Chapter 373 - 261: Levying a Harsh Tax

Chapter 373: Chapter 261: Levying a Harsh Tax

While Henry was focused on training new recruits, Claude and Tommy were busy stabilizing the situation and absorbing Odoche’s resources and assets, and Boman and Fass had left with an army to lobby the nobles of the plains, an event transpired in the snowy plains of the Northern Lands.

Countess Ratifa herself had mustered an army, which was not an unusual occurrence in the snowy plains of the Northern Lands.

The Northern Lands were perpetually battered by wind and snow, and minor conflicts frequently broke out between nobles, villages, and tribes. As the Countess of the Northern Lands, Ratifa often had to muster her army to respond to various emergencies.

However, this mobilization was anything but ordinary.

The moment the Crown Prince received the news, his heart sank.

He knew that the relationship between Ratifa and Henry was complicated. While they couldn’t be considered allies, they weren’t enemies either.

Henry’s conflict with the royal family had now reached a breaking point. For Ratifa to muster her army at this critical juncture... ’Does she intend to get involved in this conflict?’

The Crown Prince’s expression turned grim. He sat in his study, his fingers drumming lightly on the tabletop.

Ratifa’s power was immense. Although the noble domains in the snowy plains of the Northern Lands were scattered and sparsely populated, they would become a force to be reckoned with if Ratifa united them.

If Ratifa truly sided with Henry, the Emperor’s already precarious position would become even more disadvantageous.

’Ratifa’s prestige in the Northern Lands, built on trade, is considerable...’

"Your Highness, what troubles you?" a voice asked, interrupting his thoughts.

The Crown Prince looked up to see his Minister of State Affairs standing in the doorway.

"Ratifa has mustered her army. Did you know?" the Crown Prince asked in a low voice.

The minister nodded. "I have heard, yes. But from what I understand, she is mustering her army to deal with disputes among the nobles of the Northern Lands."

"After all, the situation in the Northern Lands has always been unstable, with constant minor conflicts among the nobility. It is now the height of summer—a rare time in the North suitable for hunting, clearing land, and construction. Conflicts are bound to arise."

The Crown Prince shook his head. "No, this time is different. I’m worried she’ll involve herself in the conflict between my father and Henry. Henry is already a massive headache for my father. If Ratifa sides with him as well, the empire’s future..."

The minister fell silent for a moment before speaking slowly. "Your Highness, I will use certain channels to ascertain Ratifa’s true intentions."

"You need not worry excessively. After all, even with her complicated relationship with Henry, she won’t necessarily side with him. The Northern Lands and the plains are not one and the same."

The Crown Prince nodded. "If she is truly determined to get involved, perhaps we can make some preparations in advance. We might even be able to persuade her to remain neutral."

Though the Crown Prince disliked Henry, he did not wish for a civil war to engulf the empire. He was, after all, the imperial heir. If the realm was shattered into a complete mess, he would be the one left to suffer.

"Your Highness is wise. I will dispatch someone to the Northern Lands immediately, ostensibly to investigate the disputes, but in truth to secretly monitor Ratifa’s movements."

The Crown Prince nodded. "Very well. Go and make the arrangements. Also, send someone to see Duke Calvin. Tell him he must find a way to resolve the conflict between the Emperor and Henry as quickly as possible."

The minister bowed slightly and turned to leave the study.

However, just as the minister was leaving, one of the Prince’s Knights came running up and presented a letter.

The Crown Prince opened it and glanced at the contents. He closed his eyes, sighed, and waved the Knight away.

For a long while, the Crown Prince stared up at the azure sky, lost in thought. It felt as if the weight of the entire empire rested upon his shoulders.

In that moment, it was not merely a son’s concern for his father, but an heir’s anxiety over the empire—the inheritance that would soon fall into his hands.

He was already anxious about the situation in the Northern Lands. Now, news from the southern desert struck him like a heavy hammer blow to the heart.

The desert... There was trouble again!

When it rains, it pours.

Henry could rebel at any moment in the eastern plains. In the Northern Lands, Ratifa had mustered an army for unknown reasons. And now, at this critical juncture, the Lizardmen from the southern desert were staging a comeback.

The state of the empire was like a tattered sail in a raging storm, threatening to rip apart at any moment.

"Your Highness, the news from the south has been confirmed," a Knight reported, rushing into the tent.

"Bedouin tribal Scouts have discovered the Lizardmen army once more. It’s a massive force, and they are advancing on the imperial border."

The Crown Prince’s face turned ashen. He shot to his feet and slammed his fist onto the desk with a loud BANG.

"Those damned Lizardmen! Are they really trying to push the empire to the brink?"

The Knight lowered his head, not daring to meet the Crown Prince’s gaze. "According to the public reports from Legion Commanders and Civil Servants across the desert, the Lizardmen army is stronger than ever before."

"They are greater in number, and their equipment is superior. Furthermore, it appears they have a new commander; their movements are far more methodical."

The Crown Prince’s mind was reeling, but he knew anger wouldn’t solve anything. What he needed now was to be calm.

"Immediately summon all senior officers and the nobles present in the border camp. I want to see them before this cup of tea grows cold."

The Knight immediately turned and left to carry out the Crown Prince’s command. Left alone, the Crown Prince stepped out of his tent and gazed toward the distant horizon, his heart filled with anxiety.

The empire’s southern desert was already a barren wasteland, scarce in resources and harsh in environment.