Chapter 509: Flourishing Prosperity
If audio player doesn't work, press Stop then Play button again
Chapter 509 Flourishing Prosperity
?"Alright, that's all I have to say. Please feel free to go," Howard concluded as they returned to Nok.
His vassals, along with their troops, dispersed back to their respective domains.
Howard turned to Golan beside him, a slight smile on his face.
"They were all criticizing Lemok's incompetence earlier, yet I did not heed their advice to dissolve the alliance treaty with Lemok. Do you know why?"
Golan, reining in his hunting horse, felt the animal rear up slightly under the tension of the bridle.
Dressed in a leather armor with iron leg guards and distinctive iron shoulder plates, it was evident that Golan had his own approach to battlefield attire.
Hearing Howard's question, Golan speculated, "Could it be because of Count Edward's involvement that you chose not to cancel the alliance with Lemok?"
Howard looked deeply at Golan, surprised.
He had not expected Golan to understand the situation, yet his answer was unexpectedly accurate.
Before disbanding the troops, Howard had distributed a sum of money to the soldiers.
It was not a large amount, just 50 gold coins, but it served as a small reward for their efforts.
This campaign had been prolonged, and this was a token of appreciation from Howard.
At dusk, Howard, seated wearily in his chair, received a visit from Rolf.
Despite his exhaustion, Howard felt it was only proper to meet the Marquis, especially since Rolf had made the effort to come in person. The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))
Thus, they convened in the drawing room.
Rolf informed Howard that the fleet was currently off the northern coast and was expected to make landfall within a few days.
Howard, lifting his wine glass, toasted with Rolf to celebrate the news.
Rolf, sipping his wine, shared, "Our planned landing site is Istan.
According to our reports, it's still an indigenous area, untouched by other nobles.
We have an opportunity to make Istan our territory in the New World!"
Howard's eyes sparkled with interest.
"Do you mean we transport people from our domains who wish to go to the New World to Istan for free, hoping that one day Istan will become our actual territory?"
Rolf nodded in agreement.
However, Howard pondered over a potential issue, "But what if one day Istan grows from a base to a large city with over 1000 residents? Who among us would be the lord of Istan then?"
Without hesitation, Rolf replied, "That would be me, of course. Didn't you see I invested the most?"
Deciding to set aside the dispute for now, Howard changed the subject to Antonio's voyage.
Duke Lyon's response to the accusation was poor.
He neither explained nor apologized, simply ordering his guards to escort the Governor of Milan out of the castle.
According to Lyon himself, he hadn't expected the Governor of Milan to be someone who harbored grudges.
After the incident, the Governor had once remarked, "Never mind, let's consider it a misunderstanding," leading Lyon to lower his guard.
Thus, Lyon had invited the Governor to the banquet, hoping to add prestige to the event.
However, he hadn't anticipated the Governor's delayed retribution.
The Governor, seemingly following the adage 'revenge is a dish best served cold,' unleashed his pent-up anger at the banquet, leaving Duke Lyon disgraced.
Gradually, the merchants began to leave the scene.
The situation spiraled out of control, and Lyon's complexion grew increasingly grim.
But as a stubborn noble, he was infuriated by the merchants' lack of respect.
Pointing at the figures of the departing prominent businessmen, he cursed loudly, causing the smaller merchants, who had initially planned to stay quiet and unnoticed, to also leave, unable to save face.
The banquet, therefore, grew quieter midway through.
Howard, observing Lyon's expression, calculated his next moves while continuously drinking, showcasing his impressive tolerance for alcohol.
This display earned him admiring glances from several feudal nobles.
The day after the banquet, regions including Milan, Aragon, and Provence imposed an embargo on Duke Jiakai, tipping Lyon's finances into the red and forcing him to cut expenditures at his castle.
When Portia relayed this news to Howard, he sensed an opportunity.
Howard approached Rolf to discuss the idea of usurping the duke's title.
Rolf, however, rejected the proposal.
Perplexed, Howard suggested, "If I declare war on Lyon, you could form an alliance with me in advance and help me in battle. We're partners in the New World venture, I trust you'd support me."
Rolf explained his reasoning: if he helped Howard in the war and Howard won, the title would undoubtedly go to the initiator of the war – Howard.
That would mean Rolf, as a marquis, would become Howard's vassal, a situation Rolf was unwilling to accept.
If Rolf didn't support Howard, he would have to fulfill his feudal obligation to fight for Duke Jiakai against Howard – leading to a direct conflict between the two on the battlefield, which would benefit neither party.
Understanding Rolf's perspective, Howard shifted his strategy, suggesting, "Let's see if we can take over the territory of the Governor of Pisa, or, as you said, assess the neighboring Counts of Luka and Sicily to see who is weaker and target them."
Rolf, uninterested in this line of discussion, left without further comment.
Two months later, Howard identified a vulnerability in Count Luka's defenses.
He declared war on Count Luka and, after winning the battle, acquired Luka's countship.
Howard now held two count titles and could also be referred to as an honorary marquis.
Meanwhile, the volume of trade goods from the New World steadily increased.
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
Chapter 509 Flourishing Prosperity
?"Alright, that's all I have to say. Please feel free to go," Howard concluded as they returned to Nok.
His vassals, along with their troops, dispersed back to their respective domains.
Howard turned to Golan beside him, a slight smile on his face.
"They were all criticizing Lemok's incompetence earlier, yet I did not heed their advice to dissolve the alliance treaty with Lemok. Do you know why?"
Golan, reining in his hunting horse, felt the animal rear up slightly under the tension of the bridle.
Dressed in a leather armor with iron leg guards and distinctive iron shoulder plates, it was evident that Golan had his own approach to battlefield attire.
Hearing Howard's question, Golan speculated, "Could it be because of Count Edward's involvement that you chose not to cancel the alliance with Lemok?"
Howard looked deeply at Golan, surprised.
He had not expected Golan to understand the situation, yet his answer was unexpectedly accurate.
Before disbanding the troops, Howard had distributed a sum of money to the soldiers.
It was not a large amount, just 50 gold coins, but it served as a small reward for their efforts.
This campaign had been prolonged, and this was a token of appreciation from Howard.
At dusk, Howard, seated wearily in his chair, received a visit from Rolf.
Despite his exhaustion, Howard felt it was only proper to meet the Marquis, especially since Rolf had made the effort to come in person. The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))
Thus, they convened in the drawing room.
Rolf informed Howard that the fleet was currently off the northern coast and was expected to make landfall within a few days.
Howard, lifting his wine glass, toasted with Rolf to celebrate the news.
Rolf, sipping his wine, shared, "Our planned landing site is Istan.
According to our reports, it's still an indigenous area, untouched by other nobles.
We have an opportunity to make Istan our territory in the New World!"
Howard's eyes sparkled with interest.
"Do you mean we transport people from our domains who wish to go to the New World to Istan for free, hoping that one day Istan will become our actual territory?"
Rolf nodded in agreement.
However, Howard pondered over a potential issue, "But what if one day Istan grows from a base to a large city with over 1000 residents? Who among us would be the lord of Istan then?"
Without hesitation, Rolf replied, "That would be me, of course. Didn't you see I invested the most?"
Deciding to set aside the dispute for now, Howard changed the subject to Antonio's voyage.
Duke Lyon's response to the accusation was poor.
He neither explained nor apologized, simply ordering his guards to escort the Governor of Milan out of the castle.
According to Lyon himself, he hadn't expected the Governor of Milan to be someone who harbored grudges.
After the incident, the Governor had once remarked, "Never mind, let's consider it a misunderstanding," leading Lyon to lower his guard.
Thus, Lyon had invited the Governor to the banquet, hoping to add prestige to the event.
However, he hadn't anticipated the Governor's delayed retribution.
The Governor, seemingly following the adage 'revenge is a dish best served cold,' unleashed his pent-up anger at the banquet, leaving Duke Lyon disgraced.
Gradually, the merchants began to leave the scene.
The situation spiraled out of control, and Lyon's complexion grew increasingly grim.
But as a stubborn noble, he was infuriated by the merchants' lack of respect.
Pointing at the figures of the departing prominent businessmen, he cursed loudly, causing the smaller merchants, who had initially planned to stay quiet and unnoticed, to also leave, unable to save face.
The banquet, therefore, grew quieter midway through.
Howard, observing Lyon's expression, calculated his next moves while continuously drinking, showcasing his impressive tolerance for alcohol.
This display earned him admiring glances from several feudal nobles.
The day after the banquet, regions including Milan, Aragon, and Provence imposed an embargo on Duke Jiakai, tipping Lyon's finances into the red and forcing him to cut expenditures at his castle.
When Portia relayed this news to Howard, he sensed an opportunity.
Howard approached Rolf to discuss the idea of usurping the duke's title.
Rolf, however, rejected the proposal.
Perplexed, Howard suggested, "If I declare war on Lyon, you could form an alliance with me in advance and help me in battle. We're partners in the New World venture, I trust you'd support me."
Rolf explained his reasoning: if he helped Howard in the war and Howard won, the title would undoubtedly go to the initiator of the war – Howard.
That would mean Rolf, as a marquis, would become Howard's vassal, a situation Rolf was unwilling to accept.
If Rolf didn't support Howard, he would have to fulfill his feudal obligation to fight for Duke Jiakai against Howard – leading to a direct conflict between the two on the battlefield, which would benefit neither party.
Understanding Rolf's perspective, Howard shifted his strategy, suggesting, "Let's see if we can take over the territory of the Governor of Pisa, or, as you said, assess the neighboring Counts of Luka and Sicily to see who is weaker and target them."
Rolf, uninterested in this line of discussion, left without further comment.
Two months later, Howard identified a vulnerability in Count Luka's defenses.
He declared war on Count Luka and, after winning the battle, acquired Luka's countship.
Howard now held two count titles and could also be referred to as an honorary marquis.
Meanwhile, the volume of trade goods from the New World steadily increased.
Chapter 509 Flourishing Prosperity ?"Alright, that's all I have to say. Please feel free to go," Howard concluded as they returned to Nok. His vassals, along with their troops, dispersed back to their respective domains. Howard turned to Golan beside him, a slight smile on his face. "They were all criticizing Lemok's incompetence earlier, yet I did not heed their advice to dissolve the alliance treaty with Lemok. Do you know why?" Golan, reining in his hunting horse, felt the animal rear up slightly under the tension of the bridle. Dressed in a leather armor with iron leg guards and distinctive iron shoulder plates, it was evident that Golan had his own approach to battlefield attire. Hearing Howard's question, Golan speculated, "Could it be because of Count Edward's involvement that you chose not to cancel the alliance with Lemok?" Howard looked deeply at Golan, surprised. He had not expected Golan to understand the situation, yet his answer was unexpectedly accurate. Before disbanding the troops, Howard had distributed a sum of money to the soldiers. It was not a large amount, just 50 gold coins, but it served as a small reward for their efforts. This campaign had been prolonged, and this was a token of appreciation from Howard. At dusk, Howard, seated wearily in his chair, received a visit from Rolf. Despite his exhaustion, Howard felt it was only proper to meet the Marquis, especially since Rolf had made the effort to come in person. The source of this content novelbinThus, they convened in the drawing room. Rolf informed Howard that the fleet was currently off the northern coast and was expected to make landfall within a few days. Howard, lifting his wine glass, toasted with Rolf to celebrate the news. Rolf, sipping his wine, shared, "Our planned landing site is Istan. According to our reports, it's still an indigenous area, untouched by other nobles. We have an opportunity to make Istan our territory in the New World!" Howard's eyes sparkled with interest. "Do you mean we transport people from our domains who wish to go to the New World to Istan for free, hoping that one day Istan will become our actual territory?" Rolf nodded in agreement. However, Howard pondered over a potential issue, "But what if one day Istan grows from a base to a large city with over 1000 residents? Who among us would be the lord of Istan then?" Without hesitation, Rolf replied, "That would be me, of course. Didn't you see I invested the most?" Deciding to set aside the dispute for now, Howard changed the subject to Antonio's voyage. Duke Lyon's response to the accusation was poor. He neither explained nor apologized, simply ordering his guards to escort the Governor of Milan out of the castle. According to Lyon himself, he hadn't expected the Governor of Milan to be someone who harbored grudges. After the incident, the Governor had once remarked, "Never mind, let's consider it a misunderstanding," leading Lyon to lower his guard. Thus, Lyon had invited the Governor to the banquet, hoping to add prestige to the event. However, he hadn't anticipated the Governor's delayed retribution. The Governor, seemingly following the adage 'revenge is a dish best served cold,' unleashed his pent-up anger at the banquet, leaving Duke Lyon disgraced. Gradually, the merchants began to leave the scene. The situation spiraled out of control, and Lyon's complexion grew increasingly grim. But as a stubborn noble, he was infuriated by the merchants' lack of respect. Pointing at the figures of the departing prominent businessmen, he cursed loudly, causing the smaller merchants, who had initially planned to stay quiet and unnoticed, to also leave, unable to save face. The banquet, therefore, grew quieter midway through. Howard, observing Lyon's expression, calculated his next moves while continuously drinking, showcasing his impressive tolerance for alcohol. This display earned him admiring glances from several feudal nobles. The day after the banquet, regions including Milan, Aragon, and Provence imposed an embargo on Duke Jiakai, tipping Lyon's finances into the red and forcing him to cut expenditures at his castle. When Portia relayed this news to Howard, he sensed an opportunity. Howard approached Rolf to discuss the idea of usurping the duke's title. Rolf, however, rejected the proposal. Perplexed, Howard suggested, "If I declare war on Lyon, you could form an alliance with me in advance and help me in battle. We're partners in the New World venture, I trust you'd support me." Rolf explained his reasoning: if he helped Howard in the war and Howard won, the title would undoubtedly go to the initiator of the war Howard. That would mean Rolf, as a marquis, would become Howard's vassal, a situation Rolf was unwilling to accept. If Rolf didn't support Howard, he would have to fulfill his feudal obligation to fight for Duke Jiakai against Howard leading to a direct conflict between the two on the battlefield, which would benefit neither party. Understanding Rolf's perspective, Howard shifted his strategy, suggesting, "Let's see if we can take over the territory of the Governor of Pisa, or, as you said, assess the neighboring Counts of Luka and Sicily to see who is weaker and target them." Rolf, uninterested in this line of discussion, left without further comment. Two months later, Howard identified a vulnerability in Count Luka's defenses. He declared war on Count Luka and, after winning the battle, acquired Luka's countship. Howard now held two count titles and could also be referred to as an honorary marquis. Meanwhile, the volume of trade goods from the New World steadily increased.
