An Unreliable Plan

The celebration banquet has ended, but its influence continues to spread.

A politicized interpretation gives this banquet a special, profound meaning.

To the ordinary nobles, this was a sign that the major powers in the province were accepting the Coslo Family's "return" to the ranks of middle-class nobles.

Although the overall strength of the Mountain Territory is still somewhat lacking, when the strength of other branches of the Coslo Family is taken into account, it is still able to support the status of a middle-class noble family.

Given that the Coslo Family had originally fallen from the ranks of middle-class nobles, their return now is quite logical.

Without these foundations, the situation would be entirely different.

Whether it's envy or jealousy, people always look down on nouveau riche.

The rise of a minor noble is a hellish challenge, not only due to the blockade by those who have already benefited, but also because of the sabotage from other minor noble groups.

This is still a class leap within the aristocratic group. If it were a commoner wanting to rise up, the criticism and pressure they would have to endure would be even greater.

Hudson had done all he could, and he didn't dare hope that everyone would like him.

Those on the same path should be won over; those in the neutral camp should be stabilized while planting a seed; and those in the opposing camp should be undermined.

Now that his goals have been achieved, his former supporters have become even more steadfast in their stance.

The fickle opportunists, who were just about to take sides and support Viscount Ciss, have now tipped the scales in their favor again.

Even the Northern Nobles, who were clearly hostile, no longer had as much confidence in the Ciss as before.

Even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake.

They have personally experienced this principle.

The impact on the outside world is secondary; the biggest impact is felt within the Coslo Family itself.

It's time to place your bets again. Hudson is no longer a potential stock, but a high-growth stock that has completed its transformation.

Having a branch of the family business is fine, but fiefdoms are too big to move, so we have to think about it carefully.

Without the decline of other industries, there's nothing to hesitate about. Having fallen to the point of living alongside ordinary people, what's there to agonize over?

It's always better to stick with family than to struggle and drift outside. At least Hudson is willing to pay for the basic training resources for his descendants.

If we just keep going like this, we might not get a fiefdom.

However, the most basic dignity of the nobility can be maintained. Wearing the same family crest, they can confidently identify themselves as noblemen when they go out.

How many members are actually on the collateral branches of the Coslo Family?

This is a muddled account.

Their powerful reproductive capacity created numerous branches, large and small, so many that it's impossible to even count how many branches there are, let alone how many people there are.

But this didn't stump Hudson.

In the Aslant Continent, where bloodline inheritance is highly valued, there are many methods for identifying bloodlines, and it is impossible to try to deceive people.

Anyone willing to come will be accepted; a bloodline test will take care of everything. And coincidentally, Hudson possesses this magic.

Talented people are always a good thing.

Even if a fallen noble family is in dire straits, their potential for development is still much higher than that of ordinary people.

Despite the decline of the family fortunes, much of their knowledge was still passed down orally.

If one has a close blood relative who is doing well, one can send their children to live with aristocratic relatives so that they can benefit from the same educational resources.

These young people all have a certain foundation; with a little training, they could become excellent management talents.

For the current Mountain Territory, basic personnel are sufficient. Higher-level talent can be selected through a process of natural selection.

"Hudson, these younger generations are all in your hands."

I don't expect you to raise them all to be successful, but at the very least, you can't let them live worse lives than they do now.

Baron Redman said earnestly.

Although there were many family elders present, only Baron Redman was qualified to say these words due to his status and position.

It seemed to be addressed to the Hudson, but it was also addressed to the entire tribe.

The implication is very clear: care is necessary, but there are too many family members to take care of everyone. Limited resources can only be allocated to the truly capable younger generation.

It may be a bit cruel for the younger generation of the family, but who can blame them when the Coslo Family is so large?

There were hundreds of teenagers present, and who knows how many more were absent.

Even the most powerful nobles wouldn't be able to provide such focused training, let alone a rookie viscount like Hudson.

If they don't demonstrate certain potential, no one will be willing to invest resources in them.

"Don't worry, Father!"

"I have extensive experience in leading troops, and I won't let a gem go to waste!"

"I can say that, "Hudson said confidently.

The unique geographical location of the Alpha Kingdom has instilled a strong martial spirit in its nobles. There's a prevailing attitude that all other professions are inferior, only the "strong" are superior.

The army is undoubtedly a place to hone the strong. Coincidentally, the Mountain Territory is known as the Southeast Province for its "strong army," and everyone knows that Hudson is not only good at fighting, but also good at training troops.

Compared to other places, the military is undoubtedly the easiest place to stand out. Even a junior officer is a promising talent, holding a higher status than an ordinary officer.

We're all family here. After making contributions, it's not unreasonable for us to receive a share of the Life Essence, right?

Even if they are past the best age for knight training, becoming a knight is still a revival for many declining branches.

If Hudson had simply said that he would use these people as ordinary management personnel, the tribesmen present would probably have fainted from anger.

These are minor issues; the military also has a dropout rate. If someone lacks talent and is eliminated during training, no one can really say anything.

After all, those in the military could be sent to the battlefield at any time. Sending untrained soldiers to the front lines would be irresponsible to everyone.

After eliminating some talent, he then trains them in basic management positions, which shows that Lord Hudson valued family ties.

Amidst joyful revelry, the Coslo Family held its first major gathering in a century. The main achievements were threefold:

First, copy all the knowledge held by each branch and store it in the Mountain Territory to enrich the family's foundation. All family members can come and learn for free.

Second, all sectors should contribute their personnel and efforts to jointly promote the development of the Mountain Territory.

Third, strengthen communication and cooperation, especially in intelligence and military coordination, to prepare for the Beastfolk invasion.

There are even more specific implementation details to consider.

In general, the goal is to strengthen the family's power as much as possible in order to cope with the major changes to come.

The various branches with fiefdoms were even assigned military expansion tasks based on their actual circumstances.

Theoretically, once this military expansion plan is completed, the entire Coslo Family will be able to mobilize a total force of over 12,000 men.

On paper, this military strength ranks among the top five of the kingdom's middle-ranking nobles.

However, Hudson was not so optimistic. Plans are just plans, and the actual implementation will depend on how they are carried out.

The Coslo Family couldn't afford to maintain such a large Standing Army, so this massive force was essentially composed mostly of serf soldiers.

During the busy farming season, it's essential to work in the fields. Only during the off-season will the lord organize training sessions regularly.

Whether it's daily practice, every three days, or every ten days or half a month, it all depends on everyone's execution ability.

Some of the lazier ones might not even be as rigorously trained as the Mountain Territory's reserves. At least Lord Hudson maintained a ten-day training schedule for the reserves.

The only certainty is that a trained army is stronger than an untrained one.

Even if the chance of bloodshed is limited to going hunting with the lord, they are still more combat-ready than serfs who have just put down their hoes.

They were all forced into it.

Why is it that everyone is so determined to reclaim their ancestral lands, and why does Hudson have to come up with a feasible plan?

Without a doubt, the most feasible option is to strengthen our own military capabilities.

If the Coslo Family has tens of thousands of elite troops after the next Beastfolk invasion, they can easily reclaim their ancestral lands.

Without a doubt, this is an almost impossible task. We can't even muster tens of thousands of troops now, let alone after the war.

The so-called plan to reclaim ancestral lands is nothing but a mirage.

But one must always have dreams; without dreams, how can Hudson paint a picture of the future for everyone?

Without a grand and impressive reason, why would any faction send their members to support the development of the Mountain Territory?

When family honor is at stake, there are often no other options. Even though everyone is skeptical of Hudson's plan, it is still theoretically the most feasible.

Having finally returned to the ranks of middle-class nobles, how could the Coslo Family possibly survive in noble circles without taking concrete steps to reclaim their ancestral lands?

Being unable to do something and not doing it are two different things. The former is a matter of ability, while the latter is a matter of attitude.

Do you really think everyone's doing so well in the south and wants to jump into that sinkhole in the north?

Perhaps the older generation, deeply influenced by family honor, did indeed regard reclaiming their ancestral lands as their lifelong wish; but the younger generation, including most of the Hudson, had no love for the North.

Not wanting to do something and not doing it are two different things. Even Caesar III kept chanting slogans every day, wanting to reclaim the kingdom's lost territory.

Even King cannot escape the rules of the game, let alone the small Coslo Family.

Unfortunately, even as a favored concubine, her status was limited. If it weren't for the merit of offering the Water of Life, it's uncertain whether she would still be here today.

Since becoming crown prince, Alex has been having even more fun. This is still considered normal now; it gets really outrageous when he holds banquets, where he directly brings his concubines to play the role of swapping with the guests.

For all the concubines in the mansion, it was a nightmare. Being required to participate meant the end of their good days.

What happens next depends entirely on Crown Prince Alex's mood.

At this reckless pace, the probability of Crown Prince Alex dying before Behemoth Emperor is almost 99%.

With such a large initial investment, it's unclear whether the Church can bear the sunk costs, but Xiandell, who infiltrated the organization, certainly cannot afford them.

Persuasion is pointless; the likely outcome of speaking up is that you'll end up lying under that guy and having sex with him.

Despite feeling utterly disgusted, Xiandell had to pretend to enjoy it, which she simply couldn't stand.

If she could, she would kill the guy in front of her right now.

Unfortunately, being in the Church means being unable to act according to one's whims; one must prioritize one's duties.

Control Alex and influence the Orc Empire's decisions?

Xiandell strongly doubted whether the high-ranking Church who made this decision had lost their minds. Judging from this guy's performance, even if he inherited the Behemoth Emperor, he would be destined to be a figurehead.

He might ascend the throne and then a coup could happen right after.

The idea that might makes right has long been ingrained in every corner of the Orc Empire. Their very nature is steeped in violence, and they cannot accept a useless ruler.

"You may all leave now, I need to rest!"

This was a habit of Crown Prince Alex; no matter how much fun he had, he would never leave a group of concubines to stay overnight when he went to sleep.

After watching everyone leave, Crown Prince Alex, who had been filled with lust, suddenly became a different person, his whole demeanor turning gloomy.

After quickly putting on his clothes, a hidden door suddenly opened, and a blurry figure appeared in the hall filled with noise.

"My lord, please take care of yourself. If this continues..."

Before Shadow could finish speaking, Alex waved his hand to interrupt:

"Alright, Silver Phantom."

There's no need to repeat such meaningless words over and over again.

I know my own body condition.

This saga of romance has been going on for decades; how could it possibly stop at the last minute? Besides, it's not something I can simply stop now.

That old man doesn't have many years left to live. If he wants to maintain the current harmony between father and son, he has to keep up this charade.

This mansion cannot hide any secrets; it is teeming with spies from various factions. They have sent over their most trained elites to monitor my every move.

Since their kindness is so hard to refuse, why should I turn them down?

How are your preparations going?

Judging from the old man's patience, it seems he's nearing its end. After so many years, who knows how much of the already meager father-son bond remains?

As he spoke, Alex couldn't hold back his tears. For so many years, he seemed to be living a life of singing, dancing, and revelry, but in reality, the bitterness in his heart was unspeakable.

If possible, he would rather not know the secret and, like his older brothers, live a life of ignorance and confusion.

Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do. One day, he accidentally stumbled upon his brother's coffin and discovered it was empty, which sparked his curiosity.

This investigation uncovered a shocking secret that directly changed his life.

The ambitious and aspiring Alex of the past is gone, replaced by a lecherous and pleasure-seeking Alex.

I thought I could indulge myself, endure the criticism from the outside world, and live a mediocre life.

Unexpectedly, the deep-seated resentment in his heart still prevented him from lying down.

In order to gain a chance at survival and to demand an explanation from his former closest relative, Alex decides to defy his predetermined fate.

After years of planning, it's finally time to reap the rewards, but Alex is still tormented by the prospect.

There was both the fear of impending doom and the unbreakable bond of family. Apart from that unspeakable matter, Behemoth Emperor was truly impeccable in his treatment of his brothers.