Eric paid Fitz's words no mind.
Because he had nothing to lose.
"The castle at Winchester is no less formidable than the one in London. It can't be taken quickly."
"We don't need to take it. The Count attacks Winchester from the White Island while Robert simultaneously besieges London along the Thames River. This will leave him scrambling to defend both ends.
Over time, with the Loyalist Army leaderless, we can pay them enough to switch sides. If they refuse, we can disperse their forces and ambush any reinforcements they send to relieve our sieges.
If we have enough time to prepare, we might also contact King Malcolm of Scotland to further distract the northern Nobility.
Even if they don't split their forces, they will likely attack me and Robert at the siege of London first. We'll do our best to hold them off. That's when it will be up to the Count. You must then throw everything at Winchester and seize the treasury. That will give us the funds for an endless supply of Mercenaries."
Eric pointed to Scotland, located above Northumbria. If he recalled correctly, Prince Edgar of the Wessex family was currently in Scotland. This year, he was expected to travel to Flanders to seek aid from the Count of Flanders.
Then Eric slapped his hand down on the space between Winchester and London.
"The premise is that the King and Prince William must be trapped. If either one escapes, he can easily rally an army and stir up endless rebellion.
I'm wondering if we can use some kind of event to lure the King and Prince William to a place we designate."
Fitz understood this point deeply. The rebellions stirred up by the descendants of the Wessex family after the Norman Conquest had caused them no end of trouble. Only in recent years, under William's hardline policies, had things calmed down.
"But in times of peace, the King is only willing to stay in London or Rouen. You mean..."
Assassination attempts against William had always been frequent. Starting five years ago, William had dismissed all his Attendants of English origin and would generally only stay in his castles in London and Rouen.
"Through a wedding. A wedding so important that the King and Prince William must attend."
"You mean, have Robert..."
"No. Robert has remained unwed since the death of the heiress of Mann. A hasty marriage now would undoubtedly make William suspicious. Recently, I have found a good match for my own young daughter: Yuge, the Count of Vendeuvre. He is the brother of the King of France."
"The King is mentally and physically exhausted by the rebellions. Even though he has always looked down on that little brat, he would gladly seize any opportunity to improve relations with the King of France. He won't leave his army and castle at present. So, when the time comes, I will petition him to allow the wedding to be held in London, with him serving as the witness."
In fact, many of the rebellions were supported by the King of France.
"Do you really have to go to such lengths? It might not be a good thing for your daughter, you know."
Eric looked at Fitz.
'He couldn't quite understand why this nobleman, who had already reached the apex of his class, was willing to go this far.'
'Even if Robert ultimately became the King of England, his own status couldn't rise any higher.'
"The conquest of England has inflated his ego to the point where he looks down on everyone. Even the most gently-worded advice sounds grating to his ears. The royal council has become little more than his personal tool, and ancient customs and contracts have become waste paper. His arrogance is nauseating. If he continues like this, with his tyrannical reign, the rule of the Normans in England will not last."
"Our ancestors came from the far north. They followed ancient pacts, swearing fealty to a chief, accepting his leadership based on mutual trust. They came to Normandy to seize more fertile lands, not to become some man's servants."
"Prince William may act subservient, but I know his temperament better than anyone. If he succeeds as King of England, he will be even more cruel than his father. Robert, by comparison, is a much better lad. He's just a bit reckless, which is why the current William can't stand him."
Fitz stood up, looked out the window, brushed the windowsill with his hand, and rubbed the dust between his fingers.
"Actually, I have an alternative strategy. The resistance to implementing it would be significant, which is why I haven't mentioned it to Robert. However, based on what you said, Lord Earl, it seems King William has lost the hearts of the Norman Nobility as well."
"So it seems this strategy might be feasible after all."
"Let's hear it."
"Promise the English that we will abolish corvée labor and internal tolls for three years, and also return some of the lands belonging to the English Sain. Of course, this land would be carved out of the Royal Domain."
Eric watched the Earl of Hereford with great interest. Freedom of movement was a right the English had once possessed, a right that the Normans had taken from them upon their arrival.
"This... If it comes to that, it's certainly an option."
Fitz paced back and forth in the room a few times, then finally turned to Eric and said.
"I also heard from Robert that you proposed he cede the right to appoint the Archbishop of Canterbury to the Pope. That price is too steep. The Pope won't offer a single soldier, not even one Gold Coin."
"Perhaps you're unaware, but this new Pope recently issued a decree stipulating that he has the authority to intervene in the affairs of the Empire, and even to appoint and depose kings. It's utterly absurd. Is there any theological basis for such a ridiculous decree? I must admit, I'm curious."
'One look at Fitz's awkward haste to change the subject told Eric that the man's miserly nature—a trait practically encoded in Norman DNA—was flaring up.'
'His own uncle, Roger, once needed the title of Count of Sicily to marry his first love. His father, being a skinflint, refused to grant it. His uncle had to fight him for it to finally obtain that Earl's Domain.'
"The Old Testament, in the Book of Samuel, says: 'Samuel had the authority to anoint David, and to depose a king on account of his sins and transgressions, giving his title to another.'"
"The disciples said, 'See, Lord, here are two swords.' One is spiritual, one is temporal. The Lord said, 'Put up your sword!' This represents his belief that both swords belong to the Church, though he does not advocate that the Church wield them directly. Still, whether the sword is drawn should be at the Church's direction."
"Did the Lord really mean all that?..." Fitz scratched his head and looked at Eric.
"Who knows? Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. But from the perspective of the Nobility, I don't think it's a bad thing. After all, the King will always be the one representing England, and if the Pope wants to manage the affairs of England, he must go through the King."
"If the Pope and the King are equal in power, there is much more room for the Nobility to profit from the situation, isn't there? If the Pope were truly strong and powerful, would King William dare to be so arrogant today?"
Eric chuckled, looking at the Count before him as he casually uttered such treasonous words.
"You make me wonder if you are truly a Monk. This behavior shows a complete lack of Devotion. With a speech like that, it would be no exaggeration to call you an evil monk."
Fitz looked at Eric, slightly surprised.
But there was no anger in his expression; on the contrary, he was quite pleased.
He was long used to Priests who were nothing but deadwood—ignorant, unlearned men who idled away their days. Eric's appearance was a refreshing change.