The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 12

[Episode 12, Brother-in-Law Heinrich (1)]

“Your Highness, as expected, those audacious French bastards are bound to cause trouble,” Peter’s words echoed in my ears.

“Leave the aftermath to me.”

Peter, having realized the truth about France, was always reliable.

Anyway, it’s a day when the sun shines brightly. The weather is so nice that even my mood feels refreshed.

My beloved steed, Cromwell, who has eaten his fill, seems to be in a good mood too, heeheeheeing. He made a pleasant sound.

Hiyah!

Prince Charming on a white horse, the Count of Mortain, Dangerous John, is on the move!

“My Lord Count, they are not mercenaries.”

“Sir Godfrey, what do you mean?”

“There are no archers. Moreover, their formations are the reckless formations of typical bandits.”

“What’s the probability of archers being ambushed?”

“Lower than the probability of another great flood.”

He means there’s absolutely none.

“…. Is that so?”

“Lord Count, do not worry. The bandits now are just bandits,” said Godfrey, the trustworthy knight guarding my side.

Real bandits are rampaging below the mountain. It’s true that I’m kind compared to my terrifying brothers, but how dare these guys touch the outer walls of a rookie lord? I can’t just let them be.

“Then deploy the Genoese mercenaries.”

In the future, during the Hundred Years’ War, they will be defeated by Welsh longbowmen and lose popularity, but right now, they are the most cost-effective mercenaries in Europe.

“Yes, Your Excellency!”

They raised heavy pavises [large shields used by crossbowmen] to prepare for a possible archer ambush. Soon, they held crossbows.

“Fire!”

-Pyoong, pyoong, pyoong

A rain of arrows, bought with my gold, fell on the bandits.

“It’s the army of the Count of Mortain!”

“They’re already here?”

“Why are they here so fast?”

“It’s different from what we promised.”

“Those Parisian bastards can’t be trusted after all.”

The bandits are pathetically flustered.

Anyway, it seems like there really aren’t any archers. Then I should charge forward, right?

I kissed my greatsword, made the sign of the cross, and shouted.

“Descendants of the Lion, in the name of God, let us eradicate them! Charge!”

“Waaaaa!”

This is the medieval knight. Charge forward!

-Doo-doo-doo.

The knights I got from Mortain were so brave. The opponent is just a bunch of bandits, but still, shouldn’t I say something cool since the lord is going to war? It looks good.

-Charge!

-Doo-doo-doo.

“Send the bandits to Satan’s bosom!”

Is this the power of French knights? It’s reassuring because they’re on my side. French knights!

“Follow the Prince.”

Of course, on my right wing, there are also knights from England who came with me to the territory. Seeing that the French knights are safe, the sight of them charging with a relaxed attitude is so reassuring. The spirit of the Hyeongseong country!

“You crazy bastard, you have to struggle before you die.”

“Damn it, I want to live!”

But we are properly wearing chainmail and helmets, and there are many knights with greatswords and lances. There’s no way that mere bandits can beat this territorial army.

‘I want to deal with all the bandits if I could,’ I thought.

But I don’t have the budget and time to do that. I need to deal with the rotten things that came out of the mountain first.

“Don’t come!”

“Don’t come!”

Some of them are riding horses, trying to escape desperately, but they were soon captured by our Mortain knights. Those who rode ponies ran away, but most of the remaining guys who ran away on foot either surrendered or were captured.

“Lord Count, we have captured them all.”

The execution that awaits them is not the axe beheading of an English nobleman, but hanging. They will taste a miserable death that the medieval people with no entertainment can enjoy.

We must wipe out those vile things like this.

‘By now, there must be a commotion in the castle.’ Then the real incident takes place inside the castle, but there’s nothing to worry about. I’ve prepared for this too.

At that time, Godfrey, who raised his helmet, said with an excited face, “It’s been a while since I’ve been a mercenary captain.”

“Isn’t being a mercenary captain fun?”

Sir Godfrey has not become my vassal, but he has been hired by me. As befits the best bastard, he showed all kinds of pride, but in the end, he was corrupted by gold.

“What do you think it’s like inside the castle?”

“Lord Count, there’s nothing to worry about inside.”

To be exact, I trusted Mary and the knights and guards who guarded her. They’re good, burly friends.

Anyway, after taking a walk with the bandits, when I entered the castle, as expected, the rebellion inside the castle had been suppressed for a long time.

“You’re a little late?” My wife Mary, like Joan of Arc, smiled brightly, covered in blood. After hearing the report, a riot broke out in the Mortain territory, with the nonsense that ‘the noble youngest prince of England has already decided to abandon the Mortain territory!’ Of course, it was suppressed by the soldiers left in the castle, but the real leaders had already fled to France, and the abandoned lower nobles were arrested.

The nobles tied with ropes were dragged around. It’s like the Russians being dragged by the Tatars [a historical reference to Mongol rule over Russia]. Of course, I feel relieved.

“Mary, you’ve worked hard.”

“Rather, I’m grateful. Thanks to you, I got to stretch my body properly. There’s no other brave female knight like me, right?”

Female knight, a good word, but it’s a bit too much for my wife to say.

“Mary, you didn’t have to move yourself while fully armed?”

“I heard that your mother, Queen Eleanor, also wore full armor and beat up the kingdom’s army during the Great Rebellion. Isn’t that right?”

“Isn’t that just a rumor?”

“It could be true.”

I have a strange feeling that Mary is dissing our messed-up family. Is it just my imagination?

“The Countess was amazing.”

“She was a perfect and brave knight.”

“I thought I was seeing Deborah [a female judge and prophet in the Old Testament].”

Mary heard praise that she was like Deborah, a female judge in the Book of Judges in the Bible. Wow. She’s married and she’s cutting down enemies herself.

Anyway, now aftercare is needed.

“Behead the captured ringleader nobles. Hang the lower ones. I will take the territories of the nobles who ran away.”

Among the local lords belonging to Mortain, I gave sufficient compensation to the loyal vassals who did not participate in the conspiracy. I obtained evidence obtained through torture and threats before the execution. As expected, it was France that caused the trouble in my territory. I think I know why Philippe [King Philip II of France] caused the trouble.

Philippe II, the sly king who recently ascended the throne, borrowed a huge amount of money from the Jews. ‘I don’t care. The Jews are a cursed race who betrayed Jesus Christ!’ He announced a decree invalidating all debts owed by Christians to Jewish usurers in the name of the king. What a rotten bastard. No matter how much you hate the Jews, how can you do such a cruel thing?

But the important thing here is, I am also a Christian, and the members of the youngest club are also Christians. What does that mean? Safe John, who was a devout Christian, too, like Antonio, the gangster merchant in The Merchant of Venice [a reference to Shakespeare’s play], he borrowed money from the Jews that he would never repay. Philippe is thinking of ripping off the Jews’ money alone. We rip off the Jews together. It seems that the incident that happened in this territory was a way to vent his anger.

Anyway, even if I hang a few guys and cut off their heads, no evidence came out to link them to Philippe.

“Those Parisian bastards, as expected, left no evidence.”

As expected, cutting off the tail. Philippe is amazing as expected!

**

The state of the Mortain territory has gone from abnormal to normal, but there is still a long way to go. But I wasn’t a genius in my previous life either. There were no reincarnation privileges. I was only given the stigma of being the youngest son of a messed-up family. In the first place, in the late 12th century, there was no foundation or technology to carry out the Industrial Revolution, but even if it’s not the Industrial Revolution, another innovation seemed possible.

So I told Peter about the innovation I had in mind.

“This is just going crazy.”

“Crop rotation? Your Highness, how did you come up with this?” The great Peter was embarrassed.

Crop rotation. Here, I am talking about the four-field crop rotation developed by the reckless Flanders region. By cultivating barley, clover and ryegrass, wheat, and turnips in order over a four-year cycle, it is a simple and innovative farming method that can secure soil fertility and dream of tremendous agricultural productivity without fallow land.

“We don’t have many livestock.” My father didn’t pretend not to know his youngest son who had already become independent. Unlike my brothers who run a duchy, I must feel sorry for my youngest son who only runs a small territory. That’s why my father occasionally sent livestock and funds. Of course, as the owner of Mortain, which is in poor condition, it was only a meager support.

With this support, there are more things I can do for the future than I thought. Even if I don’t know the history of England well, I knew well about the poop that the original King John 싸지른 [a Korean slang expression meaning ‘left behind’]. To prepare for that, abandon impatience and take careful steps. Just take that step.

**

-1182 Mortain Territory-

The summer of 1182 dawned.

-Meem meem maemmae [onomatopoeia for cicada sounds].

Good weather with cicadas crying. I went up to the watchtower to see how the territory was doing. The Mortain territory, which was on the verge of ruin, has become much better than before. Now several problems have been solved to some extent. The serfs and freemen, who were half-doubtful of me at first, now they shout while holding plows.

Of course, I bought public sentiment with money.

“Long live the good Count, John!”

“Manmanse [Korean for ‘hurray’]!”

Last time, I had to listen to the insincere praise of the people, this time, I felt sincerity. Of course, I felt strange when I thought about the money I spent for this praise. The state of the territory is gradually improving, but this is a golden money laundering! My money!

But I did not expect another incident to happen in this small territory.

“Your Highness, something terrible has happened.”

“Terrible?” Something unusual must have happened. Are the French bastards hiding in the dark? If Philippe II did something, Safe John would not forgive him.

“That… that is, now outside the territory’s castle.”

“Outside the castle?”

“Princess Matilda has arrived.”

“….!”

I pretended to be surprised for a moment and remained silent. I raised the corners of my mouth and said to Peter, “Hey Peter, are you lying? Why Matilda sister?”

“It’s true.”

In the world, what kind of wealth and glory would my sister see, that she came to find a poor youngest lord?

“Sister, what’s going on here?”

“Do I need a reason to come see my beloved youngest?”

“I think there’s a reason, sister?” She didn’t just come. It’s not like the mass exodus of the Exodus [a biblical reference], bringing people in droves is completely illegal immigration.

“Youngest uncle!”

“We came too!”

“Hug me.”

My nephews, who were not welcome at all, were acting cute. They are really cute and lovely nephews. Matilda (niece with the same name as her sister), Heinrich, Lothar, Friedrich, William. Not one or two, but five nephews. They didn’t just come to play, they came to me to settle down. Not Henry II, nor Richard’s area, in the peaceful and quiet rural Mortain that I rule. I was so touched that I couldn’t speak.

“…”

Matilda sister, who is 10 years older than me, she resembled her mother, who was the most beautiful woman in Europe, and had a fatal and pretty beauty. But I really hate to say this, she was a vixen [a cunning or manipulative woman]. Look at her now. The way she shamelessly raises the corners of her mouth and looks at her brother’s Mortain castle, it was like a girl salivating while looking at a sweet candy!

“Youngest! It’s been a long time since I’ve called you that?”

“No, go to Father.”

“I feel a little sorry for the King.”

“What about Richard brother nearby?”

“Richard is scary, Henry brother is stingy, and Jeffrey is sly!”

The woman who kicked out three brothers in a big way, she looked at me with sparkling eyes without saying a word. Scary. Is this a clear-eyed madman?

“Ha, then why me?”

“John, I like that I can rest assured.”

In the end, she came because I was the easiest to deal with.

“What, that kind of reaction? I’m sad. How much did this sister love you when you were young….”

With those words, Matilda sister’s boring tongue play became longer, saying that she changed my bed instead of my indifferent mother.

“Ha…”

A deep sigh burst out. At that time, when her sister gestured, her niece, who had been silent, hugged me and said, “Uncle, will you abandon us?”

Cowardly. Niece cheat key. What do you want me to do!

And one of the men who had been watching me silently since earlier, seeing that his daughter’s ultimate move was working, he suddenly intervened.

“Prince John, I’ll be in your care.”

My brother-in-law bowed politely and raised the corners of his mouth.

“…”

I looked at my brother-in-law with a blank expression for a moment and thought, huh, is this Heinrich the Lion [Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony], who even threatened the Holy Roman Emperor?

My chest feels petty!

Brother-in-Law Heinrich (2)