After returning to the military camp in the square, Sir Art, accompanied by Odo and four Soldiers from the Third and Fourth Squads, went to a military tent in the corner of the square.
Here, a clerk sent by the Court was specifically registering the rosters of the conscripted armies from various regions.
The conscripted Soldiers dispatched by Baron Galvin were different from the armies of the five apprentice Knights; they, along with the peasant laborers conscripted from Tinietz County, were uniformly dispatched by the Court.
Therefore, after Sir Art quietly handed over two silver marks to the clerk responsible for military service registration, the eleven temporary Soldiers originally assigned to another Viscount were transferred to Earl Baldwin’s direct army, and then managed by Sir Art.
Anyway, with the current confusion in personnel, that Viscount might not even know there were eleven Soldiers who should have been assigned to him, and even if he did, a simple “Lord Deputy of the Court’s intention” would suffice to dismiss him.
After handling the assembly and registration, Sir Art returned to his camp and instructed the Commanders on setting up camp, then took Ron to visit Earl Baldwin, the Lord Deputy of the Court, at the location Bishop Olov had told him.
Walking through the bustling commercial streets and passing lively taverns and inns, Sir Art and Ron finally saw the mansion of Earl Baldwin, the Lord Deputy of the Court.
As soon as they turned the corner and approached the Earl’s mansion, they happened to see Dean, who should have been amusing himself with girls at a tavern or inn, emerging from the Earl’s mansion.
Seeing Dean’s triumphant smile, Sir Art knew that this son of a wealthy merchant must have managed to get rid of the other three and visit the Earl alone, likely even forming a connection with the Earl—
Ron looked at the swaggering figure walking away, spat, and said sourly, “As expected of a merchant’s son, this ability to curry favor with the powerful is truly impressive.
Look at that smug expression, he’s probably already gotten what he wanted.”
Sir Art did not pick up on Ron’s words, because Ron did not notice that they themselves were also currying favor with the powerful.
Arriving at the entrance of the Earl’s mansion, with its high walls and thick ramparts, the two announced their identities and quietly handed a “hardship fee” to the guards at the gate.
A mansion guard went in to report, and soon after, a person who looked like a butler came out and led Sir Art and Ron inside.
Earl Baldwin had his own fiefdom and estate properties, so his mansion was very luxurious.
Upon entering the main gate, there was an exquisite garden with a fountain sculpture.
Around the garden were buildings with domed carvings, red tiles, and white bricks, and seven or eight servants dressed in fine linen tunics walked and bustled about the mansion…
The butler led them into a tall building opposite the main entrance, went up to the second floor via a purple cedar staircase, and pushed open a carved wooden door.
An old man with a bald head and a large belly, wearing a sleeveless, loose “surcoat,” sat at a desk.
There were many wax seals on the wooden desk, and behind the desk was a large wall shelf filled with parchment scrolls.
The butler quietly approached the desk, bent down, and said, “My Lord, this is Sir Art, the Patrol Officer of Public Security in the Court’s southern territory and an apprentice Knight.”
“Sir Art, before you is Lord Baldwin, the Lord Deputy of the Court, Military Vice Minister, guardian of the Earl’s eastern territory, and Earl of Winterthur Province,” the butler straightened up and introduced to Sir Art.
Sir Art stepped forward, knelt before Baldwin, bowed his head, and placed his hand on his chest, saying, “Respected Vice Minister, may God be with you.”
Earl Baldwin looked Sir Art up and down, then asked with a smile, “You are Sir Art, the son of Bishop Olov’s religious guard in the Holy Land?”
“Yes, My Lord.”
Baldwin stood up from his armchair, walked to Sir Art, took Sir Art’s sword-holding right hand and looked at it, saying to Sir Art’s hand, which was full of calluses from holding a sword, “It seems all those letters of merit from Tinietz City were true.
You are a competent Patrol Officer.
Young man, do you know, when I was the Court Minister of Public Security, I appointed four border Public Security Patrol Officers, but only you truly made a difference.
Pierre once praised you in front of me, and that arrogant fellow rarely praises others.”
“It’s all the Prime Minister’s credit!” Sir Art omitted the word “Vice.”
Baldwin seemed not to have heard Sir Art’s “slip of the tongue,” and continued to smile as usual, encouraging Sir Art, “Young man, the Court’s conscription of you to participate in this war with Swabia is a rare opportunity for you apprentice Knights.
If you can achieve merits in this war, I will definitely help you cut off the swallowtail on your banner.”
Baldwin was busy with official duties and had no time or energy for pleasantries with Sir Art.
He asked directly, “Sir Art, you have come specifically to my mansion to see me.
Is there something important?”
Sir Art turned his head and beckoned Ron, who was waiting at the door, and respectfully replied, “I have admired the Prime Minister for a long time.
Even when I was far in the south, I thought that one day I would be able to see your esteemed face.
If it weren’t for the Court’s conscription, I would not have had the opportunity to meet you.
This time, I brought you a set of Eastern porcelain from Provence in the south, to express my respect for you~” With that, Sir Art took the opened brocade box from Ron’s hand and presented it to Baldwin.
Baldwin glanced at the brocade box, and the smile on his face became even more benevolent and radiant, “Good! Good! Since this is a treasure you brought from the distant south, I will not refuse it.”
Baldwin gave a look, and the butler consciously stepped forward and took the brocade box from Sir Art’s hand.
“Sir Art, this batch of conscripted troops is under my command.
Do you have any thoughts or plans?”
Sir Art brought up his idea of hoping to be stationed in the southeastern frontier conflict zone for defense.
Baldwin was surprised, “Sir Art, did I hear that right?
I thought you would ask for a job away from the battlefield, like that rich merchant’s son just now, but you actually volunteered to go to the border conflict zone.
You should know that small-scale battles are constantly breaking out in the border areas, and if Swabia launches a major attack, the border will be the first to be attacked!
Honestly, with Bishop Olov’s connection, you could totally get a safe and lucrative grain transport officer position here with me.
If you do well, it’s also easy to gain military merits.
Besides, the border doesn’t lack a few of you…” Baldwin stopped, not saying the word “cannon fodder.”
Sir Art shook his head and said, “My Lord, from the moment I begged Bishop Olov to seek a temporary position as a Patrol Officer for me, I gave up stability and decided to hang my head on the edge of a blade…”
Baldwin gradually put away the smile on his face, walked up to Sir Art, patted his shoulder, and said in a low voice, “You are a warrior with faith.
I will fulfill your great endeavor.”
“Butler, go call Charles to the study…”
After some discussion, Earl Baldwin agreed to Sir Art’s request to lead troops to the southeastern border area for defense, and agreed that Sir Art’s army would be stationed at an abandoned military fort called Talburg in the southeastern border area.
Of course, Sir Art’s few cavalry and one or two dozen infantry were more than enough to defend a manor, but it was not enough to defend an abandoned military fort deep in enemy territory.
Therefore, Earl Baldwin specifically transferred thirty temporary armed peasant Soldiers and twenty laborers from his fiefdom who had come to Besançon to assemble, to Sir Art.
In addition, the Court would order nearby fortress territories to provide necessary food and supplies for Sir Art’s defense of Talburg, and the Earl also personally gifted Sir Art a crossbow, three bundles of crossbow bolts, eight spears, and three hundred arrows.
… … … …
“My Lord, do you really intend to seek danger in the most perilous border regions instead of staying close?
The Earl himself said you could gain military merits by staying with him.” After leaving the Earl’s mansion, Ron asked Sir Art.
“Ron, you’ve been with me for almost a year.
Do you think I’m someone who fears life and death?”
“My Lord, you are a brave and fearless person.”
Sir Art walked quickly, and said to Ron, who was close behind him, “So I am serious.
Only the most dangerous places offer the greatest opportunities.
Without war, I don’t know how many mountain bandits and vagrants I would have to kill to gain the title of a formal Knight.
Without experiencing real battlefield combat, you will always only be county Public Security militia maintaining order.”
Ron knew that his Lord’s ambitions were far more than just the empty titles of Patrol Officer and apprentice Knight.
He said nothing more, and the two fell into silence.
After walking a few more steps, Sir Art asked, “Are you worried that some people in the army are unwilling to follow me into danger?”
Ron hesitated and replied, “Yes, My Lord, there are some things the Soldiers dare not say in front of you, but not everyone is willing to be ready to lose their head at any moment.”
“Are there many such people?”
“Not many, only two or three Soldiers occasionally complain.”
Sir Art stopped, stared at Ron, and asked, “Ron, look me in the eyes and tell me, are there any Soldiers or officers above the squad leader level among those who fear battle?
Don’t try to evade me.”
“No, not yet.
It’s just a few Soldiers who have expressed some fear of battle, especially the new recruits and prisoner laborers who haven’t experienced combat.” Ron replied.
Sir Art breathed a sigh of relief, “As long as the elite Soldiers and officers above the squad leader level can keep their composure, I have nothing to worry about.
Ron, I’ve said it before: some people don’t want to live, but no one isn’t afraid of death.
To make others willing to risk their lives, there must be sufficient reasons.”
Ron lowered his head and thought for a while, then replied, “So that’s why you’re raising everyone’s salaries and implementing wartime pay?
So that everyone will be willing to risk their lives to work with you?”
“Yes, this is just the most immediate and direct reason.
I can offer higher pay than others, of course, for doing more dangerous work than others.
But this is just the most basic.
Besides this, I must also continuously elevate the status of those around me, letting everyone know that following me can lead to a bright future.
That’s why I want to build the valley, why I want to strive for a Knight title.
It’s because only by building the valley well will everyone have a stable home; only by gaining formal Knight status can I make you Knight attendants, and only then will you have the opportunity to escape your commoner status, enter the nobility, bring glory to your families, and benefit your descendants.
For a commoner, this is the true reason worth risking everything for…”
The two talked as they slowly walked towards the military camp in the city square.