When they returned to the Red Tide Territory, the sky was at twilight.

Outside the city gates, Bradley had been waiting with a group for quite some time.

The old butler, impeccably dressed, took a few steps forward as he saw Louis approaching from afar: "My lord, welcome back."

"Mm." Louis dismounted, his gaze sweeping past the specially designed bee transport carriage behind him.

Three boxes of Cyan-striped Bees were securely fixed inside the carriage.

"No abnormalities in the hives?" he asked casually.

"There were two instances of slight agitation on the way, but the mist spray worked its effect; everything is stable now," the Bee-taming Knight reported succinctly.

Louis nodded, looking toward another carriage behind him. That was the carriage for the injured; Lei Xi'er was lying inside, her forehead wrapped in white cloth, her complexion pale, yet she still managed to keep her eyes open and smile at him.

He waved his hand, signaling to several medical staff from the team who immediately stepped forward to carefully lift Lei Xi'er down and take her to the medical room inside the main castle.

As for the bee hives, they were arranged to be placed in a plot of land in the southern part of the Red Tide Territory.

The area was full of sunlight, water sources were convenient, and it was far from the crowd. It was a special cultivation area designated by the Red Tide Territory.

Once everything was settled, Louis let out a long sigh, as if finally relieved from a silent battle.

He removed his gloves and glanced at the Red Tide Territory, gradually becoming peaceful under the twilight, then turned and walked with Bradley toward the depths of the main castle to the office.

He initially thought that after being away for many days, official duties would pile up like mountains. Unexpectedly, upon pushing the door open, the desk was unexpectedly tidy.

Apart from a few urgent documents awaiting approval, most affairs had been properly handled by Bradley.

"You did very well." Louis sat down, his gaze landing on the meticulously organized file cabinet, and said softly.

"I don't dare to claim credit." Bradley bowed slightly, his demeanor as humble and steady as always, "It is merely my duty."

As he spoke, he took out two tightly sealed letters from his bosom and presented them with both hands.

"These two letters were urgently delivered by courier early this morning. One is from the Duke, the other from Duke Edmund."

A flicker of surprise crossed Louis's eyes, but when he took the letters, he didn't say much.

The content of these two letters was probably about the "arranged marriage."

Louis first opened his father's letter, the familiar family seal and handwriting came into view.

The words on the letter confirmed his premonition—the arranged marriage had been settled.

The wedding would be held on July 12th. To avoid arousing the Emperor's suspicion, all ceremonies would be kept simple, not extravagantly inviting noble guests.

Both the Calvin and Edmund families would handle it low-key, only inviting familiar relatives and such.

The letter also mentioned that due to the Empire's turbulent situation, Duke Calvin would not personally attend the wedding.

Instead, Louis's third brother, the third son of the Calvin family, would attend, representing the family in the wedding ceremony responsibilities.

Reading to the part where "Third Brother" would come representing the father at the wedding, Louis paused for a moment.

His impression of this elder brother, to be honest... was almost non-existent.

Since he could remember, that "Third Brother" had not been in the Calvin family residence.

It was said he was sent far away for special training.

But almost no one in the family knew where he went.

He didn't expect the family to send such a person to represent in the wedding.

But this wasn't an important matter, and Louis didn't think much of it.

"July 12th, the wedding..." Louis softly repeated, his lips unconsciously curling into a slight smile.

He refolded the letter from his father and placed it in the desk drawer.

In this harsh Northern Territory, as he walked step by step to where he was now, he understood better than anyone the significance of a stable alliance.

And the young girl Emily Edmund, who would soon become his wife.

She was not only the daughter of a Governor but also a symbol of his deep bonding with Northern forces.

More importantly, she was quite beautiful!

He took out a clean piece of letter paper, dabbed it in ink, and began to write.

The first few lines were merely pleasantries and confirmations, the tone restrained and appropriate.

He informed his father that he was already aware of the wedding date and would make all arrangements to ensure no mistakes occurred at the wedding.

Regarding his father's inability to attend, he expressed understanding and promised to meet with his third brother properly.

The wording revealed little emotion, but it carried a sense of ease and confidence.

At the end, he briefly mentioned the current state of his territory and thanked his father for his help.

After finishing the letter, Louis slightly blew on the ink, confirming it was dry, before neatly folding the letter, placing it in an envelope. With a gentle press of his finger on the Fire Lacquer Seal box, the Red Tide emblem was immediately embossed on the seal.

"This letter, have someone send it back to the family later," he handed the letter to Bradley, his tone calm.

"Understood." Bradley respectfully accepted it.

Louis's gaze lingered on the corner of the table, where there was a letter still unopened, sealed in deep blue wax stamped with the Edmund family's Northern Territory crest.

Louis opened it directly and began to read.

The content of the letter was not long but measured, with a stable style carrying the typical cold austerity of the Northern Territory:

As he expected, the letter confirmed the marriage arrangement.

Duke Edmund expressed recognition for his past military achievements in concise language, especially the night raid on Qingyu Ridge, calling it a "Northland-shocking decision."

The letter then expressed satisfaction with the formalization of the marriage contract, frankly stating, "This is not only an alliance between families but also an important step for the future of the Northern Territory."

Subsequently, the tone of the letter became slightly softer.

Although Emily is my daughter, she is not a weak and ignorant person. She has been educated in equestrian arts and political principles from an early age, possessing both grace and rationality.

I hope that in the future, you will not only treat her as an ally but also as a husband should.

She is not a bargaining chip, but a companion on your journey through the snow and wind.

These words slightly moved Louis.

The letter concluded with the arrangements for the wedding:

The wedding will be held in the Red Tide Territory, with simple arrangements, and distant nobles will not be invited to avoid attracting excessive attention from the Royal Family.

Only a few trusted relatives and nobles will witness the ceremony.

The materials and paraphernalia required for the wedding will be dispatched by the Edmund family.

After reading the letter, Louis gently rubbed the paper sealed with the Ice Wolf Badge, as if savoring those unexpected reminders and praises.

"Truly unlike the so-called cold-faced iron-blooded Duke would write," he murmured, a slight smile on his lips.

It was as if he could see a father's restrained affection for his daughter between the lines.

Louis pulled out a clean piece of letter paper to reply.

The content written to Duke Edmund was not long, yet every word was appropriate.

It expressed gratitude to the other party and officially responded, emphasizing the value placed on the marriage contract.

He wrote at the end of the letter: "Please do not worry, my lord, she will not be my vassal, but a partner on my journey through life."

Having finished writing, he dried the letter, folded it, sealed it, and pressed on the Red Tide Territory's fire lacquer seal, then handed it to the waiting Bradley beside him.

"Send this letter to the Edmund family."

"Yes, my lord."

Louis withdrew his gaze out of the window, seeming to mention casually, "By the way, I should let you know about this."

He paused, looking at the mature and steady old butler: "I am going to enter into a marriage alliance with Duke Edmund's daughter, Emily."

For a moment, it seemed like the air stopped.

Bradley's eyes widened slightly, his whole body shook gently, as if even his breathing skipped a beat.

He hadn't expected that Louis would eventually marry.

But he never imagined that the bride would be the daughter of the Lord of the North.

The Duke's family, who represents the military power and traditional honor of the Empire's frontier, is now entering into a marriage alliance with Louis of the Calvin Clan.

"Is it confirmed?" he asked in a low voice.

"Yes, it's been arranged by both my father and Duke Edmund, and the wedding will take place on July 12th," Louis replied calmly.

Bradley fell silent for two breaths, then immediately bowed with rare enthusiasm and joy, "Congratulations, my lord! This marriage alliance holds great significance!"

Louis smiled slightly and nodded softly.

"You can start preparing for the wedding in advance, keep it simple, no need for extravagance," he said, "But don't let it be too modest either."

Bradley understood, his expression became solemn: "Understood. I will select a suitable process that is both dignified and reflects the Lord's demeanor."

As he left the room, his steps were slightly quicker than usual.

The door closed gently, leaving tranquility in the room.

Louis leaned back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling.

This marriage alliance is extremely important for him.

It is like a meticulously crafted key gear, setting the whole Northern Territory plan into formal motion.

First is the elevation of status.

Duke Edmund, who is the supreme symbol of power in the Northern Territory.

His son-in-law is not just a familial title, but a direct endorsement of Northern legitimacy.

Although he already holds the position of Prefect of Snow Peak County, he still lacks a title to truly suppress local forces and unite people's hearts, which he now has.

Presumably, no one will act blindly or irrationally in the future.

Next is Calvin's role transition.

As the "Northern Territory Representative" of the Calvin family, he has obtained Level 2 Permissions, which means he can mobilize part of the resources from the Southeast System, including materials, knights, and the civil servant system, etc.

Now, with this marriage alliance, he has become the convergence point of the interests of the two great families, leaving no room to question his necessity.

The Northern Territory's strongest sword and the Southeast's most prosperous wing thus converge on him.

The Northern Territory has mines, but lacks external markets and supplies.

Calvin controls the southern ports and trade routes. Once managed by him, the Northern Territory can continuously send minerals, ice beast materials, and rare herbs to the South in exchange for grain, salt, iron, and luxury goods.

The divide between the ice and snow of the north and the warmth of the south is no longer an isolation, but a passage of intertwined interests.

And the hub of this passage is him.

Furthermore, when he and Emily have children, they will be joint heirs of the Calvin and Edmund clans.

Not only will they naturally inherit the authority of both regions by blood, but they will also become key figures in the Empire's political landscape over the next twenty years.

Of course, this is just his imagination. Politics is not as simple and naive as that; it will depend on the future's specific moves.

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