When Isabel Walton and Sir Augustine, dressed in high-quality leather armor with two sets of shoulder pads and a modified monk's suit, carrying a custom-made longbow and two custom-made daggers, approached Henry on horseback and each pulling a transfer horse with belongings, the Duke almost did not recognize his Privy Councillor.

Over the course of the year, Henry had become accustomed to dressing up as an elegant swordsman's privy counsellor every day. Even during the hunting season, which ended two months ago, he rarely saw her so "well-groomed". Walking up to Isabel, who had jumped off the horse and standing on the side of the horse's head, he looked up and down, left and right, and said with emotion: "Isabel, your appearance reminds me of the old days. ”

Due to the time of the trip, Isabel Walton did not seem to be in a hurry. Just smiled and said, "Once upon a time? Well, I remember I was almost burned to death by you as a witch from Europe. ”

"Actually, this is inseparable from the help of Sir Augustine." When Henry had finished speaking, he walked up to Augustine, who admired his knight, and said, "Sir, thank you for your many years of devotion to me. You and your daughter must be very careful on this trip. ”

Augustine nodded and said solemnly, "Your Highness, we will be back." ”

"If you succeed in putting an end to one of the largest rebellions in the history of the North, I will certainly present your merits to the king and canonize you as a nobleman."

"I am grateful for Your Highness's kindness. This is where my duty lies, as well as my home and my family, so I will fight the enemies of the kingdom without reservation. ”

"Good. Sir, please get on your horse. ”

"Yes, Your Highness."

After Augustine was on his horse, Henry returned to Isabel. After thinking about it, he said, "I know it's very selfish to keep you with me. If it were to repay the debt, you would have paid off the debt owed to me long ago. But, Isabel, do you know the fact that I can't forget you now? ”

Isabel pursed her lips and nodded with a smile, just saying, "Your Highness, I understand what you mean. Actually, I don't care about reputation or rights. ”

"Really? I think you're comforting me, aren't you? ”

"Perhaps, Your Highness. If you really want to compensate me with something, I suggest you start buying properties and estates in the south after the New Year, preferably building or renting a dock or two. ”

"Build a shipyard? What, Isabel, do you still want to go back to Europe? ”

"Your Highness, if I really want to go back to Europe, do I need to build a ship temporarily and then take it back?"

"Hahaha... I'm sorry, but I was naïve. ”

Isabel estimated that Robert and the others' team had been set off for more than 30 minutes, so she said to Henry, "Your Highness, Mr. Althop has been gone for a long time. I think we're going to go too. ”

Henry nodded and took a few steps back, staring at the advisor who was stepping on horseback and said, "Isabel, I hope we don't just part ways. ”

"Your Highness, I'm just going to a few nearby counties for a period of horseback riding, and I'll write a letter to you at any time."

"Oh, write letters, that's right. Isabel, you must have written to me from time to time. ”

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When the two rode horses to the village of Hybentem under the jurisdiction of Lancaster Castle, Augustine looked up at the clear blue sky and said, "Son, this is about the time of dinner between your mother and Effie." ”

Isabel, who was riding on one side, recalled her diving watch hidden in the saddlebag on the back axle of the saddle and said, "Sir, it's still early. Lo and behold, there is a village in front. ”

"Luckily, kid, there was no danger all the way from Richmondshire."

"Perhaps, thieves don't like the sun, and they don't like to be on high ground where there is little shelter."

"Isabel, you're talking about your group of monks, right?"

"Maybe. If it were the Blackfriars, they would not have raided in such a ranch-like place. ”

Augustine shook his head and said, "Son, are you still doing those things?" ”

Isabel shrugged her shoulders and said lightly, "It's been a long time since I've done anything like that." Now, the group of guys is getting more and more used to the life of the Duke's guards. You don't have to worry about food and clothing, and you can also get the due honorarium and the duke's gift every month. ”

"It's better to be loyal to a lord than to be a thief."

"That's right. However, I don't think this situation will last long. ”

"Kid, you're saying the king wants to take back the nobles' domains??"

"No, as long as the nobles have no intention of rebelling, the king will not take back their domain. In fact, the king just wanted us to change our allegiance. ”

"Allegiance to the king? Well, when did our king become so imperious? Augustine said with some disbelief.

"Sir, this is no longer the era of aristocratic monarchies in the Middle Ages, and our King Henry VIII is leading the kingdom in great strides towards the era of absolute monarchy." Isabel said eloquently.

"Absolute monarchy? Do you mean to say that the king wants to take all the power into his own hands? ”

"That's right, from the very beginning of the Supreme Act the year before last, our king began to rule the state and religion in a total autocracy."

Augustine looked around, looked at his adopted daughter with some disbelief, and said, "Hmph, total autocracy? Isn't he afraid of opposition from the nobles? ”

Isabel pursed her lips and said, "Father, it seems that you also have the idea of rebelling against the king. ”

"Son, why do you think so?"

"Because you don't agree with Henry VIII's kingship and the royal power in your hands, you habitually speak from the position of the nobility."

"You may be right. It seems that I am really starting to age. ”

As she was about to arrive at the village of Hybentham, Isabel asked curiously, "Sir, do you know why the London lawyer came to Lancashire?" ”

Augustine thought about it and said, "How do I know what he's thinking." All I know is that Lancashire is poorer, but they have a strong Catholic atmosphere. Probably, Mr. Althorp is here for this reason. ”

"Father, you know that the family of Sir Roland, the head of Lancaster Castle, is Catholic. If Effie were to marry Jazz's eldest son, Howard, I fear that Effie, his husband, and the Jazz family would be drawn into the rebellion. ”

"Will Sir Roland heed Mr. Althorp's advice and join this march south?"

"Father, it seems that Mr. Lawyer will not go back if he does not see all the nobles in the north this time. Therefore, it would be a rebellion of great strength enough to make the king furious. ”

"No, the king would never want to see the heads of the nobles cut off, and he still needs the nobles of the north to defend the border for him."

"Father, you may be right, but it's only temporary."

Isabel did not continue to argue with Sir Augustine. She knew that changing the conservative, traditional idea of allegiance to the aristocracy would have to come at a heavy price. In fact, after this rebellion, known as the "Parade of Grace", Henry VIII carried out a bloody repression of the northern aristocracy, as Isabel claimed.

After mercilessly cutting off the heads of more than 200 rebels, including some nobles, knights, and gentry, the "Northern Court" presided over by the Reformation was established in the northern region to rule autocracy.