Baron Galvin, who has been busy running around, suddenly summoned him to discuss important matters. As his son-in-law, Art did not dare to neglect. After settling everything in the valley for a while, he left the valley with his guards and sentries and ran towards Sapp Castle.
Without stopping, the group arrived at Sap Castle in the evening of the next day.
Sapp Castle is still the same Sapp Castle it was back then, and Baron Galvin was no longer the same Baron Galvin.
That noble man has disappeared, his original big belly has disappeared, his smooth face has turned into lean and capable, his eyes are less shrewd than a businessman, and more passionate and perseverance, or more fanatical.
Galvin and the Baroness went to the gate of Sarp Castle to greet Art in person.
“Art, congratulations, now I can also call you Lord Art.” Baron Galvin made a little joke with Art.
"Hello, father-in-law, hello mother-in-law!"
Ate jumped off his horse and saluted the two elders, and then took a wooden brocade box from Ron's hand, "This is a small gift from Lottie and I to you. This is a piece of stone wood incense that I bought from the Southern Continent specially for you two. Lottie came back to visit you because of her pregnancy, so that I brought back my greetings to my father-in-law and mother-in-law."
The Baroness took the brocade box, sniffed it, and praised: "This is a rare good thing! It's rare that you two have this intention, so I will take it."
"Where's Felix? He didn't come back with you?" Galvin turned his head and looked behind Art, but found no trace of Felix.
"Father-in-law, I have established an officer academy in the valley to train officers for army expansion. Felix will receive officer training in the academy before returning to Sap to form your army." Art explained.
"College? I heard that you have already built a parish school, and now you are building a college to teach writing to a group of common people. Isn't this too ostentatious?"
Galvin immediately asked himself and answered: "But how long has it been, and no one will pursue such a trivial matter. Those military academies of yours..."
"Okay, let the children go back to the mansion to rest for a while and then discuss it." Seeing that Galvin, the Baroness planned to continue the discussion, so she pulled Art up and walked towards the Lord's Mansion at Sappburg...
...
After dinner and settling down his soldiers, Art followed Baron Galvin to the secret room of the lord's mansion.
Seeing that Galvin was so mysterious, Art couldn't figure out what big deal this father-in-law was hiding, "Father-in-law, what's the big deal?"
"Sit down first." Galvin pointed to an armchair in the secret room for Art to sit down.
Seeing Art sitting down, Galvin lowered his voice, "You must also know about the struggle for the dominance of the county, right?"
Att nodded, "Earl Baldwin has already told me these things."
"Then you should know my position, right?"
Matt thought to himself that as his father-in-law, he followed the Earl of Longchal all day long. It would be difficult not to know his position. "Yes, my father-in-law, the Earl of Flanders is Lottie's cousin. Your choice is correct."
"I am already over forty years old. Maybe that day I will accept God's call and enter the kingdom of heaven. If things go according to the past, I will not get myself into these disputes."
"But no one would have expected Ivre. The Marquis will suddenly become critically ill, and the so-called eldest son Robert is not the Marquis' blood. Now the Marquis has repented and intends to give the inheritance of the county to the Earl of Flanders. However, the woman in the inner court has blocked several provinces in the west and tried her best to put the throne on that little bastard. "
"How can we tolerate such absurd things happening? Moreover, that woman has been suppressing and persecuting the Goge family all these years. If her bastard is allowed to sit on the iron throne, I will be demoted to a pariah?" "My father-in-law, I have the same idea as you. I have been standing opposite the people in the inner court from the beginning. I have had many enemies over the years. If the people behind us lose power one day, how can we end up in peace."
“Raising money for the Earl of Flanders?” Art was not surprised. After all, Galvin was famous for being a wealthy businessman.
"Yes, I have raised 1.2 million pfennig for Flanders!"
Hearing the figure of 1.2 million, Art's eyes almost popped out with shock. This astronomical sum of money can almost sustain the expenses of an ordinary professional infantry of 3,000 people for a year. If weapons, armor and other equipment are added, it is enough to recruit an army of 2,000 people.
"Where did you get this huge sum of money? Did you sell it~" Art asked in surprise.
Galvin nodded, "You guessed it right. I spent my life savings of 400,000 pfennigs, and sold almost all the shops, taverns, and warehouses in my name. I even sold three of my caravans. Now I only have Sap. I bought three southern goods shops and a thirty-car caravan in the Côte d'Or province near the castle. After selling off my property, I raised another five hundred thousand pfennigs. Then I used the entire barony of Sappburg as a guarantee and borrowed three hundred thousand from the treasury of the Knights of the Holy Order. Finney."
After listening to Art for a while, he raised his head and said: "I can understand that you are selling off the shops, taverns, and hotels in the West. After all, once the storm starts, sooner or later your opponents will target your property. Instead of letting them take it away, it is better to exchange it for gold cakes and silver coins. However, handing 1.2 million Finney to Flanders all at once, and borrowing it from the Knights of the Holy Order, this investment is too expensive. It is not like your style."
“Art, I know what you mean. But if I pay 1.2 million pfennigs now, maybe it will turn into 2.1 million pfennigs and return to my purse in the future. As for the risk, if we can’t win, those things will sooner or later end up in the enemy’s pocket. "
Art also nodded in approval, "Then I will go back and discuss with Lottie to sell the shop you gave us."
Galvin agreed with Art's plan.
"Att, I asked you to come here today and I have another thing to talk to you about."
Att sat up straight and listened carefully.
"Of the 1.2 million pfennig, 300,000 pfennig belongs to you!" Galvin's expression was serious, no joke.
“You, you are the person that Count Baldwin said he would help me expand my army?” Art reacted instantly. He had previously wondered why Count Baldwin would be so generous as to support himself with money to support an army of five hundred people. It turns out that wool comes from sheep.
"You are right, I am the one who funded your army expansion. This is also a small condition for me to raise money for the Count of Flanders."
"I have been wasted along the way in fighting. Felix may be able to pick up the sword I dropped, but after all, he is too young and still needs a lot of experience. And your performance in these years has proven that you are just a fish in the torrent of troubled times, I believe you."
"These 300,000 pfennigs will be given to you in two ways. This time you take away 150,000 pfennigs first. You can use the money to recruit soldiers first. 150,000 is enough to consume 500 soldiers for more than half a year. We will find a solution for the shortfall after half a year."
"I will use the remaining 150,000 to buy weapons and armor. I have already ordered a batch of weapons and armor in Paris and several surrounding cities, and I will gradually transport them to your territory to assemble your army."
Art is really happy. Although 300,000 pfennigs are far from enough to support an elite army of 500 people, it is still enough for him to build an army framework...