When the Saint comes, she does not collect food

#251 - Meliati never takes off her mask

"It would certainly be good if the lords and bishops of these places are willing to defect," said Steve, the leader of the Mountain Knights, still chuckling.

"What do they want?" the witch Carrie's (to differentiate, called Carrie) voice came from under her hood.

"The Bishop of Oakflower Castle and the Lord of Longblade Fortress say that they are happy to accept whatever you give, but the Lord of Seven Elm Town hinted that he wants Warwick Town next door."

"As for the two from Oakflower Castle and Longblade Fortress, transfer all the lower-level small vassals to them," Mollierty said casually.

"What about Seven Elm Town?"

"Agree to it first. I remember that the eldest son of the Lord of Seven Elm Town doesn't have a good relationship with him? Grant Warwick Town to his eldest son, Seven Elm Town to his youngest son, and let him retire in Coldspring Fortress."

Philly silently mourned for this old lord. He was getting on in years and obviously hadn't figured out Mollierty's personality.

This lord has always been of the attitude: "I can give, but you can't ask."

After arranging these defectors, Mollierty immediately began today's main topic.

"According to intelligence, Bishop Resit of Whitewater Fortress will soon secretly travel by carriage to Highcastle to request reinforcements.

Currently, the head of the clergy in North Mund County is this Bishop Resit. As long as he dies, the church system in North Mund County will inevitably be in chaos.

And we must immediately raise our banner, under the name of implementing the Huannuo faction reform and cleaning up church corruption, to start a rebellion.

Our primary task is to take the entire North Mund County and ensure that our rear is not lost."

Standing in front of the map spread on the long table, Mollierty's finger pressed on a place name.

"Spiroter, your task is to go north to capture Whitewater Fortress and cut off the path of the church army from Gravel Plains to the south."

The tall, thin White Horse Knight nodded slightly with arrogance, without speaking.

"Lord Moruo, your task is to go south along the way, take over Seven Elm Town, and block the old stubborn people of Mund County."

The ordinary-looking Red Horse Knight gave a simple and honest smile: "Understood."

"Lord Hermann, you go to take over Longblade Fortress and Oakflower Castle, and clear all obstacles along the way."

The short and fat Black Horse Knight, like a wine barrel, hiccuped and replied with a grin: "Don't worry, little Mollierty."

"As long as these three places are occupied, the entire North Mund will be in our grasp." Mollierty's finger moved on the rough parchment map, and finally stopped at Highcastle.

If the plan goes smoothly, then the day Longblade Fortress is captured will be the day the gates of Highcastle City open to her.

"What about me?" the refined and easy-going Gray Horse Knight asked with a bitter face.

"Uncle Wien, you will come with me out of Longblade Fortress and take the small road straight to Highcastle City." Mollierty's finger stopped at the place name of Highcastle and tapped heavily.

Highcastle City is now stationed with two decree companies led by the eloquent Knight Alman, which Prince Condé specially left to intercept Mollierty's army.

Mollierty's actions were quite careful, but the matter of rebellion is always something that cannot be kept secret, and Bishop Resit heard the news.

In front of Mollierty, Bishop Resit had been a good-for-nothing for many years, watching her constantly expand her army and refuse to pay tithes and imperial taxes.

But at this time, he didn't know what determination he had made and insisted on risking his life to report to Highcastle City.

Tapping the table with her knuckles, Mollierty's gaze swept over everyone in the hall:

"The specific time of Bishop Resit's departure is undetermined. He is still preparing, but according to his close maid, several guards, and low-level monks, it is likely to be in mid-February, that is, in one to two weeks."

Philly, the head of espionage in Coldspring Fortress, immediately stood up: "During this time, I will intensify surveillance of Bishop Resit to ensure that the error in the departure time is reduced to within two days."

"Yes." Slender fingers tapped the table, Mollierty looked at these high-level ministers of Coldspring Fortress, "If the plan goes smoothly, then we will officially start the rebellion in mid-February. Now everything is ready, you can hint to the knights in advance."

"Okay, meeting adjourned."

…………

Circling around the spiral staircase of the tower, Wien walked into this cold night with a worried face.

At the top of the tower, he saw Mollierty, who was not in the study.

The cold wind blew her mask, and she picked up the Saint Sun Root Wine privately brewed by the Mountain Pig Knights and drank it mouthful by mouthful.

Mollierty never took off her mask.

Since she came of age, Wien had never seen her face again and didn't even know what she looked like.

"It's too cold outside, Mollierty, you should put on some clothes." Holding a bearskin coat, Wien poked his head out of the tower with a worried expression.

Mollierty glanced at Wien sideways: "Uncle Wien, I don't need this."

"Okay." Wien shivered and put on the coat himself, grabbed the eaves of the tower, climbed to the top, circled around, and sat next to Mollierty.

Wien hugged his knees like a girl, silently.

"Will you spare those priests?"

"I will hang all the bishops who are not born in Thousand River Valley, and all the low-level monks who are not from Thousand River Valley will have to work as coolies and miners," Mollierty announced the verdict in advance.

"Is this a bit..."

"Cruel?" Mollierty took another sip of the pale yellow potato root wine, "When they drink blue-blooded wine, why don't they think it's cruel? When they forced the people of Thousand River Valley to leave their homes, why didn't they think it was cruel?"

"Thousand River Valley is also my hometown." Wien's voice was still calm with sorrow, "But are you really going to kill so many people?"

"Are you really pleading for those priests?"

"Haha, if you do these things to vent your anger, I don't object, but do you know what I'm really afraid of? ...Thousand River Valley civil war."

Mollierty rarely smiled: "Uncle Wien, you are smarter than them all."

The idea of some people in Thousand River Valley is just to return to hundreds of years ago, a lord who doesn't care, and the landlords and nobles of Thousand River Valley live freely.

While they are looking forward to Mollierty, they are also afraid that Mollierty will bring her cruel rule to the entire Thousand River Valley.

Before expelling the church, I was bullied by the church. After expelling the church, I was bullied by the duke. Then didn't I expel them for nothing?

"If your methods can be softer, they don't necessarily have to stand on the opposite side of you."

After hearing Wien's words, Mollierty suddenly laughed: "You always ask me why I have to be so tough, Uncle Wien, it's not that I want to be tough, it's that they force me to be tough.

They are too naive and too weak, thinking that it's over after expelling the church.

But after we expel the Thousand River Valley Church, we will face the attack of the entire noble world.

It's not that I haven't considered Catherine's idea of forming a federation or confederation, which will only lead to destruction.

We need to concentrate all resources. In this case, what kind of alliance and confederation are we doing? Internal wrangling and dispersing power is simply courting death!"

"If you want to build a monarchical country, you don't have to use such cruel methods." The Gray Horse Knight, shrinking into his coat, looked at the red eyes under the iron mask, "You are a Thousand River Valley person, and you have the blood of the Three Kings. If you raise your banner, countless Thousand River Valley people will be willing to become your subjects."

"The opportunity is right in front of us, we don't have time." Looking at the cold starry sky, Mollierty exhaled a mouthful of water vapor mixed with alcohol.

"I have heard the voices in countless people's hearts. There are very few people who can be so determined as to never compromise. Even among the Mountain Knights, some people have the idea of promoting peace through war.

The current situation of the Three Kingdoms does not allow Thousand River Valley to be independent. This is almost impossible.

The path I am taking is walking across a cliff on thin wooden sticks, allowing no mistakes, especially betrayal.

Roan has already proven to us that people will betray love, but they will not betray hatred and fear."

The Gray Horse Knight quietly sipped a few mouthfuls of wine, sat for almost a minute before slowly opening his mouth: "Mollierty, do you really believe in the text that has been copied thousands of times?"

"...Why shouldn't I believe it?" Pouring the last drop of wine into her mouth, Mollierty held the wine bag and stared blankly for a long time before standing up.

Facing the dawn that lit up from the mountains in the distance, Mollierty turned sideways, and the morning breeze blew her hair, flying randomly.

She pointed to the mountains in the west and gently asked Wien: "Do you know what's on the other side of the mountain?"

"..." Wien did not answer.

"On the other side of the mountain are enemies."

Turning around cleanly, Mollierty patted Wien on the shoulder, "Let's go."

Mollierty didn't feel drunk at all and nimbly grabbed the edge of the tower and jumped into the tower.

In the crisp footsteps, the Gray Knight knew that Mollierty had gone far, but he did not leave.

Wearing a bearskin coat, sitting on the top of the tower, he looked at the half-white starry sky for a long time without speaking.

He still remembered the little Mollierty before the age of eight, the quirky and mischievous girl.

He couldn't connect the iron-faced duchess with the cute little girl.

"Vincent ah." Raising his head, the Gray Knight's voice dissipated in the murmur and night wind, "It would be great if you were still alive, maybe only you, her father, could change her mind."