On the day of the execution, Laurist did not go to the scene. He locked himself in his study for the entire day, refusing to see anyone. Genolio knew that he was in a bad mood, so he blocked all requests for an audience. Fatty Shi and the rest of the family understood Laurist's mood, so they did not disturb him with official matters. It was only when night fell that Princess Silvia, who was worried, came to the study that she found Laurist sitting alone on a chair by the window, staring at the silver moon in the sky and crying silently …
This was the largest execution in the history of the Norton Family. 349 people were convicted of treason, and they were either beheaded or hanged. The worst was that the family of 17 members of Hansk's family, who had started the internal strife, were all beheaded. Young Master Lescott, the eldest son of the head of the Norton Family, Laurist, was also hanged on the gallows. At the same time, thousands of accomplices and their relatives were exiled to the borders and overseas …
Unsurprisingly, this trial and execution caused a huge uproar in the North and the surrounding provinces, and even in the entire Andinac Kingdom. In the eyes of outsiders, the Norton Family seemed to be too harsh in dealing with this bloodless internal strife. After all, ever since Hansk started the rebellion, the Norton Family did not have any bloody conflicts. Hansk did not kill the family officials who did not cooperate, but imprisoned and discarded them.
Compared to Laurist's punishment after his return, it was too cruel. This was especially true for Lescott. Although he was an illegitimate child, he was still Laurist's son. Even the crimes that were announced were no different from those of the spoiled nobles. Oppressing the people, fooling around with the maidservants, killing a few servants and untouchables, extorting merchants, these were all not that big of a deal. Even those aristocratic families with strict upbringing would usually only send a butler to apologize and compensate for what had happened. Was there a need to personally order for him to be hanged?
Also, even if it was a misunderstanding, the second prince had personally acknowledged Young Master Lescott's identity as the heir of the Norton Family and even issued a letter of appointment. Although this was suspected of interfering with the internal affairs of the nobles, when dealing with Young Master Lescott, the second prince's reputation had to be considered. Leurist directly ordered for him to be hanged without any regard for the second prince's face. However, thinking of Laurist's identity as a Sword Saint, everyone who was muttering behind his back had to admit that Laurist did not have to give the second prince any face.
Only the high-ranking officials of the Norton Family who knew the inside story understood why Laurist was so furious. The internal strife that Hansk had instigated had almost destroyed the Artillery Battalion, which Laurist had spent so many years working on, in a single day. Only those who had personally witnessed the might of the Bronze Cannons would agree with Laurist's opinion. The Bronze Cannons would ensure the Norton Family's prosperity for hundreds of years to come.
Majordomo Hansk had sought his own death. On the night before his execution, Majordomo Cordan brought some wine and meat to meet him one last time. Majordomo Hansk chewed on the meat and wine while scolding Laurist for not listening to his advice and for bringing the Norton Family to a dead end. He howled and wailed, deeply worried for the future of the Norton Family. He displayed a heroic and tragic spirit, as if he was still a loyal subject of the Norton Family.
Majordomo Cordan looked at Majordomo Hansk's performance as if he was looking at a madman. He remained silent until the wine and meat were all finished. Only then did he sigh and say, "Hansk, you have been blinded by power. Your talent is not enough to match your ambition. I understand what you are thinking. You want to become the next Majordomo Kleis and control the family. However, the Norton Family is no longer the Norton Family that resided in a corner of the North. The Norton Family now controls the entire North and three surrounding provinces. Their influence is like the sun in the sky.
It is because of the current head of the Norton Family, the Duke, that the family has developed to this stage. We can only serve the family better under his guidance. Honestly speaking, you don't have the talent to control the current Norton family. Trying to restore the power of Head Steward Kleis is just wishful thinking. Now that things have come to this, why must you pretend to be a loyal subject of the family … "
After saying this, Majordomo Cordan shook his head and turned to leave. Majordomo Hansk collapsed to the ground as if he had lost his pillar of support. In reality, Majordomo Cordan was right. Before Laurist returned, the power of the Norton Family was basically in the hands of Majordomo Kleis. Laurist's father, Baron Norton, did not care about the trivial matters of the family. Whether it was the income or the arrangements of the family's personnel, they were all handled by Majordomo Kleis. Baron Norton, on the other hand, only focused on training, hunting, and fighting against the mountain barbarians …
Majordomo Hanks wanting to become the Majordomo Kleis in Laurist's time was indeed wishful thinking. In other nobles' territories, many lords would be like Laurist's father, entrusting all the matters of their territories to their family's majordomo to handle. The citizens feared and respected the majordomo more than the high and mighty lord. But in Laurist's place, such a thing would never happen.
Whether in terms of talent or knowledge, Majordomo Hanks could not compare to Fatty Shi, who was deeply trusted by Laurist. Out of respect for the late Old Housekeeper Kleis, Laurist did entrust the three supervisors of the original family's territory with heavy responsibilities. Majordomo Spear and Majordomo Cordan gained Laurist's trust with their loyalty and diligence. On the other hand, Majordomo Hanks did not stand out in terms of talent. Not only did he not work hard, he even had the idea of forming cliques and pushing out newcomers. As a result, his position in Laurist's heart plummeted.
As an old member of the Norton Family, Laurist did not mistreat Majordomo Hanks. He, Spear, and Majordomo Cordan were the first batch of people to be conferred as nobles. Unfortunately, Majordomo Hanks did not realize this. Instead, he used this opportunity to become even more corrupt in the family. He interfered in areas that did not belong to his jurisdiction, and even began to order Laurist around.
Some things could be tolerated, but there were some things that Laurist could not tolerate Majordomo Hanks' impudence. In the end, Majordomo Hanks was kicked out of the upper echelons of the family by Laurist and ordered to scram back to the conferred territory to reflect on himself. But the stubborn Majordomo Hanks did not think he was wrong. Instead, he returned to Maple Forest Manor, wholeheartedly wanting to push Lescott, who he believed was born in Maple Forest Manor and truly had the Norton Family's bloodline, onto the throne of the family's successor.
This was why Majordomo Cordan thought that Majordomo Hanks lacked talent and knowledge, as well as the ability to control the entire situation. He started the family's internal strife and did everything he could. He even received a letter of appointment from the second prince. He thought of many countermeasures after Laurist returned to the North. He believed that the worst outcome would be to divide the North, with Laurist father and son each managing the new and old family's territories.
But imagination was beautiful, and reality was cruel. When Laurist returned to the North, the main force of the family's internal strife, the First Guard Corps, obediently surrendered. All the officials and comrades who supported Majordomo Hanks in electing Young Master Lescott as the family's successor were all captured. Not only were they judged to be traitors of the family, but even Young Master Lescott, whom they had high hopes for, was stripped of the Norton surname and sent to the gallows.
At this moment, all of Majordomo Hanks's schemes were for naught. What he did not understand was how tight Laurist's control over the family's territory was. He allowed them to cause internal strife in the family only to use this opportunity to get rid of the useless people in the family's territory. The real reason why Majordomo Hanks failed was because he did not understand that the current Laurist did not rely on the Norton Family to get to where he was today. Instead, the Norton Family had developed to where they were today because of Laurist.
Three days after the execution, Baron Kriston rushed to the study of the city lord's mansion and appeared in front of Laurist.
Laurist had already returned to normal, but there was a hint of gloominess between his brows. In his hands was the dossier containing Baron Kriston's personal information.
"Please take a seat, Baron Kriston. As the family's criminal inspector, you have done an outstanding job in the past few years. You have set up patrol teams in every town in the family's territory and presided over the drafting of the Norton Family's criminal code, which will be used as the basis for all criminal cases. Because of this, you have been conferred the title of Baron by the family. "Laurist's tone was full of affirmation and praise.
Baron Kriston stood up and bowed. "Your Highness, this is all part of my duty. I do not deserve such praise."
Laurist nodded. "To make a long story short, I called you here to change your position. I plan to split the Walebell Intelligence and Investigation Bureau into two. One will be the external intelligence and investigation bureau, and the other will be the family's internal security department, known as the Internal Affairs Department. Their duties are to prevent external spying on the family's territory, monitor the family's internal activities, and maintain the family's security and stability. Schwald recommended you for this position. Baron Kriston, what do you think? "
Baron Christon was pleasantly surprised. As a meticulous family official, he understood the relationship between Ward and Lollister. It was no wonder that the family would send a messenger to summon him back from investigating a criminal case in the province of Delemark.
"Your Highness, I am willing to serve the family loyally," Baron Kriston replied solemnly.
"Very good, Baron Kriston. I am glad that you have the courage to take on the family's responsibilities," Laurist said with satisfaction. Laurist was very satisfied. "I'll give you three days to find Tagger and understand the internal security and monitoring of the family's territory. At the same time, you will write a report and explain your ideas for the internal affairs department. You will also need to come up with a budget for the capital expenditure. I hope to see these reports in three days. "
"Yes, Your Highness. I will not disappoint you."
Genolio was ordered to bring Baron Kriston to find Tagger. The next person Laurist wanted to see was Berunik.
The white-haired Berunik entered the study and knelt on one knee in front of Laurist. "Your Highness, it was my negligence that caused irreparable damage to the family. Please punish me."
Laurist was shocked by his actions. He quickly helped him up and comforted him. It was not his fault that Majordomo Hansk started the family's internal strife. It was because he trusted Majordomo Hansk too much that he was tricked and put under house arrest. In the end, the First Royal Guard Regiment was controlled by Majordomo Hansk and his accomplices.
Berhunek was one of the first batch of Gold Knights of the family. He was most famous for being a 3-star Silver Knight of the family before Laurist returned to his family's territory in the north. In order to save Laurist's brother, he fought against the Demonic Bear. In the end, Laurist's brother fell off his horse and died. Although he managed to kill the Demonic Bear, he was heavily injured. After that, he was poisoned by the four great commoner families in Northfield Town. He was bedridden for two to three years.
It was only after Laurist returned to his family's territory that he, as a part-time Apothecary, saw through the plot and brought Bellunia back to the Maple Forest Manor to cure him of his poison. Then, he gave Bellunia a high-tier cultivation manual, allowing Bellunia to advance to the Gold rank. To Laurist, Berunik was the family's most trusted knight in the original family's territory. He appointed Berunik as the commander of the First Royal Guard Regiment and entrusted him with the responsibility of protecting the family's territory.
However, because they were both from Maple Forest Manor, Berunik went to the banquet because of Majordomo Hansk's favor, and fell into the trap. After refusing Majordomo Hansk's request to support Young Master Lescot as the heir of the family, Beruk discovered that he had unknowingly been poisoned by Majordomo Hansk, causing him to lose all his cultivation. At the same time, two great swordsmen appeared beside Majordomo Hansk and made him realize that he had become a fish on the chopping block.
Fortunately, Majordomo Hansk still hoped to convince Berunik to serve Young Master Lescot with him in the future. That was why he placed him under house arrest in Maple Forest Manor until Laurist rescued him. Alright, he had already been poisoned twice. Berunik was so ashamed that he immediately rushed to Raging Bear City to ask for Laurist's forgiveness after his body recovered. He insisted on taking responsibility and accepting punishment.
Laurist tried to persuade him for a long time, but Berunik refused. He believed that as a Gold Knight of the Norton family, he had to bear the consequences of the family's internal strife. Helpless, Laurist thought for a while and removed Berunik from his position as the commander of the First Royal Guard Regiment. He also deducted two years of his salary and benefits. At the same time, he expressed that he was prepared to transfer Berunik to serve in the family's three armed regiments. When Berunik heard that he had a chance to go to the battlefield, he happily left.
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