Saint Laurent, the capital of Brittany, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Duke Baratheon, had just come out of the palace and crossed the secluded Linden Avenue into the mansion that was famous throughout the kingdom.

Ten years ago, the first king Roland VII died, leaving only a three-year-old son. At that time, the situation in the royal capital was treacherous, with a faction dominated by the border nobility wanting to support the adult royal brother Eric to succeed him, while the Archbishop of Richelieu of the Church of the God of Nobles insisted that the young prince should succeed him.

Seeing that civil war was about to break out, the neutral Duke Baratheon invited his younger brothers Eric and Archbishop Richelieu to his mansion, and after bargaining, the two sides finally reached an agreement, and the three-year-old prince was able to succeed to the throne as Roland VIII, and Eric was given the rich Devon County on the plain of flowers as a fief.

The crisis of the kingdom's disintegration was eliminated, and the Duke of Baratheon's reputation grew, even surpassing the regent Archbishop of Richelieu. However, it is not yet a few years before Roland VIII comes of age, and once the king takes office, the balance of power that has been maintained for ten years will inevitably be upset.

At this moment, there is already an undercurrent surging under the calm water surface of the royal capital Saint Laurent.

Duke Baratheon, who was nearly seventy years old, looked to be a dying old man, and as soon as he got out of the carriage, the butler who had been waiting for him for a long time hurriedly greeted him.

"Lord Duke, the emissary of the Cato family is here again. ”

"Nope. The Duke said impatiently, "Let Raphael deal with it." ”

Raphael Baratheon, the Duke's favorite grandson.

Since Raphael's father, the duke's eldest son, died of illness the year before, Raphael skipped several uncles and began to take over the family's affairs. Although it has not yet been officially announced, in the upper circles of the Kingdom of Brittany, Raphael is already rightfully regarded as the heir to the duke.

Although the butler accepted the money bag stuffed by the envoy of the Cato family, he knew his duty very well, and seeing the duke's attitude, he didn't dare to say a superfluous word, and turned to find Raphael.

Half an hour later, Raphael walked into the study of the Duke of Baratheon.

The duke's brows moved, and the two young and beautiful maids, who were busy rubbing their shoulders and beating their backs, stepped back in amusement.

"What did the Cato family say?" asked the Duke.

"They want our King to give an order for the Griffins to return Grey Island. "Raphael was about twenty-five or sixteen years old, with the characteristic red hair of the Baratheons, handsome, fair-skinned, and very popular among the lonely ladies of the royal capital.

"Haha, they're in a hurry to go to the doctor. The Duke said mockingly, "It has been two months since the Gray Island was captured, and it seems that they don't have the ability to take it back on their own, so they thought of coming to the royal capital to do their activities." ”

"My lord, it's no wonder that they want to dredge up relations in the royal capital, and it costs too much. I heard that the biggest hobby of this generation of Count Cato is counting golden dragons, and it is difficult to give up good money. Moreover, the prestige of the royal family has also deteriorated over the years, and there are still knights and magic alliances of the church in the royal capital to suppress it, and it is out of the direct territory of the royal family, and I don't know if it works. In front of his pampering grandfather, Raphael did not have many scruples. In the eyes of these high-ranking children, there is nothing sacred about the royal family.

"What price is the Count Cato willing to pay?" said Duke Baratheon, shaking his goblet as the wine from the Ilia Peninsula was as red as blood.

"Half of the cane sugar proceeds from Ash Island, which is a benefit to the royal family. Raphael's tone could not hide his disdain, "As for us, the Cato family is willing to fully support my cousin, David, in inheriting the title of Marquis of Griffin. ”

"Is that fat pig taking me for an idiot?" Even the old duke, who has always been very well-nourished, was angry at the Cato family's offer, "Griffin and Cato are feuds, is his support worth a copper slot? ”

The Duke's words immediately aroused Raphael's curiosity, "Which one is eyeing the Cato family?

"What do you think?" asked Duke Baratheon rhetorically. The old man who feels that he has not many years to live likes to do the most is to seize every opportunity to consider his chosen successor.

"Archbishop Richelieu, I guess. ”

"Why?"

"His Excellency Richelieu, though he was a regent, was not of great birth himself, but was the youngest son of a baron, and it is said that his domain was still only a small village in a ravine. In two years' time, the king will be in power, and I think it's time for the archbishop to plan for his future. Raphael was confident in his answer, and he had already deduced the situation in the kingdom countless times in his mind.

"Although the territory of the Cato family is good, it is far inferior to Devon, and His Royal Highness Eric should not be tempted. Raphael added another reason.

Although scattered territories are not uncommon, the distance between the valley and the plain of flower language is a little too far. If His Royal Highness really does it, he will inevitably be too greedy.

"Unfortunately, your answer is wrong. ”

"Is it Eric?" said Raphael, with a look of disbelief, "and if he does this, the nobles who support him will be alienated." "Most of the nobles who supported Eric's succession were local powerhouses, and the Cato family was one of them.

"Heh-" Duke Baratheon sneered, "Those people supported Eric back then because the Holy Dragon Kingdom could invade, and an adult king was more reassuring than a three-year-old child. Over the years, the Holy Dragon Kingdom has been too busy to take care of itself, and the so-called 'Brother Wang' has long ceased to exist. ”

"But is the Archbishop of Richelieu watching Eric sit big?"

"That's why I've always said you're too young to understand that compromise is what politics is all about. Duke Baratheon shook his head, "An agreement has been reached a long time ago. Eric would be renamed Duke of Aquitaine and receive the entire valley, while Devon would be returned to our Majesty the King. ”

"Duke Aquitaine?" Raphael was surprised, there were seven counts in the valley, and if they were all brought under his command, the future Duke of Aquitaine would definitely become one of the most powerful vassals in the entire kingdom. It's no wonder that Eric is willing to give up even Devonshire.

"Hehe, don't say you can't think of it, I can't think of it either. The Duke of Baratheon said self-deprecatingly, "If His Excellency Richelieu hadn't greeted me earlier, I wouldn't have known that my good son-in-law was the one who was building the bridge." ”

"Marquis Griffin!" Raphael was really shocked this time, and he asked a little hesitantly, "Then do we want to stop our previous plan?"

"Stop?" said Duke Baratheon, taking a sip of red wine, "Why stop? David is my grandson, and it is only natural for me to help him, and no one can say anything." Moreover, today's Imperial Council has agreed to canonize Philip Griffin as the Earl of Grey Keep, and I have no objection, which is already very face-saving for the Griffin family. ”

Because Gray Island is not an inherent territory of the Kingdom of Brittany, the Cato family's rule over Gray Island has never been officially recognized by the royal family, and now giving Philip a name will not be true at all.

"I have recommended you as the envoy of the canonization, and when the time comes, you will go around the Ilia Peninsula to see who can be used, and help David to make a good appearance. Duke Baratheon commanded his grandson.