flstandardbreds Chapter 343 Praise the Governor
Chapter 343 Praise the Governor
As soon as Lord Hawes entered the room, the anger on his face almost ignited the air around him. His voice was sonorous and powerful, and he scolded John mercilessly:
"Governor John, what on earth are you doing? Without even saying hello, you declared to the Lana people that you would return the Lana territory occupied by our Midland army. What kind of behavior is this? Even if you want to return it, you have to wait until the peace talks are over!"
John looked at Earl Hawes's ruddy cheeks, knowing that his anger was not unfounded, and replied calmly:
"Count Hoss, I understand your anger, but please listen to me. If it weren't for the assistance of local forces, the tens of thousands of people in Midland would not be able to control half of Lana's territory. Right now, there are too many unstable factors within the Lana Kingdom. Moreover, the news of the peace talks has just been heard from Leon City. Civilian resistance organizations are constantly harassing our patrols. The situation is not optimistic, and we are suffering losses every moment."
Earl Hawes frowned slightly, as if he was still considering John's words. John continued:
"Moreover, the commander of the Lana army is dead, and the entire Lana Kingdom can no longer organize an army that can effectively invade Midland. We have completed the task assigned to us by the king. Under such circumstances, if we take the initiative to return the land, we will not only win the praise of the Lana people, but also establish Midland's image as a great power in the international community."
Earl Hawes's expression gradually eased, but still looked heavy:
"Do you hope that other countries will see the gentle attitude of Mitlan and thus improve their impression of Mitlan and support our war with the Yoda people?"
"Yes."
John said firmly, "Rather than letting them see our ever-expanding and aggressive image, it is better to let them believe that Midland is a country with a legitimate reason and not greedy for territory. Believe me, these small countries are more willing to support a country that is gentle to them than a country like Yoda that invades everywhere."
There was a moment of silence in the air, and the tension between the two seemed to gradually dissipate in John's words. Earl Hawes sighed slightly, and finally sat down, thinking over and over again about John's point of view.
"Okay, John, I will consider your opinion, but you must be careful and not allow any misjudgment before the peace talks."
Earl Hawes' tone softened a little. Although he was still alert, he was obviously convinced by John's logic. At this moment, he suddenly felt that his political experience in fighting against the ministers in the court was of no use at all in diplomacy between countries.
At this moment, a nervous soldier came running over and reported earnestly: "Count Hoss, King Lana has got on the carriage!"
Upon seeing this, Earl Hawes and John said no more, and quickly walked out of the house and headed towards their respective carriages.
The convoy started slowly and drove along the dry winter plain. At this time, the ground was covered with a thin layer of frost. Through the window, King Lana saw a few wisps of smoke from the village in the distance. He gradually breathed a sigh of relief, and a trace of relief flashed in his eyes. It seemed that the Tran army did not attack his subjects. The peace of the civilians made him feel a little at ease, and his mind was also prepared for the upcoming negotiations.
After several days of bumpy ride, the convoy finally entered the border of Midland, and was greeted by a small town on the border. As the convoy slowly drove into the city gate, a warm welcome came over them. Both sides of the road were filled with Midland people waiting for the triumphant return of the army, with happy smiles and cheers interweaving into one, like a grand celebration.
John looked out the window, and a complex emotion surged in his heart. He looked at the civilians in the crowd, his face full of expectations and hopes for the future, but deep in his heart he always knew that this negotiation was not just a showdown between King Lana and King Mitlan, but also a contest of interests between him and King Mitlan. He had to seek the best result for himself and his country. Therefore, he gently lifted the curtain of the carriage, retracted his gaze, and made up his mind.
At the same time, on the street not far away, Griffith squeezed out of the crowd, his white hair particularly conspicuous in the sun. He watched the carriage go away, his heart full of loss and regret:
"You're late."
Griffith had always heard the officer in charge of him talk about the great achievements of Sir John. Now, because John was passing by the small town where he lived, the officer gave them all a holiday. Griffith wanted to go and see what kind of person Sir John was, but he didn't expect that he was still a step too late.
The convoy gradually drove away, the cheers gradually faded, and the people on the street also dispersed, leaving Griffith standing on the street like a lonely shadow. He clenched his fists and thought to himself:
"If I were to become someone like Governor John, then maybe I could get a castle bigger than the one on that hill."
As he was thinking about this, suddenly a huge force hit his back. He was not paying attention and lost his balance and fell straight to the ground.
"Get out of the way, kid!"
Gambino roared, pushing Griffith away. He had just taken on the patrol and security commission of the city's nobles with his mercenary group. He thought it was just a simple job, but he almost tripped over a child right after taking office. If he told others about this, he would definitely become a laughing stock among other mercenary groups.
Griffith was pushed to the ground and fell on his face. Covered in mud, he raised his head and looked at the rough mercenary.
"I'm sorry, I didn't see you."
Griffith was pushed to the ground by Gambino, and he was furious. However, he also clearly understood that he was no match for these mercenaries who were willing to fight to the death. Unless they were nobles or had a stronger mercenary group, these mercenaries would not pay any attention to him. Griffith looked up and saw that he was covered in mud, and he couldn't help but feel ashamed.
Just as Gambino was about to take the opportunity to mock, a hand suddenly rested on his shoulder, and Gambino's heart suddenly tightened. He turned around and saw an officer in a black watch uniform. His eyes were deep and meaningful, and he asked in a deep voice:
"Why did you push my men?"
Gambino panicked instantly. He knew that Blackwatch was an untouchable existence for a mercenary group like them that had no background.
"I'm sorry, I...I didn't know it was your men. I'll leave right away."
After Gambino finished speaking, he hurriedly left this suffocating place.
The officer looked coldly at Gambino's back, then turned to Griffith and said:
"Most of these mercenaries will end up dead or disabled, and so will their descendants."
He pointed to a black-haired boy next to Gambino and added in a cautious tone.
"For example, the kid next to him might be hit by a cannonball or a stray arrow in the next war."
Griffith then noticed that there was a child with short black hair standing next to Gambino. Just when he didn't know what to say, the officer patted him on the shoulder and said:
"And you, if it weren't for Lord John's help, you might have been sold to some perverted noble as a plaything by human traffickers, who would throw you away when they got tired of you."
Griffith was shocked, and his mind pictured the children who were forced to live on the streets because of poverty and despair.
"However, seeing that you are smart, I have applied for a place for you in the Black Watch's officer crash course."
The officer's tone softened. He continued:
"As long as you study hard, you can become a sergeant of the Black Watch when you are 16 years old. After serving another two years in the military, you will become a subject of Lord John. At that time, not only will you have the opportunity to be promoted to centurion, but you will also be able to get your own house in Lord John's territory after retirement."