The Wonderful Use of the Imperial Edict
Karl stepped out of the Governor's Office, took a deep breath of the slightly warm air of Fran City, and left all his distracting thoughts behind.
He forced himself to temporarily lock those chaotic emotions into the deepest corner of his heart. Now was not the time to indulge in personal feelings; rebuilding Carnford was his only and most urgent task.
Behind him followed a clerk appointed by the Count, responsible for assisting him in handling specific handover matters related to Fran City.
Karl still clutched the heavy Imperial Edict, bound with gold thread, tightly in his hand.
This scroll of silk represents the fate he was forced to accept, and he was actually full of resistance to it. However, just as he subconsciously wanted to stuff it into his clothes and not see it, a thought flashed through his mind like lightning!
This Imperial Edict, this seemingly restrictive thing, might perhaps become a useful tool?
That's right! He almost overlooked that! This Imperial Edict was issued personally by the King, representing the will and highest approval of the royal family!
For ordinary citizens and potential immigrants who are still observing the situation, what could be better proof of a territory's security, potential, and the Lord's reliability than "His Your Majesty personally issuing a decree of praise, or even marrying Princess to him"?
This is simply a golden brand! It's the best advertisement!
As for what the King and Empress Dowager would think, Karl said he didn't care.
Royal Capital Empress Dowager Katerina had just helped her young son seize power in a coup, and the capital was undoubtedly in chaos. Power reshuffling, eliminating dissidents, and stabilizing the situation were her top priorities. She had no energy to concern herself with how her "Prince Consort," far away in the Northern Territory, was using this Imperial Edict to recruit refugees.
As long as they didn't openly defy the Royal Decree, they wouldn't have time to pay attention to such details.
Having figured this out, Karl's thoughts immediately became clear, and he quickened his pace, returning to the temporary barracks.
"Lyon!" He found Lyon, who was arranging for the soldiers to rest, and ordered directly, "Hand over those wagons carrying the heads, along with the inventory, to this scribe." He pointed to the scribe behind him.
"Yes, sir!" Lyon accepted the order and immediately led his men to complete the handover.
The clerk also directed his men to step forward and take possession of the goods. Soon, the carriage, covered with a thick cloth, was escorted by the clerk and his entourage and quietly drove away from the barracks, heading towards the Count's mansion's treasury. The process was discreet and swift.
After dealing with the severed head, Karl immediately turned his attention to the fifteen young men from Fran City who had been waiting eagerly for some time. They stood ramrod straight, their faces showing tension and excitement.
Karl walked up to them, his gaze sweeping over each young face, his voice clear and strong:
"Your mission has already been explained to you by Steward Edgar. Now, I'll say it again: go back to the streets you know, find your relatives, friends, fellow villagers, find anyone who is feeling down about life and wants to seek new opportunities!"
"Use your prepared speech, along with your own persuasive skills, to tell them what's happening in Carnford, what kind of people are needed there now, and what kind of future they can offer!"
"In addition, I will set up a temporary meeting point one kilometer outside the north gate of Fran City and arrange manpower to meet them. That will be the first stop on the way to Carnford. The people you have mobilized can be taken there directly to meet up, and we will make unified arrangements for their journey to Carnford."
After arranging the assembly point, Karl's gaze swept over the group of young and energetic faces in front of him, pausing slightly as if he had made up his mind.
He took a deep breath, raised the bright yellow Imperial Edict, a symbol of supreme royal power, high once more, and his voice suddenly rose, carrying a deliberately crafted, stirring power:
"Guys! There's something even more important, some incredibly good news, that I have to tell you!"
He surveyed the room, making sure everyone's attention was focused, and then said clearly, word by word. "Just now, in the Governor's Office, I personally received this Imperial Edict issued by the newly enthroned His Majesty Sigmund!"
He paused deliberately, letting the words "new King" and "personally issued" resonate deeply, before dropping an even more explosive statement. "In the Imperial Edict, His Majesty bestows the highest recognition and praise upon the Carnford Army for their bloody battles and their valiant resistance against the Sauron army!"
Immediately afterward, without giving everyone time to process the information, he announced the core message in an even more solemn tone, "Furthermore, to commend his meritorious service and to secure the northern border forever, His Majesty has bestowed upon me the great favor of marrying his elder sister, the esteemed Princess Louise, to me, and bestowing upon me the Prince Consort of Prince Consort of the Goldflower Kingdom! Soon, I will become His Your Majesty's brother-in-law."
The news struck like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, instantly exploding through the crowd! The young men were all stunned, then erupted in incredulous exclamations and a commotion!
"Princess? Marrying down?"
My God! The Prince Consort?
"His Majesty actually... values our Lord so much?"
The look in their eyes as they looked at Karl was instantly filled with extreme shock, ecstasy, and a kind of fanatical worship!
They already held their Lord in awe of his talent and courage; after all, it was this young man who, amidst the complete collapse of the kingdom's Northern Territory and the panic among its people, resolutely took over Carnford, a nearly forgotten border fortress.
It was he who, leading this group of initially underestimated "defeated soldiers" and anxious refugees, withstood the frenzied siege of Sauron's 100,000-strong army amidst ruins and skepticism, defending this last foothold with blood and willpower.
In their hearts, Lord Karl was already a hero of wisdom, courage, and unwavering perseverance.
However, they never expected that the Lord's prestige and achievements had reached such an astonishing level that they were enough to shake the entire kingdom!
Even His Your Majesty of Prye City, who needs to stabilize the various factions, came to reward him in such a grand, even extraordinary, manner!
This is not merely a simple reward of gold and silver or a promotion in Nobility title; it is the marriage of a princess of royal blood to Her Highness the Princess noblewoman!
This is an extremely rare occurrence between the imperial nobility and border Lord. The political signals and honors it conveys far exceed ordinary rewards for merit, making it an unprecedented favor!
This means that Carnford is no longer a remote border fortress, but has truly entered the center of the kingdom's power vision, gaining the highest level of recognition and endorsement!
Those soldiers and commoners who were the first to follow the Lord and shed their blood on this land, as "loyal subjects" of Carnford, naturally saw their status and position rise dramatically, truly a case of "when one person attains power, even his chickens and dogs ascend to heaven."
It is foreseeable that once the Lord becomes the royal Prince Consort, Carnford will inevitably receive more resources and attention from the kingdom. At that time, it will be natural and worth looking forward to for these meritorious officials to be promoted, receive more generous rewards, and even be ennobled and appointed prime ministers to bring glory to their families!
The thought that a bright future and the family's glory depended on this filled everyone with an overwhelming sense of excitement and an even stronger sense of loyalty.
They exchanged glances, both seeing the same excitement and determination on each other's faces.
Without any mobilization, a strong consensus had already formed: we must do our utmost to complete the tasks assigned by the Lord.
Only by bringing more people to Carnford and making Carnford more prosperous can we be worthy of this honor from the royal family and better repay the Lord's kindness and the supreme glory he has brought us!