Plans for the Future

Tonight's dinner was simple. Lady Ellie instructed the kitchen to prepare dishes that Victor and his family liked. The dishes were simple, but they were very popular. The Golden Sunflower Family has always maintained a good family tradition. Since Victor's grandfather, they have not pursued luxury and have prioritized practicality.

After dinner, Victor reported the progress of the engagement to Wembley and Lady Ellie. Victor had sent someone to inform his family about it as early as last winter, and both of them expressed their support and believed that Victor should make his own decision.

When Victor said he had met his fiancée and completed the engagement ceremony, everyone was surprised, but since it was his own decision, they all offered their blessings.

Irene, in particular, was very curious about what Veronica looked like and why her brother had agreed to the marriage so readily. In the past, when attending aristocratic gatherings in Boler County, Victor had shown no interest in the girls from other noble families.

"Irene, do you want to see Veronica? You can come to the Two Rivers Territory for a while this summer, around June or July. Veronica will come too."

"That's wonderful! I was also thinking of going to see your territory," Irene happily, turning to ask Lady Ellie, "Mother, may I go? Please."

"I want to go too!" "Me too!" The two little ones chimed in with their requests.

"Of course, our whole family can go together then. The scenery of the Three Counties of the Northern Frontier is unique, and we can also take you to see your grandfather." Lady Ellie gave her three children an affirmative answer.

After that, Victor spent the rest of the time chatting with his family, especially Wendy and Enrique. The two asked Victor many questions, which Victor answered patiently one by one. He also gave gifts to his family members.

The gift for the twins was a pair of identical silver ponies, spoils of war that Victor had captured during the war with the Tribal Alliance. Victor had spent a long time choosing this gift, making sure that they were exactly the same and without any difference. He also had a master craftsman from the territory, who was a jeweler, do the finishing touches.

The gift given to Irene was a gemstone brooch, also a trophy, exquisitely designed, and probably obtained by the Barbarians from someone else.

The gift for his mother was a box of gold coins, exactly 1,000 of them. Victor had withdrawn funds from the Two Rivers Territory. Because the Golden Sunflower Territory had been investing in the Two Rivers Territory for the past two years, the family's treasury was probably running low on funds. After Victor started the White Sugar project, he planned to reduce the family's investment. Irene was also turning 16 soon, and the family needed money.

As for Wembley, Victor planned to talk to him about the gift alone.

It was almost 10 p. m. when Lady Ellie urged her three children to rest. Victor stayed behind with his father to continue their conversation. After all, he had spent most of the night answering his younger siblings' questions, and he could only talk to his father now.

"Father, I have brought back a large number of weapons this time, especially more than a dozen ballistae and crossbows, all of which were produced by the Mesopotamian Armory. I think you should build a fortress on the south and west sides of the territory's border to prepare for the future."

"Is time really that tight? When you wrote to me after the battle, you also said that there wouldn't be any major moves for a year or two," Wembley asked.

"Yes, Father, time is indeed not that tight. The reason I started so early is because the fortress I want to build is rather special and more complicated to construct, so it will take longer."

After saying that, Victor took out a blueprint, unfolded it, and placed it on the table for his father to look at.

This is a unique fortress. Normal castles are convex polygons, but this one is a concave polygon. It is the famous bastion of Victor's previous life.

The bastion designed by Victor and Number One is relatively simpler, with a wall slope that is neither too steep nor too high. After all, it doesn't need to face Artillery yet. To facilitate the use of Bed Crossbow, the shape of the towers was specially adjusted, and the structure of an early circular bastion was chosen.

The main body of the bastion is not large, but with the moat and gentle slope, it appears quite large. Victor left room for improvement in this bastion so that it could be equipped with Artillery and counter more powerful siege weapons in the future.

Wembley looked at the drawing with curiosity and asked Victor about the purpose of the differences between the drawings.

Victor provided answers and explained the reasons for the design and the applicable situations.

"It is indeed a very special design. If it is really as you say, it must be an insurmountable iron wall. It feels like as long as there are enough defensive troops, no one could possibly break through this castle."

"It can only be said that the defense capabilities are indeed stronger, but in the end, it still depends on people. We must make all kinds of preparations. After that, apart from the stone and bricks being prepared by the Golden Sunflower Territory, the other cement and steel should be transported by the Two Rivers Territory. We can use the fleet to transport them, and two or three trips will be enough. Originally, we could have extended the construction period by starting construction earlier, so there was no need to mobilize a large number of people. The main thing is to complete it before the end of next year."

"If you set up fortresses on the south and west sides, what are your plans for the other two directions?"

"If Count Black can be won over by Count Colt, the nobles of the entire East should be fine. In addition, the Northern Alliance Army will also deploy troops in several enclaves to contain and monitor the private armies of the Eastern nobles."

"As for the direct legion of the Ducal House family stationed in the east, it is the Third Legion, which was rebuilt after the Civil War and is weak. It should be dealt with by Count Black. We can join the battlefield as needed."

"Victor, Count Black is not the Baron Colt, nor is Great Oak Territory Iron Birch Territory. He can't muster a standing army, and even against the rebuilt Third Legion, he would find it difficult to achieve victory."

"Father, that's a problem for Count Colt to consider. We just need to do our job. Besides, the Blackwater River is to the north and east of our territory. By then Two Rivers Territory will have a considerable fleet, which will be enough to defend the river."

"My main concern is that the Baron Colt values you so much now, and you are considered a very suitable candidate. He might let you participate in the eastern campaign. Although our forces are strong now, it is impossible for us to fight against the Duchy's standing army."

"Father, there are at least two more years. For the Golden Sunflower Family to achieve greater success in the future, taking some risks is nothing. Moreover, I am confident that in two years we can make the territory stronger. Maybe by then we will be able to face an entire legion on our own."