Chapter 8 Senate
"What? The Varezes Family's elephant carriage went to the Senate?"
Lamar Cyleniga, who had just emerged from the brothel, froze for a moment, then immediately understood something and lashed the slave carrying his sedan chair.
"Idiot, what are you waiting for? Go to the Senate, quickly." He anxiously looked at the slave who had just seen him out, and gave him another lash. "Go find Lady Cleofna and Lord Vagadu, and tell them the Tiger Party's trouble has arrived. Tell our people to hurry and help, now go!"
The slave scrambled to run towards the Vysamar Family's manor.
"Hurry up!" Another lash landed on the sedan-carrying slave's back. These slaves, though angry, dared not speak and could only exert all their strength to quicken their pace.
"By the Gods' buttocks!" Lamar intensely disliked the Varezes Family's strange rules at this moment.
Volantines kept slaves; in fact, every freeman in Volantis had at least five slaves. It could be said that slaves supported the entire economy of Volantis.
Therefore, Volantis established numerous rules related to slaves, just as they believed that only slaves and foreigners would allow their feet to touch the dirty ground.
So, Volantine nobles generally chose to travel by sedan chair. The more slaves carrying the sedan chair, the higher the noble's status and wealth.
Freemen of common birth would also travel in carriages pulled by dwarf elephants.
Yes, dwarf elephants were abundant near Volantis. Freemen with some assets could afford dwarf elephants for transportation, while commoners with less money could rent elephant carriages for travel.
The Varezes Family, however, was quite unconventional. Although it was one of the foremost noble families within the Black Wall, ever since Cleorius's reforms, the Varezes Family, at least nominally, had no slaves. Cleorius himself disliked riding in sedan chairs. So, from his time onward, the Varezes Family's mode of travel became the faster elephant carriage. Of course, to avoid being too unconventional, Cleorius still made some compromises.
He spent a fortune purchasing several gigantic Southern Forest Elephants from the mysterious colonial towns on the continent of Sothoryos to the south. These giant elephants were not as beautiful as dwarf elephants, but each one was incredibly mighty, at least twice the size of a dwarf elephant.
After Dragonzel paid a price that left him anemic for quite some time, the Varezes Family successfully tamed these two male elephants and six female elephants. They were kept in the Varezes manor's zoo.
Thus, a rare and strange sight appeared within the Black Wall that day.
Nobles who received the news, whether from the Tiger Party or the Elephant Party, and were far from the Senate, all abandoned their luxurious golden sedan chairs.
More elephant carriages flooded into the Black Wall that day than on any previous day.
"As expected of the old wizard's son." Lady Cleofna, helped into an elephant carriage by her family, sighed with emotion to Governor Vagadu Cyleniga opposite her.
Vagadu was a gaunt old man, his silver-gold hair already touched with gray frost, but his eyes were an unusually clear azure. "Lady Cleofna, no matter what he intends to do, the fools of the Tiger Party have given him an excellent reason to profit from the two-party struggle."
"We still have to help him." Lady Cleofna indifferently watched the hurrying councilors pass by. "Even in the Bleeding Age, assassinating important figures of opposing factions is an unspeakable act."
"Do you have proof that Morgul Bantaro hired the Lamenter to assassinate the boy?" Vagadu looked at Lady Cleofna's lavender eyes with a hint of mystery.
"Our investments are in the Lamenter's stronghold in Volantis, the 'House of Regret'," Lady Cleofna whispered. "While we cannot interfere with the Lamenter's actions, our informants personally saw people from the Bantaro Family entering the 'House of Regret'."
Vagadu nodded in understanding. "It seems the Cyleniga Family's intelligence work is still not thorough enough."
"Elephant Party councilors should stand by each other, Lord Vagadu." Lady Cleofna replied with a smile. "Now, we should discuss the spoils."
"An unyielding old woman." Vagadu gnashed his teeth, muttering inwardly.
"Regardless, the Varezes Family will take a large portion. Does the Lady have any questions about this?"
Lady Cleofna shook her head. "Of course not. However, given Dragonzel Varezes's actions recently, he will most likely choose gold as compensation."
"We will cover the discounted gold," Vagadu decided. "Slaves will be paid for at a discounted rate, but the land and manors must remain."
Cleofna, however, frowned deeply.
"What exactly does he want to do?"
The Senate.
The hall, built in imitation of the Senate during the Valyrian Freehold period, gradually filled with people, quickly seating councilors from both parties.
Of course, there were more from the Elephant Party; they occupied almost two-thirds of the seats.
The Tiger Party members were scattered sparsely.
The Tiger Party's Governor, Bericcio Megya, sat calmly in his governor's seat, while the Bantaro Family's seats were empty.
The grand doors slowly opened.
Crisp footsteps slowly approached.
"The inheritor of ancient blood, the enforcer of the seas, the Commander of the Silver Blood Army, the hereditary noble of Volantis, a candidate councilor, Lord Dragonzel of the Varezes Family has arrived!"
Aslan Longdel, with a booming voice, announced Dragonzel's title, standing respectfully to one side of the Senate's mosaic circular hall.
"Lord Dragonzel Varezes, what is the reason for your summoning of the Senate meeting?"
Governor Lady Cleofna spoke first.
"I accuse someone of hiring the Lamenter to murder a noble of the Black Wall. According to the 'Great Law of the Black Wall of Volantis,' I have the right to demand a thorough search by the Senate to find the murderer."
"Lord Varezes," a Tiger Party councilor raised his hand and asked, "You need to provide evidence to the Senate that the assassination truly occurred."
Dragonzel nodded towards the doorway.
Lynn Valtaken walked in without a word, dragging a head still attached to a mutilated body, and without hesitation, threw it onto the mosaic floor.
The blood-stained face still bore the strong features of a Qartheen.
The councilors in their seats began to whisper.
"What can a corpse prove?" an Elephant Party councilor shouted.
Dragonzel looked up in the direction of the voice.
It was Lamar Cyleniga. Dragonzel nodded slightly.
"Councilors, I believe you all know that my father possessed some abilities beyond ordinary people," Dragonzel scanned the councilors.
These Volantine nobles were not unfamiliar with magic. During the rule of Ancient Valyria, Volantis was one of the Dragonlords' most favored colonial cities, and it was also one of the most prosperous ports in the world. Many sorcerers from Asshai had demonstrated their abilities in the city. The Red Temple's Red Priests also frequently displayed their fire sorcery.
Some noble families even kept sorcerers in their households.
"He left me a potion that can make the dead speak," Dragonzel took a slightly reddish potion from Lynn's hand.
"Actually, it is just my blood mixed with some other things," Dragonzel thought to himself.
He poured the potion over the corpse.
A bizarre scene unfolded: the corpse suddenly trembled violently, as if something was trying to grow out of the part that had been severed.
A hoarse but incredibly clear voice emerged from the dead man's throat.
"Bantaro, kill, boy, little, I regret."
The entire hall fell silent.
It seemed the potion's effect had worn off; the corpse stopped trembling, and the newly sprouted granulation tissue ceased growing.
"Esteemed Councilors," Dragonzel looked around. "Do you need any other evidence?"
He was not worried that the deaths of those two from the Bantaro Family would affect his plan. Alexius's death was self-inflicted. As for Little Kavido, no toxins were detected in his body; all physicians, even the Red Priests of the Red Temple, could only conclude that he died of cardiac arrest caused by excessive drinking, it was just that Morgul did not believe it.
Moreover, Morgul had not even attended the Senate meeting.
"I am very sorry." The Tiger Party's Governor, Bericcio, lowered his head. "Lord Varezes, we were unaware that such a thing had happened."
He looked at the Tiger Party councilor beside him. "Where is Morgul Bantaro?"
"Governor," the councilor replied, "Lord Morgul unfortunately met with an accident today on his way here. An out-of-control dwarf elephant knocked over the Bantaro Family's golden sedan chair, and Lord Morgul was tragically trampled to death by the dwarf elephant."
"Lord Varezes, I am very sorry that we cannot punish the culprit according to the law."
"Therefore, what I demand is compensation, Governor."
"Lord Varezes, according to the law, all of the Bantaro Family's property can serve as your compensation," Governor Vagadu kindly reminded. "Lord Bericcio, I trust you will not shelter a criminal colleague."
"Of course not." Bericcio gave Vagadu a glare, then said amiably, "Lord Varezes, you see…"
"I am not greedy," Dragonzel looked at the three Governors and said loudly. "But the Bantaro Family attempted to assassinate my brother, which crossed the Varezes Family's bottom line. Furthermore, the family is preparing to send out another fleet to clear the pirates of Lys and Tyrosh, to protect Volantis's trade routes. At this critical juncture, the Bantaro Family actually did such a thing, it is truly intolerable."
"He is going to clear out pirates?" Lady Cleofna thought to herself. "But what does this have to do with liquidating assets? Could it be that he is building a fleet?"
"Therefore, I request the Senate, after confiscating the Bantaro Family's land and property, to compensate the Varezes Family with sufficient gold and ships."
He formally announced the Varezes Family's plan to the Senate. "I will continue my father's path. After clearing the trade routes, I will embark on another great voyage, consolidating the trade routes to Yi Ti and Asshai, and further developing the southern routes."
"So that is it." This thought simultaneously echoed in the minds of the several Governors.
No wonder he was so eager to liquidate assets; it turns out he wanted to continue the old wizard's great maritime enterprise. Support, it must be supported. No matter what, the great voyage is a measure that expands the pie, beneficial and harmless to Volantis.
As for the Bantaro Family, they had already agreed to devour it completely, so why bother considering it?
"Lord Varezes, we are willing to participate in your great voyage plan."
"Lord Dragonzel, I can provide ships. Please do consider our family."
"Get lost, you Tiger Party member, what are you doing mixing with us Elephant Party people? Lord Dragonzel, we can also provide ships and funds."
Upon hearing about a new great voyage, these nobles could not sit still. A high-risk, high-profit venture like this, and there was actually someone willing to shoulder the burden—it was simply too good.
The Senate instantly became a clamor.
"Silence—"
Vagadu Cyleniga's booming shout finally managed to quell the noisy voices.
"As you wish, the Bantaro Family's property will be compensated to you in the form of gold, warships, and merchant ships. As for your great voyage plan, do you require assistance from the Senate?"
"Not for now, but once we return from this voyage, we might need a resolution from the Senate."
Dragonzel said with a smile.
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