King
Chapter 521 - 521 93 Shady Deals_2

521: Chapter 93, Shady Deals_2 521: Chapter 93, Shady Deals_2 Unless Caesar III committed deplorable deeds that offended both gods and man, Hudson would consistently remain the kingdom’s “loyal subject”.

Hudson’s refusal to defect was primarily due to the underwhelming offer of the Moxi People.

The Mountain Domain he owned was not merely the outer mountain range but also included the vast swamp and port behind it.

Now that he had money in his hand, the value of fully developing these places would not be inferior to that of half a province.

Especially since the domain offered by the Moxi people was uncontrollable.

George didn’t mention the specific location, indicating it would most likely be at the front lines.

Only the Border Province would not face opposition from the Major Nobles within Moxi Duchy.

As for acquiring domains in two countries at the same time, that was only theoretically possible.

In the event of armed conflict between the two nations, he would have to fulfill military obligations to both.

The mere thought of being stuck between two fires made Hudson shudder with fear.

This was not something his limited power could handle.

Only those top Major Nobles with formidable strength could declare neutrality amidst conflicts between two nations.

“Fine then, I respect your choice.

The door to the Duchy is always open for you, and your domain will always be reserved.

If you want to come, you can do so anytime.”

Upon hearing George’s words, Hudson rolled his eyes inwardly.

Reserving the domain for him was merely a pretext for the royal family wanting to take advantage of the situation to expand their territory.

Though aware of the true intentions, Hudson had no intention of exposing them.

After all, he was preparing to leave.

The struggle between the Moxi Royal Family and domestic nobles was none of his concern.

“Then I thank you in advance!”

Hudson said with a faint smile.

Somewhere along the line, a seal appeared on the table nearby.

Smart trades often don’t need explicit agreements, a mere hint in the eye is enough for all to understand.

“Hudson, if you won’t come, will you object to us recruiting other nobles from the Expeditionary Army?”

After understanding all the implications, George asked deliberately.

Poaching members clearly didn’t require Hudson’s permission.

It was not unusual for nobles to defect to neighboring countries.

By raising such a question now, George feigned respect but essentially aimed to seek concessions.

“No problem, as long as they are willing to go, I will not object.

However, you must exercise restraint and not dig out all my men.

The Expeditionary Army is still going to fight.

The troops replenished from your side, I won’t return them temporarily.

After the war, both countries may discuss what to do, okay?”

Hudson said without batting an eyelid.

The barefaced allusion was not lost on George.

It was clear some people could be poached, while others should not.

Both parties got what they needed; Moxi People procured some low-level fighters whereas Hudson subtly got rid of dissidents within their ranks.

Mostly directed at nobles from Layton County, those with insincere allegiance were all considered unstable factors.

Originally planning to let them die on the battlefield, the kind-hearted Master Hudson eventually decided not to be ruthless.

Not willing to submit did not signify choosing sides in the future conflict of Southeastern Province, and certainly did not mean they will become enemies.

A large-scale purge of dissidents, however subtly executed, would leave traces and discourage people from forming alliances in the future.

Instead, he decided to play it civilly and let the Moxi people lure away nobles while Hudson took over their domains tactfully.

The replenished soldiers were a gift.

After the war, they will have all “fallen in battle”.

The matter of a death roster would not be confirmed since everyone would have been sent to Alpha Kingdom, thus dead or alive could not be verified.

…

Once he had left the Royal Palace, the news that Hudson was resigning as Coalition Commander and the Expeditionary Army was soon departing spread quickly in Dapes.

For a while, all was thrown into chaos.

Regrettably, before anyone could act, Prince George, with the edict from Chris the Ninth, had taken command of the army.

By the time everyone reacted, everything had been settled.

Unquestionably, the smooth transition was the result of enormous support from the Moxi Royal Family.

During the war, with significant relationships at stake, they dared not let the young Crown Prince take the reins.

The paramount concern was the broader picture.

Now that the crisis had passed, it was in the best interest of the Royal Family for the Crown Prince to take early command of the army and ensure a smooth transition of royal power.

The first thing George did upon taking power was to examine and verify the military merits of those who had contributed during the war.

Leveraging the opportunity to reward meritorious deeds, he managed to win over the hearts of the people within the country.

As the leading contributor who turned the tide during the war, Hudson naturally received his share: the honorary title of “Marshal” conferred by the Moxi Duchy, coupled with a cash reward of three hundred thousand gold coins.

Without exception, the cash reward was paid through war bonds.

However, the current interest rate was not the initial thirty percent per annum, but had plummeted to five percent.

The decline in the interest rate on the bonds was not the first time it happened.

Apart from the high-interest rates offered during the issuance of war bonds during the initial crisis, the interest rates on the bonds issued subsequently had been falling continuously.

As a witness and participant of history, Hudson had collected all war bonds issued by the Moxi People, ranging from a high-interest rate of thirty percent to the lowest of five percent.

Admittedly, the Moxi people were generous, and the total face value of all the bonds reached one million two hundred and eighty thousand gold coins.

Although the figure seemed astronomical, Hudson received it without guilt.

It was not merely his personal military merit but also included the life-insuring money for his private army.

Theoretically, as long as the Moxi people could properly redeem the bonds, Hudson could earn interest revenue of one hundred and sixty thousand gold coins annually without doing anything.

This figure was higher than the regular income of the Mountain Domain during peacetime.

If he relied on farming, it would probably take at least two decades of hard work.

Having heard his subordinates complained privately about the low-interest rate of Moxi people’s war bonds, Hudson felt like laughing.

High-interest rates were worthless unless they could be properly redeemed.

The declining interest rates precisely proved that the Moxi people were planning to repay the debt.

If they consistently maintained a high-interest rate of thirty percent, it was clear they were planning to default on the debt.

The uncertainty lay in whether the low-interest war bonds of the Moxi people would sell well on the international market.

If it sells well, they could use the new bonds to redeem the old ones and first buy back the previously-issued high-interest bonds.

Without the pit of high-interest loans, the remaining debt—though large—would not pose a significant problem if the annual interest payment was made regularly.

If the domestic economy recovers a little, perhaps they could gradually pay back the principal.

Normally, Hudson wouldn’t have concerned himself with these things.

However, with the increasing war bonds in his possession, he found himself being unwittingly drawn in by his interests.