When Claude was granted the title of Honorary Baron of the Kingdom by the late King Sterling X for his military exploits in the overseas autonomous territories, he chose the Chinese character for the conferment to commemorate his previous life. Of course, the public statement is that the first character of the first prince's name was chosen as the word "gift" because he did not forget the grace of the promotion of the eldest prince Hansback. From that moment on, Claude's full name was Baron Claude Hanfield, and he became a member of the kingdom's nobility.
As Claude's relatives, his mother, wife, sister and brother all share in Claude's glory. Because they are direct relatives, they can also add the word "gift" to their names. As Claude's status and title continued to rise, this Chinese character has become the symbol of the Field family. Even when Claude made a emblem for his family, he just chose a gold-edged shield with a Chinese character in the middle, which looked simple and clear.
But now Albert comes to visit, and the name sticker he handed over is the full name of Viscount Albert Thornfield. This makes Claude very surprised. When did the name of the Field family change to "mulberry", he himself Why don't you know? In addition, as an honorary noble of the kingdom who pays the promotion fee and the land selection fee, isn't it possible to be promoted to the title of hereditary baron? So why did Albert write the title of Viscount on his name sticker? What happened in this
"Haha, Claude, this is what mother meant..." Alvert smiled and replied calmly: "Mother said that it was father's contribution to opening up new routes for the kingdom that gave us the Field family. today, so she asked His Majesty the King to change the word "cii" to the word "mulberry" in her father's name to commemorate our father. But His Majesty the King said that if you want to change the word "cii", you must first obtain your consent, so my mother only changed her and My gift..."
Claude laughed, but his face was cold: "It is understandable that mother must have planned this for a long time. Perhaps in her view, this is to return the Field family to orthodoxy. After all, now that you are the eldest son, you can be justified. I believe she should be very satisfied with inheriting the family business. Tell me, what do you want from me this time? "
Albert looked at Claude, lowered his head sincerely and apologized: "Claude, because I was young, I, as the eldest brother, failed to fulfill my responsibilities as an eldest brother and treated you younger brothers and sisters very harshly. I regret it very much after so many years. But I heard that you are all doing well now, and I am also happy for you. This visit is, firstly, to admit to you the mistakes I made when I was young, and secondly, my mother asked me to confess to you. You ask for help..."
Claude smiled and shook his head: "Tell me, what does mother want me to do for you? I know she won't think of us if nothing happens. As for you admitting your mistakes for what happened back then, forget it. None of us are so lucky to have an eldest brother like you. Albert, you can deceive mother, but you can't deceive us. We three brothers and sisters know very well what kind of person you are. In fact, mother has changed. It’s easier for us to give you the word. Now we are no longer a family with you... "
Claude is right. The change of the word "give" by her mother means that in her heart, Thornfield is the main family, and Hanfield is the branch family. The difference in the word "give" means that the Field family has been artificially divided. Claude believes that his sister and brother are willing to follow him and they will not change the word "give". By the way, my younger brother can also bear the surname Han Field again. He gave up his surname and position as head of the family last time because his mother killed Adele. Now Claude can ask him to come back.
"No, no, no, Claude, people will change." Albert said hurriedly: "I was really sorry for you back then, but that was because I was young and ignorant, and I only regarded Bailu Town as my own. The whole world. After traveling in the continent of Farea for these years and experiencing a lot, I finally realized that the one I depend on most is my brother. Even if the words are different, our blood relationship is still there, because we all have our father in our bodies. The bloodline..."
Claude stretched out an index finger and waved it in front of Albert, signaling him not to talk nonsense: "I'm very busy and have no time to talk nonsense with you. Just tell me what your mother wants you to do... . ”
As the top person in charge of the Dominion Military Region, Claude has his own power. Coupled with the aura of the kingdom's marshal and hereditary earl, Albert no longer dares to have any more brotherly blood ties in front of Claude. He managed to maintain a smile, but his figure began to shrink involuntarily, and he no longer had the upright posture and elegant gentlemanly demeanor he had when he first came in.
"Yes, it's like this..." Albert said with a smile: "Mother wants you to pay the loan of one million gold crowns owed to Her Majesty the Queen, and then provide some support to the family territory. She also I wrote a list and asked me to give it to you..."
Albert took out a piece of exquisite parchment from his arms and placed it in front of Claude.
Claude was so angry that he laughed: "I really want to know why the total promotion fee and land selection fee for other people is only 500,000 gold crowns, but my mother wants 1 million?"
"Because my mother said that my father's posthumous title was an honorary viscount, she spent an additional five hundred thousand gold crowns to ask Her Majesty the Queen to help her upgrade the title of hereditary baron to viscount, so that the family territory obtained could be larger... .." explained Albert.
Can it still be like this? Your Majesty the King and Queen are really good at making money. Claude was very impressed. In order to rob money from the Hicks Kingdom, he mobilized the Thunder Legion and the Storm Legion, as well as eight Hicks Returning Divisions, and conspired with the Breault Kingdom to formulate the Hicks The kingdom's strategy plan wasted so much manpower and material resources, and only with the cooperation of such a huge ocean-going transport fleet and armored fleet could we get tens of millions of gold crowns in one go.
The king and queen stayed in the palace, and with just a touch of their upper and lower lips, they took out an extra five hundred thousand gold crowns from their mother. If this news spreads, I believe that more barons in the kingdom will be willing to pay 500,000 gold crowns to promote their title to viscount. Because the hereditary family territory granted by the viscount includes a town and two villages, while the baron's hereditary family territory will only have one village if it is unlucky, just like the Squirrel Village back then.
"I will not pay this money, and my entire family property does not even have one million gold crowns." Claude rejected his mother's request straightforwardly: "Since you want to inherit the title of Viscount Thornfield, then this This debt should be borne by you and has nothing to do with us!"
Is there any mother who cheats her son? Claude wanted to look up to the sky and sigh, but he thought of himself when he was spending money. I don’t think about it, without my own hard work and current status, who would care about the merits of my father, Mr. Morsan, in opening up a new route for the kingdom? Perhaps he was too tolerant of his mother's misbehavior, and she had become a joke in the kingdom without even realizing it.
No matter who has the debt of one million gold crowns, it will be uncomfortable. Claude even doubted whether the output of the viscount fief for one year was enough to repay the interest of the one million gold crowns. As expected, Albert became anxious: "Why didn't you? Mother said you could easily get two to three million gold crowns by mortgaging the shares of the tobacco factory. And isn't the tobacco factory a family property? Mother is now It is also to repay the debt of the family territory..."
"Haha..." Claude sneered: "What does this tobacco factory have to do with my mother? Has she ever done anything? Moreover, this tobacco factory belongs to the Han Field family, not the Thornfield family. I hope my mother understands this..."
Claude grabbed the parchment on the table, glanced at it and laughed angrily again: "She also wants three thousand new rifles. What are they for? Road robbery? Ten thousand sheep, one thousand cattle, two vehicles A luxurious carriage, eight sets of exquisite palace tableware and two carriages of luxurious decorations, and she also wants me to give her an allowance of ten thousand gold crowns every month. What does she think of me? A national bank?"
"Then, those nobles who came back from the Kingdom of Hicks said that you have made a big mistake this time and took away the Wangjing area and the Wangjing Saint Hyprian City of the Hicks Kingdom, unlike they can only live in the bitter western area. The county is tossing. They said that you can get at least tens of millions of gold crowns in property, so mother only asks you to share the small profit..." Albert faced Claude's Angry became scared and quickly explained.
"Is this a small profit share?" Claude slapped his palm on the parchment: "Do you understand this? Do you think those seizures belong to me personally? I told you You, if I dare to give my mother these things, I will have to go to court-martial tomorrow!"
"But, aren't you the Marshal of the Kingdom, the Supreme Commander of the Dominion Military Region?" Poor Albert didn't understand the rules and regulations of the Dominion Military Region. In his opinion, since Claude is the Supreme Commander, he has the final say. , the relationship between the property and the loot is just one sentence. If it was true as he thought, Marshal Bolognik would not step down because he agreed to an arms deal with the kingdom without permission.
"Forget it, I can't tell you clearly, and you don't understand anyway." Claude ignored Albert, who was blushing: "Tell me, what do you want three thousand new rifles for?"
The things at the back of the parchment list are understandable, and they are nothing more than the mother’s desire to show off, but the request for the three thousand new rifles in front is more strange. This cannot be the mother’s intention, it can only be said to be Albert’s idea. Claude really wanted to know why he wanted a new rifle
"This, this," Albert hesitated for a long time: "I just want to form a family guard team. If I have the opportunity in the future, I can go to the battlefield to make some money like those nobles..."
"Haha..." Claude sneered again, forget it, it's not interesting, send this Albert away as soon as possible: "Do you know how much it costs to raise troops? Three thousand new rifles, you want to rebel Well. A viscounty territory can form a brigade of about 200 people. The territory is so barren that it can't bear it. Do you still want to raise thousands of soldiers to start a war? Do you think a citizen of the territory is a qualified warrior with a clockwork gun? I don't worry about you. His usual mistreatment of them made him feel resentful. Would he shoot you behind your back? What a beautiful thought... "
Claude pulled the calling bell next to the desk, and soon Captain Fahsselin opened the door and came in: "Marshal, if you have any orders, please give instructions..."
"Captain, you have my salary and everything, right? How much is it in total?" Claude asked.
"From last year to now, your salary, welfare subsidy and year-end bonus are all with me. The total is 13,528 gold crowns. I have detailed billing records here." Fahselin replied the captain.
"Go and get ten bills of exchange for one thousand gold crowns."
"Yes." Captain Fahselin went out for a while and soon came back with ten money orders worth one thousand gold crowns.
"Albert, this ten thousand kronor is my last support for my mother." Claude rubbed his temples, feeling so tired: "Since my mother has decided to separate the family, I won't say anything. Let you inherit everything from the Thornfield family, and it will have nothing to do with me in the future. As for this list, I will give you some compensation so that you can explain it when you go back."
"Captain Fahsselin, you take him." Claude pointed at Albert: "Go to the Logistics Department, pick one of the captured royal carriages, and get two sets of exquisite palace tableware and utensils. Then go to the Arms I will get him a thousand matchlock guns from the captured Hicks kingdom and equip them with ammunition. All expenses will be deducted from my salary bill. I believe that more than three thousand gold crowns should be enough to pay the bill. Already..."
Albert wanted to say something else, but Claude didn't give him a chance and told him to get out.
Colonel Bockaar pushed the door open and walked in, going to the wine cabinet to choose a drink: "What's wrong with you? You look tired..."
"Heart-tired..." Claude closed his eyes and leaned back on the chair: "You bastard came here to steal wine again. Didn't you realize that you have gained a lot of weight these days?"
Colonel Bockal poured himself a glass of fruit wine: "Is that Albert just now? When I looked at it from a distance, I felt that it looked like..."
As a young friend of Claude, Colonel Bockard naturally knew Albert, the eldest brother who was at odds with Claude.
Claude nodded and whispered Albert's purpose.
"Your mother, alas..." Colonel Bockard shook his head: "I don't know what to say, but it's good to separate the families. They won't bother you in the future. But, Claude, I want to remind you that Albert may cause you trouble. I remember that Similok County once issued a wanted warrant for him, and it should not be canceled yet... "
Claude was stunned and opened his eyes: "What did you say? Albert is a wanted criminal. What has he done? Why is he wanted in Similok County?"
Similok County is one of the three counties in the southwest. It is separated from Bailu City by Barevia County. It is located in a remote area and has conservative folk customs. Claude remembered that Boker's aunt married into this county. His uncle's family was very popular in Similok County and was considered a local wealthy family.
"Didn't I go to Similok County to serve in the Bunjili garrison? Later, the first war in the eastern region broke out, and we were the second batch of garrison troops deployed to the front line. Just a few days before departure, the county, Bangjili A marriage fraud incident occurred in Ya City. Baroness Audley, who had been single for many years, was swept away by a liar and took away most of her family property. This caused a great disturbance and became a well-known case in the local area.
It is said that the liar is Captain Geralt, a logistics officer of the Kingdom's Army Department, who came to Similok County to investigate the quality of front-line military supplies. Then he met the thirty-four-year-old Baroness Audley and fell in love. A month later, the two decided to get married, but they had to wait for Captain Geralt's parents and relatives from the royal capital to come to attend the wedding. At this time, due to the shortage of funds for the purchase of military supplies, Baroness Audley used most of her family property to advance payment...
As a result, two days before the wedding, Captain Geralt suddenly disappeared. At that time, Baroness Audley thought he had urgent military matters and hurriedly contacted the Kingdom's Ministry of War, but the reply she received was that no such person was found. Only then did everyone realize that something was wrong. Upon closer inspection, they discovered that they had all been deceived. Captain Geralt was a liar and had taken away most of Baroness Audley's property. So this liar's portrait was on the wanted list, and I checked it out and found out that he was Albert.
Then I went to the front line, and after the First War in the East I returned to Similok County and served as the battalion commander of the Bongilia Garrison Battalion. I heard someone talk about this marriage fraud incident again at a banquet. It was said that Baroness Audley disliked the shame and took the initiative to withdraw the wanted order after three months. However, secretly she was still pursuing the liar Geralt. Captain..." Colonel Bockaar told an incident from more than ten years ago.
"Are you sure that Captain Geralt is Albert?" Claude asked with a frown.
"You should know my vision." Colonel Bockard said: "I see people and things with very precise vision, and I can't make mistakes. Moreover, I have known Albert for so many years since he was a child, and I still don't know what he looks like. ? Although the portrait of Captain Geralt on the wanted poster was a little distorted and he was still wearing a military uniform, I knew he was Albert at a glance.
Moreover, Albert had already left White Deer Town for two years at that time. You mentioned this in your letter back then. He left you and disappeared without a trace. That is to say, your mother asked others to inquire about him. No one paid much attention to him in White Deer Town. He also became the personal secretary of Sir Fu Shi and stayed in the manor every day. Most businessmen did not remember him. Therefore, he was wanted in Similok County and no one knew about him. the foundation.
But Baroness Audley is still there, and she will definitely recognize Albert if the two meet. I am told that Baroness Audley has no intention of acquiring the family lands from His Majesty the King, and has been staying at her estate on the outskirts of Bungillia, where she will probably spend the rest of her years. As for other people who have met Captain Geralt, they may have forgotten this incident, so Albert is fine at the moment, but he must be careful just in case... "
Claude nodded, understanding the meaning of Colonel Bock'ar's reminder. If this matter were to be revealed, even though the family had been separated, the eldest brother of the Kingdom Marshal was a wanted criminal for cheating on marriage, and this matter would still be a scandal... . ...
"Let's not talk about this anymore." Claude changed the subject: "You didn't come to my place just for a drink?"
"Oh, I almost forgot about the business." Colonel Bockaar said, "I just received the news from the North, so I came over immediately to report to you."