Amidst the arguments and discussions, Earl Held slammed the table, stood up, looked at everyone present, and said angrily, "I think it is necessary to take some measures to stop these wizards from acting recklessly in the kingdom!"
However, Held's passionate words failed to draw cheers from the crowd, but instead resulted in a round of ridicule.
"Measures? What are you going to do, Count Held?" Viscount Sk said sarcastically. "How about summoning your guards and knights to go to the City of Fire Oil to seek justice?"
Now those wizards are at the peak of their power. They have defeated the Vatican's expeditionary forces one after another and have fought all the way into the territory of the empire!
Even if they were unwilling to believe it, they had to face the fact that the power of the nobles was not enough to shake the rule of the wizards, and they couldn't even defeat the guards of the kingdom! The fate of Grand Duke Rickman was the best proof.
Three thousand musketeers, with the help of the aerospace airship, beat tens of thousands of elite troops of the kingdom into a panic. In Sike's opinion, confronting wizards head-on was not a wise move! In Sike's sarcastic tone, Held's face turned red, and he refuted angrily. "Should we just sit there and watch these minions of evil spirits get more and more aggressive and turn the entire kingdom into their private property?"
"Don't forget why those wizards punished the Eastern nobles..."
Upon hearing this, everyone present changed their expressions slightly.
It is true that the lords of the eastern part of the kingdom chose to stand on the side of the empire and the church when the situation was unclear, and they made a big mistake, but no matter what, wizards should not have tried and convicted them privately! Moreover, many of the evidences provided by the other party can only be described as shocking!
Since when did beating a few serfs who made mistakes become a crime? And the so-called heavy taxes and levies were a complete joke! According to the laws of the empire, all the people in the territory were the private property of the lord. How much grain these people paid and how to punish them were all decided by the local lord. Unless it involved issues of faith, even the king and the local church could not interfere! According to the other party's judgment standard, wouldn't I also have to be judged?
Thinking of this, the nobles in the secret room felt a chill in their hearts.
Held turned to look at Viscount Sk, and revealed his scar without hesitation. "Don't think I don't know, Sk, your chief knight has betrayed his oath a few days ago and thrown himself into the arms of those wizards, right?"
The latter's expression immediately turned extremely ugly.
A week ago, his chief knight suddenly disappeared. Sk sent people to look for him for several days before finally finding out that this guy had secretly gone to the workshop in the capital to make glass for those wizards! This almost pissed him off to death!
A knight with a title actually has to do menial work that only the poor would do. This is simply an insult to the status of a noble!
Finally, after asking for the reason, I found out that the salary offered by the workshop was twice what I paid, and it also provided three meals and a separate house...
The angry Sk immediately wanted to have his chief knight taken back to avoid embarrassing himself here, and he was prepared to severely punish the other party for tarnishing his noble status.
However, the wizard who managed the workshop arrogantly rejected his reasonable request because his chief knight was extremely talented. Although he had only been there for a week, he was the best glassmaking technician in the entire workshop and had now become the manager responsible for guiding newcomers.
Recalling the other party's arrogant and contemptuous look, endless anger and humiliation suddenly surged into Sike's heart.
A mere wizard, who used to be able to hide in the corners of the city like a rat, relying on the nobles to survive, now has jumped over their heads and is acting arrogantly...
Held was relentless. After revealing Sk's scars, he turned his gaze to the other nobles present, poking at the pain points of each of them.
Although the power of the wizards has not yet expanded to their territory, the resulting impact has already posed a real threat to everyone's interests.
Apart from anything else, the frequency of disturbances by miners and the poor increased several times, and some territories even saw a large-scale exodus of their citizens.
That is why they gathered together today to discuss the future of the nobility and the kingdom!
"I have a plan that may work!" Just when everyone was excited, Marquis Mortan suddenly spoke, attracting everyone's attention, and then said it with a solemn vow.
"We may not be the opponents of those wizards in a head-on battle, but don't forget that we have something in our hands that can affect the survival of the entire kingdom."
All the nobles in the secret room were stunned for a moment, even Count Held was very surprised.
Fortunately, Marquis Mortain did not intend to keep the secret and spoke frankly.
"food!"
"You mean..." Count Held's eyes suddenly brightened. He had vaguely understood what the Marquis meant.
"The eastern part of the kingdom has just suffered from war, and it is not easy to resume production. I wonder if you have noticed that those wizards are buying wheat in large quantities!" Marquis Mortan said with a sneer.
In order to please the lower-class subjects and undermine the foundation of the church, the Wizard Council used the looted wealth to hire the poor at high prices, and then used the novel alchemical creations they produced in exchange for high profits to maintain the status quo.
I have to say that wizards are very willing to spend their money, and this is indeed a brilliant move!
In just one year, the people of the capital went from being terrified by the smoke-belching workshops to flocking to them, and even taking pride in working for wizards! But there was a problem: the people had more savings, so they were no longer willing to go hungry. The black noodles that used to sell out were now not even eaten by dogs on the street...
You have to know that this thing used to be the staple food of the poor.
In order to reduce costs, merchants usually add some wood chips and grass to the food, which is not very chewy but can fill the stomach...
Nowadays, even the lowliest miners in the capital would not hesitate to buy a piece of delicious white bread.
This also increased food consumption several times. The eastern territory of the kingdom that had just been conquered had a population of millions. It was not an easy task to feed so many people.
The coming and going of the grain trains was enough to prove that the parliament no longer had enough grain.
At this time, as long as they bought a large amount of wheat, they would be able to shake the grain trade of the entire kingdom, further reducing the already insufficient grain on the market and pushing up prices.
The poor people who have extra money will also start looting out of fear, causing a chain reaction!
"The kingdom now ruled by wizards is like a castle that is solid on the outside but shaky on the inside. As long as we give it a hard kick, it will collapse!" Marquis Mortan said firmly.
The nobles present all looked horrified.
This tactic of destroying the entire family can only be described as ruthless!
"Don't worry, not a single grain of food will flow from that direction!" Marquis Mortan assured.
The nobles present were not fools, and they immediately realized that Marquis Mortain must have gathered them here today in compliance with the instructions of the church.
However, this made everyone feel relieved. After all, what they are best at is to play both sides and gain benefits from it. In the current situation, wizards are the only ones in power and have won over a large number of poor people. With their own strength, they don't even have room for resistance.
"Marquis Mortan, your plan is indeed good, but what if those wizards attack us directly?" Viscount Sk said hesitantly.
A wizard who possesses powerful magic would not care about the laws of the kingdom. If he angers these people, it is not impossible for him to just kill them all.
"Do you think those wizards will forgive us if we just sit there and do nothing?" Mortan sneered. "Don't be silly. They are just under pressure from the Empire and the Church and are temporarily unable to deal with us."
"And there is no need for us to do it ourselves!" Mortan had already made a plan. The business caravans under their command would be able to purchase grain and raise its price. All they had to do was use their own financial resources and influence to fan the flames from behind!
What's more, the main force of the wizards is now in the empire, facing a fierce battle with the Vatican's crusade army. If they completely fall out with these nobles, the entire kingdom will be at risk of overthrowing! After Mortan's explanation, Held and others put aside their doubts.
This way, he wouldn't have to confront those brutal wizards head-on.
Afterwards, whether to use food as a price to force the wizards to make concessions, or to completely disrupt the kingdom and return to the former glory of the nobles and the church jointly ruling the world, it will be up to them to decide!
Faced with the threat to their own interests and the temptation of taking back control of the kingdom, the nobles in the secret room made up their minds to unite and let those wizards who didn't understand economics see the power and wisdom of the nobility!
…
Late at night, the nobles who came to the meeting left the castle of Marquis Mortan through a secret passage. They were no longer worried when they came. They were full of fighting spirit, excited and excited, as if they had seen the dawn of victory! Jeff, who was among them, kept a smile on his face, but he was deeply worried in his heart.
As a small baron, although Jeff had a fiefdom of his own, he was quick-witted and flexible, so he was not greatly affected by the wizard's rule. Instead, he benefited a lot.
For example, three months ago, he rented out the operating rights of the mines and fields in his territory along with 20,000 people, and could earn nearly a thousand imperial gold coins every year, which was much more than what he had earned from running the territory with all his might in the past! Jeff didn't have any lofty ambitions. Just collecting rent, playing with those novel and interesting witchcraft creations, finding a few more beautiful maids, and contributing to the expansion of the family were his life ideals!
The most important thing was that he was not optimistic about Marquis Mortan's so-called plan to wipe out the family. Jeff knew very well that the wizards drove a large number of poor people into the workshop not to waste the land, but because farming did not require so many people! He had returned to his territory before and saw something called a tiller.
This alchemical creation is extremely terrifying. Controlled by one or two people, it can easily cultivate hundreds of acres of land!
Therefore, the Wizard Council was not as short of food as Mortan and others had expected...
However, Jeff was well aware that his words were not taken seriously, and his report on the conspiracy of the kingdom's nobles would probably not be taken seriously in the absence of evidence.
Jeff thought for a moment, and soon thought of his lord! As His Majesty's most capable right-hand man, one of the heroes who supported King Hattar to ascend the throne, and the Grand Duke of Gad, who was privately called a wizard's lackey by many nobles!
This is the highest-level person he can currently contact.
Thinking about it, Jeff no longer hesitated. After leaving the Marquis' castle, he went to the Grand Duke of Gard's mansion in the royal capital overnight.
After informing the guards, he was quickly received.
Slowly entering the spacious inner room, Jeff waited for a while, and soon Duke Gard, dressed in a robe, came in with several guards.
"Please forgive me for disturbing your sleep, Your Majesty." Jeff bowed respectfully.
"Tell me, sir, why do you come to see me so late? Is there something important you need to report?" Duke Gard asked impatiently without any intention of being polite.
"My Lord, it's about Marquis Mortan..." Jeff reported truthfully, telling the whole story of how Mortan secretly convened more than 40 nobles of the kingdom tonight to conspire to purchase grain on a large scale and artificially create famine.
After listening to Jeff's narration, Duke Gard paused for a moment. "You did a good job, sir. I will report this matter to His Majesty Hattar truthfully."
Jeff didn't dare to take the credit, but before he could refuse, Duke Gad asked again.
"How many people have you told about this?"
"Only you, sir!" Jeff replied hastily.
"Very good, very good!" Gad nodded with satisfaction, and then asked his servant to bring a bag of gold as a reward for delivering the message, and said encouragingly, "If this matter is confirmed to be true, you will definitely get the reward you deserve!"
Jeff took it happily. The bag was heavy with at least two hundred imperial gold coins.
"You can go back and rest!" Gad waved his hand and said.
Jeff turned around and put away the purse full of gold. For some reason, he felt a little uneasy in his heart. It was not until he was about to step out of the inner room that he suddenly remembered that after listening to his narration, the Grand Duke was a little too calm. There was no trace of surprise on his face from beginning to end.
It's as if I knew the news a long time ago...
Jeff's inner uneasiness grew stronger, and the moment he stepped out of the door, this strong uneasiness turned into an even stronger sense of crisis.
Almost subconsciously, Jeff's right hand reached for the hilt of the sword at his waist, but faster than him were the crossbows in the hands of the guards!
The sharp arrow and the sound of the crossbow being pulled arrived almost at the same time, piercing Jeff's chest, arms and thighs in an instant. Then a long knife came through the air, and Jeff's round head was chopped off amid the spurting blood. His eyes were wide open with confusion in them...
Gad threw away the blood-stained sword in his hand, glanced indifferently at the guards around him, and spoke.
"Clean up the body, and tell Mortan to be more careful next time and not let people like this get in again."
(End of this chapter)