Kingdombuilding: All My Inventions Are Novelty

The next day, Brambleford Prison.

Simon personally escorted Princess Lisa to interrogate the Goldwynd father and son.

At this point, Simon had Lancelot bring Richard out of the prison to confront the Goldwynd family.

In the Brambleford government office, Simon sat in the main seat, while Princess Lisa sat to the side.

"Cedric, Walter, do you two know your crimes?" In the government office, Walter and his father knelt on the ground alongside Richard.

Cedric was still in shock from seeing Richard. He snapped out of it and looked at Simon. "Your Highness, what crime has this commoner committed?"

"Your Highness, please understand, my father and I are truly innocent!" Walter kowtowed repeatedly. By now, they both knew they had been implicated in Richard’s assassination attempt on Princess Lisa.

At this point, Cedric understood. Simon had finally made his move against the Goldwynd family. He inwardly laughed bitterly, realising that Princess Lisa’s arrival had become a death sentence for their family.

"You both claim to be innocent. Then do you recognise this man?" Princess Lisa asked sternly.

Cedric looked at Richard, who had clearly been tortured. Knowing he couldn’t deny the facts, he said. "I recognise him. This man is Richard, my nephew. However, three months ago, he violated Brambleford’s laws, and I personally had him beaten to death. I have no idea how he’s still alive."

As he said this, Cedric glanced at Simon.

"Prince Simon, is this true?" Princess Lisa asked.

Simon nodded. "Indeed, Sir Cedric once claimed that Richard was responsible for the Goldwynd family’s illegal hoarding of Plow oxen. Out of respect for the Goldwynd family’s status as a local powerhouse, I allowed him to handle the matter himself. As for how he dealt with it, I’m not entirely clear."

Princess Lisa, having witnessed countless schemes and intrigues in Eldora, knew that Richard, being an unpopular member of the Goldwynd family, wouldn’t have dared to hoard Plow oxen on his own.

It was clear that Richard had been a scapegoat, and Cedric’s use of him to take the blame was an attempt to deceive Simon.

If this had happened under another prince, Cedric would have been punished immediately. However, Simon had let it slide, indicating that he had his own concerns. This showed just how bold the Goldwynd family had become in Brambleford.

Initially, Princess Lisa hadn’t believed that the Goldwynd family would do such a thing. But now, her thoughts were shifting. If a local powerful family could so brazenly disrespect a prince, how would they treat her, a princess?

After a moment of contemplation, Princess Lisa said sharply. "You don’t know why he’s still alive? Do you think I know? Hmph! A mere local family dares to act so brazenly. Do you think the imperial family is so easy to bully? Simon, what is the punishment for attempting to assassinate me?"

"If proven true, the punishment is the execution of the entire family and the extermination of their clan," Simon said softly.

Cedric was horrified. His earlier statement had been directed at Simon, not Princess Lisa. He hurriedly said. "Your Highness, I truly don’t know how Richard is still alive. Moreover, Richard is the illegitimate son of my younger brother and a lowly woman. If I wanted to assassinate you, why would I send him? And what benefit would my family gain from assassinating you? Please, Your Highness, see through this deception and don’t be used by others."

At this moment, Richard, lying on the ground, coughed violently and said hoarsely. "Your Highness, I take full responsibility for my actions. This matter has nothing to do with the Goldwynd family. It was the prince who ordered me to do it, all to eliminate the Goldwynd family."

Simon’s expression changed dramatically. "Nonsense! How could I order you to assassinate my aunt?"

Richard chuckled weakly. "Your Highness, although I’m not favoured in the Goldwynd family, I’m still a member. Why would I harm my own family? I’ve endured the torture in prison just to expose you in front of Princess Lisa and reveal your true nature."

"You..." Simon pointed at Richard, furious. "Lancelot, where are you?"

"Here, Your Highness!" Lancelot responded.

"Torture him until he tells the truth!" Simon shouted, visibly enraged.

This sudden turn of events left Princess Lisa momentarily stunned. Zephyrus also looked puzzled, while Cedric’s face turned ashen.

"I’ve long heard of Sir Cedric’s cunning. This act of self-sacrifice is indeed impressive." Princess Lisa said after a brief moment of confusion, as if she had suddenly understood everything.

She walked up to the Goldwynd father and son and spoke to them. "Although I reside in Eldora, I’ve heard about the situation in Brambleford. Over the past five years, your family, relying on your status as a local powerhouse, has looked down on the prince. Now that you see him working diligently to improve Brambleford, you fear he will eventually settle accounts with your family. So, taking advantage of my visit, you staged this act of self-sacrifice to frame the prince, hoping the emperor would strip him of his title, allowing your family to remain safe. Am I right?"

"Your Highness, that’s not true! Richard is lying!" Cedric cried out desperately.

When Richard accused the prince, Cedric knew it was over. If Richard had insisted that the Goldwynd family was behind the assassination, Princess Lisa might have suspected that Simon was secretly orchestrating things.

But now that Richard was accusing the prince, Princess Lisa’s sharp mind would overanalyse the situation and ultimately conclude that the Goldwynd family was behind it.

"Hmph, you say black is white and white is black. Then tell me, which of his words are true, and which are false?" Princess Lisa snorted.

Walter was so frightened that his limbs went weak. If convicted, he would face certain death. He shouted, "Your Highness, Richard is telling the truth! This matter has nothing to do with our family!"

"Shut up!" Cedric, both shocked and furious, pushed Walter to the ground.

Walter, now desperate, shouted at his father. "Father, we didn’t do this! It must be the prince framing us! Richard is right. He’s still a member of the Goldwynd family. He wouldn’t harm us."

A faint smile appeared on Simon’s lips. There was no need to say more.

Zephyrus then said to Princess Lisa. "Your Highness, it’s clear that the Goldwynd father and son are lying. How could someone who was nearly beaten to death by Cedric still speak in their defence? The only explanation is that Richard has always been a pawn of the Goldwynd family. He and the father and son are in cahoots, all to frame the prince."

Princess Lisa nodded and turned to Simon. "Prince Simon, what do you think?"

"Auntie, if something were to happen to you in my domain, regardless of who was responsible, given Father’s temperament, I would likely be stripped of my title. Although I may be slow-witted, I’m not foolish enough to do something so self-destructive." Simon said calmly. "Besides, what would I gain from assassinating you?"

"Auntie believes you." Princess Lisa said, turning to the Goldwynd father and son. "In that case, I’ll leave the Goldwynd family to you to deal with. Zephyrus, assist him."

"Thank you, Auntie," Simon said, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Cedric and Walter.

Walter’s earlier words had betrayed the Goldwynd family’s true thoughts. There was no room for reconciliation now. After months of careful planning, it was finally time to shed blood.