Potato Prices
In the Royal Capital, the arrival of each Projection Stone provided a feast for the eyes of the Royal Capital.
The Northern Nobles were once again thrust into the spotlight by public opinion.
The irrefutable evidence is laid bare before everyone, rendering any attempt to cover it up or offer excuses meaningless.
"Who did this?"
Caesar III angrily questioned.
Although I dislike the Five Great Northern Families, it doesn't mean I should push all the Northern Nobles to the opposite side.
Robbing merchants was never a big deal. If it weren't for the nobles of the Southeast Province taking the case all the way to the Royal Capital, Caesar III wouldn't have had time to deal with such a trivial matter.
Originally, I thought that if I could minimize the problem and resolve it quietly, I could just deal with the person responsible.
The current wave of public opinion has brought the matter to light. The incident has spread from the parties involved to the entire Northern Nobles community.
As a political strongman, Caesar III immediately realized that someone was deliberately stirring up trouble.
"According to the investigation, these copied Projection Stone all came from a merchant named Philip."
Unfortunately, our investigators were a step too late. By the time they arrived, the place was deserted, and they only managed to catch a few minor culprits.
We have found very little information about Philip. He seemed to have appeared out of nowhere; aside from distributing Projection Stone, there is no other information about him.
Even the neighbors don't know this person. We can't even be sure if the name is real.
The Duke Newfoundland explained, forcing himself to be brave.
It wasn't that he, the prime minister, wasn't working hard; it was just that the incident happened so suddenly that no one expected it to happen.
There are far too many suspected forces.
There are dozens of companies, both domestic and foreign.
Even if I wanted to investigate, I wouldn't know where to begin.
"What did Count Pierce say?"
"I can't help but ask, "Caesar III asked irritably.
It wasn't that he was taking his anger out on anyone; it's just that things have gotten out of hand and he needs to come up with a solution as soon as possible to quell the controversy.
The incident originated in the Southeast Province, and whether he liked it or not, Count Pierce was involuntarily drawn into the vortex of the storm.
"Governor Pierce's opinion was: only deal with the specific executors below to quell public anger."
Regarding the noble children involved in this matter, he suggested not to deal with them directly in order to minimize the impact.
If necessary, the Southeast Province will release the investigation results to the outside world, claiming that members of the Skull Society impersonated these nobles to commit evil deeds.
After hearing the prime minister's words, Caesar III's anger subsided slightly.
While this explanation might not fool those who are interested, it is ultimately a reliable solution.
"Do as he says. But you can't say it's an act; that's too hard to believe."
They announced to the outside world that the Skull Society had used evil magic to control these nobles and cause them harm.
At the same time, intensify the crackdown on the Skull Society, and let the Northern Nobles find their own way to produce substantial evidence that the Skull Society was responsible!
"That's what Caesar III said coldly."
This may seem like a change in wording, but the final result is entirely different.
"Being impersonated" means that this matter has nothing to do with the Northern Nobles, and they do not need to bear any responsibility.
While being labeled as "using evil magic" may allow one to escape accountability, bearing such a label effectively closes off any future avenues for action.
A nobleman who has been controlled by Heretical Cult is unlikely to be allowed to take on important responsibilities a second time.
After all, in the Aslant Continent, being controlled by Heretical Cult is synonymous with a lack of willpower.
Going against the mainstream chivalric and aristocratic spirit will not only hinder one's development but also lead to being despised in one's future life.
"Your Majesty, the changes in the Southeast Province are mainly caused by the conflict of interests between the Northern Nobles and the local nobles."
If this problem isn't solved, no one can guarantee that a similar incident won't happen again. Why not take this opportunity to solve it as well?
Duke Affierro suggested.
As Minister of Military Affairs, he remained neutral most of the time regarding the political struggles within the kingdom.
But things are different now. With the smoke of war filling the north, it's only a matter of time before the Beastfolk invade the south.
At this critical juncture, the Alpha Kingdom must unite.
Otherwise, once a major war breaks out, it will be the beginning of disaster.
There is no room for compromise when facing a formidable enemy like the Beastfolk. Essentially, we are all in the same boat.
After glancing towards the Northern Frontier and sighing, Caesar III said thoughtfully:
"You, Prime Minister, should handle this matter."
While the Royal Capital's decision was still pending, the counties of Huaidun and Wright were already in an uproar.
The Governor's Mansion made no attempt to keep the arrests secret, and it quickly caused a huge uproar in aristocratic circles.
Seeing one noble family after another suffer misfortune, the Northern Nobles who had participated in the robbery panicked instantly.
Many unfortunate men, besides themselves, had all their troops captured.
It wasn't that no one tried to organize a rebellion, but the fate of the rebels was truly tragic. Not only were all their subordinates killed, but even the lord himself was given a severe beating.
The army responsible for carrying out the arrests always brought along chaplains, specifically to treat these restless nobles.
Injuries like missing limbs can heal instantly. As long as someone dares to resist, they'll resort to dirty tricks.
The only criterion is—they must survive the entire event. They don't care about any aftereffects or anything like that.
Especially those local nobles who had cooperated with them in the past, they were quick to settle scores and grievances, and their despicable behavior was simply too numerous to recount.
At this very moment, Baron Ciss, the backbone of the Northern Nobles, unexpectedly announced that he would be closing his doors to visitors.
"Young master, are you really not going to see him?"
Butler Feren asked with a slight hesitation.
Baron Ciss withdrew early, before anyone could find solid evidence. At this moment, protecting himself is indeed a good choice.
However, there are too many Northern Nobles involved now, and apart from a few lucky ones who escaped the record of the Projection Stone, most of the participants were unfortunately caught.
"It's pointless; the enemy has seized the opportunity. If the Governor's Mansion wants to take advantage of this, no one can stop them."
Getting involved will only cause us trouble; it won't help anyone at all.
Anyway, I've already reminded everyone of everything that needed to be reminded.
Most of the nobles who were close to us escaped, so what do I care about the lives of others?
Our cleanup wasn't exactly smooth either, so it's fine if no one investigates further. But if they do investigate, the situation will be just as difficult to manage.
"If we get too involved and anger the Governor's Mansion, it's not impossible that they'll take us all down too."
"This is what Baron Ciss said calmly."
The worst thing is to take things too seriously; your father's influence doesn't matter here. The fact that they're not investigating further stems from the unspoken rules among the nobility.
After all, every family has its troublesome descendants. If you keep dwelling on every little problem, wouldn't all the future generations of your family be ruined?
Just because others aren't pursuing the matter doesn't mean he can keep courting disaster. If he were to walk right into someone else's trap and get dealt with, even Grand Duke Cavadia wouldn't be able to say anything.
Butler Feren glanced at his young master, then hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't. This time, his actions were anything but ethical.
On the surface, they simply sit idly by and watch everyone courting disaster, but secretly they are using this opportunity to eliminate dissidents.
At Maple Leaf Territory, Baron Keterai, with an expression of utter indifference, awaited questioning from the arresting force.
Rebirth in the Great Era of Surfing Waves
Arresting people is no problem; he will fully cooperate with the operation, but only on the condition that evidence is presented.
He checked the photos again and again with the Projection Stone, only to find, to his embarrassment, that none of the soldiers in the territory matched the soldiers who had participated in the robbery.
If no one had seen it, the convoy that had successfully looted the Maple Leaf Territory would have almost passed by.
"Baron Keterai, please tell me the truth: where did your remaining soldiers and the looted supplies go?"
Baron McNamey demanded an answer in a stern voice.
Countless diehards had fallen at his hands. But this time was an exception; the main force of Maple Leaf Territory was not present at all, and those remaining in the territory were only serf soldiers in armor.
Those who participate in the robbery certainly cannot be serf soldiers. These days, caravans are not pushovers either. If you don't have the strength to rob them, then you can expect to be killed instead!
"Your Excellency, what are you talking about? All the soldiers of my Maple Leaf Territory are here. Where are the other soldiers?"
"You must have mistaken someone else. Maybe some unscrupulous nobleman sent someone to impersonate him. You should check elsewhere, lest the real culprit get away."
Kate's dismissive attitude towards people completely enraged Baron McNamey, who was on a mission to apprehend them.
If he hadn't failed to catch the key perpetrators and hadn't been unable to control Kate, he would have made sure this guy knew that law enforcement officers were not to be trifled with.
"Is that so?"
Since you've said that, then don't regret it.
The Governor is currently showing leniency and intends to punish you lightly, but things won't be so simple later.
After uttering a harsh remark, Baron McNamey turned and left with his men.
With the murderer gone and the stolen goods never found, there's no way to convict them.
Continuing to stay and cause trouble will only make things more ridiculous and pointless.
However, he made a note of the debt, and he would definitely come to settle it when the opportunity arose.
After narrowly escaping death, Baron Keterai showed no joy whatsoever.
Sensing that things were going wrong, before the Governor's Mansion could react, he had his men disguise themselves as laborers and transport goods to the north.
The army may be able to hide temporarily by secretly leaving, but not forever. Once they return to the Southeast Province, the old grievances will still be brought up again.
"Ciss, if you really did this, then we all underestimated you!"
The thought of doubt had just arisen and was lingering in his mind.
Shortly after Baron Ciss's warning, Projection Stone recording the robbery surfaced. Fortunately, his trusted men escaped unscathed, while those who had previously disregarded him suffered heavy losses.
As a long-time rival, Kate had never truly taken the second-generation Baron Ciss seriously. But the current situation forced him to reassess his opponent.
After this turmoil, although the Northern Nobles suffered heavy losses, the fragmented alliance saw one faction emerge as the dominant power.
Losers are disgraced and ruined, not only hindering their future development but also making survival a problem.
With their strength greatly diminished and their families unable to exert their influence, the only option left for them to preserve their legacy was to find a powerful patron.
They couldn't integrate into the local noble community in the short term, and there was no way to seek refuge with them, so Baron Ciss naturally became the only option for everyone.
Sacrificing the strength of unstable elements within the alliance in exchange for control of the entire alliance is clearly a worthwhile trade.
Based on the principle that whoever benefits is the prime suspect, Kate has ample reason to suspect that this was the work of the Ciss.
Despite his suspicions, there was nothing he could do at that moment.
He didn't know the final outcome, but he was certain that the Northern Nobles in the two counties would henceforth only be able to respect Baron Ciss.
Dissent was futile; the opposition had suffered a severe blow and was no longer able to compete with the Ciss for influence within the alliance.
In order to survive, many people were even forced to seek refuge there.
In the Mountain Territory, Hudson, observing the changing situation from the sidelines, no longer focused his attention on the group of weakened Northern Nobles.
From the moment the operation began, the subsequent events were beyond his control. As it turned out, the ideas of the higher-ups were indeed different from what he had predicted.
What should have been a simple robbery turned into a tragedy, costing half of the Northern Nobles in the two counties their future.
Of course, for ordinary nobles, this level of social death was not entirely unacceptable.
In the Alpha Kingdom, where class divisions are highly rigid, every step forward is fraught with difficulties.
Most feudal nobles never manage to rise to the upper echelons in their entire lives; on the contrary, it is very easy for them to fall to the lower echelons.
But for some ambitious individuals, this is the greatest disaster, and one can imagine how much resentment they will harbor.
Where this resentment will ultimately go is unknown for now, but the seeds of future problems have been sown.
"Tom, go back to your hometown and personally deliver this letter to Baron Redman."
Hudson instructed.
Everything has two sides. If the kingdom showed leniency in dealing with the Northern Nobles, it would inevitably have to appease the local nobles.
As one of the representatives of the interests of the local aristocracy, Hudson was undoubtedly able to enjoy this wave of political benefits.
Instead of getting Baron Ciss into trouble, he created an opportunity for him to consolidate the Northern Nobles, so Hudson naturally didn't get the position of Hudson.
However, the viscountship that the Dalton Family had been working on for him is now practically a foregone conclusion.
Promotion to a noble rank, especially for feudal nobles, is a significant event at every step.
In particular, such a symbolic promotion can be described as a leap in social class, which is of great significance to any family.
This is no longer just a matter for Hudson personally; it has risen to the level of the entire Coslo Family. Consequently, the necessary preparations have increased significantly.
Hudson didn't want to get himself involved in so many messy things. He'd rather use that time to train hard and improve his skills.
Hudson didn't want to do it, but someone else was willing to.
As a father approaching fifty, Baron Redman had long passed his prime for cultivation, and he had nothing to worry about regarding his ancestral territory.
At this age, those lower-class nobles who haven't yet climbed up the social ladder are no longer competing on their careers, but on their future generations.
Since the father has a need, the son can only cooperate. Giving him this opportunity to shine is absolutely the right thing to do.
Give advance notice and let the preparations be made so that you don't end up in a panic and make a fool of yourself.
"Master, the territory has suffered significant losses of slaves recently."
"Someone's recently been selling off Beastfolk slaves. Should we take this opportunity to buy a batch at a low price to replenish our supplies?"
The one who spoke was Luke, who was in charge of clearing the swamp.
He was originally a merchant, but unfortunately went bankrupt during the previous raid by the Northern Nobles, and came here to escape his creditors.
Seeing that he was quite capable, Hudson, who was severely lacking in talent, promoted a pioneering supervisor on the spot.
As it turns out, when it comes to exploitation tactics, businessmen are far more professional.
With an additional person in charge, the swamp's development progress increased by another 40%, but the corresponding slave losses also increased daily.
It's no exaggeration to say that every acre of swamp land developed is backed by blood and tears.
If it weren't for the benevolent Lord Hudson intervening, the process could have been even faster.
Despite his kindness, Luke remained firmly in charge, quickly becoming one of Lord Hudson's right-hand men.
"Those northern guys couldn't hold out that quickly?"
Hudson asked with a chuckle.
In fact, the issue of the Beastfolk slave trade had been discussed in secret before.
Unfortunately, the gap between the two sides' expectations was too large, and Hudson, who was only willing to offer potato prices, could not satisfy everyone's appetite at all.
To demonstrate their defiance, the Northern Nobles even resorted to the atrocity of artificially reducing the population.
Unfortunately, none of this could frighten Lord Hudson. After all, the Beastfolk slaves who were disposed of were not his property, so he didn't need to bother with them.
"Master, it is said that the Beastfolk slaves in the Taigo Territory have revolted because of the poor food."
Although the rebellion was quickly suppressed by the joint efforts of nearby noble lords, the Taigo Territory still suffered heavy losses.
Enraged, Knight Justin executed all the remaining Beastfolk slaves.
He regretted it immediately after killing the person...
"Rook said with schadenfreude."
The slave rebellion in Taigo Territory was no accident. As one of the main participants in the robbery, Justin's soldiers naturally could not escape being arrested by the Governor's Mansion.
Without any soldiers at their disposal, the Beastfolk slaves, who were originally valuable laborers, naturally became the biggest security threat to the territory.
A single fuse was lit, and the bomb exploded. Seeing Knight Justin's unfortunate state, the other Northern Nobles naturally felt a pang of sympathy.
Rather than keeping the bomb in your possession, not knowing when it will explode, it's better to sell it early and at least get some gold coins to make up for the loss.
The only downside was that there were too few buyers, leaving no room for choice. After looking around, I could only find Hudson.
It was part of the plan all along, so Hudson naturally wouldn't be polite to them now that things had come to this.
"Tell them I'll give them thirty pounds of potatoes for every strong Ratmen slave, fifty pounds for Minotaur slave, and for the kobolds..."
Hudson cut his original offer in half and submitted it directly. Whether the Northern Nobles accepted it or not was actually unimportant.
As the saying goes, "A large forest has all kinds of birds," and not every Northern Nobles has the means to be assertive; there will always be compromises.
Selling them now might get us some food, but if a slave revolt breaks out, we'll lose everything.