It's just that no one expected that His Highness's inspection tour would be so grand...
"Your Highness, His Majesty the King held a grand banquet in Kebo City the day before yesterday to entertain all the nobles who were entrusted by our family to the province of Dremke. He did not win over these nobles under our family's jurisdiction, but promised that if If they are willing to contribute in the upcoming war against the four central duchies, he will guarantee in the name of the king that all the meritorious service he has made will be rewarded generously, and even the promotion of titles and the transfer of territories Feng... "Fatty Shi was reading the news from Reddy.
Lorist was indifferent.
Fatty Shi looked at the letter again and thought about it: "Your Highness, if those lords in Dremke Province are willing to send troops to fight for His Highness, what position should our family take?"
"Let them go." Lorist sat up from the sofa: "Do you think it will be useful for a lord like this to bring one or two hundred people to the battlefield? Maybe they can make great achievements and be promoted to a duke by the Second Highness. But isn’t this a good thing for our family? At least their territory is back.”
This is true, what Lorist said is correct, just like those territorial nobles in Dlemke Province, most of them were the former former northern land lords and traditional lords of Winston Province, who were moved by Lorist. Sealed to Dremke Province. The Norton family only has jurisdiction over them, not like Bodfinger and Fatty Shi, who became the vassal families of the Norton family after being canonized by Lorist as territorial nobles, and they are actually one with the Norton family.
Dremke Province is under the jurisdiction of the Norton family. Just like Winston Province, Lorist can confer the nobility of the territory, or transfer the nobility of other territories to this place, but cannot turn the territories of these two provinces into direct jurisdictions. family territory. Although the Second Highness is the king of the Antinac Kingdom, he can promote the nobles of these territories, but he cannot expand the territories of these nobles, because this is under the jurisdiction of Lorist. Unless he transfers these territorial nobles and gives them territories elsewhere, these territorial nobles will become his direct control and break away from Lorist's jurisdiction.
Just like what Lorist said, he wished that His Royal Highness would do this and remove all the nobles in these territories. The territories they left behind would allow Lorist to canonize new lords and expand the number of vassal families. This meant that the Norton family The expansion of power. It was a good thing for Lorist, and it also reduced the unrest in the sphere of influence. But if you think about it, you will know that such pies will not fall from the sky. Now it is no longer the time when a knight led a hundred or so soldiers to fight bravely. Those who are fooled by the Second Highness are just cannon fodder to die.
"That's right. Let's just see how many territorial nobles the Second Highness can stir up. I believe they will hold a grudge against His Majesty the King if they go to the front and suffer a lot. Without our family armed, these nobles want to follow behind to fish in troubled waters." You can't take advantage of it." Fatty Shi pouted and laughed.
His Royal Highness had a quick schedule. He stayed in Shaheen Earl's territory for one night before heading to Winston Province. A banquet was also held in Windbury King City, and a call was sent to the participating nobles of the new territory of Winston Province. The promise His Highness said on the spot won bursts of cheers. For these nobles who were originally the Principality of Madras, the transferred and reduced territories and titles were a pain in their hearts. Now the Second Highness provides Given an opportunity to revive the family name, there is no reason not to seize this opportunity.
On November 29th, His Highness the Second Highness arrived at the territory of the Felim family in the Southern Province, had a deep talk with Earl Felim, and then said to go to the border of the Southern Province and the Eastern Wilderness Province, where the Rock Legion was stationed. When they returned to the imperial capital, Earl Felim wanted to accompany him but was politely declined by the Second Highness. He didn't plan to take many people with him, so he just rode around and went back quickly. Earl Felim didn't care about His Royal Highness Reddy and Parker, the guards of the Thousand Nortons, and the Rock Legion led by Bodfinger on the border. He just wished him a smooth journey and went back quickly.
Then…
"What did you say? His Majesty the King brought a dozen or so cavalry into the territory of the Feisabrun family in the Eastern Wasteland Province?" Lorist jumped up. The news was too unexpected.
Fatty Shi smiled wryly: "Your Highness, it's true. Everyone is dumbfounded now. Reddy wanted to bring a thousand guards into the Eastern Wasteland Province to search, but was stopped by Bodfinger. Now I am waiting for your order..."
Lorist was very angry: "What did Reddy do, why didn't you stop the Second Highness?"
Fatty Shi looked at the silk letter in his hand and said: "Your Highness, this is something that no one expected. The Second Highness behaved very normally. After arriving at the border, he looked at the defensive front, and then pulled Bodfinger to attack our family. The offensive and defensive battle between the armed forces and the Fisabrunn family armed forces in the southern province was reviewed. When he was inspecting the border in the afternoon, he found a herd of wild sheep. He said that he would have an extra meal in the evening, so that Reddy and the others could not be scared away. Wild Sheep, he took his own ten or so attendants for a ride. It was almost evening and the sky was dark, so their figures quickly disappeared from the guards' eyes. When Reddy and Bodfinger realized that something was wrong, The Second Highness and the others have long since disappeared..."
"Wait, what about the herd of wild sheep?" Lorist asked.
Fatty Shi didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Your Highness, what's the matter with the wild sheep? The wild sheep are fine. Reddy and the others felt something was wrong when they found that the wild sheep were still gnawing grass for a long time..."
Lorist's face was ugly: "The wild sheep is fine, it means that the Second Highness and the others found an excuse to leave the border, and it was not an accident. Inquiring about the details of the southern province's overthrow war and hunting some wild sheep are all excuses. I even suspect that he called on the nobles to attack the four central duchies as a boo, just to divert our sight and attention so that he Go to the Fisabrun family territory."
"Yes, but Your Highness, although the Feisabrun family has signed an armistice agreement with our four Northland families, the Antinac Kingdom is still their enemy! Isn't the Second Highness committing suicide by doing this? Even if he He was promoted to a first-level great swordsman, but Grand Duke Fesabrun is a third-level great swordsman, and his life is so easy to kill." Fatty Shi didn't understand.
Lorist leaned heavily on the back of the chair, and sighed deeply: "Oh... you don't understand, there is no danger for him to go to the Feisabrun family, and the Grand Duke of Feisabrun will not touch him. After all, he is also the king. If the Feisabrun family harms him and becomes a king killer, then we can completely tear up the armistice agreement and uproot the Feisabrun family under the banner of revenge for His Majesty the king. So Feisabrun That old guy, Grand Duke Lun, won't give us this chance.
What I'm worried about is what is the second Highness's intention behind concealing his purpose and insisting on going to the Fisabrun family territory? Did he decide to deal with our Norton family? That's why I went to the Fesabrun family to join forces. One is in the east and the other is in the west. If there is no cooperation, our family can not pay too much attention to them. But once we join forces, it will become a big trouble. No, I have to go to the border of the southern province immediately to see if there is any chance of redemption... "
Lorist gritted his teeth a bit when he said this, at this moment he was really moved to kill. If he could block His Highness the Second Highness and his party in Donghuang Province, he wouldn't mind killing them all. Afterwards, everything was pushed to the Feisabrun family, and then the armistice agreement was torn up and joint troops were sent to exterminate the Feisabrun family. Since you are so ignorant, don't blame me for being rude. As a king, you always put your mind on the Norton family. You are looking for death and can't blame others.
From Lorist's point of view, His Royal Highness's move was clearly to seek cooperation with the Feisabrun family, so it was self-evident who the enemy they were going to deal with was. Could there be anyone else besides the Norton family? Since this is the case, it is better to act first and suffer later. Lorist didn't have the taboo of not killing the king like the traditional aristocrats of the Galintia continent. After they were all killed, would anyone know about it on the desolate grasslands of the Eastern Wilderness Province? Anyway, there will still be the Feisabrun family who are behind the scenes, so what should I be afraid of
"But, Your Highness, it's already the end of November, and winter will soon be here. It's too late to send troops to the Eastern Wilderness Province immediately." Fatty Shi reminded.
"There is no need to send troops, I will go alone. But I will wait for a few days at the Rock Legion to see if there are any clues and news." Lorist said.
"No, Your Highness, you can't go alone." Fatty Shi grabbed Lorist's sleeve: "Your Highness, you are the Grand Duke of the Northland, the head of the Norton family, you can't take risks alone! It's only been a month, you can't be absent, otherwise the family territory will be panicked... "
"It doesn't matter if I attend or not, anyway, I don't need to be canonized this year..."
"No, Your Highness, you really can't go..."
While we were struggling, there was a knock on the door, and Genorio came in to report: "Your Highness, the Rock Legion has sent another message from the Eagle."
The second letter said that His Royal Highness left a letter to Bodfinger in his own tent, meaning don't be nervous, he is indeed going to the Feisabrun family. Don't worry about his life being in danger. Because he worshiped the great sword master Xiandi as his teacher, the promotion to the first level of the great sword master this time was only successful under the careful guidance of the great sword master Xiandi. So he wants to send Great Swordsman Sandi back to the Feisabrun family, and stay there until after the rainy season next year before returning, so there is no need to send people to find his whereabouts...
After reading the news from Eagle, Lorist was also discouraged. He felt that he really deserved it, why did he hand over the Great Swordsman Sandi to His Highness the Second Highness to take care of him? If he had known about it, he would have brought this old witch back and imprisoned him in the family territory. Unexpectedly, His Highness the Second Highness would worship the old witch as his teacher, and successfully promoted to the Great Sword Master. It is obvious that the Second Highness must have been seduced by the old hag when he went to the Fisabrun family territory. It was really a wrong step, and it was all his own fault that he did not expect such a change to happen.
Now Lorist wanted to find trouble with the Second Highness, but he couldn't find it. Grand Duke Fesabrun, the old hag, the Second Highness, and Mister next to him were all great sword masters. It's a fool's job to single-handedly kill the Fesabrun family's lair and occupy the castle. Now Lorist lost his interest in going for a walk on the prairie of the Eastern Wilderness Province alone in the wind and snow: "Send Eagle a letter to Bodfinger, just say that I know, and let him leave the matter of the Second Highness alone. Also let Reddy and the others come back and stop waiting on the border."
"Yes, Your Highness." Genorio went out.
"Then what should we do next?" Fatty Shi asked.
"Cold salad." Lorist said, "Soldiers come to block, water comes to flood the earth. I want to see, even if the Second Highness and the Feisabrun family work together, what can we do with our Norton family? It really drove us into a hurry. Don't care about destroying them, whoever comes out first will be beaten first."
After more than ten days, Earl Felim and Earl Shaheen came together, and Duke Kenmes, who received the letter, also ran over. First, they are coming to participate in the New Year's celebration, and second, they are here to discuss with Lorist. Second, what kind of impact will His Highness's sudden visit to the Feisabrun family have on the four northern alliances.
"I think Lorist's guess is right. The Second Highness's sudden visit to the Feisabrun family is obviously to subdue the Feisabrun family and bring the Feisabrun family under his command. Although we don't know the Second Highness What price will be paid to make the ambitious Grand Duke Feisabrun surrender, but with the great swordsman Sandy leading the needle, the second Highness's goal will definitely be achieved. Moreover, subduing the Grand Duke Feisabrun will also make him The reputation in the country has soared... "The Duke of Kenmes is very clear-headed.
"Then do you think that His Royal Highness's inspection at the beginning and the banquet calling on all the nobles in the territory to send troops to attack the four central duchies are all to cover his goal of going to the Fisabrun family's territory?" Earl Shaheen asked.
"I don't know. Anyway, I didn't go to see him when he came to my territory." Duke Kenmes shook his head.
Lorist's eyes moved, and he asked, "Henned, did the Second Highness promise you any conditions for you to send troops?"
"Well, he said that if the four central duchies are destroyed, I can choose a province of those four duchies as my family's hereditary territory, and make me a duke." Earl Shaheen replied.
Lorist looked at Earl Felim again.
"He also said that he would also elevate my title to duke, and make the entire southern province a territory directly under the Felim family's jurisdiction, instead of more than half of it being governed territory as it is now." Earl Felim said.
Fatty Shi shook his head at the side: "Our Majesty the king is still like this, taking things that don't belong to him as rewards..."
"Are you tempted?" Lorist asked.
"If it's just that, I won't talk to him, but the Second Highness pointed out that the current bottleneck in the development of the southern province is the lack of manpower. If I send troops to the four central duchies, I can plunder manpower from there and come back to develop the southern province. So I am a little tempted, but Still under consideration..." Earl Felim said.
"I'm tempted," Earl Shaheen admitted, "You know that I'm not very expert in the development of family territories. However, war can plunder wealth, which is very attractive to me. In addition, I hope to find a mine with more I want to make this place a family territory, so that I can accumulate some property for my descendants. The production of two small silver mines and a copper mine in the Hindelsen Mountain Range in Dremke Province is still a little less... "
This is true. Earl Shaheen is the one with the tightest cash among the four families. He took the Hindelson Mountain Range as his family territory, only to find out that the annual output of the three mines there is only 200,000 to 300,000. Kingford. If it was a noble from another territory, it would be a fortune, but for Baron Shaheen who controls a family legion, this income is just enough to cover the expenses of the family legion. Reduced the family's armed forces to supplement the household.
"What about you?" Lorist asked Duke Kenmes.
"I heard from my father that the Second Highness said that if our family also sent troops, he promised to open up the trade routes of the entire kingdom for us to pass and operate, and he could also reduce half of the tax for three years. I don't care, anyway, my There is no way to increase the title, and the family territory also occupies the entire West Degrad province. Although it is remote, it is safe, and we have no other ambitions. In addition, opening up trade routes is not attractive to me. I don’t like it either. I’d rather he block the trade route, so that I can earn more by smuggling by sea. However, the proposal of the Second Highness is very attractive to the family business association hosted by my father. He wrote to me and hoped that I could agree. Send troops..." Duke Kenmes replied.
Lorist was lost in thought, and he said after a while, "I feel that the Second Highness's wish to attack the four central duchies from the southern province is not to deceive you to cover up his going to the territory of the Fesabrun family. He offered different conditions that are attractive to you. The second is that he also called on all the nobles in the provinces of Dremke and Winston. If this is a deception, he will break his promise to you. It will make his reputation plummet. However, he has gone to the Fisabrunn family territory now, and we can't guess what is in his mind. Let's talk about it when he comes back. It's useless to worry now, and I will go to See him."
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