flstandardbreds Chapter 356 End of Term
Chapter 356 End of Term
Autumn 1454
In the embassy in Mont-de-Marsan, the atmosphere was solemn and serious. The sun shone through the fine lattices of the high windows, casting mottled light and shadows, reflecting the simple and gorgeous furnishings in the house. John sat at a long and exquisitely carved table, his face looked calm and profound, his hands folded together, waiting for the royal envoy of Windham to read out.
The messenger was wearing a gorgeous court robe, a cloak with the Midland royal emblem on his shoulders, and holding a scroll in his hand. He walked forward with a calm demeanor. As he quietly unfolded the scroll, the air in the room seemed to freeze at this moment. The messenger spoke clearly and appropriately:
"Respected Sir John, according to the king's order, your term of office in the Southwest Governorate has ended. At the same time, His Majesty the King expressed his sincere appreciation for your governance in the area."
"His Majesty the King orders you to leave the Southwest Governorate this year and continue to serve as the Governor of the original Forest Governorate to continue to make greater contributions to the Kingdom of Midland."
John raised his head and responded with a firm and confident look:
"I will accept the king's orders without hesitation. In the Forest Governor's Territory, I will continue to contribute my wisdom and strength to the development of the Kingdom of Midland."
Then he slowly stood up, his eyes fixed on the scroll in the hands of the royal messenger, who gently handed him the document that symbolized authority and responsibility. John put the scroll away and took out a small cloth bag filled with money from the drawer of the table.
The messenger took the cloth bag and weighed it several times. After hearing the rustling sound of coins inside, he bowed slightly to John, and then John sent someone to escort him out of the embassy.
"Call Jacques, Carrie, Pav, and Fraseau and tell them there's a meeting."
Soon after, Jacques and others who were summoned came to the meeting room. There was a tense atmosphere in the room. The sunlight shone through the window onto the long table, reflecting their serious faces. Everyone took their seats. When John saw that everyone was there, he got straight to the point and said:
"Everyone, I have gathered you all today to explain an important decision to you. According to the order from His Majesty the King, my term in the Southwest Governorate is about to end, and the King has decided to let me return to the Forest Governorate."
As soon as the words fell, the conference room suddenly exploded, and everyone's reactions were different. First, there was surprise, and then a sense of tension spread. Several people couldn't help but talk in low voices, and their worries and concerns were all visible on their faces.
"Sir, will the new governor go against us?"
Jacques frowned, breaking the brief silence.
"Or does the new governor have many followers? If there are many, he might give our property to his other subordinates."
Seeing their uneasy faces, John smiled bitterly in his heart. He knew that although his subordinates had already formed a set of governance systems in Mont-de-Marsan and the Governor-General's Territory, the arrival of the new Governor-General would undoubtedly bring them a lot of uncertainty. He raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet, and his tone was firm:
"Everyone, please don't worry! Before I leave, I have arranged for someone to communicate with the new governor. I assure you that as long as you give him 10% of the tax revenue from Mondemarsan, he will sit in the position of governor and not care about anything else."
After hearing John's words, everyone gradually calmed down. The tense atmosphere was replaced by warm trust, and the meeting room began to be filled with a consensus. Everyone began to get busy preparing for the upcoming farewell ceremony, planning how to express their respect and reluctance to part with John.
Half a month later, John stood in front of the embassy in a gorgeous uniform, looking radiant. The embroidery on the uniform shone with golden brilliance, symbolizing honor and responsibility, making him look more majestic and imposing.
He walked out of the gate of the embassy and went to the carriage outside. As he got on the carriage, the wheels tapped the ground lightly, making a steady sound, as if it was the footsteps of time.
The carriage slowly drove out, and the whole convoy headed towards the north gate. On both sides of the road, citizens who came to see him off gathered in groups, with sincere smiles and reluctant expressions on their faces. John waved to the citizens, and the citizens also waved and said various words of blessing to John, especially the citizens who originally lived in the slums. With John's help, they moved into new houses and had stable jobs, no longer worried about food and clothing, and had hope for the future.
"Goodbye, Governor!"
An elderly resident shouted loudly, his tone full of gratitude and reluctance. Other citizens echoed him, and their voices seemed particularly loud in the sun.
Finally, with the farewell of the citizens, John left Mont-de-Marsan. After a while, the outline of the entire city slowly disappeared from his sight.
One month later, at dawn, the soft sunlight sprinkled over the vast land and illuminated the north gate of Mont-de-Marsan. On this day, a neat convoy of vehicles was slowly driving into the city gate. The sound of the wheels echoed in the quiet air, attracting many citizens to stop and watch. People looked at these people from other places curiously, whispering and discussing.
Sitting in the gorgeously decorated carriage, Charles admired the city through the window. His mood gradually calmed down, and a familiar feeling appeared on his face. Unlike the cold military buildings in the Forest Governor's territory, the city of Mont-de-Marsan gave him a friendly and warm atmosphere.
The carriage slowly stopped in front of the embassy. Charles got off the carriage steadily, took a deep breath, and felt the unique atmosphere of this city. At this moment, a polite and handsome man came forward and introduced himself with a smile:
"Hello, sir. I am Jacques, the mayor of Mont-de-Marsan."
Ciel tried hard to adjust his tone and attitude and responded:
"Hello, Mayor Jacques, nice to meet you."
"Before entering the embassy, may I ask if you still remember the agreement with Lord John?"
There was a gleam of anticipation in Jacques' eyes, as if he was full of eager hope for Charles' visit.
"Yes, of course I remember."
Charles immediately nodded and replied that he agreed to John's proposal for no other reason than that John offered too much and he had no choice but to agree.
Jacques smiled in relief when he heard his response, as if a heavy weight had finally been lifted off his shoulders. He bowed slightly and warmly invited Charles:
"Well, please come in with me so we can discuss the details."
Thousands of miles away, the capital of the Yoda Empire, the Imperial City, was shrouded in a gloomy sky. The low clouds seemed to be crushing the entire city. The gloomy atmosphere made the entire palace seem even more mysterious and heavy. The walls inside the palace were thick and towering, exuding a cold and ancient atmosphere. The light was weak, and only the faint light of the candles flickered, illuminating the beautifully carved but shadowed pillars and the magnificent decorations.
On the throne in the center sat a burly middle-aged man with disheveled hair and a gloomy face, as if he had never been touched by light. This man was the Emperor Ludwig of the Yoda Empire. His eyes were like an abyss, making people feel suffocated and uneasy. At this moment, he was listening attentively to a minister's report, with no expression on his face, but a slight frown, showing his inner dissatisfaction and anxiety.
As the minister continued to explain the situation of John and his army, Ludwig's expression became more serious.
"According to reliable intelligence, Midland's newly promoted general John has defeated the main force of Yoda's army many times in the past few years. In addition to having a large and well-equipped army, his territory is also full of fortresses. Unless a large number of artillery are used, the Knights alone will not be able to break into the hinterland."
The minister's voice echoed in the gloomy palace, like thorns piercing Ludwig's heart.
"John..." Ludwig finally raised his head. His gloomy eyes were like the sky before a storm, revealing infinite oppression and anger.
"He is the biggest obstacle to our attack on the Kingdom of Mitlan. Order all the generals to hold a meeting here immediately. By the way, tell those Kushans to send the 'deposit' over."