Chapter 423: Conflicts Will Not Disappear, But They Can Be Diverted
In Campbell Castle, in the Grand Duke's study, the air was so quiet that you could hear the slight sound of turning pages.
Young Lord Edward Campbell sat behind a huge oak table, his eyes deep and steady, staring intently at the crumpled newspaper in his hand.
His temperament has changed a lot compared to when he first ascended the throne two years ago.
Obviously, it is not just Thunder City that has grown over time. The former enterprising reformer has also transformed from an inexperienced dabbler into an experienced captain.
Under his command, the small ship of the Principality of Campbell went upstream and created an incredible miracle on the northeast coast of the Whirlpool Sea!
Now, half of the city-states along the Whirlpool Sea regard the Thunder City under his rule as a dream place, bringing countless goods and treasures to his principality!
However, things are not always as satisfactory as we wish.
For example, the news in the newspaper in his hand at this moment is the little ripples encountered by the small boat he is driving.
Standing in front of the oak table, a baron dressed in luxurious clothes cleared his throat and spoke in a hymn-like tone.
"Your Majesty, Edward Campbell, we all know that Thunder County's prosperity today is due to your wise reforms and your combination of kindness and power. Now, the citizens of Thunder City are cheering your wisdom, and your kindness and generosity are known to everyone..."
Edward turned the page of the newspaper in his hand.
He knew very well that this flattery was just a prelude, and people are always good at hiding their true intentions in the last sentence of a long speech.
As expected.
As he expected, the baron changed the subject after the compliment and tactfully raised the complaint that had been brewing in his heart for a long time.
"…But we all know that it takes constant effort to build a dam, but only a moment to destroy it."
"Baron Richard, there's no need for formalities. Given our relationship, you can tell me directly about your troubles." Edward spoke in a gentle tone, as if he was talking to an old friend.
Although he said this to every supporter who stood by him, no matter how important or dispensable that person was.
Seeing that His Majesty the Grand Duke valued him so much, the Baron was delighted. He quickly skipped the beating around the bush and got straight to the point.
"It's about your sister! I don't dare to comment on your family affairs, but... you really should rein your sister in a little. She's acting like a child who's just got a new toy and is poking the fireplace with it."
Okay.
It really is this matter.
Edward sighed, pretended to be troubled, and rubbed his sore brow.
"What did she do again?"
The Baron continued without stopping.
"Act No. 6! Or... the Labor Law, as everyone outside calls it! With all due respect, this is sheer nonsense! There's never been such a precedent in the Duchy of Campbell that prohibits employers from arbitrarily firing employees? Collecting an additional 'tithe' in the name of the royal family, in addition to legal taxes? This is neither legal nor reasonable! No matter what high-sounding excuse she uses!"
His voice became more and more excited, and his saliva even flew onto the Grand Duke's desk.
It was not until he saw Archduke Edward frown that the baron slowed down his tone and apologized for his rudeness.
Edward had heard too much criticism about Irene, and he even had a lot of complaints himself.
He coughed lightly and got straight to the point.
"What is your request?"
"Cancel Bill No. 6!" said the baron without hesitation.
Edward pondered for a moment, tapping his index finger on the table before expressing his concerns.
"What she did was indeed inappropriate, but she has already announced it in the name of the royal family. I can't just withdraw it immediately."
and--
It sounds like he's being the bad guy.
The baron saw His Majesty's concerns at a glance, chuckled, and immediately offered a suggestion.
"Your Majesty, this is easy! You can declare your support for Her Highness Irene's resolution, but Plan No. 6 is of great importance. The relevant details still need to be discussed, and the royal family must fully listen to the opinions of every citizen. After all, this concerns not only the factories in the new industrial zone, but also the bakeries and markets in the city. It's not just my factory that has employees... ahem, I mean our factory! In short, those small shop owners in Thunder City also have employees, and apprentices and child laborers are also employees!"
Edward looked at the Baron in surprise, with a look of interested admiration on his face.
This guy has a pretty good brain.
No wonder he could make such a huge sum of money in just two years.
Of course, he had thought of this idea a long time ago, but he just needed someone of status to say it to him.
Seeing that the Grand Duke seemed to be "moved", the Baron immediately struck while the iron was hot and continued.
"In this case, you don't even have to do anything. If you submit this bill to the City Council, your mascots will argue for five or six years without any results! The farmers will just hate the weak citizens, and they won't be able to hate you anyway."
"And this way you can also convince your sister that her Bill No. 6 won't be passed, but will only be passed slowly and cautiously!"
A smile finally appeared on Edward's face. He thought for a moment and nodded.
"I think your idea is good and worth a try."
"It's my honor to serve you!"
Seeing that the Grand Duke really listened to his advice, the Baron bowed excitedly.
Saint Sis is above!
Fortunately, their Majesty is a sensible man and did not act recklessly with her useless sister.
She always talks about putting power in a cage, but she doesn't realize that she is the one who should be put in the cage.
Today she can destroy the commercial freedom of Thunder City with just one word, and tomorrow she will put a leash on the future of the entire principality!
Perhaps he was a little carried away, and when he saw that the Grand Duke was so easy to talk to, he couldn't help but say a few more words.
"Your Majesty, with all due respect... While harmony within the royal family is a joy to see, aren't you being a bit too indulgent with Her Highness Irene? She seems to be neglecting your opinion."
The moment the words fell, the air in the study suddenly became quiet, as if one could clearly hear a pin drop.
Noticing that Edward was looking at him with sharp eyes, the baron felt his hair stand on end and cold sweat crawled up his back.
Whether there is a problem or not, the Duke's family affairs are not something he can interfere with.
He realized that he had overstepped his bounds a bit...
However, as a wise monarch, Edward Campbell did not make things difficult for him.
"Baron Richard, I have heard your advice. I will discuss this matter with my sister."
The baron heaved a sigh of relief and hurried down the stairs.
"I commend you for your open-mindedness, Your Majesty. Please believe that I have no ill intentions... I only seek our principality."
After saying that, he hurriedly took his leave.
…
After the Baron left.
The staff member who had been standing silently by the side finally spoke, sighing softly.
"Your Majesty, these upstarts are becoming increasingly disrespectful. Sometimes, while kindness can win over wavering supporters, you should also occasionally demonstrate your authority."
"You can't blame them. After all, they just became rich, and it takes time for them to adapt to the etiquette of high society."
Putting the newspaper aside, Edward continued with an expressionless face.
"We need their strength. Only by allowing the emerging class to grow can we use them to check and balance the conservative forces within us."
Feudal kingdoms were not monolithic entities, and the same was true for smaller principalities.
Although he was the nominal king of this country, his vassals did not follow his orders and occasionally opposed him.
Like now.
The great nobles who already owned a lot of land were extremely disgusted with the movement taking place in the duchy.
In their view, those petty nobles were like hungry wild dogs, encroaching on public land, arbitrarily modifying family trees and traditional legal principles like graffiti, desperately trying to find any loopholes they could find, and then driving all the farmers on the land to the neighboring territory.
The farmers who were driven away by these guys either became refugees or bandits and robbers... causing great trouble to their territories.
A population that exceeds the territory's carrying capacity is never a good thing for the nobles. They wish there were fewer of these guys, maintaining a just right number so that they can live a life that is neither rich nor poor.
This is the easiest to manage.
In addition, there were huge differences between him and the great nobles on the Corn Importation Bill.
That was another one of Edward's policy agendas.
In order to avoid famine caused by declining food production, he vigorously developed industry while also promoting a bill to use industrial taxes to subsidize food imports.
This is a good thing, as cheap bread benefits the citizens of Thunder City.
However, for the three earls that relied on grain revenue, this bill undoubtedly destroyed their purse strings.
Of course, the conservative nobles would find a high-sounding excuse, such as the fact that the food produced by the Duchy of Campbell was just enough for the Campbell people to eat, and using industrial taxes to subsidize agricultural imports was tantamount to hanging the peasants who were protected by the castle.
Edward naturally scoffed at this. He had never seen an earl even look at the peasants in his territory, but now these guys were worrying about them.
In fact, there are many reasons as to why, but it all comes down to the fact that the industrialization wave of the Kingdom of Ryan has affected their wallets.
To be honest, Edward really hoped that the great nobles would also participate in the wave of industrialization, but the actual situation was far more complicated than he had imagined.
There is only one Thunder City in the Principality of Campbell, and there can only be one Thunder City.
All other lands are governed by the most traditional feudal etiquette, and all rights are distributed downwards one level at a time, which cannot adapt to the complex production relations at all.
This is why the same person can work as a worker in Thunder City, but can only lie on a haystack and bask in the sun when returning to the Earldom of North Valley. This has nothing to do with laziness or intelligence.
Whenever Edward thought of this, he felt irritated.
The rise of the Duchy of Campbell was inseparable from the support of the emerging nobles and businessmen, but Irene's actions unknowingly put her in the camp of the conservative nobles.
Even though he knew that his sister had no ambition to usurp the throne, her unrealistic kindness would make her a tool in the hands of people with ulterior motives.
Rubbing his sore brows again, Edward turned his gaze to the staff standing beside him and said tiredly.
"What do you think of Bill 6?"
The aide thought for a moment and then spoke in a seemingly irrelevant manner.
"Your Majesty, I do not wish to comment on the direction this bill will take our duchy, but I believe that Her Highness Irene is indeed somewhat inappropriate. She seems to be mistaking the sword at her waist for a crown."
Edward snorted a laugh.
"That's a pretty harsh criticism."
"But I don't intend to take it back," the aide nodded slightly, bearing the monarch's sharp gaze. "Your Majesty, if it were a foolish king, I would say nothing. But if it were you, you must know that Richard didn't tell you the truth. The citizens of Thunder City cheered the name of the Campbell family, but the person they really praised was actually your sister, the one who truly inherited the light of praise—"
"That's enough! I get it."
Looking at the suddenly angry Grand Duke, the staff was stunned for a moment, then lowered their heads.
"...Perhaps marrying her off would be a good option. Then she would legally return the sword to you."
After leaving the last words, the staff nodded respectfully and took their leave, gently closing the study door, leaving the respected Majesty sitting alone at the desk with a heavy face in thought.
I was the only one left in the room.
Edward felt calmer, but the complexity in his eyes did not fade away.
To this day, he still doesn't understand why his father did that before he died.
He is not afraid of sacrifice.
Dying for glory is the mission passed down from generation to generation in the Campbell family and the destiny of every Grand Duke.
If the day ever came when he was called upon to draw the legendary sword, he would fulfill his sacred duty without hesitation, live out the rest of his life like lightning, and then, as his father had done, pass the duchy on to his children.
If his father had given him the sword, all the problems he faced today would never have been so difficult!
It's not even just him—
And Irene!
If she hadn't inherited the Light of Legend, she wouldn't have to force herself to become strong, nor would she have to bear the burden of things that didn't belong to her. She could live a carefree life like her peers, fall in love with the one she loved and start a family, and those flies with bad intentions wouldn't even bother her...
As the heir of both the sword and the crown, I will build the Duchy of Campbell into an extremely powerful country.
Hell will never threaten them again!
Edward's fists clenched unconsciously, and a hint of gloom appeared in his complicated eyes.
Just then, hurried footsteps were suddenly heard outside the study, followed by a knock on the door.
"Your Majesty! A letter from the Twilight Province! It's from the Governor-General!"
The sudden voice interrupted Edward's thoughts and he immediately looked up and said.
"Come in!"
The door opened quickly, and a servant hurried to his desk, presenting a letter with a wax seal in his hands.
That is the coat of arms of Baron Elaric Valerius.
Although that gentleman's title was only a baron, the position of provincial governor gave him power and status no less than that of an ordinary duke.
Edward was no stranger to Governor Alarik.
On the one hand, it was because his father had a good personal relationship with this person, and on the other hand, it was because the vast Dusk Province was the main "neighbor" of the Principality of Campbell, and the stability there directly affected the Principality's geopolitical environment.
After dismissing the servants, Edward calmly opened the letter and read from the heading.
[…Respected Grand Duke Campbell, it's been two years since we last met. How have you been? I'm sorry I missed your party last time. You may have heard about our situation. Life in Duskwood is getting worse and worse…]
At the beginning of the letter, Elaric first expressed his condolences to him who had just succeeded to the throne, and then used earnest words to explain the current dire situation in the Twilight Province.
The worsening famine, the uprising of rebels, and the supply pressure from Brass Pass... In short, they were all old problems, and Edward already knew the situation there.
Although Alarik blamed all the problems on Chaos, Edward scoffed at it.
The problems in the Dusk Province were not that complicated at all. To put it bluntly, King Theoden, sitting in the palace, simply could not manage so many directly governed territories.
So the old man who wanted it all had no choice but to hand over a large piece of land to a governor with no power in name only, to manage it for him, and then collect some symbolic taxes to prove that he indeed ruled a large territory.
However, what is interesting is that this vast land does not all belong to the king. There are still nobles of all sizes and their castles. As the king's direct vassals, they occasionally fight each other over land disputes.
After all, the Kingdom of Ryan is the land of knights, and there are as many castles there as windmills. These nobles who have their own armies don't even pay attention to the king, let alone obey the rule of a baron.
As for why not choose someone with a higher title as governor?
That's of course because they were afraid that the governor would merge the royal land into his own title, or simply turn it into another "Twilight Principality."
In a sense, the chaos there was intentional by those in power.
If it is not messy, it belongs to others. Only when it is a little messy, it becomes yours.
Edward read Elaric's pity story from the perspective of a spectator, with an expressionless face.
However, just when he was wondering whether the other party was going to start borrowing money, the words that came into his sight made him stunned for a moment, and he almost suspected that he had read it wrong.
[…Your Majesty, Your Majesty of the Duchy of Campbell, please allow me to address you as such, because in my opinion you are a king who truly cares about his subjects. You have perfectly inherited the will of Grand Duke Aaron and governed the Duchy of Campbell in an orderly manner.
Furthermore, your subjects have not failed you. They are hardworking, brave, loyal, and kind-hearted, and under your rule, they have created enviable wealth and achievements.
In contrast, the nobles of Twilight Province are a chilling sight. Faced with crisis, those vassals who swore allegiance to the king, vowing to protect the land and its people, have betrayed their sacred obligations as if their vows had been nullified. They have fled their territories, heading for the capital, or perhaps even to you, leaving their subjects in dire straits while they indulge in their own plundered wealth.
The few who stayed behind were also not upright. They did not flee because they had too much stuff to take with them. So they looted everything they could and retreated to the castle with their soldiers, leaving the flood outside and the people to fend for themselves.
I have reported this crisis to the capital many times, begging His Majesty to send the Knights to support us. However, His Majesty has been deceived by treacherous people, and all my letters have fallen into oblivion. There is no response.
I fear that distant water cannot quench a nearby fire, and the people of Twilight Province can no longer wait for mercy from the capital. Therefore, I dare to make you an unwelcome request. I implore you to dispatch your mighty army with lightning speed to help us crush the rebels and restore order!
As a reward for your kindness, I would like to use the power of governor granted by the kingdom to entrust you with the lands abandoned by the nobles!
Those who have compromised themselves have abandoned their feudal obligations and are unworthy of the territory granted to them by Your Majesty.
You and I are both vassals of Your Majesty, and we should help Your Majesty solve problems in times of crisis.
】
Edward forgot to breathe for a moment, and his fingertips holding the letter couldn't help but tremble slightly.
Hosting...
The word sounded so beautiful that all the dark clouds that had been accumulating in his heart were swept away.
Those nobles who fled with their tails between their legs in the face of the rebels were no different from a widow who inherited a huge fortune but was powerless.
They better not come back to claim ownership of the land!
By then, there will be no need for me to hint at it. Those Campbell people who are hungry for land will naturally have ten thousand ways to make them disappear on the road, because they don’t deserve to come back at all!
Over time, the hardworking and courageous Campbell people naturally gained legal rights to those lands!
King Theoden?
How can a king who can't even put down a peasant uprising be worthy of calling himself a king?
Just as Alarik had worried, Grand Duke Campbell's respect for the Ryan royal family dropped to freezing point in an instant.
He no longer takes the king seriously!
It's really not worth taking seriously.
"Saint Sith is above!"
Edward muttered to himself, excitedly rising from the oak table and pacing back and forth in the room.
What a godsend!
On the one hand, he could use the righteousness of helping friendly neighbors to legally infiltrate the influence of the Duchy of Campbell into the royal direct jurisdiction.
On the other hand, he can also divert the internal conflicts within the principality, allowing the new nobles who are eager to obtain more land to take the peasants who have lost their land due to the enclosure movement to the Twilight Province in the name of suppressing rebellion to make achievements and expand the territory of the principality!
Although having more farmers is not a bad thing, the problem now is that their number is too large, and the growth rate far exceeds the growth of jobs, so that the huge number of unemployed people has affected the public security of Thunder City, and the slightest thing can make them angry.
This was the first time in Edward's life that people would gather and make a fuss just because he lost an arm.
In the past, adventurers lost their heads every now and then, but I’ve never seen them make such a fuss.
Bill 6 must not pass, but this matter must be resolved!
In addition to these visible benefits, he also found a perfect place for Irene, this "trouble"!
He could legitimately send her to the neighboring province, keep her away from Thunder City and the merchants who were creating wealth for the principality, and let her vent her energy that had nowhere to go in the war!
Thinking of this, Edward no longer hesitated. He immediately walked to the desk and rang the bell to call the servants.
A moment later, a servant quickly ran into the study and said respectfully to the Grand Duke.
"Your Majesty, what are your orders?"
"Pass my order down. Twilight Province is in imminent danger. In the name of the royal family, I authorize my sister, Eileen Campbell, to mobilize 50,000 militiamen from Thunder County to go to Twilight Province and quell the rebellion!"
After a pause, Edward continued with renewed energy.
"Also, notify all major newspapers in Thunder City and tell our citizens! There are vast tracts of unmanaged land in the Dusk Province. Anyone who can demonstrate merit in suppressing the rebellion, whether noble or commoner, will have the opportunity to obtain a piece of land of their own!"
"In the name of trusteeship!"
Although he has not seen tomorrow's newspaper, he can already imagine how crazy Thunder City will be tomorrow!
(End of this chapter)
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