Looking at Count Churjwick's back as he rode away with his two attendants, Duke Fisabulon finally spoke, "Are we just going to reject their request like this?"
Laurist snickered. "Alright, stop pretending. Didn't you call me over in such a hurry because you're too embarrassed to reject them? That's why you made me play the bad guy? You know in your heart that Count Churjwick is here to ask us what we think about the four central dukes' request for peace and to ask us to speak for them. In reality, he just wants to find out if we're also facing a shortage of military supplies. He wants to know if His Second Highness is determined to fight them to the death. "
Fisabulon smiled and shook his head, not denying Laurist's statement, "You know, I arranged for Count Churjwick to stay in your camp and hosted a banquet for him. Faced with the dishes cooked with the meat of magical beasts, he was shocked and said that it was too extravagant. When I told him that it was just ordinary meat that even the soldiers could enjoy, he didn't believe me. Later, I brought him around the camp and he was speechless when he saw the soldiers smoking jerky. Then, he urgently asked me to speak to His Majesty on their behalf. I couldn't refuse, so I called you over. "
"It's obvious that their military supplies are a little tight. Perhaps they've already started to limit their supplies." Of course, Laurist understood the meaning behind Duke Fisabulon's words. "So, the 400,000 soldiers that Count Churjwick mentioned might be true, but the rations that could last for four to five years must be fake. Otherwise, he wouldn't be flattered by the richness of the dishes. As for the support he said he received from the Trade Alliance, I suspect it's also fake. Otherwise, they wouldn't have taken the initiative to propose peace. "
"But the conditions they proposed are too insincere. How can they expect His Second Highness to agree to such conditions? The first is to restore the situation of the four central duchies before the war, which is to get His Second Highness to withdraw from the eight provinces that he has already occupied. This is impossible. " Duke Fisabulon retorted, "I think that their request for peace is just an excuse. The biggest possibility is that you've caused too much commotion on the other side of the river, causing them to worry. If we really build a road in the Demonic Wasteland that leads to the Delamar Province, then we will indeed be hitting the weak point of their defense. Even if they have the full support of the Trade Federation, there's no telling how many garrisons they'll need to deploy along the river to defend the Nibaraku River. That's why they sent someone to scout the situation. "
"Perhaps." Loriste pondered and said, "I think the four grand dukes of the central continent might think of us as the same as them. If they are short of armaments, they may well suppose that we are in the same predicament. Although we have a hundred thousand less troops than them, our territory is far away and it is difficult to transport supplies. They think that the eight provinces of the three duchies are newly occupied and will not be available to us for the next two to three years. They don't know that His Majesty has already cleaned up the eight provinces and effectively managed them.
Moreover, you recruited a large number of craftsmen to build boats upstream of the Nibaraku River, and I announced with great fanfare that I was going to build roads in the Demonlands. Normally, we wouldn't be able to provide such a large amount of rations. It is very likely that the four central Grand Dukes think that we are bluffing, so they specially sent Count Churjwick to investigate. This is why Count Churjwick found out that we have sufficient supplies and quickly changed his words to ask us to help them sue for peace.
It's a pity that the conditions proposed by the four central dukes are that they think we're in the same situation as them. We're also facing a shortage of military supplies, so they're treating us as opponents on equal footing. These conditions are a ladder that His Majesty can't get off from when he's riding a tiger, so that His Majesty has a way out. In addition, these conditions are just sky-high prices. If we really want to negotiate, we can pay them back on the spot. It is used to test whether we really want to negotiate, so I rejected them … "
Grand Duke Fisabulun nodded. "Your deduction is very reasonable, but I think it's better to drag them on. We can talk and fight at the same time. Then, we can find out from their messengers whether the internal situation of the Handa Principality can still persist …"
"There is no need for that." Laurist flatly rejected Grand Duke Fisabulun's suggestion. "Since Count Churjwick has already discovered that our armaments and logistical supplies are more sufficient than theirs, and we have firmly rejected their request to sue for peace with His Majesty, then when Count Churjwick returns to report, the four central Grand Dukes will be in a dilemma.
Continuing to form a new army to defend the area along the river will only make their armaments more strained. If they don't form a new army, they will be afraid that we will really cross the river and attack the hinterland of Delamar Province. And my firm rejection of Count Churjwick's request for us to help them sue for peace with His Majesty will let them understand His Majesty's determination to destroy the four central Grand Duchies. So, the next time they send messengers, their conditions will definitely be more generous, and their attitude will definitely be more humble. "
Grand Duke Fisabulun was stunned. "You think they will send messengers to sue for peace again?"
Laurist nodded. "They should. They have no other choice. While they still have capital on hand, they can bargain with His Majesty. Otherwise, if they persist, they will only be left with two choices: death or escape. If they know what's good for them, we can help them put in a few words. After all, we don't have that much time to stay here for a few years and continue to be in a deadlock with them. "
"Why, didn't you say that their armaments are insufficient? If that's the case, they should not be able to hold on for much longer, "Grand Duke Fisabulun said.
"No …" Laurist smiled bitterly. "I miscalculated one thing. The wealth of the four central Grand Dukes is more than we thought. Didn't you hear from Count Churjwick that they are willing to offer His Majesty a tribute of two million gold fords? He also said that if we help them, we can each get a reward of five hundred thousand gold fords.
I estimate that three million gold fords is only a third or a quarter of their wealth. Otherwise, they would not have offered such a price. If they choose to escape, this wealth is enough for them to spend a few lifetimes in the Trade Union. Similarly, if they choose to fight to the end, the three million gold fords can buy enough food and other military supplies for their 400,000 troops to last another year or two from the Trade Union …
To His Majesty, as long as he can destroy the four central Dukes, it does not matter if it takes another two to three years. Now, in the five provinces of the Fulondo Duchy and the Falk Duchy, the nobles who followed the two Grand Dukes have been cleaned up, and effective administrative management has been implemented. The three provinces of the Sabaji Duchy are also recovering, and everything is back on track. So no matter how long it takes, His Majesty does not care. But do we really have to stay here for two to three years? "
Grand Duke Fisabulun was speechless. Laurist's words were very unreconciled. Agreeing to help the second prince conquer the four central Dukes was not a big deal for a year or so, but if they really had to fight for two to three years, compared to the rewards promised by the second prince after the war, it would be a huge loss. Keeping promises was a noble's virtue, and Laurist could not just run away halfway.
Seeing that three Duchies were gone, and only the Handa Duchy was left here, Laurist was not willing to waste these few years on the campaign. It was better to withdraw his troops and return to his family's territory earlier than to stay here. If the four central Grand Dukes could surrender to His Royal Highness, everyone would have a way out of this embarrassing situation. That would be the best thing that could happen.
"Oh right, when is Sylvia's due date?" Grand Duke Fisabulun changed the topic.
"It should be around January of the new year," Laurist replied.
"Then when are you going back?" Grand Duke Fisabulun asked.
"Around December." Laurist clenched his teeth. "Before I leave, I want to take down a defensive position and put more pressure on those four old bastards, forcing them to send messengers to negotiate with His Majesty about the surrender. Otherwise, I will not be polite … "
To be honest, when Laurist agreed to the second prince's campaign against the central Four Duchies, he did not really use his family's military power. Instead, his main goal was to avoid casualties and take advantage of the situation. The main reason was that he felt that sacrificing his family's military power for the second prince's cause of unifying the empire was not a good thing, so he just wanted to show his sincerity. Just look at Grand Duke Fisabulun, that old fox. He let the reserve troops do the dangerous things. After all, no matter how many barbarian cavalry died, there would be replacements in the plains. Meanwhile, the Third Border Guard Ranger Unit stayed behind and watched the show.
"But, but isn't December winter? How are you going to take down a defensive position when it's snowing?"
Laurist rolled his eyes. "Alright, stop pretending, old man. Didn't we force your Third Border Guard Ranger Unit to surrender during the winter? To tell you the truth, winter or not doesn't affect our Norton Family's military. Instead, it's a good opportunity for us to show our skills. When the time comes, you can see for yourself how we take down a defensive position. "
Grand Duke Fisabulun laughed awkwardly. "Alright, I'll see when the time comes. But aren't you worried about missing the journey back? This is Sylvia's first time giving birth. I'm worried that she'll be in danger if you're not by her side. "
"Don't worry, I've already written to her that I'll be there before the birth. As long as there's a few heavy snowfalls, we'll be able to rush back in three to four days with a snow plow. That's five to six days faster than us riding day and night. "
"Um, um, can I go back with you when the time comes? I know Sylvia has some misunderstandings about me, but she's my granddaughter after all. I also want to see her first child … "Grand Duke Fisabulun lowered his head and asked with some embarrassment.
Laurist was stunned, and then found it funny. "Alright, if you want to go, then go. We can go back together then."
Grand Duke Fisabulun was overjoyed. "Then, then thank you, Grand Duke Norton."
Laurist looked at him and sighed. "In private, you can call me Laurist. You're Sylvia's grandfather, my elder. There's no need to address me by my title so formally …"
"Alright, then thank you, Laurist." Grand Duke Fisabulun readily accepted.
"You're welcome. Oh, right, this is the harvest from the Demonic Plains. According to the agreement, you can get a third of it. "Laurist thought of something and took out a small leather bag beside him and threw it to him.
"What's this?" Grand Duke Fisabulun opened the bag and poured out a dozen or so small, oval-shaped, jade-like, glowing white pebbles.
Grand Duke Fisabulun was taken aback. "Moonstone?"
This was a very famous gem on the Galinthea Continent. Some scholars believed that it should be a fluorescent stone, and that it should be a variant of jade. In other words, the jade would be washed by the stream to form the shape of a pebble. At the same time, it would be illuminated by the moonlight for hundreds or even thousands of years. The silver moonlight would gradually make the jade crystal clear. Every night, when the silver moonlight shone on it, the jade would glow with a white fluorescent light, shining like stars.
It was said that there was a very famous palace in the southernmost Galinthea Continent, the Romon Empire. The inside of the palace was inlaid with a circle of moonstone. Every night, as long as a candle was lit in the middle of the palace, the moonstone would reflect the light of the candle and emit a white fluorescent light, causing the entire palace to be as bright as day. Because of this, the palace was named the Palace of the Bright Moon.
The value of the moonstone also varied greatly depending on the brightness of the white fluorescent light it emitted. The more valuable ones could be worth a thousand to ten thousand gold merits, while the less valuable ones could be worth ten or so gold coins. The most common moonstone on the market was worth around a hundred to a thousand. The dozen or so moonstones in the small bag that Laurist tossed to Grand Duke Fisabulun were all of high quality. Each of them was worth at least a thousand gold merits.
"Where did you get them?" Grand Duke Fisabulun asked as he played with the moonstone in his hand.
Laurist turned his head towards the direction of the Demonic Plains and gestured. "Your barbarian cavalry was very lucky. They were chasing a group of Curly-Horned Devil Antelopes and found a very large stream. There was nothing unusual during the day, but at night, the entire stream was covered in silver light. They thought that a miracle had happened, so they all got off their horses and kowtowed.
When I received their report, I knew that they had found a treasure trove of moonstones, so I collected close to a thousand moonstones. The estimated value should be around six or seven hundred thousand gold merits. Don't worry, there's a third of your share. Since we've signed a cooperation agreement, I will abide by it. Don't worry about me taking it all for myself. These are the best batch of moonstones, and I will also give you one of the three portions. As for the barbarian cavalry who found the stream, I have already rewarded them on your behalf. Each of them is given five gold merits. "
Grand Duke Fisabulun was speechless. This was a problem of knowledge. The barbarian cavalry had found a moonstone stream, and they thought that it was a miracle. They did not dare to offend it, and even knelt on the ground and kowtowed. When Laurist received the report, he knew that he had found a treasure trove. He collected close to a thousand moonstones and made a huge profit. No wonder he stayed in the Demonic Plains and did not want to come back.
After some thought, Grand Duke Fisabulun put the moonstones in his hand back into the small bag and handed it to Laurist. "I'll give them to you. When Sylvia gives birth, use these moonstones to decorate her house. That way, there won't be a need for too many open fires at night to prevent a fire …"
Laurist did not stand on ceremony. He took the bag and put it back into his original pocket. "Alright, I will accept your kindness."
…
On the 21st of December 1782 in the Galinthia Continent calendar, the armed Flying Tiger Legion of the Norton Family launched a surprise attack on the defensive position at the Veyronni Mountain Pass under the cover of snowflakes. They defeated the Red Dragon Legion of the Handra Principality in one fell swoop. The Red Light Legion suffered heavy casualties. The remaining troops retreated to the second defensive position to avoid the disaster. Only then did they realize that less than 30% of the soldiers who retreated were still alive. They hurriedly asked for help from the rear.
At the same time, because the Veyronni Mountain Pass was occupied, the two defensive positions on the flanks were threatened with a surprise attack. The First Garrison Legion of the Forrendo Principality and the Green Forest Legion of the Falkner Principality had to abandon their positions and retreat. Many frostbitten along the way. In order to carry out Grand Duke Falkner's order, the Green Forest Legion looted more than ten villages along the way and set them on fire. More than 30,000 citizens of the Handra Principality died a violent death. This was the beginning of a war between Grand Duke Falkner and Grand Duke Handra …
…
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