King-Chapter 1080 - 156: Establishing Another Clergy

"Since we share an old acquaintance, let father subtly leak some information to them!

The Near East strategy of the Kingdom is a venture of high investment, high risk, and high return, whether they wish to participate is up to them."

Hudson responded calmly.

The network of relationships within the clan had played a role during the early days of his entrepreneurship, naturally, he could not turn his face and fail to acknowledge them.

Where it was within his power, Hudson still didn’t mind offering them some help.

The words he now spoke were all heartfelt. For minor nobles to participate in the Near East strategy, they were essentially gambling with their family’s foundation.

But it is precisely because of the high risk that there is the potential for high return. Without the threat of the Orcs, the Near East would become a juicy piece of meat—what business would they have qualifying for a role?

For minor nobles and commoners to advance further, they must stake their lives—that is the essence of the world.

If they do not strive now, when the era of great mergers comes, they won’t even have the chance to risk their lives, let alone anything else.

Those who have obtained fiefs in the Near East now hold an advantage. Those who haven’t can only cling to other nobles and follow them in seeking wealth and honor.

If all goes as expected, the major clans will soon begin recruiting people in succession, reserving talents for the development of the Near East, including the Koslow Family.

Drawing people into the fold must also entail skill—it is best to have them come on their accord, rather than actively seeking them out.

Especially when it involves past favors, appearing too eager can easily give the other party the wrong impression, feeling that it’s just for the sake of old times that they come to your aid."

"Hudson, tell me the truth. Just how great are the odds of the Kingdom’s Near East strategy succeeding?"

Redman asked seriously.

Human desires grow over time. In the past, he thought that the greatest success in life would be if all his sons managed to obtain a piece of land and expand the family’s foundation.

With Hudson’s sudden rise, this hidden "dream" in his heart was confusingly fulfilled by a large part.

The three elder sons all had their lands, and the two younger sons were also likely to ride on the coattails of prosperity. Except for the incompetent Laisol, it could be said that his life was complete.

However, the wealth and honor acquired by following Hudson ultimately had its limits. A piece of the Baron’s Territory was about the most he could get; to go further, he would have to strive on his own.

Besides Hudson, the one who had developed best was his eldest son. Having been focused on from a young age, Nelson had a stronger ability to conduct himself and had been recommended by Hudson for a government position in the capital.

The civil service was a slow path to wealth, but it was safe. With the family’s support, he didn’t have to worry about riches as long as he didn’t mess up.

The rest were not so promising. The second son was too brash to take on great responsibility, and the two younger ones had no feeling toward Hudson; it simply wasn’t possible to invest too much resource in them.

Without opportunity, they might not even catch up with the second son. At least the second son’s territory was a feng shui treasure land specially chosen by Hudson—they wouldn’t receive such treatment.

Just look at the recent Orc invasion to see—the lords of the Northern Border suffered heavy casualties, including five members from the Koslow Clan in the Northern Border.

"Thirty percent!"

Hudson said with an unchanged expression, disclosing a chilling number that instantly dashed Redman’s illusions.

A "thirty percent" chance was enough to make everyone determined to go all-in on the gamble, but a thirty percent success rate for the Kingdom did not mean a thirty percent success rate for the noble children.

It was more likely that noble children would keep streaming into the Near East, trading their lives for the success of the Kingdom’s Near East strategy. During this process, several generations of nobles could be lost.

From the Kingdom’s perspective, as long as success is achievable, some sacrifices are worth it.

But from a father’s perspective, Redman was not willing to take the gamble. The risk was simply too high, so high that he dared not suggest to Hudson to look after his brother.

With such a low probability, one can only imagine the pressure the Commander in Chief is under. It would be good enough to keep the Snow Moon Territory safe, let alone ask him to divert his attention further.

"In the Near East, things are more stable, and there is nothing that cannot be given up. Fame, social status, and identity are all ephemeral, only life is truly your own.

Without the Near East, you are still a major noble of the Kingdom. No matter how much the situation deteriorates, it won’t affect the Mountain Domain for a while.

As long as this foundation remains, everything can start anew. Being too rigid leads to easy breaking; there’s no need to win every single time!"

Redman’s earnest words both touched Hudson and filled him with helplessness.

Indeed, some truths should not be spoken. If the outside world were to learn that, in the eyes of him, the Marshal, the success rate of the Near East strategy was only thirty percent, everyone’s enthusiasm would immediately be extinguished.

There was no helping it; reality was that cruel. It was enough to trick others with exaggerated success rates, but one must never deceive oneself.

The Orcs were not fools; how could they simply watch the Kingdom’s Near East strategy succeed? The chaos currently on the great plains among the Orcs was fundamentally a way of releasing risk.

In the history of the Orc Empire, similar turmoil had occurred more than once. When all sides are weary from the fight, they will naturally come to the negotiating table.

Granted several years of breathing space, the Four Royal Families will have regained their strength, then they’ll join forces with the newly rising Royal Family to devise new rules of the game.

If the struggle is too fierce and all clans suffer greatly, it is entirely possible that the Five Royal Clans will become the Four Royal Families.

This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦