air was filled with the aroma of premium saffron-braised lamb and freshly baked naan, but even more intense was the warmth of blood ties and the whispers of the core of power.

Around the long dining table inlaid with emeralds and sapphires are the towering jade pillars of the Talalar family:

Prince Talal, who had not been seen in public for a long time, was once a "free prince" who was effectively confined to his home by the Sudri faction. At this moment, he was in good spirits, and his eyes held the weight of decades of history.

The father, Prince Khalid, a tycoon in the arms trade, looked at his son with undisguised love and pride.

My second uncle, Prince Alwaleed, the world-renowned "Middle Eastern Buffett," wore a shrewd smile.
Princess Lamia, the younger sister-in-law, is the head of the Alwaleed Foundation and a low-profile yet influential royal reformist woman.
Princess Mona, the ultimate elite mother, was all smiles at this moment, her eyes and brows radiating pride and satisfaction for her son.

There was also Luna, a twelve-year-old elfin-like younger sister, who curiously observed the adults;
And, of course, the birthday celebrant who shone brightly yesterday and is now the absolute focus of attention – Walid himself.

Those who can sit here are all his blood relatives, his closest kin with whom he shares joys and sorrows.

There were no elaborate court etiquettes; the table was filled with exquisite traditional Saudi cuisine and dishes that blended international flavors.

Princess Mona served food to her son while chatting and laughing quietly with Princess Lamia. Prince Khalid and Prince Alwaleed discussed the latest international financial developments, while Prince Talal listened quietly, occasionally interjecting with a few words that were concise yet always to the point.

Luna chattered on about funny things that happened at school, making everyone smile.

Walid felt this rare and pure atmosphere of family affection, as if the thrilling moments of yesterday's match and the unpredictable events of receiving gifts this morning were temporarily left behind.

He knew that this warmth was just the calm before the storm, and the real "test" was yet to come.

Yes, an exam.

He needs to give his family an explanation for his actions yesterday.

As the last dessert was removed, the servants quietly withdrew, the heavy, carved wooden door slowly closed, and the air seemed to settle instantly.

Prince Talal picked up the crystal glass filled with freshly squeezed date juice, his kind gaze falling on his grandson.

“My dear grandson, I am able to step out of that door today, have this meal with the whole family, and breathe this free air, all thanks to you.”

This seemingly ordinary, everyday remark struck the ears of everyone present like a thunderclap.

In return, the Salman family lifted Prince Talal's long-standing "de facto house arrest," a birthday gift far more significant than the diamond dagger and the billion-dollar present!

This represents a loosening of political shackles and a crucial step for the Talal faction to regain political space.

However, the restaurant fell silent instantly. Even Luna sensed the change in atmosphere and stopped using her small silver spoon.

All eyes were on Walid, filled with complex and indescribable emotions.

There was a sense of relief, excitement, and curiosity within it, and deeper still, there seemed to be something indescribable hidden...

Pain?

Walid felt a chill run down his spine. He knew that the unavoidable question had finally been brought up by his grandfather in the gentlest way.

He took a deep breath, put down his cutlery, and straightened his back.

What's meant to happen will happen eventually. The explanation isn't meant to shirk responsibility, but to mend the rift hidden deep within the family bloodline.

"Grandpa, you flatter me. I was just about to explain to you, my father, my mother, my uncles and aunts why I chose to take action yesterday."

“I know you may have questions in your hearts, or even... sadness.”

Why did I choose to act yesterday to help Muhammad and Sudri?
after all……"

He paused, his tone becoming heavy, "My two elder brothers, and my second uncle's only son, my cousin, according to Turki, all died at the hands of the Sudri faction."

Although it is difficult to determine exactly who was responsible, the top five of the seven leaders of Sudari at the time were highly suspected.

From this perspective, there is a blood feud between our Talal faction and the Sudri faction.

Yesterday's actions, while earning my family a great deal of political capital, also objectively consolidated the position of the Sudri faction.

It might even have unintentionally helped some people whose hands are stained with the blood of our family members.

Therefore, I must explain my thoughts clearly.

It's not to prove I've forgotten the hatred, but to make you understand the logic behind my choice, and to prevent you from secretly grieving because of my decision.

When he mentioned his deceased elder brother and cousin, he clearly saw his father, Prince Khalid, clench his fists under the table, and his knuckles turned white.
Princess Mona's eyes quickly welled up with tears, but she managed to hold them back.

The usual businessman's smile disappeared from Prince Alwaleed's face, and his eyes became deep and sharp.
Even the usually composed Princess Lamia lowered her eyes slightly;
Grandfather Prince Talal remained calm, but his sharp gaze seemed even more profound.

Walid understood that the scar had never truly healed; it had simply been buried by time.

Therefore, he must give an explanation to his closest relatives for this act of "aiding the enemy".

After a few seconds of silence, Walid met the complex gazes of his elders and continued,

"First, it is an inevitable trend that cannot be reversed."

The Sudri faction is now very powerful, controlling more than half of the voting rights in the Allegiance Committee.

This means that the change of royal power is unlikely to leave the Sudri line in the foreseeable future.

This is the cold reality.

Of the seven Sudri chiefs of that time, Prince Salman and Prince Ahmed... had neither the ability nor the need to intervene.

He glanced at the crowd and said, “I believe this judgment is in line with the objective situation at the time.”

After a moment of silence, Prince Khalid and Prince Alwaleed exchanged an ambiguous glance.

Princess Lamia nodded slightly: "Valid, please continue."

Secondly,

Walid took a deep breath and spoke slowly.
"Regarding the cause of death of my elder brother and cousin, I am more inclined to suspect that the United States was behind it."

Although I currently have no direct evidence.

His tone was very firm, "However, since there is no evidence, let's look at it from a different angle and focus on the motive."

Whose motivation is the greatest?
Aside from internal factional infighting, the United States' motives are no less than those of anyone within the Sudari faction!
A united and strong Saudi royal family is not in the fundamental interests of the United States at all!
What they need is a Saudi Arabia that is internally fractured and needs to rely on them!

He paused slightly, his gaze sharp, and emphasized each word with deliberate emphasis.

"And it is not in their interest for Saudi Arabia, which is moving towards modernization, trying to break away from its single oil economy and seeking an independent development path!"

A chaotic, weak, or overly dependent Saudi Arabia is exactly what they want to see!

After stating this groundbreaking second point, Walid silently drafted a speech in his mind, preparing to launch into a lengthy discourse.

Prepare to face the questions just like you would for a graduate school entrance exam back then.

After all, the Talal faction has always been regarded by outsiders as pro-American.

From his grandfather Talal, who raised the banner of "Prince of Freedom" and advocated a radical constitutional monarchy revolution;

The father, Khalid, the second uncle, Alwaleed, and the aunt, Lamia, adopted a more moderate but consistent reform approach: "avoiding direct challenges to tradition and advancing authoritarian modernization step by step"...

The core objective of the Talal faction has never changed—to establish a modern, secular constitutional monarchy.

From the perspective of the progress of human civilization, this is undoubtedly progress.

It even carries a tragic sense of a powerful family betraying its own class identity.

This is also the fundamental reason why he, the blond guy who came from another time, was able to quickly accept the identity of "Walid" and integrate into this family.

Who would want to be a descendant of those infamous figures like Sima Yi, Qin Hui, Gao Qiu, and Wang Jingwei?

Who wouldn't want their family bloodline to flow with greatness and progress?
Walid was mentally prepared to face fierce questioning and even rebuttal.

However, the expected questions did not arise.

Prince Talal, Prince Khalid, Prince Alwaleed, Princess Lamia, Princess Mona...

Everyone's expression was unusually calm.

The crowd simply watched him in silence, their eyes filled with complex and unreadable emotions, but there was none of the anger of the "pro-American faction" whose illusions had been shattered.

"You... don't object to this view?" Walid was somewhat bewildered.

Why should we oppose this viewpoint?

Aunt Lamia asked in a soft voice, her tone as calm as if she were discussing the weather.

Prince Khalid set down his silver fork, leaned back slightly, and with a calm and serene expression on his face, slowly began to speak:
"The clock tower of Mecca casts a vision of the future, and the sand dunes of Najd still flow with the blood of Ibn Saud's camels."

His philosophical tone made Walid feel as if his adoptive father was reciting ancient proverbs...

(And it clearly had a pretentious tone.)
This left Walid even more confused.

Prince Khalid seemed quite satisfied with the effect he had created, his face calm and composed, with an air of nonchalance that suggested he had done nothing wrong.

"The essence of reform is the temporal and spatial overlap between oil capital and traditional legal system, while the cultural genes of desert society—tribalism and religious legal system—continue to be expressed deep within the system."

Prince's inner monologue: Finally, I've found a chance to show off my skills!

Otherwise, if the son is too extraordinary, the father's abilities won't be apparent!

"Snapped!"

Prince Talal tapped the table with his knuckles in annoyance, glared at his son, and interrupted his aria.

"speak English!"

Prince Khalid's "superior demeanor" froze for a moment; he quickly sat up straight, cleared his throat,

"Ahem... Walid, it seems I'll have to teach you a lesson today."

He looked at Walid, his expression turning serious.
"Remember this: no matter how fiercely we, the commercial aristocracy of the Talal faction, the technocratic Sudri faction, the Giruwi faction which maintains religious ties, the Jalwi faction which controls local governance, or the Sheikh faction which represents religious legitimacy, fight, we are all part of the royal family!"
Essentially, we are one!

Walid felt a chill run down his spine.

He seemed to realize what mistake he had made.

It's a matter of perspective!

He came from another time.

He was accustomed to standing on that great land in the East, a land brimming with thousands of years of wisdom…

Or, from the perspective of a superior nation like China, it can be seen as a regional country.

In my previous life, when I was reading and doing research, I habitually divided political forces into a spectrum.

He did not truly adopt the perspective of a core prince of the Saudi royal family to examine this complex internal situation.

There was no time for reviewing or reflecting on anything; his father's words reached his ears.

"The reform struggle in our country, on the surface, is a century-long reconstruction of the power to redistribute oil capital and the Wahhabi religious system."

But at a deeper level, the old three contracts between the royal family and religion, tribes, and the people are being rewritten by the times!
Remember this: it's a restructuring of the relationship between the royal family and three powerful factions!

"Royal-Religious Contract,"

Prince Khalid raised a finger, “The Treaty of Drahia in 1744 granted us the legitimacy to rule, and we implemented Sharia law.”

It is not only a law, but also a comprehensive framework covering religious obligations, moral norms, social customs, and personal conduct.

However, today, this Sharia law framework, based on ancient traditions, appears out of place in the context of today's globalized economy and division of labor, severely hindering development!

Prince Alwaleed interjected, "Nephew, let me give you a few of the most realistic examples."

He took a sip of his juice and began to speak, “The Sharia law strictly prohibits ‘riba,’ which is interest.”

This is like a noose around the neck of modern finance!
We want to revitalize the economy, attract international capital, develop the bond market, and establish a modern banking system, but we are hitting obstacles at every turn!
This forced us to develop 'Islamic bonds,' a complex structure that bypasses interest rates, which is costly and inefficient!
Global capital is drooling over our massive sovereign wealth funds, but this outdated ban makes it difficult for them to flow smoothly into our real economy!

Once this topic was brought up, Aunt Lamia also spoke up:

"Strict gender segregation and guardianship systems have locked half of the kingdom's brain and hands at home!"

Think about how many highly educated women are unable to enter the labor market because they cannot drive freely, cannot share an office with male colleagues, or simply because their husbands or fathers disagree.
While we keep saying we want to break free from oil dependence and develop a diversified economy, we are actually crippling ourselves!
The idea that even driving a car could spark a nationwide religious debate is utterly absurd in the eyes of globalized corporations!

Walid blinked. The image of the aunt in front of him now matched the research from his previous life.

Or perhaps, he finally remembered his aunt's heroic act.

Following Mohammed's secular reforms, Saudi Arabia's first princess removed her veil and drove alone through the streets.

Princess Mona added, "The omnipresent 'Committee for Promoting Good and Rejecting Evil' (religious police) have gone too far!"
Shopping malls must close at the designated times of the week, restaurants cannot play background music, and advertisements cannot feature female models...

These red tapes have severely hampered consumer spending, tourism development, and the integration of international business culture.

How can an environment where even shopping mall opening hours are subject to the whims of religious police attract top global tech companies and cultural and creative enterprises?

Hmm... Walid could tell that his mother harbored deep resentment.

Prince Khalid continued, “The Sharia courts coexist with modern secular courts, with vastly different standards of judgment, especially in areas such as commercial contracts, intellectual property, and foreign investment disputes, which are fraught with uncertainty and potential conflicts.”

What international investors fear most is a vague legal environment!

We urgently need a clear, stable, and internationally aligned Commercial Code.

But this would shake the religious and legal foundation upon which the Sheikh clan relies for power, and its implementation would face immense resistance!

The criticism from the president of the State Religious Court was devastating.

Prince Talal nodded. "These are the ancient chains from 1744, the heavy shackles that have been binding us on the global economic track today!"

The Giroud and Sheikh factions cling to this chain as a scepter, but it is strangling the kingdom's future!

Walid looked at everyone at the table and felt helpless.

No wonder the Taral faction has never been favored by the throne!

Alright, a whole table of traitors!
Except for Luna, who was focused on dealing with the yogurt.

……

(End of this chapter)