Chapter 2810 - 1202: Reversal Heavenly Power (Part 2)

Chapter 2810: Chapter 1202: Reversal Heavenly Power (Part 2)

This time, it was Duke Francis, the one most versed in military affairs, who asked: "How large does Your Majesty intend the Royal Guard to be?"

"At least five army groups, each no fewer than ten thousand men." Islam answered without even thinking.

"Five army groups." Duke Francis laughed in fury, "Do you have any idea how much military expenditure it takes to maintain an army group year-round? Before the Royal Family was shattered, even at its Peak State, it only kept two army groups of Royal Guard in permanent service. Any more than that is sheer militaristic folly—it would impose a crushing fiscal burden not only on the Royal Family, but on the entire Kingdom!"

The Knight Feudal System not only devolves political power, it devolves military power as well.

Every Knight and Lord maintains a certain armed force; when the one they serve has need of them, they will raise their banners in response.

For a Monarch to maintain such a massive Royal Guard, its impact inward will far exceed its impact outward.

"You Dukes need not concern yourselves with military expenditure. You need only see to your own share of the tax revenues; the remainder will naturally be handled by me, the Minister of Finance."

Islam smiled as he answered their doubts. "In the Northern Lands I still possess some modest assets. I will donate thirty percent of my annual profits to the Prince, free of charge, to help him restore the Royal Family."

His words brimmed with confidence—a confidence born of his commercial ability.

The unspoken meaning was that this mere thirty percent donation alone would suffice for Prince Harried to maintain five army groups year after year.

Duke Walter asked with a blank expression: "Your third condition is not going to be to overhaul the Kingdom’s tax system, is it?"

They simply skipped over the second question.

Because the crucial point of that matter does not lie within the Tesser Kingdom; so long as they possess ample funds, they can just as they do now directly hire Mercenaries.

The reason they proposed it in the form of conditions,

first, was for the sake of proper justification under lofty principles.

Second, was to dissolve them from within—to use the Royal Family’s name to attract those young men of Tesser who yearn to make their mark, especially those Knights without fiefs, and have them pledge direct allegiance to Prince Harried, thereby building a faction of his own.

When they drafted this Welcome the King Back to the Capital plan, this was already an inevitability, and they had long since prepared a whole series of countermeasures.

The most important among them was to throttle the other side by way of finance.

Without money, no matter how wise Prince Harried may be, no matter how grand his designs, how lofty his ambitions, he can forget about accomplishing anything. Many strategies of governance are built up from money, layer upon layer.

But they had not expected that their investment in Prince Harried was not the only one—that others had spent even more Gold on him.

Even without their current Welcome the King plan, it would not be long before Prince Harried led a great host of Mercenaries back to the Tesser Kingdom to reclaim all that is his.

Islam answered as a matter of course: "Yes. This is the very foundation of a Kingdom, and the most basic right of the Royal Family. Only once the Kingdom’s taxation is put in proper order can the Royal Family better govern the Kingdom and govern the people.

In the process of overhauling the Kingdom’s tax system, we will re-define the Royal Family’s immediate domains and entitlements.

Do you not wish to see a Tesser Kingdom that is prosperous, flourishing, and incomparably strong?"

"That is precisely the greatest aspiration of our lives." The four Dukes answered in unison, without even needing to think.

These were their true feelings—only, under whose rule they would stand, that was another matter entirely.

In the end it was the old and cunning Duke Walter who, choosing his words with care, replied: "We must ask Your Majesty to grant us some time for discussion. This matter concerns the Kingdom’s future, after all!"

The situation at this meeting was far removed from what they had imagined.

Not only because of the other side’s hardline stance, but also because of the Strength they actually possessed.

If those standing behind them are truly the resurrected Shield Knights, then what they are now seeing is but the tip of the iceberg; this secret organization has likely long since extended its hand into every stratum of the Tesser Kingdom.

No, it is very likely that it is not only the Tesser Kingdom—the entire Northern Lands may well harbor their members.

Only thus can it be explained why they failed to detect the Shield Knights’ resurgence from the ashes.

Because the Shield Knights shifted the focus of their development beyond the borders of the Kingdom, outside the scope of their effective control.

At this moment, Prince Harried finally spoke again: "Take your time, Dukes. We have waited thirty full years for this day; we can afford to wait a little longer."

The four Dukes turned a deaf ear to that final sentence. After nodding to him once more in salute, they did not merely withdraw to a distance, but directly cast a Teleportation Spell and returned to the Tesser Kingdom.

Even though they possessed telepathic ability among themselves, they did not dare to begin their discussion in front of the other side.

At their level, they had a far deeper understanding of the nature of this world and the Strength of those mighty existences.

Telepathy too is not entirely secure; it can be intercepted. The safest place, of course, is their own lair.

"That they have kept the Tesser Kingdom scattered yet not in chaos all these years is no accident. They do possess commensurate ability." Prince Harried felt no surprise at the four Dukes’ reaction; instead, he voiced a sigh of admiration.

The chestnut-haired beauty who had kept a very low presence all along now spoke with a smile: "Your Majesty has left one thing unsaid."

"Oh? Cousin Helena, to what do you refer?" Harried asked in curiosity.

"They also possess an ambition that does not match their own ability. Even now, they still harbor their little schemes; they still do not sincerely support Your Majesty, but wish to treat you as a mere chess piece." Wisdom flashed in the eyes of the chestnut-haired beauty.