Vikings: Lords of the Ice Sea

Chapter 170 Cabinet
Londinium, the royal palace.

After identifying himself, Vig passed through the palace gates guarded by the royal guards and headed towards the main hall not far away.

Suddenly, a group of playful children darted out from the corner and darted past him happily, like a flock of chirping birds.

The oldest was Uber, thirteen years old, followed by the seven-year-old twins Sigurd and Enya, Niels's two children who were being held hostage in Lundynewm, and six unfamiliar faces.

Vig stopped and observed the group of future kings, dukes, and counts with great interest.

Uber was full of energy, like a strong brown calf, leading the group in a wild charge. Sigurd had the most ideas and liked to encourage and tease the children around him.

After a moment, Vig's gaze settled on a thin child in the corner. The child was wrapped in thick wool clothing, with clear eyes, and silently followed behind the crowd, not trying to steal the limelight from Uber and Sigurd. He also knew how to appropriately retaliate when faced with the teasing and provocation of others.

Calm, composed, and neither arrogant nor humble, he is a rare genius.

Vig beckoned to a nearby palace guard: "That child is somewhat special. What's his name?"

"Alfred, Esserwolf's youngest son, is six years old this year."

So it was him. Looking at his two little troublemakers, Vig felt a pang of helplessness.

In terms of strategy and martial arts, he completely outclassed Ethelwolf. Harriet's intelligence was equally outstanding; she was fluent in Latin and Greek and undertook nearly a quarter of the compilation of the Tynburg Code. Both husband and wife were exceptionally intelligent and never neglected their education, so why couldn't they compare to other people's children?
A persistent sense of anxiety and urgency welled up within him.

“After get off work, write a letter to Harriet, asking her to increase her daily study time and send me her progress every two weeks. We can’t let them slack off any longer. To hell with this so-called happy education.”

Upon entering the main hall, Vig bowed to Ragnar on the throne. The king, who was in poor spirits, did not exchange many pleasantries with him, but instead had a servant hand him a ring.

The ring is made of gold, with a scale design on the face, representing Pascal's understanding of the prime minister's duties—to be impartial and maintain the balance within the kingdom.

Looking at his trusted confidant who had followed him for fifteen years, Ragnar gently encouraged him: "Do a good job, and don't let me and Pascal down."

"It is my pleasure to serve you."

Vig left the main hall and followed the palace guards for a distance to a stone bungalow on the left. The exterior of the bungalow was unremarkable, but the interior decoration was exceptionally luxurious.

The floor was covered with thick, soft wool carpets, which had a strong Near Eastern style and must have originated from Berber merchants.

The walls are adorned with colorful brocades depicting various ancient legends of the Vikings and Anglo-Saxons. The windows are fitted with large, light yellow panes of glass, allowing sunlight to stream in at an angle, casting a soft golden glow over the interior of the room.

"Your Excellency, we've been waiting for you for so long!"

Paffeus, a eunuch from the Eastern Roman Empire, came forward and greeted his new superior in an exaggeratedly friendly tone. He was short and stout, dressed in brightly colored clothes and adorned with various colorful trinkets, resembling a circus clown performing acrobatics.

As the newly appointed Grand Steward, Paffees held a position in the cabinet. Vig greeted him with a smile, showing no sign of disdain.

He thought to himself, "Whether in the East or the West, the eunuch population seems to be pretty much the same. Let's assume this man is the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial." Vig walked to the long table and warmly embraced his old acquaintance, Orm, who served as Minister of War and Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Guard. As members of the same hunting squad, their friendship had spanned fifteen years, and this burly man was trustworthy.

As soon as Fang sat down, Vig looked at Justice Minister Goodwin on his right.

As the second-in-command in the civil service, Goodwin should have succeeded Pascal, but his hopes were dashed. Containing his disappointment, he congratulated the new prime minister.

Then there was Esserwolf, Duke of Wessex, who served as Secretary of State for the Sea in the Cabinet, responsible for customs in Southampton, Dover, and Rendeneum, as well as the crackdown on piracy and smuggling along the coast.

As he grew older, Esserwolf appeared increasingly frail, his face pale and his hair white. He slumped into a high-backed chair and said slowly, "Welcome, Your Excellency the Prime Minister."

"Looking at him like this, he probably isn't much of a threat," Vig thought honestly, but then a warning flashed through his mind, reminding him of the cunning Sima Yi and Tokugawa Ieyasu.

It's better to believe it exists than to believe it doesn't.

He sat upright, his expression solemn. "It is an honor to work with you, sir."

Opposite Esserwolf is Horst, the former lord of Schleswig and Queen Sora's brother.

Unable to resist the Queen's influence, Ragnar appointed this arrogant fellow as Sheriff of London, to govern the capital and the surrounding area.

In addition, Horst also held the title of Foreign Minister. Because the rulers of the Kingdom of Britain were devout pagans and were consistently ostracized by the Frankish states and the Papacy, their only diplomatic partner was Norway; therefore, the title of Foreign Minister was largely honorary.

Horst was nearly forty and a little overweight. He often heard people mention the achievements of the Serpent of the North and did not look down on this tall and handsome young duke. He just felt that this man should be the general and that he himself was the most suitable candidate for prime minister.

Horst nodded slightly, trying to appear neither humble nor arrogant. "Your Excellency the Prime Minister, welcome."

The seat at the end of the long table belonged to the court steward, Paffees. Noticing the prime minister's gaze, he once again put on a harmless, fawning smile.

After exchanging greetings, Vigé's gaze swept over the cabinet members once more.

As Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer, he sat in the main seat, with Goodwin and Esserwolf on his right, Om and Horst on his left, and the Chief Steward of the Palace, Paffees, at the very end.

Taking a deep breath, he inquired about the cabinet's workflow, and Goodwin explained with a smile:

"We hold a meeting at eight o'clock every morning, and then inform His Majesty of the results of the discussion. Remember to send them over before lunch. Usually, his working hours are limited to the morning."

After introducing the King's daily schedule, a cabinet meeting was convened. Om produced a document with neat handwriting, clearly written by his secretary.

"This is the plan for purchasing warhorses this year. Last month, Gunnar sent an envoy saying that he was under great pressure and therefore intended to raise the price to four pounds per warhorse."

After a quick glance, Vig signed his name at the end of the document and then stamped it with the Prime Minister's ring on his left middle finger. "Next one."

(End of this chapter)