RTW

191-200

Chapter 191 The new King's bared teeth

Petrov sipped the black tea, leaned against the soft lord chair, and let go of a long sigh of relief.

Two months had passed since the takeover of Longsong Stronghold, and by now he discovered that he liked the hall more and more. It's step-by-step ascending structure allowed him to overlook the lower standing officials and attendants from the Lord's seat, having such power in his grip let him have a feeling of satisfaction.

During the first month, some small aristocrats stepped out and openly questioned him or secretly planned riots and such things - of course, the people who provoked them from behind the scene came from Elk, Wolf, and several other big families. Following his father's advice, Petrov delivered the commoners who created trouble or belonged to the underground rats directly to the gallows, while the small nobles were imprisoned and after their family paid the ransom were expelled from the Western Territory.

When this method was put into practice and thunder like struck down on them, the situation soon subsided. After all, with the exception of the Honeysuckle Family, the Knights of several other families had been arrested and brought to Border Town. Making it impossible for them to build up any resistance against Petrov's policies. Afterward, he again guided the interest by announcing that the stronghold shall compensate the big families for their loss during the seizure, in this way forming a stable group of nobles who all shared a common interest.

With the exception of the 30% which had been transferred to Border Town, the remaining 70% of the stronghold's income were split into three sections. 30% were used to keep the city operating, 20% were used to appease the other noble families, and the remaining 20% were invested into the Hull's territory.

Nowadays, the old portrait of Duke Ryan that had hung behind the lord's seat was exchanged with a picture of the 4th Prince, Roland Wimbledon, but he already looked forward to the day when it was exchanged with one of himself – a portrait of Petrov Hull.

In case he thoroughly took possession of Longsong Stronghold, they could turn the tax used to operate the city and the one invested into their own territory into one, becoming truly worthy of the name of a dukedom. And the 50% which were used to appease the other nobles could also be saved. Instead, it could then be invested in the stronghold's trade, in exchange generating an even higher income for themselves.

Of course, the premise for all of this was that Roland Wimbledon could conquer the throne and rule as King of the Kingdom of Graycastle.

"My Lord," one of his guards entered the Lord's Hall and handed him a letter, "It contains news from Border Town."

When Petrov heard that the letter had come from Border Town, he immediately straightened the way he sat.

He received the envelope and took a fragile piece of papyrus from it. From the poor quality of the letter, he could immediately recognize that it was from one of his eyes within the ranks of the serfs.

The outcome of the battle two months ago could be said to be an outrageous result. Although Petrov hadn't personally taken part in it, he still had heard a fantastic story from his father. In order to find out the reasons for the Duke's failure, he had dispatched some of his confidants to Border Town. They would pretend to be artisans, herdsman or serfs, and send all the information they had gathered back to the stronghold.

He firmly believed that the others families had done the same.

But so far, each month he had only gotten information from the two people disguised as serfs. Those who had pretended to be craftsmen or herders hadn't given any sound of their presence, as if they had vanished.