922: Chapter 99, The Amiable Hudson_3 922: Chapter 99, The Amiable Hudson_3 Unfortunately, these fellows were uncooperative, insisting on forcing him to Continue reading more chapters on NovelHub for the best experience.
“Marquis James, you continue to oversee the training here; I need to make a trip to the Royal Palace,”
Hudson promptly instructed his Vice Commander standing beside him.
To learn by stealth, Marquis James directly became Hudson’s shadow.
Wherever Hudson personally trained, the figure of the Vice Commander was sure to be found.
There were no defenses, mainly because in Hudson’s eyes, this man posed no threat at all.
What could he do when he was tied too closely to the Royal Family, owing them too much during his rise?
If one cannot repay the debt of gratitude, then one can only work for the Royal Family for life.
The notion of obtaining a large fiefdom and becoming one of the Local Lords need not even be considered.
Without the power to make decisions on one’s own, no matter how much knowledge one gains, one cannot avoid being shackled.
Whether one can utilize one’s talents fully depends entirely on whether the Monarch trusts them.
Unfortunately, the trust of a Monarch is often the most unreliable.
Of course, this is also the type of life many Nobles envy.
Without the Continue reading more chapters on NovelHub for the best experience.
Better to be a family servant to the Royal Family than to struggle among the minor Nobles.
Not only does one gain status and wealth, but one also accumulates sufficient resources for the next generation.
“Your Marshal, looking at the current situation, it seems your deployment time needs to be moved up,”
Caesar IV said as he passed a letter to Hudson.
Even the King could not resist the influence of whispers beside the pillow.
However, Caesar IV’s authority on military matters was limited.
It was fine for him to help with persuasion, but making direct decisions was just a bit beyond his reach.
To avoid causing political turmoil, he simply invited Hudson for a private discussion.
Familiar handwriting and style, it was clear that this was written by his old friend George.
Hudson had received similar letters before.
But the content of this family letter was different; apart from the request for help, there was a subtle hint: Send reinforcements quickly, and the terms are negotiable.
This wave of incentive was not aimed at the Alpha Kingdom, but at individuals.
After all, the cost of bribing a kingdom far exceeds that of bribing just one or two people.
Judging from Caesar IV’s reaction, it was obvious that he had accepted the Moxi People’s goodwill.
“Your Majesty, should we not discuss this matter with everyone?”
Hudson asked tentatively.
Discussing benefits directly with Moxi People in front of his own leader was something he was still somewhat uncomfortable with.
If he guessed wrong and this was a trap Caesar IV, had set for him to jump into, that would be stupid.
“Marshal, some things are better if they are not made public,”
Caesar IV said with a slight frown on his face.
Originally, he had not wanted to get directly involved, but he couldn’t withstand the daily nagging of the Queen, coupled with the generous hand of her elder brother.
Since they had to deploy troops sooner or later, sending them a few days earlier didn’t affect the Alpha Kingdom too much, so he simply agreed.
After a slight hesitation, Hudson nodded.
Indeed, such matters were not suitable for too many people to know, or there wouldn’t be enough of the spoils to share.
Deep inside, he couldn’t help but marvel at George’s rapid growth.
Just sending reinforcements a little earlier was not worth such a high price.
It seemed like a request to simply dispatch the reinforcements sooner, but in reality, it was an attempt to change the strategy of the Alpha Kingdom.
If the war progressed smoothly, it would be fine; but if setbacks occurred, the strategy of the Alpha Kingdom would have to change from “north first, then west” to “west first, then north”.
When it comes to changing the Kingdom’s strategy, even if Hudson were bold as brass, he couldn’t help but worry.
If the Moxi Duchy had only tried to bribe him alone, Hudson would have rejected it without hesitation, as the promises of politicians are the least reliable.
Nobody can guarantee that the Moxi People wouldn’t betray him at a critical moment for their benefit.
But getting Caesar IV involved changed the situation.
A pot too heavy for one person to bear becomes much lighter when carried by two.
If a leak happened, the King would be in front first.
In desperation, one could simply drive the narrative and make the public believe that it was an order from Caesar IV.
The image of a “loyal subject” could salvage a lot of reputation and avoid the stigma of being called a “traitor.”
As for Caesar IV, he didn’t need to worry.
Favoring kin over justice is the norm on the Continent of Aslante.
At most, it was just a wrong decision; no one would think that he, as the leader, had betrayed the Kingdom.
After all, three provinces of the Royal territory still existed in the north.
No matter how high the price offered by the Moxi, it couldn’t compensate for the loss of three provinces.
Of course, this was just the view of the smaller Nobles.
The Major Nobles all knew that the Royal Family had not invested much in the three northern provinces, and even if lost, the damage would not be substantial.
From this perspective, having a mediocre Monarch wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
If a Hegemonic Monarch had poured substantial resources into the three northern provinces, they absolutely could not afford to lose them now.
The deal offered not only direct benefits but also covert political profits.
Having shared spoils, the delicate relationship between Hudson and Caesar IV would also change.
The improvement of their relationship would have significant implications for the political stability of the Kingdom after the war.
After envisioning a series of scenarios, as he looked at Caesar IV before him, Hudson seriously doubted whether the King had seen all these implications.