Chapter Ninety-Nine: Heading South

During these two years, Fidelik gradually came to the center of the world, and he firmly attracted the attention of the whole world to himself. ()

This emperor showed a different tendency than before, especially the political ideas of this emperor could not help but surprise those who were accustomed to tradition. At the time when the empire was just split, people didn't think that anything big would happen, and time had taught the Swadians too much, whether it was a coup d'état at the top or a riot at the bottom, it was no stranger to the Swadians. But Prince Frederick gave a glimpse of a completely different era, one that was about to change from top to bottom.

People suddenly woke up to the fact that Fidelé was not trying to restore the old order, but to reforge the new order

No matter who they are, at this time, they all begin to think about what benefits they will gain and what losses they will gain in the new order.

Many of the peasants, craftsmen, and infidels, who had been indifferent to the situation of war, suddenly became enthusiastic, and they were encouraged by Fidelelli's reforms in the highlands: a new country, without the confinement of blood, and with industrious hands and excellent courage, it could change its fate. Although the emperor trampled on the ancient tradition of 'you can do anything on your land', but for the commoners, sacrificing a little freedom is nothing--- they have no capital to enjoy freedom, how can a person who doesn't even have a manor care how the emperor restricts the manor owner?

And the lord family, who was originally very enthusiastic about welcoming Fiderick and hoping to cooperate with Fiderick, became suspicious at this time. If the lords still had expectations for Emperor Fiderick when they were in the Frost Castle, then when they arrived on the high ground, Emperor Frederick's ruthlessness towards the lords was terrifying. Many of the lords had already sewn their dresses at home, prepared their food, dressed their daughters, and waited for the emperor to arrive, and then went to lead the way into the city. However, it was not long before the lords discovered that when the emperor arrived, he was likely to be the first to take away their interests.

Wait until William. When Norman was also thrown into prison by the Emperor, the lords were utterly disappointed.

Although William. Norman was extremely contemptuous of the nobles in Siswadia, and declared that he would punish them severely when he restored the territory of Siswadia. But the nobles would not listen to these words. Everyone knew it was a morale-boosting diplomatic rhetoric, and the lords knew the Norman tradition --- forgive their enemies after the war. As aristocrats, the Normans were definitely the most reputable and honorable. Their punishment for enemy nobles was often to require them to change their patriarch and transfer their title to another member of the family. This is nothing at all for the nobles.

The nobles knew that as long as William was in power, he would definitely do his best to protect the power of the nobles. But now, William has been thrown into prison by the emperor, which makes the nobles in the west who originally had ideas no longer count on Emperor Fiderick.

Emperor Frederick had many victories over the aristocratic army, but the emperor probably didn't know that it was because the aristocratic army was watching and was not fighting to the fullest. They often do not fight to the death, and the lords will warn the generals who go out to retreat at the slightest contact. The nobles did not have a firm battle plan at the beginning, and they were able to raise it to the point that the war would soon be over.

When the news of the highlands spread across the continent, everyone was shocked. Countless people feel that this is an opportunity in their hearts, and of course, there are also people who feel that this is the sound of the death knell in their hearts.

In the midst of people's anxiety, the news came that the emperor had completely turned to the pioneers.

The Great Purge really began.

In the past, what people called political chaos was nothing more than a struggle between two camps, if one of them was deposed and stripped of a title or fief; In retaliation, the other camp will certainly suffer the same blow.

But now that the situation had changed, the pioneers had formed a council and began to fight indiscriminately against the power of the recalcitrant lords. Of course, they advertise that they are only dealing with those 'troublemakers' and will only punish the most stubborn. But the definition of who is the 'troublemaker' and who is the 'most stubborn' is in the hands of the pioneers.

After all these years, except in Rhodok, the Pioneers have always been an organization that can be slaughtered at will. These people have no land, only history; They have no wealth, only knowledge; They have no allies, only themselves.

Years ago, pioneers advised to leave the continent and head to the uncharted seas in search of a way out. This proposal was rejected by the Zen people, who had already taken root on the mainland, and although they affirmed the proposal of the pioneers, they could not face the elders who would rather die than leave. While Chanda was burned in the fire, the Pioneers' last refuge on the continent was lost, and although they quickly won a game back at Rhodok, the feeling of loss was still widespread among the Pioneers.

But now, that's over.

The emperor of the most powerful empire on a continent has fully leaned towards the pioneers. The pioneers held the greatest power in the young emperor's empire. The pioneers were not without memories, they remembered their past well, they remembered how these nobles drove them out of their homes, how they abused their wives and daughters, and how they trampled their proudest culture into the mud.

The blow was cruel, the lords first went to a lot of freedom, such as the lord was not allowed to build a blacksmith shop in the territory at will, the number of horses raised must not exceed the number of male members, and the new tax policy no longer charged a symbolic tax on the lord by household, but indiscriminately charged taxes on the area of the field.

The lords have been closely watched after the previous conflict. At this time, they are much less organized than they used to be. After this new policy was introduced, the lords moved quickly, and rebellions broke out on the highlands. The pioneers learned the means of iron and blood during the years of arrest and internment. Within six months, there was a disturbance on the high ground, and countless people were hung from trees by the roadside, and the words 'traitor' and 'Harlaus's lackey' were burned on their chests with soldering irons.

For my father, the half year before going to Uxhall was the coldest half of the year. His father listened to You's persuasion and cut off almost all social activities, and the only thing he had to do every day was to protect the emperor, tremblingly refusing every invitation to a banquet. Unexpectedly, his father also visited William in prison. William had been taken out of prison and was now interned in the garden where the officers of the Eastern Army were being held.

The fiefdom of the lord's family was proportionally reduced, and the larger the lord, the greater the loss of land, and the territory of the lord was no longer the gentle division of the past, but a rough plunder.

Once, when my father was walking in the garden with Fidelik, he once consulted the emperor: "Your Majesty, many lords are not able to eat, do you think this is really right?" ”

The Emperor rolled up his sleeves and walked over to an arrow target. One of the attendants brought a bow, and the emperor tried the bowstring, and then shot two arrows, one high and the other hitting the edge of the target.

The emperor's interest was very high, and only then did he reply, "The lord can't eat?" ”

"Your Majesty, forgive me for saying that. At least that's what I've seen. ”

"Aren't you my lord? I've heard that on your estate, the average farmer can eat white bread. ”

"Your Majesty "I mean those old nobles, they have lived here for generations, and there is no land, they" '''."

"Arcadio. You know, when your comrades found me, they complained that they were too kind to those old things. There are really not many people like you who speak for them. Your words end with me, you know? ”

"If Your Majesty so requests," my words will end here."

"Arcadio, the lord won't starve." The Emperor smiled strangely.

"Your Majesty?"

"There will be new lords," the Emperor said, stretching his arm, "do you think that everyone, including the pioneers, simply hates the lords?" No, what they hate is that they themselves are not part of the lord. ”

The Emperor took a towel and wiped the sweat from his forehead, "There will be a new lord, Arcadio." ”

When my father came out of the palace, he happened to meet a group of apprentices who were excited about the pioneers. These people were not yet part of the formal pioneers, they were prepared pioneers, and for those people, allegiance to the pioneers was the easiest path to wealth and status. These brilliant young men were like the fanatical courtiers of the aristocracy of the past, and the pioneers were after them.

When these people meet, they shout the slogans of the pioneers.

My father remembered that when he joined the pioneers many years ago, the teenagers on the street despised the pioneers in every way. But now, these teenagers are gambling that they are willing to dedicate their lives to the cause of pioneers.

A team of pioneers' junior inspectors stopped passers-by on the streets and made them swear allegiance to the pioneers' ideals: equality, reason, and fraternity. If you don't want to, you will be caught and beaten by these teenagers. When the maids of some noble houses came out to buy milk, these people would also take away the clay pots and smash them on the ground. My father had seen a maid being pressed to the ground with her hair cut and her bodice torn off.

When my father ordered the soldiers to stop them, they were heckled by the teenagers, who shouted the words 'traitor' and 'lackey'.

It was the first time, but not the last, that the ideal image of the pioneer in my father's mind was tarnished.

The father drew his waist knife, and the boys dispersed. The father stood in the street with a knife, surrounded by silent soldiers, and on the ground was the cry of a maid.

Soon after, the army was finally assembled and ready to attack Uxhall south.

His father asked to follow the army, and he was reluctant to stay in Decherim.

This year, I was ten years old. People say that my father has been sick for six years.

I was deeply impressed by those years--- my family was decaying at a breakneck rate.