King-Chapter 1097 - 162, 1 Copper Coin Tax

Near East Region, New Moon Port.

As the sound of horns filled the air, ships slowly entered the harbor, and the dock erupted in a thunderous applause.

To celebrate the official inauguration of the port, representatives from all major powers of the kingdom had been sent to attend the ceremony.

As the host, Marshal Hudson naturally couldn’t be absent.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the navigation ceremony has concluded. There will be a celebration banquet later, feel free to mingle for now!"

The brief speech left the assembled guests quite baffled. Though long speeches were not popular in the Alpha Kingdom, this was excessively brief.

Ignoring the surprised expressions of the crowd, Hudson paid them no heed. It was an obligatory working day for him, and he had no time for pointless chatter!

The ceremony had served its purpose, and for those below, getting a day to rest was not easy.

Due to the rush in construction schedules, the building of New Moon Port had proceeded nonstop, around the clock in three shifts.

"Chancellor, what do you think of this?"

A nervous accompanying official asked.

As Hudson had announced the end of the ceremony without any representation from the kingdom, it was inevitably subject to political interpretation.

Whenever conflicts arose among influential figures, it was usually the lower officials who suffered first. If a dispute broke out, it was likely these planning officials who would be blamed.

"What is there to look at? This is just Marshal Hudson’s usual style. Since the ceremony is over, we might as well go back and rest,"

Chancellor Duke Newfoundland replied without changing his expression.

Though his face showed nothing, deep inside him he understood very clearly that this was Hudson’s way of asserting sovereignty over New Moon Port.

As the first major port in the Near East Region, the strategic position of New Moon Port in the development plan of the Near East was self-evident.

Even though it was built on Hudson’s territory, it was constructed with funds from the kingdom, and according to the kingdom’s tradition, direct control by the central government had precedence.

"Whoever controls New Moon Port, controls the Near East."

Voices advocating for direct control had been present since the beginning of its construction.

Domestic factions, including the Royal Family, were caught in a contradictory mindset.

Everyone was worried that the Koslow Family controlling New Moon Port would grow in power in the Near East; they were also worried that Hudson might not fully cooperate with the Near East strategy if the central government took direct control of New Moon Port.

This contradictory mindset made decision-making difficult for everyone, but eventually, reason prevailed.

The expansion of the Koslow Family in the Near East would just mean one more powerful noble family within the kingdom to deal with.

However, if the Orcs expanded again, it could be a disaster for the kingdom.

Duke Newfoundland suppressed his emotions, as the Royal Family was also troubled by recent issues. Swallowing a piece of cake too big had ignited intense dissatisfaction among the major nobles within the kingdom.

Caesar IV was in a difficult position as well. The newly added six provinces were named as part of the Queen’s dowry.

Legal issues had been resolved, but it also cut off any possibility of dividing the spoils.

Even if he was willing to share them with the domestic nobles, legally he had no right to dispose of these lands.

Even if these lands were assigned to nobles, their loyalty would be to the Queen, not to him, the King.

Undoubtedly, even if Caesar IV could tolerate his Queen distributing properties widely, the Royal Family would never agree.

The feudal system in the Continent of Aslante followed the principle that "a vassal’s vassal is not my vassal."

Power tests even the bonds of marriage. If the Queen were to foster a group of her own people, it would fragment the royal power.

Although the Queen and the King had a son, the high infant mortality rate made it uncertain whether he would grow up.

If an accident occurred, might these lands not fall back into the hands of the Moxi Royal Family again!

To prevent any accidents, the development of these six provinces must be handled entirely by "insiders" of the Alpha Royal Family.

Even in the event of an accident, they could keep the lands in their hands, instead of returning them to the Moxi Royal Family.

Compared to the future strategic development of the Royal Family, the issue of New Moon Port was trivial.

No matter how influential Hudson became within the established system, he was at most a powerful official.

Compared to the earlier arrogant major families in the north, Hudson now behaved as meek as a little kitten.

As long as the development pace of the Royal Family was faster, there was no need to worry about vassals growing too powerful.

Considering the actual situations faced by both parties, the Royal Family clearly held an absolute advantage and therefore, had little to worry about in this regard.

...

At the celebration banquet, Hudson warmly greeted representatives from all sides.

The Near East strategy had taken its first substantial step, and smooth progress from here on would inevitably require support from all parties.

For a long time to come, although it seemed like he was leading the nobles in the Near East Region and the nearby Orc tribes in resistance, in reality, it was a comprehensive confrontation between the kingdom and the Orc Empire.

The battles may have been commanded by Hudson, but money, materials, and troops all required contributions from everyone.

"Marshal, I heard that there’s been an internal change in the Orc Empire. The Bimon Clan, which has fallen from the Royal Family, will be moving here to become our neighbors. The Near East is likely to be unsettled from now on!"

Duke Newfoundland said gravely.

As the kingdom’s Chancellor, he had to consider the bigger picture. From the establishment of the Near East strategy, this region had been a critical factor influencing the rise and fall of the kingdom.

Even though the Bimon Clan had lost their royal status, their military strength remained formidable.

The Orc Empire’s decision to relocate them here, aside from internal power struggles, was largely aimed at relying on the Bimon Cavalry to disrupt the development of the Near East Region.

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