Iron Powder and Spellcaster

[January 1, 520 Imperial Calendar][41 years ago]

[The end of the counter-insurgency war in the Principality of Baglum]

The last petitioner was brought into the palace tent.

The petitioner this time was a middle-aged man with rough palms. Due to years of heavy manual labor, his ten finger joints had inevitably become swollen and twisted.

Although he had washed the old clothes as clean as possible, he still could not change the poor texture of the coarse cloth.

The man who came to petition knelt on one knee and grabbed the hem of his clothes with both hands. He didn't dare to look up, he only dared to stare at the toes of his shoes, stumbling and uttering the request he had recited countless times.

In front of the petitioners, the six-year-old Prince Henry sat upright on a chair, trying hard to keep a straight face, trying to imitate his father's majestic demeanor.

Young Henry's chair was to the right of his father, slightly lower than the Emperor's seat.

His chair was a large chair that belonged to an adult, and little Henry sat on it, with only a pair of little boots hanging in the air;

His chair was also a very uncomfortable chair, without any padding - since the emperor's chair was not upholstered, the prince's chair was certainly not upholstered either.

Little Henry looked at the petitioner intently, but in his mind he was imagining his father's expression and demeanor.

The emperor and prince's seats were located at the end of a luxurious palace tent, facing the tent door, and were guarded by fully armed attendants.

And little Henry's father, Richard Sun, "Warrior" and Emperor of the Empire, was like a lion overlooking the territory at this moment, sitting calmly and majestically on his throne, listening to the petitioners' petitions.

…

The emperor is thirty-one years old, with a well-proportioned figure and strong lines, thick dark hair, an enviable beautiful beard, and a pair of unforgettable sharp eyes.

Even within the palace tent and surrounded by attendants, the emperor did not take off his armor. The black sheet metal armor on his body is engraved with the emblem of the Blazing Sun. A helmet with a crown hangs on the armrest of his throne. There is also a simple long sword leaning on the side of the throne, with the hilt on it. On the left hand side of the emperor.

Before he was officially anointed with holy oil and crowned in the Holy Stone Cathedral, Richard IV experienced the first war of the era ruled in his name - the War of Succession of Philip [the Pretender]. After his official coronation, the wars in the empire and on the borders never completely subsided.

Twenty years have passed since he inherited the throne until today. Twenty years of war and twelve years of pro-government have forged the thin Prince Richard into a strong and mature man, and also sharpened the "little pea" in his mother's mouth into a resolute and heroic emperor.

After participating in battles and leading his troops to victory time and time again, Richard IV earned the reputation of "Warrior".

Now is his time. He is at the pinnacle of physical and mental strength, the balance point of wisdom and courage. Twenty years of reign has allowed him to accumulate unquestionable authority. Twelve years of personal rule has enabled him to know how to control the empire.

No subject in the empire doubted Richard the Warrior's destiny to become a great emperor.

…

The beeswax candlelight makes the interior of the tent as bright as day, and the fragrant heater makes the interior of the tent as warm as early summer. From time to time there were rumbles of thunder coming from outside the tent, but they were absorbed by the thick camel hair tapestry and eventually attenuated to a dull sound.

Those who were lucky enough to petition before the resistance were brought into the tent one by one, and knelt down in front of the throne to express their feelings.

The courtiers and lords stood quietly in the tent, witnessing the emperor's justice, wisdom and kindness.

Although little Henry tried his best to concentrate, trying to hear what the adults were saying and understand what the adults were doing, he was still a child after all, and his thoughts had already slipped outside the tent.

Can't be too harsh on him - petitioning is too dull and boring.

The first batch of people brought into the palace tent were the vassals of Duke Bagrum who surrendered without resistance. Facing the emperor's army, they gave up their loyalty to their old master without hesitation and obediently asked the emperor to surrender.

One by one, they were led into the palace tent and knelt before the emperor to swear allegiance. The emperor accepted their oath and allowed them to retain their territories, titles, and property.

Then they kissed the emperor's ring and walked backward out of the palace tent.

Although the court officials present did not say it on the surface, they looked down on these weaklings in their hearts. If they could easily break their oath to their old master, then the oath they swore to the Emperor would be worthless.

The second group of people brought into the palace tent were the vassals of Duke Baglum who chose to surrender when they saw that there was no way they could do anything. They either tried to resist with strong castles, or took the initiative to challenge the emperor's troops. It was not until they paid a painful price that they understood who the winner of this war would be.

So, they chose to surrender.

The emperor fairly judged their fate: depriving them of some or most of their fiefdoms, but mercifully sparing their lives; at the same time, they conscripted their heirs into the palace to receive education, both as hostages and to give them a chance to revive their families.

The third group of people who entered the tent were Duke Baglum's vassals who took the initiative to defect to the emperor. As soon as the war began, they stood unequivocally on the emperor's side. Not only did they join the emperor's command, they also charged into the front lines of the counter-rebellion war, tearing into the bodies of their former lords.

The emperor rewarded them generously, gave them part of the confiscated territory to rule, and accepted them as his direct vassals.

They will become the nails that the emperor drives into the Duchy of Bagruum, because they will no longer be accepted by the nobles of Bagrurum, and from now on, their safety will all depend on the emperor's protection.

After the allegiance ceremony ended, the petition entered the "petition" stage in the literal sense. People who came to seek justice from the emperor were brought to the emperor one after another:

Minor nobles asked the emperor to adjudicate disputes arising from property inheritance;

The monks of the monastery hoped that the emperor would reclaim for them the properties previously occupied by the duke;

Representatives of autonomous cities complained that they were levied unreasonable taxes and that rogue knights often raided the outskirts of the city to extort money from them.

Richard Sun responded by dividing the disputed property justly, allowing the church to take back what was theirs, and guaranteeing the security of the autonomous city in the emperor's name - henceforth any nobleman who tried to extort the latter would be punished. They are all equivalent to challenging the emperor's authority.

Everyone was content, and even those who did not achieve their desired goals were willing to obey the emperor's judgment.

Until the last petitioner was brought into the palace tent.

The last petitioner came from a remote territory called Kempzon. The farmers of Kempzon elected him to seek justice from the emperor because, according to the oath the emperor swore at the coronation ceremony, he was obliged to "defend freedom, Protect poor subjects."

His travel expenses were raised by the farmers in Kempson, penny by penny. Even if he could collect enough travel expenses, his journey to become a charioteer would be difficult and dangerous.

With tears in his eyes, he described how the abbot of Kempzon Abbey raised taxes to force farmers to lose their land, how he robbed the inheritance of orphans who had lost their parents, how he used church courts to arbitrarily interrogate rebellious farmers, and how he expropriated and plundered in order to make people lose their land. Every yeoman and tenant farmer in Kempzon eventually became an indentured serf in the monastery, how he interfered with the marriage of peasants so that no free people would be born in Kempzon in the future, and how he brutally ambushed his predecessor in the process. Peasant representatives who came to ask the emperor for justice.

The middle-aged farmer from Kempson almost burst into tears at the end. He knelt on the ground and shouted loudly: "If we are wrong, we are willing to suffer any punishment; if our demands are unjust, we are willing to sacrifice ourselves." his head; but if we have done nothing wrong, your majesty may do us justice.”

Richard Lieyang, who sat high on the throne, listened solemnly to the petition of the Kempson peasant representative, and his stern facial features carved out of granite were slightly moved.

He thought for a moment, took off the ring on his left hand, nodded, called the attendant, and handed the ring to the attendant. The attendant walked up to the farmer representative and placed the ring in front of the farmer representative.

"This ring is worth thirty thousand gul shields." Richard Lieyang's voice was as cold as his facial features, with an unquestionable attitude: "It should be worth the value of Kemp's field property. With Go back and redeem your land from Kempson Abbey."

The emperor paused, rubbed the hilt of his sword as a habit, glanced at the courtiers and lords in the palace tent, and then looked down at the peasant representatives with a smile: "If the dean of Kempzon doesn't want to, you can come back to see me. ."

Among the nobles in the palace tent, some laughed and some chuckled, but everyone smiled in cooperation.

The farmer representative held the ring in both hands and left the palace tent with gratitude.

Richard Lieyang called the captain of the guard and ordered the latter to select two capable guards to escort Kempson's peasant representatives home.

After witnessing the emperor’s just, wise and merciful settlement of the demands of the last petitioner, the voice of “Long live our Emperor” resounded in the palace tent, and the low voices gathered together and finally merged into a cry of unison: “Long live our Emperor! Long live our emperor!"

Richard Lieyang waved his hand, and the surrounding area suddenly became quiet. He waved his hand again, and the minister on duty consciously led the courtiers and lords to leave in an orderly manner.

Richard Lieyang looked at the captain of the guard and nodded slightly, then the attendants and priests also exited the palace tent.

Only Richard Lieyang and Henry Lieyang were left in the huge palace tent.

The emperor suddenly exhaled a long breath, stretched his already sore back, and turned to look at little Henry. His ice-like expression melted, showing a rare hint of warmth. He smiled and asked little Henry: "Are you tired? "

"Not tired!" Little Henry replied loudly.

Richard Lieyang picked up little Henry, put him on his knees, and rubbed his eldest son's floppy hair: "Sooner or later, you will sit here too. At that time, you will have to bear my responsibility, and you will have to protect me. Family, protect the empire, and most importantly - protect your mother and brother."

Little Henry chuckled while avoiding his father's prickly beard and replied: "I will!"

Richard Lieyang put his son on the ground, knocked on the latter's pocket-sized children's armor, and asked: "What have you gained today?"

Little Henry rolled his eyes and replied in a milky voice: "The first people who came to see daddy were afraid of you."

"Afraid of me?" Richard snorted: "Not only are they afraid of me, they also hate me because I humiliated them in front of everyone."

The emperor smiled and asked: "What else?"

Little Henry frowned, thought hard for a long time, and replied in a low voice: "The people who come to see dad later are here to ask for something from you."

"You remember, everyone approaches power with a purpose. It's the same for me, and it's the same for you. It's normal to ask for things. There is no need to have hope or despair. They ask for things from me, which also makes them I can ask for things from them." Richard Lieyang looked into his son's eyes: "Do you understand?"

Little Henry nodded in understanding.

Richard pinched his son's cheek and said with a smile: "You will understand in the future."

After that, he stood up, picked up his sword, and prepared to take his eldest son out of the palace tent.

"But..." Little Henry's doubtful voice sounded beside the emperor: "The last person who came to see you seems to have nothing to give to daddy?"

Richard Lieyang turned around, looked at his son for a while, squatted down to make his eyes level with his son, he smiled and asked: "How do you know he has nothing to give me?"

"That's it." Little Henry fiddled with his fingers nervously, avoiding his father's direct gaze: "It feels like he has nothing."

"Yes." Richard Lieyang said calmly: "He is still loyal."

The emperor picked up his son, sat back on the throne, and asked little Henry to look in the direction of the tent door. Beyond the two layers of felt lay a vast and populous empire.

"Remember, son." The emperor whispered in the prince's ear: "The lower the status of a person, the easier it is to gain their loyalty. Just because they have nothing, giving them something can make them loyal. Thirty thousand guilders cannot buy the loyalty of a count, but it can make thousands of peasants forever grateful to you. They will speak of your kindness, and others who have nothing will have hope in you."

Little Henry thought for a long time. Even though he was smarter than his peers, what he heard was beyond his ability to understand, so he could only use the logic he could understand to think about the problem: "But if they have nothing, their What’s the point of being grateful?”

After hearing what little Henry said, Richard Lieyang put away his smile. He turned little Henry's body around, looked into his son's eyes, and said seriously: "Never underestimate people of low status. Even the humblest people can find opportunities to take revenge as long as they keep their eyes open at all times." Powerful people. You can humiliate the Dukes and Earls of Bagrum at will, and they will still bow to you.

But you don't need to humiliate the poor of Bagrum, whose loyalty is so easy to gain, to push them to the side of the enemy. You must also learn to be kind to the people around you, including grooms, servants, maids...the lower the status of the person, the more kind you must treat them. Because it costs nothing to be kind to them, and they may lend a helping hand to you at unexpected moments. Do you understand? "

Little Henry still seemed to understand, but he felt the change in his father's tone. He nodded vigorously: "Yes, Your Majesty."

Richard Lieyang smiled dotingly and rubbed his son's fluffy hair again: "Put on your boots - I have prepared a pony for you, you will like it."

Little Henry cheered: "Next time you go out of town, I will come with you!"

Richard placed little Henry on the throne and put on his son's boots with his own hands: "I left the city because of the war."

"I want to go to war too!"

"Fighting is a matter for knights, and you are not even a squire now."

"Then you can make me a knight!"

Richard Lieyang tightened the buckles of Henry's boots and tapped Henry's breastplate with a hint of sadness in his smile: "Don't be impatient, there will be endless battles waiting for you to fight in the future. As for now - —You have to protect your mother and brother when I go on an expedition."

The curtain of the palace tent was opened, and a handsome and well-dressed young nobleman walked in.

"Uncle!" Little Henry waved happily - the young nobleman was none other than the queen's brother, Louis, the little Duke of Lothair.

Another tall, slender, unsmiling old man in military uniform entered the tent after the little Duke Lothair - the famous "butcher" Duke of Arléans.

The young Duke Lothair and the Duke of Arléans saluted the emperor from a distance, and then walked towards the throne.

Seeing the two close ministers, Richard Lieyang put away the doting smile when facing his eldest son, but he did not show the majesty that could not be looked at directly when he just received the petitioners.

The Duke of Arléans stopped in front of the throne, and the young Duke Lothair walked gracefully to the side of the throne, picked up Prince Henry and put him on his shoulders.

"Your Majesty, I heard that you just raised your hand and gave me 30,000 gul shields." Little Duke Lothair teased with a hint of reproach: "That's so generous. When will you be so generous to me?"

"That ring will come back." Richard Lieyang said lightly.

"Since you said it would come back, then it will definitely come back, so I won't worry about it." Little Duke Lothair changed the topic and asked the emperor with a smile as if he had casually asked: "Your Majesty, what is the old guy's, Duke Baglum's?" My two sons have been kneeling all day and night, how about you show mercy and see them?"

"There's no rush." ​​Richard Lieyang rubbed the hilt of his sword: "I don't want to accept their surrender yet."

"Then when do you think about it?" Little Duke Lothair asked helplessly.

"When they are scared enough, when they are fearful enough, when they no longer dare to think of rebellion."

"I think they are scared enough now. If we really have to wait until the day when you are completely satisfied, I'm afraid there will only be rats left in the treasury." Little Duke Lothair spread his hands and said in a rather sad tone: "I can first talk to you You said yes, I am now a pauper, and I still expect you to give me a salary to survive!"

Richard Lieyang frowned slightly: "Didn't your father just transfer you four properties in the suburbs?"

"It's all spent." Little Duke Lothair replied lightly.

"All spent?"

"It's all spent! Women, wine, horses, beautiful clothes..." Little Duke Lothair touched his beard and said with a little pride: "The Duke was so angry that he swore in front of the icon - unless he dies, Otherwise you will never give me another silver coin."

Richard Lieyang sighed helplessly and wanted to laugh. He could never get angry with his lovable brother-in-law.

After pondering for a moment, Richard looked at the Duke of Orleans standing under the throne and asked in a deep voice: "Are they scared enough?"

The Butcher Duke, who looked like he was carved out of twisted tree roots, nodded slightly and replied coldly and rigorously: "Within a generation, there will be no more traitors in the Principality of Baglum who dare to go against your will."

"Okay, get ready." Richard leaned against the throne and announced calmly: "Then I will meet the two sons of old Baglum."

The Duke of Arlians bowed and left the palace tent.

Little Duke Lothair pinched little Henry's nose, put the prince back on his seat, and looked at the emperor: "I'll go get ready too."

After saying that, he bowed his head slightly and saluted, and walked out of the palace tent gracefully as before.

"Let's go." Richard Lieyang hung up his sword, picked up the helmet with a crown, and patted his son on the shoulder: "Follow your royal obligations first, and then I will take you to see the little pony."

The emperor was just about to call the attendants to enter the account. Prince Henry, who had not interrupted at all, finally asked his last question: "Dad, I think... just giving money to the last person shouldn't solve his problem."

Richard Lieyang turned to look at his eldest son. This time, his eyes no longer showed doting, but surprise and relief: "Why do you say that?"

Little Henry lowered his head and twirled his fingers: "The last person petitioned because the abbot of the monastery is bad. If you just give him money, he will continue to be bullied by the bad abbot..."

"Then what do you think we should do?" Richard asked encouragingly.

Little Henry tentatively replied: "Wouldn't that bad abbot be allowed to be abbot again?"

"My son, you are right." Richard picked up his eldest son and placed him on the throne. He lowered his body to look at the same level as his eldest son.

He said word for word: "But I cannot remove the abbot of Kempson Abbey."

"Why?" Little Henry asked doubtfully, "Aren't you the emperor?"

Richard Lieyang seemed to be talking to another adult. He explained seriously: "Because all the abbots in the Principality of Bagrum are bad guys. If I deal with the abbot of Kempson, the others will The steward of the monastery will put everyone in danger; the appointment of personnel in the monastery is the power of the church, and if I force the church to obey, the church will also be dissatisfied.

The church has a lot of money, and I need the money; I have just conquered and humiliated the nobles of the Principality of Bagrum, and I will next work to weaken their power. If at this time, the church is pushed to the side of the dissatisfied nobles, sooner or later Baglum will stir up unrest again. "

"But..." Little Henry became more and more confused: "What about the person who made the final petition?"

"Listen, Henry Lieyang." Richard Lieyang called his eldest son by his full name, causing the latter to tremble subconsciously. He was expressionless and said coldly: "The important thing is not saving people with low status. What is important is the rule of the Lieyang family - my rule, and your rule in the future."

The emperor looked directly into the eyes of his eldest son: "You don't need to help them, save them, or help them escape from the endless cycle of fate - it is enough to gain their loyalty and gratitude."

…

[Ten minutes later]

Little Henry followed the emperor out of the palace tent. The sunlight outside the tent was dazzling, making little Henry subconsciously put his hand in front of his eyebrows.

Outside the palace tent separated by a layer of curtains was a military camp of astonishing scale. More than 20,000 soldiers and servants were like ants in a colony, operating within the military camp built around the palace tent according to rules they only understood.

Heavily armed cavalry and spearmen came and went, and the sound of axles, the neighing of horses, and shouts were constantly heard. The entire military camp was like a small town, bustling with activity.

The "thunder" that had previously been absorbed by the camel hair tapestry hanging inside the palace tent revealed its true power. It was no longer a dull echo, but deafening roars one after another.

Accompanied by roars and puffs of gunpowder smoke, solid stone balls and iron balls flew rapidly towards the castle on the hill in the distance, hitting the parapets and towers like heavy hammers, smashing the solid city walls into pieces. Smoke and dust were everywhere.

Bagrum Castle - once considered an impregnable castle, once thought to be a castle that would never fall, once a castle that the Dukes of Bagrum were proud of, is now surrounded by the emperor's army.

Cannonballs flew from all directions towards the lonely castle standing on the hill. Under the continuous bombardment of heavy artillery, the originally arrogant Bagrum Castle was like a fragile boat, gradually fragmented and on the verge of disintegration in the stormy waves of gunpowder smoke. .

It was only a matter of time before Bagrum Castle fell - no one had any doubts.

"Your Majesty." Duke Arlean walked up to the emperor, nodded and reported: "Ready."

"Very good." The emperor just nodded without showing any emotion. He stepped on the stirrup and mounted his horse, looking at the Baglum lords who had just sworn allegiance and were waiting in the palace tent: "Please follow me! Friends! I There’s something I want to show you—bring Duke Baglum’s son with you!”

Say it, the emperor raised his whip and rode away.

The newly surrendered lords, court nobles, and the two sons of Duke Bagrum followed the emperor's footsteps and came to the forefront of the siege fortifications.

The brave Richard stood proudly in front of a fort, less than a hundred meters away from the castle on the hill. From his position, he could clearly see the devastation of the battered Bagrum Castle.

The cannons were still roaring.

Every time the deafening sound of cannons sounded, the two sons of Duke Bagrum would tremble subconsciously, and their faces would become even more bloodless.

However, Richard looked calm, as if the sound of the cannon had no effect on him.

"My lords, congratulations." Between the cannon firings, the emperor glanced at all the nobles present and said coldly: "Today, you are on the side of the winner."

The emperor drew his sword and pointed diagonally at the fort ahead: "Today, I offer you -"

In the center of the fort, two gunners slowly pulled away the black cloth, revealing a giant cannon of unimaginably large size.

"The wrath of the sun," the emperor said expressionlessly.

The air seemed to freeze, and there was silence near the fort.

People were shocked by the size of the cannon - it was so huge that an adult man could easily fit in the barrel.

It is precisely because of its staggering size that it is extremely difficult to transport. In fact, the emperor made no attempt to transport it at all, but instead forged the cannon on site outside Baglum Castle after the siege began.

Therefore, during the previous month-long siege, this huge cannon was never used because it had not yet been cast.

And today, it is the first time it has appeared.

The emperor coldly ordered: "Fire!"

The gunner lit the charge and quickly exited the fort. As the long twist of gunpowder burned to the end, a roar that made everyone present dizzy exploded in the fort.

Huge stone bullets burst out from the muzzle and hit the waist of the tower at the main entrance of Baglum Castle heavily under the watchful eyes of everyone around the castle.

The crumbling tower finally could no longer withstand the devastation, and collapsed with a terrifying sound of shattering and screams.

After a moment of silence, the fortifications and military camps around the castle burst into cheers. The Emperor's soldiers pumped their fists and banged their armor and weapons, cheering on the devastating blows of the Sun's Wrath.

Someone spontaneously sang the hymn of "Richard the Brave". The song became louder and louder, and eventually it became a chorus of all soldiers.

The emperor himself patted the smoke from his armor, looked at Duke Baglum's eldest son and second son, and announced easily: "Now, I accept your surrender."

The eldest and second sons of Duke Bagrum fell to their knees with a plop.

The emperor looked up at his courtiers and vassals with a tolerant smile: "Come on, friends! Let us do what we did before! Drink! Feast! Music! Celebrate the victory to our heart's content!"

In the military camp not far away, musicians played hymns appropriately. The court nobles and fief nobles smiled and cheered for the emperor's victory.

The emperor walked towards the military camp, and when passing by the sons of Duke Bagrum, he warned coldly: "This is also the last time I will accept your surrender."

After that, he never looked at the two of them again and rode away. Duke Baglum's eldest son and second son were lying on the ground, not daring to look up.

The nobles who followed the emperor to the fort also left one after another.

Not far away, the Duke of Orleans, who was preparing all this for the emperor, blinked. Only the familiar attendant could understand that the Duke was shaking his head.

According to the Duke's plan, the Wrath of the Sun should be fully tested before being displayed publicly.

It should not be used in this way, because the newly cast cannon is likely to have fatal flaws - so it cannot be used less than twenty meters away from the emperor.

"However, members of the Lieyang family always like to create a bit of drama." The sculptural old Duke thought silently: "There is also madness hidden deep in the bones."

…

Little Henry was not taken to the fort; he was placed in the care of the queen's maid of honor.

It didn't take long for the emperor to come back. Then the music started playing and the feast began. People who survived the war, regardless of civilians or nobles, were all celebrating their victory.

The eldest lady held little Henry in her arms and happily headed to where the royal family was at the banquet - the end of the war meant that she could also return to the palace.

Only ten steps away from his father, a travel-worn messenger galloped past young Henry and the eldest maid, almost hitting them.

Unable to be scolded by the eldest palace maid, the messenger, accompanied by the priest, arrived at the emperor's side. He knelt on one knee and said something, and then took out a letter from his arms.

The emperor took the letter, took off the seal, and read it.

Little Henry saw that the satisfaction and joy of victory disappeared from his father's face.

…

"Gunpowder blew the knightly caste to pieces" - K.H.M.

…

"Gunpowder did not directly eliminate knights and castles. In fact, even unmodified medieval city walls can cause a lot of trouble for armies equipped with gunpowder weapons - countless battles in history can prove this. Gunpowder is just It provided the attacker with a more powerful weapon. When the city defense technology in the new era matured, gunpowder became a weapon for the defender.

However, gunpowder did indeed blow the "knight class" to pieces.

As gunpowder weapons became more common, the cost of war began to soar. The production, manufacturing, and storage of gunpowder require massive technical, human, and management resources. At the same time, the militaries of various countries have also begun to reform in a professional and scientific direction. The small and medium-sized nobles could no longer afford a war, so they gradually lost their autonomy and completely became vassals of the big nobles. From then on, the strong become stronger and the weak become weaker.

As the feudal knights lost their existence as the smallest unit of military entities, the knight class, a by-product of the feudal knighthood system, also disappeared. ” — Bonnie Seifer

……………………

……………………

[December 2, 537 Imperial Calendar] [23 years ago/18 years after the end of the Bagrum Counter-Rebellion War]

[Cathedral of St. Mila Convent]

"The old king is dead!"

After three days and three nights of painful struggle, Emperor Richard IV finally breathed his last on his bed.

Leaving behind an empire waiting to be inherited.

"A new king is here to stay!"

Until he was anointed and consecrated, Henry Lieyang was still thinking about the conversation between father and son that morning outside Baglum Castle eighteen years ago.

The convent choir sang hymns in unison, and the songs echoed under the towering dome of the cathedral, becoming more ethereal and sacred.

Maria, the abbess of St. Mila's Convent, held the crown in her hand and slowly approached Henry on the throne.

St. Mila's Cathedral was not the traditional place for imperial emperors to hold their coronations. Traditionally, the abbess of St. Mila's convent was not qualified to crown the emperor.

Even the crown placed in the hands of Dean Maria is not the emperor's crown passed down from generation to generation in the empire, but the crown of King Fulen found in the relic vault.

But when "Richard the Usurper" had already been crowned in the traditional Holy Stone Cathedral, using the traditional holy oil bottle of St. Clovis, kneeling on the traditional coronation stone, wearing the traditional imperial crown, and being crowned by the traditional crowner, the Pope. , tradition is not so important.

There is no longer the possibility of reconciliation in this war of succession between the two brothers. Now that Richard Sun has been crowned "Richard V", the sooner Henry Sun is crowned "Henry III" the better. .

The coronation process had been rehearsed several times, so everything went smoothly.

Abbot Maria placed the crown on Henry Sun's head, and Henry calmly recited the coronation oath that all emperors had recited: "I will fulfill all my duties and safeguard the honor of myself, the church, the princes, and all people until the end of my life. ."

Next, Abbess Maria should reply: “May God have mercy on you, my Lamb, and give you the authority you deserve.”

However, the nun who was over sixty years old did not say the predetermined lines. She helped Henry Lieyang, who had just been crowned emperor, hold the latter's hand, and turned to look at the people at the coronation ceremony.

"I see!" said Maria. "The Lord removed the dust from my eyes and gave me sight."

Her voice was not loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly, and it was accompanied by a power that was involuntarily convincing:

"I saw an oak tree springing from Henry Sun's breast, growing until it reached the sky. The branches of the oak stretched to the ends of the continent, and the oak's shadow covered the horizon of the whole world. Four rivers stretched from the roots of the tree. Beyond, four ridges support the dome of oak trees."

"The boats on the river are bustling, the crops in the fields are plump and golden, the hillsides are covered with endless forests, and the sweet springs flow among the cypress trees and rose bushes."

"A thousand church bells are tolling, a thousand nightingales are singing. Climbing up the trunk of the oak, the mortal soul will reach heaven."

Maria looked at Henry Lieyang, her white eyes filled with strange light.

She declared the prophecy in an almost chanting manner: "Henry Sun, you will become a great ruler, and your descendants will achieve greater things than you. Your blood is destined to hold power! From this sea To the sea! From the river to the ends of the earth!”

After speaking, Dean Maria turned to face the people who witnessed the coronation ceremony and shouted loudly: "The most glorious emperor of the empire has been crowned! Long live the emperor!"

"Long live the Emperor!" Everyone in the church cheered in unison: "Long live the Emperor."

Outside the church, a salute was fired. The choir sang "Hymn of Thanksgiving", and a series of celebrations had just begun.

"May God have mercy on you, Your Majesty." In the sea of ​​carnival, Maria held the hand of the newly enthroned emperor and blessed in a low voice: "Grant you the authority you deserve."

…

Half an hour later, the library of St. Mila Convent.

Henry Lieyang placed the crown on the copy table and began to take off his heavy clothes. There are six layers in the coronation dress, which is troublesome to put on and even more difficult to take off.

"Ouch!" Along with the footsteps, a mocking voice sounded from the door: "Destined to hold power! From this sea to that sea! From the river to the ends of the earth - what an incredible prophecy."

"If you are very free, why not come and help me take off this burden." Henry Lieyang replied angrily: "Uncle!"

The visitor was none other than Louis, the young Duke of Lothair. Time had not deteriorated his appearance, but had added a touch of charm that belonged to a mature man to him.

He walked up to his nephew and asked with a smile: "What are you doing taking off your clothes? You have a banquet to attend later."

"I can wear military uniform to participate." Henry Lieyang ripped off his waistband.

"Okay, you are the emperor, you have the final say." Little Duke Lothair picked up the crown and looked at it: "Is this really pure gold?"

"Put it down!" A stern scolding came from outside the door: "That's not something you can touch!"

Hearing the scolding, little Duke Lothair trembled obviously unconsciously. He quickly put the crown back in place and leaned to the side obediently.

A vigorous old man in military uniform strode into the library. The old man's hair has turned completely white, but his steps are still strong and powerful, and his speech is full of energy. It is not obvious that he is nearly seventy years old.

There is only one person who can make the little Duke Lothair, who doesn't care about anything, so timid - the old Duke Lothair, Winfred.

"Your Majesty." The old Duke stood in front of the young emperor and saluted respectfully.

"Grandpa." Henry Lieyang's smile became a little bitter: "You don't have to do this."

"No! Now that your Majesty has been crowned, your Majesty is the supreme emperor of the empire." Winfred glanced at his youngest son and said in a loud voice: "Not only others must get used to this, but your majesty himself must get used to this. "

Henry Lieyang felt from the bottom of his heart that his grandfather was right, but he always felt a little uncomfortable. Fortunately, the young Duke Lothair secretly made a face behind the old Duke's back, making him smile.

"You are destined to hold power from sea to sea, from the river to the ends of the earth." The old Duke had no idea what his younger son was up to, and said seriously: "It is indeed a very powerful prophecy."

"Do you also believe in the so-called prophecies? Grandfather." Henry Lieyang's smile became even more helpless: "Aren't they all things that Dean Maria made up casually."

"I don't believe in any bullshit prophecies." The old Duke said decisively: "But it was a prophecy spoken by Maria herself, so it is of great importance."

The old Duke then explained: "As the abbot of St. Mila Monastery, since Maria announced the prophecy in public, she has the responsibility to help you realize the prophecy. Otherwise, her status and that of St. Mila Monastery will not be guaranteed.

Maria is the first of seventeen nunneries including Quilinburg, Elsen, Ober-Torn, Unter-Torn, Mars River, Gutenzell, and Beinter.

She is on our side, which means seventeen convents are on our side. Each of those nunneries controls immeasurable wealth. With their help, our military expenditure problem can be greatly alleviated. "

There was a brief silence in the library.

The young emperor exhaled softly and asked the old duke seriously: "Then what does she want?"

Winfred glanced at his grandson with relief and replied gruffly: "What else can a priest want? Money! Power! Soul!"

"Have you negotiated a price with her?" Henry asked.

The old Duke replied without hesitation: "Yes."

The young emperor continued to unbutton the ceremonial robe: "I hope it is a good price."

"It's not a good price." The old Duke said bluntly: "But we have no room for bargaining."

"Yes." The young emperor accepted calmly.

After a while, the old Duke changed the topic and said easily: "But your Majesty, don't worry. When you truly take charge, you will have many opportunities to renegotiate the price."

There was a moment of cunning in the eyes of this seemingly rough old man: "After all - political promises are meant to be broken."

……………………

……………………

[April 21, 560 Imperial Calendar][Present]

[Wuyou Palace]

Whenever he walked through the long corridor in front of the emperor's office, Minister of State James Farrell couldn't help but wonder: The reason why this corridor is so long, so empty, and the floor is so smooth is to allow Every imperial subject who walks through here knows what it feels like to be walking on thin ice and trembling with fear.

After receiving permission from the royal guards, the Minister of State carefully pushed open the wooden door.

It's still that simple office: a table, a chair, and two wooden boxes - one for documents that have not yet been approved, and the other for documents that have been approved.

The late Emperor Richard IV on the wall is still looking at everything in the room with a stern look.

The current emperor Henry III still ruled the empire sitting on the only chair in the office, without even raising his head to look at the minister of state.

The Minister of State approached the Emperor's table.

"Sir Farel." When the emperor spoke, he did not stop holding the quill in his hand.

"Your Majesty, I am here." The Minister of State replied respectfully.

"You should have gotten the report on the speech delivered by the new Speaker of the United Provinces in Champagne."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The emperor put down his quill and looked up at the minister of state: "What do you think?"

"It's nonsense! The corrupt dog is barking and spitting blood!" the Minister of State complained righteously: "It shows that the rebels not only have no loyalty at all, but are also a group of villains with corrupt morals!"

The emperor smiled half-heartedly, then lowered his head and wrote on the file.

A strong emperor and a strong chief minister reigning at the same time would often lead to disaster. So people say that James Farrell became Minister of State because of two things: first, he is obedient to His Majesty; second, he is the best at figuring out His Majesty's thoughts.

But this time, the Minister of State really didn't know whether his answer was right or wrong, but he didn't dare to ask, so he had to stand awkwardly.

The emperor finally finished writing his approval. He put away the file, closed the lid of the document box, and put away the quill pen, letter knife, measuring ruler and other tools until there was nothing on the table except two wooden boxes.

The emperor crossed his fingers to support his chin and looked at James Farrell. Behind the emperor, the late old emperor was looking at James Farrell with the same look.

It is as if the emperor at the table enters the painting, and it also seems as if the emperor in the painting sits at the table.

"I still remember..." The emperor said with a hint of reminiscence in his tone: "When I was young, people called my father the 'brave one', the 'brave one', and the 'brave among warriors'."

Cold sweat broke out on James Farrell's forehead.

"But you know what people called him when he died?"

James Farrell lowered his head deeply and did not dare to answer.

"Madman." The emperor answered on behalf of the minister of state: "People call him madman."

There was more cold sweat on James Farrell's forehead.

"Sir Farrell."

"I'm here."

"Tell me." The emperor asked playfully, "What will people call me after I die?"

James Farrell suddenly raised his head and shouted loudly: "Everyone in the world will respect you as the Great Emperor! The conqueror of the world! The king who is rarely seen in a thousand years!"

"Wrong." The emperor raised his finger, and the minister of state immediately fell silent: "They will call me a monster who kills relatives, a butcher who destroys civilization, and a devil who betrays sacred oaths."

"They will call me -" the emperor smiled as he answered: "The Oathbreaker."

"No! Your Majesty! No! Absolutely not!" James Farrell was tortured to the point of incoherence: "Your great achievements far exceed those of all previous kings. Under your governance, the empire has ushered in unprecedented achievements. Longing peace, you..."

"Sir Farrell."

The Minister of State reflexively closed his boots and said, "I'm here."

"I will complete the conquests that my father failed to complete," the emperor said calmly.

"Please give the order! Your Majesty!" James Farrell swore without hesitation: "Your will will be carried out irresistibly."

"In order to complete the conquest that my father failed to complete." The emperor paused for a moment and lightly issued an order that would set off a storm: "I want to disband the Southern General Army, and this matter will be completed by you."

……………………

……………………

[tanilia]

[Red Sulfur Island, the headquarters of the III Corps]

When the emperor of the empire issued a direct order to "disband the Southern General Army," thousands of miles away, on a small island across the ocean, another father was writing a letter to his son.

"...Maybe as people get older, they tend to talk a lot. But, my son, I miss you very much. So some nights, I will recall your appearance as a child."

After writing this, Antonio put down his pen and looked up out of the window.

Cheksu Island has now been completely transformed into a military port. Civilians recruited from plantations on the island are installing new docks; and at the narrow passages into and out of the bay, four brand-new forts are being built in full swing.

If nothing unexpected happens, this port will become the new home port of the Inland Sea Fleet.

Even more spectacular than the expansion of the port are the new dry docks scattered throughout the port area. Shipwrights from Haidong Port are laying the hull on the keel, and a large number of brand-new warships have begun to take shape.

In the military camp next to the dock, two newly expanded groups of rookie cavalry are practicing riding skills while sitting astride wooden barrels hung by ropes under the guidance of officers. The purchased horses have not yet arrived, so this kind of cavalry can only be used for the time being. Method to train the cavalry's sense of balance.

Antonio dipped his pen in ink, lowered his head and wrote:

"When you were young, I had many dreams about your future, some of which were extremely brilliant and glorious. I dreamed of you traveling across the vast land, crossing the turbulent oceans, conquering strange peoples, and discovering huge wealth. ; Some are filled with swords, bloodshed, deceit and betrayal. The flames of war devour your body, and killing tortures your soul. I dreamed that you were resting on a sharp knife and could never sleep peacefully."

Antonio stopped writing, sighed, and continued:

"But for Kesha and I, those dreams and those prophecies were not important at all. At that time, we just hoped that you could grow up healthily and safely, because you were so young and so fragile... maybe you are getting old. , will become sentimental..."

Antonio stopped writing again. After a while, the sound of the pen tip rubbing against the parchment sounded again:

"I have questioned my decision countless times - was it right to train you to be a soldier? Should a safer path be chosen for you? Or should you be allowed to choose your own path?

But I finally realized that all these worries were because I refused to let go, because I still thought I could interfere with your destiny. But my son, you are already a person who can decide your own destiny. You are no longer the young eagle under my wings, you are already fighting against the strong wind and huge waves.

No matter where destiny leads you, it's up to you to take every step, and it's up to you to build a career of your own. What you are about to experience is an era of great change, with countless hidden crises and the possibility of shaping history. I envy you, my son, you are still so young and have unlimited hope..."

Antonio wrote the last sentence while speaking softly, as if Winters was sitting in front of him:

"So, go, my son, with my blessing! Go and carve out your own future!"

After signing, Antonio stared at the paper for a long time. He took a deep breath, then carefully folded and sealed the letter.

He called the messenger and handed the triple-sealed letter to the messenger: "Give this document to Lieutenant Don Juan. He knows who to send it to."

Outside the window, the wind roared.

(Prologue to the Roaring Volume, end)

…

…

[Unknown land]

[Corner of the world]

[The forgotten group of people]

"Captain! Captain!" The pirate in charge of the lookout was trembling with excitement: "A ship is coming! A ship is coming!"

"Call you [vulgar sailor expletive]!" Drake yelled: "Why don't you light the beacon quickly? Get all the people who can still move and let me go to the beach! Go pretend to be pitiful! Whoever dares to show his weapons and scare away the incoming ship will be skinned by me!"

The pirates on the lookout got the order and ran away quickly.

"Is there a ship coming?" A weak voice sounded from the simple shack transformed from the deck.

"Don't move around." Derek quickly pushed Edward back onto the bed: "Just take good care of your injuries. Since a ship is coming, just leave the rest to me."

Edward said with difficulty: "There are ships coming and going, which means we may have reached our destination."

"It doesn't matter where we are." Derek gritted his teeth and said with murderous intent, "First grab a ship first!"

"Don't embarrass ordinary sailors."

"I know, I know." Derek took a coconut and split it into two pieces: "Here, drink some more water."

After sailing into the storm, the situation was indeed as Edward expected, and the ocean current eventually rolled the Intrepid to the southwest.

However, the ocean currents only sent the Dauntless to the southwest, but did not care how far it was sent.

After sailing out of the storm area, the Intrepid was drifting at sea, with no land in sight and no idea where it was.

After discussing the current situation, Edward chose to continue heading west, so the Intrepid sailed fearlessly into the vast ocean and sailed westward for more than ten days.

They experienced countless bizarre phenomena, such as the weather suddenly turned extremely cold and some crew members froze to death;

Another example is that the changeable sea wind brought them back to the same location for three consecutive days. If Drake's intuition hadn't allowed him to place buoys on the water the next day, the Intrepid might have been trapped alive without a mark. things on the sea.

After continuing to sail for several days, there was still no sign of land on the sea level.

Edward chose to turn north.

Another hopeless, endless, long voyage with no end.

When the fresh water and food were exhausted and Drake, who was already crazy with hunger, began to seriously study which sailor should be eaten first, the silhouette of land finally appeared on the sea level.

Everyone thought they were rescued, but then, this group of unlucky and lucky pirates watched themselves being hit by the rough waves on the rocks on the shore.

Tough luck - their only ship sank.

Fortunately - their ship sank off the coast of a small island with fresh water, and some things in the cabin were salvaged.

Drake led people to build a shack on the island, settled the injured Edward and others, and then lived a day of praying for a ship to pass nearby and fighting wits with the blue sheep on the island.

Just when Drake despaired that he would have to live like a savage for the rest of his life, the lookout finally saw a mast on the sea level.

Facing the skinny and ragged men, Drake spat and ordered viciously: "It's a big job after all! Do it beautifully for me! Control the captain and first mate first, and occupy the entire ship. In the past, no one was allowed to go to the kitchen to steal food! Boat! Remember! Grab the boat first!"

"Ouch!" The pirates' eyes radiated green light.

…

[Three hours later]

"You...said...what..." Drake stuffed biscuits into his mouth while vaguely interrogating the tied-up captain in front of him: "Where...is this?"

The same was true for other pirates. Many pirates were choked and rolled all over the floor. After finally vomiting out, they started to stuff and drink as hard as they could.

The hijacked crew members stared at the hungry and skinny pirates with their mouths open. It wasn’t that they had never seen pirates before, but they certainly had never seen pirates reduced to such a state - where are the pirates? Isn’t this clearly a beggar?

"Sir." The captain scolded himself in his mind for meddling in other people's business, and said with a smile, "This is His Majesty's Far Western Colony, Lizhu Bay."

[The end of the mistakenly published fourth volume is 10,000 words, and this prologue is 14,500+ words. It is considered an overfulfillment of the task and does not cause any book friends who subscribe to lose moneyヾ(ω`)o]

[Geography and maps will continue to be updated, and are tentatively scheduled to be posted at the end of Volume 4 and in "Works Related\