A Gesture of Goodwill
"Carlis, what's wrong with you? Didn't we agree to operate covertly and avoid trouble?"
Now all the nobles in Qiaomu County are mobilized, and it may not be long before this area expands to the Southeast Province.
The masked man angrily questioned.
Killing a mere knight is nothing, and dozens of soldiers are negligible. But the biggest mistake was exposing themselves.
Carlis's identity was not revealed, but he, as the leader, was framed. This has made the Skeleton Lord afraid to show his face, lest he be spotted by the paranoid nobles.
"Holy Lord, I don't want to be exposed either! But that guy met me before and started questioning me right away."
My temporary identity was completely exposed during the sales pitch; it crumbled in no time. That guy immediately ordered my arrest, and I couldn't just stand by and do nothing!
"Carlis said with a frustrated look on his face."
This year is unlucky; nothing goes smoothly.
I originally thought that the masked man had a bunch of powerful nobles supporting him, and that joining them would help me avoid being hunted down by the nobles of the Alpha Kingdom.
As it turned out, he was completely overthinking it. Wearing the mask did indeed begin a new life—a life of hiding and fleeing.
As long as their identities remain hidden, they won't be hunted down by the Alpha Kingdom. But once their identities are exposed, this is the situation they're in now.
The so-called support from the great nobles is pure nonsense. Although their current cause is sacred, given the mess they've made in the past, who would believe they're anti- Church before they achieve anything significant?
The seemingly powerful "Skeleton Lord" is actually no different from him; both are wanted criminals by the Alpha Kingdom.
Frankly, Carlis's makeup skills are quite good. It's a pity that Knight Florian was originally from the Fifth Army and witnessed his pretentious act firsthand.
Although he didn't recognize him at first glance, suspicion had already formed in his mind. It was Florian's bad luck to mistake him for some low-level thief; otherwise, he wouldn't have been so foolish as to order his arrest.
He failed to capture the person, but tragically lost his own life. Had another noble group not appeared and scared Carlis away, he probably wouldn't have even had a chance to leave a last word.
"Very well, it seems you are incompatible with the Blood Moon Horn. Since the nobles of the Southeast Province have already been disturbed, let's halt the investigation into the Blood Moon Horn for now!"
For the time being, you should avoid going out. It would be best to leave the Southeast Province for a while and return after things have calmed down.
The masked man said helplessly.
He had initially placed high hopes on Carlis, but now it's proven that ability and success are two completely different things. With bad luck, nothing can be accomplished.
In the matter of the Blood Moon Horn, Karlis was a complete scumbag. First, he inexplicably assassinated the king's envoy, causing him to fall from his high position as commander of the Papal Dragon Cavalry to the mortal realm.
Having just caught his breath, he disguised himself as a traveling merchant and investigated the Blood Moon Horn again, but once again his mission failed.
This time the trouble was indeed smaller, but the consequences were similar, with both sides facing pursuit by the aristocratic group.
The only difference is that the previous wave of enemies was too high-level, coming out with a ton of powerful attacks right from the start, causing Carlis to ruin his entire team. This wave of enemies, however, isn't as strong, and the teammate who took the blame is still alive and kicking.
"Don't worry, Holy Lord. I'm not stupid. My whereabouts have already been exposed. Staying in the Southeast Province would just be waiting for the enemy to come knocking on my door."
Judging from the reaction of these nobles, they have not let their guard down and the time is not yet ripe to investigate the matter of the Blood Moon Horn.
"Why don't we have our people withdraw from the Alpha Kingdom first and relocate to a new place to develop? We can send people back to investigate after three to five years."
Carlis offered his sincere advice.
Getting on board is easy, but getting off is hard. Although the Skull Society has been reorganized, some of the habits that remain from Heretical Cult organizations have been inherited.
For example: methods of controlling people.
At this moment, the boat is in the middle of the river, and the turbulent water and rolling waves are enough to make anyone feel apprehensive.
Not wanting to jump ship and become fish food, Carlis could only suggest that the captain bring the ship to shore first to avoid this surging wave.
"Things aren't as simple as you think. If we want to change our current situation, we must find the Blood Moon Horn."
Without this as a pledge of allegiance, the nobles will not believe we have betrayed the Church, let alone gain their support.
As a long-established cult controlled by the Church, the Skull Society Heretical Cult Society has been committing crimes in various countries across mainland China, and its reputation has long been tarnished.
Even if he leaves the Alpha Kingdom, he will still be wanted and hunted down.
Our situation will be no different from now; we will still be forced to hide in Xinjiang, living a life of utter darkness.
The masked man explained patiently.
Nobody likes to be constantly on the run from XZ. If he could run away, he would have done so long ago. He might even have gone into hiding under an assumed name. That's not unacceptable.
The problem is that the social classes in this world are too rigid. Even if they hide their identities, they can only struggle at the bottom of society and continue to live a precarious life.
As for impersonating a nobleman, anyone with a brain knows that's unreliable. Every nobleman has their own background; it might work temporarily, but it will definitely be exposed in the long run.
Moreover, the manners and behavior of nobles are not so easy to imitate. Without professional training, one cannot even grasp the most basic aristocratic etiquette, let alone adapt to the aristocratic way of thinking.
This was still the lower-ranking nobility; the higher-ranking nobles had access to supernatural powers like magic. Even the best disguise techniques were insignificant in the face of such power.
In Beda City, Count Pierce, who was pondering how to deal with the upcoming situation in the kingdom, was furious after receiving a letter from Viscount Oran.
The Skull and Skull Society clearly saw him as an easy target, plotting a rebellion and then daring to show their faces in the Southeast Province.
"Issue the order to have nobles in all regions block all major and minor transportation routes and strictly investigate all merchants and travelers entering and leaving Qiaomu County."
Order Baron Raphael to take the Second Infantry Regiment to Qiaomu County. Make sure to wipe out all the Skull Society members hiding there.
From this moment forward, all Griffon Cavalry will be deployed to conduct unscheduled patrols over various areas of the Southeast Province, and any unusual activity must be reported immediately.
"That's what Count Pierce said coldly."
The last Skull Society rebellion had given him a severe humiliation, and Pierce would never allow it to happen again.
Otherwise, outsiders might think that the Dalton Family had declined and was powerless to control the situation in the province, thus attracting a pack of wolves to pounce on them.
Governor Pierce, in a fit of rage, was undoubtedly terrifying. The entire Southeast Province was mobilized, especially the nobles of Qiaomu County and its surrounding areas, who were mobilized to the maximum extent possible.
From this moment on, no family without several hundred private soldiers would sleep soundly.
In the Mountain Territory, Hudson's business suddenly took off. His customer base, which was originally concentrated in Wright and Hutton Prefectures, now expanded to most of the Southeast Province.
Many nobles who initially looked down on the quality of his weapons eventually placed orders. In order to increase weapon production, orders for daily necessities were forced to stop.
Fourteen or fifteen-year-old boys went to the smelting plant as apprentices and assistants. Some strong women also took up sledgehammers, even affecting the land reclamation process.
Hudson was powerless; new orders were coming in more and more urgently than ever. Most importantly, these guys, in order to get their goods faster, resorted to the legendary, infallible tactic of paying extra.
It wasn't just about adding money; these guys also promised that they could use serfs, livestock, and grain to offset the entire payment.
All the damage was done to Hudson's software; there was no other way but to find a solution. Faced with an urgent order, the only option was to roll up their sleeves and get to work.
To motivate everyone, the mine has increased its meals from three to four, and upgraded from substandard bread to regular bread. The original rationing system has been replaced with a system where everyone is given enough to eat.
To ensure everyone has enough energy, we now slaughter three sheep every day, and occasionally add wild game as a side dish.
It looks good, but in reality, this amount of meat is only enough for ordinary workers to have a little bit of meat. Unless you're a master chef, you won't see any meat at all.
There was no other way; several thousand people were working in the mines. A daily supply of a hundred pounds of meat was simply insignificant.
This was based on the premise that new livestock would soon be brought into the tent; otherwise, Hudson wouldn't have dared to be so extravagant.
Because aquaculture is a long-term investment. With the most primitive farming methods, it's difficult to see significant results without several years of effort.
Without large-scale artificial breeding, relying solely on hunting for meat, it was difficult to even supply the daily rations of the people.
If it weren't for the occasional customer bringing livestock to offset payment, Hudson's sheep pen would have been empty long ago.
Looking at the bustling production line, Hudson felt a surge of accomplishment, as if he were about to reach the pinnacle of his life.
"What? You want me to be in charge of delivery?"
As he spoke, Hudson stood up from his seat, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.
Having sold so many products, customers have always come to pick them up in person; home delivery is just wishful thinking.
The monopolistic merchant stated: their products do not include free shipping!
Buy it if you want, don't buy it if you don't. That's how confident Baron Hudson is, with orders piling up.
"Your Excellency, I have heard that you once promised that you would bear all the transportation costs incurred in exchanging serfs for your goods."
The visitor calmly explained.
The words of nobles take root. The trustworthy Baron Hudson, of course, would not renege on his promise.
"That's right, I did make that promise. I'll reimburse you for any food or fodder you consume along the way when you send people to transport it."
Hudson said, feigning magnanimity.
The nobility didn't have the habit of calculating labor costs; the so-called transportation costs were simply the food expenses for people and livestock. Hudson really didn't care about such a small expense.
But if you ask him to deliver to your door, that's a different story. Everyone knows that the Skull and Bones Skull Society is active in Qiaomu County now; you might just bump into them on the way.
Once a war breaks out, the costs will skyrocket. Heavy casualties are one thing, but there's also the possibility of total annihilation.
This kind of business is too risky and damaging, exceeding Hudson's risk tolerance. He absolutely cannot do this kind of business.
"Your Excellency, under normal circumstances, we would not dare to trouble you to make the trip yourself, but the current situation is special."
Without your formidable reputation to deter us, it would be difficult for us to safely transport these weapons back to our territory, and the deal would be out of the question.
But rest assured, we are aware of the rules. Any additional costs will be settled at market price.
Our Viscount promises that as long as you organize the manpower to transport all the orders from the nobles of Qiaomu County, he can guarantee that the transaction will involve no fewer than 1,500 serf households, no fewer than 300 cattle, and no fewer than 600 horses...
You can offset the difference with everyday items. However, given the large number of nobles involved in the transaction, you'll need to negotiate the specific items to use with them later.
Hearing the old butler's words, Hudson's anger vanished instantly. There's no business in this world that can't be negotiated; as long as the benefits outweigh the risks, everything is negotiable.
Hudson still believed in the promise of a viscount. Although the number was somewhat large, there were at least thirty, if not fifty, nobles in Qiaomu County placing such orders.
If everyone shares the burden, whether it's 1,500 serf households, 300 cattle, or 800 nags... it's not a problem.
Hudson thought it was worth a try to organize a transport team and take the risk for this big deal.
Aren't they just those Skull Society and Bones members who slipped through the net? As long as the benefits are right, the valiant Baron Hudson has never been afraid of these shady rats.
However, if he accepts so much in-kind compensation at once, he can forget about seeing any gold coins in the deal. If the goods offered as compensation aren't attractive enough, he might even have to pay out of his own pocket.
"Butler Miklos, please convey to His Excellency Viscount Oran that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, this batch of supplies will be delivered on time within half a month."
To show our sincerity, we can add fifty suits of plate armor to this shipment as a gift, a testament to the enduring friendship between our two families.
Hudson replied calmly.
Transactions between nobles are that simple. Viscount Oran helped him solve his problems with manpower and livestock shortages, and Hudson naturally had to repay him.
Plate armor is already the most technologically advanced product among all the goods that can be produced in the territory. As a lump of iron, the requirements for the quality of the iron are not too high, so in terms of quality, it has finally caught up with the average level.
If you put it on the market, it would cost at least five gold coins, and it would be in short supply. Now, Hudson is using it as a gift.
It was all worth it. Once this deal was done, the market for Qiaomu County would open up.
As for his own Heavy Infantry formation plan, which has been delayed again, Hudson said he didn't care.
There was nothing we could do; those blockheads were just too slow at cultivating their Battle Qi.
After several periods of effort, only a little over thirty people had mastered the basics. They could only sense the aura, and were no different from ordinary people. Expecting them to don armor and wreak havoc is anyone's guess.
According to the experience taught by Baron Redman, to train a qualified elite private army, it takes at least two or three years for serfs to cultivate their Battle Qi and experience several wars before they can be formed.
Generally speaking, soldiers who have cultivated Battle Qi are much stronger in individual combat than ordinary soldiers.
However, the cultivation of Battle Qi requires talent, and without the assistance of resources, progress is slow and difficult to popularize on a large scale.
Aside from a few special military units composed entirely of cultivators, most common armies are made up of ordinary people. For example, the armies brought by Northern Nobles.
They were considered elite even in a regular army, but most of the soldiers were ordinary people, with only a small number of cultivators.
Even the heavy infantry were simply soldiers selected from those stronger than ordinary people.
While their individual combat strength may not be as good as that of cultivators, because they have undergone systematic training and participated in many wars, they are no weaker than the private armies trained by local nobles.
Ultimately, it depends on the number of participants. The larger the scale of the war, the more advantageous it is for these armies to perform. In smaller conflicts, private armies composed of cultivators have the upper hand.
Since the quality-oriented approach was not viable, the Hudson was forced to pursue a quantity-oriented approach. However, this required a sufficient population base; only with a large enough population could a sufficient number of high-quality soldiers be selected.
Not everyone in Hudson's army is suited for fighting; he kept them only because they had experienced more than a dozen wars, large and small.
Even if most of the time you're just joining in the fun and don't actually kill many enemies, you still cultivate your fighting spirit.
With the training he has conducted, the beginnings of an elite force are now visible. If a real battle were to break out, they might not be much weaker than those noble soldiers.
Hudson had also witnessed the training of the Northern Aristocrats, which was actually nothing new; it was just training soldiers in combat skills such as slashing and thrusting.
In a fair comparison, they might not even be as good as him. At least the soldiers trained by Hudson could run. Ten miles of running training every day might not guarantee they would become the best fighters, but at least they could become the best runners among the infantry.
And it wasn't a chaotic, disorganized rush; rather, it was a structured and orderly advance. When it came to strategic transitions, they were undoubtedly top students.
"Your Excellency, on behalf of Viscount Oran, I thank you for your generosity. May the friendship between our two families last forever!"
Butler Miklos responded immediately.
Judging from his familiar etiquette and reaction speed, he must be a veteran player.
If it weren't for his social status, this person would definitely have done very well in aristocratic circles.
The fact that even a butler from a middle-class noble family possessed such refinement and adaptability gave Hudson a deeper understanding of the essence of nobility.
Perhaps the difference between great nobles, middle nobles, and minor nobles is not just about strength, but also about the difference in the accumulation of talent.
The gap in strength can be bridged in a short period of time, but the gap in talent cannot be solved overnight.
It's not that the minor nobles aren't hardworking; it's just that their resources are limited, making it impossible for them to cultivate high-caliber talent, let alone provide them with a stage to showcase their abilities.