The Wicked Wife's Dark History Keeps Coming Back To Haunt Her - Chapter 261

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A night of raging wind.

Crackle, crackle….

Listening to the sound of firewood burning, Ash swept back his sweat-soaked hair.

After having the documents confiscated by his wife, he slept in a room filled with warmth and so the cold symptoms that had lingered all day had mostly subsided.

He just felt sticky from the sweat.

With a noticeably refreshed expression, he tilted his head from side to side and asked Hozi in a hoarse voice.

“…The Duchess is running the household in place of Duke Nord?”

“Yes, it seems the aides are handling the corruption in the state project under the Duchess’s instructions.”

After finishing the important approvals.

The first thing Ash asked Hozi about was news of House Nord.

He had already been thinking it was about time to start tightening the pressure on House Nord again, and then he happened to run into Rebecca at the Conwell Gallery.

“What’s the progress on their cleanup?”

Hozi let out a dry laugh and asked back,

“Do you really think that’s possible, Your Grace?”

“True. That’s fair.”

Even if Duke Nord himself, no, even if Duke Nord’s grandfather stepped in, the situation couldn’t be resolved.

While Duke Nord siphoned off the construction materials and labor costs funded by the imperial family and lined his own pockets, the wages of countless laborers had been paid in aged grain instead.

And even then, there were many workers who hadn’t been paid with anything at all.

“They’re belatedly paying the overdue wages, but their available funds are limited, and there are workers who left long ago, so it won’t be easy.”

Ash let out a crooked smile as he recalled Rebecca, who had dared to appear before Nina wearing a meaningful smile.

Instead of staying home to deal with the crisis facing House Nord, she was leisurely pushing forward with renting the Conwell Gallery.

“It seems I’ve been tightening the noose a bit too slowly.”

“Shall we submit a petition to the imperial family?”

“Include the taxation issue as well.”

Around last year, His Majesty the Emperor had lowered the upper limit of tax rates despite the opposition of many nobles.

It had been a measure to prevent excessive exploitation of the people.

But as tax revenue decreased, many nobles had begun resorting to tricks.

‘They’re not even mosquitoes, yet they’re attaching taxes to everything.’

Duke Nord, in particular, was worse than most nobles.

He had imposed taxes for marriage, for childbirth, and even for growing older.

The imperial family was already viewing this issue seriously.

And if it became known that the grandson-in-law of the Minister of Finance had not only been involved in corruption in a state project but had also resorted to such schemes?

“…Did you say Marquis Crewe and Marquis Dunklin have been meeting frequently lately?”

“Yes, under the pretext of planning the upcoming imperial palace charity event, they’ve been meeting often and openly displaying their close relationship.”

Until now, the Minister of Finance had avoided contact with Marquis Dunklin almost excessively.

But if Hozi was saying they were “showing off their closeness,” it seemed their private meetings were continuing as well.

“It looks like he’s trying a shallow trick to earn His Majesty’s favor…”

After all, any high-ranking noble knew that His Majesty favored Marquis Dunklin, who was effectively the head of the charity foundation.

At Ash’s languid murmur, Hozi smiled slyly and said,

“If the taxation issue of House Nord is added to this, the Minister of Finance won’t be able to avoid losing His Majesty’s trust.”

No matter how much he tried to display closeness with Marquis Dunklin, a close relative had acted against the Emperor’s policies twice. There would be no forgiveness.

“Ah, and while you’re submitting the petition, include the matter of Marquis Ulverni as well.”

Marquis Ulverni had been arranging lower-ranking palace positions for branch family relatives and acquaintances, taking fees in return.

Even if they retired after a short period of service, they could receive a lifetime pension from the imperial family, so the demand was considerable.

When he had meddled with Ian at the academy in support of Count Azelot’s intentions, Ash had thought expelling his son, Richard, was sufficient warning.

But since he had approached again and caused trouble, there was no reason to overlook it anymore.

It seemed that not only Ian, but Nina as well had no intention of forgiving them, so there was no need to hesitate in wielding the blade.

“Do you have any other instructions?”

The document approvals, the petition orders, and even the letter to be sent to Count Conwell had all been delivered. Everything that needed to be done today was finished.

“You’ve done well. You should rest for the day.”

Hozi, who had been granted permission to leave, broke into a bright smile, then called out to him as if something had suddenly come to mind.

“However, Your Grace.”

“?”

“Once your cold is completely gone, you’ll be sharing a bed with Madam, won’t you?”

Flinch.

Ash’s lips twitched briefly downward.

That was because Hozi was smiling with narrowed eyes, curved unpleasantly, looking thoroughly amused.

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