When the Saintess Arrives, No King Exist-Chapter 572 - 550: Hope Shattered

Compared to those relatively impoverished areas, the aristocrats of Hotam County have always implemented a decentralized lord system.

Their estates are scattered like enclaves, making it difficult to find a geographical center for governance.

There are only two places where aristocrats truly reside: the first is the family’s hereditary castle, and the second is the Count’s Court near or even inside the city.

Hundreds of years ago, establishing a Count’s Court was considered quite scandalous.

But nowadays, even wealthy merchants like Catherine can build palaces, so what’s a Count’s Court?

Upon receiving news from Prince Kongdai, the order stationed at Feiliu Castle swiftly raided Mr. Sanboli’s Count’s Court.

However, as the hidden leader among Hotam County’s aristocrats, Sanboli was naturally not so easy to handle.

He didn’t even wait for the news of Vine being shot dead, having already transferred important accounts, personnel, and possessions back home in advance.

His wife and children were immediately sent overnight to relatives of Leia in Immortal Stone Field for refuge.

Sanboli, however, still hadn’t left; neither had he moved away from the vicinity of Feiliu Castle but was sitting upright in a study.

Outside the doors and windows was the sound of rolling wheels and noise, the bright candlelight even casting into the study.

At Count Nathaniel’s niece’s wedding banquet, counts, bishops, and deans of all sizes were present.

Yet among the crowded, celebrating crowd, the high-ranking counts left one after another, unable to withstand the alcohol.

After passing through the small garden and washing their faces, the five sober counts gathered in this small study.

They either stood or sat, listening to Sanboli lay out everything in detail.

"You’ve seen how Prince Kongdai acted yourselves," Sanboli said, wearing a silk shirt stained with dust and a torn wide robe, seeming not to have washed for several days amid rush.

"Rebellion is our only way out now." Exhausted, Sanboli swept his bloodshot eyes across each count present.

Count Nathaniel, as the host of the house, gulped as if to suppress his fear: "Has it truly come to that point?"

"After catching Gelinon, he’ll catch me, and after me, he’ll catch you all, eventually packing everyone off to North County to eat snow ice; you’ll stay obedient then!" Sanboli hoarsely barked.

The counts present all shivered involuntarily.

Their actions couldn’t be investigated, or if they were, they’d become overwhelming major cases.

Just like the Demon Hunter Great Monarch Chanorn and the Green Robe Faction case back then, it almost reached the Pope.

Prince Kongdai thought he suffered a setback this time and decided to capture someone in frustration.

But in the eyes of Hotam County aristocrats, who’d already heard whispers, this was a signal.

If Prince Kongdai truly regarded the alleged "evidence of collusion" as a ruse, then why capture Sanboli?

It was clear he believed they were colluding, just lacking evidence.

Now, with Vine dead, the supposed "evidence" was completely gone, and to Prince Kongdai, this was blatant evidence.

Though Gelinon and Sanboli had no direct evidence of collusion, the charges for arresting them were colluding and conspiring with heretics.

This thoroughly extinguished the aristocrats’ hopes and chances.

A single aristocrat might be occasional, but two were a gang, clearly aiming for expansion.

Who knows how many "comrades" Gelinon could implicate? He’s already been "convicted" of collusion; his words now serve as testimony.

Most importantly, these aristocrats really were colluding, with evidence abundantly discoverable.

They didn’t want to go to those Mountain Counties to starve and freeze!

"We’ve known each other for over a decade; our fathers for tens or even hundreds of years." Sanboli earnestly advised these influential counts, "When have I ever done anything detrimental to us all? At this critical moment, we ought to learn from the Lords of Red Leaf Hill!"

The so-called Lords of Red Leaf Hill, frankly, were those involved in the trade of sugar and spices where the Duke of Red Leaf Hill sided with the royal family, attempting to charge local lords high spice taxes.

Thus, those lords agreed superficially but rebelled when the Duke of Red Leaf Hill left to see the King, showing a trend of distancing from Falan and joining Leia.

Under immense pressure, the then King Gobbo the Ninth was forced to publicly declare the people of Red Leaf Hill’s rights to the spice and sugar trade.

To this day, the successor of the unfortunate Duke of Red Leaf Hill bears this title, living impoverishedly in Huaqiu City of Falan Royal Capital.

Under Sanboli’s continuous persuasion and in the wake of Gelinon’s fate, the grieving aristocrats finally changed their attitudes, agreeing with Sanboli’s words.

In fact, anyone who attended this wedding was essentially aligned with the rebellious side.

The two counts who felt unaffected didn’t even show up.

After unifying most Hotam County aristocrats’ intentions, a new problem emerged.

"Mr. Sanboli, if we rebel, surely it’s not us fighting Prince Kongdai, right? Is it true?"

"Of course not, but we must find someone capable of defeating Prince Kongdai."

"The Duke? Hasn’t she already confronted His Highness the Prince?"

Taking a deep breath, Sanboli shook his head, "It’s the Salvation Army."

"Salvation Army? Are you crazy?"

This answer clearly defied everyone’s expectations, causing the counts to vacillate in suspicion, even starting to suspect Sanboli had been deceived by Demon Horn.

But upon slight reflection, they realized this was actually the most fitting answer.

Leia Kingdom was still in civil war, evidently unable to spare forces, and until Leia’s civil war ended, the two Popes probably couldn’t settle on a result.

Whether the Empire or Church, neither could offer support in the short term, struggling to check His Highness the Prince; even the Pope could only write a few letters, which bore little effect.

Within Thousand River Valley, only two could defeat the Holy Decree Corps.

Moliat was apparently fighting alone and not even Kongdai Prince’s rival, leaving Horn and his Salvation Army as the only option. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Inviting the Salvation Army into Hotam County? What if he commandeers our lands?"

"Is Horn that foolish? Would he misunderstand the situation?" Sanboli coughed, "The leader of Saint’s Grandson’s Army, André, stated that if we turn ourselves around, the Salvation Army will enter Hotam County without seizing any land.

And besides, in their own territory, only Kush Territory underwent land division; look at Jinhe Town, was Lower Reif County ever divided?

Even if they go back on their word, they wouldn’t have enough manpower to divide lands, at most enduring under the Duke’s rule for a year until the King’s troops arrive to quell the rebellion."

Retrieving a map from the bookshelf, Sanboli spread it atop the table, "We just need to handle one key point well."

"What?"

"This!"

Sanboli pressed his finger firmly against the location of Damp Dock.