Upon receiving news that Kebo City had been captured,
Fatty Shi's method was straightforward. Apart from the carts carrying supplies, the elderly, the weak, orphans, and widows that traveled straight through, he set up seven temporary encampments along the seven-hundred-and-eighty-li route between Vannades City and Kebo City. Each encampment had nearly a thousand transport carts dedicated to moving people to the next stop. This was how he had completed the personnel transfer so quickly.
After the
Lorist didn't particularly mind. Kebo City had plenty of grain in any case — after occupying it and taking stock of the granaries, they found a figure of over three hundred million pounds, which made everyone sigh in admiration that the old saying about Dreimark Province being the largest granary of the former empire was well-deserved. With grain secured, everyone could relax; the convoy and the refugees, over a hundred thousand people in total, could spend the winter peacefully in Kebo City.
However, the Second Prince's grain-borrowing plan hit a snag when Fatty Shi put his foot down. Fatty Shi's reasoning was perfectly sound: borrowing grain was fine, but there had to be collateral. Even as the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Andinac, wielding the regency authority of the kingdom, one still had to follow the customary traditions between nobles. One couldn't simply borrow however much one wanted on nothing but a verbal promise.
In truth, the Second Prince was even poorer than the convoy itself — Fatty Shi was obviously making things difficult for him. But the Second Prince was not discouraged. He simply smiled and returned to Vannades City. Ten days later, he delivered a large shipment of collateral goods. Fatty Shi looked at the merchandise and could have wept.
These collateral goods were, in fact, exactly the merchandise that Fatty Shi had previously tried to requisition from Vannades City's merchants at one-third of its value. But the Second Prince had been even more ruthless — he seized the goods directly under the pretense of confiscating enemy assets and repurposed them as collateral for the grain loan. In the end, the Second Prince transported away one hundred million pounds of grain from Kebo City. Even when the bitter cold of winter set in, he refused to halt the operation, pushing through despite the frostbite suffered by the haulers and draft horses.
Fatty Shi found it strange that the Second Prince was in such a desperate rush, so frantic to save every last moment. So he privately went to ask Lorist.
Lorist's explanation was simple: recruiting troops. Preparing for war.
Lorist picked up a map of the Andinak Kingdom and spoke. "Next spring, His Highness the Second Prince will face two wars. Grand Duke Madras's counterattack goes without saying, but the most critical issue is here." He pointed to the border between the Andinak Kingdom and the Raidlis Kingdom. "I hear the Eldest Prince has already signed a ceasefire with the four central duchies and still commands the bulk of his forces. Given his jackal nature, his next victim is very likely to be the Andinak Kingdom."
"Thanks to you," Lorist said with a smile at Fatty Shi, "His Highness the Second Prince has already consolidated the kingdom's nobility, stabilized the situation, and resumed production. If he can peacefully pass two or three more years, the Andinak Kingdom will leap to become a regional power. And if given ten more years to develop, his dream of unifying the former empire may very well become reality."
What His Highness the Second Prince lacks most right now is time. Currently, he has adopted a strategy of advancing cautiously—taking ground in the north while defending in the south. As for the Eldest Prince's Raidlis Kingdom, he has assigned the Stormwind Legion to guard their shared border. However, the Stormwind Legion has fought year after year and also aided the Melein Duchy in resisting the Second Prince's incursions, suffering heavy losses. To replenish the Stormwind Legion's ranks, prepare for war readiness, and maintain long-term defenses, His Highness needs reserves of grain and weapons.
As for the Madras Duchy, His Highness the Second Prince wants to occupy it, but currently lacks the strength to do so. His plan is to first annex the Yungeshandra Province, establish communication and contact with the four central duchies, and obtain their support. Meanwhile, he will defend here and wear down Grand Duke Madras's strength. Once preparations are complete in two years, he can annex the Madras Duchy in one fell swoop.
Fatty Shi stared at the map in silence for a long while, then made a suggestion. "My lord, why don't we stay here instead of leaving? Have His Highness, representing the Andinak royal family, grant the Derehmuk Province to our
Lorist was taken aback. He stared at Fatty Shi for a long moment before asking, "Did you think of this yourself? Or do many people think the same way?"
Fatty Shi thought for a moment, then said, "A couple of days ago, I went up the city wall to inspect the defensive equipment in the towers. On my way back down, I noticed a group of refugees gathered by the moat. I thought something had happened, so I went over to take a look. As it turned out, I overheard one of them telling folk tales and legends about Kebo City and Derehmuk Province. When I heard the line 'Derehmuk Province stretches for a thousand li of fertile fields and is the greatest granary of the Krisen Empire,' it caught my interest. If we occupied this province, just imagine how much it could help the family!"
Lorist shook his head with a bitter smile. "Don't let your imagination run wild. Something that good could never happen."
"But why not? Even if His Highness refuses to grant the entire Derehmuk Province to us, Kebo City was conquered by our own hands. At the very least, the surrounding hundred li should be awarded to us. Then we could settle the hundred thousand refugees here to farm the land and drive a nail for our family into Derehmuk Province." Fatty Shi was clearly not convinced.
He had to admit.
If the Second Prince were a king content with the status quo, without ambition, then your idea might have a chance. Unfortunately, the Second Prince harbors great aspirations—he wishes to unify the former Empire. Thus, while he could hand over the entire Northland to our Norton Family, he will absolutely not allow us to lay a finger on Derehmuk Province.
Take a careful look at the map, and you will understand the Second Prince's strategic intent. Why did he preserve so many landed nobles in the first two provinces of the Andinaq Kingdom? It's simple: he plans to use those two provinces to withstand the invasion launched by the First Prince. They can be devastated without regret. As for the final Velbasia Province, which you swept clean—every landed noble hanged—you didn't hear a peep from the Second Prince. That's because he intends to incorporate Velbasia into the Royal Family's direct holdings, making it the foundation for the royal family's resurgence. Therefore, he will not appoint a single landed noble in that province.
Next, look at the map of the Madras Duchy. The Yongeshangdra Province has already fallen under the Second Prince's control. Although that province is barren, it is a strategic key. The Second Prince has already eliminated over twenty landed nobles on charges of treason and aiding rebels. Only six or seven lords who are willing to faithfully obey his orders and commands remain.
Why did the Second Prince break from his usual pattern and go on a killing spree in Yongeshangdra Province? Precisely because he also wants to bring that province under the Royal Family's direct control. Next, he will deal with the Madras Grand Duke and the Haishan Legion in the Xidegel Province. Xidegel is the Madras Grand Duke's direct province, with no other landed nobles. Once he secures that province, the Second Prince will begin to target the landed nobles of Derehmuk.
Grain is the most important strategic resource for a kingdom. Without grain, a kingdom cannot remain stable. The Second Prince has suffered from food shortages in the past. As the former Empire's largest grain-producing province, he will absolutely not allow Derehmuk Province to remain under the control of landed nobles. He will purge the nobles of that province as well. Those who defect to him will be reassigned to Xidegel Province. Now, look again—what happens to the situation if these several provinces all come under the Royal Family's direct control?"
Lorist took a map showing the division of the former Krisen Empire into three great kingdoms and seven duchies. On the map, he drew a line connecting three provinces: Velbasia in the Andinaq Kingdom, Yongeshangdra in the Madras Duchy, and Derehmuk Province. Then he drew a circle around the Northland.
Fatty Shi was stunned. Pointing at the circle around the Northland, he asked, "What does that mean?"
"Did you forget what the Second Prince said? Once he destroys the Madras Duchy and its border meets the Northland, if our Norton Family has conquered the entire Northland, he will, on behalf of the Andinaq Royal Family, appoint me as the Grand Duke of Northland. This circle represents our Norton Family," Lorist replied.
"In this situation, where do you think the Second Prince's military edge will point next?" Lorist asked Fatty Shi.
Fatty Shi pointed to the Iberia Kingdom. "At the Second Prince."
Lorist nodded. "This is another reason why Second Highness won't hand Dremmik Province to us or any other territorial noble. Only provinces directly administered by the royal family can mobilize troops and resources more effectively to support the front lines. Dremmik Province and the Iberia Kingdom are separated by the minor Hinderson mountain range. Once Second Highness deploys his forces, he can easily break through into the heart of the Iberia Kingdom. The Second Prince doesn't have the capability to hold out for long."
We all know that the Second Prince's power rests on his father-in-law Grand Duke Visabrun and the strength of the former Imperial Border Defense Corps under his command. If Second Highness sends troops against the Iberia Kingdom, Grand Duke Visabrun will certainly deploy the Border Defense Corps as well. That's when Second Highness will need our Norton Family. If we attack from Northland, and Grand Duke Melaine also moves his forces, then Grand Duke Visabrun would have no choice but to retreat to his stronghold to avoid being caught in a pincer from three directions, leaving Second Highness to sweep through the Iberia Kingdom unopposed."
"If Second Highness takes the Iberia Kingdom, the entire imperial situation will become crystal clear. He'll order our Norton Family to face off against Grand Duke Visabrun, coerce the four Grand Duchies back into the empire's territory, and then pool their strength to destroy the Eldest Prince's Redelis Kingdom. This is the inevitable trend of events — no one can stop it. Second Highness will quickly fulfill his wish of unifying the empire and ascend the throne of the new Krisen Empire. He'll become a legend in the history books as the wise ruler who revived the empire..." Fatty Shi had already grasped what Lorist meant and rattled off the rest of the strategic layout in one breath.
"Second Highness really is playing an enormous game of chess. What a brilliant scheme — using us to tie down Grand Duke Visabrun's Border Defense Corps so we can't earn too many merits during the empire's restoration, thus avoiding the trouble of rewarding the Norton Family after unification. He's really thought of everything..." Fatty Shi sighed.
Lorist smiled. "This is an open scheme. Everything is done in broad daylight, leaving nothing for anyone to complain about."
"So there's no way for us to get a bigger share of the spoils?" Fatty Shi was still unwilling to accept this.
Lorist shook his head. "You should have realized this from the fact that Second Highness borrowed grain from us. One hundred million pounds of grain — he could have granted us the lands within a hundred-li radius around Corbo City in exchange, but he'd rather confiscate merchants' goods as collateral. Even if we take the entire Dremmik Province, once Second Highness destroys the Madras Duchy, reorganizes his military and war preparations, and then orders us to hand over Dremmik Province, what do you expect our Norton Family to do?"
Only when they're on our family's territory will they truly become subjects of our Norton Family.
Our Norton Family doesn't lack territory. Don't forget that the island fief Second Highness granted me doesn't even have anyone to manage it. The most important thing right now is to bring these refugees home. Don't think our convoy's armed forces are powerful — in truth, they're far from elite. The reason they're following us to Northland is to give their families a peaceful and stable life. If we lead them to fight over lands with no real standing, will they be willing? Once they're all used up, where will we find replacements for these brave warriors?
No one is a fool. Second Highness would actually love for our armed convoy to stay put in Dremmik Province, just like you did in Verbasia Province — purging every territorial noble in the area. That way, he gets a good reputation without dirtying his own sword, and he can use public outrage as an excuse to force us to leave. He could even legitimately order us to join the war against Grand Duke Madras in the spring, framing it as providing support.
"I don't want our Norton Family's forces to become cannon fodder for Second Highness's ambitions. In truth, his strategic maneuvers are plain enough for many observant people to see through, and whether he succeeds depends entirely on whether those people are willing to give him the chance. Next summer, the Madras Duchy will become a massive battlefield. If our convoy doesn't leave by spring, we won't be able to leave at all."
Lorist extended his finger and tapped the location of the Kingdom of Iberia on the map.
"You're saying the Second Prince will send troops to attack Dremmik Province?" Fatty asked.
"Not attack — annex," Lorist said. "Like I said, no one is a fool. The Second Prince isn't one either. How could he not see something as obvious as Second Highness's strategic intentions? Even if he couldn't, Dremmik Province right now is like a fat piece of meat. With the Second Prince's greedy nature, would he really not bite? Even if he didn't, there are people who would egg him on to take a bite.
Before, the Madras Duchy stood between the Andinak Kingdom and everyone else. Now that Grand Duke Madras has taken a hit and can barely protect himself, those people will certainly incite the Second Prince to come join the fun. Think about it — the Second Prince used to have to borrow grain from Grand Duke Madras. Now he can swallow an entire grain-producing region in one gulp. Would he really refuse?"
"Locke, who are these observant people you're talking about?"
"People who don't want to see the Krisen Empire restored, and who don't want Second Highness to reunify the empire."
"But didn't the Second Prince just suffer a defeat? Where would he get the manpower to attack Dremmik Province?"
"Borrowed troops. Don't forget that his father-in-law, Grand Duke Fisabrun, has kept his border defense legions at full strength all along. Seventy-eight thousand men. The Second Prince only needs to borrow thirty thousand, then round up the private forces from the nobles under his command. Gathering fifty to sixty thousand troops would be trivial — more than enough to sweep through Dremmik Province."
"Then why are you so certain it'll be summer and not spring?"
"The Second Prince won't be able to gather enough military provisions by early spring. Once the wheat is harvested in summer, he'll mobilize his troops immediately."
"It's really a shame to give this place up. Such a fine grain-producing province…" Fatty Shi sighed deeply…
"What's so great about it? Apart from grain, there are no iron ore deposits and no horse pastures. Its biggest drawback is that it's landlocked," Locke Lorist said, shaking his head.
"Landlocked? How so? Look — it connects to the Northland, the Iberian Kingdom, and leads to Vanades City, which in turn links to Cidegle Province. There's also the Andinac Kingdom, and you can reach the Four Grand Duchies through Yun-geshandra Province. The transportation is very convenient." Fatty Shi said in puzzlement.
"When I say landlocked, I mean it can only circle around within the Empire. Look at our family's territory." Locke Lorist pulled over a map of the Northland. "See? If we find a port here along the Blade Mountains, then by developing a fleet we can connect to my island territory. From the island territory we reach Tim's seaport, and from there we can sail to
"Locke, you're thinking far ahead of all of us…"
"Of course, haha. That's why I'm the lord and you're my knights."
"Locke, you're such a smug bastard. I was just tossing out a casual compliment and you actually took it seriously…"
….(To be continued.)