The King

  Chapter 142 Mysterious meeting

  Dadir City also received the royal edict, and Sith obviously knew more information than Hudson.

  As early as a few months ago, Grand Duke Kavadia sent a warning letter, which mentioned that the Northland was full of smoke and asked him to gain a firm foothold in Wright County as soon as possible.

  In the recent communications, he frequently reminded him that the situation in the Northland was tense, and even provided him with a batch of supplies.

   Sometimes knowing too much is not a good thing.

  Sith have never been happy since they realized that the battle in the northern border was about to take place. Even if he succeeded in getting the position of sheriff, he still couldn't let go of his worries.

  Suddenly received an edict to confer a title in advance, Sith's mood became even heavier.

  The children of the second generation want to live a comfortable life, relying on fighting father.

  Once the war broke out in northern Xinjiang, the Felix family would be overwhelmed. Would Grand Duke Kavadia still care about his illegitimate son?

   There is no need to even fight, as long as the situation in the north is tense enough, we can't care about this side.

   Without the support of the Grand Duke's father, his life as an outsider will be difficult.

   Originally thought that seizing the position of sheriff would be able to gather a group of fools and establish rule over Wright County.

  The ideal is full, but the reality is very skinny.

  A group of bigwigs among the local aristocrats just went to the mountains to show their faces, and the grasshoppers distanced themselves from him one after another.

   Not enough support from younger brothers, just a group of noble children from the north, obviously not enough in the troubled times that follow.

   "Master, don't worry too much. So many years have passed, and this time the family will definitely be able to carry it through..."

  Responding to Butler Faerun's persuasion, Sith shook his head secretly.

  Now there is no time to worry about the family, how can an illegitimate child get the family solidarity, he is worried about himself!

  Conferring the title in advance also means fulfilling obligations to the kingdom in advance. If a war starts in northern Xinjiang, as a noble lord, he also needs to lead his troops to the battlefield.

  Under normal circumstances, nobles’ private armies go to the battlefield in a mixed region, and the county guard often commands the entire county’s army.

  If a full-scale war broke out, a large county like Wright County would form an army of ten thousand people in the past.

   It sounds like a large number, but in fact, in a war of this scale, it is impossible to rely on the outside world for logistical supplies.

   What's more, if you fight on your own land, there is no place to grab it.

  In order to guarantee the logistics supply, the number of auxiliary troops is often more than that of the main combat troops, usually accounting for 50% to 60%.

  If the battle line is too long, the auxiliary army may account for 70% to 80%. If fighting along the coast or along the river, it is possible for the auxiliary troops to be reduced to 20 to 30%.

  Theoretically speaking, as the leader of an army, even on the battlefield in northern Xinjiang, Sith can be counted as middle and upper-level officers.

   But that is only in theory, the premise of being able to form an army is that the minor nobles below are willing to form a team with him.

  In order to increase the survival rate on the battlefield, the Kingdom encourages grouping together. The kind of nobles who are full of contradictions and know that they will stab each other at a glance will never appear on the same battlefield.

   It is a common phenomenon in the kingdom to form legions based on family relatives and neighbors.

   They were all forced out by orcs.

   On the northern front, the Alpha Kingdom has always been at a disadvantage. In order to survive, everyone must be as united as possible.

  With the current situation in Wright County, Sith doesn't think Hudson will team up with him.

   Without the participation of local nobles, it is a miracle that the children of northern Xinjiang nobles who have been severely injured can gather 3,000 troops.

   It sounds like this number is quite a lot. If there are 3,000 elites, it will not be bad on the battlefield.

  It is a pity that the nobles of the Northland suffered heavy losses not long ago, and the elite soldiers brought over were exiled to the front line in advance because they participated in the robbery.

  Unable to gather an army, there are only two choices left for him: either return to the northern Xinjiang army with the team; or mix with the army of a small local county.

  If he could go back, Sith would not have to worry.

  The feudal nobles are responsible for guarding the land. If you want to make a strategic move, go ahead and dream!

  Following the army of the nobles of the northern border fiefs, it’s okay when you win a battle. If you lose a battle, others can’t run away. Can you let him leave with the team?

  Mixed with other small county troops, it is also not a good life. At the very least, it is impossible for him to take the lead.

  Even if the Sith has rich combat experience, it is useless. Governor Pierce will not let the nobles of the Northland get ahead under his own hands. This is a matter of principle.

   It’s just that these can be tolerated. The key is that the combat effectiveness of this kind of troops with inconsistent command is often very impressive.

   If you are not careful, the whole army will be defeated. If you are lucky, you can save a life. If you are not lucky, you will be killed on the spot.

  Alpha Kingdom has a strict system. Unless the order is executed and the military exploits are suffered heavy losses in the process, you can go back to reorganize the army first, and then come back after a rest.

   Otherwise, even if the army is wiped out, don't even think about leaving the battlefield to recuperate.

   Paddle on the battlefield does not exist.

   If you don’t have any soldiers in your hands, then organize them into other armies to fight.

  Every knight is the main force on the battlefield, and it is difficult to leave easily before the end of the war.

  If there were not these restrictions, the casualty rate of nobles would not have remained high.

   Now let's see how high the status of these northern nobles is in their own family. Can you get family investment again in the case of previous failures?

  The main reason is that the time is too close. If it takes three to five years and everyone recovers, he doesn't have to worry so much.

  Thinking of this, he envied Hudson. Although he came from a small noble family, he climbed fast!

   Suddenly became the pillar of the family, once the war broke out, each branch would come over and form a group by itself.

  My own family alone can gather an army, plus the younger brothers who follow the trend, the grasshoppers who follow the trend, and some relatives and friends who are willing to come and form a group, maybe two armies can be gathered.

  Although the combat effectiveness of this patchwork of troops is worrying, as reinforcements to support the front line, most of the time they perform the task of defending the city.

  The higher-ups of the kingdom are not stupid. It is definitely out of their minds to use a team assembled by small and medium-sized nobles to fight the orcs.

  Looking at the densely packed castles and fortresses in the Northland, we can see that the Alpha Kingdom is mainly defensive in the face of the orc invasion.

  In some important fortresses, there are usually enough water and food stored for the defenders to consume for three years.

   What really challenged the orc army was the kingdom's standing army and the elite of the great nobles.

   “With great power comes great responsibility.”

   I'm not kidding.

  If it weren't for the fact that the Alpha Kingdom could unite and unite to the outside world every time it came to a critical moment, it would have been wiped out ten times by the orcs.

  …

   Maple Leaf Collar, Baron Kettley, who received the message, looked even more gloomy and terrifying.

   I don't know if he has encountered a curse, but since he went south, everything went wrong for him.

  Several times of planning, they all ended in failure. Although losses were avoided by virtue of super emergency response capabilities, failure was ultimately failure.

  Frankly speaking, among the territories in the two counties, the development of Maple Leaf Territory is not bad.

   I can’t stand it and I’m afraid of comparison in everything. Compared with the mountain collar next door, the development of Maple Leaf collar is simply impossible to see.

   If it is in a peaceful age, it is not a problem to develop slowly. Kettley has figured it out a long time ago, and now he is no longer compared with his good neighbors.

  Unfortunately, the Lord of Dawn is not blessed, and the increasingly tense situation in the North has shattered Baron Kettley's fantasy.

   "Uncle Holman, do you think I should accept Sith's solicitation now?"

   There is no eternal enemy among the nobles. With the settlement of the position of sheriff, Kettler is no longer a competitor of the Sith.

  Especially after the strength of the opposition faction was hit hard, now the two sides are not at the same level at all, and they don't even have the qualifications to become competitors.

  Being not a competitor, Baron Kettley has the value of being wooed. The elite soldier in your hand is the best bargaining chip.

  Although it can only be placed outside and cannot be returned to the territory for a short period of time, once a war breaks out, all this will no longer be a problem.

   "Kately, this question can only be judged by yourself. In terms of strategic vision, no one in the younger generation of the family can match you.

   Asking this sentence should be based on the current situation, and you are not optimistic about the development prospects of Sith.

   But the problem is that our identities are too embarrassing. If we return to the family, we will go back to the old way.

  Northern Xinjiang is not a place to wait for a long time, which is left by the divination of the ancestors in the past. No accident for so many years does not mean that there will be no accidents in the family.

  The children of the younger generation are now mostly arranged outside. Obviously, the family is also aware of the danger.

  My identity is not enough, and the information I know is limited. Perhaps there is a greater danger, which is inconvenient to disclose. "

   Knight Holman thought for a while and said.

   Originally thought that the nobles in southern Xinjiang were soft persimmons, and they could quickly gain a foothold when they went south. However, their luck was really bad, as soon as they came here, they encountered strong neighbors, forcing them to keep their own place.

   "Uncle Holman, you misunderstood. I finally jumped out of the vortex of the Northland, how could I send myself back again?

  The problem is that the Sith are not having a good time now, and the biggest force in Wright County is next door to us. How strong the mountain collar is, you can feel it if you think about it.

  The accumulation of the Koslow family can support a middle-class nobleman, and Hudson's personal ability is even more unmatched.

  I'm afraid that the Sith will be squeezed out if the battle in northern Xinjiang comes together. After all, it is much easier to annex ready-made cultivated land than to open up wasteland. "

   Baron Kettley said hesitantly.

  The county guard not only enjoys bonuses, but also bears corresponding obligations.

  Leaving aside other things, whether the tax can be collected is still unknown.

  Even if there are people in the king, it is beyond reach. The Governor's Palace will only put pressure on Sith, and it is impossible to personally send someone to help him collect taxes from the local nobles.

  If it can’t be done, the Governor’s Mansion will hand over the errand to someone who can handle it. Kettler had no doubts that Hudson would be able to persuade the provincial high-level.

  The loss of taxation power is equivalent to the loss of fiscal power. The Kingdom does not pay salaries to county officials, and all income depends on sharing profits from taxes.

   Not only financial power, the outbreak of war requires the formation of an army, and if the local nobles play by themselves, the Sith will lose most of the military power.

  The sheriff who lost both financial power and military power is a rubber stamp. Not only can't take care of the younger brothers, but they may also be targeted.

   "You want to defect to the past?"

   Knight Holman asked in surprise.

   Without waiting for Baron Kettley to answer, he added another sentence:

   "The mountain viscount, what price did you offer?"

   Standing in line has never been a problem for nobles.

  Although they were born in the Northland, it was only a loose alliance. It can be born because of interests, and it can also be dispersed because of interests.

   He is not a vassal of the Sith, and has never surrendered before, so naturally he cannot be said to be betrayed.

  As long as the interests are suitable to switch camps, Holman does not think there is a problem. Just like the grass on the wall among the local nobles deliberately moved closer to Sith.

   "If he bids, I won't worry about it. From the beginning to the end, that person only expressed goodwill in secret.

   It should be the pressure from the local aristocratic camp, which made that person not make up his mind. Perhaps after the outbreak of the war, the environment will be more relaxed for us.

  Not only me, most of the northern nobles have received hints. Now there is no Sith action, I don't know if he really doesn't know, or he is pretending to be confused. "

   Baron Kettley said helplessly.

  The most tangled part is here, just showing kindness is not talking about treatment. This kind of wooing is the most annoying.

   Promise, I am afraid that the treatment will not keep up, and I will become cannon fodder.

  Reject it, and worry that other nobles of the same camp will defect, and finally become the unlucky ones who are excluded together with Sith.

  …

  Beda City

   Stepping into this familiar place again, Hudson's identity is quite different.

  The imperial edict of the royal capital also caused an uproar among the high-level officials in the province. In response to the following changes, Earl Pierce initiated this high-level meeting.

  As a representative of Wright County, Hudson was also honored to be invited.

   No matter how much friction there is at home, once they appear on the battlefield in northern Xinjiang, everyone is still the best ally.

   Team up with people who are familiar with each other, at least you can understand a little bit, and you can roughly judge the lower limit of the other party.

  Aristocrats like Hudson who have a good reputation and never betray their teammates have always been the most popular with their teammates. It can be seen from the smiles in the eyes of everyone that he is very welcome to join.

   Scanning the participants, Hudson found that, except for himself representing Wright County, who replaced the Viscount of Sith, the rest were all county sheriffs.

  Counting the Viscount Cayo, seven of the 15 counties in the southeastern province belong to the Dalton family. The name of the first family in the province is completely well deserved.

  …

   "This is the information collected by the Governor's Office. You can circulate it to each other, but it is forbidden to disclose any information in it.

   This confidentiality contract was written by a master alchemist. Before the official opening of the meeting, please sign the agreement first. "

   Earl Pierce said seriously.

  Trust does not exist. Compared with everyone's integrity, Governor Pierce obviously believes in the power of magical contracts.

  Perhaps this is also the reason why everyone can cooperate closely on the battlefield. There is a magic contract, and breaking the agreement will cost a lot.

  The bigger the person is, the more he cherishes his life.

  Unless it is absolutely necessary, very few people are willing to lose their own lives for breach of contract.

   After confirming that the contract was limited to keeping the content of the conversation permanently secret, and there were no other pitfalls, Hudson also signed his name.

   Vaguely, he felt a kind of **** on himself. It's just that this feeling is fleeting, obviously this is the power of the contract.

   Did not violate the agreement, so naturally this mysterious power would not be triggered. What if the agreement is violated, Hudson has not lived enough, and he is not ready to die for the time being.

  After all these treasures were taken out, Hudson became more and more interested in the next conversation.

  Just after reading the materials circulated, Hudson was not calm at all.

  …

  (end of this chapter)