“Yes.”
The Thilemann memorial, also known as Thilemann, is a declaration of an armistice acknowledged by the continent after Kurtne II’s conquest war.
Kurtne II, once a bloodthirsty conqueror, defeated the allied nations at a ferocious pace. The empire grew significantly. However, further wars were diplomatically and internally too draining. Conquest meant nothing if the territories couldn’t be fully absorbed. Ignoring this, Kurtne II relished the conquest wars.
So, immediately after Kurtne II’s death, the empire declared no more conquest wars to focus on internal unification and diplomatic recovery, known as the Thilemann declaration.
To prove its effectiveness, the Belf Empire has held the Thilemann memorial banquet annually. Unlike other imperial banquets open to all nobles, this one required invitations, ensuring no unnecessary disputes arose in a gathering meant to uphold peace.
Naturally, Monique, with her poor reputation and resentment towards Peter, and Martinec, the overseers of the underworld, had been excluded from these banquets.
It should have been the same this time, but Peter, unconcerned with the peace of mere banquets, was more focused on continental peace.
“To enlarge the game properly, Annette Martinec’s desires and intentions must be clearly revealed.”
What public opinion she aims to create and what desires she harbors.
What her trap is set to catch.
“Remember, Simoren, my goal isn’t to find Lowell.”
Peter was seeking traces of Lowell. But his search wasn’t just for Lowell’s whereabouts or Lowell herself.
His aim was to erase Lowell’s existence from this world.
“Don’t be swayed by whatever Annette does.”
And so, Peter’s words were not just for Simoren, but a reminder to himself.
The Hessen House fire. And the annihilation.
These were burdens for Peter. He still vividly remembered that day.
The day the Hessen mansion burned to the ground by imperial decree.
That was the first time Peter rebelled against his father.
“Father Emperor!”
“Don’t shout. You lack manners.”
Coughing, young Peter was helplessly pinned to the floor of the Emperor’s office, unable to breathe. It was due to the Emperor’s magic power. Though not as strong as Peter, the former Emperor possessed considerable magical strength, easily enough to subdue a child.
However, even pinned down, Peter did not cease his shouts.
“Count Hessen is not a traitor!”
“He raised his hand against me. That is treason.”
“That’s not reasonable… Cough!”
Peter’s words were abruptly cut off as he was kicked in the diaphragm.
Struggling to breathe and rolling on the floor, the Emperor watched his son with an indifferent gaze.
“I don’t understand why you’re so opposed to this. Does my decree seem so unreasonable to you, my son?”
The tip of the Emperor’s shoe propped up Peter’s chin. He looked at his son’s face, which bore a striking resemblance to his own, and saw the contempt in it, smiling as if he found it amusing.
“Actually, you’re not wrong. I’m not so harsh as to call them treasonous for just that.”
The words were ironic coming from someone who had just kicked his son.
“Are you curious why I really killed them? You’re my son; there’s no reason I can’t tell you.”
At that time, the Emperor had lost his consort. It was well-known that this signified his descent into madness. Many recalled that even until his death, the Emperor was relatively sane, but Peter didn’t think so.
A sane person couldn’t have done such a thing.
As Peter gritted his teeth, trying to suppress a groan, the Emperor bent down, grabbed him by the scruff, and whispered.
“The Hessen family was annihilated solely because of you, Peter.”
It was all for you.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
