Being a knight is not easy

Chapter 343 Leader
At the meeting, Mrs. Aishar, who was the landowner, took the initiative to speak.

Lady Aisha gently touched her hair and replied, "Moreover, the combined strength of our four realms should not be underestimated."

However, merging the four armies into one force is no easy task. The most crucial element is selecting a leader who can command respect; otherwise, internal divisions can easily arise within the army, making the battle extremely difficult.

Their goal at this joint meeting was singular: to combine the four armies into one force and launch a fierce attack on the Central Plains.

The vast lands, abundant resources, and strategic location of Middle-earth have always been coveted by surrounding powers.

Now, at this critical juncture in the changing situation, they feel it's time to make their move.

Of course, the most crucial step is selecting the leader of the four armies. This leader needs to possess exceptional leadership skills, sufficient prestige, and the support of a powerful military force.

Each noble attending the meeting had their own agenda, hoping that they or someone they supported could become the leader of the alliance and thus gain the greatest benefit in the upcoming war.

As he pondered, Viscount Wilke slowly said, "This position of alliance leader must be carefully considered. He must not only be able to command battles, but also balance the interests among our four regions."

Marquis Sonata wholeheartedly agreed: "Indeed, each of our four regions has its own pride and interests. If the Alliance Leader doesn't handle these properly, it could very well lead to the breakdown of the alliance."

Mrs. Aishar's eyes darted around: "I think we can first list some criteria for candidates, and then select from those who meet the criteria."

For example, one must have command experience in multiple wars, enjoy a certain prestige in various regions, and have substantial family wealth to support the war effort.

Viscount Wilke and Marquis Sonata both found Lady Aishar's words to be very reasonable.

The other nobles watched the three of them putting on a show, completely baffled. They sat in the meeting room, their eyes filled with doubt and curiosity.

They knew these things, and that was why they came here.

However, the behavior of Viscount Wilke, Marquis Sonata, and Lady Aishar suggested that they were plotting something deeper, which made the other nobles uneasy.

In reality, only the two Grand Dukes of the North and South are qualified to assume the position of Alliance Leader.

The Grand Duke of the North is renowned for his powerful military and extensive combat experience. His family has been operating in the North for many years, possessing deep roots and numerous loyal followers.

The Grand Duke of the Southern Territory was no less capable. He was skilled in strategy, his generals were all capable and brave, and the wealth of the Southern Territory was enough to support a large-scale war.

In comparison, the Western and Eastern territories are at best secondary.

While the West has its own unique characteristics, it is still slightly inferior to the North and South in terms of military strength and influence.

The Eastern Territory, under the oppressive rule of the royal family, has always been restless and unpredictable. Other nobles also hold a certain degree of wariness towards them.

Therefore, they are not at an advantage in the competition for the alliance leader.

That's why the representatives from the Western Frontier are so enthusiastic.

This was the biggest question in the minds of the other nobles. The representatives from the Western Territory actively spoke at the meeting, offering various seemingly reasonable suggestions, and frequently exchanging glances as if they were certain of victory. "Does the Western Territory have some hidden trump card?" a noble from the Southern Territory whispered to the person next to him.

"That's unlikely. What could they possibly have? The overall strength of the Western Territory is what it is. How could they possibly compete with the Northern and Southern Territories for the position of Alliance Leader?" The person next to him shook his head, indicating disbelief.

Viscount Wilke, the representative of the Western Frontier, had his own plans.

Although the Western Frontier does not have an absolute advantage in competing for the position of Alliance Leader, it would be a great thing for them to take control of the position of Vice Alliance Leader, at least they would not have to worry about being used as cannon fodder by the Alliance Leader.

When they arrived, the three of them had already decided that in this battle, they would only be responsible for logistical coordination.

To this end, Viscount Wilke has promoted the purple melon throughout the Western Regions.

In the fields of the western border, land that was once planted with various traditional crops is now covered with vast expanses of purple gourds.

The unique purple vines of the purple gourd shimmered with an unusual luster in the sunlight, and the branches were laden with heavy fruit.

This time, he also wanted to take the opportunity to promote it to the other four realms. Viscount Wilke knew the potential of the purple melon well. He could almost see the lands of the other four realms covered with purple melons, which would bring him enormous wealth and influence.

After all, the high yield and low requirements of the growing environment of purple gourds are a great attraction for most lords.

In an era of frequent wars and enormous food demand, a crop that can be easily grown and has extremely high yields is like a gift from heaven.

The lords were all worried about how to feed the population of their territories and how to ensure the supply of food for their armies. The appearance of the purple gourd was undoubtedly the best solution to these problems.

Of course, promoting the cultivation of purple melons is also Robin's plan. He has completed the genetic modification of purple melons. The purple melon seedlings they sell start to decline rapidly in yield when planted in the third season, and they are unable to grow seedlings at all.

The essence of business is to maximize profits. Although his transformation may seem cunning, it is also a means of survival in this world full of competition and conflict of interests.

This means that after three seasons, they will need to buy new purple gourd seedlings from them again, which is the real way to make a huge profit. By the time other lords discovered the problem with the purple gourd seedlings, they had already tasted the benefits of growing purple gourds and seen their enormous role in solving food problems.

In order to maintain the production of purple melons, they will have to buy new purple melon seedlings from Robin and others again, so that Robin and others can continuously obtain wealth.

At the same time, by planting and selling purple melons, one can control the food supply of other territories, thereby gaining an advantageous position in the overall situation.

Of course, such a large market cannot be conquered by the Wilke family alone, so Robin brought in Marquis Sonata, the Knights Guild, and the Bauhinia Organization.

That's why they actively sought out logistical support missions—to show off the Western Territory's grain reserves to the nobles of the other three realms. In the end, without any special publicity, these nobles would come knocking on their door.

The atmosphere at the meeting was already tense and oppressive, like a sky full of dark clouds, where a storm could break at any moment.

Once the fuse of the alliance leader's position was lit, the entire scene instantly descended into chaos.

The nobles of the North were known for their generosity and bravery, and they believed that the Grand Duke of the North was superior in both military strength and combat experience, and therefore rightfully deserved to be the leader of the alliance.

(End of this chapter)