Chapter 72: Uprising Swept Along
Kingdom of Ovinia
Stark City
On the bustling central street at the very heart of the city stood a grand tavern. Every day, various performances were staged in its hall, drawing merchants passing through to stop and spend money.
Inside a private room on the second floor of the tavern, several men were chatting and laughing as they clinked cups.
Yet if one came closer to the table, it would become clear that what they were actually discussing was something else.
“So that means the City Lord won’t be returning any time soon? Then who is handling government affairs now? Can this information be confirmed?”
In response to the inquiry of the man in white, the black-haired youth beside him pretended to pour him wine, but only leaned closer before lowering his voice:
“It is that mage assistant who has always followed him who is taking care of government affairs. The situation in Talian is getting worse, and the City Lord fears it will affect this place.”
On the other side, a middle-aged, richly dressed fat man added:
“There are currently about one thousand soldiers in the city, of which five hundred are new-style musketeers.”
“But from what I’ve found out, since their leader is the City Lord’s brother-in-law, they actually only have fewer than two hundred muskets—about three men sharing one gun. The rest of the money, well, you know how it is~”
“The other five hundred are one hundred knights and four hundred regular infantry...”
Another middle-aged man exclaimed upon hearing this: “Only two hundred guns? Heaven itself is helping us!”
“Then our chances of success are very high. Gentlemen, when you return later, make the final preparations. Remember, everything is for welcoming the Empress!”
“......”
The black-haired youth returned to his manor in a luxurious carriage, and at a glance he saw the short-haired girl swinging under a tree. A doting look flashed in his eyes, and he hurried forward.
He took off his coat and draped it over the girl’s legs, asking: “Why are you sitting here? The weather hasn’t warmed yet.”
Lost in thought, Tina smiled when she heard him: “The cold keeps me clear-headed.”
In the end she asked: “Marlon, how are things progressing?”
“Just as you predicted. These merchants do indeed harbor deep dissatisfaction toward the nobles. We have convinced most of them, though a few are still hesitant and have not given a definite answer. Should we...”
Tina shook her head: “Don’t worry about them. They wouldn’t dare inform on us. Once we act, they too will die as part of the same group.”
The steam engine had permanently changed the operational logic of the surrounding kingdoms.
In addition to the traditional nobles, merchants, and lords who profited from building factories, there were also clever commoners who seized this chance to strike it rich.
By various means they secured their first pot of gold, then opened factories of their own and quickly rose to wealth. But their existence infringed on the nobles’ interests, so they had been continuously suppressed.
Yet these men were ruthless survivors, honed by fierce competition.
Even if some were targeted into bankruptcy, there would always be a few who found ways to survive.
With Mitia serving as a negative example, Ovinia III had developed a crisis of trust toward the great nobles.
From time to time he supported wealthy commoners through policies, preventing the nobles from growing too powerful too quickly, keeping the two sides roughly balanced.
But the conflict between them grew deeper and deeper.
No matter how shrewd merchants were, they ultimately had to develop on noble lands.
Nobles could harvest their wealth through restrictive decrees.
High territorial taxes were also imposed, limiting trade across different fiefs.
They were like leeks, endlessly cut again and again.
Thus an external force was urgently needed to break the cycle.
Marlon and Tina approached them precisely at this moment.
One could say both sides hit it off immediately.
Though Ceres nationalized land, it did not suppress commercial development.
With no nobles to oppress and no excessive taxes, it was by far the most ideal business environment in merchants’ eyes.
At the very least, it was far superior to Ovinia.
Marlon nodded and said: “The five hundred muskets and one hundred warriors we prepared should be enough to control this place. But what do we do next?”
“Next? Naturally we follow in the Empress’s footsteps and make the nobles pay—redistribute the land!”
Tina’s tone was firm and resolute.
The purpose of Mitia sending over a hundred people to Stark City with such great effort was very clear—to open a new front behind the Kingdom of Ovinia.
By now, because of the great war and the Church’s plundering, Ovinia was already filled with bitter grievances.
It would be strange if she did not trample down upon it.
This was a no-man’s land carefully selected by the Ceres intelligence department.
Far from the three major fiefs, mountainous with little flat land, with poor roads and only a few main routes leading outward, it was one of the most ideal bases of operations.
No matter which side sent troops to suppress them, they would have to endure a long and difficult march.
Marlon nodded his agreement: “Good! I’ll follow your lead!”
Soon after, Tina laid out a detailed plan of action.
One week later—
Outside a mine owned by a wealthy commoner, over a dozen knights galloped up.
One lashed his whip to send a guard flying, and the group rode arrogantly into the mine grounds.
The officer at their head shouted loudly: “Inspection! Everyone get out here and stand still!”
Just an hour earlier, the deputy handling government affairs at the City Lord’s mansion had received an anonymous letter.
It reported that several wealthy merchants were suspected of hiding dangerous weapons, even listing several addresses.
The deputy sneered at this. He had already received several such reports before.
Every time they investigated, they found nothing. But every time, he managed to gain some benefit—so the trips were never wasted.
He thought nothing of it. Seeing an excuse to squeeze some profit, he sent most of a hundred knights to these locations.
These cavalrymen were already used to the routine: go in, intimidate, conduct a token inspection, then collect money and leave.
But this time was different...
By chance, the wealthy merchant himself was present. With a smile, he spoke flattering words to the leading officer, then led him toward the mine.
It was mealtime.
A large group of miners were lining up around several big cauldrons for food.
The knights wrinkled their noses in disgust at the sight.
The officer even drew his whip and lashed out mercilessly: “Filthy low-born wretches! Who let you block Lord Me’s path? Out of the way!”
‘Ah!!!’
‘Spare me, sir! I’ll get out of the way at once!’
‘Stop, please stop!’
The mine was thrown into chaos.
No one noticed that the wealthy merchant had slipped away to another hidden tunnel, where twenty young men were calmly making their final preparations.
‘Clatter!’
Somehow, a musket fell at the officer’s feet.
“What is this... a firearm?! You rabble dare to hide firearms?!”
The miners’ faces changed drastically at his shout. Possessing firearms privately was a capital offense in the kingdom!
“Bang!”
A shot rang out, shattering the officer’s armor.
Blood streamed from his wound.
From somewhere came a shout:
“Damn it! These accursed nobles won’t let us live—then we’ll rise against them!!!”
“Kill them! Fight for our own survival!”
“If they don’t die, we will!”
Cries of all kinds burst out.
Many miners’ eyes turned red.
They seized nearby picks and stools and smashed them at the knights.
The scene descended into chaos.
By the time it calmed, the dozen knights no longer resembled human beings.
The same events played out one after another in other places.