The Path to Lordship Begins in the North

Pierre, who had been captured, discovered that things weren't as bad as they seemed.

At least the army of the gray-collar workers looks very civilized, at least more civilized than the Dog army and the demon army.

Although the prisoners' movements were restricted, their food, clothing, and daily necessities were not too bad. Pierre did not receive the treatment he had imagined, but at least the others in Whitefrost Castle, including the lowest-ranking soldiers, lived a similar life to Pierre.

It was even better than Pierre, because those lower-ranking soldiers were not professionals and did not need additional shackles.

After talking with the so-called clerks accompanying the army, these low-ranking soldiers immediately became friends with the gray-collar soldiers, which made Pierre somewhat uneasy.

This control over the grassroots level of the army is like the resurrection of the original Grand Duke Lars.

"Father..."

Pierre's eldest and second sons obediently came before him. The defeat that night was so swift that Whitefrost Castle still didn't understand what had happened.

Some say Emily was captured long ago, and everything that followed was a scheme by the Grey and White Collar army; others say that the eldest and second sons of the Laurent family were the ones who hindered Emily's night raid, causing it to fail.

Although the Gray Collar army knew what had happened, the people of White Frost Fortress were unwilling to believe the truth. After all, didn't that mean they had been completely outmaneuvered by the enemy that night? And what they had said in the castle back then had all become a joke.

The latter explanation not only allows them to shift the blame but also saves Whitefrost Castle a little face.

It's not that our White Frost Fortress is incompetent; it's that the eldest and second young masters are too foolish. Miss Emily was captured because she turned back to save her two brothers.

Miss Emily, alone with a group of her personal guards, broke through the Grey and White Collar's camp. If they hadn't listened to the eldest and second young masters and gone out to fight that night, the Grey and White Collar would have withdrawn their troops long ago.

Although the guards who were captured with Emily kept saying: I didn't, I didn't.

But this couldn't stop the nobles from talking, and soon the second version became the mainstream view among them.

Clearly, his two sons also believed this argument, and regardless of which side was true, neither of them could hold their heads high in front of Pierre.

"Father, my sister hasn't spoken to us for a long time. Is she really angry with us?"

The two brothers bypassed Emily, whose face had darkened, and asked Pierre in a low voice.

The two men thought Emily was angry because the two brothers had ruined her plans, but the truth was that Emily was too ashamed to face anyone after hearing the second version of the story.

Pierre did not answer the two brothers directly because he did not know how to broach the subject; after all, deep down, Pierre did not want to deny the rumors.

"When you see the general later, the two of you don't need to say much, just listen to me."

The two brothers nodded.

Pierre then led his three siblings into the military tent. Laurie, who had just arrived at the front line, saw Pierre's family enter and gestured for them to sit down. Pierre then found a seat in the tent.

Pierre understood that this was a discussion about what would happen after the surrender.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Laurie continued, "The Laurent family is the most powerful noble family we have defeated in the North so far, and now the Governor needs someone to set an example for the other nobles, understand?"

While it was said to be a leading role, it was actually about getting the Laurent family and other noble families to surrender.

This was to set an example for the nobles who intended to resist.

Before Pierre could speak, Laurie continued to press, "I believe you understand that there are many other great nobles to follow. This matter does not necessarily need to be done by the Laurent family, and our new North does not need a stubborn noble."

"As for the 'Noble Reform Act' and the 'Land Allocation Act,' don't even think about negotiating them, but you can make a small request."

Laurie looked up at the three siblings behind Pierre.

"For example, sending your heirs to schools for white-collar workers."

Without any pretense or prevarication, Laurie laid out all the conditions directly, giving Pierre no room for maneuver or deliberation.

Before the fight, Pierre thought the regulations and laws of the gray and white-collar workers were simply absurd. After the fight, Pierre realized that the regulations and laws of the gray and white-collar workers were actually too kind. They had absolute power and were still willing to sit down and talk to you.

"The Laurent family is willing to surrender."

If before he had only surrendered because he couldn't win, Pierre's agreement to these demands can be considered a complete submission. Sending his heir to a school for white-collar workers is clearly a hostage situation.

Pierre felt that he had sighed so much in the past two days that he could almost catch up with his entire life. But on the bright side, the gray and white-collar workers were also part of the Lars family, so he couldn't really be considered to have defected to the enemy. It was just an internal strife within the Lars family.

Pierre has been loyal enough; at least so far, he has been the nobleman who has resisted the longest. Pierre doesn't feel that he has done anything to wrong Doug.

Moreover, Doug originally seized his position by killing his father, and those big families already looked down on him. Since the gray-collar workers were willing to give him a way out, Pierre did so without any psychological burden.

As for those two bills and regulations, although they were a major blow to the Laurent family, the last thing that aristocratic families lack is educated talent, while what gray and white-collar workers are currently desperately lacking is people.

It's pointless to dwell on lost land and power; it's better to focus on the younger generation of the family and let them earn back those lands and power.

Laurie breathed a sigh of relief. Although there were still many noble families like the Laurent family to come, Laurie could naturally deal with them one by one and persuade them slowly. However, it was rare to find a family as clean as the Laurent family.

At least the Laurent family is more like human beings compared to those monsters and demons.

Most importantly, the Laurent family's performance was more than enough for Doug. They held out for a long time and even successfully raided the Gray Collars' army in the night, which was rumored to be their best effort. Their surrender was not to be criticized. Treating such a loyal and dutiful family well would leave both sides speechless.

Just as Laurie was about to continue discussing the handover with Pierre and plan to turn Whitefrost Castle into the next military base for the Grey and White Collars, Emily, who had been following behind Pierre, spoke up: "Wait, didn't you say you could grant us a small request?"

Laurie nodded, looking at Emily with interest. This young lady could only be described as courageous, and according to Darcy, her theoretical level was also quite good. It was just a pity that her actual combat skills were questionable.

"Then I demand that I follow you in your marches and battles!"

“What position did Darcy start in? What position did I start in?”

Upon hearing this request, Laurie was stumped. A noble lady, serving as a low-ranking soldier in the army? It seemed more like a punishment, failing to demonstrate the preferential treatment the Gray and White Collars showed to the Laurent family, and hardly setting any example, unless Emily was constantly promoted.

But that's obviously even less likely.

However, Laurie quickly came up with an idea and said, "How about this? It just so happens that Saint Flora is currently organizing a force to suppress bandits. You can join the Sisters' bandit suppression team. Darcy initially relied on his familiarity with the terrain to lead his army to find people and suppress bandits in the mountains and forests."

"What kind of nun order? It sounds weak."

Emily grumbled, but after hearing that Darcy had also started out by fighting bandits, Emily nodded and said, "Leave it to me. A few small bandits are nothing to me."