HCB Chapter 196 Preparing for Marriage
Chapter 196 Preparing for Marriage
In the spring of 1449, a piece of news spread quickly from Franche-Comté. When the residents of the Count's Castle woke up as usual and got their subscribed newspapers, they just opened the newspapers to see what happened this week. As a result, they saw something surprising in the headlines of the newspapers:
"Earl John and Miss Matilda will be married in a month!"
Although the people had known about John's upcoming marriage in advance, no one expected it to be so sudden. But after a brief surprise, the residents were very happy about it. On the one hand, it was because John made their lives better, and on the other hand, they were happy about the offspring that would be born into John's family.
If it is a boy, then according to the inheritance system, the residents will have an heir. They believe that under John's education, the new heir will be able to manage their territory and subjects just like the current John.
However, inside the castle, John was busy with daily affairs in the territory while thinking about who to send the invitation to.
He would definitely give money to his own family, followed by Jules and other relatives of the Hohenzollern family, then Count Milo who had helped him to live the life he wanted, and people he knew, such as Laban, his old boss Conseil and other generals.
“Oh, and I need to write a letter to the king, but he probably won’t come.” John thought for a moment and wrote the word “king” on the list.
Just as John was about to take a rest, he suddenly remembered that he seemed to have not invited anyone from Matilda's family yet. However, his "future father-in-law", Count Reginali, was in the territory of the Yoda Empire. John didn't know whether doing so would allow him to be used by some people with ulterior motives.
John was certainly not afraid of these nobles who lived a life of luxury in Windham, but it would be disgusting if those people tried to use this matter to influence his wedding.
Just then the door was gently pushed open, and Simon was about to come in. When he was about to report to John about the wedding preparations, he found that John seemed to be troubled by something.
"My lord, what trouble do you have on such a happy day?" Simon asked tentatively.
After John told Simon the whole story, he said to John in a relaxed manner:
"Don't worry, sir. Feel free to write the letter. Even if you write invitation letters to all the generals of Yoda, no one will blame you for it."
"Why is that?" John asked puzzled.
"Although the war between Midlan and Yoda has been going on for decades, it has not stopped the nobles of the two countries from communicating privately. Back when the two countries were evenly matched in strength, whenever there was a truce, Yoda nobles would be invited to the border territories of Midlan to participate in a series of activities."
"Although Yoda almost swallowed up the border land of Midland in recent years, this tradition has been preserved to this day. One reason is that everyone is used to this tradition. The second reason is that if Midland is swallowed up by Yoda's empire, it can provide a way out for itself."
"Does it mean that Emperor Yoda still recognizes the ownership and inheritance rights of the Midlan nobles to the territory?" John asked.
"Yes, as early as the beginning of the Hundred Years' War, Midlan and Yoda announced to each other that as long as you surrender to one side, that side will recognize your power. This is actually hoping to support traitors in the other country to help them stab the enemy in the back or maintain their rule in the occupied area."
"Then why haven't I heard of any Midlan nobles surrendering to Yoda in recent years?"
"That's because during the war, Yoda gradually became stronger and directly occupied a large area of Midland. Except for some of the nobles in these lands who were captured, the rest fled to the inland of Midland, so naturally they couldn't get this kind of news."
"Also, the current King of Midland has appointed nobles whose territories are in the rear as generals to fight on the front lines. The Yodas cannot reach these people's territories at all. If a noble surrenders to Yoda at this time, but finds that Yoda's reinforcements cannot reach him in a short time, he will be embarrassed."
"So that's how it is." John suddenly understood after listening to Simon's explanation, so he wrote Count Reginale and Lady Reginale on the list of invitees without hesitation.
Soon, as the day passed and the morning sun shone on the land of Franche-Comté, the messenger carrying the letter set out on horseback from the gate of the Count's Castle. However, on the border of the Territory of Niland, a man dressed in the uniform of a Yoda soldier secretly crossed the eastern border from the land of the Territory of Niland, and after a long journey of more than ten days, he finally arrived at the territory of Count Reginale.
"What? My daughter is getting married!" After hearing the words of the Yoda soldier, Count Reginale raised his eyebrows and took the letter opposite him.
After taking the letter out of the envelope, Count Reginale saw the content of the letter, which basically meant an invitation to him to go to Franche-Comté to attend the wedding of John and Matilda. There were also words from Matilda below, in which she said that everything was fine here, and that marrying John was a voluntary decision for both of them, and she hoped that he could come to witness their wedding.
"This is simply nonsense!" Count Reginale was instantly furious. He sent Matilda to Midlan not only to avoid the increasingly fierce political infighting in Yuda, but also because he hoped that Matilda would find a noble whose territory was located in the rear of Midlan as a partner.
Now, although the opposite nobleman is famous and has great territory, his territory is all in the border area, and he himself is the top target for assassination by Emperor Yoda. How can he guarantee the safety of her daughter?
"Then, sir, are we going or not?" said the Yoda soldier on the opposite side. He was originally a farmer in the Reginale territory. Later, he joined the Yoda army and was captured by John in a battle. Now because of his identity, John sent someone to give him a letter and gave him freedom, requiring him to make sure to deliver the letter to Count Reginale.
"Go, how can you not go?" However, Count Reginale, who had been cursing for a long time, now lay on the chair like a deflated ball. After all, she was his daughter. As a father, how could he not go even if the situation was dangerous?
"Butler, order people to prepare the carriage and gifts, and set off for the Territory of Nilan in three days." Count Reginale said to the butler beside him.
"Will the Madam and the Young Master go together?" asked the manager.
"No, I will go alone. Also, order my cavalry to get ready and escort me when the time comes."
However, this news soon reached the ears of Emperor Yoda through various means. Hearing that the enemy on his border was going to get married, Emperor Yoda immediately ordered all ministers to come to the palace to discuss.
"Your Majesty, now is a good time to attack Franche-Comté. By that time, the defenders on the border will definitely relax. We can send a large army to attack the entire defense line when the other side does not react, and the other side will definitely panic." After hearing the reason, a minister immediately responded.
"But this is a wedding on the other side. If something bad happens here, it will also affect the credibility of the Yoda Empire. What's more, we no longer have extra troops to launch a counterattack." However, before he finished speaking, his suggestion was refuted by another minister.
"Since we can't attack by force, we can also assassinate him. Why don't we send assassins to Franche-Comté and find an opportunity to assassinate John when he is not paying attention?"
"You're overthinking it. According to intelligence, John has been surrounded by a large number of guards since he was assassinated by the Bakiraka assassin. Moreover, even the strongest assassin family on the continent is no match for him. Our assassin was probably captured as soon as he reached the border."
As everyone was arguing, an old man with a white beard came out from the ranks of ministers and said to Emperor Yoda:
"Ahem, your majesty, I have a plan. We can send gifts to the other party in the name of their wedding, but add a deadly poison to the gifts. John will die immediately if he touches them."
"Good idea!" After hearing his words, Emperor Yoda was immediately delighted and then asked:
"So what gift would be better?"
"Your Majesty can send a set of clothes and then smear the clothes with poison, so that it cannot be detected from the outside."
"Okay, then, ministers, is there anyone willing to go to Franche-Comté as an envoy?" Seeing this, the emperor looked at the ministers, but all he got was silence.
The ministers were silent but complaining to the emperor in their hearts. They were not fools. If John met with an accident when they arrived, the soldiers would chop him into meat paste.
"Your Majesty, isn't Governor Goron near John's territory? Since both of them are governors, it would be most appropriate for him to deliver the gift."
"Okay, okay, it's decided." Seeing that the ministers didn't want to do it, Emperor Yoda also made the decision.
……
In a bedroom in Dordore Castle, a man slowly woke up from a large bed. The two people sleeping beside him were also awakened by his movement and quickly got up to help him dress.
Unlike other nobles who were surrounded by various beauties, at this moment he was hugged by two handsome men with delicate skin.
"Governor Goron! The Emperor's messenger has arrived." At this moment, the voice of a soldier came from outside the door at an inopportune moment.
"Got it. Let him wait in the hall." Goron stood up with an unhappy look on his face. After being helped by the two men to dress neatly, he opened the door and went to the hall.
In the hall, Goron asked impatiently after seeing the messenger:
"What's going on this time?"
The messenger was not angry at all, but smiled and said:
"Sir, His Majesty the Emperor has appointed you to go to Franche-Comté to attend the wedding of John, a nobleman from Midland. The gifts have been prepared for you."
"I know, I know. You can go down now."
After sending the messenger away, Goron wanted to see the gift the messenger mentioned, but found only a package. When Goron opened the package, he found that the so-called gift was just a piece of clothing.
Although this suit was not bad for Emperor Yoda, it was not considered so in the eyes of Goron.
"I haven't been back to the Empire for more than ten years. Have the people there become so tasteless now? Giving me something like this is simply embarrassing me."
After Goron wrapped his clothes again, he held the package and said to the soldier next to him:
"Throw this crap away."
"Then Governor Goron, what will we give you if you throw this thing away?" the soldier asked.
"Isn't there still about a month left? If you spend money to prepare new gifts, remember to buy the most expensive and best ones. Otherwise, if people tell others, I will not be considered one of the five great nobles of the empire."