Deposed Crown Prince: After three years of service on the frontier, the entire court knelt and begge

Then there was the Marquess of Morroth, of the Eastern Sea Cliffs of the British Empire, who expressed his disdain in a more tactful way.

He warmly received the envoy, accepted the letter of appointment, expressed his sincere congratulations on His Majesty Sion's triumphant return, and highly appreciated the goodwill of the Illuminati.

However, when the messenger requested that the Marquis publicly express his support for the new order and begin investigating any possible Boudica sympathizers within his territory...

Marquis Moros simply took an elegant sip of red wine and smiled, “Suppressing rebellions and maintaining stability is my duty. However… the Sea Cliff Territory is remote and its people are simple and honest. The claim of rebellion is completely unfounded. I will investigate thoroughly and report to His Majesty the King immediately upon receiving any news.”

The implication was clear: this is my territory, I'm in charge, and you have no right to interfere. As for military equipment? He didn't mention it at all, clearly looking down on the bait Sion offered, or simply not believing Sion was qualified to allocate it.

The reaction of these nobles was like another boulder thrown into a calm lake, creating new ripples in the capital. Those officials who had just been intimidated but harbored ulterior motives, such as Lord Vito, the Minister of Finance, began to stir again.

They secretly conspired, exchanging gloating glances, seemingly waiting for Zion's authority to be further humiliated by these true bigwigs.

The atmosphere was somber in the royal council chamber of Zion Cabo.

Lord Vito, with a concerned expression, recounted the responses of Duke Horton and Marquess Moros, deliberately emphasizing their arrogance while his eyes kept glancing at Atie, who stood like a statue beside the throne.

"Your Majesty," Vito said gravely.

"The attitudes of Duke Horton and Marquis Moros represent the sentiments of a considerable number of powerful lords. They are deeply entrenched and powerful, and if they are not properly appeased, there is a risk of internal strife, which would run counter to the 'stable rear' that the Alliance City expects."

These words, seemingly a reminder, were actually a way of putting Zion Capote in a corner. Didn't you have the Illuminati backing you up?

Didn't you have Iron Man bodyguards? Now that the big shots aren't buying it, what are you going to do?

If you can't do it, your authority as a "special envoy" is a joke.

The other ministers echoed this sentiment, their words earnest, but their eyes betrayed a hint of probing.

Sion listened expressionlessly; he knew perfectly well what these people were thinking.

His peripheral vision also swept over A-Tie.

Since the massacre in the square, Atie's presence has become incredibly strong. He is a symbol of the legitimacy of Zion's power and a Damocles' sword hanging over the heads of all his opponents.

Zion Capo also had his own ideas; in fact, these people were all considered opponents by Boudica.

So, it would be fine to deal with them while we're at it...

Then we can ask the Illuminati for some military equipment, which can be considered as fulfilling the entrustment Sean gave him!

“Lord Vito is right.” Sion Capo spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable coldness.

"The Duke of Houghton and the Marquess of Moros hold high positions of power, and their attitudes certainly have a profound impact. However..."

He abruptly changed the subject, his gaze sharply fixed on Vito: "I am acting on the orders of the Guild Master as the special envoy of the Alliance City. My duty is to purge the rebels and stabilize Britain. What constitutes a rebel? Anyone who resists the new order of the Alliance City, resists the will of the Illuminati, and resists the national policies promoted by me on behalf of the Empire's interests is a rebel! Duke Horton has refused to heed the King's orders, and Marquis Moros has outwardly complied but inwardly defied them; their intentions are despicable!"

"Your Majesty, please calm down!" Vito hadn't expected Sion to be so forceful, immediately labeling him a "traitor." His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly bowed. "Perhaps both of you have overlooked something, but after all..."

"No need for further words!" Sion abruptly raised his hand to interrupt him, his gaze sharp as a knife. "I have made my decision! Lord Vitor, draft the order immediately!"

He stood up, walked to the wall where a huge map of Britain was hanging, and pointed heavily at the location representing Frostwolf Castle.

"First decree! Duke Horton, disrespectful to the monarch and defying royal orders, has acted no differently than treason! He is hereby ordered to immediately disband more than half of his private army, personally travel to the capital to plead guilty, and offer up 70% of the current year's output from the black iron mines within his territory as punishment! If he disobeys..."

Sion Capor's voice suddenly turned icy, his gaze sweeping over A'Tie, "Iron Man A'Tie will lead the Illuminati's personally bestowed Illuminati Army, along with the Iron Army of the British Empire, to Frostwolf Keep to assist the Duke in managing his household affairs and purging the rebels!"

Help with household chores? Suppress rebellious elements?

Everyone understood what this meant! Once Atie was mobilized, with the Illuminati's armaments, the Illuminati's supposedly formidable defenses, and three thousand private soldiers, they would likely be utterly helpless against the well-equipped Alliance city's weaponry! This was practically an ultimatum!

Moreover, it's important to know that the weapons at Frostwolf Castle are quite outdated... neither their weapons nor Boudica's are up to par.

Not to mention those who followed the Illuminati...

Before anyone could speak, Zion Capo's finger moved to Sea Cliff Territory.

"Second decree! Marquis Moros has been evasive in his dealings with the king's orders, his jurisdiction is unclear, and the banditry is rampant! He is hereby ordered to immediately investigate his territory and submit to me within one month a list of at least fifty 'remnants of Boudica' or 'instigators of rebellion' along with evidence of their crimes!"

At the same time, all ports in the Sea Cliff Territory shall be opened as transshipment points for supplies to the Radiant Army, and no excuses or delays shall be tolerated! Any further perfunctory responses or lip service will be met with disobedience...

Before Zion Capo could finish speaking, his gaze returned to William Capo.

“Third!” Zion surveyed the silent, trembling courtiers.

"The first batch of military equipment provided by the Allied Cities will be prioritized for distribution to lords and armies who are loyal to the Royal Family and fully support the new policies! The list will be drawn up by me personally! Lord Vito, your Finance Department must ensure that the pay and provisions for these loyalists are given priority! Any withholding or delay will be tantamount to aiding the enemy!"

The three imperial edicts were all increasingly forceful!

The carrots were precisely fed to those forces that had already or might pledge allegiance to him, especially the Royal Guard and several mid-level lords who had expressed their support. In fact, the list of these individuals naturally included the nobles whom Boudica had previously trusted.

Boudica had held back somewhat... She had made the noble families who were genuinely on good terms with her behave mediocrely, while she had been extremely enthusiastic towards those noble families with whom she had a strained relationship...

It's not for any other reason... it's just so that one day, there will be room for maneuver...

Now I'm actually using it...

At this moment, the assassin, Zion Capo, mercilessly swung his club at the most unruly and outspoken Duke Houghton, while simultaneously exerting immense pressure on the seemingly tactful but actually resistant Marquis Moros, forcing him to make a substantial show of loyalty.

He just happened to be looking for someone to vent his pent-up anger on...

These people really did run into his line of fire...

Most importantly, Zion firmly held onto the power to allocate resources.

This directly strangled the lifeline of local power.

Vito's control over financial priorities further divided the noble class. Whoever could obtain scarce weapons and priority supplies would have an advantage in the future power reshuffle, forcing more nobles to consider choosing sides.

Lord Vito's face turned deathly pale, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead...

He had hoped to see a joke played on him, but instead he found himself in a precarious position.

Being responsible for executing the latter two orders meant that he had to openly confront Duke Horton and ensure the smooth operation of the supply chain. If anything went wrong, Atie's icy gaze would likely fall upon him.

Seeing that Vito didn't respond, Zion Capo's expression turned cold, and he merely glanced at Iron Man beside him.

Atie was very clever; he noticed Zion Capo's gaze and immediately looked coldly at Vito.

Lord Vito was so frightened that his legs went weak...

"Your Majesty...Your Majesty is wise! Your subject...Your subject obeys the decree!" Vito's voice trembled, with no trace of his previous probing and smoothness.

"Your Majesty is wise!" The other ministers bowed in agreement, offering no further objections. A Tie's presence made any opposition seem weak, powerless, and extremely dangerous.

Zion Capo witnessed this scene and was quite satisfied... The law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak, has always been true...

It all comes down to who has the bigger fist...