Warlord: King of All Clans

A fierce dispute erupted once again in the Imperial Capital's Grand Parliament.

The Southern Territory aristocratic faction launched a wave of condemnation against the Northern Territory.

"Those damned Northerners! Sheltering alien races, abusing firearms! The reputation of the Empire's nobility is being trampled into the dirt by them!"

"Count McDonald is a Templar Knight! He wages war in the name of the Holy Light, yet these barbarians dare to resist!"

Imperial Princess Gullveig sat on the royal seat above the Grand Parliament, surveying the assembly that resembled a chaotic marketplace, feeling both pleased and indignant.

She was pleased that the reactionary forces of the Southern Territory were ultimately unable to do anything against their triangular alliance. The military strength of Audhild, Riverrun, and the royal family could now all rank among the top ten in the Empire, and the alliance was more stable than ever.

She was indignant that even now, a large portion of the nobility remained unable to see reality.

When the Border Earls used firearms, it was "using barbarian skills to subdue barbarians," but when the royal family established a firearm legion, it was considered a frivolous and reckless act.

Despite the brilliance of firearms displayed during the war between the two territories, the nobles of the Imperial Capital continued to denigrate firearms as worthless.

The reason for this was very simple: the Imperial Capital was the largest handicraft industry base in the Southern Territory, home to artisan guilds of traditional weaponry and equipment, such as the Armorers' Association, the Arrowsmiths' Association, and the Leatherworkers' Association, with over ten thousand registered members.

Half of the Empire's weapons, equipment, industrial goods, and luxury goods were produced in the Imperial Capital.

And the financial magnates behind them were the Southern Territory nobles.

The royal family, on the other hand, had its own firearm workshops. To prevent the production process from being controlled by others, they sourced everything themselves, from gun barrels and flintlocks to even the walnut wood for the gunstocks, which came from the royal family's own manor lumber mills.

In this way, almost all the military equipment of the royal legions was monopolized by the royal family, and the amount of profit distributed to those miscellaneous traditional guilds plummeted by eighty percent.

In theory, many of the emerging bourgeoisie who monopolized sub-sectors of equipment should have been allies of the royal family, naturally rejecting the status quo of feudal separatism.

But in reality, the opposite was true. These people only had profit in their minds and lacked foresight. They didn't care about improving military strength or strengthening centralization; they only cared about whether their industries were losing money and whether their families would go bankrupt.

Although the huge tariffs generated by feudal separatism led to merchants going bankrupt every day, the war between the Northern and Southern Territories also supported many merchants who took the opportunity to profit from the war.

If the Southern Territory legions were defeated, they would not be able to recover the debts they had extended, and this debt would naturally be placed on the heads of the Northerners.

It was all the fault of the Northern barbarians for resisting!

The hypocrisy and shortsightedness of the nobles thoroughly disgusted Little Mouse.

"Leo is right. The nobility is a product of feudalism and should be swept into the dustbin of history."

The Grand Parliament, mired in endless debate, ultimately turned its attention to the Southern Territory royal family.

A viscount councilor stood up and indignantly declared, "The Northerners are too arrogant and disrespectful, refusing to be civilized! I propose that the royal legions immediately send troops north to conquer the two major barbarian forces of Audhild and Riverrun, demonstrating the royal authority!"

Another councilor echoed, "Yes! Once the Northern barbarians break through the defenses painstakingly built by the two Border Earls and enter the Southern Territory, what will become of the Golden Gryphon royal family's reputation?"

"We now have two royal firearm legions and two hundred gryphon knights! The advantage is ours!"

Little Mouse was utterly amused and coldly surveyed the crowd, calmly asking, "Oh? I'm going to attack my own grandfather?"

The viscount councilor angrily said, "Your Highness, in the face of national righteousness, how can you still consider family affection? Eliminating relatives for the sake of righteousness is the proper course…"

The Imperial Princess raised her hand, stopping him from speaking, and announced, "Very well! War requires raising military funds and stockpiling supplies. I will reclaim the territories of six viscounts in the capital region and use the land taxes to replenish the military expenses. We will act when the opportunity arises."

The viscount councilor's face immediately turned pale, and he furiously said, "Your Highness! What nonsense are you talking about? My territory was personally granted by the late Emperor Alexander IV! It is inherited from father to son, and will not change for ten thousand generations! What right do you have to take away my fiefdom!"

Gullveig stood up, looking down upon everyone from above, her voice clear and powerful, "Under all of heaven, there is no land that is not the king's. Within the realm, there is no subject who is not the king's servant. The late Emperor was the late Emperor, and I am I. If I want to take it back, I will take it back. What do you want to do about it?"

"I have finished speaking. Who agrees? Who opposes?"

Following her voice, the Rose Knights on the side of the guards all placed their hands on the hilts of their swords, their eyes scanning, searching for those who would resist.

The entire Grand Parliament, with nearly a hundred councilors, was deathly silent, all looking at the unfamiliar Princess.

All those in the Southern Territory who truly had the confidence to oppose the royal family were fighting in the Northern Territory; the rest were just a rabble.

Among the nobles present, there were not even a few feudal lords who could produce three hundred suits of iron armor.

The only real power that had completely preserved its strength was the royal family!

Now, the royal family had two fully staffed firearm legions and two hundred gryphon knights, more than half of whom were stationed in the Imperial Capital.

Throughout the entire Southern Territory, who dared to compete, except for the Holy Church's army in the City of Holy Light?

In the past few years, the royal family had only been slightly radical in some aspects, but they had only gradually gained power through normal social interactions and governance, without resorting to force against the Southern Territory nobles.

Through years of effort, the royal family had unknowingly gained control of the entire capital region, taken back the military power of the Imperial Capital's garrison legions, and formed two royal firearm legions.

After enduring for several years, the Southern Territory royal family finally revealed its cards, bared its fangs, and began to expand outwards!

After returning to the palace, Dennis was worried about Little Mouse's performance today and advised, "Your Highness was too rash today. Once you provoke the collective hostility of the nobles, even if they don't openly resist, they will inevitably be insincere in secret and oppose you everywhere."

Noreen defended Little Mouse, "Time waits for no one. Now is our only opportunity to expand. Regardless of whether the Border Earls win or lose, as long as their gaze is directed at us, then we will have to endure for many more years. Rather than that, we might as well take a gamble."

Little Mouse also nodded, "Those ungrateful Border Earls are bullying my grandfather and Sister Olivia. Who can tolerate that? Besides, there's still no news from Leo. I can't just sit in the palace and watch; I have to do something."

"Noreen, you will lead the Royal First Firearm Regiment to confiscate the armed forces of the viscounts in the capital region. I want to eliminate the threats near the Imperial Capital within this year, and next year, send troops to Count McDonald's territory, so that they can also taste the taste of being attacked from both sides."

"Yes, Your Highness."

After finishing military affairs, Dennis hesitated and said, "His Majesty the Emperor has not left his palace for a week. Your Highness, you did not pay your respects yesterday; you must not miss it again today."

Worry also appeared on Gullveig's face, and she nodded, "We'll go now."