vstars Chapter 683 Triumph and Undercurrents
Chapter 683 Triumph and Undercurrents
The autumn of 1464, with its dryness from the northern grasslands, swept across the territory of the Kingdom of Midland.
On the dusty road, a convoy was slowly approaching the direction of the royal capital, Windam.
At the head of the procession, Count Yuris rode a dark brown warhorse, his armor gleaming coldly in the sunlight.
Behind him followed a group of soldiers who had been awarded titles for their meritorious service in the Battle of Rona, and further back were members of the White Dragon Knights, clad in silver-white armor with blue dragons embroidered on their armor. Their steps were orderly, exuding the solemnity of seasoned warriors.
Griffith, Guts, and Casca from the Band of the Hawk are also in this team.
Griffiths sat upright on his warhorse, his gaze calm as he watched the city walls draw ever closer.
Guts and Casca rode alongside Griffith on either side, while the rest of the Band of the Hawk's affairs were left to Jedo to manage.
As the procession gradually approached the gates of Wyndam, the clamor of voices could be heard from afar.
When I got to the city gate, I saw that both sides were crowded with welcoming crowds.
People held colorful flowers in their hands, and some even scattered petals onto the road ahead of the procession. Cheers and applause mingled together, rising and falling in waves.
Gus was stunned. He had been to many places and fought many battles in his life, but he had never seen such a scene. Casca was also a little flustered and subconsciously moved closer to Gus. Neither of them had ever been to Windam, let alone received such treatment. For a moment, they did not know how to react.
Griffiths remained calm, merely nodding slightly to the crowds on either side.
In his view, this welcome was just the beginning, his first step into the power center of Midland.
He knew in his heart that before long, the city would hold an even grander triumphal procession for him, and then all eyes would be on him.
The procession did not linger at the city gate and continued towards the palace.
The streets of Wyndam were wide and flat, and the buildings on both sides were arranged in a pleasing manner. Compared with the towns they had seen before, it had a more solemn and grand feel.
Before long, the outline of the palace appeared in the distance. The complex of buildings, constructed of white stone, looked particularly magnificent against the backdrop of the surrounding buildings.
Upon reaching the palace gates, Griffith reined in his horse and dismounted.
He pulled a money pouch from his pocket and handed it to Gus beside him: "Go rent a room at a nearby hotel and rest for a while."
Gus took the money bag, weighed it in his hand, and the coins inside made a crisp sound. He nodded, said nothing more, and turned to walk towards the street not far away with Casca.
Griffiths straightened his clothes and followed Count Uris's party into the outer gate of the palace.
Upon entering the palace, Griffith's gaze involuntarily fell upon the surrounding decorations.
A large brocade hangs on the wall, embroidered with the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Midland and portraits of its kings, the colors still vibrant.
He couldn't help but sigh inwardly, realizing that the accumulated foundation of a dynasty over hundreds of years was indeed incomparable to that of ordinary places.
Compared to this place, Governor Goron's mansion was like the residence of a nouveau riche, devoid of any art except for piles of gold and silver.
The procession moved along the long corridor, their footsteps echoing in the empty space.
Soon, they arrived at the entrance of the council chamber.
The servants guarding the door pushed open the heavy door, and the scene inside suddenly opened up.
At this moment, a minister of etiquette dressed in a purple ceremonial robe stepped forward, cleared his throat, and announced loudly:
"Count Yuris and all generals, please enter the council chamber first. The rest of you, please wait at the door."
Upon hearing this, Griffith and the soldiers around him stopped in their tracks, and the men behind him began to whisper among themselves, clearly dissatisfied with the arrangement.
But they also knew that it was extremely rare for ordinary people or even low-ranking nobles to be summoned by the king, let alone this time when there was also a reward.
With this in mind, their discontent gradually subsided, and everyone stopped and stood at the entrance of the council hall, waiting for further instructions.
Count Yuris did not turn around, but led several high-ranking generals straight into the council hall.
Time passed slowly, and after an unknown amount of time, a slight commotion was heard inside. Then, Griffiths saw the king emerge from the back door, surrounded by several attendants.
The king wore a golden crown, adorned with several large gemstones that shone brilliantly under the lights.
He was dressed in a heavy royal robe, with his cloak carefully held up by two attendants as he walked step by step toward the throne.
After the king took his seat on the throne, Count Yuris and others in the council chamber knelt on one knee to pay their respects.
Griffiths, Casca, and others outside the council chamber also knelt down, heads bowed, awaiting the king's instructions.
The king slightly raised his hand and waved it:
"Everyone, get up."
The crowd responded in unison:
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
The king's gaze swept over the crowd, and he spoke calmly:
"You all worked hard in the Battle of Rona. You fought valiantly for Midland and recovered lost territory. I have seen and remembered everything you have done."
The king paused, then continued:
"The reason I have gathered you all here today is to reward your contributions and recognize your achievements."
After speaking, he looked at the Minister of Ceremonies beside him.
The Minister of Ceremonies immediately stepped forward, unfurled the scroll in his hand, and read aloud:
"Count Yuris!"
Count Eurysmus stepped forward and knelt on one knee before the king.
"Count Yuris was a brilliant commander in the Battle of Rhône, leading his troops to conquer the city. I hereby grant Count Yuris a manor in the suburbs of Wyndam, along with five thousand gold coins."
Count Yuris lowered his head and said:
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for the reward."
But he wasn't happy at all; in fact, he felt a little disappointed.
What he wants most right now is not manors or gold, but the ability to intervene in the affairs of the new army.
It's obvious to anyone with eyes to see that the king is now focusing all his military resources on the new army.
The new army, equipped with advanced weaponry, costs an astronomical sum every year. All the rewards he received this time probably don't even amount to one percent of the new army's annual expenses.
He had long heard that the profits from many estates and factories in the country had been allocated by the king to the construction of the new army, which was what he truly wanted.
But the king deliberately didn't mention it, which made him feel very uncomfortable.
Next, the king began to bestow titles and rewards upon the other generals one by one.
Some were granted royal titles, some received land, and others received generous monetary rewards.
Upon hearing their rewards, the nobles and generals stepped forward to express their gratitude, and then, guided by the Minister of Ceremonies, stood on one side of the council hall.
Soon, all the high-ranking generals and nobles present received their rewards.
The king took a sip of water handed to him by his attendant and spoke again:
"Let the heroes outside come in."
The Minister of Ceremonies immediately turned around and shouted loudly towards the door:
"Those who have made second-class contributions may enter."
Upon hearing the sound, Griffith straightened his clothes and followed the group into the council chamber.
Upon entering the hall, Griffiths, guided by a servant, walked behind a group of ministers and waited quietly for the king's summons.
The council chamber was quiet; only the sounds of the Minister of Ceremonies calling out names and the King bestowing honors upon those who had rendered meritorious service could be heard.
Griffith stood in the ranks, his gaze calmly fixed on the throne before him, feeling no nervousness, but rather a sense of anticipation.
After a while, the Minister of Ceremonies unfurled the scroll again and read aloud:
"Griffith, Commander of the Band of the Hawk."
Upon hearing his name called, Griffith immediately stepped out of the ranks, walked steadily to the king, and knelt on one knee.
The king looked down at him, his tone carrying a hint of approval:
"Griffith, I have heard about your performance in the Battle of Rona Territory. You led the Band of the Hawk deep into enemy territory, disrupted their supply lines, and caused considerable trouble for the Yodas."
The king paused, then continued:
"Especially during the siege, you took the lead and led your Eagle Regiment in a night raid on Rona, killing the enemy's commander and laying the foundation for the victory of the entire battle. Such achievements deserve commendation."
Upon hearing this, the ministers on both sides couldn't help but whisper among themselves.
Most of them were hearing the name Griffiths for the first time, and they never expected that this young commander would have made such a great contribution.
To their even greater surprise, the king was so aware of his achievements and quite admired them.
Count Yuris, who was standing to one side, instantly turned grim. He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
He didn't understand who had revealed this to the king. He had thought the matter was handled flawlessly, but now it seemed that the king clearly knew Griffith's true achievements and most likely also knew that he had tampered with the military merit documents.
Moreover, the king's public praise of Griffith, ostensibly to commend a meritorious official, was actually a veiled criticism of Euryth's actions.
This made him feel embarrassed and also aroused strong hostility towards Griffith. If it weren't for this mercenary who suddenly appeared, he wouldn't have done such a thing.
The king ignored the ministers' murmurs and continued:
"In recognition of your outstanding contributions, I have decided to place your Hawk Band directly under my command, making it one of my personal guard units. From now on, the Hawk Band will be under my direct control."
Upon hearing this, Griffith was secretly pleased, but his face remained calm.
He bowed to the king again:
"Thank you for your trust, Your Majesty. The Eagle Corps will certainly live up to your expectations."
The king nodded, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.
The ministers in the council chamber gradually stopped their discussions, and all their eyes were focused on Griffith. Clearly, this young commander would become an undeniable force in the capital of Midland from now on.
Count Yuris stood there, his face still grim. He stared intently at Griffith's retreating figure, pondering how to handle the situation. It seemed the king was going to support this commoner in his fight against the nobles.
Griffiths slowly stood up and, guided by his attendants, walked to the other side of the council chamber to stand with the other honored officials.
He knew this was just one step in his plan; he had a long road ahead and bigger goals to achieve.
The winds in Wyndam seem to be blowing in his favor.