To the west of the Saône, a mountain range of hundreds of miles stretches across the plains leading to the Duchy of Burgundy, which divide the plains into east and west.

The mountains are not small in length but not too wide, from the entrance to the exit, they are no more than ten miles wide, and the middle of the mountain seems to be cut by a giant axe, and a wide valley appears in the middle of the mountains, becoming a passage connecting the east and the west.

In the middle of the wide valley there is a thriving castle, Beaune, a major trading town on the border between the Duchy of Burgundy and the Palazzo of Burgundy.

Like a bloody sun, a fast horse is running from the western canyon road to the city of Beaune with wind and dust.

Yate stood in the tower of Xicheng in military uniform, looking at the endless mountains, and there was a trace of worry in his resolute eyes.

Flanders' ambitions ultimately placed the Count of Burgundy in opposition to the Duchy of Burgundy, and the Count, which had just rejoiced at the victory of the successor's battle, was once again in crisis, even more crisis.

Art did not follow Flender to France for an audience, and as the commander of the main battle legion of the country, he and several commanders of the Midsummer Legion and the Palace Guard remained in the country, guarding the west, north, and east borders respectively.

The Welsh legions were also stationed in the city of Bona, on the western border, after a very short wartime repair, to deal with the iron hooves of the Duchy of Burgundy at any time.

After years of war, the Welsh Legion was exhausted. In the second phase, which lasted for half a year, the Welsh Legion (Southern Frontier Garrison Legion and Valley Garrison Legion) lost nearly 300 soldiers, including 126 legionnaires.

Originally hoping to return to the Southern Valley to restore after the end of the First World War, now they have to put on their armor again to meet the disaster that may befall at any time.

It is an indisputable fact that the Principality is invincible.

Just last night, Art received a battle report from the flying pigeons of Besançon, four days ago, the Longxia army guarding the northern border had a large-scale battle with the cavalry of the Duchy of Burgundy in the wilderness of the northern border, although the Longxia army was full of elite soldiers and hundreds of heavy cavalry, but was still beaten by the iron cavalry of the Duchy of Burgundy, and finally fortunately the five hundred elite cavalry of Provence galloped to the aid to escape.

What worries Art even more is that the Duchy of Swabia, which represents the HRE Empire, has once again deployed troops on the border, this time without the constraints of the Duchy of Burgundy, and they have sharpened their swords and are ready to conquer the Count of Burgundy in one fell swoop. And the Jonah army, which had just returned from the east, was obviously unable to withstand the enemy forces from Swabia.

The Counts of New Burgundy, which are full of holes, are facing three enemies in an instant, and now they can only hope that the new monarch Flender has enough courage and power to make the Kingdom of France become the absolute backing of the New Burgundy......

In the midst of his thoughts, there were hurried footsteps on the wooden staircase of the tower, and Ron gasped and climbed up.

"Master, there's a battle report from ahead." Ron froze, handing over a note.

"Reading"

"Lord's report - At noon today, the outpost of the army of the Duchy of Burgundy crossed the border and attacked a village on the border, slaughtering twenty families of civilians. Twenty enemy outpost cavalry and fifty infantry, all armoured, were stationed in the village tonight. Odo-sama, please advise on what to do. ”

Art turned to take the note, glanced at it, and rubbed it in the palm of his hand, "They're testing our reaction, and if we don't make the slightest move, they'll continue to drive straight in." ”

After a little weighing, he ordered in a low voice: "Command Odobu, see the right time, and strike first; Expulsion, no pursuit. ”

"Let the sergeant major select two hundred soldiers from the defenders to camp ten miles west of the city, ready to support the vanguard Odobu." Art added.

There is no way, there is a huge disparity in strength. On the other side of the border was the Janissary Regiment of the Duchy of Burgundy, with 200 heavy cavalry, 300 heavy infantry, and 600 armored infantry.

If half a year ago, the Wells Legion could have fought to the death with the advantage of the terrain, but now the main force of the Wells Legion must hold on to the city of Beauna, and the more than 100 cavalry and 300 infantry led by Odo really dare not fight hard.

While Arte himself led the Welsh Legion to deal with the enemy in the west, a war was raging in Dijon, the capital of the Duchy of Burgundy.

Flender succeeded in using the suzerainty of a state to persuade the King of France and the Pope to personally go to the Duchy of Burgundy to participate in the mediation negotiations.

The tense negotiations lasted for 10 days, with all sides insisting on their interests and threatening to use force.

In the end, all parties made concessions to each other a few steps, and the game of interests reached a relative balance.

The Count of Burgundy dissolved its suzerainty with the Duchy of Burgundy and became an extraterritorial dominion of the Kingdom of France.

In return, the Count of Burgundy paid a lump sum of three million pfennighs to the Dijon court, and was to accept a punitive transit duty of three times for twenty years, while the Count of Burgundy paid a "tribute" of 500,000 pfennigs to the Dijon court every year, as usual, although this "tribute" nominally became a "grant" between equal states.

At the same time, the Kingdom of France also made concessions, promising to open the trade borders of the Duchy of Burgundy for five years, and for five years the Duchy of Burgundy would not pay any transit taxes on goods entering the Kingdom of France.

In terms of actual benefits, the Duchy of Burgundy not only did not lose anything, but also directly and indirectly received nearly 10 million fennigs (mainly from customs duties).

The King was also a beneficiary, as an ambitious king, he was able to obtain a piece of territory and an annual tribute of 500,000 fennigs with only a few political maneuvers and five years of customs duties, even if the territory remained self-governing for the time being, paving the way for his hegemony.

The Duchy of Burgundy and the Kingdom of France were the beneficiaries, and it was the Counts of New Burgundy that would eventually suffer......

No matter how much compromise was made, Flender finally stabilized the external situation.

The Duchy of Burgundy withdrew its troops from the border one after another, and the Swabian army, which had planned to fish in troubled waters, also returned in disgrace.

In early December, Arte received an order from Besançon's court to arrange the defense of the border of Beonne, and then rushed to the capital under the escort of a personal army of fifty men.

............

Besançon, a mansion that originally belonged to a certain earl of the previous dynasty, has a new owner.

Galvin, who had just finished a long meeting and thrilling negotiations, was still in the dust, and had no time to rest at the moment, dragging his tired and excited body to talk secretly with his virtuous son-in-law Yat in the study of the new mansion.

“...... In fact, it was not without benefit, the Duchy of Burgundy had agreed to cede the Counts of Longxia from the territory of the Duchy to the Count of Burgundy on the condition that it was three million phenels, and that the money would be paid in advance by the Order's treasury, which we had to repay at the same time as the loan of five million pfennighs. ”

"His Majesty had ordered the Estates-General to be convened to discuss the elevation of the Count of Burgundy to the Princedom of Burgundy, and His Majesty had originally wished to change the name of the Count of Burgundy to Franconstait, but the new King had politely refused. In the future, no one will criticize the Marquis and the Earl of the Lord. ”

"At that time, the Marquis of Burgundy will have one capital, six provinces, and four autonomous cities, and its territory will be greatly expanded."

Yate was slightly stunned, "Six provinces? Plus the county of Longxia is also five provinces, where are the six provinces? ”

Galvin smiled, "This is the intention of the new monarch to summon you back from the west, and the sixth province of the Marquis of Burgundy will be created by you Yate himself!" ”

"Huh?"

............

"Art, I guess my uncle has already told you about my plans. Although your southern viscount is not remarkable today, I am confident that you will be able to turn that land into a fertile ground for my Princedom of Burgundy. ”

"The petition for the establishment of a new province has received royal approval from His Majesty the King. Since it is your territory, the name of the new province is the province of Wales, and you are the first ruler of the new province, the Earl of Wales. ”

"The territory of the province of Wales consists of all the territories which are de jure part of the former Count of Burgundy east of the eastern border of Códdor, south of the southern border of Lusesin, and south of the southern border of the province of Jonne."

"Cousin Art, I have sent someone to your Viscount of the Valley to have a look, and I have ordered someone to look through the ancient books, and the land south of the valley can stretch all the way to the north of the Duchy of Lombardy, and it was once a trade route and fertile land connecting the north and south......"

Sitting in the marquis's chamber in the inner court of the Besançon court, Art was a little distracted......

............

At noon on the first day of the year 1306 A.D., Charles of France, Prince Charles of France, pronounced his decree at the court of Besançon.

The Marquis of Burgundy was officially established, with its capital at Besançon, which belonged to the Kingdom of France, and its first ruler was the Marquis of Flanders Otto.

On that day, the first ruler of the Princely State of Burgundy, with the king's authority, canonized five provincial counts, two court counts, and twenty-five viscounts, and divided the lands.

Balwin, Count of Jonne, the former Count of Burgundy, was canonized as Count of Jonah of the Princely State of Burgundy, fief the entire territory of Jonne Province and the three cities and twelve forts northeast of the Province of Codor, and was appointed Prime Minister of the Marquis of Burgundy.

The former Count of Lucesen, the former Count of Burgundy, was canonized as the Count of Lucesen, the Princely State of Burgundy, fiefdom the entire province of Lucesine and the province of Codor, one city and two forts, and appointed as the new vice-chancellor of the court.

Galvin, the former viscount of the court of the Count of Burgundy, was canonized as the Count of Codor, fiefdom of the two southern counties of the province of Codor, and appointed as the new Chancellor of the Exchequer.

The former Viscount of Longxia, the first deputy commander of the Longxia Legion, Kriti Ika, was canonized as the Earl of Longxia, fiefdom of Longxia, and appointed as the military minister of the new court.

Former Earl of the Court and Minister of the Seals..... Canonization of the Earl of the Court......

Atlant Wood Wells, the former Viscount of the Frontier of the Earl of Burgundy, was canonized as the Earl of Wales, fiefdom the whole of the province of Wales, the city of Beaune and the surrounding two forts and twelve villages, the Marcy Fort and the surrounding twenty miles of land, and appointed as the military vice-chancellor of the court......

The above are only lords and fiefdoms, and the other official positions and money, as well as the amount of money that can be entitled to canonize subordinate nobles, etc.

With the exception of the province of Saône, which was firmly in the hands of Flender, the other five provinces of the Princedom of Burgundy had their own rulers.

————————

A quarter-acre mansion enclosed by three four-storey buildings in the south of Besançon was now the Earl's Court of Arte Wood Wells, the new Earl of Wales and the court's military vice-delegate, which had been specially prepared for Art by the court, and given to him along with the eight servants in the house.

“...... Tsk, or these wealthy businessmen know how to enjoy, you look at these decorations, it's really luxurious. Ron accompanied Art in the mansion, and couldn't help but sigh at the luxurious life of the wealthy merchants, which was originally the mansion of a wealthy merchant in Besançon, and the wealthy merchants chose Bernard in the battle for the successor, and now naturally became a headless corpse.

Art glanced around the mansion, big enough, luxurious enough, Flender put his heart into it.

"Stop drooling and get down to business." Yate is the right color.

Ron immediately reined in, looked around a few times, made sure that those servants were not nearby, and whispered, "Sir, the people of Emory have sent back the news, Count Balwyn was furious in the mansion last night, he originally wanted a quarter of the territory of Thorne Province and the city of Kodor, but Lord Marquis only gave him a county territory and a few castle territories in the province of Kodor. ”

"The group of nobles around Earl Balwyn were also dissatisfied with the new king's reward, and they all threatened to enter the palace to meet ......"

"Does Xinjun know?"

Ron lowered his voice again, "The eyes and ears we have planted in the inner court are not qualified to hear these news, so we don't know for the time being. ”

Art nodded, silent.

Ron looked around again, "Sir, this will be your mansion in Besançon from now on, I think all the servants in the mansion have changed, these people are all new faces, and they always feel uneasy." ”

Art smiled bitterly, "Don't, this mansion was given to me by the new monarch, and those servants were naturally given to me by the new monarch, and I can't refuse the new monarch's wishes." ”

"In this case, this mansion is big enough, and you personally recruit two more servants to come back."

Ron thought for a moment, and suddenly realized, "Yes, sir." ”

"Ron, you make arrangements, I will enter the palace tomorrow to meet the new king. The war is over, and the title fief has been obtained, but what we have to do has only just begun......"

............

"Besançon has been passed on by a pigeon, our lord has been officially canonized as a count, and our county of Tignets and the entire valley have become the newly established province of Wales in the Princely State of Burgundy, and the ruler is my lord."

Otto presided over the military council in the city of Beaune, and all officers above the rank of company commander of the Welsh Regiment (including its subordinate regiments) participated.

Hearing that his lord had become an earl, and that he was a provincial earl with a province, everyone was naturally overjoyed, rejoicing for their own lordship, and also rejoicing in their next immeasurable future.

"Okay, everyone, be quiet. I know what the guys are thinking, and to be honest, I, Otto, am thrilled to be the night last night. ”

There was a burst of laughter in the hall.

"However, what we have to do is just the beginning, and if you want to reap the fruits, you brothers will have to do the things at hand well."

The hall grew silent.

"Warrant for Adults!"

Rub~

Immediately everyone in the hall stood up and stood solemnly.

"From now on, the Welsh Legion entered the wartime repair, and returned south under the leadership of Angus, the adjutant of the legion."

"Order, the deputy commander of the Wells Legion, Odo, selected fifty officers and soldiers to stay in Bona City, and immediately set about forming the Western Garrison Corps."

"Today's military discussion is mainly about the selection of left-behind officers and soldiers to form the Western Garrison Corps. Let me first give you a general introduction, the Western Garrison Corps is a frontier army set up by the court of the Marquis of Burgundy, with five hundred personnel, supported by the court, and the Earl of Wales is also the commander of the corps......"