At this moment, John was still lingering before London. His army had marched south, passing through the Earl of Northampton's lands. The Earl of Northampton, David, had fled to Westminster in London.
John's troops camped on the west side of Tottenham Marshes, which was still vast farmland and wilderness at that time. London was the wealthiest city in all of England. In the Middle Ages, the simplest way to determine a city's wealth was by its population. London happened to be the most densely populated area in England, attracting people from all directions.
St. Paul's Cathedral, London Bridge, and other grand buildings directly reflected the city's wealth. However, behind its prosperity lay significant risks. A dense population led to disorder, increased the likelihood of various disasters, and served as a breeding ground for viruses and bacteria.
But these were not John's concerns at the moment. What he was concerned about was the impact of his entering London.
After Harold died at Hastings, the Anglo-Saxon nobles retreated to London and elected his son as the King of England. In later times, King Philip of France's son, "Lionheart" Louis, crossed the sea to London during his tenure as the crown prince, seeking the support of rebellious English nobles to claim the English throne.
From the beginning, it seemed, London had been a haven for rebels, conspirators, and ambitious individuals.
John did crave power, but he did not want to use overly radical methods. Though he was powerful now, if Henry II was determined to eliminate him, it would not be impossible.
Occupying London would signal to Henry II that John was preparing for a direct confrontation. Even if John did not intend this, Henry II's controlling nature would likely lead him to think the worst of John.
Thus, John's troops camped directly north of London, and with his vast army, he fell into silence.
"Your Highness, will you practice swordsmanship today?" Valcelin's head peeked into the main tent. "You need to practice daily to improve."
This guy...
When John brought him along, he thought he had gained a royal guard. But as he got to know him better, John realized what it meant to be a martial fanatic.
Valcelin seemed skilled with various weapons and was enthusiastic about teaching. He happened to meet Pierre, who, although proficient in combat, was inherently lazy and had no interest in sparring. Pierre quickly escaped, leaving little Roches to bear the brunt. This young noble, unenthusiastic and outmatched, soon lost interest after being thoroughly beaten.
Finally, Valcelin set his sights on John. Under the guise of helping John train, Valcelin was really just looking to gain experience for himself. John, unable to refuse, often found excuses to send him away.
"I have a lot to do right now, Valcelin. Why don't you go practice with Pierre?"
Valcelin blinked, checking to see if John was serious. Once satisfied, he left the tent. Across from John, William breathed a sigh of relief. "Good thing he didn't ask me."
"Is this why you pushed him onto me?" John massaged his temples. "I'm nearly at my wit's end with him. Can't you take him back?"
William wore the same expression as Valcelin but spoke firmly. "No."
John sighed and shrugged. "Alright, then. We need to continue discussing how to handle the situation in London."
"I agree with you. If you enter London, His Majesty will surely see it as rebellion. But what about the Earl of Northampton?" William was fixated on the Earl.
In his view, if it weren't for Robert and the Earl of Northampton's instigation, his father wouldn't have joined the rebellion. Without his father's involvement, he wouldn't have died unexpectedly. Though, with the Earl of Derby's death, William had become the new earl.
John stroked his chin. "What do you think about waiting for His Majesty to return and handle it?"
William's facial muscles twitched. "It would be best to deal with that bastard as soon as possible... but how will His Majesty handle him?"
John couldn't be certain. Henry II had established new laws for England, but his method of enforcing them was unpredictable. The ceiling of a building reflects its structure, and Henry II, being a feudal lord, also judged based on his whims.
The Earl of Northampton, David, was of Scottish royal lineage, essentially a hostage from a vassal state to its suzerain. This unique position made it difficult for John to act against him.
"The Earl of Northampton's status is too unique; we can't handle him," John said, his tone tinged with frustration. "I can promise to take care of young Robert, but him, I really can't do anything about."
The atmosphere in the tent grew tense. William, now allied with John, expected reciprocal support for his own grievances. Even within their lord-vassal relationship, John couldn't always be the one taking.
This silence was William's way of protesting. His main grudges were against young Robert and the Earl of Northampton.
"Can't we use less clean methods?" Jacques suddenly suggested, startling both men.
The power of habitual thinking was strong. After eliminating the Earl of Derby, Jacques reflexively suggested assassination as a solution.
William's shocked expression showed he wasn't that kind of person. John quickly composed himself and sternly addressed Jacques, "Jacques, you'd better retract that statement. We're not murderers like young Robert; we are true nobles."
Realizing his mistake, Jacques lowered his head, as if the deaths of Governor Edward and the Earl of Derby had nothing to do with him.
After another two seconds of silence, John waved his hand: "Forget it, go out, Jacques."
Driving this guy away will definitely help the subsequent discussions, at least there won't be a troublemaker randomly popping up.
Jacques also wisely left John's tent behind.
When he walked out of the tent, he saw several knights who looked exactly like the royal soldiers. They were stopped at the door by Ji Muyao, as if there was some conflict between them.
"Guillaume, let us in." The first knight's expression was not pretty.
Guillaume retaliated decisively: "His Royal Highness is discussing matters with the Earl of Derby, please don't bother me, Forger."
"Earl of Derby? Anyone who has not been recognized by His Majesty the King is a false title. I do not recognize it. I am here to deliver orders to the Earl of Lancaster on the order of the King." Forger's tone was also extremely strong.
"Then you can tell me, and I will tell His Highness."
"No, the order I received is to inform the Earl of Lancaster directly."
"Folger, you are such a fool!"
"Do you want to rebel, Guillaume?"
Seeing the quarrel between his eyes, Jacques secretly returned to the big tent, poked his head through the curtain, and said to John: "Your Highness, His Majesty the King has sent someone here——"
Just as John was about to erupt in anger, Jacques' words held him back.
"People from His Majesty the King?" John stood up, walked out of the large tent, and saw Forger arguing with Guillaume.
Forger shouted at John, "Your Highness, the King has ordered me to deliver a message to you alone."
William followed him out, curiously asking, "What order must be delivered only to His Highness?"
"The King demands that you release the detained Aquitaine priests and send them to Nantes to grant them their freedom." Forger's words were firm, and each word struck John deeply.
At this moment, John could only be glad he hadn't led his army to seize control of London.
The reason Henry II issued such an order was essentially a test. Releasing those priests was a minor issue for Henry II, but it would reveal whether John would obey his command.
In essence, this was purely a test of obedience.
From this, it was evident that Henry II had begun to doubt John and needed to test his loyalty in this manner.
"I understand... You're Forger, correct?" John pointed at Forger and asked.
Forger nodded, "Yes, Your Highness, I am Gilles de Forger from Saumur."
"Rest here for now, then return and inform His Majesty that I will release the Aquitaine priests. Since it is the King's order, I have no reason to disobey."
John's straightforward response left little Roches and William stunned.
Once Forger had left, little Roches anxiously asked, "Your Highness, why are we releasing those Aquitaine priests?"
Little Roches had no goodwill toward the priests colluding with the Duke of Aquitaine. In his view, these people were merely the enemy's lackeys.
"It is the King's request, Roches," John turned to little Roches. "Would you defy His Majesty's orders?"
Defying the King's orders... Almost without hesitation, little Roches shook his head.
John showed the same expression as little Roches, "Even if I am a prince, the King is my father. Despite my poor relationship with the Duke of Aquitaine, I must obey the King's orders."
After John's words, little Roches lost his spirit.
Beside them, the Earl of Derby, William, clenched his fists, his heart filled with resentment.
"Bréton, let's return, to Dublin," John suddenly said. "We'll go to Gloucester first, then take a ship from there to Waterford. England is still unsuitable for us."
These words basically represent John's current thoughts. He still needs to bide his time in Ireland, waiting for the right opportunity. This time, he had gained enough benefits in England, and it was time to pull back.
After the order was issued, John's army began to slowly withdraw from southern England. They passed through Oxford, where John had grown up, and stayed there for only two days before boarding ships back to Ireland. The troops in Lancaster were also completely withdrawn, leaving only Chief Justice Lucy to handle affairs in England.
When John returned to Dublin, he was immediately welcomed by the citizens of Waterford. These citizens had greatly benefited from John's campaigns in Ireland, having enjoyed the spoils of war. Like Dublin, they were undergoing city renovations. This was a spontaneous effort by the citizens, and the entire Waterford resembled a massive construction site, with dust everywhere.
"This place will soon be unrecognizable," John said, standing in the square where he had arrived last year. "Where's Martin?"
Breton shrugged. "He's no longer working here. He made a lot of money before, then bought large tracts of land outside the city. Now he's a big landowner, collecting rent every day."
Well, he directly switched to farming.
However, Martin's choice was not bad. At least he left an inheritance for his descendants while he was still wealthy.
"Breton, take your troops to Thomond and take over the castles in the Earl of Thomond's territory," John ordered Breton.
After resolving affairs in England, John's focus had shifted. He now aimed to strengthen his power in Ireland.
As the temperature gradually dropped, the entire Northern Hemisphere was approaching winter. This season was a taboo for military operations, but it was the best time for John to stay home and ponder his plans.
Breton's army marched westward, while John's troops headed north, arriving in Dublin.
The Duke's Palace of Leinster in Dublin was undergoing expansion. Apart from the original structure, the additional sections were designed in John's favorite Gothic style.
The workers on the site watched as John entered the Duke's Palace without the slightest intention of acknowledging him. The entire construction site was bustling, and no one had time to salute. John merely glanced around and then went into the palace.
"Your Highness, Your Highness, you're finally back."
The head steward of the Leinster Palace, upon seeing John's return, was overjoyed, a reaction that took John by surprise. Before John could respond, the steward continued.
"You wouldn't believe it, Your Highness, but the Duchess has given birth to a child, a girl." The steward hesitated slightly when he mentioned the girl.
John, on the other hand, was at a loss for words.
How had he suddenly become a father?
Everyone's eyes were on John. They all knew this was undoubtedly John's child; the question was whether John would acknowledge this illegitimate child.
The most problematic issue was that John was accompanied by the Countess of Gloucester, Isabella.
She was his fiancée.
Guillaume subtly signaled the steward to stop talking, but the steward didn't seem to notice and continued, "This is such great news…"
"Why is it good news?" Isabella asked John.
"This is His Highness the Prince and the Duchess's child. She hasn't been baptized yet, so she doesn't have a name…"
Before the steward could finish, Guillaume slapped him heavily, knocking him to the ground. Pierre and Valkaerin, seeing the situation, stepped forward and dragged the steward away.
John, clutching his chest, said, "What was he talking about? My God, it's terrible…"
Indeed, John had forgotten about this, nearly leading to a domestic drama.
Isabella, standing beside him, said nothing.
Although she was only fourteen, her education had taught her not to meddle too much in her husband's affairs. Moreover, she came from a top noble family and was very familiar with her own father's background.
Simply put, John now had an illegitimate daughter.
Thus, in this peculiar atmosphere, John led Isabella to their room.