A lavish banquet was enjoyed by both host and guests.
After the feast,
The vice president presented a personal letter from the Peterson Society president. In the letter, the president stated bluntly that ever since receiving news of the Third Prince's death, the Society's leadership had begun to quarrel over whether to continue pursuing the northwestern region of the Redelis Kingdom as the Society's territory. No one was willing to place themselves in the path of the three-hundred-thousand-strong army led by the
The Society president believed that with the Third Prince dead, the Second Prince would certainly launch an attack on the Redelis Kingdom in April or May, and once the war began in earnest, it would quickly spread to the northwest. If the Peterson Society continued to consolidate the northwestern region as their territory, they would likely end up as collateral damage swept aside by the Second Prince, wiping clean all the efforts the Society had invested in the northwest of the Redelis Kingdom.
With the current war between the Commercial Alliance and the Therlinb Kingdom locked in a stalemate, the Peterson Society could no longer afford to redirect its attention back west. Especially with the Twin Dragon Society and the Mayflower Society both having declared their intention to secure territory from the Therlinb Kingdom, the Peterson Society was even less willing to serve as the sole defensive buffer for Grand Duke Rurum. They too had decided to take a share of the Therlinb Kingdom's pie.
With the three great societies all shifting their territorial ambitions, the Chicod Society could only abandon its strategy of seizing Sheilovas Island as the Society's territory. If they insisted on occupying Sheilovas Island, they would not only incur a blood feud with the
As a territory of the Norton Family, Sheilovas Island fell within the borders of the Andinark Kingdom. If the Chicod Society were to occupy it, it would be tantamount to carving territory away from the kingdom. For the Second Prince, who was determined to reunite and restore the former Krisen Empire, such an act would be like a slap in the face. The Chicod Society could afford to be enemies with a territorial noble, but it could not weather the fury of a king who controlled a kingdom — and more importantly, commanded formidable military power.
Reading the letter, Lorist found it hard not to laugh. The Peterson Society president had rambled across several sheets of beast-hide paper, analyzing the situation at length, all to convey one simple message to Lorist: the situation has changed, and no one is after your Sheilovas Island family estate anymore, so you can rest easy and do business with me.
However, the Society president had also laid out three demands in the letter. First, the Peterson Society wished to monopolize the sea trade route from Hidden Gold Bay to Sheilovas Island. After the incident at sea involving the interception, there was no chance the Chicod Society would ever reestablish ties with the Norton Family. Since that was the case, the Peterson Society saw no reason to be polite — this sea route was practically a free gift.
Second, regarding the large-scale trade of magical beast pelts with the Norton Family, the Peterson Society was having difficulty raising over two million gold Fordes in cash for the transaction due to the war. As such, could the two parties engage in a barter arrangement? Whatever the Norton Family needed, they could entrust the Peterson Society to procure on their behalf, thereby alleviating the Society's short-term cash shortage.
The third demand in President Peterson's letter was the real focus. Though the war between the Commercial Union and the Trinbo Kingdom had only been underway for a little over a month, President Peterson — one of the Commercial Union's Seven Giants — had already keenly identified his greatest deficiency. The Peterson Society did not lack high-end combat power. What it lacked was an elite commercial armed force that could charge into battle and obey orders without question.
As one of the Seven Giants' major trading houses, the Peterson Society primarily dealt in furs and long-haul caravan transport, while also maintaining interests in construction, maritime shipping, grain, saunas and entertainment, and other industries. The Society was not short on manpower — if the front lines needed reinforcements, the Society could quickly assemble personnel into armed battalions and dispatch them to the Trinbo Kingdom.
However, doing so would inevitably negatively impact the Society's business operations. Moreover, an armed battalion assembled this way would be more than adequate for defensive warfare, but ordering them to attack enemy battle formations was an entirely different matter. This was not merely President Peterson's personal opinion — it was the shared consensus among all Seven Giants of the Commercial Union while facing off against the allied forces of several nations on the Trinbo Kingdom front.
And when one considered that after the Commercial Union implemented the peerage system, all Seven Giants would be elevated to the rank of Duke and granted Grand Duke territories, it became clear that establishing one's own elite standing armed force was an urgent matter.
The Double-Headed Dragon Society had moved earliest and most decisively, swallowing the city garrison forces wholesale. President Comberland had already decided to satisfy the Union Council's annual proposal to disband the city garrison in October, allowing each city to establish its own garrison captain and reduce military expenditures. In the meantime, he would transfer the entire city garrison to the Society's territory to form a proper legion.
The Mayflower Society was not to be outdone, setting its sights on the light cavalry patrol battalion of the Christo Hills. After all, once the peerage system was implemented, the Christo Hills would be divided into over fifty fiefdoms, and the light cavalry patrol battalion's future had been uncertain. It was a match made in heaven — both sides were eager, and they quickly struck a deal amidst mutual enthusiasm…
The Forde Society was perfectly calm about the matter. When it had taken over the Porigas Province of the Roum Duchy, it had effortlessly inherited over ten thousand ducal garrison troops, which were currently being reorganized.
The Livord Society was in no rush either. While persuading the Mobiya Duchy to merge into the Commercial Union, it had also set its sights on the ducy's armed forces and was now working furiously behind the scenes to secure them.
The Chicod Society had originally wielded considerable influence within the invincible fleet stationed at Hidden Gold Bay. Being primarily oriented toward maritime affairs, they seemed to have little interest in establishing their own commercial armed garrison force — which might have had something to do with the fact that they still had no territory to speak of.
The Iron Mines of the Kingdom and the Iberian Kingdom attracted many desperadoes to form several iron mine guard squads. As long as he had territory, merging these squads would create a combat-capable force.
Counting it up, Chairman Peterson started to get anxious. His own society was indeed large and powerful, and could handle bandits on the transport routes or brawl with other societies without issue, but forming a formal, elite commercial armed force was much more difficult. It wasn't just about having numbers; it required strict military training to become a proper army. Furthermore, with the Grand Duchy secured, the Peterson Society must possess an impressive and formidable armed force to keep the new territory under control.
Thus, Chairman Peterson set his sights on Lorist. His third request was for Lorist to provide him with a reliable army-building plan and to allow the deputy chairman's entourage to observe the daily training of his family forces for their edification. In this era, Chairman Peterson's request was extremely presumptuous, as for many military nobles, their methods of training troops were closely guarded family secrets.
Chairman Peterson did understand Lorist's character, though, and stated straight to the point in his letter: the Peterson Society was not lacking in military talent, but the insights of this talent came either from books or just didn't feel entirely reliable. He had no desire to let these military talents freely experiment with building a caravan guard force, wasting time and effort with uncertain results...
The Norton Family was a traditional military aristocracy of the former Krisen Empire, and their performance over the past two years had been spectacularly glorious. This referred specifically to the annihilation of the Northland Grand Duke and the complete destruction of the Second Prince's hundred-thousand-strong army in a single battle, followed by the capture of the Iberian Kingdom's royal capital and the forced surrender of Grand Duke Fasabrun's mobile cavalry corps...
Therefore, Chairman Peterson hoped Lorist would help him with this favor out of their past relationship, believing Lorist would surely give him a satisfactory reply.
Hmm, Chairman Peterson's eye for talent was not bad. It seemed the combat achievements and prestige of our family's forces had finally spread. Lorist felt a little smug and pleased with himself. After reading it, he handed the letter to Fatty.
Fatty's expression went from broad grin, to furrowed brow, and finally to a slight shake of the head...
Lorist understood the meaning. Fatty was initially happy about Chairman Peterson's analysis, because if Shilowas Island was not going to be coveted by others, it meant the original development plan could proceed as normal, and he wouldn't have to leave Shilowas Island.
The frown was because Chairman Peterson had played a small trick with the first and second points. On one side, he wanted to monopolize the trade route from Hidden Gold Bay to Shilowas Island; on the other, he was worried Lorist would establish his own fleet for trade. He deliberately claimed a shortage of cash, demanding barter, with the goal of firmly controlling both the supply and distribution channels. That way, the Norton Family, to avoid trouble, wouldn't establish its own separate maritime trade fleet.
The shake of the head was to reject Chairman Peterson's third demand. Fatty Shi had always believed that the Norton Family's armed forces possessed military prowess beyond any nation in this era. Training methods were secrets passed down through the family — how could they be made public? Besides, the fact that the Peterson Trade Association was on good terms with the Norton Family did not mean the Commercial Alliance had changed its hostile stance toward the Kingdom of Andinak. Helping the Peterson Trade Association build an elite merchant force would be tantamount to arming the enemy.
Lorist, however, saw things differently. With a broad smile, he agreed to all three of Chairman Peterson's demands without hesitation, so readily that even the vice-chairman was thoroughly astonished. Lorist said that treating people with sincerity was a tradition of the Norton Family. The Peterson Trade Association had come as friends of the Norton Family, and naturally they would be met with fine wine and a warm welcome. The Nortons would do everything in their power to help and would never let their friends down.
After arranging for the Peterson Trade Association's vice-chairman to observe the daily training of the Whitebird Town garrison and the Household Guard camp the next day, Lorist sent off the deeply grateful vice-chairman.
The moment he turned around, he saw Fatty Shi's face flushed with anger. Probably worried that the vice-chairman, who hadn't gone far yet, might overhear their argument, Fatty deliberately lowered his voice: "Have you lost your mind? Why did you let them watch the Household Guard camp's daily training? That's our family's proprietary training method — it must never be revealed to outsiders!"
Lorist chuckled and patted Fatty Shi on the shoulder: "Don't be nervous. Our family's training methods aren't that easy to leak..."
"So you're planning to fool them?"
"It's not exactly fooling them. What the Household Guard camp does in their daily training is nothing more than formations and tactical drills. Such training isn't really a secret in most nations' standing armies. As for our family's forces, the training methods we initially adopted were brought by
"Put simply, our family's training comes down to a few key points. First, in the recruits' camp, we strengthen their adherence to military law, discipline, and obedience to orders. Second, the awakening of combat force — we do not accept anyone into the family's armed forces who hasn't awakened their combat force. Third, after awakening combat force, recruits must complete three months of basic military skills training before they can be assigned to a regular unit. Fourth, excellent equipment, generous compensation, and comprehensive logistical support — these not only boost morale but also increase loyalty and cohesion toward the family. Fifth, we also have preferential policies for soldiers' families and ongoing care for the families of fallen soldiers. This not only strengthens the soldiers' sense of honor and elevates their status, but also makes them more willing to sacrifice, braver in battle, and eager to fight."
"Even if they see all of that and try to build a similarly elite merchant force, they'll just be copying the form without capturing the substance. It'll look impressive but be useless."
"The truth is, I believe the Northbound Convoy's long march of combat and conquest benefited our family's forces immensely. True elites are forged in battle, not in training. It was that grueling journey north that tempered the convoy's forces, so that when they arrived at our family's territory, they needed only a bit of consolidation and training to become a genuinely formidable fighting force. Combined with superior equipment, they were able to sweep all before them."
He poured Fatty Shi a glass of fruit wine, and Lorist explained his plan — he intended to use this opportunity of helping the Peterson Trading Company establish its merchant armed forces to push the family's standardized equipment into the Commercial League's market. Arms and equipment had always been enormously profitable. The three allied powers in the Northland had nearly maxed out their military expansion, and Duke Fisabrun had already traded cattle and sheep for standardized equipment these past two years until he had********, leaving no room to squeeze out further profits.
The last time he had visited the royal capital of the Andinac Kingdom, Lorist had two goals: first, to hand off the problematic Second Prince to His Highness the Second Prince, and second, to trade standardized equipment with His Highness. Who would have guessed that His Highness had spent everything in his coffers maintaining a three-hundred-thousand-strong army until the warehouses were as empty as a mouse training ground. Had Lorist not brought it up, it would have been fine — but once he did, His Highness would surely paint some grand pie in the sky while layering on the ideological work about sacrificing everything for the restoration of the old Krisen Empire. Lorist had no intention of making a fool of himself, so he simply dropped the matter.
The weapon production of the Commercial League had always been controlled by the Wecia Trading Company, one of the Big Seven. However, Lorist believed that even the Wecia Trading Company wouldn't be able to provide large batches of standardized equipment overnight, especially since the Commercial League was preparing to implement the lordship system. Those who received titles of Count or above and were granted fiefs would naturally follow the Big Seven's example and begin assembling their own territorial armed forces. When it came to showing off, merchants never wanted to fall behind — if others had something and he didn't, it would make one feel utterly humiliated…
Under these circumstances, no matter how capable the Wecia Trading Company was, it couldn't possibly satisfy everyone's demand for standardized equipment. That meant the Norton Family's standardized arms could be channeled into the Commercial League's military equipment market through the Peterson Trading Company. If they could secure even a third of the orders, the Norton Family would never again need to worry about the enormous capital required for developing territory, researching equipment, and expanding the family's armed forces.
Fatty Shi's anger turned to delight, and he strenuously demanded that the job of promoting and selling the standardized equipment be handed to him. Lorist agreed, believing that Fatty Shi would surely secure the maximum profit for the family in the equipment deals.
The next morning, accompanied by Lorist and Fatty Shi, the Peterson Trading Company delegation went to observe the daily training of the White Bird Town garrison. Although that lame Garrison Captain Victor performed with tremendous effort under the lord's observation, the White Bird Town garrison's foundation was thin — there were countless deficiencies and errors in their various drills. The Peterson Trading Company group secretly pursed their lips in disdain, their faces openly showing contempt, with some even whispering among themselves that this garrison was worse than the trading company's current armed battalion…
Lorist maintained his composure, utterly unfazed by these whispered remarks. He graciously hosted them for lunch and let them rest for a while before they climbed into carriages and headed to Farama Village, where the Third Battalion of the Household Guards' afternoon daily training was about to begin.
A deep horn blast rang out, and the empty threshing ground was quickly swarmed by household guard soldiers pouring out of the village clad in their grey-white standardized equipment. Then, under a series of short, crisp commands, within the span of a mere dozen blinks, they split into three rectangular formations — rows in front, columns from the side. Not a sound was made; silent as statues cast from iron, they stood utterly motionless, an aura of lethal solemnity radiating from their ranks.
The Peterson Trading Company delegation was stunned. A true expert needed only one glance to judge quality, and from the formations alone, they could tell this was a genuinely elite force. The three formations stood there — three thousand men was not a large number, yet they gave an impression of immense solidity and crushing weight, as though one were facing a colossal mountain range, inspiring a sense of helpless despair at the impossibility of moving them…
The vice president sucked in a sharp breath and asked with a beaming smile: "This must be the Norton Family's elite force, correct?"
"Yes, you could say so. This is the Third Battalion of the household guard — it was only recently formed…" Lorist nodded in response, though he was far from satisfied. He'd need to have a word with Pate — how could mustering a formation take so long? Had the boy gotten distracted by that beauty Martha? He'd forgotten that Martha and her mother had already relocated to the Northland.
The subsequent drills were not detailed one by one, but suffice it to say that the delegation from the Peterson Trading Company watched in utter astonishment. Their eyes had truly been opened; they now understood what genuine elite forces looked like and how they trained.
It was then Fatty Shi's turn to take the stage. He laid out everything a truly elite armed force required — how to foster loyalty to the family, how to bolster morale and courage, how to ensure absolute obedience where orders were followed without question and commands were carried out to the letter. Had he not insisted on emphasizing each time the critical role that superior standardized equipment played in an elite force, his persuasiveness would have been even greater.
Ten-odd days passed in the blink of an eye. The people from the Peterson Trading Company had been immersed in the Third Battalion day after day, inspecting everything they could, and it was nearly time for them to depart. Lorist was also preparing to set off and return to the Northland when a piece of news arrived, leaving everyone stunned.
Seven days ago, the Second Prince had launched a surprise attack and seized the royal capital of the Kingdom of Redlis… (To be continued.)