The Rise of the European Emperor

After learning that Henry VII might summon sailors to help defend the city of London, Edward hoped to bring more troops to attack London to ensure success.

However, Marin didn't care much. why? Because in the city of London, there are many spies of his North Sea Chamber of Commerce. Using these people, it is possible to open the city gate.

It's just that these are Marin's backhand. After all, it took Marlin years to plant these spies in the City of London. If he participated in the battle for the city, he would definitely be exposed.

Once exposed, it will definitely be monitored by Edward in the future. During the years of Edward's reign, it was difficult for Marin to meddle in London affairs. Therefore, Marin didn't want to use this trump card until it was a last resort.

Moreover, Marin also asked the spies of the North Sea Chamber of Commerce branch in London to gather a group of dead soldiers to seize the city gate. He also bought a courtyard near the city gate, and dug the underground secret room of the Tibetan soldiers. It's just that the recruited dead soldiers are only more than 20 people, and it is not enough to capture the city gate.

Fortunately, on the side of Princess Margaret, as a local snake, they prepared hundreds of people to help capture the city gate. Marin's plan was to let the people of Princess Margaret live in the basement of the small courtyard prepared by the North Sea Chamber of Commerce's spies. When the siege started, the two sides gathered together to seize the door. But before that, Marin will let his men inform Henry VII, so that Henry VII kills Princess Margaret. It's just that this time must be grasped well, it is best not to affect the dead man's seizure of the city gate...

Therefore, Marin didn't really care whether the seven thousand French soldiers would leave or not. However, he couldn't tell Edward about these plans. Otherwise, Edward knew that he wanted to murder his own sister, and he would have the heart to kill himself, although he might not implement it...

Frankly, Edward wanted to silence the French messenger. However, this guy came with great fanfare and brought a lot of Dutch merchant ships, as those French soldiers knew. At this moment, I can't hold my mouth shut...

When they heard that there was trouble in the country, the French soldiers suddenly became agitated. Even the Francois knight, whom Edward had promised to win over before, showed his desire to "return to the King of Diligence".

"Knight Francois, have you thought about it? Once you go back now, the title of the count will be gone from you..."

Faced with such a temptation, Francois' face kept changing, and after struggling for a long time, he still said disheartenedly:

"Your Majesty, I also want to stay and help you. However, my comrades have all left, and it is useless for me to stay alone..."

When Edward thought about it, it was true--everyone else left, leaving the Francois Knight alone, what's the use?

In the end, Edward could only accept the reality of letting go of the seven thousand French soldiers...

But before leaving, the French envoy suddenly came to ask for compensation. After all, the French have helped Edward so much, and they have used 7,000 regular troops to help for so long, so it is justifiable to ask for compensation.

Edward felt very troubled, so he asked Marin to help find a way...

The French meant it very clearly - to want land. However, Edward could not cede land to the French casually. Not to mention that after ceding the native land, it endangered the national security of England. Even if non-local land is ceded, the people will also be regarded as "traitor kings" by the people. If you can't convince the public, there may be resistance behaviors in the future. Besides, Edward really didn't want to cede land to the French. In particular, now that the French have no navy, Edward is not very afraid of France.

After thinking for a while, Marin smiled and said:

hosting

"Your Majesty is unwilling to openly cede land to France? This is easy! Didn't you promise to make the Knight Francois a count?"

"Yes, but what does this have to do with paying the French?" Edward was puzzled.

"Since the French have occupied Calais, then canonize the Knight Francois as the Count of Calais..."

"what do you mean?"

"Since you have lost Calais, then, in the name of canonization, you will assign Calais to the French knight François. Moreover,

Granted the right to self-government in Caleb. In this way, Calais is willing to be ruled by France, and we can't control it. "

"You mean... is to cede Calais in disguise?"

"Yes! Calais is occupied by the French anyway, and it is very difficult for us to take it back. In that case, it would be better to give it to the Knights of Francois in name. In this case, on the surface, Calais is still English, and you have not lost your country. . As for the truth, leave him alone..."

Edward's eyes suddenly lit up:

"This is good, this is good!" Although Calais was actually lost, on the surface, England could pretend that Calais was still British. Edward likes this way of hiding his ears and stealing bells - it's finally a fig leaf...

"The Channel Islands can't be defended either, because it's too close to France..." Edward sighed.

The Channel Islands are only over 100 square kilometers, but they are so close to the French coast that the French can go up by boat. The French really want to grab it, even if they don't have a navy.

Even if Edward controls Britain now, he has no power to expand in a short period of time. Therefore, it is estimated that the Channel Islands will be under French control for some time.

"Then leave it to the Count of Calais to 'trust'..." Marin said after thinking about it.

"Management? What do you mean?"

"It means temporarily handing it over to the Count of Calais. Since it can't be kept for the time being, let it be handed over to the French temporarily. Moreover, the word 'trusteeship' is very flexible. Now, Your Majesty, if you are unable to take it back for the time being, hand it over to the French. Take control... Wait until Your Majesty has gained a firm footing, and then end this trusteeship and take it back... After all, this archipelago is only temporarily 'trusted' by the Count of Calais, not incorporated into the Earl of Calais. Legally speaking , the king has the right to take it back. In the eyes of the French, it is estimated that you are embarrassed to directly say ceded word games... But in fact, when England is stable and strong again, you can take back the trusteeship... "

Marin comes from later generations, and he has seen a lot of word games. This kind of trick comes casually...

Edward's eyes suddenly lit up and said:

"That's good, that's it!"

...

When the French envoy heard about Edward's plan, he was stunned:

"Your Majesty, are you right? The fortress of Calais has been occupied by our French kingdom. What do you mean by assigning this to Francois?"

Edward said solemnly:

"That's what I mean, I don't want to be a humiliating king who cedes territory. Therefore, I hope that through this disguised method, the Calais region will be handed over to the French. François is a French officer anyway, and he became a count. Does the autonomy of the Upper Caleb country mean that it is given to France? Moreover, the Channel Islands are also added..."

The French messenger suddenly realized - it turned out to be embarrassed to directly say that the territory was ceded, the city really knows how to play...

"However, a Calais area and a small Channel Islands are too few?" The French envoy felt that it was not enough. Except for the Calais area that the French army had already occupied, only one small archipelago was sent to send beggars?

"Mr. Messenger, I am also very sad about the loss of the French army this time. However, according to the original agreement, the French army should cooperate with our army to capture the southern part of England and help capture London before I can give it to you in the native county. However, The French army failed and did not complete the task of cooperating with our army. Therefore, your country has not fulfilled the agreement. According to the agreement, I cannot give you more territory. The Calais region and the Channel Islands are actually these 7,000 French troops. Soldiers' reward!"

The French messenger was speechless for a while—yes, the French army has not fulfilled the agreement, and it’s okay if they don’t pay...

Moreover, the most important thing is that the French navy was completely wiped out this time, and even the ability to "armed for salary" was lost. Even if he wanted to use the seven thousand French troops to threaten Edward, he couldn't do it--haven't you seen the 20,000 troops of Marin around?

In desperation, the French envoy had no choice but to return with seven thousand troops. Before returning to the voyage, Edward held a simple ceremony, canonizing the French knight François who commanded 7,000 French troops as the Count of Calais, and handed over the Channel Islands to him...

In this way, Edward did not appear to betray any interests in England. The French, unfortunately, only got a mere Channel Islands this time, with a total area of ​​just over 100 square kilometers. And counting the huge losses of the Straits War, this time the French lost to their grandmother's house...

"Hey, I finally gave the Fort of Calais to the French!" Edward sighed unwillingly.

"No, the fortress of Calais has already fallen. It was lost during the reign of Henry VII. You have done a good job of keeping the Calais area on the surface." Marin advised.

He is not optimistic at all about whether the British can retake the fortress of Calais. You know, although France is slag in the navy, it is very tyrannical on land. If the Fortress of Calais hadn't fallen, that's fine. Now, it's as hard as the sky to get into the mouth of the French, and then try to dig it out. Since you can't get it back, losing it in such a decent way is a good way to help yourself...