A Crusader with System in the Middle Ages

Brewer pushed open the doors to the assembly hall with some hesitation.

The clamorous discussion inside made him uncomfortable. He glanced back at Eric, who was behind him.

Eric nodded at him.

He swallowed and walked slowly inside.

Eric chose not to enter. It would be better to let Brewer handle it himself.

The moment he walked in, the assembly hall fell silent.

”Gentlemen, my colleagues. Er...”

Brewer coughed twice and couldn’t stop himself from glancing back toward the door.

Then he turned his gaze back to his peers.

”It is my unfortunate duty to announce some rather unhappy news. That group of Nobility and Priests has already decided to contribute their gold and silver to the Duke’s expedition. They are willing to scrape together over ten thousand pounds of tax silver to sponsor the Duke.”

”How is that possible! Where would they get that much Money!”

”That stingy lot of Nobility would cough up that much Money?”

”Impossible, absolutely impossible! Besides their Warhorses and armor, all they have left is debt.”

Many in the audience couldn’t stay in their seats and began to shout.

”There’s a reason for it. They believe the Duke’s actions this time have been too rash, but this rashness also frightens them. That’s what prompted them to make this decision.

They demand that if he is to receive this offering, the Duke must promise never to convene this type of assembly again.

The Duke argued forcefully on our behalf, but how can one man stand against a pack of wolves? He still has to deal with his detestable brother, that man who is as ruthless as the old Duke. Alas...”

As he spoke, Brewer let out a long sigh.

He was reciting the script Eric had prepared for him verbatim.

Just then, Eric walked in. He went to the front of the stage, lowered his head, and put on a look of sympathy and sorrow.

”My heart ached when I first heard this news. You, gentlemen, are the most loyal and talented men in Normandy, yet you are to be humiliated by that arrogant, unreasonable rabble of Nobility. My own heart is bleeding for you.

I just argued vehemently with those nobles. I told them that the cities and villages are the core of Normandy, the most crucial part! But they just sneered, believing everyone should farm their lands for them until death. I was utterly distraught.

The Duke must be in tremendous pain as well. But a Duke with no army is not a true Duke. He cannot fulfill his duties, nor can he restrain those arrogant nobles. He can only compromise and force a smile.”

Eric beat his chest and stomped his foot.

His acting was so convincing that some in the audience began to believe it was real.

Eric then gestured to Brewer.

”Now, then, let’s begin the vote. Please raise your hand to show your support. The Duke needs at least twenty thousand pounds for military expenses. We can discuss the specific contribution ratios later. For now, we will just count the number of willing parties.

The village representatives do not need to participate in the vote. The Duke has decided to open the rights to the Forest for four years. You may all freely gather resources within it and will not be driven away.”

As Brewer finished speaking, the village representatives, who had been bored for a long time, erupted in cheers.

The city representatives, however, looked extremely conflicted. No one had raised a hand yet.

A military fund of over ten thousand pounds was no small sum.

Brewer winked at someone sitting in the front row.

The man understood instantly, shot to his feet, and raised his hand.

”Caen City is willing to donate to the Duke, to thank him for his benevolence and enlightenment!”

”Excellent! Worthy of being a great city of our Normandy. How impressive.”

Eric smiled and started to applaud, then walked over to the man.

”On behalf of the Duke, I grant Caen City the right to independent judgment, autonomy in its judicial affairs, and its own independent law enforcement. I will later present you with a charter personally signed by the Duke.”

Eric’s incredibly generous promise instantly sent the city representatives in the audience into an uproar.

More and more people raised their hands.

Eric promised less to those who raised their hands later.

Soon, the vote passed the halfway mark.

Eric patted Brewer on the shoulder and walked out of the assembly hall. He was heading for the hall where the Nobility was gathered.

....

The Nobles’ Assembly Hall

”My esteemed lords, those city representatives are getting along splendidly with the Duke. They claim they will satisfy all of the Duke’s demands, willing to donate twenty thousand pounds for his military fund, so long as the Duke agrees to curtail the Nobility’s judicial privileges over the cities and countryside...

My heart ached when I heard this news. I argued vehemently with those crafty commoners. I told them that the Nobility is the true core of Normandy, that Normandy was built by the Nobility, not by these shameless merchants and artisans! They just sneered. I was utterly distraught.

The Duke must be in tremendous pain as well. But without Money there is no army, and a Duke with no army is not a true Duke. He cannot fulfill his duties, nor can he restrain those arrogant city merchants. The Duke needs something from them now, so he can only compromise and force a smile.”

Standing at the front, Eric put on the same look of sympathy and sorrow, beating his chest and stomping his foot.

”What? How dare they! Do these crafty commoners think they can reach for the heavens?!”

”Outrageous! What kind of Money could those crafty commoners possibly have! How can the Duke so easily believe them? They’re all liars!”

”I’ll chop them all up and feed them to the dogs!”

”...”

”So, let’s begin the vote. The Duke needs at least twenty thousand pounds for military expenses. We can discuss the specific contribution ratios later. For now, we will just count the number of willing parties. Please raise your hand to show your support.”

”I am willing! I will offer all my loyalty to our most merciful and humble Duke!”

”I’m willing, too! We can’t let those crafty commoners act so arrogantly! The Duke must be made to understand that the Nobility is his true pillar of support.”

.....

The Clergy’s Assembly Hall

When Eric arrived at the Clergy’s assembly hall, ready to perform for a third time the act he had already put on twice, he opened the door to find the hall in an uproar. But this uproar was completely different; it was more like two factions arguing with each other.

They were spitting at each other, and some had even started grabbing each other by the throat in their agitation.

”Mad, what kind of Bishop are you. You illiterate fool, you think you’re fit to be a Bishop? You bought your office!”

”You... You dare to defy your superiors and speak such insolence! Outrageous!”

”Only His Holiness the Pope can appoint and dismiss clergy! You blasphemers who buy and sell ecclesiastical offices! May the fires of Hell consume you!”

”What right do you have to represent our Parish, just because you tricked your way into a Bishop’s seat? You can’t even read Latin, you never visit the Parish, and you even keep a mistress!”

”You fucking heretic!”

”You’re the fucking heretic! I am a Bishop! Whoever I say is a heretic, is a heretic!”

”....”

Eric stood at the front, slammed his hand on the table, and shouted, ”Silence! Silence!”

But he shouted it several times to no avail.

After a few tries, Eric gave up. He had already convinced the city representatives and the Nobility, and the amount of Money raised was nearly sufficient. The Church’s contribution was no longer as important.

He listened for a moment and gathered that the argument had started because some low-ranking Priest had mentioned that the current High Priests were all illiterate noble ruffians, which is what started the fight.

Some of the lower-ranking Priests believed there needed to be reform. They wanted the Pope to be the one to appoint clergy, or at least to set a minimum academic standard for the position of Bishop, subject to examination.

But this was met with fierce opposition from the High Priests.