The development of a nation requires capable ministers.
When capable individuals occupy high positions, they can lead the kingdom to progress. For a kingdom to have a wise and capable subordinate is a boon for the kingdom and its people. However, a kingdom does not need a particular family to consistently produce capable ministers.
A long-standing prominent family is a fatal threat to the royal family.
The royal family must maintain a balance against this.
In fact, Chen Yu had pondered the matter of the Elton family. Was it truly as Fuhua Elton claimed, that the royal family's crackdown on him was solely due to his possession of the Filial and Honest Edict, causing their attitude towards him to undergo a complete reversal?
There was a possibility, but that possibility seemed too hasty.
What good was possessing the Filial and Honest Edict?
If the kingdom did not utilize it, the Filial and Honest Edict in hand was merely scrap metal. Could a mere Filial and Honest Edict truly shake the foundations of a nation?
Not necessarily.
At the time, Chen Yu felt another possibility: the Elton family's prestige had become too great.
There was a saying in the marketplace:
The Elton family's wealth was comparable to that of the nation.
Such rumors, passed down through generations, could the kingdom possibly ignore them?
After several investigations, it was discovered that the Elton family's circumstances were indeed as the rumors suggested. By chance, Fuhua Elton possessed the Filial and Honest Edict, and the kingdom directly used this as a pretext to exert pressure on him.
However, it was pressure, not suppression.
From this, it could be seen that the Tatu Kingdom still held some reservations towards the Elton family in the early stages. After all, they were a native merchant family of the kingdom. If the Elton family were to fall, it might not necessarily be a good thing for the kingdom.
Even if the Elton family fell, they could still foster new 'Elton' families.
But who could guarantee that a new family would be as convenient as the Eltons?
Chen Yu boldly speculated that the Tatu Kingdom's pressure on the Elton family was actually an attempt to shift them from private enterprise to state ownership, allowing the royal family to firmly control them. This way, the Elton family's glory would remain unchanged.
Therefore, the Tatu Kingdom had not yet touched the foundations of the Elton family.
Otherwise, if the kingdom wanted to eliminate a clan,
it would be too easy.
Perhaps Fuhua Elton did not reveal the kingdom's intentions, or perhaps he had considered this possibility but was unwilling to hand over the commercial empire he had built to the royal family, leading to the subsequent struggles.
Over time, the royal family lost its patience with him.
This led to the idea of eliminating him.
Killing him but not eradicating the clan, perhaps the royal family intended to find a new spokesperson from the Elton family after Fuhua Elton and Roni Elton met their demise, to become the royal family's loyal dog.
This, and this alone, was the royal family's most genuine intention.
The royal family was unwilling to see any family dominate, and the same applied to the family of the Chief Financial Officer.
The Chief Financial Officer was at his zenith in the kingdom, possessing god-like authority. His family, due to his existence, had flourished and established deep roots. Up to this point, the royal family could tacitly accept and allow this.
After all, he was the kingdom's Chief Financial Officer, and his family's prosperity was only natural.
But—
They absolutely would not allow this prosperity to continue.
The royal family could accept a situation where, after the Chief Financial Officer retired, there was a lack of successors within the clan to take up the great responsibility. They were happy to see the Chief Financial Officer's family members become decadent and profligate, gradually decaying.
During this period, they might even provide some support.
This would make the family members still believe they were favored by the royal family, thus becoming even more arrogant.
To make something perish, one must first let it inflate.
When the time was ripe, the royal family could directly harvest the fruits of victory, causing this family to disappear completely.
Conversely, if capable individuals emerged from the clan.
The royal family would absolutely not be able to sit still.
Just like Liya, if he consistently displayed wisdom, sagacity, and foresight, the royal family would outwardly praise the Chief Financial Officer for having a successor, but inwardly, they would definitely consider how to bring down the entire clan of the Chief Financial Officer.
In order to survive, or rather, to avoid the miserable fate of the Elton family.
Liya could only be an unadulterated fool.
"This Chief Financial Officer is by no means an ordinary person," Chen Yu murmured, his gaze fixed as he hugged his shoulders. "If there are more than one such capable person in the Tatu royal family, it might not be so easy for the Batu Federation to destroy the Tatu Kingdom."
"Huh?"
Upon hearing Chen Yu's mumbling, Nuo was taken aback.
Chen Yu did not speak further, quietly watching the retreating figures of Liya and Bellos. He had said from the beginning that Bellos's intentions were much easier to guess than Liya's. They were simply not on the same level.
"Liya, stop talking nonsense."
Liya's low murmur echoed in his ears. Bellos's fists were clenched, and his demeanor had lost the calm and composure he had when they first arrived at the restaurant.
"Perhaps I am talking nonsense," Liya said with a smiling shrug. "You, from now on, don't come looking for trouble with me, understand? Just because I don't want to deal with you doesn't mean I can't. If I truly get angry, the small academy won't be able to protect you. Do you really think the academy you rely on can contend with your father's Chief Financial Officer? The outside world is very dangerous. You should just go back to your golden cage and be an ignorant scholar with that caged canary teacher."
"Take that back."
Suddenly, Bellos erupted in fury, tightly grabbing Liya's collar.
He could tolerate Liya's mockery.
But defiling his teacher was absolutely impossible!
"Did I say something wrong?" Liya asked with a slight smile and a shrug. "What do you think that academy is? Isn't it just a meticulously crafted cage for your teacher? If she's not that canary, then can she step half a foot outside the academy?"
"You..."
"Bellos, you're still too naive."
Liya said in a deep whisper, "I don't know what that academy has instilled in you to brainwash you like this. Your academy is not as majestic as you imagine. Everything is just the wishful thinking of you scholars."
"Wishful thinking?"
Bellos suddenly grinned, staring at Liya for a long time and shaking his head.
"You think the knowledge our academy possesses is wishful thinking? Then how good are you? You're a blind man, closing your eyes, yet you scoff and mock those who can see. Putting aside everything else, that person you keep calling 'My Lord' with such reverence, do you know who he truly is?"
"What, your academy knows again?" Liya chuckled.
"At least more than you do."
Bellos said with disdain, squinting and humming.
"Let me tell you, the 'My Lord' you so fear, is actually..."
"My true identity is known to scholar Bellos?"
The moment Bellos finished speaking, Chen Yu walked between Bellos and Liya with a smiling expression.
"It seems I've arrived at an inopportune moment. You two appear to be resolving some private matters. I won't interfere in private matters. I'm the type who dislikes meddling in other people's business. However, please don't involve me in your affairs. What do you two think?"