Chapter 33 The Declaration of War in the Bernese Territory (seek to follow)
“My Lord Count, aren’t you prepared to take action and allow Otto of Argau to invade our territory so unscrupulously?
Your Majesty the Earl, this is a provocative act by the Aracholf family, and it is clear that they want to start a war with us."
In Count Bern's study, several nobles were complaining.
They are undoubtedly the nobles under the rule of Bern whose territory was taken away by Otto.
The silver-haired Count Gerold of Bern was sitting at the desk. He couldn't help but doze off while listening to the complaints of his vassals.
"Father...Father!" Adal's voice sounded, waking up the Count of Bern.
"Huh?" Earl of Bern opened his cloudy eyes, looked at everyone in confusion, and asked softly. "What are you talking about? Well, I heard it all. It makes sense."
Seeing the state of the Earl of Bern, the nobles who were chattering just now were all disappointed. Can they still expect the Earl to be in such a physical state?
The nobles turned their attention to the Earl of Bern's only son, his heir Adar.
Facing the expectant gazes of the nobles, Adal also felt pressure in his heart. His father was too old to handle matters in the territory, and it was time for him to show his abilities in front of the nobles.
Adal took a deep breath and spoke softly:
"Father, Algaoling is a bit aggressive. Now it just relies on business taxes to make some money to expand its armaments, and now it dares to blatantly invade our territory. What it dares to do in the future, I don't even dare to think about.
Father, I think we have to do something!"
"Huh?" Earl of Bern shook his head, his eyes regained a lot of clarity, and then he stared at Adal and asked seriously.
"So, my son, what do you think we should do?"
"How to do it?" Adal hesitated for a moment and said slowly. "We should warn the Algao leaders and ask them to return the occupied territory, and then report to His Majesty the King and ask His Majesty the King to make a decision."
"Alas..." Earl of Bern looked at his son and sighed quietly, with a trace of disappointment flashing in his eyes. If he didn't have only one son, he really wouldn't want to hand over this family inheritance to his hands.
Here.
"Do you think it is really useful whether we give a warning or ask His Majesty to arbitrate?"
Adal was speechless. He didn't know that these two methods only had symbolic meaning and had no effect. However, he did not dare to lead the army to defend the interests of his vassals.
If the vassals hadn't made such a big fuss, he wouldn't have wanted to get involved in these messy things. Anyway, Otto didn't invade his family's direct territory. It was all the land of some vassals, and it didn't affect his continued life.
Seeing Adal's silent expression, Count Bern became even more disappointed. Why could the Aracholf family produce an outstanding heir like Otto, while the Grodunning family had to be handed over to the hands of a cowardly person?
He stood up shakily, putting his hands on the table to keep himself standing.
I am really old.
Count Bern stared at Adal and said sternly.
"Adal, raise your head and look at me."
"Father." Adal met Count Bern's gaze and saw a rare light in his eyes.
"Adal, my son, you have to remember that everything we have now was obtained by the ancestors of Grodunning who fought hard in the war. Those who want to escape the war will eventually be destroyed by the hands of the war.
Since the Alaholf family wants to start a war with us, then we should fight.
Now, I want you to summon all the vassals in the territory and notify the other branches of the family, asking them to send troops to assist.
Adal, you have to remember that if you want long-lasting peace, you must have the power to win the war. Pick up your sword, lead the warriors in the territory, and tell the Aracholf family that the territory of Bern is absolutely inviolable.
.
There are no cowards in the Grodunning family!"
The Count of Bern's words were loud and powerful. At this moment, the vassals present seemed to see the heroic count who had accompanied the king in his youth in the north and south.
"But father, Argolan has five hundred cavalry!" Adal was still hesitant.
"So what about five hundred cavalry? The terrain in Bern is not suitable for cavalry. If you don't fight because you are afraid of the enemy's strength, what is the difference between you and a coward?"
Go, my son, use your sword to prove to the nobles of Bern that you are a qualified heir, and use your sword to defend the glory of the Grodunning family.
In this way, I can safely leave everything in my family to you."
In the study, the nobles had already knelt on the ground.
Facing the expectant gaze of Count Berne, Adal didn't know whether it was the power of his father's love or the glorious livestock of his family's ancestors. In the end, he overcame his inner anxiety and gritted his teeth and agreed.
"Yes, father! I will defend the honor of the Grodunning family to the death!"
"Swear to defend the glory of the Grodunning family to the death!" The nobles kneeling on the ground also shouted loudly.
"What? You said the Count of Bern has made an appointment with us?" Otto touched his ears in disbelief, suspecting that he heard wrongly.
"Yes, young master, this is a letter from Count Grold of Bern." Wade also held the letter in his hand with a speechless face and handed it to Otto respectfully.
Otto took the letter and read it quickly. It was indeed a letter of challenge, asking Otto to find a time and place to resolve the territorial dispute between the two parties in a "noble way".
The aristocratic method is naturally a kind of friendly war.
However, Otto still couldn't figure out who gave the Earl of Bern the courage to challenge him, Liang Jingru?
The news that he was recruiting troops has spread throughout Switzerland. Is this Count of Bern looking for death?
"Is Count Grold mad? Or does his timid heir suddenly want to prove his mettle?"
Otto threw the letter aside, feeling helpless.
"I don't know about this, but it is said that the Earl of Bern has begun to gather his vassals, and he must be serious about fighting us.
Although the current military strength of the Bern Territory is no longer comparable to ours, the two branches of the Grodunning family still have a certain strength. Presumably, this is where their confidence lies."
Otto nodded. Before expanding into the Bern Territory, he had learned all the relevant information. The two branches of the Grodunning family, namely a count family and a baron family, still had some strength.
But the distance from Bern is really a bit far.
As the saying goes, water far away cannot quench thirst close by. If something unexpected happens, by the time the reinforcements arrive in Bern, the day lilies may be cold.
Otto didn't think about intercepting the opponent's reinforcements this time, so he called for help. He defeated the Grodunning family in one go, and the subsequent expansion in Switzerland was much smoother.
Besides, the other party has reinforcements, and Otto is not without them. Don’t forget that the Alaholf family also has a lot of land and vassals in the Principality of Swabia.
It just so happens that he should be taken out to enhance the relationship. Since he took power, he has not seen the vassals of the Swabian territory.
He clearly didn't want to provoke Count Bern, but he took the initiative to come to his door. In this case, we had to let the Grotonin family act as the chicken and let the monkey of the Church see the strength of Argauland.
"Okay, then agree to it. Let the other party choose the time and place. Give them more time to prepare. The enemy is too weak, and there is no way to see the true strength of our territory now."