Well, he's clearly willing to throw his people into war for the sake of a pretty bride, and rather openly in front of other nobles. Makes you curious what sort of secrets he has that he doesn't want to get out, doesn't it?

[Jade wants to know. He wants to know all the filthy little secrets this man is hiding. If the writers are good, there's no doubt many of them.]

People are fickle, start the right rumors, blame the royalty for their woes, and they will turn their allegiances soon enough. It's not unlike running a business, you simply need to give them a deal they can't refuse.

[He takes a sip of their tea before going quiet for a moment to watch the next seen with a naive lovestruck Margret.]

Oh, she's absolutely going to die later. I hope she at least commits some crime first- maybe a murder. She should go out with a splash.