King

The news leaked out somewhere, and the news of Baron Caillot's return quickly spread among the noble circles of the two counties.

The time has come to test political wisdom.

How to stand in line without being disrespectful, neither humble nor arrogant, and not offending others has become a difficult problem for the local nobles.

Just when everyone was entangled, a clever guy who did not want to be named said that the conflict could be diverted.

This proposal instantly gained the support of the nobles who had suffered heavy losses in the previous battle with the Northland nobles, and soon turned into a mobilization meeting for revenge against the Northland nobles.

Although not many local nobles participated in the discussion, everyone still supported the final decision 100%.

Whoever can lead everyone to defeat the nobles of the North and drive out those nasty people will be supported as the boss.

There is no doubt that this is an almost impossible task.

Although the strength gap between the two sides has narrowed a lot, the military strength of the northern nobles who have experienced hundreds of battles is still superior to that of the local nobles.

Of course, this is just a calculation of the power everyone puts on the table, and does not involve the family behind them.

For many people, the more ambitious, difficult, and unattainable the goal, the better.

No one wants to have another ancestor above their heads. The two powers keep each other in check and maintaining a balance is what everyone needs.

A dominant family will only squeeze out everyone's interests.

Everyone knows that "drive away the nobles of the North" is just a slogan, and anyone who takes it seriously will lose.

It has nothing to do with the strength gap between the two sides, but mainly involves the game of power in the kingdom, which cannot be decided by the pawns below.

…

Bayda City, Governor's Palace.

After reminiscing about old times, Earl Pierce's expression became serious.

"Kayo, I think you already know about the complex situation in Wright and Wyton counties.

Next, where do you plan to start? "

The situation in the two counties is not only complicated, but a complete mess.

A group of human spirits poured into the small land of two counties, and more than twenty people attracted Kayo's attention alone.

There are more than ten people who can make him feel afraid.

These people are either standing in the foreground, or behind the scenes, or they have temporarily failed in the competition, but without exception, they all have their own merits.

"Uncle, why should I buy it?

The matter of returning from the royal capital cannot be kept secret at all.

No matter what choice I make, there may be a condom prepared by someone else, just waiting for me to get in.

Instead of rushing to achieve results, it is better to wait and see and learn first.

Observing the past actions of the noble lords of the two counties opened my eyes.

That's all the guys from the north. After all, they were killed on the battlefield, and some of the methods were normal.

But those born among the local nobles really shocked me.

The Knight of Sosa who planned an economic blockade against the nobles of the North.

This person's thinking mode is unusual, and his vision is not only limited to the battlefield, but also extends beyond the battlefield.

The most important thing is that he is very good at protecting himself wisely. He has done such a big thing without even thinking about taking the lead.

It is simply a miracle that such a person can be born in a small noble family.

The Knight of Pereira made a fortune by hoarding supplies.

It seems to be the style of a businessman, but his timing is just right.

Not only economics are involved, but political aspects are also considered. If he were not limited by his status, this person should be able to do well in the royal capital.

Bad knight Adrian.

It's nothing to fool the nobles of the North. The key is that he is shameless enough and can stop it just right.

A nobleman who can put down his face and know how to advance and retreat will never do badly no matter where he is.

Loser Baron Ezekiel.

Organized local nobles to join forces to fight against the Northland nobles, but ended in a disastrous defeat. The outside world thinks he lost, but I don't think so.

From being unknown, he suddenly became a famous presence among the local nobles. Fame is his biggest gain.

What's more, being able to organize more than twenty nobles with different interests under the condition of absolute disadvantage is an amazing achievement in itself.

…

The most surprising one, the Mountain Baron, was simply the chosen one.

Not only does he have an amazing talent in archery, but he can meet the bear of the earth and claim his master as soon as he leaves home. Watching dramas and paddling on the battlefield, military achievements will be delivered to your door.

Choosing a remote territory not only luckily avoided the fiercest aristocratic conflict in the early days, but also made him a huge war fortune.

The territory's development speed is even more unexpected. It seemed as if he didn't even do anything, but bargains kept coming to his door for him to pick up.

Although his political performance is very immature, his invincible luck is enough to cover up all his shortcomings.

If possible, when encountering such an opponent, it is best not to confront him head-on before his luck runs out.

So many outstanding people, crowded together. I have rashly started a dispute, and I am not sure that it will end according to my own will. "

Baron Cayo analyzed calmly.

It's not that he wants salted fish, it's just that there are too many people in Wright and Wyton counties.

As a latecomer, you lose your first-mover advantage. Being born into a noble family is an advantage, but this advantage does not come without a price.

If he goes too far, a group of careerists will most likely join forces to kick him out first.

Although the analysis can be made logically now, it is ultimately just a paper talk based on the results after the fact.

Having a good family background and having extraordinary experience does not mean that you can have an advantage in actual operations.

"That's a good analysis. It seems that your time in the capital was not in vain, and you still learned some wisdom from those old foxes.

As a big noble, we are different from the small nobles below.

Their financial resources are limited, so they can only continue to fight, fight, and take risks.

Even if they have succeeded countless times before and their foundation is unstable, as long as they fail once, everything they have will be knocked back to its original shape.

You are also familiar with history books. Looking at ancient and modern times, countless smart people have fallen halfway, but some not-so-smart people have made it to the end.

The biggest reason is that they are too smart.

It is too easy to get things by calculation, and people will gradually get lost in it, thinking that they can calculate everything.

The same is true in the land of two counties now. Those who like to scheme the most may seem very powerful, but in fact they are destined to be eliminated.

For example: Baron Ezekiel. His organizational skills and ability to control people's hearts are very strong.

At another time and place, he might have been able to stir up some trouble. Unfortunately, he was unlucky and met a group of northern nobles who believed in strength.

Although he has gained a lot of false fame, the question is, can you tolerate his rise, or will the mountain baron leave him a chance?

Competitors have blocked the way forward. Fame is just fame after all. Fame that cannot be converted into strength is actually worthless.

There is also Baron Ketley. If you look through his resume, you will find that this guy is more powerful than the above guys. His name is still on the wanted documents of the Orc Empire.

But what is the final result?

When you encounter a luck-based enemy, every calculation he makes will pave the way for others.

Of course, what we see may not be true, and it may be what these guys want us to see.

Each of them seems to have demonstrated their abilities, but they all tend to one direction. Even if you are looking for profit, you can get away with it just right.

Everything is leaning towards one side, isn't there a balanced one? A coincidence may be a coincidence, but if a bunch of coincidences come together, there must be a conspiracy behind it.

Temporary success or failure does not mean anything. Many things that seem simple to us may also have countless calculations behind them.

At the very least, I don’t think that the little guy from Hudson’s rise depends entirely on luck.

If he were really lucky, Ketel would suffer losses once or twice at most, and he would never be left to be manipulated all the time.

What's worse, you might be tricked by someone without even realizing it. After all, designing a person does not need to be directed at him or her; starting from the cronies around him can also achieve the goal.

It's hard to fool a smart person, but it's very easy to fool a bunch of idiots. It just so happens that these small and medium-sized nobles are always followed by a group of idiots.

Unlike the group of nobles in the north, whose troops are really elite, the elite divisions under our Divine Bow Knight are mainly made up of blows.

What surprised me was that after being praised by everyone for a long time, the ragtag group under his command finally turned into an elite.

Once the training of the second thousand-man infantry regiment is completed, the military strength of the Mountain Territory will surpass Dadir City and become the noble with the strongest military strength in the two counties.

The other nobles were only envious and jealous. Even if they wanted to go all out in force, no territory could afford to support two infantry regiments.

This cannot be accomplished by luck alone.

If the Koslow family behind him was not too weak to provide him with much support, I am afraid that the Sith Baron would have been beaten down long ago. "

Earl Pierce said with a sneer.

Father, like son.

Standing in the position of Earl Pierce, many things no longer require evidence. The answer can be obtained by simply inferring the results after the fact.

No matter how you try to cover it up, the final result cannot be concealed.

"In that case, why didn't uncle stop it?

As long as you give him some obstacles, the mountain territory will not develop at all. Even if there is even a little bit of news, the creditors will give him a lot of trouble. "

Kayo asked confused.

"No, you are wrong!

It's not that I don't want to stumble him, but I can't stumble him. Although I dislike the lucky boy, the Dalton family needs a strong mountain baron now.

No matter how powerful Hudson is, he is just the son of a baron.

The only one I can rely on is myself. After all the hard work, the family's help is minimal.

Just relying on his own strength, a Salam Mountain Range is enough for him to struggle for many years, and he cannot threaten us at all.

But that Sith Baron had a grand duke father. Any leakage of resources would allow him to gain a foothold in Wright County.

The strength of the Felix family is far beyond that of the family. Leaving this nail in the backyard gave me trouble sleeping and eating.

Things are more complicated than you see. It seems that the position of county governor is hotly contested, but it has been decided long ago in the royal capital.

The Sheriff of Wright County is Baron Sith. No matter how hard Hudson works, the final result has been decided.

It was not announced to the outside world, but it was the Grand Duke of Kavadia who wanted to temper his son and deliberately allowed them to fight.

If there is no check and balance, Wright County will be allowed to fall into the hands of the Felix family. If the situation changes in the future and the Dalton family suffers a setback, who can guarantee that they will not turn around and seize our foundation? "

Earl Pierce said with a sneer.

A criminal record is important, and the Felix family has too much dark history. With such a neighbor behind your back, it's hard to be cautious.

As for "fairness", that's just theoretical. The solidification of classes has long penetrated into every corner of the Aslant continent.

The Alpha Kingdom is doing pretty well. With the threat of the Orc Empire, the nobles don't dare to go too far. On the bright side, the fig leaf of "fairness" is maintained.

But once the interests involved are large enough, this fig leaf is no longer enough. In the end, the winner was still—Dad.

"The mainland is going to be in chaos!"

Cayo couldn't help but sigh.

This is the experience of history. Whenever talents emerge in large numbers, it is the starting point of chaos in the mainland.

When these elites find that the world leaves no room for them to progress, they will inevitably stir up trouble.

The simplest operation is to start a war.

A carrot, a pit. Only by pulling out the original radish can the new radish be inserted.

"Whether the mainland will be in chaos or not is not up to you. The fact that the Felix family has decided to be the Sheriff of Wright County does not mean that your position as the Sheriff of Wyton County is stable.

With so many eyes staring at you, the kingdom must cover up something. So it is very unfortunate that you have to fight for the position of Sheriff of Wyton based on your true ability.

Just because those guys in Northland don't dare to compete with the Felix family doesn't mean they don't dare to compete with us. Although these nobles are very well-behaved now, it's just that no one wants to be the first.

Once activated, you are likely to be targeted by their joint efforts. The Luoye Town you went to this time is not as peaceful as it seems. "

It can be seen from the angry look on his eyebrows that Earl Pierce is very dissatisfied with the result of this bullying.

It's a pity that the arms can't lift the thighs. The Dalton family is only the overlord of the Southeast Province. Looking at the entire Alpha Kingdom, it is just an ordinary big power.

Although the governor holds a high and powerful position, it does not mean that he can make the final decision on the appointment of major officials within the province.

If you want to promote a close relative, you have to ask the king for permission. The most basic principle of checks and balances, every monarch with a passing ability knows how to use it.

Caesar III happened to be a man of great power, and his ability to mix sand and play with checks and balances was first-rate.

As powerful as the five wealthy families in the North, isn't the lair under the control of the Kingdom's garrison? The essence of political balance in the Alpha Kingdom is to check and balance each other in a criss-cross manner.

…

Hudson, who didn't know that the fruits of victory had been picked long ago, was still busy making connections. Whether or not Baron Caillot was to take the stage, the stage had to be set.

First stir up public opinion. Even if Baron Cayo doesn't buy it, he can at least ensure that the new lord's coming will not burn his head.

If Hudson didn't lead everyone to start a fight with the Northland nobles, it was because the local nobles were not strong enough and had no chance of winning.

Although he was a little timid, except for the victim, the other nobles were supportive. No one is willing to use their hard-earned wealth to participate in a gamble with no chance of winning.

Baron Cayo is different. As a direct descendant of the Dalton family, he represents the Dalton family.

Most of those who acted impulsively in the early stage happened to be the younger brothers of the Dalton family. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the younger brother who has been wronged by asking the boss to come forward.

Regardless of whether he comes forward or not, Baron Caillaux has his hands full. Busy people don't have time to do things.

"Tom, send someone to deliver these golden horses to the Sith Baron."

Hudson said expressionlessly.

There are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests. With one more competitor entering the scene, this farce should be played out in a different way.

We are all smart people, and many things do not need to be explained too clearly, just a little hint is enough.

The confrontation must continue, but the scale must be noted. You can't create real fire, otherwise it won't end.

Even if he lost to Hudson, the Sith Baron was still the lord of Dadir City. At most, he could make a comeback after being dormant for a while.

If he loses to the person representing the Dalton family, he may have to pack up and leave, saying goodbye to Wright County forever.

The same is true for Hudson. The battle with the Sith Baron for the county governor is not fatal. Even if the position of county governor is gone, one of these titles, political officer, judicial officer, and military officer, can always be obtained, right?

In the Alpha Kingdom, there is no such thing as you being the county governor and all county officials being appointed by you. On the contrary, these officials will most likely be your enemies.

They are all the result of deeds and deeds. The king uses this method to check and balance the governors in various places. The Governor's Mansion naturally followed suit and tormented the county governments below.

Losing the position of county governor does not mean completely losing the right to speak. Mainly the income from taxes is eaten up by others.

For Hudson, the income of 10,000 to 20,000 gold coins is not a big problem. In any case, no matter how much the Sith Baron can loot, it is impossible for the excessive showdown to happen to him.

If you are in a hurry, you can still resist the tax. According to incomplete statistics, there are dozens of large and small anti-tax movements in the kingdom every year.

This usually occurs when the officials responsible for tax farming are not strong enough to suppress the local nobles. There are also a small number of officials who are too greedy and exceed the tolerance limit of the local nobles.

The latter is less likely to happen.

Exploiting nobles is not a good choice. Having been treated unfairly, relatives and friends come together to ask for an explanation, which does not end well.

Unless their popularity is extremely poor, nobles are rarely bullied in this regard. It's okay to add a little, but big trouble will happen if you cross the line.

Not only the nobles involved will call their friends to make trouble, but also nearby nobles who have received the news will join in.

After all, if you don’t stand up if others are bullied today; if you are bullied tomorrow, who will stand up and help?

If the matter gets serious, the kingdom will not treat the offending officials lightly if they are investigated. In case of serious consequences, you may even be deprived of your title directly.

But if they lose to the Dalton family, it will be different. Not only is the position of county governor out of reach, but he is not eligible for any official position in the county. He might still be squeezed out.

In the southeastern province, no matter which noble family they belong to, they cannot withstand the sanctions of the Dalton family. Once you are targeted, it will be difficult to do anything.

In particular, the current rapid development of mountainous areas mainly relies on the use of financial leverage. Many things were fooled by Hudson.

Once there is a conflict with the Dalton family, no one can guarantee whether the creditors can sit still.