第十二回 又闻奇士思（2） (第1/2页)

    YourMajesty,mydearbrother,

    Whenyoureadthisletter,inallprobabilityIwillhavealreadyreturnedtodust.Ihavelongbeenexpectingtosubmittodeath,sinceitiseveryone’sdestiny.However,astheknellsummonsmetoheavenortohell,Ichoosetowritedownmytortuouslife,ratherthantoburyitinthisbleakandgrimpalace,whichmerelyfacilitatesthevillain’sambitionandhashadmyhonourablelorddeceived.

    Twentyyearsago,whenyoudeterminedtosendmetothischaoticcountry,Icouldnothelpbutholdagrudgeagainstyou.Yououghttorememberthatweoncereachedtheconsensusthatnocountryunderthesunwasasgloriousasours.Thus,Iknewthatalthoughseeminglyaspecialfavourtome,dispatchingmetobethelordofoneofourvassalstateswasactuallyintendedtoeliminatemeasapotentialthreat,therebyconsolidatingyourthrone.Atthattimeyouhadbeenmarriedforsixyearswithoutchildren.Iwasyouronlybrother,appreciatedbyourfatherandministersincourt.Youforcedmetocomehereagainstmyownwilltobecomethelordofaboorishandunrulypeople,whoneverunderstoodtheimportanceofrespectingtheirmonarch.Mysourcesinformedmethatyouintendedtouseborrowedhandstokillme,yetIcouldfindnootherpathotherthantoobeyyourorders.YoualsosentJohn,BarryandLambert,yourever-trustedministers,togowithme,assertingthattheyweretheretoassistme.Nevertheless,whodidn’tknowthiswasbutanunderhandedwaytomonitorandcontrolyourbrotherYoumaynotknowthatwhenItookthelastlookatmyhomeland,IsworetomyselfthatIwouldridmyselfofyourrestraint,subjugatethepeopleofmynewlandandturnthedomainintothemostprosperousvassalstatethathadeverbeen,nomatterwhatthecost.IwantedtomakethemotherlandawarethatyouonlybecametheKingbyrightofthefirstbornandhumiliateyoubythescaleofmyachievements.Asfortheassistantsyougaveme,Iwouldtakethemasmyown,makingthemmostwillingtoserveme,notyou.Ihadalreadylosttheopportunitytooutmatchyoufacetoface,butIwouldstillsurpassyou,evenfromafar.

    Iftimepausedatthetenthyear,nothingwouldberegretted.Duringthefirsttenyears,Imadefulluseofthethreeassistants’conflictsandmanagedthembyalternatingkindnesswithcruelty.Theyallmaintainedsuspicionofoneother,andwantedtomaximisetheirownbenefitswiththehelpofmypower.Moreover,Imadeacommonenemyofthelocalmalfeasantsandunitedusinoureffortstostampoutcorruption.TheyprovidedmewiththegreatestsupportwhenIfellfoulofthelocalgrandees.Itookbloodymeanstoeradicatevenality,anddevelopedoureconomyandeducationsystemtothehighestdegree.Ourtributesrankedfirstamongallthevassalstates.Yousathighinthecapital,andshouldhavealreadyheardmygoodnameasIbroughtthiscountrytoapinnacleofcultureandpower,aperiodofpoliticalstability,socialtranquility,andeconomicprosperity.

    However,itispatheticthatjustasmyachievementspeaked,Ibegantosink.PerhapsbecauseInonethelessrealisedthatIhadlittlechancetoreturntomymothercountryandmyreignseemedgoingwell,IincreasinglydelegatedmyresponsibilitiestoJohn,whobetrayedmytrust,engineeringBarryandLambert’sremovalanddeath.Fromth