Pero moved closer to the crowd. "What's going on?" he asked.
"Lord Helmond," someone noticed the honeysuckle family crest on his chest, "we're talking about the lord of Border Town. He confiscated the properties of the fortress nobles in the town."
"Just call me Pero. What exactly happened?"
"Let me explain it to Mr. Pero," Simon squeezed forward, revealing a flattering smile. "It's like this, we are stationed in Border Town by order of the Duke, managing the North Slope Mine for the main family. Every winter, we bring the townspeople back to Longsong Fortress to protect them from the demonic beasts. This year, after the Month of Demons ended, my colleague from the Fletcher family, Couris, was told by the lord of Border Town that his house had been demolished by the townspeople, and there was no compensation!"
"Either admit that the house doesn't belong to you, or I'll throw you in jail and hang you for treason," he imitated Roland, the Fourth Prince. "Listen to that, sir, treason! This is what every mine manager has done for the past hundred years."
Pero couldn't help but recall the appearance of that young gray-haired man. Although the outside world portrayed the prince as extremely incompetent, from the two times he had personally interacted with him, Roland Wimbledon was by no means ordinary. And the treason charge in this approach was just a reason the other party had come up with on the spot—the prince didn't even think about convincing these people with reason.
He has completely broken with Longsong Fortress, Pero thought. Or, thinking deeper, wouldn't the prince know that the townspeople and nobles go to the fortress every year for shelter? Obviously, he does. He clearly knew, but he still forcibly imposed a charge, forcing the other party to make a choice, and even letting the other party pass on such a barbaric handling result back to Longsong Fortress. What exactly does the prince want to do?
"But he is the lord of Border Town," the person who had scoffed at Simon earlier said. "The lord has the right to adjudicate the laws within the territory."
"Border Town is also under the jurisdiction of the Western Territory!" Simon said coldly, displeased. "Are you questioning the authority of Lord Ryan? Stationing in the town to supervise the mine work is the Lord's intention. Now Roland has taken all the nobles' houses for his own. This is openly resisting the six major families. Lord Ryan will definitely not sit idly by."
"Are you talking about the executioner who hanged Hills Medde and didn't even give a formal document?" Rein also squeezed over at some point. "My father was furious about it."
"Lord Medde," Simon saluted, "it is indeed him. Now he is acting even more rampant. I am afraid only the Duke can stop him. I hope you can convey this to him."
"Don't worry, Lord Ryan is preparing to take action against him regardless of whether this happened or not." Rein said indifferently. "I came back for this matter. My brother is negotiating a trade in the royal city. I am the only one from the Moose family who can lead the team."
"Really? That's great." Simon said happily.
Pero frowned. Although he knew that the day would come sooner or later when His Highness the Prince chose to stay in Border Town after that document was issued last winter, he didn't expect his friend to be suited up. Ignoring the strange looks from the crowd, he pulled Rein aside and dissuaded him, "Don't go, that's a prince."
"I know he's a prince, a prince from the sticks," Rein Medde patted Pero on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Lord Ryan won't harm a member of the royal family. Maybe he'll just surrender when we get there. Even if he wants to resist, as long as we charge on horseback, won't those farmers and miners all run away? The Fourth Prince doesn't know how to wield a sword or spear. I don't think he'll even get a hair out of place."
No, I'm worried about you getting hurt... Pero opened his mouth, but didn't say it. He knew the other party wouldn't believe him, because even he himself found it hard to believe that the prince could defeat the Duke's allied forces with that group of miners. But for some reason, he felt uneasy.
"Young Master Pero, your father wants you to go back. He has something important to discuss with you." A white-haired butler suddenly hurried to Pero's side and whispered in his ear.
"I understand," Pero nodded, bid farewell to Rein, and returned to the Honeysuckle Earl's Mansion in a carriage with the butler.
"Father." He walked into the room. Sharafi Helmond was writing something at the desk.
Hearing Pero's voice, the Earl didn't stop writing. "Go and summarize the territory's output, population, and income separately and give them to me. I need to arrange the spring expedition. Duke Ryan's conscription order has been issued. After the snow melts, we five major families must provide knights and mercenaries to join his expedition to Border Town."
"How many are we sending?"
The Earl's hand paused slightly, and he looked up. "What's wrong? You never cared about this kind of question before." He opened a document on the desk. "At least twenty-five knights, with corresponding squires and horses. Forty mercenaries, fully equipped. More than one hundred freemen or serfs, equipped with simple weapons."
Pero estimated in his mind that the five major families would have about a thousand people combined. Adding the Duke's own men, it was already a force that could dominate the Western Territory. Even if Longsong Fortress didn't come out in full force, this force couldn't be resisted by Border Town. There were only two thousand people there in total.
"Father, can you not go to the battlefield?" He hesitated for a moment, but still opened his mouth.
"What's wrong, child?" the Earl asked strangely.
"I'm worried about your safety."
Sharafi couldn't help but laugh. "Do you know what you're saying? What danger is there in an elephant stepping on an ant? His Highness the Prince only has a few knights and less than fifty guards, and we have ten times as many people as he does!"
Theoretically, that's how it is. Before meeting His Highness, Pero would have thought so too. But... "Father, everyone says that mud walls will collapse in the rain, but the walls built under the Prince's supervision didn't. They also said that it's impossible to stop the demonic beasts with just the miners of Border Town. However, the Prince not only did that, but not a single person fled back to the fortress even after the Month of Demons ended." He felt more and more uneasy. "Now, everyone thinks that the Duke defeating Roland Wimbledon is just an elephant crushing an ant, Father, will that really be the result?"
"Enough!" Sharafi slammed the table. He shook his head, stood up, and walked to a wall - where portraits of past ancestors hung. "You prefer to do business and talk business rather than fighting on horseback, which is normal. But a merchant is not the same as cowardice! Those merchants who travel across the ocean face the threat of death every day." He tapped the wall loudly. "Look at this, your grandfather, your grandfather's grandfather, they all relied on swords and bows to gain a foothold in this place full of beasts, refugees, and bandits. You are so afraid of fighting, it's really disappointing me!"
No, Father. Pero lowered his head and didn't argue anymore, but muttered in his heart, You also know that those were grandfather and grandfather's grandfather. Look at those strong and powerful faces, and then look at your loose belt and overflowing double chin. Father, can you still ride a horse and draw a bow now?