Moonlight Like Water (2)

Chapter Sixteen: Moonlight Like Water (Part 2)

Miss Windsor was truly beautiful, especially those seemingly expressive eyes. At this moment, she was like a drowning person clinging to a straw floating on the water, her gaze filled with a desperate hope as she stared intently at Lorist.

Even though Lorist had lived two lives, he had seen many beautiful women in his previous one. Yet, the sight of this frail girl before him inexplicably stirred his heart, causing him to momentarily lose himself. He swallowed hard, his throat making a "gulp" sound, and Lorist, feeling somewhat flustered, avoided those eyes that made him uneasy. He stammered, "M-Miss, if-if you don't m-mind, I, I can help you a-analyze the Windsor family's d-dilemma and see if there are any s-solutions..."

Miss Windsor certainly didn't mind. Fatty Shi, standing nearby, promptly offered her a cup of water. "Here, drink some water first. Look at you, you're so anxious you're stuttering."

After gulping down half the cup of water and calming his nerves, Lorist looked at Miss Windsor, wrapped in a blanket, appearing fragile and pitiable. Remembering that she hadn't eaten or drunk anything since last night, he felt a surge of compassion. He prepared a cup of hot tea and placed it on the table, then motioned for Fatty Shi to fetch some small snacks like cakes and biscuits.

Pointing to the blanket wrapped around the girl, Lorist smiled gently. "Miss, please drink something to warm yourself up, and then eat something to regain your energy before we talk, alright?"

When Lorist had pulled the young lady out of Moon Lake last night, she hadn't choked on water; she had merely fainted from exhaustion. Although Lorist and Fatty Shi had gotten an eyeful, they had neither the courage nor the inclination to change her wet clothes. They had no choice but to place two braziers in front of and behind her, drying both her and her clothes. Fearing she might catch a chill, they had finally wrapped her in a blanket.

Miss Windsor then realized her predicament. She tightened the blanket around herself, blushed, and nodded. After she had eaten and drunk her fill, she borrowed the small washroom in Fatty Shi's office and tidied herself up a bit. When she reappeared before Lorist and Fatty Shi, radiant and wearing a new female student uniform provided by Fatty Shi, both men were struck by her beauty.

Lorist blinked, quickly regaining his composure. He noticed the corners of the girl's mouth were slightly upturned; clearly, she was feeling a little proud that her beauty had shocked Lorist and Fatty Shi.

Lorist picked up a blank piece of parchment and began his tactical analysis lecture for the big-eyed girl and the curious Fatty Shi. "Based on the information Fatty has gathered, I will analyze the Windsor family's current predicament. Miss, please add anything I might have missed."

Dilemma One: The Windsor family lost their territory due to war. Their former lands have now been divided among four neighboring lords. The original territorial defense forces and local administrative officials have all been disbanded and dismissed. Even Madam Winsor and the young master have been driven out of the territory. This indicates that the new lords do not wish for the Windsor family to retain any influence over their former lands.

Dilemma Two: None of the nobles in the Kingdom of Chigda are willing to lend a hand to the Windsor family, who have suffered injustice. This includes the Grand Duke whom the Windsor family had previously sought refuge with. Although, according to the kingdom's laws, the territory rightfully belongs to the Windsor family, the nobles have tacitly accepted the four new lords' division of the land, and no one is willing to speak up for them.

Dilemma Three: Viscount Windsor bravely died on the battlefield, resulting in the family losing its head of household, capable of leading the troops. All that remains are a widow, orphaned children, and a pampered young lady. The young master, who could inherit the family business, is only seven years old and still in his ignorant phase; any expectations for him can be placed in the distant future. As for Madam Winsor, she is troubled by the fact that the child in her womb might have been conceived by some Knight or Lord. The list of suspected fathers is reportedly forty to fifty names long, so she cannot be relied upon for now. As for Miss Windsor, Lorist glanced at the girl, who had not awakened her Battle Qi, and chuckled. As if I said anything, let's just skip this.

"That's my stepmother, not my birth mother. Now, I'm the only one in charge of the Windsor family," the girl said, her face flushed with a mixture of shame and anger.

After Lorist's explanation, he and Fatty Shi finally understood. Madam Winsor was originally the widow of a Baron. She met Viscount Windsor and they got together. Later, when she became pregnant with the young master, the Viscount married her as his second wife, and they lived in a manor in the royal capital. It wasn't until Miss Windsor's mother passed away three years ago that she brought the young master back to the territory. She wasn't even thirty-five this year.

No wonder Fatty Shi had mocked the news of Madam Winsor getting pregnant in the military camp, saying how desperate those knights and lords must be. Judging by Miss Windsor's age, Madam Winsor should be over forty. It was unbelievable they wouldn't let go of even such an older woman; they were truly indiscriminate. So, Madam Winsor was less than thirty-five. Well, well, this makes it somewhat understandable.

The agitated girl didn't realize that the two men present were already distracted. Their minds drifted to lewd thoughts, imagining Madam Winsor's "happy" life in the military camp. They even exchanged a knowing glance, secretly chuckling.

The big-eyed girl was delivering the Windsor family's declaration of war. "...I will never allow them to trample on the Windsor family's dignity like this. We will reclaim our territory. I will also never forgive those who stood by and did nothing. As long as there is an opportunity in the future, I will not let them off..."

Fatty Shi picked up the parchment detailing the Windsor family's predicament from the table and flicked it lightly, interrupting the girl's impassioned speech. "According to this paper, the Windsor family is clearly beyond saving. It will take at least another ten years for the young master to grow up, and by then, it's hard to say if anyone will even remember the Windsor family in that old territory. In fact, many illustrious noble families have declined and disappeared this way. Losing their territory and lacking a head of household – these two fatal weaknesses alone are enough to doom the Windsor family forever. I think Miss should try to be more accepting. After all, your family still has a property and two shops in Molent City, which should be enough to ensure you have food and clothing."

Lorist knew Fatty Shi was speaking the truth.

Miss Windsor also knew Fatty Shi was speaking the truth. She stood there, stunned, and then tears began to well up in her big, expressive eyes. She stood there silently, her shoulders heaving, heartbroken...

Lorist felt a pang of sympathy. He sighed and stood up, found a white towel, and handed it to her, comforting her, "Actually, there is still a way for the Windsor family to reclaim their territory..."

The crying stopped abruptly. The tear-blurred girl asked with surprise, "Really?"

Fatty Shi looked at the parchment in his hand suspiciously. "Impossible..."

Lorist picked up another blank piece of parchment and a quill, and began to write rapidly. One, Personnel. Two, Espionage. Three, Targets. Four, Logistics. Five, Support.

Pointing to the five nouns written on the parchment, Lorist began to explain to the confused girl and Fatty Shi. "One, Personnel. Although Viscount Windsor died on the battlefield, his former subordinates were not completely wiped out; they are scattered in the surrounding towns and villages. For example, Madam Winsor and the young master traveled a great distance to Molent City this time, escorted safely by a former defense captain and several former attendants. The Windsor family cannot simply dismiss these people, who are still loyal to them, with a few gold coins. Instead, they must not abandon them; they must be organized and sent to infiltrate the old territory to continue gathering and contacting the scattered subordinates."

"Gathering these personnel means the Windsor family will have reliable military strength and can raise the banner of resistance against the new lords, letting people know that the Windsor family has not abandoned its territory and has not surrendered. As long as there is a resistance force led by the Windsor family in the old territory, the Windsor family will not be forgotten."

"The individuals sent to the old territory to organize the resistance must be bold, meticulous, and cautious in their actions. It would be even better if they have a certain prestige among Viscount Windsor's former troops, and they must possess sufficient self-preservation abilities. Of course, the most important thing is loyalty to the Windsor family. Miss, does the Windsor family have such candidates?"

The girl pondered for a moment and nodded. "I think Uncle Som can do it. He is our family knight, a Silver Two-star rank, and has always been in charge of the cavalry guard. He was my father's most trusted subordinate. Before my father died in the war, he was seriously wounded in battle. Father sent his family to the manor in the royal capital to recuperate, and they were fortunate to avoid the new lord's purge of the Windsor family's influence in the old territory. One of the attendants who escorted my mother and brother brought me a letter from him. The letter said his injuries had improved, but he still couldn't ride a horse. He said he would come to Molent City to find us in another month or two. Oh, Uncle Som's daughter, Rina, is also my personal maid."

"Excellent, based on what Miss says, Knight Som is indeed the most suitable candidate to lead the resistance. Next, let's talk about the second point, Espionage." Lorist looked at the girl and Fatty Shi, who seemed somewhat indifferent, and asked, "Do you know what espionage is?"

"We know," the girl answered quickly. "Aren't they people who gather information for the lord? They hang around in taverns all day, watching out for strangers appearing in the territory. They report every move of the villagers to the lord in exchange for meager rewards."

Fatty Shi nodded in agreement, clearly holding the same view.

Lorist shook his head. "I'm not talking about those kinds of people; they are too obvious. Tavern owners, maids, servants, blacksmiths, fishermen, farmers, tailors, guards – these are the best candidates for spies. Only these people can become the omnipresent eyes in the old territory, watching the new lord's every move, even knowing exactly what he's having for dinner..."

"But what's the use of knowing what the new lord is having for dinner? Ah! You're not planning to poison him..." the girl asked weakly at first, then her face turned pale as if she had suddenly understood something.

Fatty Shi, however, suddenly realized. "That's right! If all these people become our spies, then what can be hidden from us? No matter what actions or arrangements they make, we can respond calmly."

Lorist looked at the big-eyed girl, who still hadn't grasped the situation, and felt a toothache. "Miss, did you hear what Fatty said? Think about it. If all these people become the Windsor family's eyes, then we will know in advance what the new lord plans to do against the resistance. We can transfer beforehand, making it impossible for the new lord to find the resistance, exhausting him. This way, the resistance's momentum and influence will grow stronger and stronger."

The girl blushed and nodded, indicating she understood.

Lorist continued, "The former subordinates we gather, those who cannot become part of the resistance, and the former defense personnel and administrative officials of the Windsor family's forces who were dismissed and resigned, are all potential candidates to become the Windsor family's spies. Select those who remain loyal to the Windsor family and have them become the eyes of the resistance, watching the new lord's various actions and identifying suitable targets for the resistance to deliver a fatal blow."

"Third, Targets. The purpose of establishing a resistance force is not to capture cities and fortresses. The resistance force should be small and elite, allowing for flexibility and rapid response. The targets of the resistance's attacks will not be the new lord's castle or defense forces, but tax collectors, local administrative officials, spies, checkpoints, transport convoys, warehouses, and so on. The goal of the resistance is to make the new lord blind and deaf, unable to effectively rule the territory. It's like in a duel, a wound here, a wound there, continuous bleeding – even the strongest person cannot last long."

"Fourth, Logistics. To enable the resistance to maintain long-term combat capability, safe and secret camps must be established to provide soldiers with sufficient supplies and rest. The Windsor family must also provide them with weapons and equipment, fine wine and food, and even women. There should be multiple such camps, not just one, so that the resistance can quickly relocate in emergencies."

"Fifth, Support. Establishing a resistance force is not simply a matter of sending out personnel. The Windsor family must continuously provide human support to the resistance to ensure it remains under the family's control. The best method is to recruit Silver-tier mercenaries and have them join the resistance on short-term missions. After a few attack missions, their payments can be settled. The advantages of this approach are twofold: first, it ensures the resistance's military superiority over the targets, and second, it reduces casualties among the resistance members."

"If they persist for a few years, the existence of the resistance will become a nightmare for the new lords. They will regret having divided the Windsor family's territory. When the new lords view the Windsor family's former territory as a chicken bone – tasteless to eat, but a pity to discard – the Windsor family can then seek mediation. In exchange for ceasing the resistance's actions, and by compensating the new lords with some wealth, it is highly likely that those new lords will agree to return the territory to the Windsor family," Lorist concluded.

"So, it can be done this way..." Fatty Shi pondered.

The girl's eyes lit up, filled with joy.

"However, there are two drawbacks to this approach," Lorist poured cold water. "First, due to the existence of the resistance, the Windsor family's former territory will be brutally suppressed by the new lords, and the people's livelihood will be devastated. Even if the Windsor family regains the territory, it will require immense financial resources and a great deal of time for recovery and reconstruction. Second, after regaining the territory, the Windsor family will face hostility from neighboring lords, and a crack army will need to be established to defend the family's territory, which also requires significant financial and material resources. Therefore, both the five points written on this paper and the aftermath have a common prerequisite: gold coins, a lot of gold coins. I estimate that over a thousand gold coins will be needed annually."

Over a thousand gold coins a year – this was indeed a huge sum. For Lorist, who had just been hired as a swordsmanship instructor at the academy, his monthly salary was three Gold Fudes. Fatty Shi, as the captain of the academy's law enforcement department, now earned five Gold Fudes a month. Yet, in the eyes of most residents of Molent City, they were already considered high earners. Madoff and his family, who used to run a small food stall outside the academy, earned five to six large silver coins a month before they knew Lorist, which was enough to feed their family of five and even save a little.

The question was, did the Windsor family currently possess the financial resources and capability to reclaim their territory?