Pioneer Lord: Starting From Daily Intelligence

Chapter 155: Chapter 96: Flower of Nobility · Hesse Guard Knight

Actually, Su Li’s astonishment and pressure are quite normal, after all, the development time of the Hesse Territory is still short.

Not counting the dwarves, the total population is less than two thousand people.

To sustain nearly two hundred gleaming knights with these two thousand farmers and merchants surely puts financial strain.

Supporting 20 knights in a territory of this scale is already considered a lot. Previously, Su Li felt well-off entirely because his territory had various special industries that could produce high-value items, such as dwarf heavy armor, witch talismans, and monastery potions.

But these constructions are limited, and supporting 200 knights is obviously beyond reach.

The key is that in Silver Spring Valley, there are also 60 elite knights and over a hundred knight’s squires.

In other words, in the Hesse Territory, the knights who receive salaries from Su Li and those who do not add up to more than three hundred, nearly four hundred.

And all of this is not the most troublesome part, the most troublesome part is, how to enfeoff so many knights?

Su Li can’t suppress them forever, but if he enfeoffs dozens of nobles, his army would crumble, and it would lead to the territory being too fragmented.

Su Li never thought of such a grand enfeoffment scale, as he always estimated the scale would not exceed ten.

But all of this, Su Li cannot directly speak frankly with the military!

A virtuous lord must generously reward knights who have contributed. At least in front of Commander Oerstein, Su Li needs to demonstrate a willingness to enfeoff!

So Su Li pondered slightly and probed: ”My commander, what do you think of me enfeoffing these knights? You know that the territory’s finances are overburdened.”

Oerstein immediately shook his head and said, ”I don’t think it’s an appropriate time. The knights are eager, hoping to establish more merits under your command and gain more breakthrough opportunities. Enfeoffing them now would greatly shake the army’s morale. An ambitious knight shouldn’t be idle among farms, especially at such a critical time just before a decisive battle with demons and green dragons.”

Su Li stroked the soft beard growing on his chin, his mindset becoming as tough and mature as his growing beard, and asked: ”But our territory’s finances are indeed overburdened. Even if I take the Kissers to Marle Castle and sell them for thousands of golden crowns, it wouldn’t last long in front of such massive military expenditure.”

”We should think of a way to solve this issue. The knights’ ideas are important, but the financial stability of the territory is equally important. Of course, more important is solving the knights’ path to promotion.”

Indeed, Su Li’s suggestion was effective!

He proposed many difficulties at once, and Knight Oerstein did not discover Su Li’s true intention.

After thinking, Knight Oerstein said: ”Perhaps we can convert an idea and treat enfeoffment as a necessary condition for promotion. For example, we create a Noble Blossom Corps of the Hesse Guard.”

”Hesse Guard Knights?” Su Li’s eyes lit up, feeling quite interested, as there was no shortage of such elite knight orders, especially near the capital.

These knight orders generally only pledge allegiance to the Emperor or Electors.

These Forbidden Guard Knights also often create their own legends with brave and fearless fighting; they lead charges in almost every battle, but rarely have deserters, and are willing to fight across the Empire for the Emperor/Elector.

Commander Oerstein continued to explain: ”To reflect the nobility and power of the Hesse Guard, My Lord, you can equip them with the best weapons, fine plate armor that glows, and prominently attach the Black Forest mark to signify their identity.”

”And all this is to highlight the strict recruitment conditions. Making joining the Hesse Guard a special honor in the territory’s atmosphere. This will make many young nobles eager to add vibrant colors to their youth careers.”

”If everything develops smoothly, perhaps even in places like the Nord Territory, known for producing warriors, there will be people enlisting in the Hesse Guard. There might even be scenarios where other electors’ descendants join the Hesse Guard.”

Su Li suddenly understood a bit, calling this army the Noble Blossom really was not wrong!

Only young nobles can join this corps, a widely accepted condition.

Within the Empire, many high-born warriors won’t join any province’s standing corps, as it means fighting alongside common soldiers. They are more inclined to join specialized knight orders.

These knights, impressive and majestic, wear sparkling heavy plate armor, wield fine weapons, charging towards the Empire’s enemies with an earth-shattering assault.

To become a member of the Empire’s elite knight order, a noble must relinquish feudal responsibilities and inheritance rights, then undergo a rigorous initiation ceremony.

If the Hesse Guard is successfully established, it would be another opportunity for the lord to gain virtue points!

Just opposite to the Nineteen Taxes, where subordinates first pay, and the lord then returns. Now, Su Li benevolently bestows territories upon the knights, then they relinquish the feudal responsibilities and inheritance rights of the land.

When becoming a Hesse Guard Knight becomes a widespread honor, it may even attract young nobles from other territories to give up everything to join this powerful knight order.

Especially as Su Li gradually becomes stronger, the influence of this honor will broaden more and more. When he becomes an Elector, this honor will affect the entire Border Prince’s Territory, and when he becomes the supreme Emperor, this honor will affect the entire Empire.

Moreover, the presence of the Hesse Guard is like a banner, which will inspire other knights to fight more bravely and pursue honor more passionately, hoping for the day they join the Hesse Guard.

Su Li’s mood became somewhat cheerful, as in this way, the issue of knightly enfeoffment was indeed resolved.

He could, at his own pace, slowly enfeoff those who had needs and the ability from the knight clans to suitable places to help him develop remote areas.

But he immediately thought of a problem and said, ”My Commander-in-Chief, your proposal of this Noble Flower is indeed good. But it seems to only solve the knights’ enfeoffment issue and not the financial problem of the territory. Moreover, to organize such a powerful Forbidden Guard Knight, it seems that financial pressure will continue to increase.”

Knight Oerstein put down his knife and fork, stood up, tidied his robe, and confidently replied, ”Lord, the most important thing for the Hesse Guard Knight is honor. How much their salary increases is not their pursuit. Just increase by 1 to 2 Golden Crowns per person per month. But the improvement in combat power it brings is unparalleled, meaning they will gain the trait of dying fighting.”

”On the battlefield, they will initiate the charge first and retreat last. This kind of powerful fighting ability cannot be bought with money.”

”I am the Military Commander; I am only responsible for how to strengthen military power and win battles. As for financial matters, you may need to convene the Minister of the Seal, Minister of Finance, Minister of Agriculture, and High-level Attendants Chief to discuss.”

Good fellow, he really pushed all responsibilities away!

All you want is perfection on the military front, confidently leaving financial matters for the Lord to handle!

Su Li sighed, also put down his food, waved to Ingrid, and asked her to take down the Bauhinia Clan’s banner and hand it to Oerstein.

”My Commander-in-Chief, I will personally be responsible for establishing the Hesse Guard. As for financial issues, I will find a way to solve them. You go and tidy up the army, deal with the Brass Sisterhood in the southwest of the territory and the Pumas by the east side of the Brienne River.”

The meat of the Puma can slightly enhance the wood attribute knights’ cultivation aptitude. It cannot compare to the Fire Rabbit and Light-Scaled Fish, but it is abundant in quantity. A large Puma’s meat can weigh 3000 to 5000 pounds, almost catching up to an elephant’s weight.

Bringing it back can greatly alleviate the territory’s food pressure.

Knight Oerstein’s eyes also lit up. He had already eaten the Lion’s Mane Mushroom before, and there are more than twenty of these mushrooms. Fifteen were planted around the Holy Purple Vine Tree in the territory to cultivate seeds, and the rest were given to the knights to improve their aptitude.

He knew very well how important these item that could enhance one’s aptitude were.

So he immediately saluted Su Li and said, ”As you command, my Lord, I will personally take care of these matters now.”

After he left, Su Li also rose, donned his cloak, ready to go near Jorn Shallow Bay for a look.

Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish. Su Li never expected one person to solve all his problems. The Military Commander coming up with a way to solve the territory’s enfeoffment issue was already an unexpected joy.

As for financial issues, he still had to inquire personally.

In this aspect, he planned to talk to Lauren. For such a long time, so much money has been spent, so many people have been nurtured, isn’t it to perform their duties and help solve problems?

Just as Su Li was about to leave, Ingrid pulled his coat, asking, ”Are you leaving?”

Su Li thought she was worried about the treehouse by the Purple Vine Tree, so he smiled, lowered his head and kissed her forehead, saying, ”I’ll go to Jorn Shallow Bay to check on farming matters. Don’t worry, I’ll have the Dwarf Engineer immediately help you build the treehouse and garden by the Purple Vine Tree.”

With Su Li’s intelligence aid, a batch of Rainbow Hail Crystals was buried under the Holy Purple Vine Tree, and this magical spirit plant was rapidly growing, as if time sped up for it. It has now grown over forty meters, and its purple flowers pour down like stars, swaying in the wind, forming a sea of purple.

The breeze blows, flower petals flutter, emitting a faint fragrance, making people feel relaxed and happy.

The forty-meter-high Purple Vine combined with the magnificent garden, as dawn filtered through the petals, casts mottled light and shadow, resembling a fantastical fairyland.

It can be said that anyone would marvel at the spectacle of intertwined light and the mysterious, beautiful atmosphere, which seems like a bridge connecting reality and dreamy fantasy.

That’s why Ingrid agreed to move the Witch’s Hut in, and Su Li also wanted to build a beautiful structure like a Mage Tower inside for her.

But Ingrid looked at him calmly and said, ”It’s not that. If you lack money, I can give you 1000 Golden Crowns.”

Su Li raised an eyebrow, surprised that his courtier was so wealthy!

But thinking about how she sometimes sells various magical talismans, items, and potions to the people, having this wealth is not so hard to understand.

And her willingness to take out her entire dowry to support him, Su Li felt even more comforted and his smile was radiant. This is her personality, always calm and serene, yet willing to quietly give. You treat her well with one kindness, she is willing to return tenfold of goodwill.

But he only lightly kissed Ingrid’s lip corner, saying, ”No need, keep your little gold stash hidden well. The part about making money and supporting the family, leave it to me. These minor issues, I will solve them all.”

Then Su Li stroked her silky pink long hair and said to her, ”Stop changing your hair color to this, it’s not fitting for you. Your original greyish-green long hair is much prettier.”

”Alright.”

After bidding farewell to Ingrid, Su Li couldn’t help but feel a surge in his chest. With a wife like this, the mood is always joyous when fighting for a future!

”Let’s go; we take a trip to Jorn Shallow Bay.”