第36章 第十二回 又闻奇士思 2

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　　YourMajesty,mydearbrother,

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

　　Twentyyearsago,whenyoudeterminedtosendmetothisuntry,Icouldnothelpbutholdagrudgeagainstyou.Yououghttorememberthatweoncereachednsensusthatnocountryunderthesunwasasgloriousasours.Thus,Iknewthatalthoughseeminglyaspecialfavourtome,dispatchingmetobethelordofoneofourvassalstateswasactuallyintendedtoeliminatemeasapotentialthreat,nsolidatingyourthrone.Atthattimeyouhadbeenmarriedforsixyearswithoutchildren.Iwasyouronlybrother,appreciatedbyourfatherandministersincourt.Youforcedmetocomehereagainstmyownwilltobecomethelordofaboorishandunrulypeople,whoneverunderstoodtheimportanceofrespectingtheirmonarch.Mysourcesinformedmethatyouintendedtouseborrowedhandstokillme,yetIcouldfindnootherpathotherthantoobeyyourorders.YoualsosentJohn,Barrymbert,yourever-trustedministers,togowithme,assertingthattheyweretheretoassistme.Nevertheless,whodidn'tknowthiswasbutanunderhandedwaytomonitorntrolyourbrotherYoumaynotknowthatwhenItookstlookatmynd,IsworetomyselfthatIwouldridmyselfofyourrestraint,subjugatethepeopleofmyndandturnthedomainintothemostprosperousvassalstatethathadeverbeen,nomatterwhatst.IwantedtomakethendawarethatyouonlybecametheKingbyrightofthefirstbornandhumiliateyoubythescaleofmyachievements.Asfortheassistantsyougaveme,Iwouldtakethemasmyown,makingthemmostwillingtoserveme,notyou.Ihadalreadylosttheopportunitytooutmatchyoufacetoface,butIwouldstillsurpassyou,evenfromafar.

　　Iftimepausedatthetenthyear,nothingwouldberegretted.Duringthefirsttenyears,Imadefulluseofthethreenflictsandmanagedthembyalternatingkindnesswithcruelty.Theyallmaintainedsuspicionofoneother,andwantedtomaximisetheirownbenefitswiththehelpofmypower.Moreover,Imadeacommonenemyofthelocalmalfeasantsandunitedusinoureffortstostamprruption.TheyprovidedmewiththegreatestsupportwhenIfellfoulofthelocalgrandees.Itookbloodymeanstoeradicatevenality,anddevelopednomyandeducationsystemtothehighestdegree.Ourtributesrankedfirstamongallthevassalstates.Yousathighinthecapital,andshouldhavealreadyheardmygoodnameasIbroughtuntrytoapinnacleofcultureandpower,aperiodofpoliticalstability,socialtranquility,nomicprosperity.

　　However,itispatheticthatjustasmyachievementspeaked,Ibegantosink.PerhapsbecauseInonethelessrealisedthatIhadlittlechancetoreturntomyuntryandmyreignseemedgoingwell,IincreasinglydelegatedmyresponsibilitiestoJohn,whobetrayedmytrust,engineeringBarrymbert’sremovalanddeath.Fromthenon,Isoughtnothingbutsensualpleasuresuntiltroublesbrokeoutathome.Johnhadatightgriponpower,andstepbystep,mademehispuppet.Thewomanhesenttomewasanunrivalledbeauty,yetnothingmorethanaformofpoison;intendedtoagemewhileofferinghimultimatepower.Theuntry,fromthoseinurttothoseinuntryside,submittedtohiminsteadoftome,whileIwentonaspreewithmyconcubinesdayandnight,livingalifeofluxuryandter,Ilosteverything,askarmadictated.Heoccupiedmywife,andmychildrenweredriventosuicide.EveryretainerthatIoncefavouredturnedtohimandendeavouredtopleasehim.Nobodystayedbehind.Notone.Behold!Humanbeingsforeverfollowpowermeeklyandabandonloyaltyandintegritywithouthesitationaslongasthelureissufficient.I,yourbrother,wasforcedtoenduremiseryandextremesolitude—antrasttothosebygoneyearsofgloryandprosperity.

　　Johnkeptmeincaptivity,andbythetimeIrealizedIwasunabletoresist,itwaste.Howironicitisformetoescapethedangeroustrapyouset,yetdieinthesweetgreenhouseheestablishedinstead.John’sruthlessnesshadlongprovokedoutragefromourpeople,butheusedmeashisshield,attributingallofhisevildeedstomyorders.IknowthatevenifIamnotkilledbyhim,Iwillonedaybetrampledtomudbythepeople.Andourarmedforces,weakenedbyyourlongenforceddisarmament,arenomatchagainstthemob.Bythen,untrywillnotbelongtotheroyalty,andwillnotbelongtoyou.Whatwillhappenthen

　　Iamnotsurewhen,orevenif,youwillreceivethisletter.Ifsomedayyousendareliablemessengertoseeme,Iwillundoubtedlypassitonatst,andthenembracemydeath.WhatyoumustknowisthatIdonotresentyouanymoreafterstblood-soakeddecade,butIreallyhopeyoucanavengeme,andkeepeternalreignofouruntryandvassalstates.

　　Finally,Ipresentyoualavishgift.Johnprobablyloweredhisguardagainstme,enablingmetooverhearasecretduringoneofhisnversations.Hehasbeenworriedthatyoumayrecallhim,orthattheremayberiots,sohehaskepttransferringthetreasuresandwealthhehasbuilt——legalorillegal,farbeyondyourimagination,evenmorethantherichesthatfillyourpalace,toanunknownislandbyboat,justasmallamountineachtripinordertoavoidnspicuous.Heexaggeratedwithpridethattheislandwasace.Fromhisdescription,Iguessthatitliestotheeastofmycountry.Itshouldbeanndmassspanningadiagonalnorthwest-southeastaxiswithvastndinterspersedwithswampsintheeastbutlushmountainsinthewest.Hesaidhecouldsetuparichkingdomforhisoffspringjustbytradingtheffee,palmoilandgold,withouteventouchingthetreasurehetookthere.Mylord,onceyougetthereyouwillbeabletoeffortlesslytakethetreasureasyourown,anduseittoestablishaninvinciblearmy.Ifyouhaveeventhetiniestslitherofmercyforme,comehereandshatterJohn’sdream.Foryoumustrealisethatonlywitharmedforcecanyougoverntheworld.Nothingelsecan.

　　Iwillbesoongonewiththewind.LongliveourillustriousRoyalfamily.

　　Yours,

　　Edward

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