I'm not a lord

Chapter 226 First Alliance with Foreign Countries

Lynn did not rush to negotiate with the Earl of Mirror Iron's envoy, but instead gave the following instructions:
"Have the delegation from Jingtie Territory wait at the palace on the western outskirts of Sanhe City. We'll talk after I've finished inspecting Baihe Territory."

It's highly likely that Earl Mirror Iron has already taken action against the Duke of the Valley. Sending envoys is simply an attempt to appease Lynn and ensure the safety of the northern part of the territory.

Lynn was the one initiating the conversation, so he naturally had the right to give these anxious messengers a hard time.

The following day, he led his personal guard north to inspect the salt mines.

The salt mines in Baihe County are now operated by more than 4,000 people from the Gaoya tribe, with a small number of experienced miners from the lowland tribes directing production.

As miners have become more skilled and the mining area has expanded, the average monthly production capacity of the salt mine has increased to about 300 tons.

It seems like a lot, but it can only meet the salt needs of less than two million people, far from enough to cover the millions of people in the Northern Kingdom.

However, with Amber Harbor and Crown Territory repeatedly ravaged by war, the amount of salt imported from the South to the North has declined significantly.

Salt prices in the inland areas of northern China have also risen accordingly.

When they first started mining the salt, old Albert and others were worried about the Saltworks family and the Duke of the Marshland's retaliation.

Lynn also believes that the large-scale listing of smuggled salt will inevitably attract the attention of powerful forces.

Currently, both major powers are focused on the Crown Territory and the capital city of Amber Harbor, and have no time to attend to the changes in the White River Basin.

Moreover, Lynn himself is now one of the major powers in the North.

With thousands of elite soldiers under his command and the title of royal executive officer, even dukes had to curry favor with him.

Smuggled salt?

What a joke! This is legitimate government-issued salt!

Besides meeting the needs of the six counties of Baihe, Lynn entrusted all the remaining salt to merchants in Sanhe City for sale, and it was all sold under Lynn's name.

Wholesale prices have only increased slightly; how high they can be sold depends entirely on the merchants' skills.

“My Lord, my people have become skilled at refining coarse salt, and production should increase even further next month.”

In the refining area east of the salt mine, the chieftain of the High Cliff tribe was accompanying Lynn to inspect the production situation.

The chieftain is also named Hafdan, which in the Wildling language means power and inheritance, and is a prestigious name that can only be used by the ruler of the tribe.

His son, Hafdan Jr., is currently in charge of iron ore production in Chixi County. The father and son have made great contributions.

After inspecting the refining area filled with sheds, Lynn praised, "Hafdan, you've done a great job. I also went to see your son; he's equally dedicated. Tell me, what reward do you want?"

"The Earl's willingness to take in our High Cliff tribe is the greatest reward; we dare not ask for anything more."

Old Hafdan dared not ask for too much; he was already content as long as he could mine for food to feed his people.

Moreover, unlike old Sowad, old Ha was genuinely uninterested in leading his people to farm.

He believed that leading his tribe to integrate into the White River Territory would weaken his authority as chieftain.

While digging in salt and iron mines was arduous, it allowed the Gaoya tribe to preserve its relative independence to the greatest extent possible.

The High Cliff tribe has a population of over 8,000, which is more than twice the size of the Lowland tribes. Being a high-ranking chieftain is quite a good job.

“It won’t do if we don’t reward them. As the lord, I always reward those who have made contributions. The High Cliff tribe has made contributions to the development of the territory. If we don’t reward them, others will think that I am not a qualified lord, which will affect my reputation and authority in the territory.”

Lynn's words were half true and half false. Unfair rewards and punishments would certainly cause unrest, especially in the army, which is most afraid of this.

Can the high cliff tribes, who can mine minerals, really be counted as part of the territory's population? That's hard to say.

Lynn basically implemented internal autonomy for these two mines, letting the wastelanders manage them themselves, while he was only responsible for collecting ore and distributing grain.

He deliberately made it sound so heavy, mainly to test old Hafdan's attitude towards relocation.

In Lynn's plan, the High Cliff tribe will eventually be completely incorporated into the White River Territory.

As for these mines, let the later tribes of the wilderness mine them.

After a moment's thought, Old Ha had a sudden inspiration and replied, "If Your Excellency is determined to reward me with something, please grant me my two grandsons."

Previously, Old Ha had given his two daughters to Lynn, ostensibly to take care of the Earl's life.

As for his true purpose, that's obvious to everyone.

Lynn never refused these sweet words.

Aside from their young age, the two barbarian sisters had no flaws. They were cute and well-behaved, and knew how to serve others. Even if they weren't used, they would still be a beautiful sight as decorative objects in the castle.

In addition to old Soward's two daughters, there are now two pairs of wildling sisters in Lynn's court.

"I can only say I'll do my best, but I can't guarantee anything."

Lynn really couldn't guarantee that she would have a baby.

Moreover, he planned to raise them for a few more years before taking action against those barbarian girls and bringing them into the palace. This was mainly to set an example, to show that he had no prejudice against the barbarians, and at the same time to encourage his subjects to intermarry with them.

After inspecting the salt mine, Lynn returned to River Marsh County as quickly as possible.

He first traveled overland back to the dock in Bai Xiong County, and then took a boat south.

You can see fully loaded cargo ships sailing on the Baihe River from time to time along the way.

These cargo ships all belong to Lynn.

After unifying the Baihe River basin, he monopolized the entire Baihe River shipping route.

The iron chains that were previously built in Kawanuma Prefecture still serve their purpose, keeping merchant ships from Mikawa Castle and other areas out.

Lynn established a trading post and wharf here, appointed reliable officials to manage them, and also had his lover, Jacoba, oversee the trade at the wharf.

Merchants could only conduct transactions at the Kawanuma Prefecture wharf, whether shipping or purchasing goods.

By controlling shipping lanes and trade routes, Lynn firmly controlled the flow of goods throughout the White River Territory, thereby making huge profits from the price difference.

In addition, merchants also need to pay an extra tariff for the import and export of goods.

For Lynn, it was a win-win situation. He could profit from the price difference on both sides and also earn a tax from the merchants.

The city tax in Sanhe City has indeed been abolished, but the customs duties payable are several times higher than the city tax.

Even with such a heavy burden, the merchants of Sanhe City had no choice but to accept it.

Why can't Sanhe City do without the market and raw materials of Baihe Territory?
Two days later, Lynn sailed downriver to River Marsh County, and as soon as he disembarked, he received several urgent military reports.

In Turbulent County, the second son, Hugo, and the third son, Yang, are making good progress.

They successively captured six small castles, beheaded over a hundred, occupied more than ten manors directly under the control of the Marsh Dukes, and also defeated a Duke's reinforcements that attempted to rescue the castles.

However, this reinforcement was small, only about thirty men, which was better than nothing. The fighting in Turbulent Stream County was rather dull, consisting mainly of besieging points to lure in reinforcements and launching direct assaults on castles.

Lynn was too lazy to command these stagnant, lifeless battles, so he decided to let his generals gain more experience.

The main point is that this war doesn't carry much risk.

The messenger from Canglang Fortress had already arrived in Sanhe City, bringing news of the Grassland Duke's major eastward advance.

In order to deal with this 'bandit duke', the few remaining mobile forces of Golden Deer Castle will certainly have no time to attend to Turbulent County.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, it's only a matter of time before Lynn takes control of Turbulent County.

According to intelligence from the Crown Territory, the Marsh Duke stationed in Tot City did not continue his westward retreat.

This guy is willing to do anything to get the crown in the North, and he doesn't even care about his old stronghold, Golden Deer.

According to reliable sources, the Duke of the Swamp has led his main force to advance on the royal capital, Amber Harbor, and has likely already launched an offensive against it.

Putting himself in the Duke of the Swamp's shoes, Lynn believed that there was nothing wrong with the Duke's decision.

After experiencing multiple rounds of war, coupled with the loss of the White River basin, the once prosperous Marshland Duchy was now in ruins.

Given the current state of affairs in the North, the only way to break the deadlock is for Lord Lothair, Duke of the Marsh, to be crowned king and completely unify the resources of the Crownlands.

For him, retreating westward to rescue his old base was nothing more than a slow death.

Moreover, as far as Lynn knew, Lothair did not deploy elite court cavalry in the last siege, but only sent a large number of cannon fodder to their deaths.

If Lothair were to send out his court cavalry to suddenly intensify the siege in this second battle, he might very well catch the bastard king off guard.

Even if Lothair were to capture Amber Harbor, Lynn would not be alarmed in the slightest.

Under his planning, the Baihe Territory flourished, and its war potential grew day by day.

Once he annexes Tuanliu County, he will have about 40,000 more people under his command, and next year he will be able to expand his army by more than 2,000.

As for the Duke of the Swamp, both consolidating the Crown Territory and eliminating bandits and thieves are very difficult tasks, and it will probably be difficult to launch military operations against foreign forces in less than two or three years.

That's enough time for Lynn to storm Golden Deer.

The only concern is Count Mirror Iron to the south.

This person's attitude was rather ambiguous, and he frequently interacted with the Duke of the Marshland.

Most importantly, he possessed an army that, while not large in size, was powerful enough.

Count Mirror Iron amassed an immeasurable fortune by selling iron ingots and ironware.

These days, as long as you're willing to spend money, the quality of the military will never be bad.

At the embassy district by the dock in Kawanuma County, Lynn received the delegation from Mirror Iron Territory.

The person in charge of the delegation was not the priest Evan who had visited White River Territory last time, but Damian, the half-brother of Earl Mirror Iron.

To put it bluntly, he is the illegitimate son of the former Earl of Mirror Iron.

Because illegitimate children naturally lack inheritance rights, many nobles prefer to give important positions to their illegitimate brothers.

These relatives are relatively safe to use, and most of them have received a good education, making them invaluable talents.

The fact that Count Mirror Iron sent his brother as an envoy shows how much importance he attached to these negotiations.

“Your Excellency Earl Shirakawa, please allow me to convey my sincere greetings to you on behalf of my brother.”

Damian rose and bowed with perfect form. He looked to be in his early thirties, handsome and elegant, clearly someone who had been immersed in court etiquette for many years.

Lynn nodded to him to sit down, and then asked, "What does your brother think of the contract we reached last time?"

Damian smiled and nodded: "My brother is very satisfied with those contracts. He asked me to visit you this time to confirm those contracts again."

Lynn took a small sip of wine and said, “I heard that your brother has led his army westward and attacked several baronies under the Earl of Scythe. The Earl of Scythe’s envoy has asked me to uphold justice.”

Tin Rock Territory is the earldom west of Mirror Iron Territory, and it also belongs to the Duke of the Valley.

This earldom is named after the tin mines it produces.

Tin's primary function is to combine with copper to form bronze alloys.

Compared to pure copper, bronze has a lower melting point and is more stable, making it an extremely high-quality casting material.

From small items like candlesticks and bronze mirrors to large items like bronze bells and cannons, everything is made of bronze.

However, the tin mine output of Tin Rock Territory has never been high, with only a few scattered small mines. It is considered to have some money, so its army is inferior to Mirror Iron Territory in both quantity and quality.

Count Mirror Iron's brazen invasion of Scythe Territory is undoubtedly aimed at its wealth and land.

As for the envoy of the Earl of Tin Rock that Lynn mentioned, he is indeed a real person.

However, he was not placed in the embassy district of Kawanuma Prefecture, but was instead assigned to the Western Suburban Palace.

As the strength and influence of Baihe Territory continued to grow, nobles in the surrounding areas naturally requested the esteemed Earl of Baihe to mediate conflicts and uphold justice.

The main reason is that the Duke of the Valley is too incompetent, and the nobles know that seeking his help is of little use.

Moreover, Siyan Territory is within the trading area of ​​Three Rivers City, and Earl Siyan could easily get in touch with Lynn through middlemen.

Damian was startled, but quickly replied:
“Your Excellency, our Mirror Iron Territory and the Slate Rock Territory have been enemies for generations, fighting each other for nearly a hundred years. Countless warriors and citizens have died under the cruel slaughter of the Slate Rock Territory knights. Please do not believe the lies of that despicable Earl of Slate Rock.”

Lynn looked down at the wine in his glass, then suddenly asked:

"Siyan Territory has a rugged terrain, making it particularly difficult to attack. What I'm curious about is, if your brother wants to expand his territory, why doesn't he choose to attack the Crown Territory to the west? The land downstream of the Tranquil River is fertile and rich, and has a more dense population. Now that King Morris has lost all authority, the Crown Territory should be a better target for expansion than Siyan Territory."

Damian pondered for a moment, then a smile returned to his face: "Then why did Your Excellency choose to attack Turbulent Stream County? Isn't the Crown Territory also to the east of Three Rivers City?"

The two exchanged a smile, both understanding what the other was thinking.

Both Lynn and Earl Mirror Iron chose to expand westward.

The main reason, of course, is to avoid the Duke of the Swamp.

This god of death is still firmly hooked by the Northern Crown, unable to see anything else.

However, if he is provoked too much, there is no guarantee that he won't turn his guns on the forces that went to the Crown Territory to mediate the conflict.

Moreover, the Crown Territory is not so easy to conquer. The nobles in various regions still maintain a certain number of troops, and they are just waiting to see who will ultimately claim the Crown of the North.

Lynn's smile faded, and he said seriously, "I'd like to add a clause to the contract we reached last time."

(End of this chapter)