Chapter 320 - 224: Ants Eat Elephant

Just two days ago, Fang Zhen had said Count Henry might be struck by a meteor for his many evil deeds. Now, the news had actually come that he was, in fact, killed by a meteor. This turn of events couldn’t help but spark some wild speculation.

Matthew’s eyes were filled with astonishment as he looked at Fang Zhen, wondering how he had managed to do it.

Dalia’s expression was similar, but her eyes held a distinct glimmer of something more.

As for Agatha, it was unclear if she had heard about Fang Zhen’s prediction or was simply following everyone else’s lead, but her gaze also fell upon him.

Fang Zhen remained calm and composed, showing no signs of smugness or false modesty.

He had no intention of explaining the matter, either.

’No matter how close you are to someone, it’s always best to maintain a bit of mystery. It’s better for them, and it’s better for you.’

As Matthew and the others stared at him as if he were a Divine Envoy, Fang Zhen gave a light cough, interrupting their reverie.

"Henry is dead, but his soldiers and subordinates are still in the Ashton Territory," Fang Zhen said. "It’s time we figured out how to handle them and restore order to our lands."

Matthew snapped back to his senses. Still in shock, he nodded repeatedly. "Yes, you’re right. We need to find a way to bring those soldiers under control before they become a masterless army. Otherwise, they’ll turn into a swarm of bandits, like locusts."

"Besides, the Ashton Territory has been harassed for far too long. It’s time we restored order."

Dalia nodded as well. "Henry’s death removes a major problem for us, at the very least. And by dealing with his army, we can prevent that problem from escalating."

"I think you may have misunderstood me." Fang Zhen shook his head slightly.

"Oh? What do you mean, my lord?" Matthew asked, puzzled, as Dalia also turned to look at Fang Zhen.

"What I mean is, since such a golden opportunity has presented itself, why don’t we think about how to absorb Count Henry’s forces, seize his army and lands, and elevate the Ashton Territory’s standing on the Kingdom’s stage?"

"Ah?"

"What?"

Fang Zhen’s words left the Priest, Dalia, and Agatha utterly stunned.

Even the female guard was shocked, her incredulous eyes scanning Fang Zhen up and down.

Fang Zhen remained unaffected by the emotions of those around him.

He spoke with calm assurance, "I’m guessing Count Henry has no legal heir. If that’s the case, then Earl Henry’s Territory is now a power vacuum. No one has a legal claim to succession."

"So, why can’t the Ashton Territory claim the lands and benefits of Earl Henry’s Territory?"

"Please, wait a moment. My head is spinning," Matthew said, looking at Fang Zhen with astonishment. "It’s true that Count Henry has no heir, but I’ve never told you that. And from the looks of it, you aren’t familiar with the private affairs of the nobility. How did you know?"

"You mentioned, Priest, that Count Henry was rumored to have abused his legal wife to death," Fang Zhen explained calmly. "A nobleman’s wife must also be of noble birth, and few would willingly marry their daughter to a man like Henry. This suggests his wife was likely his first and only one. Now, if Count Henry had an heir, he wouldn’t have gone so far as to torture his wife—the heir’s mother—to death, regardless of his cruel tendencies."

Matthew thought for a few seconds before it dawned on him. "Oh! So you deduced it from that. Since he was rumored to have killed his wife, it’s unlikely they had a child. He would have faced retaliation from his own heir in the future, and it just wouldn’t make sense."

Fang Zhen nodded and continued, "Without an heir, Earl Henry’s Territory is a delicious cake, and everyone from the other Counts to Grand Duke Tarrenno, and even the King, will want to carve out a slice for themselves."

"If they can take a piece, why can’t the Ashton Territory?"

His words sent a shockwave through everyone present, shaking their resolve.

It seemed neither Dalia nor Matthew had ever considered such a possibility. As for Agatha, the thought hadn’t even crossed her mind.

Perhaps it was because the Kingdom’s aristocracy had been so stable for so long. Raising one’s station was incredibly difficult, requiring generations of relentless effort. Consequently, neither Matthew, the student of theology, nor Dalia, the highborn lady, had realized what a rare and perfect opportunity this was.

It wasn’t that they were unintelligent; it was simply a limitation of the era they lived in.

Fang Zhen, however, operated on an entirely different set of principles.

For Fang Zhen, at least, chaos was nothing to be feared.

Chaos wasn’t merely the absence of order. Chaos was a ladder.

"This... this is insane. We’re just a small Viscount’s Domain," Dalia said, clearly shaken. She seemed timid, hesitant, and ready to back down. "If we had another ten or twenty years to develop, perhaps I’d have the courage to challenge a Count’s position. But now... we’re not ready."

"My lord, we don’t have the strength," Matthew said, hesitating and stammering. "The number of soldiers we can truly command is only a few hundred, while a count’s territory has several thousand. To annex it, we’d have to face fierce competition from other nobles. We would also need recognition from the King and the Grand Duke to make it legitimate..."

Fang Zhen looked at Dalia and Matthew.

He could see that both the Priest and Dalia were caught in a spiral of self-doubt and uncertainty.

’People are often like that,’ he thought. ’They spend their lives chasing success, but when a massive opportunity finally presents itself, they shrink back in fear.’