Murmuring started within the hall. All the ministers started discussing their concerns. Eric was just watching them. Adney cleared his throat, but the murmurings didn't stop.
"You are the highest leaders of the kingdom and you are behaving like this. Even children are better than you. You all have forgotten how to conduct yourself in front of the king." Adney scolded them.
The ministers' face turned red, and the chatterings stopped.
One minister got up and said, "Your highness, your decision to check the records is right. But is it practical? I mean, we couldn't even survey the spendings properly for one year. How could we do such things for ten years?" This minister wasn't present yesterday.
"Heh, who said I will check every detail, I would just pick up one or two major projects of ministers, and it would be enough to verify the character of that person," Eric replied waving his hand to the minster. Minster sat down.
"Chief Adney, please present the report." Adney's assistant sprang up in action and he brought a large number of beast skins. He piled them up in front of Adney and Eric.
Eric put his hand in the pile of beast skin and pulled out one of them. He read, "Oh, it's yours," he said smiling to Minister Chad, "I have given you a chance to escape yesterday, but you stayed. Let's see if this document confirms your way to the gallows."
"Hmm, you were the supervisor for the canal work,..., It took you 5000 gold coins to just dig a ten-kilometer long canal and that too on the plains." Eric started laughing, "Sorry Chad, it seems the executioner really needs to make a good quality noose."
"Your highness, you are talking like a hooligan now. At every second word of yours is unrefined and uncouth. Do you really are so eager to hang me? Then, please send me to gallows if it pleases you but please change your attitude and spare the people of our great kingdom from your threats." Minister chad delivered his speech.
Eric shook his head, "guards, please take him out to gallows and hang him. There is really no need to waste more time."
Shock was written all over minister Chad's face, he had thought the new prince would think twice before again uttering the word hang or gallows. But he directly commanded it.
The guards came near him, he looked left and right and blinked his eyes, over ten ministers came in his support, "What is this, How could hang a senior minister. Its a violation of the kingdom's rules. You can't do this. We won't let this happen" Minister Chad was visibly relieved.
"Good, guards take them as well, ask other officials if anyone else wants to join them take them too," Eric ordered as he leaned back in his chair. These ministers had thought too highly of him. When had others had obeyed rules with him. Why he needed to go by rules. If rules really mattered in the universe he would not be here.
Shocked by the prince's decision, some of them become really terrified. The fifty guards came with ropes and tied them all. The thirteen ministers were being dragged from the palace to the gallows.
Eric glanced at other ministers present in the room, "I hate incompetence more than anything. If you are truly loyal to the kingdom and serving it wholeheartedly, I guarantee no one would be able to harm you. But if you like them just talk and politics and think that you can hide behind the protection of laws then, you better remember I am the Law in this kingdom." Eric left the room, Evans followed him.
It shocked the remaining minsters. Some of them who were smart and didn't participate in Chad's plan wiped the sweats on their forehead. They need to donate some goods in the poor and earn the good grace of the new king.
…
Evans nudged him, "You were very wilful while dealing with those minsters. But your last threat was good. I really appreciate it. I am the Law. ha ha ha," Evans laughed "I need to be careful now. One word from you and my soulless body would reach my home the next day."
"You don't need to worry about that this kind of punishment would be removed after I am done with cleaning the rusty parts in the administration. Um… King and tiger are similar, being near them are risky, you don't know what will happen to you the next moment." Eric feigned the roaring action of the tiger.
"You are nothing but the wooden tiger that children in the village play with, no not wood, I think mud is perfect for you," Evans said and laughed, Eric joined him.
Adney who exited the room just behind them was worried that Eric took the decision wilfully but he heard it was to clean the rusty parts of the system. He sighed, "Children are really better than their parents. His father founded this kingdom but in initial days some leches joined it and his father couldn't to anything to them. He was concentrated on the construction of the kingdom."
"Yeah, you are right. Son is continuing the leftover work of his father. You continue supporting the boy. I believe that this boy will make our kingdom unparalleled." said minster Rhodes. Adney nodded.