Looking at the sail shadow going away, Lorist frowned.
The eldest son of the Chickard Chamber of Commerce, Seliham, was on the merchant ship that was leaving. The nearly 6,000 personnel of the Northern Fleet could not be transported back by a sea ship of the Peterson Chamber of Commerce. Seliham simply left. Money hired the Norton family's transport fleet to transport these ransomed persons to Morente City.
Lorist didn't care about the safety of these transporting ships. The Chickard Chamber of Commerce was insane to start another war with the Norton family over these dozen merchant ships. It was only before Seliham left that he revealed where the commercial alliance's troops to occupy Campona came from. Lorist never dreamed that the commercial alliance would have such a brilliant move... .
The meeting with Seliham a few days ago allowed Lorist to learn some inside details about the business alliance. Since the Commercial Alliance won the Glass War, although countries around the world have begun to guard against the expansion ambitions of the Commercial Alliance, blocking or canceling the commercial routes, after all, the Commercial Alliance has occupied seven countries, and its territory has almost expanded by four or five times. As long as production is well integrated to boost domestic demand, we won't have to worry about getting over it.
It's just that after the seven giants in charge of the business alliance, the seven large chambers of commerce inevitably shifted their focus to their respective territories after obtaining their respective chambers of commerce, under such circumstances, their control over the business alliance began to loosen. At the same time, the Secondary Alliance Parliament, which is a business alliance, has gained some power, and the aftermath of the Glass War has begun to take hold.
The sub-alliance council of the business alliance is mainly composed of second-rate chambers of commerce, citizen representatives, and heads of various industry organizations. Their main purpose is to pick up what is missing, to be responsible for monitoring and supervision, and to gather public opinion and other auxiliary work. After the Glass War, the seven countries were merged into the territory of the business alliance. Although the area has greatly increased, basically the seven giants and some outstanding second-rate chambers of commerce have shared the big cake. All satisfied.
For example, during the Glass War, those short-sighted chambers of commerce and mercenary organizations devoted themselves to plundering the private property of the nobles of the Trimble Kingdom, disobeyed the orders of the alliance army, and acted on their own. Long Camberlet was pissed off. So after the war, when Chairman Camberlet presided over the dividend distribution, there was a big reckoning. All the meritorious service of those who did not obey orders and disobeyed commands was halved, and some teams or individuals were banned from the business alliance. He was kicked out of the knight list.
Now the heads of these second-rate chambers of commerce and some mercenary organizations who have not been granted fiefdoms have no time to regret, so they make a fuss in the sub-alliance council of the commercial alliance, causing the Big Seven to have a headache. But where can I find territory now? At this moment, the Vicia Chamber of Commerce, one of the seven giants, came up with an idea again to draw the business alliance's attention to the Kingdom of Ridleys in the war.
At the beginning, the business alliance was afraid of the 300,000 troops of His Highness the Second Highness, but now that the Glass War has ended for so long, the Second Highness is still entangled with the nobles of the Kingdom of Ridleys, which makes the Business Alliance see through it at a glance The essence of the paper tiger of the Second Highness. Besides, if the Second Highness unified the Kingdom of Ridleys, he would soon come to the Duchy of Rulm and force the Duchy of Rulm to return to the empire. And this is something that the business alliance absolutely cannot agree to. Since the second highness is an enemy and not a friend, the business alliance doesn't mind stabbing the second highness in the back, breaking the second highness's dream of unifying the former empire...
In addition, although the seven giants of the business alliance have obtained their own chamber of commerce territory, the original nobles in the territory are also troublesome. They just took this opportunity to clean up a group and send them to the front line so that they can fight for their own future. Well, as long as you have meritorious service, you can elevate your title and get a new fief.
Therefore, it is these miscellaneous troops that the business alliance attacked Campona Province. Except for the Vicia Chamber of Commerce, the other six major chambers of commerce of the seven giants did not get involved in this attack. They are all busy integrating their own chambers of commerce. . And His Royal Highness also made a big mistake. He concentrated all his troops in Majik Province. The provinces of Porto-Org and Anderwolf, where King Federica was occupied later, had only a small number of troops guarding them. There are very few old and weak garrison troops in Campona Province. Perhaps in the heart of the Second Highness, there is already the rear area, and there is no need to waste troops...
It's just that His Royal Highness didn't expect that the Commercial Alliance would suddenly send troops to attack and occupy the province of Campona, and those castles and fortresses abandoned by him became barriers that blocked his connection with the Kingdom of Antinac. The insertion was ruthless and accurate, and half of His Highness's life was killed in one stroke. In addition, the four principalities in the central region clearly rejected the Second Highness's request that they cancel the title of the Principality and return to the empire's territory. The 100,000-strong army confronting each other, and vigorously assisting the aristocratic coalition forces in Majik Province, has already put the Second Highness in a dilemma.
"Ah..." Lorist sighed deeply.
"My lord, what are you worried about?" Bodfinger asked from the side.
"The Second Highness's battle situation in the Kingdom of Ridleys..." Lorist had nothing to hide from his confidant and beloved general.
"Your Excellency, you don't need to worry about this." Bodfinger said bluntly. He was very concerned about the fact that the Northbound convoy was used by the Second Highness when it returned to the family territory, and especially hated the Second Highness who poached the corner of his own convoy: "Two Your Highness did not let our Norton family join the war, and we are not uncommon to praise his stinky feet. Even though he is our upper lord, he has always taken a defensive attitude towards our family. I don’t think your lord should send Governor Hansk Going to the imperial capital, let alone taking the initiative to participate in this war. In the past two years, it is best for our family to give birth and rest, train the family's armed forces, and wait for better opportunities."
Lorist smiled and shook his head: "After all, His Highness is also the upper lord of our Norton family. We have to express our concern for him now that he is in trouble. If the imperial capital asks us to send troops to save His Highness, we will send out the family's armed forces to get through. The blockade in Campona Province is fine. As for the matter of going to Majik Province to fight those nobles of the Redelis Kingdom, I am not interested unless I get the whereabouts of the eldest prince. Strange, as the king of the Redelis Kingdom, the Great Prince Why is the prince missing after the fall of Wangcheng? It has been a year and a half since there is no news of him... "
At the end of June, when Hansk, the governor of Hilovas Island, who was sent as an envoy to the imperial capital, returned, Lorist was in Wanghai Manor for a competition with the great swordsman Hughes. After resisting more than a hundred moves from Lorist, Da Sword master Hughes finally gave up his sword and surrendered. While wiping his sweat, Lorist accepted the reply letter handed over by Hansk.
When I opened it, I saw that the letter said that the Norton family was required to keep themselves safe, not to participate in the military and state affairs of the Antinac Kingdom at will, and just guard their own territory. The letter was also stamped with the Kingdom's Regent seal.
Lorist read the letter over and over for a long time, then turned to Hansk and asked, "Who is in charge of the kingdom's affairs in the imperial capital now?"
"My lord, when I arrived in the imperial capital, it was Marquis Reid who met me. He read the letter written by your lord, and politely said that he doesn't need the help of our family's armed forces. The Second Army Corps of the Guards was transferred to the southwest front, broke through the blockade of Campona Province, and reconnected with His Majesty the King. Then he wrote this letter to me." Hansk replied.
"Marquis Red?" Lorist thought of the old man he had seen at the banquet in the imperial capital before. He had forgotten what he looked like, but what he still remembered clearly was that the youngest son of the old man gathered a group of noble children to occupy Hilo Wanghai Manor on Gas Island for five years, until I arrived on the island and arrested them and taught them a hard lesson.
"Hmph..." The old man must be taking revenge, day, mixing personal affairs with the military affairs, such a child's play, the old man is capable of it. Lorist thought unhappily, I'm happy to save trouble if we don't let us send troops. With this reply letter, I can really use it as an excuse to shirk.
"Well, Schwader, keep this letter well and don't lose it, it's a very important document." Lorist handed the reply letter to Schwader casually.
"My lord, when I came back, the Marquis of Red sent someone to escort me. When I got on the ship at Qiering Port, I heard my escort order the garrison at Qiering Port not to allow any of our Norton family to go ashore. ..." Hanske said beside him.
Lorist froze: "What do you mean, is this treating us as enemies?"
Hanske said with a wry smile, "I don't know, but the order I heard is like this, we must take strict precautions against our Norton family's armed forces."
"However, Lord Hansk, if such an order is issued, it is impossible to say it in front of you! Did you offend those who escorted you back?" Schwader interjected.
"Huh?" Hansk touched his head, and after thinking for a long time, he said, "No way, isn't it because I stopped them from trying to take those refugees on the road? That's why they purposely went down in front of me." That order, is this a slap in the face of our Norton family?"
"What about refugees?" Lorist asked, "Please explain in detail."
"It's like this, my lord. When we went to the imperial capital, we met many refugees on the road. They were originally from the two southwestern provinces. We recruited 50,000 to 60,000 people from them to develop and build the island. Later, His Royal Highness made a surprise attack on Ridley. After the Kingdom of Sri Lanka Federico added King City, Campona Province surrendered without a fight, and the Second Highness temporarily resettled the remaining refugees in Campona Province. Now Campona Province is captured by the army of the Commercial Alliance, and these refugees are homeless Go, come to the imperial capital." Hansk replied.
"Why do they come to the imperial capital? They can go to the business alliance, and they can also go to Morente City..." Schwader said.
"Because the Commercial Alliance does not welcome them to go, they are the nationals of the former Krissen Empire, and they are the object of hatred of the people of the Commercial Alliance. The former Krissen Empire and the Commercial Alliance have fought for more than a hundred years, how much blood has been shed, the people on both sides Hatred of each other, this is a deadly feud, engraved in the bones. Don't look at us doing business with the Peterson Chamber of Commerce and the Chickard Chamber of Commerce, it is because they are businessmen. In the eyes of businessmen, there is no right or wrong, no hatred , only benefits. But the people below are different, and it will take at least a hundred years to reduce this kind of hatred." Lorist touched Schwader's head, and he has lived in Morente City for nearly ten years. Find out what ordinary people think.
"My lord, you are right. Those refugees also said the same thing. They said that the soldiers of the Commercial Alliance who occupied Campona province stabbed people with knives and killed many refugees. They were also forced to do nothing. Fortunately, they left early, and now the troops of the Commercial Alliance have reached the two southwestern provinces, and I am afraid that they will reach the imperial capital in a short time."
Hansk then said worriedly: "On our way back, because the refugees in front of us blocked the way, those who escorted me wanted to kill people with swords, and even yelled at these refugees as cowards. Beaune Province fled, unwilling to fight the enemy desperately, to the effect that His Majesty’s siege was the fault of these refugees, and they wanted to execute these refugees in the name of deserters... "
"Damn!" Lorist couldn't help swearing: "For love, these knights think that fighting is a matter for refugees, and losing Campona province is the responsibility of refugees. What a fool..."
"Yes, my lord, so the behavior of these knights aroused Lord Reddy's anger, he went up and disarmed these knights, and slapped them a few times. Uh... I see, my lord, then The knights must have been annoyed by Lord Reddy for embarrassing them. They deliberately read that order in front of us, they wanted to humiliate our family..." Hansk blushed.
Since the commanders of the guard battalion, El and Jim, both took leave of absence to be promoted to the golden rank, Lorist appointed Reddy as the acting commander of the guard battalion, and he was the one who escorted Hansk to the imperial capital.
"Haha, humiliating our Norton family? I really want to know where they have the courage to do so." Lorist laughed grinningly: "Shward, send me an order to get Sambawood's sea army ready to attack, let Bodfinger's 1st Corps is on board, and I'm going to Cheering Harbor to see who ordered that none of our Norton family soldiers be allowed to go ashore..."
"My lord, if you do this, those people will easily think that our Norton family wants to rebel..." Hanske hastily persuaded.
"Don't worry, my lord governor, I won't be so stupid as to order the family armed forces to attack Qilingang. I just want to take my guards to Qilingang to go shopping in the market and buy something. So I will take a look at the defense of Qilingang Will the troops prevent me, the earl of the Antinac kingdom, from going ashore with my guards. If I insist on going ashore, see if the guards in Qilingang will attack me. As long as I make a move, I will declare them a rebellion , intended to hurt me, the earl, and then we took the initiative, I want to get the order not to allow us to go ashore, this is evidence!"
Lorist was not furious and furious like Hansk thought, but rather sober, and Hansk finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Master Locke, I will accompany you for a while." Hughes great swordsman volunteered.
"Okay, let's set off now, I want to see who will slap our Norton family in the face..."
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