Early the next morning, Isabel rushed from Asker Manor to Henry's castle. While she waited anxiously in her study, the spirited Duke of Richmond walked gracefully into the study, accompanied by his valet Eugene.

After Eugene left the study, Isabel Walton stared at the duke, who was sitting behind the desk, and said, "Henry, when is the London lawyer going to have a meeting with you?" ”

Henry glanced at the clockwork clock on the fireplace and said, "Well, probably in an hour." Isabel, do you have a new idea? ”

"No, I just want the London lawyer to stay in the castle for one more night."

"Why? Isabel, do you know how much I hate this lawyer from the South right now? As soon as I thought of his true purpose in coming to the North, I wanted to cut off his head and put it on a stake. Tell everyone who crosses the River Swell and enters my castle that this is the end of defying the king's authority. ”

"Henry, we don't need to do this just yet. What I'm trying to say is, give me one more night and I'll be ready for everything. ”

"My advisor, I'll grant your request."

Before leaving, Isabel said to the Duke: "Your Highness, as soon as you have finished your meeting with Mr. Lawyer, you may write a letter to the King to remind him of what will happen to him in the north. ”

Henry thought about it and said, "Isabel, will Your Majesty believe me?" ”

"Yes, because you are a duke like no other." Isabel finished speaking and quickly left the study.

A few minutes later, the two would-be knights, Herbert and Conrad, drove to a wooded area about two miles north of the castle. Hidden in this woods is the Duke of Richmond's second guard and their camp.

A year ago, in order to solve the problem of legalization and openness of the "Blackfriars", Isabel proposed to Henry the idea and proposal of establishing a second guard team. The Duke of Richmond didn't think it was a big deal to add a few dozen would-be knights to protect himself and his domain, but he just felt that the extra military expenses made him a little embarrassed.

Isabel knew that everyone loved money, and the young duke was no exception. In the absence of a significant increase in annual income, the problem of suddenly spending a large amount of money can be a headache for many people.

Therefore, she expressed her thoughts to Henry on the basis of some information from the time of Henry VIII's accession to the throne: "Your Highness, according to the information I have received from Mr. Field, the butler, and from your library, the average annual land income of a would-be knight around the year 1500 is about 80 pounds. Although 35 years have passed, the annual income of a would-be knight living in the north will not differ much from this figure. ”

Henry looked at the butler standing on the side and said, "Arthur, do you think there is a problem with what the advisor said?" ”

Arthur nodded and said, "Yes, Your Highness." Your Excellency is right. ”

Isabel added, "So, the annual honorarium expenditure for these 20 would-be knights should be around 1,600 pounds." Your Highness, I suggest that you only need to spend an extra 600 pounds per year. ”

"Oh, only 600 pounds? So how do you solve the remaining 1000 pounds? And what about armor, weapons, and horses? Henry became intrigued by her statement and asked.

"Your Highness, I would like to provide you with the best possible answer to your question in a private meeting with you." Isabel finished speaking, glancing at the butler beside her.

Henry understood and let the butler leave the study. When Isabel saw the door of the study being closed by the servants, she stepped forward and said to Henry, "Your Highness, the second question you raised can be followed in the knightly system, and you can provide sufficient food, drink, and lodging. On the issue of annual honorarium, I believe that the method of 'feeding war with war' can be used. ”

Henry asked curiously, "Feed the war with war?" What do you mean? ”

Isabel said calmly, "Your Highness, you must remember what the knights do after catching the enemy knights in horse jousting competitions and on the battlefield, right?" ”

"Yes, jousting competitions and wars were not only fought for honor, but also for the wealth of knights in the Middle Ages

The main means. Ransom from captured enemy knights, as well as captured horses and armor are the wealth of the knights. ”

"Your Highness, you are quite right. These facts that you said are the answer to the first question you put to me. ”

"Elobel, but there is no war now."

"Of course, I mean the king's war with the Catholics and the Holy See. Your Highness, last year His Majesty led his knights into numerous Catholic churches in Yorkshire, and ransacked many graves containing burial goods. ”

"Yes, this is war."

Finally, Isabel suggested: "Your Highness, this is to feed war with war. As for the 600 pounds of annual honorarium, I think you can increase the rent a little bit in disguise by raising the acceptance fee. ”

Henry smiled and said, "Isabel, according to your method, I can have an army of thousands of knights. ”

"Your Highness, most of the nobles of the north, with the exception of you, have resorted to raising land rents and selling timber to support knights and sergeants loyal to them."

"Isabel, you are indeed a Privy Counsellor to my satisfaction."

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After nearly a year of construction and maintenance, the camp of the second guard servant, the Alpha Team, hidden in the grove, has now reached a certain size. The staffing of honorariums, armor, weapons, horses, and materiel has basically met Isabel's initial requirements.

In terms of camp planning, Isabel built the camp according to the standards of a regiment of U.S. Marines and the living conditions of the 16th century. Of course, this Alpha squad currently has only 20 would-be knights, at most two infantry squads, so the entire camp covers an area of only 130 acres (about 789 acres).

The camp is square in shape, surrounded by a two-person tall tree trunk and a stump sharpened at the end. There is a gate and two watchtowers at the entrance, and the camp has a training ground, dormitories, a dining room, a wine cellar, a food storeroom, a weapons and armor storeroom, a meeting room, a bathhouse, a stable, and a separate toilet. Among them, the bathhouse was built into a steam room that the Nordic people liked according to the custom of Sir Alex Ferguson and other Viking descendants.

When the three men rode to the entrance of the camp, a sergeant standing in the watchtower spotted Isabel and the other three and immediately notified the two sergeants guarding the gate. After entering the camp, Isabel said to Conrad, "If Sir Alex Ferguson has not already come, let Francis come to the drawing room to find me." ”

Isabel walked briskly into the parlor, and not long after she sat down, Francis came to the parlor. After Francis Swift had saluted her, Isabel pondered and said to him, "Francis, are you and your brothers in the Order still satisfied with life here?" ”

Francis, dressed in three-quarter armor and high riding boots, with a knight's sword at his waist on his left side, said with a smile: "Brothers, I say that serving as His Highness's guard has lost a lot of joy in life. ”

Isabel propped her right hand on the arm of the chair, held her chin and said, "It seems that your brother is still willing to live the life of a thief?" ”