Epilogue

The proposal to disarm the army was passed at the meeting without any major incident, and the nobles tacitly began to disband the army.

While ostensibly seeking opinions, it's actually forcing everyone to accept. Starting next month, the kingdom will no longer provide logistical support to the army.

If one believes they can support such a large army, then maintaining the current massive military might be acceptable.

In theory, there is no limit to the number of private armies a noble can have. There is no law in the kingdom that stipulates the size of a noble's private army.

It wasn't that the King didn't want to enact similar laws; the problem was that the nobles below were all regional lords, and they simply couldn't agree to such self-imposed restrictions.

It is not uncommon for certain noble families to surpass the power of the King during certain special periods.

"Earl, the Alliance Council has issued a notice that three kingdoms and four duchies will be established on the Orc Great Plains, and they are currently soliciting names from the outside world."

Hudson frowned slightly upon hearing Tom's words. The current situation of three kingdoms and four duchies was undoubtedly the result of compromises among all parties.

I originally thought the future Orc Great Plains would be filled with small kingdoms, but I never expected that they would be integrated so soon.

The fact that they were able to form a united nation is clearly the result of multiple factions banding together. The implications for the Alpha Kingdom couldn't be clearer.

As a senior member of the kingdom, Hudson now has to broaden his horizons and consider issues from an international perspective.

The emergence of the Seven Grassland Nations may not threaten the survival of the Alpha Kingdom in the short term, but it also blocks the Alpha Kingdom's path to future expansion.

Even if the vast Orc Great Plains were divided into seven, they would still be no small countries.

Surrounded by powerful nations, Alpha Kingdom's room for development is essentially locked up.

Let's forget about breaking the deadlock!

As a rising nobleman, Hudson did not yet have such great ambitions.

Besides, everyone's actions have already shown considerable respect to the Alpha Kingdom. If they were to deliberately cause trouble and establish a unified nation on the Orc Great Plains, that would truly keep the Alpha Kingdom up at night.

Everyone is busy digesting the fruits of victory, and there will be no major conflicts between the parties for a long time to come, which is enough.

As for the seven newly emerged crowns, Hudson couldn't be bothered with them. In any case, no matter who came to power, it wouldn't be his turn as a nobody.

In the Aslant Continent, where bloodlines are highly valued, the throne is something that is either given to someone at birth or not given to someone at birth.

There are examples of people rising to power against all odds, but those all require a confluence of favorable circumstances. Without any one of these elements, a successful comeback is impossible.

Everything has two sides; the great changes on the grasslands also have a positive side for the Alpha Kingdom.

At least Hudson's current troubles can be weathered safely. Given the potential threats from the borders, appropriately strengthening the power of the nobles in the border regions is also essential.

If nothing unexpected happens, Caesar III will soon choose to concede and allow the country's nobles to plant their flags in the border provinces.

After all, the previous restrictions were essentially aimed at preventing them from establishing a foothold and expanding northward.

Now that the hope of northward expansion has been dashed, there is no point in continuing to focus on everyone.

It's destined to be a mix of joy and sorrow for some.

If nothing unexpected happens, following the previous distribution pattern, the major nobles will take 40%, the middle nobles will take 25%, and the minor nobles will take the last 35%.

The royal family was originally entitled to a share, but this situation is special. Everyone contributed greatly to the royal family's recapture of the lost territories of three provinces.

The land of just these three provinces was enough for the royal family to consume for decades. As a wise man, Caesar III naturally would not be greedy.

Looking at the map hanging on the wall, Hudson smiled slightly. No matter how things changed in the north, it had nothing to do with him, Southern Aristocrats.

The saying "a person is less valuable when away from home" applies equally to nobles. Established noble families have extensive networks of connections across the land, allowing them to quickly integrate into new circles even when shifting their strategic focus.

The Coslo Family, being nouveau riche, is better off staying put. Rushing into a new circle will only lead to them being devoured.

The group of Northern Nobles who went south before are the best example. Even with powerful backers, they were still tormented by the local bullies.

If those guys hadn't chosen the right leader this time, they would probably have been purged after the war.

Even with Hudson's guidance, they no longer benefit from the war.

All because they are Northern Nobles!

Those who enjoy the benefits brought by the political interest group of the Northern Nobles must bear the corresponding backlash.

Now that the Northern Noble Faction is being suppressed within the kingdom, the development of these Northern Nobles sons is naturally limited.

This political repression will continue for years, even decades, to come.

There was no other way; the Northern Nobles had offended everyone in the kingdom when they were in power, and they just happened to have something on everyone's hands.

Looking across the entire Alpha Kingdom, everyone except themselves is a political enemy.

What's worse is that their geographical location and the power they possess seriously threaten the interests of the kingdom's nobles in the north.

This suppression will continue unless people perceive the potential threat as disappearing.

The best way to get out of this predicament is to wait. Time heals all wounds, and once everyone has gradually forgotten the threat from the Northern Nobles, relations can return to normal.

There are ways to speed up this process, such as the most common approach: political marriage.

"Tom, send someone to inform the think tank and have them come up with a plan to deal with the changing situation in the kingdom as soon as possible!"

Hudson immediately gave the order.

After so much hard work, we've finally assembled a think tank. Unfortunately, they're still too inexperienced and are currently in the internship phase.

In normal times, they're fine at helping with trivial matters. But when it comes to major political upheavals, their lack of foresight immediately becomes apparent.

This is determined by one's birth. No matter how talented a person from a minor noble family may be, the education they receive from childhood still limits their horizons.

Now, Hudson can only provide them with as many opportunities as possible to practice. Even knowing that they would have difficulty understanding the essence of the problem, he can only force them to comprehend it.

Hudson could only console himself with the thought that being less capable was better than being poached by others.

Competition among the great nobles has always been varied and ingenious, with poaching each other's members being a common occurrence.

Hudson wasn't poached not because he was particularly talented, but simply because he lacked outstanding subordinates who would attract attention.

When he was the commander-in-chief, the command headquarters was able to operate smoothly because the auxiliary officers were all drawn from the great nobles.

These people were serving the head coach, not Hudson himself. Once he left his position, they immediately stopped respecting him.

"Your Majesty, the Count Hudson has submitted his resignation again!"

Grand Duke Affierro, the Minister of Minister of Military Affairs, said with a troubled expression.

In the Aslant Continent, the practice of "three resignations and three requests" is not common. Generally, if a resignation letter is submitted, it means that the person genuinely wants to resign.

As is customary, the kingdom does not force nobles to hold important positions. After all, the world has many things in short supply, but it has no shortage of people who want to be officials.

Moreover, he is the Commander-in-Chief of the Three Armies, a position of immense power and influence. If word got out, the line of nobles vying for this position would stretch from the Royal Capital to Blood Moon Castle.

In any case, the war is over, the disarmament work has begun, and the requirements for the commander-in-chief's ability have been greatly reduced, so it doesn't seem difficult to replace him with someone else.

However, this is only on the surface. While the kingdom appears calm on the surface, the undercurrents beneath have never ceased.

If it weren't for a strong commander keeping them in check, the kingdom's nobles wouldn't be so well-behaved. Fighting at the drop of a hat is nothing new in noble circles.

"Tell Count Hudson to assume the duties of a nobleman of the kingdom."

Once the disarmament is completed and the nobles of the kingdom return to their fiefdoms, I will accept his resignation.

He, as the head coach, must remain in his post until all this work is completed!

Caesar III said with a helpless expression.

It's unbelievable to think about. Other King worry that their powerful ministers will seize military power and threaten the safety of the Royal Authority. But in his case, the commander-in-chief wants to resign every day, and the King refuses to let him go.

In fact, he had long considered replacing him. However, looking around at the generals in the army, he helplessly discovered that he had too few "his own people".

The royal family's trusted generals either lacked the prestige to command respect or were incapable of shouldering the heavy responsibility.

When it comes to military power, one can never be careless. Things have been peaceful during wartime, but if trouble were to arise in peacetime, it would be incredibly shameful.

The key issue is that once the powerful nobles find fault with something, it will be difficult to handle military affairs in the future.

"Your Majesty, the Count Hudson's haste to resign is most likely due to pressure from the military nobles."

Count Hudson made many efforts to push forward the disarmament plan, and it is said that there were several major arguments in the process, but in the end he forced it through as commander-in-chief.

With the kingdom's Standing Army being drastically reduced, the power of the various nobles in the army has likely been severely diminished.

It's truly remarkable that no trouble was caused!

Duke Affierro explained publicly.

The most crucial factor in the drastic reduction in the size of the Standing Army is simply a lack of funds.

"Borrowing money is fun for a while, but paying it back is like going through a funeral."

The Alpha Kingdom has issued a large number of bonds, and coupled with its previous foreign debt, the kingdom's finances have long been overburdened.

To save money, even the victory celebration was kept to a minimum. Administrative expenses within the kingdom were also reduced to the bare minimum.

No matter how much they cut costs, it's still a drop in the ocean compared to the massive debt of nearly 100 million.

Let alone repaying the principal, the interest payments alone are putting immense pressure on the Alpha Kingdom.

Of the kingdom's many daily expenses, the largest expenditure is military spending. In the past, military spending has accounted for more than 60% of all total expenditures.

This is why Hudson was immediately regarded as a "great loyalist" by the kingdom's top brass after he proposed the disarmament plan.

The largest expense was cut. The kingdom's finances, which were on the verge of bankruptcy, were thus saved.

They may have to endure some tough times ahead, but they will eventually be able to sustain themselves and won't have to worry about going bankrupt all the time.

That's enough!

The situation on the grasslands is changing rapidly. The emergence of three kingdoms and four duchies has completely caught us off guard, and continuing the stalemate is not a solution.

Find Count Hudson's last report, make slight modifications, and implement it as soon as possible!

"Caesar III sighed and said."

It may seem that Hudson couldn't withstand the pressure, but in reality, it was the King who couldn't handle the pressure.

This is the most distinctive feature of Shareholding State. When shareholders holding more than half of the shares share the same opinion, they possess decision-making power, and even the King, as the majority shareholder, has to compromise.

The changes on the grasslands merely accelerated the process of compromise. Essentially, it was still a case of the Royal Authority being at a disadvantage in its power struggle with the feudal lords.

Similar scenes frequently occur on the Aslant Continent. While King with absolute authority do exist, they are generally in the minority.

It's not theoretically impossible to force yourself to do things according to your own will while under pressure, but the aftereffects can be quite significant.

One or two times is not a big problem, but if it happens too often, the people below will not be able to resist changing the King.

Wise rulers know when to compromise. After all, political maneuvering is always a long-term endeavor.

If the political objective wasn't achieved this time, there will be another opportunity. It's not worth putting yourself in opposition to the aristocratic group just to win a temporary victory.

Essentially, the King and the nobles belong to the same interest group. They might have conflicts over the distribution of spoils, but more often than not, they unite to maintain the system of governance.

"Your Majesty, the settlement date for the first batch of bonds issued by the kingdom is fast approaching. Would you consider following the example of the Moxi Duchy and levying a debt repayment tax?"

Marquis Delgado reluctantly suggested it.

As Finance Minister, he had not had a single good day since the outbreak of the war.

Judging by his receding hairline, it's clear that another bald man will soon join the Alpha Kingdom's court.

"Don't even think about it. They're all going to develop new fiefdoms soon, which is exactly when they need money. Asking them for money now is a recipe for disaster!"

Let's try to scrape together some money first to settle the interest. Once we have a few months to recover and the taxes arrive, we can make up the difference.

Caesar III decisively rejected the idea.

He was all too familiar with the ways of the nobility.

Asking people to contribute money during wartime is like cutting off a piece of your own flesh. In this peaceful era, if we continue to ask them to cut off a piece of their own flesh, they'll definitely turn against us.

Of course, the most affected are the lower-ranking nobles, who are now truly penniless.

During the war, the successive war taxes had already overwhelmed them. Many minor nobles were heavily indebted.

If the levies continue, the high-ranking nobles may not be affected much, but the lowest-ranking nobles will go bankrupt en masse.

For the King, the numerous minor and middle nobles below him were an important link in checking and balancing the major nobles and maintaining the domestic situation.

Once a large number of minor nobles go bankrupt, it will inevitably trigger a new round of land annexation. The final result will be that minor nobles will gradually be eliminated, while major nobles will become increasingly powerful, ultimately rendering the Royal Authority a mere figurehead.

Similar negative examples have occurred on the Aslant Continent. Even now, some countries are in an era of oligopolistic control by a few powerful noble families.