Evan Bennett strode over, and with a crisp bang, he knelt down before his mother Grace Carter.

Grace Carter had already begun to sob softly, repeatedly saying, “Son, get up, get up. Today you made your mother proud. We’re not afraid. You’re a secondary vessel; in the future, you’ll definitely be promoted to a first-level martial vessel. As long as you can do it, I’m willing to endure any hardship.”

“Sigh…” Many people at the scene couldn’t help but feel pity and sighed inwardly.

“This palace is just too complicated. How can they bully people to such an extent?”

“A dignified prince doesn’t even get a tael of allowance a month—he’s worse off than a merchant’s son!”

“If I hadn’t heard it myself, I’d never believe this mother and son were the king’s wife and child.”

Immediately, hushed discussions broke out all around.

“Consort Li, what’s this about 15 taels?” The King of Yan had extremely sharp hearing, so all these words naturally filled his ears. He suddenly turned his head, frowned at Catherine Smith, and asked.

Because the queen had died, the Eastern Palace consort had temporarily taken over the finances of the inner palace.

“I know nothing of this matter. Grand Steward, what’s going on?” Madam Smith was clearly looking for a scapegoat, putting on a frown and questioning the palace’s grand steward Paul Bennett at her side.

“The allowances for the noble ladies are managed by David Bolton. That damned dog of a servant must have embezzled them for himself.

Guards, drag Steward Bolton out and cane him to death immediately. This is outrageous—how dare he secretly withhold the allowances of Lady Carter and the Eighth Prince.

Doesn’t he know Madam Smith is in charge of palace finances? If word gets out, it’ll damage Her Ladyship’s reputation.

And doesn’t he know Lady Carter is the king’s wife? He must be tired of living!” Paul Bennett was an absolute old fox and would never take the blame for this mess.

Without another word, he immediately ordered David Bolton, the steward in charge, to be beaten to death on the spot, not even giving him a chance to speak.

“Hmph, return the withheld allowance to Lady Carter at once. Also, compensate Lady Carter with five thousand taels of silver.” The King of Yan slapped the armrest of his dragon throne, making his decision. Of course, the King of Yan was by no means so gullible.

Some things are best left unspoken; the palace is so vast, sometimes it’s better to play dumb.

He knew full well there was something fishy here, but he couldn’t possibly investigate thoroughly just for Grace Carter. For one, it would definitely implicate Madam Smith.

Secondly, it would also involve the grand steward Paul Bennett, who was a direct member of the Yan family. Though he sometimes played little tricks, his loyalty was unquestionable.

“Your Majesty, since the Eighth Prince is a ‘secondary vessel,’ he still has a chance to break through to a first-level martial vessel. Moreover, the Eighth Prince possesses astonishing strength. Though he hasn’t broken through yet, he can already lift four or five hundred jin, with the strength of a horse. I beg Your Majesty to grant him a few Spirit Gathering Pills to help him advance. Your Majesty, no matter what, the Eighth Prince is still your son—your own son!” Lady Carter sobbed as she knelt and pleaded.

Even now, Lady Carter only dared to believe that her own son Evan Bennett possessed a ‘secondary vessel’ and not a higher-level martial vessel.

In fact, it wasn’t that the national preceptor Ryan Cooper was confused. It was just that the old man didn’t recognize what kind of martial vessel Evan Bennett had inherited.

Chapter 5: The Tomb Emperor’s Space

If he admitted he didn’t know, it would be a huge embarrassment in front of everyone. The position of national preceptor was so honorable and respected. So, he put on a show and declared it a ‘secondary vessel.’

Ryan Cooper said this, of course, to leave himself some leeway. If things changed, he could just say the secondary vessel mutated and advanced. Later, under pressure from Madam Smith, the secondary vessel would become a ‘waste vessel.’

There’s a difference between a secondary vessel and a waste vessel: a secondary vessel still has a chance to advance, while a waste vessel is just trash—a martial vessel discarded by the gods when they had nothing better to do.

“Lady Carter, you have quite the appetite. The Seventh Prince, with a fourth-level ‘Axe Vessel,’ was only rewarded with ten first-grade Spirit Gathering Pills. The Eleventh Prince, with a first-level martial vessel, only got two. Yet the Eighth Prince, a waste vessel, and you want several pills for him?

Do you really think first-grade Spirit Gathering Pills are as common as cabbages? They require a fortune to produce.

Our Yan Kingdom isn’t so rich that silver flows everywhere. Besides, to the west is the powerful Zhao Kingdom.

To the south is the mighty Qi Kingdom. To the north, even the Great Zhou Empire is troubled by the fierce Jin Empire.

To the northeast, we’re still facing off against the ‘Blue Moon Empire,’ whose strength rivals the Great Zhou.

I’m temporarily in charge of palace finances, and I know well the king’s worries. Expenses are high everywhere, and the military budget soars every year.

Do warriors train for free? Does building a powerful army cost nothing?

As a noble lady, you should share the king’s burdens, not make excessive demands.

If you want money, earn it yourself. Or go ask your Zhao family.

Isn’t your Zhao family a great clan in the capital? A few Spirit Gathering Pills should be nothing to you.” Madam Smith stared at Grace Carter with an air of authority, her words flowing like a torrent. She fully embodied the style of a national matron.

It seemed, under her scathing words, that Lady Carter had become a parasite clinging to the Yan Kingdom.

Her words were laced with sarcasm. She even brought up ‘earning money’—but what money could be earned in the palace? Wasn’t she just telling Grace Carter to keep dancing for them?