"Oh, right," Elara suddenly remembered something and added, "Since this punishment is because Yang Shu slandered me, I need to carry it out myself to feel satisfied. So I'll be the one arranging the people to carry it out."
Yang Shu, who had just been slapped to the ground and was barely regaining his senses, heard this and was shocked. He, the grand Chief Steward of Plumera's inner palace and commander of three thousand imperial guards, was actually going to be caned in public before all of Marigold City?
He was so furious that the veins on his body bulged. He looked up at Elara with eyes full of hatred, almost tearing up from rage.
Lord Gregory's expression darkened even more. "Your Highness, punishment like this is very bloody. It might be unpleasant for your eyes..."
Before Lord Gregory could finish, Elara interrupted him, wearing that same expression of being wronged.
"Didn't you just say earlier that from now on, in this capital, the Emperor and I can do whatever we want? Right now, I want to personally punish this dog who dared to insult me. Are you saying you won't let me?"
She sighed, "Sigh, I just want to vent. Once I do, maybe I won't want Regent Martin to come back. After all, except for what happened today, I think you've treated my brother and me fairly well, better than the regent. So if I hadn't been falsely accused today, I really wouldn't have done this..."
The rest of Lord Gregory's words were stuck in his throat.
He gave Elara a cold look, then ignored Yang Shu's glare, flicked his sleeves, and walked out.
"Do everything as Her Highness commands."
[Congratulations, Host! Slight change detected in the power balance of Marigold City! Harsh punishment of corrupt officer Yang Shu! You've gained 5 National Fortune Points!]
System 92's excited voice rang out the moment Lord Gregory turned and left.
It was too excited. Its host was amazing. Just a few light words had turned around what had seemed like a final decision.
Elara stared at Lord Gregory's departing figure. Unlike System 92, she didn't feel much.
Even though she barely managed to win this first clash with him, truly toppling Lord Gregory would take much more.
After he left, Elara looked at Yang Shu lying on the ground. Her smile finally showed some real satisfaction.
Yang Shu had lowered his head when Lord Gregory left. He didn't glare at her again, but his whole body was tense. He clearly knew that his end today would be miserable.
And he guessed right. Elara intended to get revenge to the fullest. After what he did to her and to Uno in the Jade Hall earlier, she wouldn't just beat him halfway to death. She'd trample his pride under the feet of all of Marigold.
Elara called out for Tres. A shadow appeared before her.
She told Tres to tie up Yang Shu and drag him away like a dead dog. It was time for the punishment.
Now that Yang Shu was dealt with, the satisfaction wasn't enough. What Elara really wanted was news about Regent Martin.
Regent Martin, the only regent in Plumera, her uncle by title but not by blood. What kind of person could he be, to make Lord Gregory so wary just by name alone?
Elara even thought that maybe the only reason she and Benedict could still be flattered and appeased in Marigold despite having no power was because of this regent.
Otherwise, even if they were part of the original royal bloodline, what could two powerless figures like them do? Based on Lord Gregory's sly and shameless character, he could've easily taken everything, including the Tiger Seal, by force.
After all, most of the kingdom was already under his control. The only people that could still check him, the Qi family, had been worn down almost completely by the original siblings. In that case, even if Lord Gregory used the emperor as a puppet and controlled the court directly, the scattered loyal officials and the Qi family wouldn't be able to stop him.
But he didn't.
He even kept appeasing and flattering Elara and Benedict. Whatever he wanted, he would go in circles to please them. It was like he had to get things through them using the "proper" way.
The more she thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed.
So Elara had to wonder if the real reason he didn't dare to make a move was tied to the regent.
But there was too little information in the original host's memory. Most of it was negative anyway.
That regent held an army of his own. He ruled the entire northern region of Plumera, and when he took control there, the kingdom had essentially split in two. One half was his, and the other was the southern court controlled by Elara, Benedict, and Lord Gregory.
But how did someone like that, nearly ruling a kingdom of his own, end up being connected to the royal family in a way that stopped him from swallowing the entire realm? Not only did he not take over, he even somehow caused Lord Gregory to hold back from harming Elara or Benedict.
Logically, if the regent had ambitions to become emperor, the first thing he should've done was get rid of them. Then he could have marched south and taken the whole kingdom.
As long as Elara and Benedict were alive, he could never justifiably claim the throne.
But the truth was, he had gone to the north and stayed still for years. Despite having a powerful army, he showed no intention of invading or harming either of them.
Strange. No matter how she thought about it, it made no sense.
"Sis…"
Just as Elara was tangled in all the confusing possibilities, the boy clinging tightly to her suddenly murmured.
Elara lowered her eyes to look at him. "What is it?"
Benedict looked a little pale. He rested his forehead against Elara's neck, his voice hoarse. "Sis, from now on, should we stop listening to Lord Gregory?"
Elara gently lifted the boy's head from her neck and looked at him seriously. "No, it's fine. Just do things the same way you've always done. If anything isn't right, I'll tell you in advance."
Benedict's tired face finally showed a smile. He looked a lot like Elara, a boy with delicate features. If not for his weak body and pale complexion, he'd be a very handsome and charming young man.
"Okay." He responded in a muffled voice and leaned back into Elara's arms, taking in a deep breath. His arms wrapped tightly around her again, holding her close.
No matter what happened, only in his sister's arms could he feel truly safe.
Elara gently stroked his head. She was just about to say a few more comforting words and then push him away when a servant suddenly entered.
The servant was one of the male attendants who had followed behind Lord Gregory earlier. He stepped up to Elara and Benedict and bowed respectfully.
"Your Majesty, Princess, Lord Gregory sent me to collect the memorials."
Memorials?
Elara immediately recalled the conversation she overheard earlier between Lord Gregory and Benedict when they first entered the palace. She watched the servant bow and prepare to collect the large stack of memorials on the royal couch. Elara couldn't help but sneer silently.
So now they were eyeing the right to review the memorials.
Benedict, still curled up in her arms, didn't react to the servant's presence.
He'd grown up being waited on by others and hated reading through the memorials. Usually, he wouldn't even look at them—he'd just randomly mark a few symbols and be done with it. Since Lord Gregory wanted them today, Benedict didn't care either way.
As the servant gathered the memorials and was about to take them away, Elara suddenly spoke.
"Wait."
Elara gave Benedict a light pat, and when he looked up at her in confusion, she gently pushed him aside and stood up. "Little brother, I'm curious about those memorials. I want to take a look."
Benedict wasn't happy about being pushed away, but when he saw her gaze fixed on the documents with real interest, he held back his displeasure. He waved to the stiff-looking servant:
"Bring them here."
The servant hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he handed over the stack of memorials. Elara leaned closer with a curious expression. "What are these?"
"They're just annoying things people write to disturb my peace." Benedict stood beside her and glanced at the memorials, but the moment his eyes met them, he quickly looked away with a frown.
Elara flipped through the papers, grumbling to herself silently while thinking of a good excuse to take them back to the princess's residence without raising suspicion.
A few seconds later, she turned to Benedict with a bright look in her eyes.
"Little brother, do these say anything about the local customs in different places? Like what specialties are in which areas, or where you can find handsome men? Do they write about things like that?"
Seeing her so interested, Benedict searched his mind for what little he remembered from the rare times he had read them and gave a small nod.
"I think… yeah, there might be."
Elara's eyes lit up even more. She waited a few more moments to make sure her act looked natural, then turned and gently held Benedict's hand, coaxing him softly.
"Then why don't you just let me take these with me? I'm a little bored lately and curious about things outside the palace. Let me bring them back to read! I'll return them to you once I get tired of them."
Seeing how excited she was, Benedict had no reason to refuse.
"Alright. If you like them, take them."
The servant holding the memorials looked alarmed when the emperor handed over the documents that were promised to Lord Gregory. His face changed instantly.
He was just about to speak when Elara stepped forward quickly and stood right in front of him. She smiled, but the expression on her face made the servant feel a chill down his spine.
"You can go now. These are mine now. Lord Gregory just said there's nothing in the Plumera Kingdom I can't do. So I suppose if I want to borrow these to entertain myself, he won't object."
The servant froze, remembering the words Lord Gregory had said earlier before storming off, and how even the powerful General Yang had suffered defeat today. He swallowed hard and didn't dare say another word.
Elara told Dos to pack up the memorials and take them back to the princess's residence.
Watching as every single one of those memorials was carried away to her estate, Elara looked out the window at the darkening sky. Today had been full of twists and turns, but the results were satisfying.
She'd gotten back at that bastard To Guard Yang, irritated Lord Gregory, and now she had the right to review the memorials too. Not bad.
But then she remembered the huge group of men waiting for her back at the residence. Her head started to throb.
She didn't linger any longer. After chatting a bit more with her little brother, she left the palace and got into the carriage.
"Big sister, remember to come visit me often."
Elara patted the boy's head as he walked with her to the palace gates. She nodded. "Got it. And if anything comes up, send Xiao Li to fetch me."
"Okay, sister…"
Then, with her little brother's reluctant gaze behind her, she headed back to the princess's residence.