dognovel Chapter 606 Fireside Chat
Chapter 606 Fireside Chat
When Count Hohenzollern saw King Midland coming, he moved slightly. King Midland raised his hand and pressed it lightly, then walked closer and looked at him.
"Count Hohenzollern, you don't look sick at all."
The king's voice was deep, with the familiarity that only came from years of interaction between monarch and subject.
"Cough cough cough-"
After hearing this, Count Hohenzollern coughed a few more times, and his skinny chest rose and fell violently like a dead leaf swaying in the autumn wind.
He raised his hand and covered his mouth with a handkerchief. After his coughing subsided, a helpless smile appeared in his cloudy eyes:
"Your Majesty, I'm almost sixty, and I can't see these old age diseases anymore... People will have all kinds of symptoms when they get old."
He sighed as he spoke, the wrinkles around his eyes deepening.
"Time flies so fast. Both of my sons are already in their thirties."
King Midlan's mouth curled up slightly when he heard this. This old fox was pretending to be sick in front of him.
He sat down on the velvet sofa opposite the Count with ease.
"Count Hohenzollern."
The king suddenly spoke, his tone as relaxed as if he was chatting about family matters.
"Are you satisfied with the job I assigned to you?"
Count Hohenzollern's pupils contracted slightly, then he regained his composure.
He leaned back on the raised pillows, his voice filled with just the right amount of gratitude:
"Of course, thank you, Your Majesty, for not only giving me, an old country man, a court earl with a generous annual salary, but also giving me a sinecure to manage the Helderlanders living in Wendam."
"No thanks."
The king waved his hand.
"After all, your son—or rather, His Majesty John—has made contributions to both me and the Kingdom of Midland. If you, as a father, don't treat him well, I'm afraid I won't leave a good impression on your son."
Sparks from the stove hit the edge of the stove, making a slight popping sound.
The Earl's gaze fell on the dancing flames. He was silent for a moment, until the king took a sip of his teacup, then he slowly spoke:
"Let's get down to business. As my only subject who knows Heldran and John well, do you think Heldran will join forces with the Yoda Empire to attack the Kingdom of Midland?"
The air suddenly froze, and the heat from the fireplace enveloped the question in my face.
"Hmm... Your Majesty, that's a very sharp question."
Count Hohenzollern finally raised his head, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes showed deep thought.
"Then it depends on whether the Kingdom of Mitlan can defeat the Yoda Empire on the front battlefield."
"how to say?"
The king put down the teacup, and the bottom of the cup hit the porcelain plate, making a crisp sound.
The Earl's eyes fell on the King's face:
"You're probably worried because you heard that my grandson Carl would be nominated as emperor by the Yoda Noble Council and would marry into the Yoda royal family. You believe that if this marriage were to take place, Helderland and the Yoda Empire would form a military alliance, which would exacerbate the situation on the Midland battlefield."
He paused, his skinny fingers tapping the quilt lightly, the rhythm slow and clear:
"But I think the chances of success are very low. For one thing, Yoda is currently arguing endlessly over the selection of an emperor. The final choice hasn't been decided yet, let alone a marriage. Those old nobles are arguing so much for their own interests that they're almost pulling out the carpet in the parliament hall."
"On the other hand, Helderland and the Yoda Empire have just finished a war, and many Helderans have grudges against the Yoda Empire. If the two countries were to sign a military alliance, I'm afraid the Helderan people would not agree. This would be a huge threat to my son's rule in Helderland. You should know my son well. He won't give up the interests he already controls for illusory benefits."
The king listened quietly, his eyes fixed on the earl's bloodshot eyes. The light flickering in them was like sunlight refracted through ice in winter, cold and deep.
"of course."
Count Hohenzollern continued, his voice a little deeper.
"After all, I'm talking about things in the future. No one can give an accurate answer to what will happen in the future. To prevent trouble before it happens, it's best for you to win the war against the Yoda Empire while the situation is still uncertain. That way, when your personal reputation reaches its peak, you can implement centralized reforms like Helderland and control most of the resources yourself. When the time comes, facing the vast and powerful Kingdom of Midland, my son will not choose to be your enemy."
The flames in the fireplace illuminated half of the king's face. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle, as if he was examining a potential opponent, or weighing the chips of a big gamble.
After listening to Count Hohenzollern's explanation, King Midland remained silent.
The only sounds in the room were the crackling of burning wood and the faint footsteps of guards changing shifts in the distance.
After a long time, he slowly spoke, his voice low and firm:
"How long do you think it will take me to resolve these issues in order to avoid the above situation?"
"Three years at most."
Count Hohenzollern replied with an unmistakable heaviness in his voice.
"The situation is changing rapidly. Even the battlefront is changing year by year, not to mention other aspects. You'd better make some plans quickly."
King Mitlan's eyes suddenly froze, as if these words had hit him sorely.
He stood up, his black cloak rustling across the carpet. He walked to the window. Outside, the outline of Wyndham City appeared exceptionally clear in the early spring sunshine. Pedestrians hurried along the streets, but no one knew that this prosperous capital was quietly shrouded in the dark clouds of war.
"Three years..."
The king murmured softly, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the carvings on the window frame.
"His Majesty."
Count Hohenzollern's voice came from behind, interrupting the king's thoughts.
"Although my son has clashed with you before, he is a wise man. He knows that Helderland's prosperity depends on a stable environment. As long as the Kingdom of Midland is strong enough, he will not take risks easily."
The flames in the fireplace danced again, illuminating the faces of the two people, alternating between light and dark.
The king walked to the earl's bedside, looked down at him, and said in a low and firm voice:
"Okay, I've got it. Within three years, I will make the Yoda Empire surrender."
"Your Majesty is wise."
Count Hohenzollern bowed slightly, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on his gaunt face.
"Although I am ill in bed, I will pray for Your Majesty. By the way..."
He seemed to suddenly remember something and added.
"I remember that Princess Charlotte is still unmarried. I suggest that if you wish to establish her as queen, you should quickly find a group of reliable ministers to serve as her team. You should also look for a young noble with outstanding abilities and a rich background to serve as her spouse."
The king's eyes paused for a moment, then he regained his composure.
"Well, I'll consider it."
Night had fallen when we left the Count Hohenzollern's residence.
King Midlan stood beside the carriage, looking at the brightly lit palace in the distance, with a thousand thoughts in his mind.
Three years, this is a race against time, and also a gamble on the survival of the Kingdom of Midland.
"Your Majesty, are you going back to the bedroom?"
The driver asked respectfully.
"Do not."
The king said in a deep voice.
"Go to the Minister of War's residence. I want to personally inquire about the situation of the front-line armaments."