345: Chapter 23, Continuous Ups and Downs_1 345: Chapter 23, Continuous Ups and Downs_1 The arrival of the unexpected royal guest caused a buzz in the camp, causing Hudson’s head to throb with concern.
An inspection is just an inspection, but based on the behavior of Crown Prince Caesar, it is clear that he intends to set up his patrol camp here and does not plan to leave.
It could only be said that a great performance might also be a curse.
As the only force in the expeditionary army that appeared combat-ready, it naturally attracted more attention from above.
Having a higher-up watching, made everything inconvenient.
For instance, the marching speed, which had just been reduced, had to be increased again.
The armed parade of twenty miles a day once again evolved into the elite standard of sixty miles a day.
Luckily, since the kingdom began mobilization half a year ago, the food quality for these soldiers had been improved.
Their physical condition was now sufficient to withstand this high-intensity march.
The arrival of the crown prince further boosted morale, and their performance along the way was commendable.
While the troops were excited, Hudson could not be cheerful.
The arrival of Crown Prince Caesar seemed to have no effect on him, but in actuality, it had weakened his control over the troops.
The young nobles under his command were ecstatic about the arrival of the Crown Prince, acting as if they were celebrating a festival.
If it weren’t for the strict hierarchy among nobles restraining their behavior, they would probably rush to perform in front of the Crown Prince.
“Legion Commander, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has invited you!”
The guard’s words caused Hudson to furrow his eyebrows.
Others only held banquets every once in a while, but he was invited daily.
The topics of discussion varied, sometimes discussing the kingdom’s situation, sometimes consulting on the next marching route and battle deployment, and sometimes merely listening to the Crown Prince’s complaints…
Most of the time, Hudson was stuck in the listener’s role.
It wasn’t because he deliberately held back, but rather, the questions posed by Crown Prince Caesar were always sensitive.
As the Crown Prince, he belonged to the top echelons of power on the continent.
No matter what situation he commented on or what radical opinions he expressed, it didn’t matter.
But it was different for Hudson.
His status determined that he could not intervene too much in sensitive issues, nor could he easily express his stance.
Against Crown Prince Caesar’s cordiality, Hudson could only respond politely.
Although the Prince was the only legitimate son of the King, he was not the King himself.
Even if he did become the king, Hudson would not readily side with him.
Caesar III’s strength comes from his the political skill and bold actions, which commands respect.
A strong father does not guarantee a strong son; oftentimes, the pressure of a powerful father may stifle the son’s growth.
Whether Crown Prince Caesar has been stifled is yet to be seen, but his desire to achieve greatness and surpass his father has been manifested.
A crown prince who wishes to achieve greatness is bound to be disliked by the major nobles.
Squelched by Caesar III for so long, no one wants to be suppressed indefinitely.
When Crown Prince Caesar ascends to the throne, it will inevitably trigger a struggle for political discourse.
Such high-stakes power play is something Hudson would not like to get caught up in.
If he chose the wrong side, his future would be grim.
“Understood.
I will be there immediately.”
After all, it was an invitation from the crown prince.
With these words, Hudson put aside his work and exited his own camp.
…
“Your Highness, the difficulties faced by the reinforcements from each road are different, and it is difficult to find the key to the problem without deep understanding.
It may be difficult for them to catch up.
It would be better to let each province look into it and find the root of the problem to solve the lagging marching issue.”
It was another day of discussions around the slow action of his colleagues.
Being tactful, Hudson naturally would not say anything to spoil the mood.
Letting each province investigate was obviously a formality.
If the issue could be solved, it wouldn’t have been dragged out till now.
As for the Crown Prince’s demand for the reinforcements to catch up quickly, the only way would be for the Layton County Legion to slow down and wait.
Otherwise, with the current pace of sixty miles per day, it would be impossible to catch up unless those behind could fly.
“Ah!”
“In these difficult times, why can’t those nobles think of the bigger picture?
If everyone were as dutiful and diligent as Viscount Hudson, there would be no fear of the Orcs!
…”
Hudson chose to ignore the Crown Prince’s indignant complaints.
He certainly would not engage in such thankless tasks of offending others.
In fact, according to the public information disseminated from official channels, the performance of colleagues from each route was already quite good.
All the reinforcements had already set out.
Even the slowest team was marching forty miles a day.
To have a temporarily assembled team reach this speed was a clear sign of respect for Crown Prince Caesar.
The performance of marching sixty miles a day, like the Layton County Legion, was already the standard for the Kingdom’s Elites.
Of course, armies composed purely of cultivators are not taken into account.
Those troops could easily march eighty miles a day as standard.
If there were no logistical constraints, they could easily travel one hundred miles within the day.
Perhaps noticing Crown Prince Caesar’s growing frustration, Count Jose diverted the conversation:
“Your Highness, the envoy from the Moxi Duchy will be joining us soon, what do you think?”
On hearing “Moxi Duchy”, the still complaining Crown Prince Caesar immediately perked up.
“Given these times of war, keep the reception simple.
I expect the envoy from the Moxi Duchy won’t mind these details.