The Viscounty of Buryatia is 8,000 square kilometers long and narrow from east to west, and is located in the northeastern part of the Victor Domain. In the 400 years that the Buryatia family ruled the area, there were few wars, and the viscounties were simple and populous. By the time the Buryat viscounts of this generation inherited the title, the population of the territory had grown to more than 50,000.

60 kilometers to the east of the border between the viscounties and the victors, is the city of Yehliu of the Buryatia family. The city has been run by the Buryat family for more than 200 years, and has been repaired and expanded several times, and has become a famous city with beautiful scenery and complete facilities.

At this time of year, outside Yeliu City, surrounded by small rivers and green willows, it is a good place to escape the heat and enjoy the coolness. The Buryat family built a noble manor in the depths of these ten miles of willow forest. Because the corners of the manor are planted with ivy that can be clinged to the wall, the manor is also known as the Ivy Manor.

In the courtyard of the Ivy Manor, a little boy with a tiger head and a tiger brain is holding a short wooden sword to practice with a guard, the little boy is only 5 or 6 years old, it is the age of immaturity and ignorance, it is said to be practicing swords, it is better to say that he is playing, a short sword is swinging around, but the tall and strong guard is staggered, causing the little guy to laugh.

Seeing his son's happy look, Viscount Orbes Buryat was also smiling. Although the little guy's swordsmanship is miserable, practicing swords at this age is not the point, but to cultivate his interest and self-confidence in martial arts.

"Orbes, come and try the coffee I brewed. A beautiful woman in a goose-yellow dress shouted to the viscount.

Orbis turned and walked towards his wife, and while taking the silver teacup, he touched the white and delicate hand, and then he reaped a delicate white eye.

"Judy, did you add milk to it?" Orbes smiled at his wife after tasting it.

"Yes, in addition to snow sugar, I also added three spoonfuls of milk to this cup of coffee. How's it going? The Viscountess smirked.

Coffee has become the most popular and high-end drink in aristocratic circles. This is due to its price of 120 gold soles per pound and its scarce quantity. How to drink coffee has become the content of discussion among aristocratic ladies, whether to use a silver cup or a gold cup, or a horn cup, to add juice or milk, and what is the proportion of the addition, of course, noble snow sugar will always be indispensable. The price of 120 gold soles, of which 10 gold soles are used to buy snow sugar, and it is only half a pound.

The aristocracy has recognized the nobility of snow sugar, this seasoning has only one characteristic is pure sweetness, but unfortunately it is not sold in the world, so its price has far exceeded that of honey.

"It's fragrant and smooth, it's delicious. Just like you. While praising his wife Huixinlan, Orbis did not forget to flirt.

In the face of her husband's teasing and flattering words, Judy returned the favor with a charming smile.

The viscountess was as beautiful as a flower and had a gentle temperament, and Orbes was very fond of her. And Judy is also very satisfied with her husband, Orbes is not only a feudal viscount, but also a great knight of the silver rank. The two have been married for ten years, but their feelings for each other are even deeper.

The viscount and his wife watched their son play while sipping their coffee, and just as they were enjoying the warm moment, an attendant approached the viscount.

"My lord, Lord Austin is here. ”

The viscount smiled apologetically at his wife, got up and walked into the house, where he saw his half-brother, Austin Buryatia.

"Good day, brother. ”

Austin bowed to the Viscount of Buryatia, and although they were brothers, the etiquette of the monarch could not be forgotten.

"What is it?, what did Her Majesty's envoy say?" the viscount waved his hand, signaling his brother not to be polite.

"Brother, Her Majesty the Queen said that as long as we serve her, after Prince Edward inherits the throne, Her Majesty will cede a territory from the Centaur Hills to us, which is about the size of a barony. Austin said in a deep voice, but with some excitement in his tone.

The Viscount of Buryatia frowned, as a neutral lord, he did not want to get involved in the struggle for the throne while the situation was still unclear. Because of this, he did not personally receive the queen's envoy, but asked Austen to receive him.

"Brother, joining Her Majesty the Queen is our best choice, and our only choice. Seeing his brother's hesitation, Austin took the initiative to speak.

"Do you think Archduke Williams has no chance of winning?" asked the Viscount to Austin.

"The strength of the Grand Duke and the Queen is about the same, but the kingdom has its own laws, and it is against the tradition of the nobility to seek the inheritance of the nephew as an uncle, and it will be criticized. The most important thing is that even if we take refuge in the Grand Duke, with the strength of the family, we will not be valued by the Grand Duke, and he will not risk offending the House of York at all to fight for the territory of the Centaur Hills for us. Austin replied.

The Viscount of Buryatia did not say a word, he understood Austen's heart, the family had been peaceful for hundreds of years, and the land had long been divided. Now Austin is only one step away from the silver rank, but there is only 1 manor, 5,000 acres of fiefdom, and a lord's title, he is naturally unwilling. But for the sake of a barony, how can the Viscount of Buryatia put the future of the family on the table.

"The risk is too great, the Grand Duke is not as simple as you think. After the death of the first king, it was the Grand Duke who stabilized the situation in the kingdom. On the surface, he traded the centaur hills for the support of the York family, but put the kingdom in a situation where the east and the west were in a situation, but in fact, it was precisely because of his choice that the fate of the kingdom was immediately overthrown. ”

"If he hadn't co-opted the York family at that time, he would definitely have joined His Majesty Neovest in the style of the York family, after all, it was the kingdom that targeted the York family first. If the House of York really surrenders to His Majesty the Emperor, what will happen to Gambis?"

"In the reign of the previous kings, everyone looked down on Archduke Williams. After the death of the first king, the intelligence shown by the Grand Duke was really astonishing, and since he was now going to compete for the throne, I am afraid that he was very sure. We need to take another look. Viscount Buryatia shook his head and sighed.

"Brother, I understand what you said. I'm not purely for myself, either, but our Buryat family is no longer qualified for neutrality. Austin said sincerely: "The population of our territory is too large, if we can't expand our territory this time, in another 50 years, the family will have to wage a family war against the surrounding lords." No matter how the war goes, we will lose because we have not chosen a side at a critical time, and whoever inherits the throne will punish us according to the laws of the kingdom. Choose the Grand Duke, he will not fight for us for the territory. Choose Her Majesty, who has promised us a barony. I believe that with the talent of His Highness Roland, he will be able to compete with that one in a few years, not to mention Lord Golon. ”

The Viscount of Buryatia understood that what his brother said was true, that the family had developed peacefully for hundreds of years, and that the population had reached the limit of the territory that could be accommodated. Although there were many freedmen in the realm, most of them were descendants of the lords and vassals, not outcasts. As a lord, you can't expel them at all. In another 50 years, one can imagine how many people will be in the territory.

Originally, when the kingdom sold the centaur hills, the Buryatia also wanted to buy a piece of territory, but the centaur hills became a wrestling ground between the princely party and the grand ducal party, and all the neutral lords were unwilling to stand in advance of the Buryat family, and the Buryatia family finally gave up this plan. Only the Eskerry family bought a territory in the centaur hills, and they were the descendants of the Marquis of Golon, and both the Grand Duke and the Queen had to give the old Marquis a face.

The Viscount of Buryatia was in an irritable mood, and he picked up his teacup to take a sip of water, but the thought of the coffee that Judy had prepared for him came to mind.

"Did the envoy say that the queen was going to give us a piece of land?" asked the viscount in a deep voice.

"It's Baron Victor's domain. The envoy said that the territory of Victor was far larger than the barony, and according to the decree of the kingdom, at least three castles needed to be built to maintain the security of the territory, and Her Majesty the Queen was ready to push the Senate to re-examine the legal rights of the Barony of Victor. ”

The Viscount of Buryatia's mind was in a hurry, and after thinking for a moment, he understood the queen's intentions. The real reason why the queen co-opted herself was to deal with Baron Victor. She was well aware of the plight of the Buryat family, and the family domain happened to border the Victor domain, so she put forward a condition that she could not refuse: if she wanted the territory, she must first cooperate with her to impeach Baron Victor.

Having figured this out, Buryatia also made a decision.

"You're right, but we don't need to take a clear stand with Her Majesty. There is a way to show favor to Her Majesty the Queen without attracting the attention of the Grand Duke, and also to relieve the pressure on the territory. We'll make a choice when the situation is clear. ”

"How?"

"Baron Victor's division of work is making a lot of noise among the freedmen, and we will promote it for him. What's more, Baron Victor has bad intentions in setting up a free private land at the junction with us. ”

"It looks like the camp was set up by church people. It is said that there are still ferocious wolves operating there, and the free people are afraid that they will not dare to penetrate into Victor's territory, so why not flood our territory in the end?" Austin said worriedly.

"It is precisely because of this that we have to send men to infiltrate it, as long as our people can control that camp, we can organize the free people to storm the Victor Territory, and a few ferocious wolves can eat a few people?"