His Royal Highness Ogesello was still in a good mood when he received the news that Earl Norton had come to see him. Five years ago, he used the northbound convoy of the Norton family to ingeniously turned around and regained the ruling power of the Antinak Kingdom. Then he dumped the huge refugees as parcels to the northbound convoy, and used the convoy to cleanse the kingdom of those The disobedient nobles, from which the supplies and property were allocated to enable them to reorganize the Royal Guards. In the end, with the cooperation of the Norton family's armed forces, they fought a series of brilliant battles, making themselves famous and laying the foundation for the now powerful kingdom of Antinac.
Today's Second Highness is no longer the poor wretch who relied on the Norton family's northbound convoy to arm him. He now holds an army of 300,000, and every move he makes can cause huge waves in Galintia. All the nobles in the kingdom bowed down at his feet humbly, obediently. Therefore, even the Norton family in the far north should respectfully listen to his orders like those nobles in the kingdom.
However, His Royal Highness is very talented, and he soberly recalled the scene when the Norton family's convoy was invincible. The territorial nobles with such a powerful family armed with such a force must be fully respected in order to make them willing to use it for themselves.
Especially when I received a report some time ago, it seems that the Kingdom of Iberia and several nobles in the Northland had a big conflict and even fought a big battle, but the Principality of Madras did not communicate with each other, and the Principality of Melain The news that came from the side was vague, so I just asked Earl Norton, and maybe he could use the powerful force of the Norton family to increase his chances of victory in the battle to unify the empire.
So His Royal Highness ordered to arrange a grand banquet to welcome Earl Norton, to show how much he valued the Norton family, and to invite all the nobles in the imperial capital to attend the banquet, which is also to show off that the nobles in the entire kingdom are just like him With one heart and one mind, he is ready to unify the empire at any time, united under his command.
The Second Highness believes that Earl Norton will definitely worship for his ambition, willing to be a pawn, and make due contributions to the great cause of the unification of the empire.
And with the addition of the Norton family, he will have a few more unexpected choices in his future strategy. He will make the powerful Norton family armed into a surprise army, break into the enemy's center, and attract the attention of the enemy's main force. At that time, he can use this opportunity to surround the enemy and let the Norton family's armed forces bloom at the center, so that he can annihilate the main force of the enemy in one fell swoop and win the greatest victory with less loss.
Of course, the casualties of the Norton family's armed forces are not included in the calculation of the Second Highness. As the next lord of the Antinac royal family, they should have the consciousness to devote themselves to the royal family. This is their duty and responsibility.
The script had already been written, but what Second Highness didn't expect was that Lorist didn't act according to the steps he had arranged. To put it bluntly, Lorist's audience this time was to spoil things.
The place where the audience banquet was arranged was in a palace in the royal court, but there was a hint of depression in the splendor. Leaning on the railing to hang the prosperous age of the empire in the past, recalling the current fragmented situation, one can't help but feel a lot of emotion...
His Highness the Second Highness very kindly introduced to Lorist the nobles, ministers and his trusted generals who came to the banquet. Lorist met a lot of acquaintances, such as the handsome David, and the delicate and inviolable Princess Kerry with a frosty face. Of course, they were all wearing clothes. There were also several regiment leaders who had participated in the Paradise Party that Lorist recognized because of their body shape or voice movements.
Having seen them without clothes, and looking at their serious appearance at this time, Lorist really wanted to laugh out loud. He had a half-smile expression on his face, and he was just introducing these people to His Highness the Second Highness. Nodding his head, he passed by like the wind, not caring about their identities and powers. Even for Princess Kerry, whom His Royal Highness introduced emphatically, Lorist pretended not to see the princess handing over her hand for the hand-kiss ceremony, nodded lightly, turned around and left on his own.
Lorist's behavior made the nobles present dumbfounded, and they couldn't understand why this bumpkin Earl from the North was so arrogant and rude. Princess Kerry's face turned red with anger. She had never encountered such an embarrassing thing. Fortunately, the handsome David was quick to grasp the princess's bare hand and kissed it lightly, preventing the princess from stretching out her hand. No one kisses.
The Second Highness didn't pay attention to this little episode. He had just exchanged greetings with a nobleman next to him and turned his head only to realize that Lorist had gone far away and was admiring the murals on the wall of the palace. It wasn't that the enemy was killed to the brim, or that the first emperor, Wei Guangzheng, was commanding the battlefield.
His Royal Highness hurried over and said, "Why, are you interested in these murals? Soon we will accomplish the same feat as the past emperors, and I will paint all the soldiers who have made great achievements on the wall as a commemoration..."
Lorist smiled: "Your Highness, looking at these murals, I just sigh, once you become famous, your bones will dry up..."
One will become famous and ten thousand bones will die? What's the meaning? His Highness was thinking about it, when a palace steward came to report that the banquet was ready, His Highness was invited to sit first.
The palace feast is not the kind of long table that ordinary nobles entertain guests, but a seat system. Two people have a small long table. For example, a nobleman brings his wife and just arranges a seat. For a lone horse like Lorist, his master arranged for a noble lady to accompany him.
As a guest who came from afar, and in order to show his affection for the Norton family, Lorist was arranged to be the chief on the right side of His Highness the Second Highness. To Lorist's surprise, the female companion that the Second Highness arranged for him was not the cousin Chrisya he thought, but Princess Kerry, who was cold-eyed and angry.
what happened? Lorist was stunned for a moment, but he didn't show any signs of expression. After bowing slightly to Princess Kerry with a smile, he sat down generously, and then heard a disdainful "hum" from the side.
The musicians changed the tune and began to play a relaxed and melodious tune to cheer up the banquet. The Second Highness raised the golden cup in his hand, wishing the heavens and the earth, wishing the late Emperor, and then a long speech reviewing the past and looking forward to the future, Lorist shook his head, thinking that no matter how nice the Second Highness said, he forgot the most important thing One point, that is based on the present. People who don't even know that they are sitting on the crater of a volcano that is about to erupt have any qualifications to look forward to the future.
"... In the not-too-distant future, in the great cause of unifying the empire, I look forward to your great achievements. The royal family will not hesitate to reward you with titles and territories. The future of your family depends on the performance of your princes." The Second Highness finally After finishing the long nonsense, everyone present cheered three times, Long live Antinac, and even more aggressively shouted the name of His Highness, Long live Ogesello, and then everyone drank the wine in their glasses, and the banquet officially began.
This imperial sheep sausage looks good, try it first to fill your stomach, I am already a little hungry after spending a long time with the Second Highness. Lorist picked up the fork and just put a piece of red sheep sausage into his mouth when he heard Princess Kerry's silver bell-like voice from beside him.
"Earl Norton, when His Highness was speaking just now, I saw you shaking your head disapprovingly. Do you have any complaints or dissatisfaction with what His Highness said?"
"Uh..." Lorist almost choked, the most vicious of women's hearts, he just had some contempt for the flamboyant princess, and naturally lost respect for a princess who had seen naked buttocks staged in public, so he I don't want to kiss that hand that I don't know how many men have touched. Princess Kerry took this point of impoliteness to heart, and embarrassed herself at the very beginning of the banquet.
When the princess spoke, everyone naturally listened attentively. Lorist immediately found himself the center of attention.
There is no such thing as a good banquet. Lorist stood up, without even looking at Princess Kerry, walked to the aisle in the middle, and bowed to the Second Highness above him: "Your Highness, I am here to meet His Highness this time, one is to express the Norton family's respect. Loyalty is the gift of offering to the royal family, and second, I have a few questions I would like to ask His Highness... "
"Tell me, what's the problem?" The Second Highness was a little impatient, what needs to be explained in public? What matters now is how the Norton family agrees to cooperate with their plan to unify the empire.
"Your Highness, I have arrested a few people and I need to bring them in for His Highness to see. Only His Highness can see me first before we can deal with them." Lorist said.
His Highness became curious, nodded and said, "Then bring it in."
Farea brought in two guards to escort the eight children of noble families who were captured from Wanghai Manor. During this period, these eight pampered and pampered noble children had suffered enough, let alone being whipped on the first night. It is common for them to eat black bread and drink a bowl of wild vegetable soup for the next day. If they are not good, they will be beaten fat. The relatives sat next to each other, crying loudly in the hall, calling their father and mother to get up.
Well, now the banquet has been turned into a pot of porridge. His Highness's face sank like water: "Earl Norton, can you tell me what's going on?"
Lorist asked: "His Royal Highness, may I ask if Hilovas Island is the territory of the Norton family?"
The Second Highness was startled: "Of course it is the territory of the Norton family, there is no doubt about it."
"Then these eight noble children occupied Wanghai Manor on Hilovas Island for five years, and also expelled the person who was sent by the steward of my family's territory to manage the manor, forcing me to come from the Northland to deal with the matter myself. I would like to ask these eight families, are they going to declare war with our Norton family? Our family’s armed forces have already prepared, and I really want to replicate the scene that swept across the three provinces of the kingdom when the convoy returned to the north.” Lorist declared loudly without shame.
The Second Highness's anger came up immediately, Earl Norton, you are here to make trouble, aren't you? Even if you are reasonable, don't be so domineering. If you have something to say, can you talk about it? Do you still think that the Antinac Kingdom is the weak and weak royal family a few years ago? Even if the old convoy comes back armed, facing the 300,000 army in your hands, do you still want to run amok again
An old man stood up next to him: "Earl Norton, the child has always been arrogant and disobedient to discipline. He went to the adult's territory in private and caused him a lot of trouble. Please read the earl to forgive them this time for their young and ignorant sake. Now His Highness's army is preparing to unify the empire. At this juncture, as the lords of the kingdom, we should not make another disturbance. Everyone should unite as one and dedicate our strength to the empire and His Highness... "
The Second Highness almost couldn't help admiring, seeing how well others have said this, how clear the reasoning is, not because we are afraid of the armed forces of your Norton family, but because we are doing our best for the great cause of the unification of the empire, so we have no time to talk to you. See how other people understand things...
"Who are you?" Lorist asked.
"I am the Marquis of Red, that is the incompetent boy of our family, please let the earl let them go." The old man said.
"Your Highness, what do you think should be done?" Lorist turned around and asked the Second Highness.
The Second Highness said expressionlessly: "They are all children messing around, I don't think Sir Earl Norton has to worry about them."
"Very well, then I will let them go for His Highness's sake." Lorist followed his example and told Farea and the others to let the eight noble children go.
So these eight noble children went straight to their relatives, crying and telling how they were abused, and shouting for revenge from their family members.
A fool who doesn't have eyes, doesn't look at what kind of occasion is here, and still thinks that he is the darling of the family? Sure enough, a few of them got a big mouth from their parents on the spot, and were ordered to go home and think about it behind closed doors.
His Highness was about to say a few words to ease the atmosphere of the scene, but he heard Lorist shout: "Bring it up."
besides? Everyone's eyes are wide open, wanting to see whose turn it is to be unlucky now...
This time it was El who came in, and he brought two guards to escort the captured golden knight Feiwenmante.
"Your Highness, this is the Golden Knight Fevinmant, the commander of the Third Corps of the First Corps under your command. He brought a hundred soldiers to the White Bird Town on the Lower Wailawas Island, and hanged the mayor to extort money. , was stolen by all of us. I want to ask the Second Highness, is this an invasion or a private act?"
With a sound of "bang", His Royal Highness slammed the table and stood up: "Very well, Fei Wenmante, the First Army of the Reserve has reported that you have been missing for many days, so you went to Earl Norton's territory to become a robber Come! Come on, push Feiwenmante to me to give me another 100 lashes, deprive me of the post of Corps Commander, and stay in the Third Corps to perform crimes and perform meritorious service, so as to see the aftermath!" The Second Highness made a quick decision Fei Wenmante's disposal plan did not give Lorist a chance to react.
Day, how could this be so, Lorist cursed inwardly, taking it lightly, seeming to punish him severely, but in fact he was lenient, just letting this golden knight go just like that made Lorist very reconciled. Very good, if you do the same with the next Viscount Aslan, labor and management will turn against you on the spot.
"Next!" Lorist shouted angrily.
Second Highness shivered, what else
Viscount Aslan was brought in by Jim with two guards, causing a sensation on the spot. Is this monster covered in chicken feathers and duck feathers human? It took a long time to recognize that this was Viscount Aslan, the tax inspector of His Highness the Second Highness.
When the Second Highness recognized the man lying on the ground as Viscount Aslan, he couldn't help but get angry: "Earl Norton, why do you treat a nobleman like this, or the tax inspector I appointed? Did you not treat Andy? The royal family of Nak is in their eyes!"
"Your Highness, I just asked you. You said Hilovas Island is the territory of the Norton family, so Your Highness should be very clear about the income of Hilovas Island when it was the prince's domain, is it only two thousand gold dollars? Then this Is it the tax inspector you appointed? I thought he was the new lord of Hilovas Island you appointed? Why should he collect nearly six thousand gold fords in taxes from Hilovas Island for three consecutive years. Not only did they arbitrarily increase all kinds of miscellaneous taxes, but they also caused civil unrest on the island. This is provoking our Norton family!
I really want to know, on the island, he has to collect the tithes that our family can't pay in the old territory of the Northland due to the disconnected borders. Is this His Highness's instruction? He also threatened that if His Highness did not invite to pay the tax, he would mobilize an army of 300,000 to bloodbath Hilovas Island. Is this true? Your Highness wants to conquer our Norton family? It is precisely because he is the tax inspector of His Highness, so we specially brought him here to ask for clarification, otherwise we would have hanged him on the island long ago. "Lorist confronted each other, not afraid of the anger of His Highness the Second Highness.
The Second Highness now understands that Lorist is not here to make trouble, he is here to slap his face, but now the Second Highness is thinking, ah talent, Viscount Aslan is able to extract six Qianjin Fu, but what I received was only 30% of the previous 2,000 Jin Fu, which is 600. This guy must be beaten hard to make him spit out the corrupted money, and let people monitor him later. If he collects taxes, he doesn't have to worry about huge military expenses.
But what should I say to Lorist now so that he can let Viscount Aslan go. After all, Viscount Aslan has gone too far and touched the dignity of the Norton family. The Second Highness knew very well that if Viscount Aslan was hanged, he would be able to give the Norton family an explanation, but the problem was that he now wanted to save Viscount Aslan's life.
"How dare you treat and insult my younger brother like this, our Aslan family and the Norton family are irreconcilable!" A sudden roar sounded in the palace.
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