I'm not a lord

Chapter 283 Mediating the War (7K)

The following morning, the Duke of the Valley's two daughters, Hela and Heidi, were invited to have breakfast with the esteemed Earl of White River.

Hela got up early in the morning to wash and dress. Despite the cold winter, she specially chose a thin red woolen belted long dress.

The skirt was cut in the most fashionable style in the North, with a neckline that opened just right, revealing half of her slender collarbone.

The waistline tightens abruptly downwards, secured with silver buckles, making her already slender waist appear almost too small to be grasped, and accentuating the fullness of her bust.

As she walked into the restaurant, the hem of her skirt swept across the wooden floor with each step, making a pleasant, soft rustling sound.

Hela led her sister to the long dining table covered with a white cloth and curtsied to Lynn.

Lynn looked in the direction of the sound and saw a breathtaking curve bulging on her chest from the corset, like a snow-white hill suddenly rising on the icy plains of the North.

The girl had her eyes lowered, her brown hair was tied up at the back of her head, with the remaining ends hanging down her neck. A few playful strands of hair swayed gently with her movements, making her look dignified and gentle.

"Sir, thank you for inviting my sister and me to breakfast."

Hela's voice was very soft, but her younger sister Heidi behind her seemed to be starving, her eyes constantly glancing at the dining table as she bowed to her sister.

"Please sit down," Lynn said with a slight smile, waving to the two sisters.

After the two men sat down at the table, he said, "I invited you here because there are a few things I want to tell you."

Hela, her mother, and her sister had actually been staying at the Western Suburbs Palace for almost half a month, but had not been summoned by Lynn.

This western suburban palace was originally a large monastery, covering a vast area with many rooms, large enough to accommodate the three noble ladies and more than twenty servants of various kinds who lived with them in the palace.

Hela remained calm, only entrusting Elder Albert of the Western Suburbs County to deliver a letter of thanks to Lynn, without rushing to beg Lynn to send troops to rescue her father, the Duke of the Valley.

Therefore, today was actually the first time Lynn had seen Hela in person.

Previously, he had only seen the girl's face in portraits.

"Please speak, sir." Hela didn't touch the cutlery at all; her mind wasn't on the delicious food.

As for her younger sister Heidi, who was wearing a cute bright yellow dress, she couldn't wait to spread honey and jam on the bread slices and even picked up a fork to stuff two pieces of scrambled eggs into her mouth.

Children are always more interested in food.

Moreover, the produce of White River Territory is much more abundant than that of Valley Territory, and the various dishes have been improved by Lynn, making them even more delicious, which makes little Heidi extremely envious.

Lynn didn't rush to talk about business. Instead, he carefully examined Hela's profile until the girl lowered her head in shame. Only then did he slowly say, "You should know that Duke Lothair of the Swamp is dead."

It must be admitted that Hela was exceptional in both appearance and figure, even more stunning than in the portrait.

Her well-developed eighteen-year-old body was like a ripe, luscious grape, giving Lynn a strong visual impact.

Compared to her, even the former princess Chloris was flat-chested. It just goes to show that the girls in the North were indeed precocious; no wonder they were all married by the age of fourteen or fifteen.

Moreover, Hela turned eighteen last year, and is now a nineteen-year-old "old" maid, which is why she has not been able to get married for so long due to family and political factors.

Upon hearing this, Hela's face suddenly showed a trace of sorrow. She nodded gently: "Yes, my lord, I have indeed heard similar rumors, but I find it hard to believe that a duke could die so easily. Only today can I be sure that this has indeed happened."

She wasn't saddened by Duke Lothair of the Marsh, but rather felt a sense of shared sorrow, like the loss of a rabbit.

You should know that her most beloved father had also been betrayed by his subjects and was now besieged in White Eagle Fortress.

King Maurice, the bastard son, fled in haste to the south; Lord Lothair, Duke of the Marshland, died in a rebellion; and Lord Herman, Duke of the Vale, was on the verge of collapse.

Of the four traditional powers in the North, three are now destined to decline, while the last remaining ruler, Duke Samuel of the Meadows, is isolated and doomed to perish sooner or later.

In just two or three years, the sky in the North seemed to have changed color.

Although Hela is still young, she is ultimately a remnant of the previous era, and it would be difficult for her to find a place in the new era.

But just as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, it is the natural order for new things to replace old things.

The sky over this northern region hasn't changed in two hundred years; it's time for a new world to emerge.

Lynn picked up the silver cup, took a sip of hot milk, and then slowly said:

“Lothair’s death will have a profound impact on the situation in the North, and all major powers will be involved. I plan to send an envoy to mediate the war between your father and Earl Mirror Iron. Earl Mirror Iron should be able to understand the situation and accept my mediation.”

If Lothair is still alive and kicking, then Lynn will naturally not bother to mediate the war in the south.

Count Mirror Iron wouldn't pay any attention to his mediation; it would be a complete waste of effort.

However, with Lothair's death and Otto's substantial occupation of the Crown Territory, White River Territory's diplomatic strategy will inevitably need to be adjusted.

Otto is currently very powerful, having absorbed the armies of many nobles in the royal domain. In addition, with a large number of reinforcements coming from the southern border after the spring, his forces are likely to have swelled to more than 30,000.

Lynn didn't want to face Otto's army alone.

As a lord, he needs to be responsible for his people and soldiers, and there is no need to pretend to be rich when he can rely on external forces.

If the sky is going to fall, we can't let him bear the burden alone.

Other powers in the North surely understand the principle of mutual dependence.

If Earl of Mirror Iron accepts Lynn's mediation, he can avoid the huge casualties of a direct attack on White Eagle Fortress and free up more troops to join forces with Lynn to fight against Otto in the future.

Although the Duke of the Valley lost his ancestral lands and castle, he at least kept his life and was able to reunite with his wife and daughters in White River Territory.

Hela naturally understood the reasoning behind it, and she was delighted that Lynn had taken the initiative to mediate the war, a bright light flashing in her eyes.

However, she was not blinded by joy, but cleverly asked, "Then, sir, what do I need to do?"

Herman has raised his daughter well; she's not the kind who's all looks and no brains. Lynn inwardly praised him, but replied calmly:
"Given Vasa's greedy nature, he might make some additional and rather excessive demands, such as requiring Herman to publicly declare that he is relinquishing his claim to the duchy."

All you need to do is write a letter to your father, urging him to grant Count Mirror Iron's demands in exchange for a promise of safe departure from White Eagle Castle.

In Lynn's eyes, Hela was not only beautiful, but also had outstanding attributes, earning her a three-star rating. Her strengths lay in her intelligence and charm.

Of course, these two attributes are relatively easy to improve if you are willing to spend money and time.

Intelligence can be improved through learning and exposure to new experiences, and so can charisma.

Children of the wealthy, like Hela and Chloris, can easily achieve high intelligence and charm scores through financial investment and genetic enhancements over generations.

"Is that so?" Upon hearing that her father was to be persuaded to surrender, the light in Hela's eyes suddenly dimmed, and her voice involuntarily became tinged with sadness.
"My lord, you may not know this, but my father is extremely stubborn in some ways. Even three warhorses couldn't hold him back. Knowing him as I do, it's unlikely he'll voluntarily relinquish his territory. If you could put some pressure on Earl Mirror Iron, things might be more peaceful."

Before Hela could finish speaking, Lynn suddenly slammed down the silver cup, ending her outpouring with a crisp clinking sound.

Even Heidi, who was eating, was startled and choked on the bread she had just put in her mouth. She had to gulp down half a cup of milk before she could swallow the damned bread.

Lynn stared at Hela, his expression suddenly turning serious: "You should know that given the current situation in the North, I cannot rashly antagonize Earl Mirror Iron. There is no room for negotiation on this matter."

Hela quickly bowed her head and apologized, "Please forgive me, sir, I was being presumptuous."

But was she really being abrupt?

Or was it a deliberate test?

Lynn didn't care about her true feelings; he offered to mediate, partly for diplomatic reasons and partly to repay a favor to the Duke of the Valley.

But if Herman is unwilling to go downhill and is willing to die to prove his innocence, then Lynn can also feel that he has a clear conscience.

"Give me the letter before this evening, or it will be cancelled."

After saying that, Lynn began to leisurely enjoy her breakfast.

Hela glanced at Lynn out of the corner of her eye, and seeing that Lynn was not angry, she breathed a sigh of relief and replied, "I will complete your order before lunch."

Lynn fiddled with the cutlery, his tone slightly stiff: "This is not an order, just a suggestion. If you think you can't persuade your father, you are perfectly free not to write this letter."

Hela dared not utter another word, and could only pick up her knife and fork, but had no interest in the breakfast on the table.

Actually, she had something on her mind.

If she wanted to persuade the Duke of the Valley to give up his family castle, she had a better way: to have Lynn marry her.

Would a father forgo the opportunity to attend his beloved daughter's wedding? Most likely not.

But she didn't dare to say it out loud.

Because she had heard rumors these past two days that Lynn was hiding a woman of noble birth in the castle in River Marsh County, and that woman was very likely to be the future Countess.

She was afraid that once she took the initiative to 'propose,' she would never have another chance.

If things aren't explained clearly, there's still a glimmer of hope in one's heart.

Just then, her younger sister Heidi, who was standing next to her, suddenly shook her arm: "Sister, you have to try this scrambled eggs with butter, it's super delicious."

Hela snapped out of her daze, turned to look at her sister's flawless amber eyes, and nodded blankly: "Oh, okay, I'll eat right away."

That being said, let’s eat first.

After finishing breakfast, Lynn left the restaurant. In his office, the clerk Victor and a group of secretaries were already in place.

"Go and summon Kalebo." Lynn had barely sat down when he flipped through two documents before issuing the new order.

Foreign Minister Kalebo arrived at his office quickly, with a bit of jam still on his lips, clearly having just finished breakfast.

Big is indeed good.

This western suburban palace was once a large monastery that could accommodate hundreds of monks, dozens of students, and numerous guards. It also had warehouses, halls, stables, and other buildings, and even a large clock tower that could tell the time.

With a few modifications, this place is much more comfortable to live in than the cramped castle in River Marsh County. It can easily accommodate Lynn's entire personal guard plus a whole set of court officials, and can also be used to hide his mistress.

The only problem with this western suburban palace is its less-than-ideal location. To the south, across the Jinghe River, lies the Earl of Jingtie, and to the east, the Crown Territory.

If Lynn were to reside here permanently, it would be a complete case of the emperor guarding the country's gates. Living in River Marsh County would at least provide some buffer.

However, it would be suitable to spend the winter here in the cold winter.

As soon as Kalebo entered, he presented two documents to Lynn: "My lord, the diplomatic documents to the Duke of Meadow and the Earl of Mirror Iron have been completed. Please take a look."

These two documents have been revised several times. Lynn glanced at them briefly, and after confirming that there were no problems, he gestured for Kalebo to sit down. Then he said, "Winter missions are too dangerous. You don't need to go in person this time. Let the younger people below gain more experience."

In the North, conducting diplomatic activities in winter is not only dangerous, but also a great test of financial resources.

To ensure the effective delivery of diplomatic correspondence, the mission should ideally consist of no fewer than twenty people, and be equipped with ample supplies and horses, as inns and monasteries along the route are typically closed during the winter.

Many weaker nobles are essentially living in a cat-like state during the winter, passively receiving messages and having no money to effectively communicate with other nobles.

For example, the minor nobles in the western part of the Crown Territory all had to be persuaded to surrender by Lynn sending delegations to visit them one by one.

Kalebo sat down and gave a wry smile: "Thank you for your understanding, sir. I do have some minor health problems. My knees always ache in winter." As a veteran diplomat, it's normal to have some occupational ailments from traveling all over the world in his youth.

Moreover, this mission was not important; its main purpose was to convey the news of the death of Duke Lothair of the Marsh to the two nobles.

The Duke of Meadows has received Lynn's ultimatum: either confront the White River Territory's forces head-on, or stay out of Lynn's war with Golden Deer Fortress.

The Duke of the Valley is someone Lynn is trying to win over, and they are currently in a 'honeymoon period' with the White River Territory.

Lynn picked up his quill pen and, while signing the document, said, "I had breakfast with Herman's eldest daughter this morning. She will give me a letter before noon. Send someone to White Eagle Castle to try to mediate the war between Herman and Vasa."

Kalebo said bluntly, "Yes, sir, but I don't think the success rate of this matter is very high. The Duke of the Valley's personality is harder than half a year's worth of black bread."

At the same time, Kalebo was also wondering: My lord, Herman's title is higher than yours. If he really comes to White River Territory, how do you plan to settle him? You don't plan to marry his eldest daughter. How troublesome will that be?

Caleb had very mixed feelings about his former boss, the Duke of the Valley.

He naturally didn't want Herman to die like that, but for the sake of the new boss's interests, he also didn't want Herman to seek refuge in White River Territory.

More importantly, he didn't want to face both the old and new bosses at the same time, as that would be quite awkward for him.

Kalebo gets a headache just thinking about it.

“Just giving it a try. I know the success rate isn’t high.” Lynn put down his quill, pulled open the cabinet next to him, took out his personal gold seal, and stamped both diplomatic documents with his seal.

At his level, he would typically be assigned a professional "Seal Keeper," who, as the name suggests, was an official responsible for safeguarding the nobleman's seal.

As for the power and position of the official in charge of the imperial seal, it can be roughly compared to that of the eunuch in charge of the imperial seal in the Ming Dynasty court, who was basically second only to the emperor.

In addition to safeguarding the lord's seal, the Seal Keeper also had the right to participate in the domestic and foreign policy decisions of the territory. He was a core official in the court, ranking far above the Secretary.

After all, the latter only has the power to draft official documents on the surface.

However, Lynn has only established a clerk position and has not established a higher-ranking seal keeper position.

This was mainly because he had enough energy and the ability to handle most of the affairs of his territory, so there was no need to appoint a seal-keeper to share his power.

After finishing her work in the morning, Lynn hosted a more private lunch in the palace’s small restaurant.

The only guests were his four brothers.

The third brother, Yang, is currently stationed in Tuanliu County in the west and cannot leave his post.

However, Lynn had already sent messengers to deliver the medals and other rewards to Turbulent County at full speed.

After two rounds of drinks, Lynn put his arm around the youngest member, the sixth brother, and asked, "Timo, do you feel disappointed that you don't have a baronial title?"

Timo, the sixth son, had never been to the battlefield, so awarding him a baron title would be somewhat unfair to the other soldiers in the army.

The baronial titles of the other four brothers were earned through real battles on the battlefield, which was enough to convince everyone.

By establishing tiered titles, Lynn was able to motivate his soldiers to fight bravely.

However, if too many titles are issued, the value of the titles will be reduced, and their incentive effect will be diminished.

"Brother, I'm already happy enough to become a knight. Who would have thought that a dropout from a monastery like me would one day become a knight?"

Timo didn't mind at all. His brothers had earned their titles through solid achievements, and he was just envious but not jealous.

Moreover, he knew that his elder brother valued and cared for him highly; half of the officials in this territory had been educated by him.

Once these officials have risen through the ranks, how could his position be low?
At this moment, the fifth brother, Andrei, squeezed over with a wine glass in hand, his face flushed, and said, "Sixth brother, I heard that the primary school in Canglu County is quite good. When my son grows up, you must take good care of him for me."

The sixth brother clinked glasses with him, but said sarcastically, "Why don't you have a son first? You haven't even seen a shadow of him yet, and you're already thinking about school. Besides, your son will definitely inherit your personality. I can't discipline him. Let the eldest brother do it!"

These words caused all the brothers present to burst into laughter, and even the usually stern second brother couldn't help but laugh out loud.

The fifth child was notorious for his aversion to studying. He studied with the sixth child for a whole year, but he still couldn't recognize all the commonly used words and phrases.

“That’s hard to say. My wife loves reading, and my son will definitely be like his mother in the future!” the fifth brother retorted indignantly.

Joseph, the fourth son who always liked to oppose him, replied, "I've heard that the son always resembles the father more."

The fifth brother clicked his tongue dismissively: "Tch, I think you're just jealous that I have a wife."

The fourth brother's face turned red, and he said angrily, "Jealous? I'm getting married this month, and my eldest brother is holding the wedding for me. If you don't work harder, my son will definitely be born before your son, and then he'll be your son's older brother!"

"Bullshit, my son will definitely be born first!"

"Hey kid, wanna make a bet?"

"Let's bet! I'm sure I'll win this time!"

Seeing the brothers drunk and arguing, Lynn couldn't help but laugh and drink another glass.

He did indeed keep the promise he made when he first arrived in White Bear Territory: I will never keep this glory to myself!
When Count Vasa of Mirror Iron received the devastating news from the East, he was eating roasted meat around a campfire with several close confidants.

Vasa, holding a large, plump leg of lamb, listened to his brother Damian read the letter and sighed with emotion:
"Lothair is dead, just like a stray dog ​​frozen to death by the roadside. His death is truly gruesome."

Vasa now commands nearly four thousand troops and has blocked all access routes to the mountain where White Eagle Fortress is located.

White Eagle Fortress was built on a cliff in the mountains, with only two narrow paths in and out. The walls were surrounded by steep cliffs, making it extremely difficult to conquer.

Therefore, Vasa did not recklessly launch a full-scale attack on the castle, but instead focused on attrition warfare.

Once the city's stored food and drink are exhausted, this castle, which has never fallen, will open its gates to welcome its new owner.

Based on past experience, after a siege of six months, problems will arise inside the castle, and after a year, it will basically fall on its own.

Vasa's original plan was to take advantage of the battle between the Marsh Duke and Otto III in the royal domain to seize the entire Valley Duchy.

But the Duke of the Marshland was defeated and died too quickly. He not only lost all the noble army of the royal domain, but now he has also lost his life.

No one in this kingdom can stop Otto anymore.

Vasa's stronghold, Mirror Iron Territory, borders the Royal Territory. If Otto expands westward, he will also face pressure from the east.

At this moment, Damian took out another letter and said with slight surprise, "Brother, the envoy of the Earl of White River also brought a letter. Judging from the signature, it seems to be a letter from Hela, the eldest daughter of Herman. Herman did not send his family to Wolf Castle."

Vasa rolled his eyes, bit off a large piece of tender lamb leg, and commanded, "Read it."

After Vasa finished reading Hela's handwritten letter in Damian, he grinned and said, "If Hela can really persuade her father to open the city gates and surrender, she will have done me a great favor."

From a broad perspective, Vasa currently has two options.

The first and easiest option is to surrender to Otto in exchange for a ducal title recognized by him.

This might temporarily protect Mirror Iron Territory from invasion by the Southern nobles, while Vasa could concentrate his forces to continue besieging White Eagle Fortress.

The question is, can Otto really allow a Northerner to continue ruling the Vale Duchy? And can he control the thirsty nobles from the South?
It was these two concerns that led Vasa to reject Otto's initial attempt to win him over.

As for the second option, it is naturally to continue the alliance with Lynn and fight together against the invaders from the South.

This path will be more difficult and risky, and could easily lead to fighting on two fronts.

Inside White Eagle Castle, Hermann still had several hundred personal guards.

Despite his small number, if he manages to break through, he could easily raise an army of over two thousand men based on his titles and claims, which could easily lead to unforeseen events.

Now that Lynn has stepped in to mediate the war and has sent Hela's personal letter, it is possible that he could persuade Herman to open the gates and surrender.

Damian carefully put away the two letters and analyzed for his brother: "The Southerners will never allow you to control the entire duchy. If Herman can really surrender, we can concentrate our forces to fight against Otto in the East."

Damian is Vasa's half-brother. He has represented the Mirror Iron Territory on several visits to the White River Territory and has met with Lynn.

As a native of the North, he knew all too well the insatiable greed of the Southerners.

Even if Otto accepts his brother's surrender, it is only to temporarily stabilize the Valley Duchy, and a war will still be inevitable in the future.

Vasa glared at his brother and shouted, "Do I need you to teach me these things? Where is Lynn's envoy? Hurry up and invite him in! Is it proper hospitality to leave him out in the cold wind?"

Soon, the young envoy from Baihe Territory was respectfully invited into the military camp.

Vasa stood up, smiling, and said, "Please sit down. The camp is short of supplies, so I can only offer you some roasted mutton."

The envoy was flattered and expressed his gratitude. As soon as he sat down, someone handed him a roasted lamb leg.

The overall dining customs in the North are rather rough. Many earls and dukes do not like to use knives and forks, but instead use small daggers they carry with them to cut meat and then pick it up with their hands and put it in their mouths.

After all, nobles spend most of their time in the wild or on the battlefield, where using their hands is more convenient.

Vasa then sat down, squinting as he stared intently at the envoy until the young man felt a chill run down his spine, before finally asking, "I heard from merchants that Count White River intends to marry Herman's daughter?"

The envoy replied firmly, "This is a rumor. Miss Hela is only temporarily residing in the territory."

"Is that so? That's a pity. I had already prepared a grand congratulatory gift and was about to send it to Earl Baihe." Despite saying this, Vasa did not completely believe the messenger's words.

After probing for a while without getting much useful information, he took the letter from his brother Damian and dismissed the messenger, saying, "You still need to deliver this letter to White Eagle Castle, right? Before it gets dark, I'll have my personal guard escort you to the city gate."

"His Excellency's concern is like the warm sun in winter." The young envoy exchanged pleasantries, took the letter, and quickly left the military camp.

In the empty hall of White Eagle Castle, the envoy met the emaciated Duke Herman of the Valley.

The envoy was secretly alarmed: it had only been two or three months since he last saw the Duke of the Valley, but he seemed to have become a completely different person.

But Herman immediately presented the messenger with a difficult question: "Are you here to deliver an invitation to my daughter's wedding to Earl White River?"

Although Hermann's face remained expressionless when he asked the question, he was secretly delighted.

The arrival of the messenger confirmed that his wife and daughters were safe and sound.

"My lord, this is Miss Hela's handwritten letter. Once you read it, you will understand everything." The young messenger presented the letter with both hands.

Hermann took the letter from his guard, and upon seeing the familiar handwriting, tears welled up in his eyes.

This letter is not only written in Hela's handwriting; many paragraphs are clearly written by his wife and youngest daughter, Heidi.

As he read the letter, the smiling faces of the mother and her two daughters flashed before his eyes.

But after reading the entire contents, his expression froze, and he slammed the letter down in front of the messenger:
"Your lord is nothing but a count, yet he dares to mediate a war within a duchy. Who does he think he is? This brat doesn't even want to marry my daughter! And you, you fool, you must have been bribed by Vasa to come and persuade me to open the gates and surrender!"

The messenger hurriedly defended himself: "Your Grace, I was merely relaying a letter to your daughter on behalf of the Earl of White River; it had nothing to do with Vasa."

But Hermann showed no mercy, roaring, "Stop talking! Go tell Vasa I will never surrender to him! If he wants White Eagle Fortress, he can take it himself!"

(End of this chapter)