When the Saint comes, she does not collect food

Chapter 728 Meliati's Decision

The open inspection is not really for assessment, but just to get things back on track at the lowest cost.

The principle is that the owner whips the lazy cow with a whip.

If Meliati really wants to be assessed, then she should just learn the "Four No's and Two Direct" principles that Horn recently proposed in the Council of State.

Meliati led several hundred cavalrymen to inspect bastions and castles everywhere. The biggest purpose was to prepare for the expedition to the Gravel Plain.

Yes, after the wool ban in Gravel Plains, Meliati finally decided to attack Gravel Plains.

What made Meliati make this judgment was not the appeal of the wool producers in South Mound County in the Council of State.

She would not care too much about the tiny interests of those lower-class people.

What really made her make this decision was Jinigis' diplomatic actions, or domestic actions.

After entering March, Duke Luel surrendered completely, and the only one who resisted in the civil war was Duke Neidbach.

But Duke Luel was not treated harshly. Instead, he was greeted by Genegis, who untied the rope himself and let him sit in the main seat.

Almost at the same time, he sent an open letter to Meliati, which basically said that Meliati would surrender with courtesy and still retain the title of Duke.

This is a rather interesting political signal.

This was not for Meliati to see, but for the remaining noble forces in Qianhe Valley to see.

In front of Lannes, Meliati directly called out the intelligence director Fili: "Read those messages from beginning to end."

"...After entering the Castle of Luel, the soldiers and nobles looted a lot of wealth, distributed military pay, and began auctioning titles. This move caused discussion in the Imperial Parliament..."

"…In order to thank these soldiers for their dedication, King Jiji ordered 4000 wounded soldiers to end their service and return to their hometown, Heshang Island, and sent 7000 soldiers to escort them…"

"...The Osra family sent a birthday gift to Charles VIII and sent their eldest son Edinand to study at Newbridge University..."

The first piece of news proved that the finances of the Leia royal family were extremely unhealthy, otherwise they would not have done something like publicly auctioning the title.

The second message seemed to be about disbanding the soldiers, but according to Meliati, it was most likely that the soldiers would be deployed at the border of Windmill Land in advance.

But if it comes to really going to war with Farran, Meliati thinks that Jinigis doesn't have the courage to do so, and he is probably just asking for money.

The reason lies in the third piece of information. As the largest vassal, largest shareholder and biggest rebel in Leia, the Osra family has already colluded with the royal family of Faran.

If Jinigis had started a war directly in the Windmill Land, with the Thousand River Valley as an example, as soon as he started the war, the princes of all sizes in the country would surely rebel.

Therefore, if Jinigis had any brains, he would have stabilized the internal situation first before fighting against the external situation.

Therefore, Meliati could be sure that once the civil war was over, within a year or two, King Jiji would attack the Thousand River Valley.

On the one hand, it is to prove his ability, and on the other hand, it is to intimidate the great lord, the Osra family.

In Meliati's opinion, there is a perfect time difference here, enough for her to attack the Gravel Plain.

Genegis' dramatic forgiveness of the Duke of Luel exposed the fact that he had not yet completed centralization, and this performative recruitment suggested that internal integration was still not complete.

He pretended to reconcile with the princes internally (such as forgiving Duke Luel), and pretended to make peace with Fran externally (tolerating Osra's actions).

Therefore, after the end of the civil war, it took Jinigis a considerable amount of time to stabilize the regime and restore finances.

Therefore, he will definitely attack Qianhe Valley, but it is impossible for him to launch a military attack on Qianhe Valley in the short term.

Meliati would have plenty of time to attack the Gravel Plains before next summer or even winter.

And judging from her several inspections on the border and the advocacy of the Council of State, she already had the public opinion basis for attacking Gravel Plain.

She didn't even have to actually attack Silver Bay City, the capital of the Gravel Plain. She only needed to establish a puppet regime in the economically important Salt Beach.

It only takes two regimes fighting each other to buy enough time and strategic buffer space for Qianhe Valley. For this purpose, she has already invited various nobles in Shattered Stone Plain and the claimants of their territories.

Then have them quickly marry their own knights or relatives, and then start a war of succession.

However, this approach was opposed by Horn in the Senate.

Meliati closed her eyes and could still remember the quarrel and mutual accusations between her and Horn that day.

"The power of Qianhe Valley is already divided, so we should unite and not act rashly."

"No, no, no, I never objected to your strategy in the direction of Gravel Plain, but your goal is wrong."

"Our goal is to prevent Gravelland from interfering in our war, not to attack Gravelland to gain a strategic buffer."

"The scale is too large, and the number of troops mobilized is too large. Once it falls into the quagmire of war, such as the one-way intelligence transparency brought by the shepherd, there is no room for error."

"War is not gambling! It is not a one-time deal! Beyond war, you have to think about its political implications!"

"War will only bring the shepherds and the nobles together. Our real action should be to mobilize the shepherds and destroy their rule from the root!"

"Shepherds are also a great force, but without guidance, how can they be as lowly as ants?"

“Is there any direct connection between their failure to do it in the past and whether they can do it now?”

Although Meliati still couldn't read Horn's heart, she was sure of one thing, that was, everything Horn said was true.

It's what he believes to be the truth.

A big part of the reason why she has been hesitant until now is Horn's opposition.

"Your Highness, perhaps what His Highness the Patriarch said does make some sense." Lannes seemed to have guessed what Meliati was thinking. "The Stonebreakers are indeed a formidable enemy, but they are by no means as powerful as the Leia army."

"Lannes, you still have to learn something." Meliati opened her eyes, but she did not allow any doubt, "Horn was born a commoner, but he thought that common people in the world were either geniuses or at least talented.

But in the past five hundred years, only one farmer, Horn, overthrew the rule of the church.

He felt that the shepherds could slow down our progress, and that the farmers behind the hundred-household districts could provide continuous support for our war.

But this is not the case. If mortals are really that powerful, why would Horn himself use his divine power to infect civilians?
We are a short-sighted dwarf facing a seriously ill giant, an example Horn often cites.

Rather than waiting for the giant to turn around, we should take the opportunity to cut his left arm. Otherwise, if he slaps us with his backhand, we may not be able to block it. "

Previously, when Meliati sent out all her troops but was defeated by Shishiyuan, this was a bloody example.

North Mound County is her largest base, but she has repeatedly exposed her core to the spears of Gravel Plain.

If this continues, once the Leia invasion war breaks out, it is estimated that the Despotic Prince of the North will sit on the defense, and the Patriarch will be the main force in the fight.

Even if it means taking some risks, Meliati must solve this hidden danger first.

She had to take the risk both politically and militarily.

Qianhe Valley is the weaker party. How can they win if they are not aggressive?
Fili glanced at Lannes, but Lannes immediately left tactfully.

Fili handed over a roll of parchment. "Your Excellency, the claimant is already near Feldheim."

Melia stopped stroking her iron fist and said, "Okay, I'll find a chance to meet you tomorrow."

"But he is just a small cloth merchant now, and he has no noble status. It seems against etiquette for our nobles to marry directly."

"Then confer him the title of Baron of Moragang Town first!"

(End of this chapter)