Chapter 76: The Just Army of Brittany

Brittany, a remarkable little country on the European continent.

Their ancestors were Celts. Despite Gaul being conquered by the Franks and Britain by the Anglo-Saxons, Brittany managed to maintain relative independence and preserved its culture. As a result, Brittany became the last country on the European continent to retain pure Celtic culture.

The dukes of Brittany had always strived to maintain their independence, though at times they were vassals to the Normans or pawns of the French kingdom. But now, Brittany had become a domain under the rule of the Plantagenet family. 

Henry II forced the Duchess Constance of Brittany to marry his third son, Geoffrey (not the illegitimate Geoffrey), enabling the Plantagenets to lay claim to this land.

Thus, Jacques, carrying John's mission, arrived at Rennes, the capital of Brittany.

The palace here was unlike most Western European palaces, resembling more closely the palaces of Ireland, reflecting their Celtic heritage. Jacques, accustomed to such sights in Ireland, felt no surprise as he walked through the palace filled with a foreign charm.

Led by a servant to a room, Jacques entered and finally met Geoffrey, the most unassuming of the English princes.

"Who is this?" Geoffrey's attitude was immediately disrespectful.

Jacques knelt on one knee and offered a standard greeting, "Honorable Duke of Brittany, I come on behalf of your brother, the Earl of Lancaster and the lord of Ireland, John Plantagenet, with sincere respect and honor."

Hearing John's name, Geoffrey put down his wine cup. "You say you represent John?"

"Yes, Your Highness." Jacques lowered his head.

Geoffrey suddenly stood up and walked over to Jacques. Jacques discreetly observed the duke. Geoffrey's face bore a strong resemblance to John's, but his eyes were sunken, and his complexion was poor. His brown hair and beard were dry, matching his withered face. This was likely due to excessive indulgence in wine and women.

His expression was unpredictable, and Jacques couldn't discern the reason behind his actions.

"I hear John has good relations with many nobles on my land and has made some investments. I'm curious, what kind of investments have made my nobles so obedient to him?"

Investment plans...

Jacques's heart skipped a beat when asked this question.

In Ireland, something called "war bonds" is well known to everyone. However, this concept is not yet as widely recognized on the European continent.

Everyone who has fought in Ireland knows that if you give John a sum of money, you can get more money back in a few years, or even receive land. Jacques pondered how to explain this complex mechanism to the Duke of Brittany in a way that was simple yet clear.

"Your Highness, the investment plan is straightforward. You give a sum of money to the Earl of Lancaster, and in a few years, he will return either more money or a piece of land to you based on the contract."

Such a simple explanation made Geoffrey frown. "Is that it?"

Jacques nodded. "It's that simple, Your Highness."

Geoffrey looked at Jacques suspiciously, feeling as though he was being deceived. He asked in a questioning tone, "Do you think I'm a fool? How can John return more money to me after a few years?"

"Through plunder, Your Highness. We will seize the wealth of the Irish and deliver it to you." Jacques maintained his respectful demeanor.

More importantly, Jacques caught the undertone in Geoffrey's earlier words. The use of "I" indicated Geoffrey's potential interest in the investment. If he had no interest at all, he wouldn't have used that word.

Relying on his keen insight, Jacques decided to exploit this. "The Earl of Lancaster has prepared a significant investment plan specifically for you. However, I haven't received the Earl's authorization yet, so I don't have the details of that plan."

Jacques was, in fact, fabricating a non-existent plan on the spot. He had heard John describe the operation of such "war bonds," which were essentially loans. According to John, it was a way of drawing on the future treasury.

But the investors, especially someone as naive and wealthy as Geoffrey, were unaware of this.

These people won't delve deeply into how this thing works. They only care about one thing: can they make money from it? Judging by Geoffrey's demeanor, Jacques guessed that he was probably a greedy person.

If Jacques could help Geoffrey make money, Geoffrey would likely be quite pleased. And if he was pleased, convincing him to send a troop to assist John would be much easier.

"A plan prepared especially for me?" Geoffrey's expression shifted from surprise to delight. "My dear brother really knows how to be considerate..."

Geoffrey's flattery was so insincere it was almost nauseating. But as an experienced envoy, Jacques excelled at hiding any signs of disgust. He played along with Geoffrey's act, making it less awkward.

Smiling, Jacques said, "Your Highness, my primary purpose in coming here is to seek your support. The Earl of Lancaster hopes you can lend him a hand by raising a force from Brittany to help suppress the rebels in England."

Only now did Jacques reveal his true intention.

Geoffrey, who had been flattered into a good mood, asked, "How many soldiers does my brother need? I don't have many forces available, but I can still provide some assistance."

From Jacques' experience, it was unwise to name a specific number at this point. Asking for too few would be a waste, while asking for too many might make the other party uncomfortable.

So Jacques said, "The Earl of Lancaster has prepared a gift for you, worth two thousand pounds. If you send a force worthy of this gift, the Earl will be very pleased."

Geoffrey's face showed surprise once again. He hadn't expected John to prepare such a substantial gift for him.

"Great, very good," Geoffrey said, becoming a bit smug. "I've always thought Richard was unfit to be the kingdom's heir. He's the worst among the three of us brothers."

Jacques nodded in agreement, "Indeed, Your Highness. Duke of Aquitaine seems to be involved in this rebellion as well, conspiring with the King of France to overthrow the rule of the King."

"Is that so?" Geoffrey suddenly spoke with conviction, straightening his posture. "Then we must deploy our forces to protect the safety of His Majesty the King. It is what I must do as a prince."

The Breton nobles and courtiers present wiped their brows nervously, unsure of how to respond. Geoffrey's dramatic stance made them feel uneasy.

Among those present, only Jacques was willing to play along with him. Jacques pumped his fist, "The Duke is absolutely right. We should strike hard against these traitors of the kingdom, and bring them down."

"Exactly... Alain, gather our knights and prepare them to depart for Lancaster!"