Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World

Chapter 394: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

TL: Etude

“Ahchoo!”

Count Paul let out a massive sneeze.

This sneeze was quite untimely, given that the count was currently seeing his guests out.

Paul pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his nose, thinking to himself, “I wonder which young lady is missing me from afar.”

He flashed an apologetic smile to the congregation; these were affluent villagers or, rather, local gentry who had been invited to the lord’s manor for a banquet.

“Count, the nights have been quite chilly lately. Please take care of your health,” said a splendidly dressed and portly individual, hurriedly advising him.

Paul nodded, “Haha, thank you for the reminder, Mr. Baden.”

“Not at all, not at all,” Baden replied with a servile smile.

After bidding farewell to everyone, the guests departed from the lord’s manor either on horseback or by carriage, taking advantage of the moonlight to leave in small groups.

With the guests gone, Paul turned and asked the four men behind him—Malron, Old Ford, Hansel, and Old Philip—what they thought about the attitudes of the visitors.

That day, Paul had invited prestigious local gentry from all over to promote his customs union proposal.

The manor’s steward, Philip, shook his head in dissatisfaction, stating, “Count, though they are wealthy, they hold no titles, not even knighthoods. For you and Count Ganard to host them is a significant honor. It is beneath your dignity to escort a bunch of commoners to the door. Word of this could be laughed at if it got out.”

“Philip, I wasn’t asking about that!” Paul thought, exasperated by the old steward’s focus.

Old Ford, the seasoned head of the Administration Council, stroked his beard and said, “Most of them were just paying lip service, with only Baden seeming genuinely enthusiastic.”

Hansel nodded, “Exactly. Perhaps you could float more of your intended reforms or even directly issue decrees. This will certainly provoke a wave of opposition. Then, you can make a show of compromise by retracting the less critical objectives, leaving the crucial ones intact, hopefully encountering less resistance.”

Paul stroked his thin mustache, “Start high to negotiate and settle for what you want?”

Old Ford was worried, “Frequent changes in reforms might undermine the count’s authority as a lord.”

Hansel clarified, “This is called adaptation. A lord’s power stems from what he ultimately accomplishes, even if the process is somewhat circuitous.”

Malron offered a middle-ground suggestion, “Perhaps it’s better to go for ‘two steps forward, one step back,’ making less of a concession.”

“That sounds good—let’s follow Malron’s proposal, or else it will be too much of a loss of face,” Paul decided.

The customs union was the current primary goal. As for which other goals could provide cover, further consideration was necessary.

After meticulous discussion until nine in the evening, Hansel took his leave, while Malron and Old Ford stayed.

Paul stood by the window, watching Hansel’s departing figure, and asked his comrades, “What do you think of Hansel?”

In his mind, Malron summed up, “A very capable person. The speedy completion of land consolidation owed much to him.”

“Indeed, his suggestion just now was good,” Paul acknowledged.

He sighed, “It’s a pity that he’s ultimately someone the royal family sent to our side. Perhaps his experiences in the northwest bay are but a brief passage in his life.”

Malron chuckled, “But it’s precisely because of that he can act decisively without reservation, having offended many when overseeing the inspection of lands.”

“Haha, that’s true.”