King-Chapter 1399 - 273, The Torn Elf_2

The Kingdom Government is already poor, yet it dares to take on this gold-devouring beast. Are they determined to bankrupt the government before they stop?

For a moment, Hudson couldn’t figure out whether Earl Rinnares had lost his mind or if Caesar IV was pushing this idea behind the scenes.

After all, increasing the areas directly governed by the Kingdom Government has the biggest advantage of facilitating centralization.

"In theory, direct management by the Kingdom Government is indeed feasible. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓

However, this will bring a series of problems, such as increased financial pressure on the government and potential shortages of personnel and resources.

The Kingdom Government lacks experience in governing large swathes of territory. Jumping straight into controlling more than a dozen provinces without adequate preparations is far from ideal.

Of course, direct management comes with its own advantages, which mainly emerge after the land development is completed. But for now, it’s still in the investment phase.

For better or worse, it’s a mixed outcome!"

Hudson chuckled.

If they’re determined to dig their own grave, let them do it on their own. In any case, he had no intention of pushing such an unpopular initiative.

If the local nobles found out that their prize was snatched away, they’d probably kill the instigator.

Although Earl Rinnares is one of the Kingdom’s bigwigs, he doesn’t have the backbone to resist the retaliation from the nobles’ faction.

Even without everyone acting directly, merely amplifying the scale of the issue would be enough for the unreliable direct governance strategy of the Kingdom Government to bankrupt itself under financial pressures.

"Marshal, experience can be gradually accumulated. The Kingdom Government doesn’t necessarily need to directly govern territories right now; this time’s situation is special.

Under the premise of not violating the system of military honors and nobility, having the government directly govern parts of the frontline regions is undoubtedly the best solution!"

Marquis Omar chimed in smoothly.

Being the King’s trusted advisor is no easy job, especially when it’s time to charge ahead and take risks.

The Kingdom Government managing a specific area directly theoretically had little to do with Hudson, and there was no explicit need for the Marshal to take a stance.

But as the discussion kept circling back to this topic, it appeared to be an effort to seek support, yet in reality, it was also a subtle way of forcing him to reveal his position.

Looking beyond the surface issue, stepping out of the chessboard reveals that the Alpha Kingdom’s factional power has rapidly expanded in recent years.

Although the Royal Family’s strength hasn’t lagged by much, Caesar IV still feels threatened. Especially after Hudson obtained the title of "Human Marshal," which makes him exceptionally wary.

At present, Hudson’s prestige in the Kingdom’s Army surpasses that of the King himself. When it comes to military authority, the King is far outmatched by Hudson as the Commander-in-chief.

Adding to the tension, Hudson is absurdly young, and the growth of the Koslow Family behind him is astonishingly fast.

If this situation is allowed to escalate, even if Caesar IV’s generation doesn’t face any setbacks, future successors are bound to face the embarrassment of a dominant minister wielding unchecked power.

It just so happens that the Orc threat has diminished, and now is the perfect time to start curbing the power of the nobles.

However, Caesar IV lacks confidence and fears that taking this step might ruin the Kingdom’s favorable situation, leading to today’s calculated probing.

Unfortunately, the plan may be perfect, but the unfolding events aren’t cooperating. Hudson remained completely noncommittal throughout, leaving his true intentions shrouded in mystery.

The question of whether to directly govern territories swung back into Caesar IV’s hands. As for achieving balance? Out of the question.

Unless Hudson explicitly denies it, no one dares to withhold his due share of benefits.

The repeated emphasis on the "principle of fairness" during discussions is essentially a veiled warning. If anyone dares to breach it, Hudson would be ready to draw his blade and deliver justice.

With Hudson’s current status, cutting down a few treacherous ministers with sufficient justification wouldn’t be a big deal.

If still unsatisfied, he could even challenge the King himself.

It’s a scene Caesar IV has experienced before—his previous Chancellor had often confronted him, and ultimately, Caesar sent him home to farm.

The difference with Hudson lies in his unique position; as the "Human Marshal," he is naturally born to be the Commander-in-chief of the military. Without substantial errors or misconduct, the King doesn’t have the authority to remove him.

"Your Excellency Earl, this matter should be discussed and debated over an extended period.

If there’s truly a need for implementation, it must receive authorization from the Noble Parliament to comply with legal procedures. Otherwise, if uproars arise from below, none of us will be able to bear the consequences."

Chancellor Marquis Delgado advised tactfully.

Being part of the reformist faction doesn’t mean everyone holds identical political views. For instance, in this case, Delgado was openly against it.

Restraining "dominant ministers" is absolutely necessary, but Hudson’s momentum is unstoppable at the moment. Merely persuading him to retreat back to his fief would already count as a monumental victory.

If the probe fails and stirs trouble, causing the usually reclusive Hudson to take up a position in the Capital, that would lead to a real disaster.

...

Elf Forest.

Amid the convoluted Continent-wide turbulence, the three Elf Queens who have lived for hundreds of years find themselves severely troubled.

"Orcs, those fools just keep spiraling downward. They’ve somehow managed to ruin themselves!

It’s one thing for them to destroy themselves, but they’ve disrupted the Alliance’s grand plans in the process. After this war, our strategic advantage in the Northern Continent has completely vanished.

In the days ahead, it looks like our lives will be far from comfortable!"

The Forest Elf Queen sighed in frustration.

The promising position of the Anti-Human Alliance was absurdly washed away by a massive flood, and the most ironic part is that the flood was engineered by their own allies.

"Big sister, Orcs are too foolish to be put to any substantial use. Their warmongering tendencies are only accelerating their decline. This was bound to happen sooner or later; now it just came a bit earlier.

The most surprising thing, however, is how quickly the Human internal war has settled.

The Frank people and the Anti-French Alliance, who should have fought to the death, miraculously avoided tearing each other apart and instead banded together to carve up the Clergy.

Their approach is truly baffling!"

The Prairie Elf Queen followed up with her complaints.

Living in different environments naturally leads to divergent worldviews. From the Elves’ perspective, the Humans’ actions defy any rational understanding.

"Not understanding is perfectly normal!

Those Human politicians are driven entirely by self-interest. Betraying allies is something they’ve mastered thoroughly.

In the past, it was always the Clergy betraying others. Now the table has turned, and they are finally tasting the backlash!

Honestly, the Clergy is utterly useless. Despite having the deepest foundation among humanity, they’ve proven shockingly fragile.

Enough of this trivial talk; let’s focus on ourselves first.

Those restless Elves are growing more unruly by the day. They keep clamoring for reform, as if we’re unaware of the benefits of reform.

But given the current state of our people, we can’t afford any turmoil. If something goes wrong, our enemies will capitalize on the opportunity, and that would spell disaster!"

The Forest Elf Queen said irritably.

The rebellion orchestrated by the Cult had been successfully crushed by the Elf Army, but the ideology left behind by the cultists continues to ferment.

More and more Elves are expressing dissatisfaction with the rigid class hierarchy within their society, yearning to break through upward barriers via reform.

Yet any reform that alters the political structure inherently clashes with the interests of the established elite, who are unwilling to relinquish their grip.

Even the three Elf Queens must tread cautiously when dealing with their society’s elites.

Under such circumstances, the "reformist faction" has become the largest destabilizing force within the Elf Race.

Unlike external enemies, internal threats are the most dangerous. If this issue isn’t addressed, it’s only a matter of time before catastrophe strikes.

The problem is that the "reformists" are part of their own community. Other than differing political ideologies, they remain normal Elves in other respects.

For the Elf Race, whose numbers are limited, every individual is precious. Unless someone commits egregious crimes, severe suppression is out of the question.

Moreover, ideological dissemination isn’t something that can be resolved through violence. Without addressing the root causes, crushing the current reformists will only give rise to new ones.

Worse, bloody suppression would sow lasting enmity. The next time factions clash, they wouldn’t just be "reformists" but would evolve into "revolutionaries."

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