Chapter 354 354-The Fruit Merchant
Howard's brow furrowed slightly, hesitating whether to make a statement.
It was then that Ness spoke up, "I have a love for poetry and music. But in a Phrus that venerates martial prowess, would there still be room for the minstrels and musicians I cherish?"
Cotler was momentarily taken aback.
Neplon added, "Phrus and Fran Kingdom are different. Phrus relies heavily on its Junker nobility and deeply values martial spirit. The focus of a country is finite. Minstrels and musicians might find living conditions in Phrus rather precarious."
Cotler's neck reddened with indignation.
"Neplon, how much do you really know about Phrus? You're from Fran Kingdom, not Phrus! What right do you have to say that Phrus couldn't possibly have musicians?"
In the spacious and luxurious carriage, Howard intervened to calm Cotler down, "I wouldn't dare say that a system like Phrus' couldn't produce musicians. But I do think there's a dangerous possibility if they continue down that path."
Cotler, still fuming, sat back down, leaning forward, his hands on his knees, and challenged Howard, "What dangerous possibility? Phrus is at the height of its power. What danger could possibly threaten it?"
Howard briefly mentioned the attitudes of the original inhabitants of Phrus towards the later-arriving Brandenburg nobles, as well as his own views on Phrus' somewhat narrow-minded perspective.
He didn't want to elaborate too much, hoping Cotler would reflect on these points himself.
Ness, understanding Howard's implication, suggested, "Then perhaps it's better not to emulate Phrus too closely. We could learn from their military system, but let's not concern ourselves with the rest."
Neplon nodded in agreement.
Cotler, far from being persuaded, became increasingly agitated.
His words grew louder and more alarming, reflecting the intensity of his emotions.
Eventually, Howard's patience wore thin.
Pointing his index finger at Cotler, he said firmly, "Cotler, we have known each other for only about three years. Neither of us is thoroughly familiar with the other. I have tolerated you so far out of respect for your father, but if you continue to praise Phrus incessantly, let me make it clear: my rule, Howard's rule, is absolutely not about iron-fisted governance. If you truly admire Phrus's militaristic approach that much, then I advise you to take your fief and join Phrus."
Ness gently grabbed Howard's arm, her eyes conveying concern and a plea for calm.
Neplon, seizing the moment, gazed out the window, demonstrating his political acumen.
Howard had thought his stern words would bring Cotler to his senses.
Contrarily, Cotler, seemingly entrenched in his beliefs, replied with a mix of defiance and frustration, "Your Majesty, that's not what I mean. But I must ask, if I were to pledge allegiance to Frederick, would you stop me?"
Ness felt a chill in her heart, while Neplon continued to look outside.
Howard replied candidly to Cotler, "Such an action would be a violation of noble protocols. Not only would I certainly not agree to it, but even Emperor Frederick of Phrus wouldn't dare to accept you."
Cotler fell silent.
Upon their return to Pist, Howard entrusted Ness and Neplon with the full responsibility of integrating the Black Army, striving to build it into a force as formidable as Phrus's army.
Cotler rebelled, determined to seek independence.
He fantasized about joining Phrus after breaking away from Howard.
However, Howard was resolute in not allowing such a betrayal.
Howard, considering Cotler's fiefdom to be small, sent Neplon with the Black Army to battle against Cotler.
He refrained from conscripting soldiers from other regions.
This was both a display of confidence and a significant gamble for Howard.
If the Black Army were to be entirely defeated, not only would their training be in vain, but conscripts from other regions would still need to be called up, leading to wasted time and resources.
However, if the Black Army alone could defeat Cotler, who possessed some military expertise, Howard could then trust in the strength of the Black Army and work towards transforming all conscripted soldiers into a standing national army.
It was both a trial and an experiment.
Resarite, now a commoner, requested to see Howard.
Feeling ashamed and unable to face him, Howard sent Golan to kindly persuade Resarite to leave.
Anna, accompanied by Ness, also arrived at Howard's palace, wishing to meet him.
Howard, agitated and unsure how to face Anna or what to say to her, resorted to avoidance.
Turning his back to the door, leaning on a birch desk with his left hand, and gesturing with his right hand, he instructed the maid, "Tell her I'm not here."
Neplon, deploying a new tactic of 'Four Cannon Columns', intercepted Cotler's split forces in the open field, successfully dividing Cotler's vanguard from his rearguard.
He ingeniously utilized the Oungria Kingdom cavalry, preventing Cotler's vanguard, led by Cotler himself, from retreating in time.
Meanwhile, Neplon concentrated his main forces to annihilate Cotler's rearguard in one fell swoop.
Cotler, leading his troops, fled in disarray into the forest.
Knowing the terrain well, he used a back route to lead his remaining forces back to his castle.
Resarite, realizing Howard's refusal to see him indicated there was no room for negotiation, decided to take matters into his own hands for the sake of his family's title and lands.
He personally took command of his son's remaining forces, intending to stabilize the battlefield situation first.
Then, he planned to use diplomatic means to persuade Howard to forgive Cotler's rebellion, hoping to minimize the incident with a monetary settlement.
Long estranged from his son, Resarite was clueless about Cotler's reasons for rebelling.
Upon reflection, he deemed his son's actions ill-considered, lacking in strategic foresight even from a self-interested perspective.
Most of Cotler's fiefdom lay within Oungria Kindom's borders.
Independence would mean losing the empire's protection.
The already weakened empire, showing faint signs of resurgence, would certainly not intervene, as they had their own crises to manage.
On the contrary, independence would likely provoke immediate war declarations from Phrus or the empire.
Cotler, not having shared his true intentions with his father, missed a potential opportunity.
Resarite might have sided with Howard to help his son redeem himself.
Cotler's overconfidence and ignorance clouded his judgment.
Within Howard's feudal structure, he held a vassal's status, which was a relatively comfortable position.
If he were to join Phrus, the treatment of nobles in Phrus's system was known to be far from favorable.
Frankly, Cotler's life was more comfortable within the boundaries of Howard's kingdom.
Howard was a wise ruler, adept at grasping the broader direction of affairs.
However, he was notably lenient and accommodating towards his vassals.
A comparison of the treatment of vassals in Howard's court with those in other nations would reveal that they indeed fared quite well.
Catherine had once advised Howard.
She suggested that given his renowned domestic authority, reclaiming some of the autonomous powers of the local lords wouldn't be problematic.
Yet, Howard's treatment of his vassals was, to put it frankly, generous.
He never undertook actions that would harm their interests.
Serving as a vassal under Howard could almost be described as smooth sailing.
A prime example was Alonso.
Originally not from a distinguished noble family, he was recommended to Howard by Resarite.
Without notable achievements, he received Howard's investiture and subsequent promotions, ascending impressively to the status of a duke.
One could imagine a young Alonso dreaming of such heights, perhaps waking up laughing at the implausibility of it all.
But now, it was his reality.
Therefore, Cotler's rebellion against Howard seemed counterintuitive from any practical standpoint.
It lacked tangible benefits.
Perhaps there were darker motives in Cotler's heart that drove him so fervently into the embrace of Phrus.
As time marched on, two days later, on an early morning with the rooster's crow, Howard carried a bucket of water from the lake to the barracks.
Few were awake at this hour, but since he was up early, Howard decided to lend a hand where he could.
On his second trip to the lake, Howard noticed a woman dressed in white.
Her clothes were stained with dirt and mud, making her look less like a village woman and more like someone with a keen, capturing gaze.
Engaging her in a cautious conversation, Howard discovered she was a fruit merchant.
Seeing the ongoing conflict, she had brought fruits to sell, hoping to make some profit.
Howard inquired, "How much for an apple?"
She replied with a smile, "It's a bargain. Look at this, a big and round apple, just for 5 bronze coins."
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