Since learning that two thousand troops from the Welsh Army and the Longxia Army had arrived in Diguan Town, Count Codor had trouble sleeping and eating. He did not expect that the enemy would advance so quickly. As soon as he stepped into the gate of Kodor City, others followed behind him.
"Report!" Just as Count Codor was pacing back and forth in the lord's hall, the messenger came to report.
"Is it about the Welsh Legion?" Count Codor turned around and walked towards the messenger at the door.
「报告大人，是索恩宫廷贝尔纳伯爵派的特使来了。」
「什么？特使？」科多尔伯爵惊讶之余没有立即叫传令兵将索恩宫廷派来的特使叫进来，而是慢慢转身坐在领主大厅里的蒙皮大椅上闭目沉思。
At this time, that old guy Bernard sent a special envoy to do what. If it had been in the past, Count Codor would have already asked people to prepare drinks and take out gold and silver to entertain the people sent by Bernard. After all, Bernard was very powerful at that time, and if he had a good relationship with the court, he would benefit from it in the future. These small gifts should be used to pave the way for the future.
However, the world has changed now, and the Thorne court represented by Bernard has been defeated one after another in the north. On the other hand, the Restoration Army in Dongjing is pressing forward step by step, with overwhelming momentum, and has successively conquered and occupied many towns and strategic locations in the eastern part of Saône Province. Thorne's court was facing a situation of being completely suppressed and shrinking step by step.
At this time, the external situation also experienced a fundamental reversal. The principality that originally supported Thorne's court switched sides and acted according to the prevailing situation. The Kingdom of France and the Church of Paris firmly supported the Flanders side.
As far as Thorne's court is concerned, Earl Codor also received secret information. Seeing that the principality that originally supported Thorne's court had transferred its troops from the border, some powerful ministers and nobles who supported Bernard had begun to waver, and secretly communicated with the Besançon court, planning to make peace. Now those who fully support Bernard are his confidants. Although he knew that some guys were frightened by Dongjing and were ready to take action, Bernard still did not dare to attack those people. Because he still needs those people's wallets to serve him. If he cleans out those people prematurely at this time, it will inevitably cause resistance. This is undoubtedly adding insult to injury to the already precarious Thorne court.
After careful consideration, an idea flashed into Count Codor's mind: make peace. Before Flanders completely occupied the province of Saône, he swore allegiance to the new king. Otherwise, when Bernard's court of Thorne is completely defeated by Beveland, the new king will definitely raise his sword and gouge out his own heart.
It is not too late to make peace at this time. As an old-school powerful official of the count, he had run the province of Codor for decades and swore allegiance to the new king. Flanders would definitely give him some leniency. After all, it is much wiser to have one more ally than one more enemy. Flanders will not understand this truth. Being able to respond instantly in the battle for succession, and even get the support of Paris and loyal followers like Art, Flanders did not rely on luck.
But in order to find out the purpose of Bernard sending the special envoy, Count Codor still planned to meet this guy.
“Bring that guy here.” Count Codor ordered the messenger who had been standing outside the door for a long time.
"Yes, Your Majesty the Earl."
Not long after, the special envoy sent by Thorne's court had arrived at the door of the Lord's Hall of Kodor City.
"Your Majesty, the special envoy from Thorne Palace is here." The messenger reported outside the door.
"Come in." Count Codor's tone lacked the previous enthusiasm. If it had been before, he would have been waiting outside the door.
Since he had been waiting outside the count's residence for a long time, the special envoy looked a little ugly. Upon hearing Count Codor's summons, the envoy strode into the Lord's Hall.
Seeing Count Codor sitting on a large leather chair in the lord's hall with his eyes closed, the envoy walked straight towards Count Codor.
"Your Majesty, Count, I~"
"Let's sit down first." As soon as the envoy started to speak, Count Codor interrupted him casually. Thorne's palace envoy had no choice but to walk towards the seat on one side.
After a while, Count Codor looked at this guy with half-open eyes. I remember that the last time the Thorne Palace envoy came, he informed Count Codor that Thorne Palace had obtained the support of the principality. His attitude was very arrogant, and he even looked down upon Count Codor. Before leaving, Earl Codor also asked people to prepare a large amount of gold and silver to give to this guy, hoping to show his goodwill to Thorne's court.
Now, the face of the guy sitting in front of him no longer looked as domineering and arrogant as before. He just waited in silence with a sullen face, not even daring to express his anger.
Looking at the change of attitude of the envoy, Count Codor had already guessed the purpose of sending the envoy to Thorne Palace this time.
"Ahem~" Count Codor, who was already lying on the leather chair with some back pain, pretended to cough twice.
"My lord, you are awake." The envoy hurried forward to greet him.
"Oh, my lord, I made you laugh. I have been busy with business recently and I am quite tired. I fell asleep without paying attention." Count Codor explained.
"Your Majesty, Count, you have an important responsibility for your country, so please take care of yourself." When the special envoy saw Count Codor walking down the steps, he hurriedly got up and reached out to support him.
"Come here, prepare drinks for the special envoy as soon as possible." Count Codor ordered the servants in the side room while guiding the special envoy to his seat.
“I don’t know what instructions the special envoy has when he comes this time. Is the principality preparing to send troops?” Count Codor tried to get some useful information from the special envoy.
"Hey, hey, Lord Earl, the principality has already announced its support for the Thorne court, and it is only a matter of time before it sends troops." The envoy said with a smile. "The Thorne Palace sent me here for two things this time."
"Oh, please inform the envoy." Earl Codor showed an expectant look on his face and tilted his body slightly towards the envoy. The special envoy glanced at Count Codor, then turned to look in the direction of the inner castle~
Count Codor certainly knew what this guy was thinking. In the past, every time a special envoy came, Count Codor would first ask the servants in the inner castle to prepare a bag of jingling "gifts" as the special envoy's "hard work fee." I hope to get as much useful information as possible from this guy's mouth, and I can also use this guy's mouth to put in some good words for myself in front of Thorne's court.
But now the situation has changed. The Earl of Codor is no longer willing to reward the greedy guy in front of him with the wealth he has worked hard to manage the Codor Province for several years.
"What is the envoy looking at inside?" Count Codor asked hypocritically. The special envoy slowly turned his head and saw that the smile on his face had disappeared.
"Oh, it's nothing, it's nothing, your lord." The envoy replied quickly.
"Didn't you just say that Thorne's court sent you here for two reasons? Tell me." Noticing the change in Earl Codor's tone, the envoy gave up the idea.
"Your Majesty, Count Bernard asked me to tell you that the rear of the army that attacked Fort Marsi has been destroyed by the people sent by Thorne Palace, and they cannot hold on for long. This is the first thing. In addition, Count Bernard asked you to resist that army. Thorne Palace has sent people to the principality to urge him. We will immediately send troops to Besançon to encircle and suppress the Liberation Army together with the Western Army. It will be a matter of time before we recover Dongjing. You will be a meritorious minister of the Count, and the new court will definitely not treat you badly. "
"Oh, by the way, Count Bernard has a personal letter that I have asked me to forward to you." The envoy took out the letter from his waist and put it on the table.
Count Codor looked at the letter on the table and did not rush to open it. Instead, he stroked his beard and thought about the secret letter he had just received from his two friends. It was not at all what the treacherous guy in front of him said. The reason why the Thorne Palace sent a special envoy here was simply to appease him and work hard for the Thorne Palace. I am not a fool either.
Nowadays, I will never be led by that old guy Bernard again. The reason why he agreed to surrender to and support the Thorne court was entirely because Bernard promised to divide half of the territory of Lucesien Province to himself after the completion of the project. Now that the situation is over, he has to consider his own future and destiny. Before Bernard even touched the pie that he had drawn for himself, he had already lost half of the territory of Codor Province, and also lost countless money and troops. The gain was not worth the loss.
Count Codor thought for some time, took a sip of wine from his glass, and said to the Thorne Palace envoy: "I heard that the principality recently sent people to Besançon to talk to Flanders about supporting the Liberation Army to unify the county."
"This~" The envoy was shocked, and his body was already shaking a little. He also moved his eyes away from Count Codor.
"Your Majesty, Count, this must be a rumor spread by the rebels in Besançon to destroy your friendship with Count Bernard." The envoy quickly explained.
"Humph! Friendship? How long will that old guy keep it from me?" Count Codor looked down upon the guy in front of him who was talking nonsense.
"Your Majesty, Count, please watch your words!" The envoy heard that Count Codor was disrespectful to his master, and stood up to remind Count Codor.
"You bastard, you dare to show off in front of me at this time!" Count Codor yelled.
"You!" At this time, the special envoy's face was livid with anger, but he did not dare to get angry.
"Do you think I don't know? Because of the pressure from the Kingdom of France and the Church, the Principality has already withdrawn its troops from the border. It also sent people to express its goodwill to the court of Besancon, hoping to renew the alliance." Count Codor said loudly, and the spittle stars from his mouth kept flying towards the envoy's face, which frightened the envoy to cover his head and retreat.
"Now you are here just in time. I am worried about the "gift" that I don't have." Count Codor smiled with satisfaction.
"What gift? To whom?" The envoy seemed to understand the killing intent in Count Codor's eyes.
“You! Do you dare to collude with the rebels?” The envoy pointed his finger at Count Codor in horror and asked.
"Collusion? How can this be called collusion? This is called peacemaking." Count Codor finally revealed his plan.
"You~" As he spoke, the envoy ran out of the door of the lord's hall...
"Catch him!" Following Count Codor's order, the guards outside the door grabbed the envoy who had just ran to the door and pushed him to the ground.
"Let me go, you two bastards!" The envoy struggled and shouted.
"Take the special envoy down to me and lock him up, I can still be of use."
"Yes, Your Majesty the Earl."
"Mormont, you are treason! You traitor, you have to think clearly, Count Bernard will not let you go, you are going to the execution platform..." The envoy was dragged out of the lord's hall by the guards, while cursing~
"Come here!" After the envoy's voice disappeared in the lord's hall, Earl Codor called the messenger over.
"You leave the city immediately and take my secret message with you..." Count Codor looked around and lowered his voice and said to his personal guard.
"Yes, Your Majesty the Earl."