"When does Prince Matthew plan to make a move against the Eagle Kingdom's royal family?" Jiang Yi asked directly.
"Soon, preparations are underway. Once everything is in place, he will act!" Tracy replied. "The 'action' isn't a direct confrontation, but rather a vote. According to royal regulations, if the King is no longer fit for the position, all members of the Eagle Kingdom's royal family can hold a vote. Any reputable member of the royal family can run for the position, and whoever garners the most votes becomes King!"
"That simple?" Jiang Yi couldn't help but ask.
"It sounds simple, but it's anything but!" Tracy explained. "There are still many in the Eagle Kingdom's royal family who support the current King. My godfather must find a way to secure more votes, which is difficult as every vote is precious. Over two thousand individuals in the Eagle Kingdom's royal family and nobility are eligible to vote. For my godfather to succeed, he needs over a thousand votes! Based on my assessment, only about two hundred members of the royal family and nobility will vote for him."
"Over a thousand votes?" Jiang Yi was taken aback.
"That's right. It's a long-standing rule of the Eagle Kingdom's royal family; to be elected King, one must secure more than half of the total number of eligible voters. Otherwise, the election is not considered successful!" Tracy stated.
Jiang Yi's interest piqued, and he continued, "So, does anyone have the right to run for election?"
"How could that be!" Tracy chuckled before continuing, "Not just anyone can participate in the election. One must be a royal relative with pure royal blood. My godfather is the younger brother of the current King, making him the most qualified person among them to run."
Jiang Yi smiled slightly. Prince Matthew possessed all the qualifications to run for King; the only missing piece was votes, and votes were something that could very likely be obtained.
"When does the election begin?" Jiang Yi inquired.
"The election day is in two months. The election will last for three months. This year, there are only three candidates: my godfather, the current King, and another prince. However, that prince's chances of success are very low, almost negligible," Tracy said.
Jiang Yi raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. With the election only two months away, it was no wonder Prince Matthew was impatient and had returned to the capital early, undoubtedly to prepare for the election.
"You're asking me so many questions about the election. Do you want to help Prince Matthew, or do you have some other plans?" Tracy looked at Jiang Yi, her suspicion piqued by his questions.
"What plans could I possibly have? My only plan is to help Prince Matthew successfully get elected King!" Jiang Yi replied. "I've been following Prince Matthew for so long, don't you trust me?"
"Of course, I trust you. I was just asking," Tracy said with a smile.
As they spoke, the car arrived in front of a massive castle gate. Jiang Yi alighted from the car and looked up at the castle, feeling a sense of awe. The castle was grand and enormous, resembling a majestic palace. At the main entrance, dozens of guards stood on duty, their gazes sharp and their postures erect – clearly elite guards.
"This is my godfather's castle!" Tracy said. "This castle originally belonged to my godfather's grandfather, and then my godfather inherited it. Alright, enough talk. My godfather is waiting for you inside. Let's go in!"
"Mhm," Jiang Yi nodded and followed Tracy into the castle. Once inside, Jiang Yi realized the true extent of its opulence. It was the most luxurious castle he had ever seen in the Eagle Kingdom.
In the courtyard, many people were gathered, mostly nobles of the Eagle Kingdom and also Prince Matthew's subordinates. Prince Matthew had specifically summoned them to the castle today for a reception. Their eyes were now appraising Jiang Yi.
"Tracy is one of Prince Matthew's most trusted goddaughters, and she personally went to pick up this young man. He must have quite the air about him. I wonder what his background is!"
"And that follower behind him doesn't seem like an ordinary person either!"
"No matter his background, Prince Matthew will surely introduce him later, and then we'll know! Alright, let's go inside. Today is the best opportunity to curry favor with Prince Matthew, and I believe none of us will miss it!"
The nobles began to whisper amongst themselves before gradually heading into the castle's main hall.
"Prince Matthew certainly has many followers! They all seem like no ordinary people; they must be Prince Matthew's most capable subordinates!" Jiang Yi remarked.
"My godfather enjoys associating with talented individuals and treats people very well, which is why many are willing to work for him!" Tracy said.
"When I was in Simon State, I often heard people say that Prince Matthew is a ruthless and despicable person. Yet, you don't seem to think so," Jiang Yi stated.
Hearing this, Tracy's brows furrowed. "Mr. Jiang, you shouldn't believe hearsay. The Eagle Kingdom's royal family is deliberately slandering Prince Matthew. They use the media to spread rumors, calling my godfather despicable and ruthless, all with the aim of suppressing him. By tarnishing my godfather's reputation, they hope he won't gain support and that people will distance themselves from him. However, everyone isn't foolish. Many who know my godfather understand that these are just rumors deliberately created by the Eagle Kingdom's royal family!" Tracy looked at Jiang Yi. "You've known my godfather for so long, you know what kind of person he is, right?"
"Mhm," Jiang Yi nodded. Jiang Yi was merely asking casually. He didn't care about Prince Matthew's character; all he needed to know was that Prince Matthew intended to act against the Eagle Kingdom's royal family. Jiang Yi's purpose in helping Prince Matthew was to use him to deal with the Eagle Kingdom's and the Mei Kingdom's royal families.
"Beep beep..." Tracy's phone suddenly rang. After answering the call, Tracy took a deep breath. "I have something urgent to attend to now. You go in by yourself."
"Alright, go ahead," Jiang Yi nodded.
"My godfather probably hasn't gone to the hall yet. You can wait there first," Tracy said before turning and leaving. Jiang Yi shrugged and walked directly into the hall. Upon entering the hall, he found it filled with people, at least three to four hundred individuals, all chatting and waiting for Prince Matthew.