"Your Highness, the Flying Tiger Corps' escort of immigrants to Yungashandra Province and the Hunter Cavalry Corps' assistance in settling refugees on the Mana Hill Plains were both completed before February of the new year. After two months of rest, both corps are prepared to march again." Genorio held a folder as he reported to
"That's good. How's Reidi doing with the Flying Tiger Corps?" Lorist asked. Ever since Fierce Tiger Ross had declared he was going to promote to Great Swordmaster and then disappeared without a trace, leaving behind a mess, Lorist had had no choice but to send his senior disciple Reidi to the Flying Tiger Corps to temporarily take over as corps commander. Because Fierce Tiger Ross held deep influence among the Flying Tiger Corps soldiers, there really was no other suitable candidate besides Reidi to assume the role.
"Senior Brother is doing well in the Flying Tiger Corps. The three deputy corps commanders — Mason, Doles, and Modrak — are all very cooperative, orders are followed promptly, and the soldiers are very obedient..." It seemed Genorio had visited the Flying Tiger Corps to observe personally.
Lorist nodded. "How about the Free Alliance?"
"The Administrative Committee believes our warning was very correct. Governor Ledos signed the military reorganization order, reducing the garrison troops of the six fortress cities on the Mana Hill Plains to a three-thousand-strong city defense battalion each. The remaining personnel were expanded into a regular field army of forty-five thousand, including a light cavalry regiment of ten thousand. The corps commander is an old acquaintance of Your Highness — Lord Al's uncle, Brennan Garrilando, a one-star Golden Swordsman."
"Huh? Old Ga is working now too?" Lorist paused for a moment, then quickly understood. If Governor Ledos of the Free Alliance wanted a stable position, he had to firmly grasp control of this newly formed main army corps. The only reliable and trustworthy person around him qualified to serve as corps commander was Old Ga.
Although the Free Alliance and the Commercial Alliance had different names, in reality the Free Alliance was no different from the Commercial Alliance of twenty years ago — both were commerce-based. The only difference was that without the monopolies of the large trading companies, it was freer and more vibrant, with all competitors still at the same stage. Only after weathering the great storms of the market would victors emerge, becoming the dominant players in their respective industries and gradually developing into large, monopolistic trading companies.
This was the inevitable result of market economics — the survival of the fittest. Lorist didn't want to prevent or stop it, but he knew full well the nature of merchants: most were profit-driven and morally flexible, always scrambling at the last minute. So last year he had proposed to Ledos that they codify the Free Alliance's armed forces through legislation, to prevent the garrison forces from being downsized and dismantled during peacetime, as had happened to the old Commercial Alliance.
Lorist didn't want his family's armed forces to remain stationed in Morant City forever as the Free Alliance's protectors. People were forgetful. Never mind that the million residents of Morant City were currently grateful to the
Merchants had short memories — they forgot the pain once the wound healed. Lorist didn't want to see, after his family's forces withdrew and there was no longer an external threat, the Free Alliance's merchants start complaining about excessive military expenditures and go down the same path of drastic military downsizing as the old Commercial Alliance. So Lorist had the Administrative Committee codify the Free Alliance's military structure through legislation. A man had to be strong on his own. After all, the Norton Family's territory was too far from the Mana Hill Plains — even by sea, a round trip took two months. The Free Alliance needed its own armed force capable of maintaining its security, one that could at least hold out for two or three months during a siege until reinforcements arrived.
Of course, Lorist's requirement for the Free Alliance to form a mobile main army corps was also for Ledos's benefit. With the Norton Family's forces backing him up, Ledos — as the Free Alliance's first governor — naturally thrived. And after the Norton Family's forces withdrew, as long as Ledos could firmly grasp this main army corps, his position would remain secure.
"Yes, Your Highness." Genorio said. "Lord Ledos originally tried to persuade Lord Al to leave our family and return to the Free Alliance to take command of this corps, but Lord Al refused his request. Later, Lord Al personally convinced his aunt, and his uncle took on the corps commander position."
Well, Old Ga was a henpecked husband — Al knew this well. Once Aunt Louise was convinced, Old Ga would have no objections. What annoyed Lorist, however, was that Ledos had actually tried to poach one of his family's people, wanting to recruit Al back. Fortunately, the scheme had failed.
"Anything else?" Lorist huffed unhappily.
"The Qigeda Chamber of Commerce has sent a trade delegation. Their ships arrived in Morant City, and they've been waiting for your return ever since."
"Oh..." It seemed the Qigeda Chamber of Commerce had responded positively to the proposal of breaking away from the Commercial Alliance to form an independent kingdom, just as he had anticipated. Lorist expressed his satisfaction. "Over these three months, has that Seliham been anxious? What activities has he been up to?"
"Your Highness, I've arranged for them to stay in the villa at the foot of the hill," Genorio replied. "According to the guards' reports, Young Master Seliham doesn't seem particularly anxious and hasn't done anything out of line. He's been quite well-behaved. However, he's very interested in the current Morant City and takes people to tour the markets every day."
"And then? What does he usually do in the markets?" Lorist asked.
"Well..." Genorio hesitated slightly. "Your Highness, I'm not sure of the specifics. That would require asking Lord Tager — he arranged surveillance on Young Master Seliham and his entire party. But according to the guards who follow them, what interests Young Master Seliham most isn't the products and goods from our family's territory, but rather the various raw materials produced within the kingdom that come through Qilin Port. He tirelessly inquires about prices and origins, acting like a thoroughly seasoned merchant."
"Fine, I'll ask Tager about it. Send someone to tell Seliham to come see me tomorrow morning at nine o'clock."
"Yes, Your Highness." Genorio agreed. "
"Baron Fenston?" Lorist smiled. This was a very pragmatic noble. Back then, he had treated Lorist the same way when Lorist had forcibly taken control of Qilin Port. Now it was Baron Camora's turn. "Good. Tell Baron Camora that for nobles who are willing to cooperate and align with our family, there's no harm in pointing them toward some profitable business opportunities. As long as they don't go overboard, we can turn a blind eye. Oh, didn't His Majesty say he would send a regiment to be stationed at Qilin Port? How did it turn into expanding the city defense battalion instead?"
"Your Highness, have you forgotten Lord Tager's previous report? His Majesty doesn't actually have that many troops left. After three years of bloody battle on the Mana Hill Plains, the King returned to the imperial capital and reorganized the kingdom's armed forces. Apart from the reorganized White Lion Corps deployed in Malivia Province, the only other significant force was the Royal Guard Corps stationed in the capital."
"The remaining forces were insufficient to form a complete corps. His Majesty dispersed them across various provinces, intending to use these troops as the backbone for establishing a regiment in each province to maintain stability and order. But the current situation is that many provinces, devastated by years of war, lack the resources to support the formation of such a regiment. The focus of His Majesty's current national tour is to address this very problem."
"So His Majesty ordered Qilin Port to independently expand a city defense battalion, with plans to send a contingent of Royal Knights to lead it once the battalion is formed and His Majesty returns to the imperial capital. That's why Fenston, the city guard of Qilin Port, strongly resisted this expansion order — he was very displeased about having to fund the formation of a battalion over which he'd have no command authority. So he simply handed the whole thing over to our family. Baron Camora believes this is a good opportunity to take control of Qilin Port's city defense battalion. As for the Royal Knights His Majesty might send later, they can easily be sidelined..."
Lorist slapped his forehead. He really had forgotten about that report. Two years ago, the
"Baron Camora has done well. I'm at ease with how he handles things. Did he mention encountering any difficulties?" Lorist asked.
Genorio glanced at his folder. "Your Highness, Baron Camora says that our family's plan for the trade hub at Qilin Port has been warmly received by many nobles from kingdom territories. They've been sending goods produced on their family lands to Qilin Port for sale. At the same time, trading companies and merchants from Morant City have been hiring ships to travel to Qilin Port for purchasing. From the current outlook, the development prospects for the Qilin Port trade hub are very optimistic."
"However, what confused Baron Camora was that the grain sales trade previously agreed upon with His Majesty was abruptly halted. Apparently, this was the order of Viksas Knight, the acting city guard of the imperial capital. Now almost everyone knows he is His Majesty's illegitimate son and the kingdom's heir apparent in His Majesty's eyes, so his orders are being carried out to the letter."
"Hm?" Lorist was also puzzled. The year before last, the Second Prince had visited Morant City in disguise and, after reaching an agreement with Lorist on the development of Qilin Port, had asked him to think of a way to help the kingdom's dire financial situation. In the end, Lorist had come up with the idea of entrusting the kingdom's grain production to the Norton Family for resale in Morant City. Last year's grain trade had amounted to two million gold Fordes, enabling the Second Prince to pay the salaries of civil and military officials and the kingdom's armed forces while maintaining royal dignity. The Norton Family only earned shipping fees and a ten-percent commission.
When Baron Camora sent a messenger to inquire about the halt, the reply from Viksas Knight was that grain reserves were vital to the kingdom's security, and therefore all large-scale grain trades had to be scrutinized and approved. He was determined not to allow grain to become a resource that could potentially fund the development of enemies..." Genorio continued his report.
"After the messenger returned, Viksas Knight also sent someone to see Baron Camora. He said the grain trade could continue, but it had to be conducted at Qilin Port — payment on delivery — and the quantity of grain sold would be half of last year's, while the price would be doubled. Baron Camora refused his demands, and the person Viksas Knight sent threatened that if the demands weren't met, Viksas Knight would dispatch the Royal Guard Corps to Qilin Port. At that point, Baron Camora would have no choice but to trade, and the price would increase even further..."
"What did you say? Is that Viksas Knight's head full of dog shit? Or is someone behind the scenes egging on this ignorant fool to make a move against our Norton Family? Tell Baron Camora to halt the grain trade agreed upon with His Majesty. We have plenty of grain in the Northland. The nerve of these people!" Lorist was furious. Clearly, someone had designs on Qilin Port and wanted to muscle in, deliberately pushing that clueless Viksas Knight to the front line.
Truly blinded by greed. Did they forget what kind of person the Second Prince was? Had they forgotten the ruthlessness of the bloodbath in the imperial capital? Originally, the Second Prince had wanted to borrow some money from the Norton Family the year before last. Lorist knew very well that once that money was lent, it would be gone forever — like a meat bun thrown to a dog. That was why he had offered the grain supply to Morant City as a revenue stream for the Second Prince instead. Now someone not only had cut off the Second Prince's revenue stream but was also eyeing Qilin Port. Heh. Lorist let out a cold laugh. He didn't mind watching the drama unfold in the imperial capital — someone was about to have a bad time.
As for that Viksas Knight, Lorist didn't take him seriously. The Second Prince had high hopes for this illegitimate son, hoping to groom him as a suitable kingdom heir. That was why, during his national tour, he had appointed Viksas as the acting city guard of the imperial capital — probably to give him a chance to develop his abilities. But from the looks of things, the Second Prince was likely to be greatly disappointed. The fact that Viksas Knight could be so easily manipulated showed he was someone greedy for wealth and lust, without any sense of the bigger picture or clear-headed judgment. Lorist made up his mind — next time he met the Second Prince, he might as well suggest that he spend more effort with the new queen and see if they could produce a worthy kingdom heir.
"Genorio, send a message by eagle courier to relay everything that's happened at Qilin Port back to the family estate. Then have the estate dispatch a messenger to deliver the letter to His Majesty as quickly as possible. At the same time, tell Baron Camora to prepare his defenses. If there's any movement from the imperial capital, he is to immediately retreat to Shiloas Island. Most importantly, ensure his own safety. It's a pity we have matters to attend to here — otherwise, I'd like to go meet this Viksas Knight myself..." Lorist said with resentment.
"Yes, Your Highness," Genorio replied. "Lord Shrade and Lord Tager have already arrived at the villa and are awaiting Your Highness's summons."
"Have them both come in. Also, prepare lunch for us."
"Yes, Your Highness."
...