Gains and Losses

 Having received Duke Edward's promise, an ill-concealed smile welled up on Earl Boswell's face, and he was escorted back to the carriage step by step by Duke Edward.

 Climbing into the carriage, the Lord Earl immediately curtailed his smile, and his face suddenly became gloomy.

 "Yves! Go home!" The Lord Earl's transmission went out of the carriage, and Yves, who was waiting for the command, immediately jerked his horse, and the whole carriage drove off quickly again.

 The next day, Duke Edward went out of the dukedom in full dress, and he did not ask for the house of the Earl of Wellington, his original supporter and now his opponent.

 Instead, he had the coachman drive the carriage towards the Earl of Warwick's house.

 Along the way Duke Edward's heart could not help struggling, for seeking help from his former old rival, this is a difficult thing for the facetious Duke Edward.

 However, the situation in the boardroom yesterday was still fresh in my mind, and two of my own original supporters were opposed to my conquest of Scotland.

 And the Earl of Walkley had three opponents in his ranks, which would have been a fatal blow to his prestige if he had cooperated with those who were neutral, and there was a good chance that his proposal would have been struck down.

 So Duke Edward, even though he was embarrassed, did not order the coachman to turn around, and just slowly arrived at the Earl of Warwick's house.

 Duke Edward returned to his normal state of mind, in the coachman's support down to the earl's house door, sharp-eyed doorkeeper immediately saw the carriage on the family crest of the Seymour family, and hastily reported back to the house.

 This time it was the Earl of Warwick himself who came to the gate and greeted His Grace the Duke with a smile.

 "What a blessing from God that His Excellency, the Honorable Duke, has come to me!"

 "No need to be polite! Dear Your Excellency the Earl, I also have something to do!" Duke Edward shook his head and said with a bitter smile.

 "Yes? To trouble the day-to-day Lord Duke Edward to come personally, there must be something important!" Earl Warwick said seriously in front of Duke Edward.

 "Then we'd better confer in the study! My Lord Duke!"

 Duke Edward then joined the Earl of Warwick in his study.

 Edward took a closer look, it was the study, there weren't really many books, a dozen or so at the most, some of which had been rummaged through with many creases.

 "My Count-san, there are many more books in my ducal palace, even books describing that ancient Oriental country that have come down from Rome!"

 Duke Edward couldn't help but feel smug in his heart, on this level of knowledge, he still crushed Earl Warwick, and his fragile self-esteem was instantly much more solid.

 "My Lord Duke! It is still enough for a soldier like me to read a few books! I have a leisurely life without having to deal with England greatly like you do!"

 "Words can't be like that, the Honorable Earl of Warwick is certainly a knowledgeable man! This is a default fact among all nobles!"

 Edward pretended not to understand the Earl's complaint and complimented the Lord Earl in a serious manner, with a look of admiration on his face.

 "My Lord Duke, cut the crap, I'm a soldier, you'd better be straight if you have something to say!"

 Earl Walkley said with a face of impatience, and with his bearded face, it was indeed in line with the temper a soldier should have.

 "Heh! A pure soldier would become an earl from a low-ranking noble, and you're reading too much into the king's wisdom! Cunning old fox!"

 Duke Edward couldn't stop sneering in his heart, not believing it at all, but his face still had a bland expression.

 "Since you're like that, let's be honest and explicit!"

 "You were on the sidelines watching the results of yesterday's conference room!"

 "The opposing ministers make up half of the entire committee now, and if we add to that those opposed to the Sacramental Reformation, led by the Duke of Horton, we've got the Sacramental Reformation turned upside down!"

 Duke Edward understands that Earl Warwick, like himself, is a supporter of the Holy Church Reformation, and will certainly not stand by and watch the fruits of the reform go down the drain.

 "Hah! My Lord Duke! They seem to be objecting to your proposed plan to send troops to Scotland!" The Lord Earl laughed unkindly, then looked at Duke Edward as if waiting for an explanation.

 "My Lord Minister! This time they had the opportunity to be able to cooperate once, there's no guarantee that they won't fail to cooperate the next time, and they can't be allowed to go down like that again!"

 Duke Edward's words aroused that drop of worry in the Earl of Warwick's mind, and a contemplative look spread over the Lord Earl's face.

 Duke Edward knew that the Earl of Warwick could not be persuaded to help himself by common conviction alone; he could only be persuaded by interest.

 "I can make you general and deputy chief of the expedition to Scotland, and I will propose that appointment when the war proposal is passed."

 After Duke Edward came out with these words, deep down he regretted it, after all, if this expedition was successful, not only would his own prestige definitely rise. And if the Earl of Warwick is added, the prestige bonus that belongs to himself alone will definitely be greatly reduced.

 Even if he was no longer willing, Lord Duke Edward was unable to take back the words he had already uttered, especially in such a serious discussion.

 "All right! My dear Lord Duke, I will make the decision that is truly in England's interest at tomorrow's meeting!"

 After thinking for a while, the Earl still decided to go along with Duke Edward's proposal to keep the reform of the Holy Church going. Especially if he, a person who had nothing to do with it, was still able to take a share of the benefits, then it would no longer matter.

 Thus, the atmosphere of the entire room suddenly harmonized, the two have always been arch rivals, began to chat cheerfully, the uninformed masses see also thought it was reunited for many years to meet the best friends!

 Pleasant moments are always short-lived, and in this London of summer, with a slight breeze in the evenings, it was not only a cool time to come, especially from the servants who had suffered so much from the sun during the day.

 The shy moon had already risen into the middle of the sky, illuminating a soft moonlight, and even though His Excellency the Duke was completely crawling with bright moonlight, His Excellency the Duke, who had just stepped out of his study, already felt a minute of chill.

 Tonight's outcome is a gain and a loss, one's own proposal has the hope of passing, while one's political enemy, Earl Volkeri, has the hope of continuing to grow, which I really don't know whether it's a good thing or a bad thing. His Excellency the Duke could not help but think in his mind.

 The Earl of Warwick personally put Earl Edward into the carriage, and a scene of joy between the host and the guest was suddenly impressed into the minds of the servants present.

 Waiting to get into the carriage, Duke Edward still had the same bashful look as before, and was still as poised as ever.

 "The Earldom of Wellington!" Duke Edward's voice interrupted the horseman's next movement, and seemed particularly loud in the stillness of the night.