Chapter 55: Affairs of the West
Word Number:210
Author:苍渊之握
Translator:
Release Time:2026-02-24
Since the time of Sisallos, the Duke of Worksmile had always harbored deep suspicions toward the people of the east. In the era of Wintmer, the failures in the Forest Campaign were blamed entirely on the locals; the Duke’s commanders argued they had been forced to divert troops just to secure supply lines and fend off local harassment. Wise courtiers counseled the Duke, noting that while the people's submission allowed him to build an army, only their trust would lead that army to victory. Yet, even though Wintmer offered tax remissions, he frequently ordered the able-bodied men of these regions to be rounded up and sent west to build fortifications and manors for the Duke and his military—driven by a nagging fear that they would otherwise harbor rebellious thoughts. Inevitably, this stoked resentment. The friction gave Nor an opening. Ramis and his agents, masters of disguise, slipped unnoticed through the villages and city alleys of Worksmile, gathering intelligence and using their silver tongues to sway hearts. The Duke learned from his eastern officials’ dispatches that his own subjects were becoming more familiar with Nor’s tax and land policies than his own, while showing nothing but open defiance toward Worksmile’s laws. Wintmer ordered his officials to heigh