King

"Marshal, princess, please come over and have a chat."

The maid's voice sounded in his ears, and Hudson was slightly startled.

There is only one princess in the kingdom, Madeleine. After her previous attempt to get her to disrupt the marriage was rejected, the two parties lost contact.

Now that the war is over, the urgency for marriage is gone. According to the common practice in the Aslant continent, marriages that are strongly opposed by the parties involved will eventually be cancelled, unless there are special circumstances.

After all, the purpose of marriage is to deepen the relationship between the two countries, not to create enmity. They are forcing a marriage, and they are still messing up the relationship between the two countries every day!

Following the maid into the back garden, I saw Princess Madeleine, but there were also Caesar IV and the Queen beside her.

Obviously, it was not Princess Madeleine who invited him here today, but Caesar IV.

With a hint from Caesar IV's eyes, the maids left one after another, leaving only four people in the room.

"Your Excellency, Marshal, I invited you here in the name of Madeleine, mainly to deceive others.

What happened just now, although we cooperated well, still attracted the attention of interested people. In order not to cause trouble, Wang Mei could only be used as a cover. "

Caesar IV immediately explained.

As a king, his every move attracted countless attention. That was enough in normal times. The interests involved this time were too great for him to ignore.

Compared with the Near East, which is always facing the threat of orcs, the land in the Warhammer Kingdom is not only developed and mature land, but also has a much higher safety factor.

The "Ancient Relics Alliance" is just the defeated general of the kingdom. An expeditionary army can cripple them, who would regard them as a threat?

The royal family is not easy to mess with if they dare to cause trouble, not to mention the Principality of Moxi as an ally to share the pressure.

"Your Majesty, it is right to be cautious. The more critical this moment is, the less we can take it lightly.

But the Mossi people also need to urge them. Once you have made up your mind on some things, you must implement them quickly. If you delay for a long time, things may change easily. "

Hudson responded with a smile.

It is false to urge the Moxi people to speed up the process of annexing the Warhammer Kingdom. The real purpose is to let them fulfill their promises quickly.

Deep down, he really envied Caesar IV. The family wealth left by our ancestors is strong, but it’s different.

The royal territory of Northern Xinjiang is close to the Warhammer Kingdom, and the cakes allocated can support the merger into the royal territory, which happens to be one piece.

As far as Hudson knew, the royal family was planning an action against the five Dukes of Northland. Apart from the past hatred, the most important thing is that they are in the way.

Originally, the three provinces of Northern Xinjiang were the largest territory of the royal family. After merging the land from the Warhammer Kingdom, the area will be even larger.

It requires a large amount of resource investment in a short period of time, but its future development potential is far greater than the royal princes currently controlled by the kingdom.

The royal family is scattered in various provinces, but the two provinces where the royal capital is located are the current foundation of the royal family.

One is "now" and the other is "future". They are both areas that the royal family cannot abandon and need to focus on management.

The best way is naturally to connect the two largest royal families into one, thus forming a strategic closed loop.

Strategic conflicts are superimposed on old grudges, and the alliance of the five major families in the North that stands in the middle becomes an eyesore.

Politics is so mysterious. When he first succeeded to the throne, Caesar IV also made great efforts to win over the five Northland Dukes, and hated Hudson with gnashing of teeth.

In the blink of an eye, Hudson became the best partner of the royal family. On the contrary, the five major families in the North who were attracted by him became the target of Caesar IV.

It is unrealistic to uproot the five major families. It is possible to remove the most annoying one of them piecemeal. It is still possible to connect the two royal families together.

Even the royal family does not need direct control. As long as the owners who control these areas are changed from big nobles to small and medium nobles, the strategic purpose will be achieved.

The trigger that led to the change in Caesar IV's political stance was the "transit tax" imposed by the five major families in the North. The royal caravan had to pay protection fees when passing by, which suddenly touched his sensitive nerve.

Coupled with the fact that the old guys in the royal family were telling Caesar IV in his ears every day: all kinds of damn things about the five major families in the North, it is not surprising that the political stance has changed.

In the face of family interests, personal emotional preferences are nothing at all.

Hudson, who also had grievances with the five major Northland families, naturally became a high-quality partner. Coupled with the "emotion" of sharing the spoils, it is not surprising that the relationship between the two parties has reversed.

"Marshal, please rest assured, Brother Wang has accelerated the process and will soon have substantial control over the Warhammer Kingdom.

According to the agreement, you can get one-seventh of the profit from it, which is nearly one-fourth of the territory of the Warhammer Kingdom.

Different territories have different values ​​and need to be assessed comprehensively. This income will definitely exceed that of the royal family in the southeastern province, and you can also get compensation from other places. "

The queen's words made Princess Madeleine extremely envious. These are fourteenth Warhammer Kingdoms. Even the Warhammer Kingdom that is in ruins is still valuable.

Such a big piece of cake was given away, and his brother Wang didn't object.

Under normal circumstances, the royal family would restrict the development of the great nobility in the country to avoid the tragedy of the princes becoming bigger and the royal power declining.

In particular, a young aristocrat like Hudson, who was particularly capable of fighting, was a key target of suppression.

Fortunately, the Koslow family's background is not deep. Now it is completely dragged forward by Hudson. Its own talent reserve can only support a middle-class noble family.

The Koslow family, which has an unstable foundation, is actually a castle in the air. It is okay to develop slowly, but it will soon collapse if it takes advantage of others. This gives the royal family a little peace of mind.

In fact, at first, the Principality of Moxi only wanted to tear off two or three provinces from the Warhammer Kingdom. No one expected that under Hudson's manipulation, it would actually get half of the Warhammer Kingdom.

Hudson itself has enough weight, and coupled with the constraints of the magical contract, the cost of breach of contract is ridiculously high, so naturally he can only fulfill his promise.

At least the royal family gets more cake. After digesting the results, the strength of the Koslow family will grow rapidly, but the strength of the royal family will grow even more.

Princess Madeleine, who didn't know the inside story, just felt that her brother and sister-in-law were so generous and could give out such huge benefits.

"Queen, the issue of compensation is not urgent. It is important to complete the business first.

Annexing half of the Warhammer Kingdom is just the beginning, the key is how to gain a firm foothold in the future. The Ancient Relics Alliance itself is not scary. The key is that the elves behind it are very difficult to deal with.

I have compiled a piece of information on how to deal with the threat from the elves. Maybe it will be used later, so I will trouble the queen to pass it on to His Majesty George. "

Hudson said with a smile.

Respect is mutual. Although there are contractual constraints, the benefits are inevitable, but the specific time of handover can be changed.

The other party gave him face, and Hudson didn't mind doing things beautifully. If there had been pushback, this information would not have appeared.

Instinct told Hudson that the queen in front of him was not simple. Under normal circumstances, these matters would be discussed by Caesar IV.

Stealing the king's job without arousing the dissatisfaction of Caesar IV required means.

No matter how you look at it, Caesar IV is not a soft persimmon, and it is not easy to control him.

Whether it was the love between husband and wife or the queen's increased voice, Hudson couldn't figure it out for a while. The only thing that was certain was that the queen was going to make a name for herself in politics.

According to the agreement, the interests transferred from the Principality of Mossy to Hudson and the royal family will be in the name of the queen in the name of dowry.

Legally speaking, the queen and the king now have become strategic partners, and they are still inseparable.

Three-fourteenths of the Warhammer Kingdom, even if one point is given to Hudson, there is still one-seventh of the Warhammer Kingdom.

After swallowing this piece of cake, the royal family's direct jurisdiction will expand from the current six provinces to ten provinces.

Of course, this number is unreal. Among the ten provinces, only three provinces have been operated by the royal family for many years.

From the standpoint of the royal family, it is imperative to develop these seven provinces and build a defense line in the Near East.

After a useless business exchange, Caesar IV suddenly stood up, opened a map of the Northern Continent, and said in a serious tone: "Marshal Hudson, we are all our own people here, so I won't hide it.

At present, the compensation that the royal family can provide, except for the royal territory in the southeastern province agreed in advance, the rest is in northern Xinjiang.

We can discuss whatever we like. However, considering the political impact, it must be a "land transaction" when publicizing it to the outside world. "

How it is publicized is not important at all. No matter what the transaction amount is, he doesn't need to pay a big word.

The royal family's territory in the southeastern province only covers an area of ​​4,000 square kilometers, equivalent to a small county, and has a population of only 4.5 million.

Because of its complete development, the value is equivalent to about half of an abandoned province.

Theoretically speaking, Hudson could also receive compensation from the royal family for a large province or a semi-ordinary province.

It just so happened that the royal family's territory in northern Xinjiang was also harmed by orcs, and the value would not be much different if directly exchanged.

The crux of the problem is that the royal family's three provinces in northern Xinjiang are all concentrated in the inland areas, and none of them is what Hudson wants.

Caesar IV seemed generous, but in fact he wanted to find a gatekeeper for his territory to avoid being constantly threatened by orcs.

"Your Majesty, the impact of directly dividing so many territories from the royal family is too great. Even if it is in the name of trade, it will still be noticed by the nobles of the kingdom.

I think we should make appropriate compensation from other aspects!

All parties in the kingdom have the same position, and they all want me to go to the Near East to take charge of the overall situation to ensure the security of the northern Xinjiang region.

After suffering such a big loss, you should be compensated, right? The area of ​​the fiefdom is quite a bit larger, so I think everyone can accept it.

Close to Xueyue Lake, I want this area. In addition, the kingdom must also contribute to open a large port for me, build seven fortress cities, and thirty additional fortresses, connected in series with city walls to form a basic defense line.

The required expenditure investment can be paid by the kingdom or the royal family. "

Hudson drew a circle on the map with a calm expression, including all the land from Xueyue Lake to the seaside.

Calculated purely in terms of area, it is equivalent to one-third of the Near East, far exceeding the normal enfeoffment specifications.

There are also lakes and rivers running through the territory, with abundant water resources and fertile land, which is very suitable for agricultural production. It can be said to be the best land in the Near East.

Not only the land is needed, but also the supporting infrastructure. Under normal circumstances, if anyone dared to make such a request, Caesar IV would definitely tell him to get out.

The current situation is obviously different. Hudson's appetite is big enough, but the royal family is also a beneficiary.

Originally, he had to take away a province and a half from his own territory, but now he only needs to ask for land from the orcs and make a decent profit.

Infrastructure investment is also funded by the Kingdom. The royal family just has a little more leadership, and the overall expenses are still controllable.

According to the plan, the Near East was to be divided into ten provinces.

With Hudson's contribution alone, he could take away the fiefdoms of several counties. With the land bonds converted into one county, and considering the compensation premium for development in the Near East, it was reasonable to take over the fiefdoms of a province.

Although they are both border areas, the Near East is obviously more dangerous than Northern Xinjiang. One and a half provinces in Northern Xinjiang can be converted into two provinces in the past, which is also reasonable.

From 30% to one-third, Hudson only received a few more points of land, plus a bunch of infrastructure. Compared with the increased income from the royal family, it is not worth mentioning.

After weighing the pros and cons, Caesar IV looked at Hudson differently. This is not a powerful minister, he is clearly a loyal minister of the royal family.

Hudson did get more, but the royal family gained even more.

Swallowing the six provinces of the Warhammer Kingdom in one go, the royal family's control area was directly doubled. All it cost was a piece of royal territory in the southeastern province and part of the outside world's political resources.

Once Hudson took root in the Near East, the security of the royal family's territory in northern Xinjiang was also guaranteed, and they could invest freely in development.

"Your Majesty, Marshal, I will handle the fiefdom issue as you say. However, the later infrastructure construction will still take a certain amount of time.

The war had just ended and everyone was not rich. The resources that the Kingdom can invest in the short term are limited, but the construction of the corresponding projects will definitely be completed within five years at the latest.

If the resources invested by the kingdom are insufficient, the royal family will also find ways to make up for it. The specific detailed plan will be discussed after the site selection is completed. "

Caesar IV said enthusiastically.

Hudson, who stayed in southern Xinjiang, was the key defense target of the "powerful ministers". Went to Hudson, where the Near East developed, and that was the pillar of the kingdom.

Historical experience told Caesar IV that with the good territory of the orcs living there, even if the Koslow family really became big, it would be consumed by orc invasions again and again.

Compared with the threat of the Koslow family becoming bigger, he is more worried that the Koslow family's lack of background will hinder Hudson's ability to gain a foothold in the Near East.

"Your Majesty, if you give such a large fiefdom at once, it will be difficult for the country to explain it, right?

As far as I know, no one in the history of the kingdom has been able to obtain the fiefdom of a province at once.

The Near East has not yet established a province, so there is more room for maneuver, but if such a large area of ​​land is obtained at once, the nobles in the country will probably make a fuss. "

Hudson reminded.

Making a promise is one thing, but how to implement it is another. After all, Caesar IV was not Caesar III, and he could not keep his promise in the kingdom.

If the operation is not done well and there is resistance from a large number of nobles, the canonization plan may come to nothing.

After all, it's easier to do bad things than to do good things. Even if self-interest is not involved, jealousy can make people lose themselves.

"Don't worry, Marshal, they don't want the land in the Near East. If anyone dares to jump out and make trouble, I will transfer him to the Near East!"

Caesar IV said with a sneer.

Thinking of everyone's rejection, he became very angry. If all the great nobles in the kingdom work together, developing the Near East will not be a problem at all.

Unfortunately, the uncertainty in the Near East is too high, and no one loves the enclave that may fall at any time.

The nobles of the kingdom were unwilling to take it, and the government was unwilling to take over. Naturally, the king had to find a way to deal with it.

"Your Majesty, if no big nobles come over, it would be best not to set up provinces in the Near East region for the time being, and first establish a Protectorate for unified management.

When it has developed to a certain extent and is able to gain a firm foothold, the Protectorate will be abolished and replaced by provincial rule. "

Speaking of claiming power in such an upright and upright manner, it is estimated that only Hudson can do it. It's not really that he's greedy, it's all about considering the overall situation.

If a big noble is willing to spend a lot of money to develop in the Near East, there is nothing wrong with directly adopting provincial rule.

It's a pity that these old guys are too rational and don't want to waste family resources in the uncertain Near East. A group of small and medium-sized nobles alone cannot support the defense of the Near East.

Just look at the seven provinces in northern Xinjiang and you will know. None of the most powerful established middle-class nobles in the kingdom were able to support the defense of Northern Xinjiang.

If you can't do it alone, you can only cooperate. The original plan was for Hudson to only command the military defense of the provinces in the Near East and Northern Xinjiang. Once the Protectorate was established, he would have full military and political power.

"Marshal, the issue of establishing the Protectorate is too involved. We must first seek the opinions of all parties. Let's wait until the next meeting to discuss it!"

Caesar IV declined.

After all, reason prevailed and he was not dazzled by the immediate benefits. The establishment of the Protectorate was indeed conducive to strengthening control over the Near East, and it would also lead to local expansion.

The kingdom now has a total of thirty-two provinces, and the Protectorate composed of the Near East is directly equivalent to ten provinces. This kind of giant is really too big.

Even if the royal family can get six provinces from the Warhammer Kingdom, the actual control area is equivalent to twelve provinces, which is almost the same as the Near East in terms of territorial area.

At the king's alarm, Hudson just smiled. The birth of the Near East Protectorate was only a matter of time, and he didn't need to interfere too much. As long as there was a little bit of news, the unlucky nobles who wanted to go to the Near East would spontaneously promote it.