OBS Chapter 237 Choice
Chapter 237 Choice
It was still the same meeting hall in the palace, but because of the cloudy weather, there were twice as many candles in the room as when John first arrived here.
The king was still sitting upright on the throne above. John knelt on one knee according to etiquette and observed the king's expression. However, what surprised John was that the king was looking dully in front of the throne at this moment, without sadness or joy, as if the funeral just now was held for someone else. At the same time, he did not even look at John below, as if he was thinking about something.
The two men remained in a stalemate for a few minutes before the servant next to them cautiously trotted over to the king and whispered something into his ear. The king then turned his attention to John below.
"Get up."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." After John stood up to thank him, the king changed his previous indifference and said to John in a relatively gentle tone:
"Thank you for taking the time to attend my beloved concubine's funeral despite your busy schedule."
After hearing this, John could only comfort him:
"Please accept my condolences, Your Majesty. The country still needs you as an enlightened monarch. Please cheer up and continue to govern the country."
After hearing this, the king did not discuss the funeral anymore, but turned the topic to another aspect:
"I heard that your people have been causing quite a stir in Saint-Remy recently. They sent so many people and burned down the entire city."
John knew the king was talking about the Black Watch's siege of Saint-Remy, so he replied:
"This is because after investigation by my men, I found that Saint Remy might be the source of the plague. So for the safety of the people in my territory and the entire Midland nation, I had no choice but to burn Saint Remy."
The king laughed a few times and then said:
"I don't mean to blame you for anything. On the contrary, you did a great job in this matter. You took down the city with the greatest influence of the French King's Office in our country in one fell swoop. This fire directly dug out all the roots they had planted in Midland for many years and burned them to ashes. Even if they have various treaties regarding this place, it will probably take several years for them to recover to their previous level."
Seeing that the king was not angry about what he had done, John was relieved and followed the king's words and said:
"I didn't think of it like this at the time, but if it is good for His Majesty the King, it would be a great honor for me."
"The greatest honor?" The king suddenly asked John after savoring these words:
"If it's a career change, are you willing to do that?"
When John heard this, his brain suddenly froze. Why? He wanted to cut down the vassal state right away.
John knew what the king meant by the job change. It was his position as the forest governor. For him, this job change was almost equivalent to deducting an earldom from him. However, in order to confirm his guess, John still asked:
"Your Majesty, what do you mean by a change of position?"
"Oh, that's it," the king continued:
"The border territory you govern is not like those nobles who have been pampered in the rear for a long time. You have to deal with a lot of things. I am afraid that you will find it difficult to continue with the position of forest governor. It is better to appoint another official to take over your position. This way, you can devote more energy to managing your own territory."
"Of course, considering your contributions over the past few years, I will also take out some money from the national treasury to subsidize you. Do you think this is a good idea?"
After the king finished speaking, he looked at John, who was in a state of uncertainty, waiting for the decision of the forest governor. At this time, John's attitude towards the king changed from a feudal lord to an old man.
From a national perspective, John understood the king very well. Thanks to John's years of conquests, Forest Territory was now bordered by the sea to the north, Bardun to the east, Franche-Comté to the south, and Midland to the west. There was no force around that could threaten Forest Territory. As long as the officials were loyal to the king, there would not be too much trouble. Secondly, the king also wanted to take advantage of the plague to strengthen centralization, so he would not tolerate the emergence of a powerful noble on his border.
But from John's point of view, although the king came with great force this time, John could also hear from his words that the king was not strong at this time. After all, if the king was determined to take back the territory, he could just ambush soldiers around and tie up John before sending troops to occupy it. But now it seems that the king did not choose this path, but was bargaining with him, which gave John a lot of room for maneuver.
However, he only has one chance. If John cannot convince the king this time, the forest territory that he has worked hard to manage for many years will be taken back by the king by force. At that time, John's territory will be attacked from both sides by Midland and Yoda.
"Your Majesty." John paused and said to the king:
"I have no objection to your eagerness to improve your strength, but I think you are acting a little too hastily now."
"Indeed, as a minister, it is an honor to complete the tasks you have assigned and receive your praise. But have you ever thought that there are some things that I have been honored for but are of no benefit to the country or you?"
"Take the Forest Territory for example. Back then, I led hundreds of soldiers to fight in the Forest Territory for several months before I finally pacified the Yoda forces in the territory. Later, I attracted a large number of civilians who were displaced by the war to settle down here by offering low taxes."
"It can be said that during that period, every policy was issued by me, and every report was read by me personally. The local people were grateful and enthusiastic towards me. Whether it was recruiting soldiers, construction or other policies, they supported me unconditionally, so I was able to lead my army to conquer all battles and win all the way until we conquered this territory today."
"But if you take back this territory, you will have to face two choices: make it a direct territory of the crown or send another governor."
"The Forest Territory is located on the border and is also the front line of the war with Yoda. It is too far away from Wendam. It is impossible to have local officials come to Wendam to report directly to you. Therefore, it is not realistic to make the Forest Territory your direct territory. In this case, you will most likely appoint a governor."
At this point, John asked the king:
"Excuse me, do you think the officials under your command are as honest and incorruptible and as compassionate to the people as you think?"
"Or to put it this way, in my territory, no matter if it is farmers or small traders, I only collect 10% of their income as taxes. Can the officials you send do this? It is true that I have received honors, but what about the civilians? Honor cannot make them well-fed and well-clothed, and cannot let them live and work in peace, because this is a chaotic world."
Hearing this, the king looked calm but was very hesitant in his heart. On the one hand, the king knew what his officials had done before, but because their corruption did not have any great impact on the operation of the country and the king still needed their support, he turned a blind eye to them.
But the king was not at ease if he asked them to manage an entire territory, because the military value of the Forest Territory was too important, and even the slightest mistake would lead to a big mistake.
At the same time, he was also surprised by the low taxation in John's territory. In his opinion, even if John, who had such a large army, did not impose heavy taxes in the territory, the civilians in the territory would definitely not live as well as those in the interior. However, a 10% tax rate was something that not only the nobles in the interior, but even some territories directly under the royal family could not afford.
After a few minutes of silence, the king raised his hand and said:
"Then let's not talk about this matter, Earl John. If there is nothing else, you can go out. I will seriously consider your words."
Seeing this, John hurriedly retreated, fearing that the king would suddenly make up his mind.
As the door slowly closed, the king sat in his chair and carefully recalled John's words. After thinking about it, the king didn't know what to do. At this moment, the king asked inexplicably:
"My dear, what do you think?"
After saying this, the king was stunned. Although he knew that the princess had passed away, at this moment he hoped very much that a gentle and familiar voice would respond to him, even if it was only one word.
But what was waiting for him was silence. The king raised his head and looked at the cold walls around him. Only then did he realize that the person he loved most who had once accompanied him had left him forever.
In an instant, tears flowed from the king's eyes. This king, who was always decisive and resolute outside, finally showed his most vulnerable side in the meeting hall where no one cared.