Chapter 435

The reason for this is partly due to the good relationship between the emperor and the dukes. After all, when the land was divided and the dukes were granted titles, the dukes often had the best relationship with the emperor, so they could obtain a large amount of land.

Of course, as time goes by, the friendship between one generation may be passed down to three or four generations, but it will gradually fade away.

The key to maintaining this relationship is the relative balance of strength between the various regions.

The royal direct territory is undoubtedly the richest and most powerful territory, but it does not mean that the royal direct territory can sweep the other major dukedoms with an overwhelming advantage.

In fact, if the comprehensive strength of each region is converted into a numerical value, the comprehensive strength of the royal direct territory accounts for about one-third of the empire, and the remaining two-thirds is composed of the other six dukes.

If the Duchy of Prussia and the Duchy of Naples cooperate, the comprehensive strength they account for can also reach about one-third.

In this case, if the empire maintains stable development and no force has an absolute advantage over the sum of other forces, it will always maintain relative peace.

So, the contradiction between the central and local governments is relatively deadlocked due to strength, what about between local governments?

Will there be no conflicts between dukes?

Not really.

In history, the Duchy of Lucia once had a Duke Peter who was ambitious and ambitious. During his reign, the Duchy of Lucia developed rapidly, so his ambitions also expanded.

In his later years, he joined forces with the Duchy of Orleans to attack the Duchy of Prussia from both sides. The emperor at that time was also happy to see the Duchy of Prussia being suppressed, so he did not choose to support it. The remote Duchy of Aragon and the Duchy of Naples could not help the Duchy of Prussia because their territories were not adjacent.

Of course, they would not let the Duchy of Prussia be annexed like this. After all, one side would gain while the other side would lose, so they secretly supported Prussia.

Fortunately, the ruler of Prussia at that time was not incompetent. He adopted the strategy of attacking the west first and the east later. After repelling the Duke of Orleans, he focused on dealing with the Duke of Lucia, defeated the arrogant Archduke Peter at that time, and seized a large amount of Lucia's land. If the royal family did not want to break the balance and was forced to intervene, Lucia might have been annexed.

Even though Prussia later returned a lot of land, the plunder in the war and the reparations after the war still established the strength of the Duke of Prussia as the first.

In the laws of the empire, the relationship between the monarch and the ministers is clearly defined, but there is no strict law to deal with the conflicts between the same level of relationships. Such conflicts will eventually intensify and turn into wars.

Wars between dukes are relatively rare in the history of the empire. After all, once such a war occurs, it involves the entire empire, but wars between earls are not uncommon.

Many times, the earls would fight over the tax issues of several villages. Although the winner could not get the land, he could plunder a lot of wealth from the other party's land, or get a lot of war reparations and hostage ransom.

The number of times this kind of war occurs is related to the ability of the ruler.

If the ruler is tough, the nobles below are willing to mediate conflicts, and he has enough military force to deter all vassals, then the war will be reduced, otherwise it will increase.

At this moment, a war is about to break out between the Duke of Naples and the Duke of Antica.

On the border of the duchy, both sides have mobilized more than 100,000 troops and are facing each other on the border.

Just waiting for the right excuse to appear.

...

In the Imperial Court in Saint Laurent City.

Elsa was looking at the documents on the desk with a frown.

This is about the investigation of the last Mudrick incident.

All the information is broken on a man named Lodi, and no one knows where this man is hidden.

Therefore, during this period, the judgments given by the court and the public security are consistent.

Because they couldn't find anyone, the police decided to classify the incident as Mudrick's personal act, and the court suggested to put it aside for the time being, and wait until Lodi appears again, or finds other rumors about the devil, and then investigate the two cases together.

Now, Elsa needs to choose one of the two documents to sign her name.

At this time, the side effects of power come out.

Signing the police's document can certainly settle the case quickly, but no one will be satisfied with the final result, which can only be said to be an unsolved case.

And signing the court's document will inevitably make Odysseus question his ability.

Just when she was still frowning, the door of the office was suddenly pushed open.

"Your Highness Elsa!" The person who came in was her follower Afro.

"What happened?"

"Outside the court, there is a man who calls himself Lodi, who wants to see Your Highness the Princess."

"Lodi!?"

Elsa heard the name and instantly became energetic, and then quickly got up and walked out with Afro.

A few minutes later, in the interrogation room, Rody sat in a chair in a proper manner, looking at Elsa in front of him and the interrogator beside him, with a blank expression on his face.

"Roddy, I heard that Mudrick's mercenary group had cooperated with you many times before, is that true?"

"Yeah." Luo Di nodded. "In accordance with my master's orders, I have cooperated a lot with the Iron Wolf Mercenary Group. I am responsible for conveying my master's wishes, and they are responsible for taking action."

"So, we didn't find you during the investigation of Mudrick's case. Where have you been?"

"..." After hearing this, Luo Di was stunned for a moment, and then said: "Sorry, interrogator, I just want to tell Her Highness the Princess about this, is that okay?"

The interrogator frowned.

Logically speaking, this matter does not comply with the rules. After all, the princess is only a spectator, but she is a princess, so she can't really offend her face.

In desperation, he turned his attention to Elsa beside him.

"Your Highness Princess, I am worried that this person is not good for you..."

"It's okay, you can go out first." Elsa said, shaking her head to indicate that it was okay.

"Then...okay." After the interrogator heard what Elsa had said, he couldn't say anything else, so he just stood up and left. Before leaving, he handed Elsa the book recording the confession.

"Okay, now that I'm gone, can you tell me alone?"

Elsa looked at Rody in front of her and spoke.

"Yeah." Luo Di nodded. "Your partners hid me while I was away."

Elsa's eyes widened when she heard the word partner.

"He...why did he do this?"

Chapter 66: Excommunication

Duchy of Naples.

Giovanni frowned as he looked at the information sent by his subordinates.

"When did the Duke of Antica mobilize so many troops?"

"It is said that there is support from other forces, maybe from Prusia, or from the royal family." Next to him, Downey said slowly.

Since being taught a lesson by Giovanni last time, Donnie has restrained himself a lot, and behaves like an obedient and sensible boy in front of Giovanni.

Because of this, Giovanni still kept Donnie by his side, at least as his adjutant, and Donnie would never make a mistake when it came to uploading and issuing orders like this.

"Antica is located in the original border area, and the people are strong and strong. Now that they have been given weapons, equipment, and food and grass funds, this battle looks like it will be difficult to fight." Giovanni said, sighing Take a breath.

"Father, why are you so sure that the Duke of Antica will attack us?" Downey asked in confusion. "They have no reason to launch a war. If they attack us rashly, the other dukes in the empire will not sit idly by."

"Well, if they really don't have a suitable reason to declare war." Giovanni said this and looked at Donnie.

"Donnie, there are some things I don't know whether I should tell you or not."

"I was originally planning to tell you after you have the ability to take over my position, but now it seems that it is already very difficult to solve the immediate crisis."

"Father, please tell me." Donnie didn't know why Giovanni always looked at this matter with pessimistic eyes.

Obviously, with the Duchy of Naples ranking second among the six duchies, it is not afraid of the Duchy of Antica at the rear.

Looking at Downey in front of him, Giovanni opened his mouth but shook his head.

"Forget it, knowing that this is not good for you, you'd better pass on what I told you below." After finishing speaking, Giovanni waved his hand, signaling for Downey to leave.

"Okay." Donnie nodded and left Giovanni's office.

Sitting alone in the office, Giovanni opened the drawer, took out a yellowed book, and slowly opened it.

It records the roster of Imperial College.

Turning over a page, the names of three people were clearly recorded on it.

"Decades have passed." Giovanni sighed, his tone full of emotion.

…

After leaving the room, Donnie followed and got into his carriage.

At this moment, in the carriage compartment, besides Downey, there was a man with short blond hair.

"Master Downey, you seem to be in a bad mood?" The blond man looked at Downey opposite and asked tentatively.

"Yeah." Danny nodded. "Father, you are hiding something from me. We are obviously a family..."

"Perhaps the Duke is afraid that Master Downey will have a bad impact if you know about this matter. In short, Master Downey, please understand the Duke's painstaking efforts."

"Of course I understand, but my father has never understood me. In the academy, I followed his instructions and made trouble for the two guys from the Stranik family. As a result, I was kicked out of the academy. Losing face."

"Now that I'm old enough to manage family affairs, look at what Orson is doing next door, and look at what I'm doing." Downey couldn't help complaining.

"Oson can gain so much trust even though he is not his biological son, but what about me? Zenit, tell me, am I very incompetent?"

"Master Tangny, your ability is not bad at all. People around you are wrong about you." Zenit said this and shook his head quickly.

Shortly after he surrendered to Giovanni with a certificate of surrender, he came here with the news that the Duke of Antica was mobilizing and preparing to declare war on the Duke of Naples.

After learning the news, Giovanni did not dare to neglect at all, and quickly ordered the territory to expand its army and prepare for war.

Of course, Zenit, who brought this information, naturally had no way to go back. Giovanni thought about it and gave him a random position and sent him away.

But Zenit relied on his own ability to be appreciated by Donnie in a tavern and was selected by Donnie as a staff member.

However, Giovanni didn't know all this. He only knew that his son's performance was less and less like what he thought recently, as if someone was directing him from behind.

"Alas, it's also thanks to you, Zenit." Donnie said this, looking at Zenit with a little gratitude in his eyes.

"If it weren't for you, I guess I would still be scolded by my father now."

Although he is only a deputy at present, responsible for uploading and issuing orders, he has a little power anyway.

His father's attitude and evaluation of him has also changed from the previous disappointment to the current unsatisfactory.

All this is inseparable from Zenit.

"Nothing, I just did what I should do."

"Don't worry, Zenit, when I inherit the dukedom, I will grant you a piece of land so that you can build your own family and pass it down from generation to generation." Donny said this and patted Zenit's shoulder.

"Then, I will stay here and thank you, Mr. Donny."

...

Cathedral in Saint Laurent City.

The choir had just finished its performance, and the devout believers sat on the chairs to pray.

Orson, led by a nun, walked into the church from the side, and then met the person he wanted to see.

"Your Highness the Pope." Orson said this and looked at the kind-looking old man in front of him.

"Mr. Orson, long time no see." Pope Levi said this and greeted him with a smile.

Beside Levi, Saint Lilia also walked up together.

"Mr. Orson, are you here to pray this time?"

"No." Orson shook his head, and then said: "I want to ask the Pope something."

"Go ahead." Levi heard Orson and waited for him to speak.

"I want to ask, if there are great nobles who team up with foreigners and bring foreigners into the country, what should we do?"

"Mr. Orson, you suddenly ask this... Could it be that you have discovered such a person?" Levi heard Orson say this, and the smile on his face also withdrew.

This is the most sacred place for the human race, and it is a holy place in the hearts of believers who believe in the goddess of life. Mentioning words like foreigners and pagans here is not a joke.

"If there really is such a person, even if he is a noble, he should be excommunicated."

"Really." Orson heard this and nodded with a smile.

"Then, Mr. Orson, can you tell me now, who is it?"

"You should receive news about this in a few days." Orson said this, politely greeted the two, and then turned around and left here.

Levi frowned, knowing that something was wrong, so he turned his gaze to Lilia.

Lilia looked at Levi, then she nodded and followed him out.