European Emperor Cultivation System

Chapter 55 Armistice Agreement
Edward's Palace at Compiègne at night

"Marquis Edward, are you okay?"

The cronies, including Roland, were still waiting in the palace for the next step from the Marquis. In just one day, this healthy middle-aged man already had a few gray temples on his hair, and his originally radiant face also looked a bit decadent. .

After this battle, Edward's strength suffered a severe setback. Except for some elite cavalry who had escaped and the defenders staying at Compiègne, Edward had no more troops to mobilize.

"What do the nobles nearby say?" Edward pondered for a long time before finally asking the first sentence.

"They probably knew more or less the news about your defeat, Marquis, and many of them were rejected, and the rest refused with good words. No one is willing to contribute any more."

Roland also realized that the situation was over, and his words were full of sadness and lamentation.

"Forget it, I think the Duke and the others will attack Compiègne next."

Edward leaned back on the silk bench made of wool and looked at the finely carved patterns above his head. Unlike most nobles who like to hang God high above their heads, the deeds of the ancient Greek god of war Achilles were engraved on it. He specially ordered the craftsmen to make it like this.

"everything is over."

For the first time in his life, Edward felt an unprecedented failure. Compared with the God of War, he was still far behind.

"Let's sign the armistice agreement." Edward pulled out a piece of parchment from the table, and began to write with a quill brush.

This was also the first time that Roland and other cronies saw Edward in such a mess. In Roland's memory, Edward seemed to be invincible, but now he has suffered a crushing defeat. Roland began to worry about how he should go next.

"Will they agree to a reconciliation and a truce?" Before Roland could speak, a nobleman next to him spoke first.

"As long as the conditions are favorable, they will naturally agree to an armistice. There will always be conditions that are too favorable for them to refuse. The Duke of Normandy is not only a fearless Viking, he is also a mature politician."

Edward did not look up, and was still writing. Roland also realized the subconscious change in Edward's address to the Duke of Normandy. Now he no longer looks up to the former giant, but re-examines the defeated with a normal heart, even in his heart. There was a slight movement.

Edward put down his pen, apparently finished.

"First, a sincere statement of apology. There must be such a formula." Edward had always been a victor before, but he was not sloppy in writing the armistice agreement in the tone of a defeated one.

"In addition, part of the fief should also be ceded. My initial setting is [-] acres."

"Six hundred?" The confidantes under the seat were a little surprised. After all, Edward's own fiefdom was only 550 acres, and the total of the land entrusted to his subordinates was only [-] acres. Six hundred acres is equivalent to reducing his own territory. in half.

"Now is a difficult time, and I hope that the head of the family can help each other."

Listening to Edward's tone, the audience knew what Edward meant.

"Are you kidding? I am the first to disagree. Why..." The indignant noble had just taken half a step forward, but before he could say anything, a guard came from behind and gave him a chill.

"Do you have any questions now?" Edward propped his hands on the table, his whole body seemed very sleepy, and he was too tired to open his eyes.

There were still a few dissatisfied nobles in the hands. After seeing the lessons learned from the past, they just swallowed the words with the tip of their tongues with a grin.

"Finally, war compensation is also indispensable. The condition I am offering now is thirty thousand soles."

"Thirty thousand?"

Hearing this figure, Roland was also surprised. Thirty thousand soles was equivalent to one year's tax in Compiègne. Although the marquis usually had a wealthy family, this battle almost cost him his fortune. Presumably the thirty thousand soles were also... .
Thinking of this, even the loyal Roland who had always been by Edward's side couldn't sit still, and he couldn't get angry. The murderous look that flashed between his eyebrows quickly dissipated, and was replaced by the usual flattery.

"I hope the Marquess Edward can make a comeback again and regroup."

"Okay, I'm tired. If you don't ask, I'll come here today. I want to be alone."

Edward beckoned and dismissed all the nobles in the hall, and everyone dispersed in a desperate manner.

"Hmph, Marquis of Birds, we were the ones who worked the hardest during the war, and now we are the first to be betrayed, what the hell." The nobles walked out of the castle, and there was no sign of guards around for the time being, and most of them started to whisper muttered,

Several nobles who had been suppressed for a long time simply started to curse. Roland watched all this silently without saying a word.

"Your Excellency is Edward's most trusted Earl Roland?" A voice suddenly stopped him.

Roland looked back, he was an inconspicuous nobleman, his face was so pale that he couldn't even pronounce his name.

"You can call me Baron Louis. My daily job is to maintain the law and order of the inner castle. My fief is next to that of the Marquis. I usually live in Compiègne temporarily and rarely return to my mansion."

Louis saw Roland's embarrassment, maybe the other party didn't recognize him as a small person, so he reported his family.

"Sir Louis, do you have anything to do with me?" Roland still didn't know the purpose of the other party's visit.

"Can you take a step to speak?"

Roland looked at the other party, not knowing what kind of medicine was sold in Louie's gourd, so he hesitated for a while before agreeing.

Staying alone in the main hall, Edward leaned alone on the table, recalling his glorious life, thinking about his current situation, suddenly there was a thought in his mind that he wanted to kill himself.

"No, I'm Edward. Wherever I fall, I have to get up."

Arrogant self-esteem once again occupied his heart, Edward picked up the truce clause on the table, although there were 1 dissatisfaction in his heart at this time, he still solemnly put away the sheepskin and put it back.

"Master Marquis, I think you must be hungry, so I ordered the maid to cook some of your favorite foie gras for you."

Roland pushed open the door and walked in with a piece of foie gras in his hand. His gestures were the same as usual, without any abnormalities.

"Your Excellency Roland, you haven't rested yet."

Edward stretched out his hand to take the plate from Roland's hand from the other side, and first cut off a small piece with a knife and fork.

"Try it. It smells good to me. It seems that the chef's skills have improved recently."

Roland didn't dare to disobey, and took the whole cut piece of foie gras and put it in his mouth.

"It's really good, but it's a bit raw and cold, it would be better if it is more familiar."

"Haha, is that right? I'll try it." Edward also began to enjoy this delicacy. After a tiring day, he really needed to eat to supplement his nutrition.

The foie gras was quickly eaten clean, and Edward was still sucking the remaining juice on his hand.

"I don't feel cold, the heat is just right, if possible, I..."

Edward suddenly felt a dull pain in his chest, a burning sensation spread throughout his body, and his consciousness gradually became blurred.

"you…"

The pain in his body seemed to explode from within, Edward twitched all over his body, his face was pale, and he fell headlong.

Roland was still worried, and stretched out his hand again to make sure he was really dead.

After confirming that it was correct, Roland couldn't tell whether it was relief or fear, the expression on his face relaxed, and his body unconsciously took a few small steps on his hind legs.

"Okay, come in, Lord Louis, Edward is dead."

Roland responded to the door, and the half-open door was pushed open. Louis looked relaxed, as if he had waited too long for this moment.

"Unexpectedly, this pretentious guy never expected that one day he would become a pawn abandoned by others."

Louis slowly approached and checked again. This guy who claimed to be the god of war could not escape the fate of most nobles after defeat.

"Thanks to Lord Roland's help, our cooperation can be carried out smoothly." Louis picked up the armistice clause on the table and tore it into pieces.

"You are also a scary guy." Roland respected the man in front of him.

"It's nothing, it's just that my observation skills are better. I often inadvertently see that Edward likes to enjoy food while working. Over time, I found that he has a paranoid feeling for foie gras."

"Thumb-sucking is not a bad habit. Many people catch food with bare hands, but it doesn't matter." Louie added.

"I guessed that this suspicious guy would let you try the poison first. After all, you can live a long life only by being cautious at this juncture. Edward has always been like this. I put the poison on the side of the dinner plate, as long as he reaches out to take it , when he finished eating the foie gras and started licking his fingers, he died of poison naturally, haha."

Louis didn't feel the slightest sin in his expression, instead he spoke in a boastful tone.

"You're not afraid that Edward's personal guards will find out, how do you plan to handle the follow-up matters properly." Having come to this point, Roland can only bite the bullet.

Louis patted Roland on the shoulder, signaling him to be calm.

"The Baron of York in the outer city has also reached an agreement with me. Most of the defenders in the inner and outer cities are in our hands. We will deal with the cronies in the inner city first, and those who are disobedient in the outer city can be bought by promising some benefits. , don’t worry too much.”

Roland looked at Louis in front of him, as if he saw another Edward.

(End of this chapter)