Lord of Winter: Beginning with Daily Intelligence Chapter 718 - 402: The Great and Small Meetings (Part 2)
Previously on Lord of Winter: Beginning with Daily Intelligence...
Many nobles appeared pale, yet dared not voice opposition, sitting rigidly with averted gazes.
Louis, understanding their apprehension, offered a gentle smile. "I acknowledge your concerns. However, consider carefully: in our current predicament, who can truly endure with merely a few hundred knights?"
He gestured towards the snow-covered landscape visible through the window.
"The Empire's internal strife has caused grain prices to soar. Armaments, steeds, fodder, weaponry... each necessity is exorbitantly priced. Furthermore, should your knightly orders face a disciplined legion on their own, they would be annihilated, much like Ackman."
This statement struck at the very core of the nobles' deepest anxieties.
Louis continued, "Yet, if these knights are integrated into the Joint Defense Regiment, their sustenance, equipment, and provisions... will all be shouldered by Red Tide Territory."
The nobles' expressions began to shift, and murmurs rippled through their ranks.
"By ceasing support for these prohibitively expensive knights, my own territory could sustain itself for at least three more years."
"Conserving funds allows for the expansion of trade routes, enhancements to the manor, even the acquisition of more skilled artisans..."
"...Louis is prepared to support our soldiers? It seems foolish not to entrust them to him."
These were rationalizations, a form of self-comfort in the absence of viable alternatives.
Observing the softening atmosphere, Louis offered another mild smile. "Naturally, I will not act unilaterally. All operations undertaken by the Joint Defense Regiment will require the assent of the fifteen representatives you appoint, barring exigencies."
This provision offered considerable reassurance to the assembled nobles.
Louis's concluding remark shattered any remaining hesitation: "Compensation for battle-related losses sustained by each knight will be generously provided by Red Tide."
The nobles could no longer remain silent.
Their dignity was preserved, their financial interests remained intact, and the element of risk had been entirely removed.
Such advantageous terms, who could possibly decline?
Of course, what Louis omitted to mention was that upon their integration into the Joint Defense Regiment, these knights would be promptly disbanded and reorganized, merged with the Red Tide Knights, and placed under the command of officers rigorously trained by Red Tide.
They would subsequently be dispatched to the Red Tide Military Academy for retraining in tactics, statutes, and discipline, undergoing instruction and residing within the Red Tide framework.
Their living conditions would also see a substantial improvement, with accommodations and equipment far surpassing what their former territories could possibly offer.
Under such a system, the established nobility would find it impossible to reclaim the allegiance of these knights.
Within a mere few months, these individuals would no longer be knights sworn to a particular family, but soldiers loyal to Red Tide.
At this juncture, the overwhelming majority had not yet grasped this profound shift, merely sensing that Louis's proposal was indeed the most advantageous. However, due to their ingrained pride, none were willing to be the first to voice their agreement.
It was not until Louis's most steadfast adherent – Yorn – stepped forward.
A stark contrast to the impulsive youth of years past, Yorn now exuded an air of authority in his very bearing.
The young Viscount struck his chest with his fist, his voice booming with sufficient volume to overwhelm the hall: "I pledge to entrust all my military might to Lord Louis! Henceforth, my knights shall answer solely to his command!"
Several elder nobles nearly coughed up their own phlegm in shock.
"Your men are already subsisting on royal provisions within the Red Tide system; what military power do you genuinely have to yield?!"
Yet, precisely because of this existing circumstance, his declaration carried no genuine risk and served perfectly to break the impasse.
As anticipated, a chorus of voices began to resonate through the hall:
"I concur, for the greater prosperity of the Northern Territory!"
"Our territory willingly relinquishes its authority!"
"Under Lord Louis's command, we are prepared to follow!"
Notably, the smaller nobles who had not previously aligned with the Red Tide system vociferously outnumbered the others, fearing that any delay might lead to their exclusion.
Thus, the matter was settled, and military power was, at that very moment, effortlessly assimilated by Louis without a single drop of blood being shed.
The subsequent deliberations proceeded with remarkable smoothness, all agenda items being swiftly resolved under the guidance of the Red Tide's established protocols.
The reconstruction of infrastructure, distribution of resources, provision of winter supplies, and the rebuilding of territories... all concluded with an almost unbelievable sense of order and finality, despite the magnitude of the preceding events.
The nobles departed, their minds occupied with diverse contemplations. Some eagerly sought out Bradley to formalize resource registration, intent on integrating into the Red Tide system. Others pondered what token of appreciation they might present to Louis.
A few bowed their heads in silent reflection, their thoughts coalescing into a single, dominant realization: "This epoch has irrevocably shifted. It is imperative to anchor oneself to the most formidable vessel – Louis."
......
Following the adjournment of the reconstruction assembly, Louis ascended to the clandestine strategy chamber located on the uppermost floor of the Lord's Mansion.
This sanctuary was a world apart from the bustling activity below, its profound silence giving the impression that the very air had solidified.
Within its confines were just over a dozen individuals, yet they represented the most influential forces within the entirety of the Northern Territory:
The powerful Border Lords who governed immense territories, the nobility wielding substantial influence over organized knightly orders, and affluent clans who had inherited ownership of mines and workshops for generations... There wasn't a single individual present who couldn't shape the destiny of the Northern Territory. The fireplace crackled, its embers casting dancing, elongated shadows. Though an air of placidity graced their expressions, beneath the surface lay a palpable, suppressed apprehension. Each of them knew well that Louis had summoned them not for a crude suppression, as had befallen the lesser nobles moments before. The individuals assembled in this chamber were the true linchpins of the Northern Territory's stability. To smoothly centralize military authority and legitimize the presence of the Joint Defense Regiment, Louis's initial objective was to gain their acquiescence, assuring them that their authority would remain intact. Among these influential figures were Viscount Yorn and Viscount Willis. One stood as Louis’s most unwavering supporter, while the other was his own half-brother. Just a few years prior, they were but minor nobles residing on the fringes of the Northern Territory. However, buoyed by Louis’s ascension and seizing opportunities with diligent effort and his backing, they had now ascended to become part of the Northern Territory's top twenty luminaries.