Chapter 37: The Future Belongs to You

After the banquet, John dragged his tired body back, step by step. It had been the most exhausting event of the past few days, and he felt he desperately needed a good rest.

The next morning, he was woken up by old Roches.

"Your Highness, His Majesty the King will be moving to Anjou in a few days," old Roches said as he entered. "He will inform you about the envoy's matters then, and the King wishes to see you."

John sighed as he finished washing up. "Do I have to go now?"

Old Roches thought for a moment and said, "It's best if you do."

That meant he had to go now. John looked at himself, not wearing formal attire, but it didn't matter. Who wears a formal suit to see their father anyway?

John jumped out of bed and, without needing Roches to guide him, headed straight for Henry II's room.

When he reached the door, old Roches stepped forward to open it for him. As the door swung open, a lewd smell wafted out.

Henry II sat naked at the bedside, with a female theater performer from the court lying on the bed.

"John, you're here."

Henry II showed no discomfort seeing John. He simply walked to the clothes rack and put on a simple robe.

These two, enjoying the highest respect within the vast kingdom, conversed in the simplest clothing and the most informal setting.

"I heard you borrowed money from the nobles. John, I didn't expect you to fund yourself this way," Henry II said, seemingly disappointed. "Do you think my treasury lacks funds for war? Borrowing from the nobles and failing to repay would have dire consequences."

Henry II was right. If John failed to repay, the nobles would surely resent him.

A king resented by the nobles would struggle to maintain his position. Historically, John was often attacked by nobles because he frequently extorted them.

But John felt this time was different. He defended himself, "Actually, I don't lack money."

"Then what the hell are you doing, buying off those nobles?" Henry II spread his hands. "You could directly buy them off, yet you go through all this trouble."

Indeed, while Henry II was a wise king, his methods were still medieval. No matter how high a building's ceiling is, it cannot exist independently of the structure itself.

What John was doing was constructing a new building, using innovative methods to stimulate the economy.

"Father, have you ever considered why we can't leverage future funds to invest in the current war?" John introduced a novel concept.

Henry II seemed a bit perplexed. "What do you mean, additional taxes?"

John nodded. "You're partly right, but not entirely. What I want to do is collect future taxes in advance from the nobles and citizens, then repay them gradually over the next few years, or reimburse them with war spoils."

"But I won't use coercion to make them pay taxes; instead, I'll encourage them to invest, essentially having them voluntarily hand over their money. Taxation could incite rebellion, but investment won't."

This explanation essentially outlined the basic operational model of war bonds.

John initially thought Henry II would understand him, but this time, he didn't. Henry II's expression grew increasingly grim, as if he was about to explode.

He seemed to be holding back his anger. "You'd better understand one thing: leveraging the future is inadvisable. You can succeed many times, but one failure will send you plummeting into an abyss."

Seeing Henry II's face, John started to feel confused.

The man in front of him, at John's age, had already been a formidable warrior capable of leading troops independently. As a young count of Anjou, he dared to challenge the mighty Kingdom of England and wrest Stephen's crown from him.

In his prime, he even dared to confront the most authoritative Roman Church and simultaneously engage in fierce battles with the Kingdom of France.

Yet in his later years, despite his great achievements, he had lost the courage to try new things.

John clenched his fists, frustration welling up inside him. He felt he was not wrong and that he must try.

"Father."

Hearing John's tone, Henry II frowned. "What do you want to say?"

"Do you think if you ruled England now the way Stephen did, what would happen?" John's question was almost provocative.

This provocation made Henry II jump up, startling the servants and knights nearby. Old Roches even rushed forward, trying to restrain Henry II, but was pushed away.

Veins bulged on Henry II's forehead as he cursed, "You little brat, do you think I'm as incompetent as Stephen? You've got some nerve, talking to me like that!"

"Then do you think you could rule Anjou the way your grandfather, Fulk V, did?" John continued, relentless. "Do you think your ruling methods are exactly the same as theirs?"

Despite his anger, Henry II's affection for John and his royal sense of rationality prevented him from striking out.

He could still listen to what John was saying.

"If our methods of governance do not progress, just like the past kings of France, what do you think will happen to us? Our lands in France will be gradually eaten away, and we will be driven back to England, confined to that island, never to return to the continent."

Such alarmist words would be considered treasonous if spoken by anyone else.

"Look, France next door has already started to make gradual progress. We must advance as well. Look at our relatives in Italy, the Normans of Sicily, facing such brutal wars!"

Indeed, compared to the Kingdom of Sicily, the Kingdom of England had never faced a war of annihilation. The Kingdom of Sicily is surrounded by the Holy Roman Empire, the Almohad Caliphate of North Africa, and the Byzantine Empire to the east. These countries are vast and adept at annexing other nations, terrifyingly efficient at it.

Under such pressure, the Kingdom of Sicily evolved a centralized monarchy system, maximizing the use of national resources to counter threats from all directions.

Seeing Henry II's expression change, John continued, "I will try this in Ireland. If it succeeds, it can be implemented nationwide. If it fails, we will only pay a small price and avoid more bloodshed in the future."

After he finished speaking, the room fell into silence.

Old Roches suddenly looked at John with some reverence, while Henry II's eyes were filled with complex emotions.

This old king knew better than anyone how precarious the future of this country was. The Kingdom of England, despite its apparent grandeur, was bound to face problems after his death.

Although Richard had outstanding military talent, his political ability was not impressive. Henry II could not be sure if this son could stabilize all factions.

John, who had grown wild in Ireland, was now bearing fruit.

Unlike the warrior kings of England, John seemed more like those southern relatives. He had become cunning, shrewd, and adept at scheming.

These traits might not be likable, but they were excellent talents for governing a country.

Thinking of this, Henry II suddenly felt a sense of melancholy. He realized that his methods of governance had become outdated, and he was the one being left behind by the times.

Perhaps his era was truly ending.

Henry II seemed to let go of something, his strong arms hanging by his sides, and he stood there like a soul lost, his head bowed and silent.

John watched him, his eyes as bright as a torch.

After a long while, Henry II walked to the bed and sat down again. This time, John saw no anger in his body language, but rather a sense of sadness.

"Go and try."

When he said this, Henry II's head gently swayed, and his mottled, white beard trembled along with it.

"The future belongs to you young people. I'll just have to back you up."