An Unsuccessful Show of Force
"What's going on? Everyone looks so dejected. Who are they trying to impress?"
Hudson asked, annoyed.
Baron Hudson, who was delighted by the increase in labor force after receiving a wave of refugees, suddenly noticed that something was wrong with the mood of his men.
A junior subordinate should act like one. To show disrespect to one's boss in front of him is utterly outrageous. If word gets out, won't people say he's neglecting his duties?
Seeing Hudson's anger, Tom, who reacted the fastest, quickly composed himself and replied, "Sir, the task you assigned cannot continue!"
Someone must have leaked the news, because many noble lords came out to seize people. Soldiers were stationed everywhere, and they arrested any refugees they saw.
We encountered several interceptions along the way, but thanks to your reputation, we were allowed to pass.
Upon hearing this answer, Hudson was speechless. He knew this kind of business wouldn't last long, that someone would jump in and steal it. But to directly bring troops to seize people... that was just too much...
Forget it, it's all just tears. Who told him to be so careful about his table manners?
Now the neighbors have realized what's happening and are resorting to their own tactics of leading troops to seize people; it's no longer possible to go and pull them back.
By not detaining his underlings and even letting them bring back the person they had been swindled, they were clearly giving Hudson face.
In aristocratic circles, face is something you give to each other. Since everyone had given him face, Hudson couldn't refuse that favor.
Including those gradually lured in, the population of the Hudson Territory has surpassed six thousand. Although it still faces a labor shortage overall, the territory's development has finally gotten back on track.
Compared to his colleagues, his territory had developed quite rapidly. Especially those guys from the Northern Frontier; they were still halfway there when his territory had already become a no-man's land.
I wonder how grateful they will be to their neighbors when they arrive and see the desolate state of their territory.
Unbeknownst to him, Hudson discovered that he had dug a massive pit between the local nobles and the Northern Aristocrats, a pit no less powerful than the one buried by Count Pierce.
Cutting off someone's livelihood is like killing their parents.
Simply relying on deception will ultimately not deter some people from leaving their homeland, who will choose to remain and wait for the arrival of a new lord.
But his colleagues did such a good job that they directly led troops to seize the people, leaving not even a scrap of leek.
It can be said that every single one of them who led troops to seize people is now on the opposite side of this group of Northern Aristocrats.
After being tossed around by his colleagues, Hudson was starting to lose his bearings. Were they afraid the Northern Aristocrats wouldn't find out, or did they think the nobles wouldn't dare come knocking on their door demanding their release?
This isn't the kind of show of force you give someone; you've really offended them to the core. Reason told Hudson that someone was definitely pulling the strings behind the scenes.
Based on the Governor's Mansion's previous actions, Hudson had reason to believe that this was the work of Count Pierce.
Although the Alpha Kingdom did not have a clear rule regarding the ownership of serfs after the death of a previous lord without an heir, it was generally assumed that the serfs would belong to the new lord.
Even unspoken rules are still rules. Without the boss's tacit approval, no one in the Southeast Province would dare to act so recklessly.
The Northern Aristocrats snatched food from the tiger's mouth and dealt a heavy blow to the Dalton Family. If they didn't retaliate, wouldn't they appear incompetent?
Digging pits and planting mines are covert tactics. On the surface, the Dalton Family also needs to demonstrate countermeasures to make it clear that they are the true power in the Southeast Province.
Many of the nobles enfeoffed in Huaidun and Laite counties also served the Dalton Family.
Although they were nominally separated, their contact behind the scenes was definitely not diminished. It's understandable that the underling would retaliate after the boss was humiliated.
Whether it was done on its own initiative or at the behest of Count Pierce, the blame will ultimately fall on the Dalton Family.
The leader may take the blame, but the responsibility will still fall on the person directly involved. Unless the Northern Aristocrats are exceptionally powerful enough to suppress the Dalton Family, the retaliation will only target the more proactive underlings.
After sorting out his thoughts, Hudson ultimately decided to keep a low profile for the time being. Regardless of how the two sides were playing their game, as a pawn, the less noticeable he was, the better.
Thinking of this, Hudson immediately ordered someone to bring paper and pen to inform his family. He couldn't let himself be dragged down by his own people after all the hard work he had put up with.
The main point was to remind Knight Adrian not to get too carried away, especially not to drag his family into the storm.
As for Adrian himself, he was a follower of Count Pierce, and the Dalton Family's influence was too strong for him to escape. He might very well be involved in this raid.
There are advantages to following the boss. As long as you don't stand out too much or break any taboos when carrying out orders, someone will cover for you even if something goes wrong.
In the Southeast Province, the Dalton Family still had protection; as long as one didn't deliberately court death, they were unlikely to die.
At worst, when they come to settle scores, you might get caught and beaten up, losing face a bit.
If you play it right, you won't suffer for nothing. At the very least, you can show your loyalty to the boss, and if you're lucky, you might even get some compensation.
As for the two relatives in Whitton County, they had only just inherited their titles and were still penniless and destitute. They relied entirely on the help of their relatives to keep the territory running.
Even if they wanted to cause trouble, they didn't have the resources. Let alone leading troops to seize people, even if they sent people over, they would have to worry about how to feed them.
After a long and arduous journey, the group of Northern Nobles finally arrived at the administrative center of the Southeast Province, which was also the stronghold of the Dalton Family — Beda City.
Unsurprisingly, the army was stopped at the gate. The armies of the Aslant Continent, whether elite or ragtag, generally had very poor discipline.
When they were in their own hometown, the soldiers could barely manage to keep a low profile. But when they became a visiting army, it was a case of "if you don't rob someone, you're a robber."
Everyone feared the invading army like a dragon. Although they had now joined the ranks of the nobles of the Southeast Province, they were still considered outsiders by the locals.
After a brief standoff at the city gate, the nobles in the procession also walked to the city gate one after another, as if to exert pressure.
"The Governor has ordered that no army may enter Beda City without the Governor's Mansion's order!"
"Considering you come from the Northern Frontier and are unfamiliar with the rules of Beda City, I will not pursue your matter this time."
"It's true," the middle-aged officer guarding the city said righteously. His disdainful expression revealed that he wasn't particularly fond of the Northern Nobles before him.
They had only wanted an explanation and had no intention of causing trouble, but the middle-aged officer's words provoked them, and the group of Northern Nobles were instantly enraged.
However, this anger came quickly, but it subsided even faster. Nobody was stupid; knowing the other side was intentionally provoking them, they naturally wouldn't be foolish enough to jump in.
If we were to engage in armed conflict with the garrison over such a trivial matter, no matter how valid our reasons may be, we would ultimately be deemed unreasonable.
A young man, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, stepped forward and questioned the middle-aged officer, "We are all nobles of the kingdom."
"Having been sent by the King to the Southeast Province to receive his appointment, he is now on his way to visit Governor Pierce. You are blocking his way, preventing him from entering. Do you not respect His Majesty the King and the Governor?"