Knight: Becoming King of the World

Chapter 104: Chapter 90: Starting a War Without Taking the Field

As the excitement from the Wolf Hunting Festival faded, the Free People and self-employed farmers returned to their normal lives. The tenant farmers, in turn, got to hear the boastful stories from the self-employed farmers who had witnessed the events firsthand.

Edmund and Calvin plotted their own objectives. Henry’s proposal had planted a seed in their minds that was now beginning to sprout—it was the perfect opportunity to expand their power and increase their wealth.

The next day, no sooner had the visiting Knights departed than Edmund and Calvin returned to their own domains, each with their newly hired troops.

They had already begun meticulously planning to declare war on the neighboring knightly nobles.

As the celebratory sounds of the Wolf Hunting Festival faded into the distance, Henry was in his study with his Minister of State Affairs, Claude, discussing the newly finalized plan.

A smile of approval appeared on Claude’s face. "My lord," he said, "this plan of yours is truly brilliant. Not only will it allow your army to generate income during times of peace, but it will also reduce the consumption of grain within the fief."

"Haha, when the soldiers are on a mission, their food and lodging will be provided by the nobles who hire them. The fief’s burden will be greatly lightened."

Tommy chimed in from the side, "My lord, I’ll use the next two months to build small garrisons in several villages."

"This will not only solve our army’s housing shortage but also strengthen your control over the territory."

Henry was pleased with the suggestion. He turned to Tommy. "Draw up a detailed plan as soon as possible. Consider the locations for the camps, their size, and the materials and labor required. Present me with a proposal.

"You’ve been working hard. I’ve had you, the Minister of Internal Affairs, doing the work of a Minister of State Affairs."

Henry was already preparing to recruit more Record Keepers. From among them, he planned to select individuals as capable as Claude and Tommy to serve as a Minister of Construction.

This would allow Claude and Tommy to have a clearer division of labor instead of these blurred responsibilities.

Tommy smiled, quickly produced a map, and pointed to the locations of several villages. "My lord, I had some preliminary ideas about this last week."

"Chaimudi Village, Taienlai Village, and Britt Village are all near the fief’s borders and require special attention. Establishing garrisons there would allow for a swift response to any sudden changes."

Claude added, "Furthermore, the construction of these camps will also provide job opportunities for our Free People, stimulating Westwood Laine’s financial cycle."

Henry looked at the map and nodded. "Good. Claude, you will be responsible for coordinating the allocation of grain and supplies to ensure the army’s needs are met. Tommy, you will be in charge of the camps’ construction. Have Philip coordinate with you on the deployment of the dispatched troops."

The two men accepted their orders and left. Claude began to calculate grain reserves and devise an allocation plan, while Tommy started planning the specific construction details for the camps.

Henry’s thoughts then turned to Bain. He decided to reward Bain with a second warhorse to commend his performance during the Wolf Hunting Festival.

Henry found Bain, who was currently training five destitute Knights, and led him to the stables in the castle’s military barracks.

In the stables, a magnificent warhorse was kept in the best stall. Its coat shone with a healthy luster, and its limbs were powerful and strong.

Henry pointed to the warhorse and said to Bain, "Bain, your performance during the Wolf Hunting Festival pleased me greatly. You demonstrated your strength and won glory for me."

"This warhorse is for you. Its speed and power will provide you with formidable support on the battlefield."

Bain walked joyfully toward the warhorse, gently stroking its neck, feeling its warmth and powerful breaths.

He could sense this warhorse was extraordinary. Every inch of its muscle was brimming with power, and each breath it took seemed steady and deep.

Bain turned, knelt on one knee, and showed Henry his deepest respect. "My lord, your generosity and recognition bring me immense honor. I swear that I will take up my weapon and fight for you my entire life, whether on the battlefield or off."

Henry stepped forward and helped Bain up, smiling. "Rise, Bain. This warhorse will be your new companion."

Bain stood up, looked at the warhorse again, and asked sheepishly, "My lord, can I still keep my old warhorse?"

"Of course you can. Did you think I would confiscate your companion?"

Henry had just left the barracks, intending to check on the tavern’s recent income, when Bogdan, an official from the Imperial office, came to see him.

After a moment’s thought, Henry led him into the military barracks and spoke with him in the council hall there.

Bogdan, dressed in his finest official attire and holding several sealed letters, approached Henry.

Bogdan bowed deeply. "Respected Lord Baron, your performance at the Wolf Hunting Festival was truly unforgettable. Your strength and Wisdom have brought glory to your family."

Henry pursed his lips. ’This guy clearly didn’t even attend the Wolf Hunting Festival.’ But he accepted Bogdan’s congratulations nonetheless.

He knew Bogdan hadn’t come just to offer congratulations, so he asked directly, "Official Bogdan, did you come here today for something other than well-wishes?"

Bogdan smiled, took the letters from his sleeve, and handed them to Henry. "These are several important letters from the central region of the Empire. I escorted them personally to ensure they reached your hands safely."

Henry immediately took the letters, examined the wax seals to confirm they were intact, and then looked at Bogdan with satisfaction. "Official Bogdan, I will not forget your support."

With that, Henry handed Bogdan the coin purse from his waist. "This is a small token of appreciation for your loyal service. Please, take it."

It was the money he carried with him—a full twenty Dinars.

Bogdan took the purse, felt its weight, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

He bowed again in gratitude. "Lord Baron, please rest assured, I will forever be the bridge between you and the Imperial office. Whether it’s relaying messages or handling other matters, I will do my utmost to serve you."

Henry nodded. With the right "encouragement," Bogdan could provide him with some help in the future.

After Bogdan took his leave, Henry returned to his study and opened the letters from the Empire’s central region.

Meanwhile, Bogdan left the castle contentedly, knowing his relationship with Henry had deepened.

In his view, as long as he could maintain this relationship, his position at the Imperial office would become more secure, and his future career path would be much smoother.

As for why there were letters from the central region of the Empire? Please, this was the Emperor’s student!

「A few days later.」

Henry’s domain was bustling with activity once more. Under Tommy’s direction, Free People and serfs drawn from the villages’ affiliated farms began digging foundations, felling timber, and building the new camps at the selected sites.

Meanwhile, Claude ensured that every shipment of grain and supplies was delivered promptly to where it was needed.

At the same time, the armies of Edmund and Calvin had already begun to deliberately create friction with the Knightly domains around them.

Baron Edmund first set his sights on his good neighbor, a Knight whose land bordered his own and who had always disputed the boundary line.

The man always felt that a certain stretch of forest should be his, which greatly displeased Edmund. ’Why should a pushover like you compete with me for resources?’

Through his intelligence network, Edmund "gathered" the history of this Knight’s family, attacking the Knight’s lineage and bloodline while also contesting his right to rule the land.

Edmund wove this information into a forged document of succession, which claimed that, due to an inheritance issue, the young Knight’s domain actually belonged to Edmund’s lands and the young Knight was merely an illegal occupier.

Using this as a pretext, Edmund issued a declaration of war to the young Knight, claiming he would take back the land that was rightfully his.

Outrageous? No, this was normal.

Baron Calvin, on the other hand, took a more direct approach. He chose a noble with whom he had an old grudge as his target.

This noble had once publicly mocked Calvin’s family as nothing more than a band of boorish Mercenaries, and the two had gotten into a fierce argument over the outcome of a hunting competition.

Calvin learned from a certain merchant that this noble’s wife was having an affair with a merchant from the Odoche region.

He immediately hired a messenger from the Imperial office to deliver a letter full of insults and provocations to the noble, accusing his wife of infidelity.

In reality, this was all to enrage his opponent, provoke him into starting a war, and seize his title and territory.

The two Barons acted swiftly and decisively. They utilized the Mercenaries provided by Henry and quickly levied their own serfs to form armies.

Edmund’s army faced off against the young Knight’s forces in the border region, while Calvin’s army directly attacked the other noble’s village.

Edmund’s target was the neighboring Knight’s domain, a stretch of fertile land on the border of his fief.

The neighboring Knight, though brave, lacked administrative Wisdom. His domain was rife with internal conflicts, and the self-employed farmers were full of grievances.

Edmund first used merchants he knew to spread rumors about this Knight’s "misdeeds." The news quickly circulated throughout the surrounding areas, causing a considerable stir.

Next, using the forged inheritance claim, he asserted that the territory legally belonged to his family and that the Knight’s family lineage was insufficient to justify their occupation of the land.

He chose a dark and windy night to launch a surprise attack on Leonardo’s domain.

If it had been his own army, he would never have taken such a risk. But Henry’s soldiers were completely loyal to him, were always supplied with the best food, and did not suffer from night blindness.

Under the cover of darkness, the Mercenaries approached the Knight’s village. They easily dispatched the outer sentries and then launched their attack.

’The enemy is completely unprepared?!’ This was hard for soldiers who had experienced battles with the Alien Race to comprehend.

The soldiers and Militia within the village were startled by the sudden attack, but due to their lack of preparation, they quickly fell into chaos.

Although the Knight bravely organized a few Attendants and some Militia to resist, his Private Army was powerless against the armored, elite soldiers.

Edmund did not participate directly in the battle, instead directing the overall situation from the rear.

The key to this battle was speed and surprise. After a fierce fight, the Knight realized the situation was hopeless and chose to surrender, hoping to save his own life and the lives of his family.

Edmund accepted his surrender and promised to give him and his family proper treatment.

By dawn, Edmund’s banner was already flying over the land. He quickly dispatched a messenger to his own domain to relay the news of his victory and ordered his ministers to begin taking control of the new territory.

At the same time, he sent men to deliver the long-prepared documents to the Imperial office in Odoche to legally annex the territory.

On the other side, a fire burned in Baron Calvin’s heart, driving him to utterly crush the noble who had insulted his family’s honor.

He did not pick some other weak noble. Instead, he handpicked his most trusted Knights and soldiers and formed a formidable vanguard with Henry’s Mercenaries.

This Knight was named Reynard. His village was situated on a fertile plain, and a river provided an extra source of fish.

Calvin didn’t even bother with pretenses. He took his army and directly blockaded Reynard, who had declared war on him.

Reynard was livid. It was one thing to spread rumors about his wife’s affair, but to proactively bring an army to his doorstep!

’This is too humiliating!’