Chapter 184 — Arrangements
Blade of Dawn · Page 2 of 4
After laying out Viscount Kant's arrangements one by one, and offering some encouragement to the stewards present, Gao Yang left the time for free discussion to those in the hall. He himself, as if to make his position clear, stepped down from the platform and went to rest by the tea table on the western side of the hall.
It was a gesture—a sign that the Cecil family would not take this opportunity to kick a man when he was down and swallow up the Kant domain. Such annexation was hardly rare in this age, especially after the founding of the Second Dynasty, when the royal house's hold over the nobles of the various regions had greatly weakened, and small nobles along the kingdom's borders routinely encroached upon and fought one another. Gao Yang had deliberately struck this pose to set the minds of those present at ease.
But clearly someone had different ideas. He had barely sat down when a short, stout middle-aged man in a black coat came over. He bowed to Gao Yang, his face deferential and slightly nervous: "Your Grace, I am Viscount Kant's advisor, Padrick Bohm. There is something I wish to discuss with you."
"The old viscount's advisor?" Gao Yang glanced at the short, stout gentleman. The man looked honest and amiable, and carried himself with a certain scholarly refinement—which rather suited the image of a "noble's advisor." "What is it you want with me?"
"It is like this—we have lost our lord, and worse still, we have lost Steward Carter. With no one to take charge of the whole, I, a mere minor affairs advisor, am somehow expected to shoulder the burden of maintaining order throughout the domain, and I worry whether my authority is sufficient," Padrick said, standing there somewhat tensely—clearly the pressure of facing a figure of Gao Yang's orange-quality excavated caliber directly for the first time was great. "So I consulted with several gentlemen, and we hope you might... serve temporarily as acting lord of the Kant domain, and help us through this most difficult time. Of course, this request is truly presumptuous—it is fine if you refuse."
Gao Yang raised an eyebrow, but showed little surprise: "You mean for me to temporarily assume the duties of lord?"
"It seems the best choice," Padrick said with a helpless spread of his hands. "You are the most prestigious and most capable noble we have access to. Apart from you, no one could control the situation under these circumstances. And you personally saved this land—by both sentiment and reason, I think no one would voice any objection to your taking over."
Yet Gao Yang merely smiled, and said unhurriedly: "I have no intention of becoming lord of the Kant domain—not even acting lord."
Padrick looked somewhat uneasy: "But..."
"I haven't finished," Gao Yang waved a hand. "If I became lord of the Kant domain under these circumstances, you would know what was really going on—but the nobles outside the domain might not think the same. The Kant domain is only a small patch of land, and I do not wish it to become a stain on my reputation. That is the private side. As for the public side: Viscount Kant was a crown noble directly enfeoffed by the royal house, and the transfer, reversion, and re-enfeoffment of his lands may only be designated by the king. Though I am an elder of Francis II, I do not intend to use that as grounds to deliberately break the rules Charles and I set down together in those years."
"...You are indeed just and upright."
"Of course, I also know your difficulties. So I will issue a declaration in the name of Duke Cecil: until the Kant domain regains a lawful lord, I will extend nominal protection over this land—and if a new lord is installed here, my protection will end at the same time."
Padrick blinked, seeming to grasp Gao Yang's far-sightedness, and bowed his head respectfully: "Your arrangements are indeed thorough."