Chapter 921 - 144: Coup d’État
"You jest, Austria was originally a frontier land, full of mountains and barren soil. To the north lies the powerful neighbor Bohemia, to the west, it has been barely stable for a while, and the Dukes of Saxony and Bavaria, Lion Henry, are quite dissatisfied with our efforts to escape vassal status. To the east is the ambitious Bella III. Since I ascended the throne, I have been working tirelessly, day and night, not daring to be negligent, and at last, Austria has shown some slight improvement."
Leopold led Losa into the cabin, complaining.
Losa, with a faint smile, said, "I remember that early on you were chosen as the heir to Otokar IV, the Count of Styria in southern Austria. After his death, you will inherit the land of Styria. By then, with the addition of Austria proper, the Babenberg Family should easily become a force on par with the ’Four Great States of the Empire.’
Leopold gave a bitter smile, "Your Majesty, perhaps you haven’t heard the saying, ’The drip mouth beast that stands out rots first.’ After all, your rise was too swift, but this truth, you should be aware of."
Even if he had no intention of challenging the Hohenstaufen Family’s throne like Lion Henry, one could not guarantee that the Emperor or Leopold’s neighbors, out of fear, might deal him a dirty hand.
In addition, Leopold also harbored an ambition he had never disclosed to outsiders, which was to be granted the title of "King" like the Duke of Bohemia. Even if it were just a nominal title of King of Austria, without true ascension, it would be worth the lifelong effort of the leaders of the Babenberg Family.
Losa laughed, "Alright, since you’ve said so, out of our personal friendship, for any of your merchant ships departing from Alexandria Port, I’m willing to offer a fifty percent reduction in tariffs."
Leopold’s expression immediately lightened up, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your generous treatment. I shall not betray your trust, and here I make a commitment that any trading caravan under your name will receive tax-exemption privileges in Austria."
After they finished speaking, they exchanged a smile.
This deal was naturally to Leopold’s benefit, as Losa’s fleet was still small in scale, primarily trading along the route from Egypt to lower Burgundy, namely Provence in Gaul.
In contrast, Vienna was already a trade hub supplying goods to the imperial fiefs to the north, such as Bohemia. Imported overseas goods from Egypt were in short supply, so a fifty percent tariff reduction was of significant importance to him.
Losa didn’t bother warning Leopold not to try any tricks; he was a man who knew his limits and wouldn’t abuse this tax reduction privilege, such as tagging Venetian fleets and then taking a hefty portion of the tariffs, snatching the meat right from Losa’s mouth. That would simply be asking for trouble.
He invited Losa and his retinue into his cabin’s reception room, where servants continuously brought wine and delicacies.
"By the way, Your Majesty, your brother’s wedding with the daughter of the Duke of Lower Lorraine is about to happen. Being overseas, I suppose you won’t have time to attend?"
The Duke of Lower Lorraine was merely a nominal duke with severely fragmented internal power. Being located at the border of the Western Empire and Gaul Kingdom, the local lords acted like weathercocks, swaying with the wind from both sides, often using this as a pretext to refuse the Duke of Lower Lorraine’s orders.
Otherwise, this Duke of Lower Lorraine wouldn’t have chosen a count’s eldest son for his daughter’s heir.
In the past, this marriage was to elevate the Habsburg Family. Now, after Losa of the Habsburg Family of Algo became a king, the status of the parties was reversed.
"Well, there’s still some time before it, so I’m currently planning to attend,"
Losa smiled.
If leading an army on a long trek, it would take at least half a year to return to Algo, but if Losa left without attendants, took to the skies with a dragon, or simply flew himself, returning to Algo would not take much time.
The red-robed witch beside Leopold also stepped forward to offer a toast, "Your Majesty Losa, ever since parting last year, tales of you have spread throughout the Extraordinary World."
Losa had the battle record of killing the Legendary Master Shemir. Even if he himself wasn’t yet viewed as a legendary strongman, the force he represented was considered equivalent to legendary.
As a caster, face-to-face one must still
...
In the silent court, a
You, as cruel and shameless as Irina, will pay the price.
The Purple-robed Empress looked with a complex expression
"Hahaha, you blinded my eyes; I will use my ears to listen to your end in the wind. Like that bitch Irina, you will be exiled to an isolated island to be a shepherdess!"
The princess, somewhat hysterically, threw down her co-regent crown, tore off her luxurious purple robe, and issued a snake-like curse, "Ragaya, you will not meet a good end."
"I... I will not be Irina."
Ragaya’s expression of weakness was quickly replaced by resolve.
In her view, Empress Irina, who once ruled the Empire under the name "Basileus," a master of power struggles and palace intrigues, was unworthy of comparison to herself.
"What I desire is not for my own royal authority to be secure, for Ducas to last an eternity."
In the silent court, a
You, as cruel and shameless as Irina, will pay the price.
The Purple-robed Empress looked with a complex expression
"Hahaha, you blinded my eyes; I will use my ears to listen to your end in the wind. Like that bitch Irina, you will be exiled to an isolated island to be a shepherdess!"
The princess, somewhat hysterically, threw down her co-regent crown, tore off her luxurious purple robe, and issued a snake-like curse, "Ragaya, you will not meet a good end."
"I... I will not be Irina."
Ragaya’s expression of weakness was quickly replaced by resolve.
In her view, Empress Irina, who once ruled the Empire under the name "Basileus," a master of power struggles and palace intrigues, was unworthy of comparison to herself.
"What I desire is not for my own royal authority to be secure, for Ducas to last an eternity."
In the silent court, a
You, as cruel and shameless as Irina, will pay the price.
The Purple-robed Empress looked with a complex expression
"Hahaha, you blinded my eyes; I will use my ears to listen to your end in the wind. Like that bitch Irina, you will be exiled to an isolated island to be a shepherdess!"
The princess, somewhat hysterically, threw down her co-regent crown, tore off her luxurious purple robe, and issued a snake-like curse, "Ragaya, you will not meet a good end."
"I... I will not be Irina."
Ragaya’s expression of weakness was quickly replaced by resolve.
In her view, Empress Irina, who once ruled the Empire under the name "Basileus," a master of power struggles and palace intrigues, was unworthy of comparison to herself.
"What I desire is not for my own royal authority to be secure, for Ducas to last an eternity."