Chapter 817
Carmen abandoned her pulled pork stall to become the procurement officer at Pearwater Convent. Most residents, being frail, couldn't maintain a strict vegetarian diet. A new building was constructed nearby to prepare nourishing meat soups to improve their health. Anyone craving meat could obtain it there.
However, the abbess forbade the killing of animals on convent property. Each day, Carmen descended the mountain to buy meat and return with it. But after only two or three days, the residents lost their appetite for meat. Perhaps the convent's peaceful atmosphere fostered a newfound faith, leading them to abstain voluntarily.
Fortunately, Pearwater Convent had abundant wild mountain delicacies. They gathered medicinal herbs and local specialties for nourishing soups. Many officials' families also contributed herbs, such as Heartsage and Evergreen Root, which, though of lower quality, still aided the residents' health.
As for the other Harmony Palace staff, arrangements were made for all except Florence. The queen dowager decreed that Florence could deliver meals daily to Eleanor at the Heritage Bureau, but she couldn't enter to serve her. Florence could only pass the food through a small side door (lower right of the main entrance), catching glimpses of the former grand princess as she bent to receive the dishes.
This was a blessing for Florence, but witnessing the former grand princess's plight—unable to stand—broke her heart. The once graceful princess, adorned in silks and jewels, now existed in a squalid space, eating, drinking, and relieving herself in the same area, amidst a terrible stench. Her fair skin had become rough and weathered; white hairs mingled with her dark tresses, the white now seeming to outnumber the black. The former grand princess had aged drastically.
Harmony Palace's captain of the guard, Kurt, was sent to the Southern Frontier for five years of hard labor. Fortunately, his involvement with Eleanor was brief, and he refused to harm Daniel's family. This mitigated his offenses, though the grueling punishment remained.
With these matters resolved, Harmony Palace was reclaimed. Many citizens gathered to witness the removal of the residence's name plaque.
Chapter 917
Matthew, a Supreme Court deputy minister, used the occasion to lecture the crowd, warning against malicious thoughts and evil deeds. "Otherwise," he stated, "even the powerful, like the former grand princess, can fall."
The name plaque was smashed and discarded—too damaged even for repurposing. Some citizens took it for firewood.
Fiona, who had once placed a girl, Wendy, with Eleanor, faced consequences for Wendy's tragic death. Investigations revealed Wendy had been promised a concubine's position in the capital, with her family providing a dowry. She never returned, leaving her family to despair until their deaths. Fiona's reckless matchmaking made her partly responsible; she was ordered to pay three hundred silver coins in compensation but willingly offered three thousand, along with a thirty-thousand-coin donation to Pearwater Convent.
While seemingly resolved, everyone knew the case was far from over. Eleanor, a childless grand princess, claimed to be the mastermind behind the rebellion—a claim no one believed.
Yuvan, after his failed assassination attempt, remained uneasy. Each trip to see Ruth filled him with fear of Salvador summoning him for questioning. Salvador's silence only increased his anxiety. Given the treason, suspicion would naturally fall on the princes, yet Salvador seemed to consider the matter closed, questioning neither Yuvan, Harvey, nor any other prince. This inaction fueled Yuvan's fear, especially since Eleanor was still alive.