As Richard's nephew, Duke Taubert had inherited Richard's steadiness and conservatism from the old king, but he had also inherited Richard's indecisiveness. When he summoned his court officials, his first reaction was to say to everyone, "He's here. His Majesty has appeared. How can he appear in my duchy without my permission? Is this reasonable?"
Duke Taubert's words left the court officials speechless. The war minister, Count Robert, could only walk up and say, "My Duke, he is the Knight King. He has the right to appear anywhere in Brittany. This is the king's right. We have no right to stop him."
"But how can he bring an army here?" Duke Taubert was stunned for a moment before he realized that he had overreacted. He had no right to stop the king from appearing wherever he pleased.
"Your Majesty, according to our intelligence, our Knight King only brought a small group of Old Guard, less than a hundred people." Count Robert said awkwardly, "This … can't be considered an army. The king should have guards."
Just like Suria's intelligence, Duke Taubert was a kind and humble old noble who was willing to listen to others' opinions. Hearing his war minister, Count Robert, say this, the duke opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.
So he turned his gaze to his home affairs minister, Baron Edward. "Edward, as the descendant of the first Holy Grail Knight, Corduin, and the heir to the title of Duke of Le-Angoulin, I have a question for you. Can you tell me the truth?"
"Please speak your mind, Duke." Baron Edward could only nod when he saw that the conversation had reached this point.
"How many people in our inner circle support me this time?" Duke Taubert frowned. He leaned out from behind his desk and asked with a serious expression, "How many people support our cause?"
"Almost ninety percent of the direct nobles support you, my Duke." Edward's words reassured Duke Taubert. "According to the opinions of the attendants and messengers, at least seventy-five percent of the knights and nobles in the duchy support you. They don't agree with the Knight King's decision to remove the nobles' privileges. They are also against the appointment of a governor."
"That's good, that's good. As long as everyone supports me." Duke Taubert actually had doubts about his own influence because Laing's achievements over the years were too glorious. But obviously, when it came to his own interests, these old nobles were still on his side. That was good. The duke heaved a sigh of relief and took the map. "Where is our Knight King now?"
"He's already close to Lysa Frey. Baron Otero of Lysa Frey is a neutral party. We can't guarantee that he'll be willing to face the king." Count Robert pointed at the map, "But there's good news. Count Clement, who lives to the west of Frey, is a staunch supporter of ours."
"The key question is, my Duke, what do you plan to do?" Baron Edward said. "How are we going to treat the Knight King and his queen? Should we … consider using force? "
Duke Taubert hesitated.
As a traditional and conservative noble, Duke Taubert naturally hated many of Laing's actions, including promoting the freedmen, stripping and restricting the nobles' privileges, taking back the judicial power and setting up a circuit court. He even formed the Old Guard from the country bumpkins and appointed governors.
But as a Brittany, Duke Taubert also admired Laing's glorious deeds. He had led the knights from victory to victory, from glory to glory. He could empathize with the changes in the Knight King's kingdom over the years. Laing didn't use force first, and Duke Taubert didn't want to use force either.
After hesitating for a while, Duke Taubert shook his head and said in a muffled voice, "Give the order. Unless it's absolutely necessary, don't use force. Brittany won't fight Brittany! Have Count Clement send people to chase our Knight King out of the duchy. We have nothing to bargain with him. He can either accept or reject! "
"Yes!"
… I'm a Brittanian, so I don't hit the dividing line for Brittanians …
"Long live the king! Long live the king! "
Baron Otero of Frey, Lyssa, stared blankly at everything that was happening in front of him.
When he heard that the Knight King, Laing, and his queen, Suria, had brought less than a hundred Old Guard and a few hundred serf militia to his fief, Baron Otero was overjoyed.
He immediately ordered his personal guards and knight squires to gather and get ready.
But just as Baron Otero gathered his personal guards and knight squires, the gates of the town were already opened!
"Long live the king! Long live the king! " The town's garrison and commoners rushed to the streets and gathered, shouting "Long live the king". The citizens scrambled to squeeze on both sides of the road.
Farmers, yeomen, tradesmen, artisans, shopkeepers, freedmen, craftsmen, soldiers, and serfs, who had come to town to buy, gathered together.
"It's him! It's him! It's our Knight King and His Majesty the Queen! "
"He's here! Long live His Majesty Laing! Long live Her Majesty Suria! "
"Long live the king! Long live the king! "
Laing and Suria smiled and waved at the town's residents and soldiers. Their every movement caused the people to cry and cheer.
Without the slightest precaution or concern, the defenders had already opened the city gate the moment they saw Leon. Everyone's eyes were brimming with tears. Many freedmen and veterans who had participated in the Great Expedition were already shedding tears.
This is our king! Our glorious king! The king who had created countless miracles and victories in Lyonnesse, Blackstone Stronghold, Eight Peaks Mountain, the Empire, and Kislöw!
"Long live the king!" Thousands of civilians raised their arms and cheered. Wave after wave of fiery voices, each louder than the last. The deafening and hoarse voices traveled along the streets and directly rushed toward the baron's castle in the center of the town like a raging storm.
There was no resistance, no hesitation. In fact, there was not even a single neutral party.
Baron Otero was dumbfounded. He never would have thought that his own people, his own army, and his own town would fall right in front of Leon's eyes.
Now, his castle was surrounded by thousands of his own people. Baron Otero found himself isolated and helpless. What was worse was that many of the veteran guards and young squires in the castle were looking at him with strange gazes.
There was only one answer! Baron Otero took off his cape and threw his five-colored feather triangular hat on the ground. He rushed to Laing and knelt down. He slid three meters on the grass in front of the castle.
I pledge my loyalty to the king!
"Long live the king!" The baron's roar exploded in the castle. His personal guards and young knights all knelt down and cheered when they saw the baron's action.
"Long live the king! Long live the king! "
There was no battle, no negotiation, and Laing did not even say a word to persuade them to surrender.
The army changed sides, the citizens supported the nobles, and the nobles surrendered. The castle was replaced with a tricolor flag and a sword from the book.
The king's army grew like a snowball.
"Is this … His Majesty's prestige? Miss. " Sylvia looked at the scene in front of her. She saw the veterans changing into their military uniforms and taking out weapons from their homes, voluntarily forming an organization. The freedmen generously took out food and gold coins from their homes, and the shopkeepers opened their warehouses to provide military supplies. The farmers even mobilized their entire families to carry things on their backs, all for the sake of following their Knight King.
Sylvia found it hard to believe. The head maid could only ask Suria for help.
"These people are either veterans who retired after the Great Expedition, or freedmen who relied on Laing's reforms to get rid of their status as serfs." Suria nodded slightly. The female knight's face was full of pride. She tried not to look too smug. "They all know who really cares about them and loves them. Everything they have now comes from Laing."
This was the plan Suria gave to Laing. It was to fundamentally dismantle the ruling power of the veteran nobles.
What kind of knight was a knight without a warhorse? What kind of noble was a noble without the support of serfs?
However, many nobles did not realize this at all. They always felt that they were born noble and were born to be above others.
And this was exactly Suria's suggestion. It was the key to completely crack the conservative nobles led by Duke Taubert!
Have you heard the voice of the people?
"Thud, thud, thud ~"
"Urgent news! Urgent news, my lord, that … that tyrant has passed through Lysa Frey! "
West of Lysa Frey Town, Count Clement's territory, Count Clement's castle.
The messenger hurriedly passed the news to the old Count Clement.
"Trash!" The old Count Clement was still planning on how to add bricks to his castle and import some elven carpets. There were already merchants from Marlin Castle who were willing to vouch for him. But now he received this news!
What was the king trying to do?
Did he intend to violate the treaty when the kingdom was founded?
Did he not know that the vassals of my vassals are not my vassals?
The old Count Clement's hands trembled violently. The old Count knew his place. He walked around the room twice before finally sitting down. He then passed the letter to the servant. "Go, call Baldwin over."
"Sir Baldwin? Your son? " The servant was very surprised. "But didn't you already give the order to forbid him from entering the castle?"
"That's under normal circumstances!" The old Count Clement roared. "Now, that tyrant is coming to my territory. My lady knows what he will do to me and my family! Call Baldwin over, now! "
"Yes!" The attendant hurriedly rushed out of the room, found a horse from the stables, and galloped away in a cloud of dust.
Three hours later, Sir Baldwin strode into the room armed to the teeth with a knight's cross helmet in his hand. Baldwin had a serious expression on his face as he respectfully followed his attendant to his father and bowed. "Father, you were looking for me?"
"You must call me Your Grace here!" The old Count Clement waved his hand in annoyance and passed the letter to Baldwin. "Look at it yourself!"
Baldwin took the letter. The Royal Knight was shocked by the contents. "What? His Majesty is less than thirty kilometers from here? "
"He's coming for us, Baldwin." The old Count Clement sat on a chair, his hand full of gemstone rings gently stroking the expensive amber-inlaid cane. "Do you understand what I mean? Baldwin, he's coming for us! "
"I don't understand. Perhaps His Majesty is just looking around." Baldwin took the letter and confirmed it again. The Royal Knight was still trying to explain to his father, "He often visits …"
"He's a tyrant! Baldwin! A tyrant! " The old Count rudely interrupted Baldwin. His face was furious. "What else can he do except make things worse? Look, look, he's surrounded by those bumpkins and called them the Old Guard. He's given those lowly bumpkins the title of Knights. He's allowed those stray dogs to climb into my master's dining room. He's also allowed those disgusting circuit judges to roam around my territory all day long! I know what he's doing. He's going to dig up the foundation of our nobility. He's already broken the Knights' Covenant! "
Baldwin didn't say anything. The Royal Knight's expression was very conflicted.
Seeing that his son seemed to be hesitating, the old count continued, "My son, I'm sure you're well aware of the price we'll have to pay if we don't oppose him. Our Clement family has a thousand years of glorious history. Are you willing to see this seat being replaced by a bumpkin? Are you willing to see your family being chased out of the castle one day? "
"It's ours. It's all ours. Don't we have the blood of the Holy Grail flowing in our veins? Can't our thousand years of accumulation compare to those bumpkins' few years of war? " The father lectured his son. "This is what we deserve. Now that the tyrant wants to take it all away. I know you love him, but you have to understand, who are you?! You're a noble, a noble knight! "
"I'm your son, a member of the Clement family. Father." Baldwin hesitated for a long time before finally nodding heavily. "I will … for the family."
He looked very pained. It was a difficult decision.
"Very good, very good." A smile finally appeared on the old Count's face. He nodded happily and patted Baldwin's shoulder. "Then I'll leave it to you. I'll give you command of the army. Take them and tell the Knight King that Count Clement doesn't welcome him and his queen here. Tell them to go back! If they don't leave, chase them out! "
"Yes!" Baldwin finally nodded. He held his helmet and strode out of the room.
The entire castle instantly entered a state of war. All the troops were urgently assembled. The soldiers, knights, and many of the guards were gathered. Even the veterans were summoned by Baldwin. It took an entire day for the entire Earl's domain to gather most of the standing troops and all the knights and squires who could make it.
Just like that, on the second day Laing entered Count Clement's territory, the Knight King and Knight King walked hand in hand under the warm autumn sun in a golden wheat field. It looked like an outing.
The king and queen were followed by a group of Old Guard, followed by a large group of free soldiers, and Baron Otero and his personal guards. Compared to Laing's leisurely stroll, these people were obviously more nervous.
It was too quiet.
"This doesn't seem like the Count's style." Laing held Suria's small hand and smiled. "I thought they would make a big fuss and stop me."
"They will. I know them." Suria looked at the scenery in the distance. The female knight's face was serious. "They won't just sit by and watch."
Sure enough, as soon as Sulia's voice faded, a large army appeared on the distant hillside. Squads of sword-and-shield soldiers, pikemen, and archers got into formation under the scolding of the knights. The freedmen wore breastplates and leather armor, as well as helmets, and lined up in several rows. Then, a few squads of knights raised the Clement family's coat of arms high, slowly fluttering in the autumn wind. Under the lead of even more squires, they entered the wilderness.
It was impossible to tell how many people there were, but just from the numbers, there were at least two to three thousand people.
It was Count Clement's army. Suria recognized them from the family's coat of arms.
They didn't come with good intentions!
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