Chapter 215: Knight’s Southward March
This time, no merchants came with the fleet—only Bevan’s servants and the Senate’s attendants.
The goods transported were not many either, just a batch of each type of merchandise.
Of course, Bevan only led Morn for a brief stroll, and Morn voluntarily spent money to buy a batch of furniture.
This was truly a voluntary purchase.
Earlier, Bevan had been sitting on a refined chair while he himself sat on a rough bench. That stark contrast made him instantly realize that exquisite decorations embodied the distinction separating nobles from others.
And through this round of trading, even though Bevan offered him a twenty percent discount, two hundred York gold coins were still spent in full, and Morn even prepaid an additional three thousand gold coins.
Of course, Morn did this with a hidden intention. When he owed them nothing, he always worried about being killed at any moment. But once he owed this group a debt of gold, then naturally, to prevent those debts from vanishing, his safety would receive some measure of guarantee.
Bevan certainly understood Morn’s thoughts. But they themselves were never aiming to kill nobles or seize territory. Instead, they intended to use Morn’s reputation and identity to swiftly spread York Territory’s trade into this region.
Thus, the two, who were gradually aligning in thought, conversed ever more amicably—even to the point of raising proposals of marital alliance, turning their tenuous blood ties into genuine kinship.
It was near dusk when Knight Wolf finally returned, his armor drenched in blood.
Mounted on his warhorse, Wolf glanced at Morn, who had come along with Bevan to greet him. That glance alone made Morn’s legs tremble and nearly soil his trousers.
Ignoring Morn, Wolf asked Bevan directly, “Have the matters been settled?”
Bevan nodded and said, “They have been settled. Sir Morn has agreed to sell us this region for a thousand gold coins.”
Wolf nodded, then turned his gaze upon Morn. “I give you one gold coin, to buy a plot of land for building a military fortress. Do you have any objection?”
Morn’s teeth were chattering as he looked toward Bevan. But Bevan was staring into the distance at clouds tinged with dusk’s glow, as though admiring the beautiful scenery.
Morn could only answer in a trembling voice, “Of course, no objection. You may build a military fortress whenever you wish.”
He didn’t even dare ask where, how large, or how many troops it would house.
Wolf then tossed a single gold coin to Morn.
Morn’s trembling hand caught it. It was a familiar coin—from the vault of his own fortress—still stained with blood.
Wolf had not killed Morn until he had only a single son left, but had indiscriminately slaughtered half the people within Morn’s fortress.
They had stormed through the town gates, rampaging through the streets toward the fortress, trampling more than thirty people beneath their warhorses along the way.
When they reached the fortress, Wolf leapt atop the walls, cut down a group of unprepared guards, and opened the fortress gates.
Leading his warriors, he slew half the people, smashed open the treasury, and let each warrior grab two handfuls of coins before leaving the fortress—and the town—under the fearful stares of all.
Morn’s stockpile of gold had never been great. After Wolf and the knights each grabbed a handful, when Morn gathered the scattered coins, only a little more than a thousand remained.
Morn was nearly numb.
His knight-warriors had all been slain. Half of his family was dead. His fortress gates had been kicked open. He had been forced to “voluntarily” sell a plot of land, enough to build a fortress of unknown size. And even if those thousand remaining coins were counted, he still owed York Territory’s Senate a great debt of gold.
Morn did not believe this debt could ever be shirked.
Just look at the butcher’s deeds—merely because of one ordinary sentence of negotiation spoken as a noble, half the people in his fortress had been massacred.
Thus, after numbness, Morn chose to let others bear his pain.
He conscripted a new batch of warriors, then conferred knighthood upon three brave men. After simple training and coordination, he led these knights and warriors to knock on the doors of his own officials and gentry.
Half a month later, Morn finally repaid his debt. During this period, the massacre at Morn’s fortress carried out by Wolf gradually spread. At the very least, Wolf’s slaughter combined with Morn’s actions made every gentry and official within his territory understand that those from York Territory were not to be provoked.
Bevan, watching coldly, knew then—it was time for the merchants to be invited.
……
Wolf stayed in the newly built Light Port for half a month before returning to York Territory.
Light Port was built upon the land purchased from Baron Morn.
After cleansing himself at the Hospital and changing into comfortable linen clothes, Wolf went to the Clock Tower.
Corleon was already waiting for him on the first floor.
The first floor of the Clock Tower resembled a Great Church, with rows of pews.
Five rows on each side, though much smaller than those in a Great Church—each pew seated only five.
At the front stood a small wooden platform. On one corner of the platform was a silver cross, and at its center lay a closed Holy Scriptures.
Behind the platform, against the wall, was a Lord’s Throne, above which was a cross inlaid into the wall.
Corleon sat on the front pew of the left row, beside the central aisle, facing the platform ahead.
For a moment, Wolf felt as though he had returned to earlier times, conversing with Corleon in a Great Church.
But he quickly gathered himself and said, “I have learned the latest news of the Lord. The Lord has broken through Greenwood City and is now marching southward.”
Corleon asked, “You intend to follow the Lord?”
Wolf nodded. “York Territory has now stabilized. The wall raised by Viscount Youn not only barred us but also them. The former Marquis Territory has already been annexed, and the north poses no threat to York Territory. Thus, I wish to follow the Lord into battle.”
Corleon nodded. “How many do you plan to take south?”
Wolf replied, “Viscount Youn’s defense line must still be broken through. Bringing too many would slow my pace. So, this time, only I and two knights loyal to the Lord will go south.”
Corleon said, “But that is a national war. With only the three of you, what could you possibly achieve?”
Wolf said, “The Senate are not ones to settle for peace. And the newly opened port still requires guarding.”
Corleon asked, “But if the three of you leave, what of the warriors in the territory?”
Wolf answered, “I hope you can take command of them.”
Corleon shook his head. “The Church’s armed forces and territorial warriors are different. They are excellent warriors, and excellent warriors must obey orders. Whatever means may be used—as long as victory is won. But such methods often contradict the Church’s doctrine.”
Wolf said, “Then place these warriors under the Senate’s command.”
His tone was resolute. “No matter what chaos arises, as long as the Lord does not fall, as long as the Lord ultimately returns to York Territory, then no matter their hidden schemes, they must bury them deep.”
Corleon sighed. “Since that is so, then go and do as you will.”
Wolf bowed deeply. “Then I entrust York Territory to you.”
Corleon gave no reply, only sighed once more.
Wolf turned and left, ordering his squire to deliver messages to the two knights. Four days later, the three boarded a ship bound for Light Port.
……
Two days after Wolf and the two knights departed Light Port heading south, in the York Town Senate—
Four men stared at one another, unsure what to say.
At last, Puniel could no longer hold back and spoke: “Wolf has finally gone mad. And those two knights too—just the three of them, wanting to march south to join the Lord.”
“Do you not realize, Viscount Youn had once been an enemy of York Territory? Even now, we know not his stance toward us. Though, of course, his stance matters little. The real issue is that along that path still lie several Earls.”
“Lord Pegira only broke through Greenwood City and accepted the fealty of certain nobles outside the Patlin Family’s bloodline. But the younger heirs within those Earl families did not die. They inherited the Earl titles. Judging from Lord Pegira’s actions, those Earls will not believe they can coexist peacefully with him.”
“The Lord did not even wish to occupy Greenwood City. He collected no taxes from nobles who swore fealty. Instead, he simply swept them along, driving straight toward the final border Marquis’s territory.”
“Driving nobles along—who knows if those nobles’ lands will erupt in madness? Who knows if those heirs will stir up trouble? Even if Wolf wields a Holy Relic, surely those Earls possess their own.”
Bevan’s face bore fatigue. After confirming Wolf had truly left, he had rushed back. He said, “Moreover, Rat Path has already withdrawn from the Principality of Patlin. Compared with the news provided by Sir Morn, the timing of its withdrawal coincided exactly with the Lord’s slaughter of Greenwood City.”
“I once heard rumors that Rat Path had signed pacts with the rulers of nations. If that rumor is true, then after the Principality of Patlin’s actual destruction, and with no new Grand Duke in place, naturally Rat Path could no longer exist within its lands.”
Though just rumor, the present circumstances lent it much weight.
Bevan paused, then continued: “So now the south is utterly chaotic. Without Rat Path, Wolf and the others cannot even confirm the Lord’s whereabouts. Nor can they know the proper route. Without its guidance, if those southern lords harbor hostility—or even neutrality—toward the Lord, that alone is enough to make Wolf lose his way.”
Jeffrey sipped red tea. “Such recklessness. If we waited until we had cleared the southern region through York gold and the trade routes, then led our warriors south to aid the Lord, would that not be far more convenient?”
Piero glanced around at the three men, each of whose words carried implications. “York Territory can anchor the price of gold, can establish order under law, and can maintain such stability only because the Church exists. Yet in the south, the Church’s influence has not yet been accepted by the nobles.”
“Bevan, think of what you did in Light Port. Hiring commoners to build your manor—did you pay them sufficiently? Or merely give them a meal? And taxes—your port tariffs, your goods duties, and so on—combined they near eighty percent.”
“Puniel, when the Northern War ended, did you not seize a batch of werewolves, pen them up, flay their hides, strip their bones? Have you still not exhausted them yet?”
“Jeffrey, with the gold gathered from exchanges in the north and at Light Port, your family’s cellar must already be overflowing.”