Chapter 198 Northern Territory Talks: Who will be the enemy in the future, and who will be the friend in the future?
I don’t know when it started, but it began to rain heavily outside the fortress.
Rain pounded against the pane, causing Lan to look up. He thought he heard the strange, shrill, hoarse calls of ravens and crows, but it was just the sound of wind and rain.
The conference hall of the fortress was simply cleared out, and a conference table with a size suitable for everyone to keep a distance but allowing clear communication with each other was placed in the middle.
But the attitude of the participants was as if the conference table was too redundant.
Lann looked at everyone quietly, most of whom he had already met.
Foltest, the ruler of Temeria, leaned away from the conference table and leaned against the window, showing his handsome and noble silhouette in front of everyone.
Meve, Queen of Lyria and Rivia, fiddled with the huge ruby on her necklace in a melancholy manner, her beautiful and plump lips twisting from time to time.
Only Vizmir II, the lord of Redania, sat honestly on the chair with his elbows on the table, thinking.
Everyone was silent.
Lann turned his head again and looked at the remaining two kings that he had not yet met.
Directly across from Rann's table sat King Henselt of Kaedweni, who had a bandit-like beard. His movements were the same as his own, and his penetrating little eyes observed the other participants in this meeting with scrutiny.
King Demavi of Aedirn was lying in an armchair, placing a wine glass on his belly, and seemed to be judging the material of the wine glass intently.
Everyone was silent.
After a long time, King Henselt, who still had the most barbaric temperament, said dissatisfiedly: "I have tried so hard to gather everyone here, but they all said nothing. What does this mean? Now that everyone is here , then everyone must have their own needs, then I think..."
He suddenly stretched out his finger with a huge gem ring towards Lan, and narrowed his eyes like a thief: "You, I have never met before. Boy. He has been staring at everyone since the beginning. He must be someone with an idea. Come on, tell me what you think!" Henselt's voice
attracted the attention of all the kings and queens. It seemed that these monarchs who had been dormant in their respective worlds were finally awakened.
Lann raised his eyebrows.
Looking at this group of leaders with high positions and heavy troops, Lann showed a troubled expression after sorting out his words.
"First of all, please allow me to pay tribute to you, Your Majesty Henselt - your reputation is spread far and wide. Only when you see the real person today will you know that hearing a hundred times is worse than seeing it."
Lann stood up and faced Henselt directly opposite. Bow slightly, then left, right.
"All of your Majesty present are the British masters guarding one side, big figures who can change the situation in the north with just one thought, and I -" Lann pointed at himself
: "I am just an earl, and I have not even reached adulthood for long. It is an honor for me to be in the same conference room with you and sit at the same table. Don't say anything, I don't even know why your majesties invited me to come, and this conference is held for nothing. I know..."
"So." Lann showed a humble smile, "It's not that I shirk it, but that I really don't have any ideas - or in other words, I'm just here to listen to your Majesty's ideas and learn from them." After finishing speaking
, After that, Lan bowed slightly to the His Majesties present again and sat back on his chair, maintaining a polite smile throughout the process.
Henselt's expression changed as if he had eaten a fly.
Foltest, who had been admiring the rainy scene outside the window and letting himself become the beautiful scenery, finally pulled himself out of the background. He snorted coldly, seeming to be extremely dissatisfied with Lan: "You are better than Calanthe
. You talk too much."
"Okay, Henselt, Foltest." Vizmir II shook his head while thinking, "Don't embarrass the young man. He shouldn't have spoken at the beginning of the meeting. , the number of times he can speak during the whole meeting is also limited. Let him be silent until he is suitable to speak, and then speak out." The
smile on Lann's face turned into a grateful smile.
"So let me start it." Vizmir II said, "There is no need to say more about the purpose of this meeting, and there are no other things that are enough to bring everyone here together; and since everyone is here, then No matter what the position or appeal is, it must be that we want to solve the problem and want to discuss something." "There is
only one problem that we are gathered here today - that is Nilfgaard!"
Vizmir The second said slowly.
Lann and Miwe paid close attention to his words, Foltest turned his head back with a soft chuckle, and Demavi, the king of Aedirn, sipped the wine in his glass.
Henseid of Kaedwen laughed disdainfully: "We have already shown the Nilfgaardians the consequences of provoking us on Soden Mountain. Don't threaten us with the Nilfgaardians, Vizmir, don't Spreading sensationalism."
"We defeated them at Sodden. Not only did we defeat their army, we destroyed their morale. It is said that Emperor Emhyr did not approve of the large-scale invasion at that time, and the attack on Cintra was actually It's the faction that opposes him. I don't know if this is true - I only know that if he wins, Emhyr will just applaud and reward them." "
But after the Battle of Soden, he suddenly became opposed For the side that sent troops, everything that happened before turned into an act of disobedience by the marshals. Then the heads fell to the ground, and blood flowed from the guillotine." Henselt raised his head: "In other words, now Nilfgaard has
risen There is civil strife, and almost all the military attachés carrying cauldrons in the army are dead. Who else can Emhyr send to continue the invasion of the North? A sergeant?" Vesemir II was not annoyed by the
barbarian interrupting his train of thought, and he still spoke unhurriedly. : "But you're still here, Henselt, right? So you must have something to demand. This demand makes you so proud that you are willing to move your butt and come all the way to this war fortress - unless you run so far just To laugh at us a few words. Are you ashamed to speak out? Or do you have to borrow a child-that is, a Lannister-to dare to open your mouth?"
King Demavi of Aedirn sat up from the recliner, He seemed to enjoy seeing Henselt being reprimanded.
And so it is. Aedirn is a large agricultural country in the north. It is famous for its fertile land and developed industrial cities, which makes neighboring Kaedwen jealous. Since Demavi succeeded to the throne, dozens of small and medium-sized wars have broken out with Henselt.
Even outside the Haji Fortress, there might be warriors from both countries watching with eager eyes, ready to draw their swords at the slightest disagreement.
After hearing Henselt's one-sided evaluation of Nilfgaard, Demavi retorted unceremoniously: "If you really believed the rumors of civil strife in Nilfgaard, you would be too stupid. I would even be ashamed - because I have been fighting such a stupid you for so many years." "
After the death of Nilfgaard's old marshal, the army will be led by young and talented officers. They trained under Emhyr They have been waiting for this opportunity for many years - it is the elderly marshals who have blocked their way to promotion and military power." "
And as far as I know, those old marshals who died also have no regard for Emhyr's orders. It's a blessing and a secret. So this is not a civil strife, but a purge. Now that Nilfgaard is more cohesive, I even suspect that the failure of Sodenden is part of his plan."
"They now attach great importance to roundabout tactics, long-distance cavalry raids, and high-speed marches and landing operations of infantry. They use concentrated attack tactics to crush the enemy's offensive. They will also use the latest siege technology without relying on uncertainty. Too much magic. We must not underestimate them. I even suspect that they intend to cross the Yaruga River and launch a real thunder offensive." Queen Miwe's hand on the ruby necklace tightened, these words touched her
spirit. Because beyond the Yaruga River is her United Kingdom of Leiria and Livia.
"Ha, are you talking to me about military affairs? Demavi!" Henselt suddenly stood up, "You have never asked for an advantage in our battles so far!" "Crossing the Yaruga River? Stop joking
. If he cannot control the river mouth and river banks, and his flanks are threatened, then Emhyr will not be able to ensure the safety of the army's supply line after crossing the Yaruga River. How can they march in a hurry and use cavalry to make a surprise attack? Wait for their famous cavalry team When we are so hungry that we eat most of the horses, we can reenact the Battle of Soden! Hell, I hope they cross the river!" After hearing this,
Queen Miwe finally couldn't help it and joined the discussion.
"What if the Nilfgaardians don't cross the Yaruga River and continue to wait?" She didn't say much. She only asked one question: "Let's think about it: Who is better for this? They or the Us? Who can wait, and who can't wait?"
The eyes of Vizmir II, Miwe, and Demavi all focused on Henselt.
Demavi sneered: "Yes, yes. Emhyr unified the south, but the north is not monolithic. As long as the front line is indifferent, there may be riots at any time behind. I bet - Henselt must Will take action."
Faced with this accusation, Henselt did not feel angry at all. Instead, he shrugged his shoulders and smiled maliciously: "Since you have said so, it seems that if I don't do it, I will suffer you in vain. It's a slander."
Seeing the two feuding kings starting to confront each other, Vizmir II had to speak out again: "Mevi, as usual, doesn't talk much, but every sentence is to the point. Emhyr has a lot of time. , but we didn’t. He only had to loosen a stone on the top of the mountain, and then wait quietly for the landslide." He first praised
Queen Mewe, and then turned to Henselt: "And this is also what worries you, Right? You are also one of the people who are troubled by the civil strife. If you really want to solve this problem, then stop saying angry words and disrupting the meeting." Henselt sneered again, that little thief-
like His eyes narrowed almost to a slit, and then the expression on his face finally turned serious.
As for whether what he said before was a disguise or true feelings, the other kings present really couldn't guess.
"I have only one purpose here today." Henselt said, "The Scoia'tael!" "
They appeared in groups in Kaedwen. I captured a few for interrogation. I believe there is Emhyr behind them. Funded."
"Some of you may think that the Scoia'tael is still a matter of Kaedwen, but once the matter involves Nilfgaard... Hehe, it will be a big difference. There are still freedoms in the Valley of Flowers. Elves, Mahakam, dwarves and gnomes, Brokiron and dryads, and there are especially many non-human races in Novigrad. This will be a grand civil war!" Vizmir
II Shiwen: "So Henselt, your opinion is to eliminate the non-human races in the north first, and then talk about dealing with Nilfgaard?" "Absolutely correct."
Completely
adhering to Kaedwin's long-standing national policy . If humans' prejudice against demon hunters comes from the Cat School, then the hatred of non-human races in the north towards humans mainly comes from Kaedwen.
Foltest, who had always stayed out of the discussion, finally stopped showing his noble profile and joined the discussion.
The king of Temeria said: "We can't let you do whatever you want. Mahakam is the territory of Temeria, and the dwarves are my subjects." "Can you
command them to fight for you?"
Fult Sty replied nonchalantly: "At least they pay taxes, a lot of taxes."
Lann finally said something: "The dryads of Brochlon are not enemies either. They are friends with Cintra now - and as far as I know As far as I know, there has never been a tree spirit among the Scoia'tael." "
Of course, I don't deny that the Scoia'tael are indeed a serious nuisance. No one can tolerate having one of their own stabbing someone in the back when they are united in dealing with the outside world. And let the Scoia'tael continue. If this commotion continues, it will only turn the non-human races that are originally friendly to humans into enemies. This is a loss for all your majesties here." "I am happy to help His Majesty Henselt
eliminate the Scoia'tael." Lann said, "It's just that when facing the disaster of inhuman races, we have to distinguish clearly: who is our enemy and who is our friend. Friends should be won over, and only enemies should be attacked." Demavi looked at
it Lan En glanced at him and seemed surprised that this young man could actually express his true insights.
However, as long as it was a topic that was tit for tat with Henselt, King Demavi seemed to have endless enthusiasm to participate.
"The Scoia'tael is your problem, Henselt. But when it comes to war, he is just one of Nilfgaard's ways of harassing us behind enemy lines. You want us to deal with the Scoia'tael with all our strength and leave Nilfgaard alone on the front. The German enemy is tantamount to letting us sacrifice the good and the weak. And Nilfgaard's methods are not just as simple as the Scoia'tael." Demavi stood up and
looked around, especially at the sight of Vizmir II and Foltest. There was a pause on his face.
"As Vizmir said, Nilfgaard is only responsible for pushing down a stone from the mountain, and the Scoia'tael is just a stone in the landslide. There are other crises at hand." "Vizmir,
Foer Testai, your country has frequent trade with the south, and I believe that a similar situation to mine must have occurred in your territory." "There are rumors that in the villages and towns in Nilfgaard's occupied area, farmers
and The craftsmen live better, they are freer and richer, and the merchant guilds also enjoy more privileges..." The
kings of Redania and Temeria, which have multiple port trading cities, nodded slightly. They responded to such rumors. I've heard about it for a long time.
"Our market is about to be flooded with goods produced by Nilfgaard. I heard that in Lower Soden, their currency has completely replaced the northern currency. If we sit back and watch, we will only be able to squeeze into the corner of the north. Die slowly. Because - listen up - the Nilfgaardians will prevent us from going south, but we must develop and expand, otherwise our descendants will soon have no place to live!" Everyone present was silent
. . Vizmir of Redania sighed heavily, picked up a goblet on the table, and took a long drink.
During this long silence, the rain kept beating on the window lattice, and the howling wind shook the window sash from time to time.
"Nilfgaard's methods are far more than that." Foltest said, "In my territory, a group of priests, missionaries, diviners and mystics have recently appeared from nowhere, all preaching The end of the world is coming. The theme of their recent preaching is: A savior is coming from the south. The south! Across the Yaruga!"
"White Flame," murmured Demavi, "white frost will come, followed by white light. Then the world will be reborn through the White Flame and the White Queen... I have heard this too. This is a reference to the Elven Seeress The falsification of the prophecies of Isliny Aep Avnien. I ordered the arrest of the priest who spread these prophecies in the fair of Vengerberg. His interrogator asked him politely and in detail how much Emhyr had paid him. Gold...but the priest will only talk nonsense about White Flame and White Queen...until the last moment of their lives." "
Be careful, Demavi." Vizmir frowned, "Don't let them become martyrs. This Exactly what Emhyr wants. You can capture all the Nilfgaardians if you want, but don't touch the priests, the consequences are too unpredictable. They are still respected and have considerable influence over the people. We can't Let there be riots in the town, and you can't declare war on the farmers under your rule."
"Damn it!" Henselt slammed the table, "Don't do this, don't take that risk, don't do this, don't do that... We are gathered here, are we? To discuss what cannot be done? We should first determine what should be done!"
"I have been saying this from the beginning." Vizmir stood up, "I propose action."
"What action?"
"What can we do? "
Silence fell again. The wind howled and the window sash shook against the castle walls.
No one was willing to say this, so everyone first turned their attention to Lan En. Then it came to Queen Miwe.
"What are you looking at me for?"
"We are admiring your beauty, Meevi." Henselt muttered while drinking the wine in his glass.
"Agreed." Vizmir agreed, "Mevie, we all know that there is no problem that you can't solve. You have female intuition, you are a wise person-" "Stop complimenting me."
Larry Queen Asia interlocked her fingers on her knees.
"Let me sum it up: Henselt's demand is to eliminate the Scoia'tael in the territory, while Demavi, Vizmir, and Folterstedt are worried about the rumors and economic trade in the territory, but the reason is—— This is all Nilfgaard's fault."
"And I also have demands. My United Kingdom is now confronting Nilfgaard, and I desperately hope to get out of this situation." "
We have too many demands, and too many demands. There are so many things I want to do. So if we sort them out again, I want you to recall one thing: When did the situation become what it is now?" This sentence turned everyone's attention back
to On to Lann.
"After the fall of Cintra."
Lann knew that now was the time for him to speak.
"Everyone has expressed their demands, but you have been silent." Fuertestai sneered, "Although we can know your purpose without guessing, I still want to hear what you say - you How do you want to persuade us to support you?"
Lann took a deep breath and looked at Vizmir II who was sitting upright, Henselt with an unhappy expression, Foltest with a playful look, and Mewe with a concerned expression.
"Your majesties all have their own troubles, and they all hope to be solved. But these complicated problems actually have only one source - that is Nilfgaard." "But even if
I am not an ordinary monarch, I know that a single move can lead to great consequences. In terms of using your whole body, if your Majesty is allowed to personally deal with Nilfgaard - no matter in what form - it will inevitably cause losses. The soldiers who have just experienced the Battle of Sodden Mountain are also in urgent need of recuperation and morale."
Lann said: "We are different in Cintra. Cintra is naturally the staunchest opponent of Nilfgaard. Originally we were the gateway to the north, but now we are willing to serve as the vanguard of the north and push Nilfgaard to the north." The Germans rush back to the south!"
"But now only Brokiron is left in Cintra. Although you and the dryads seem to have a good relationship, those green-skinned women will not leave the forest to fight for you." "We
. With other help, I have full confidence in recovering Cintra." Lann replied, "I naturally hope to get your support in terms of military strength, just like the Battle of Soden Mountain to form a northern coalition. But if nothing can be done, I hope to get financial, technical, and equipment support. Or your Majesty can involve Nilfgaard on other fronts so that they have no time to respond to Cintra's counterattack. ."
"At the very least, we must issue a joint statement or call to make the fight against Nilfgaard the common aspiration of all people in the north!"
Vizmir II promptly supported: "Everyone. We need Cintra, a free, An independent and powerful country. It can become a steel gate and act as a barrier in the north of Nilfgaard, instead of a scorched earth for Nilfgaardian cavalry to gallop!"
Henselt frowned: "It is possible to rebuild such a Cintra. Is it? Calanthe is no longer here."
"The lioness has passed away, but now there is a male lion." Miwe also supported him, "Stop testing the young man, he has already proven himself on the battlefield."
Vizmir II and Queen Miwe all clearly supported Lann, and King Aedirn also agreed to resist Nilfgaard. Half of the people in the room were already on Lann's side.
Henselt touched his beard, wondering what he was thinking.
At this time, Foltest finally returned to his seat from the window and coldly interjected:
"Lannister, can you answer these two questions of mine: Who will rule Cintra in the future? ? And where is the missing Princess Cirilla?"
(End of this chapter)