Chapter 39: The Northern Ambition

"Richard the Lionheart," a name well-known to later generations.

At this moment, he has not yet become the King of England and still holds the title of Duke of Aquitaine. According to history, he should now be the Duke of Anjou, the heir to the English crown.

But in this timeline, due to John's interference, Richard has not become the Duke of Anjou yet.

However, Richard does not like Anjou at all. He grew up in Aquitaine, receiving an Aquitaine-style education. The culture of Aquitaine is different from traditional French culture; it is a unique cultural system in Europe.

Like his father, Richard has long hair and a beard. His reddish-brown hair reflects his unruly and irritable nature.

"My Lord Duke, the situation in Ireland is not optimistic. John has established a barracks in Dublin and has been training his army there."

If the Norman nobles of Dublin were present, they would recognize that it was the remarkable Aquitanian reporting to Richard.

"The Earl of Bedford has been captured, and he seems to have joined John now," the Aquitanian reported carefully. "John now controls vast territories—Ireland, Lancaster, Gloucester. These areas are all under his control."

"But they are very scattered," Richard's voice was rough and powerful. "He can't consolidate his power."

The Aquitanian listened to Richard carefully and then observed his expression before daring to continue, "But he borrowed a sum of money from the nobles of Normandy and Brittany in Rouen."

Richard quickly received this information, but he didn't seem to grasp the significance.

"Your Highness, this means that His Majesty the King did not give John enough money," the Aquitanian analyzed in detail. "My Lord Duke, think about it. If His Majesty the King was determined to make John the heir, he certainly wouldn't let John run out of money."

The Aquitanian's analysis enlightened Richard, and he quickly reacted, "So we still have a chance."

"Exactly, Your Highness," said the Aquitanian. "If we can make John's endeavors less successful, then as His Majesty the King's expectations of John decrease, you will be the only suitable heir."

Richard lowered his head to think for a moment. It was unclear what exactly he was contemplating.

In any case, when he raised his head, it seemed he had understood everything.

"Then give some support to Rhodri. Take some soldiers over there," Richard chose the most straightforward solution. "With my soldiers joining, defeating John should be much easier."

Hearing Richard's orders, the Aquitanian lowered his head.

To say anything contrary to Richard's will at this moment would only anger him without solving the problem. Richard had always been such a person.

"I will carry out your orders immediately, Your Highness."

...

John was still in Dublin, idly playing chess with Silvio.

The chess pieces before him looked simple in design, yet each one was distinct. These pieces were carved by the most skilled carpenter in the city, and they had just been delivered to John yesterday.

If a modern person familiar with chess were present, they would recognize this as a complete set of chess pieces.

"I'm curious, Silvio, what are those Norman Italians like?" John moved a pawn forward.

Silvio studied the board and said, "They are quite like you, but also very different, especially those in Sicily. Although they speak French, they act more like a group of Arabs."

As Silvio moved his knight, John spotted a flaw.

"Your Highness, your chess skills are truly exceptional," Silvio praised, feeling a bit dejected.

He had been tormented for most of the day, completely unable to match John's skill. Despite calculating every move, he was still soundly defeated by John, leaving him feeling numb.

John decided to spare him further torment and said, "That's enough for now. You can go back to your tasks. You should have all the gifts ready by now."

Silvio nodded and began to tidy up the chessboard.

"That's good," John said, taking on the role of a hands-off leader. "In that case, we can set off soon."

John's current task was simple: wait.

Downstairs in the hall, a few Norwegians were feasting. The master of these Norwegians was Rolf Eriksson, the lord of Redcastle.

It was because of these people that John had prepared those gifts.

Initially, John had no intention of courting any northern lords, but since someone had come to seek allegiance, John wouldn't refuse. Moreover, Redcastle was located just sixty kilometers north of Dublin, essentially a thorn in his side at his doorstep.

The message brought by the envoys was straightforward—Rolf was prepared to pledge his allegiance to John. The envoys couldn't provide much more detail, so John decided to meet Rolf in person to discuss matters.

Of course, John wouldn't go empty-handed. He prepared a gift worth ten pounds and readied his army. If negotiations failed, he could immediately begin his northern campaign.

Carrot and stick, both in hand.

This time, John planned to bring along the knights of Gloucester. The knights of Lancaster had already started returning to their homes, leaving only the young knights seeking their fortunes elsewhere. Therefore, the army might be smaller than before, but its quality remained undiminished.

The knights from Gloucester were different from those of Lancaster. They had been engaged in various battles for years, fighting against local lords and battling the Welsh in the mountains. The old Earl of Gloucester, a tough man himself, was a descendant of William the Conqueror, the founding monarch of England. This martial tradition ensured his knights maintained high combat effectiveness, and now they were at John's disposal.

With the help of his servants, John donned his armor and walked out of the room. His royal guards immediately fell in line as he headed to the barracks to muster his troops and set off north.

Meanwhile, in Redcastle, Lord Rolf was enjoying his afternoon tea. The past winter had claimed his father's life, making him the new lord of Redcastle. The Norwegians in the town and the Irish peasants outside all belonged to him now, but he was still not satisfied.

He craved more wealth, more glory, and more power.

The thought of these being within his grasp made Rolf's heart race. However, he did not show any emotion, instead setting down his cup.

The English prince should be arriving soon.