The sharp-eyed had already sensed the potential value of firearms, but most of the nobles in the royal capital still looked down on them. After all, this was just the most basic type of firearm, belonging to the more ordinary category among Fang Ge’s assorted types of firearms, though it was much more stable than those handcrafted by Fang Ge.
Nora clapped her hands, and a line of soldiers immediately nervously approached the shooting range, holding firearms and aiming forward.
However, it was evident that the number of these soldiers was somewhat small, and there were more soldiers continuously arriving behind them.
Moreover, many targets had been hastily set up not far away, and those targets were armored.
“These are the common folk of the royal capital. I’ve hired them with money; they have only received about a week’s worth of basic training.”
After speaking, Nora bowed slightly to Lilith, and Lilith nodded, saying, “Let’s begin.”
“Bang!”
“Bang! Bang! Bang!”
After a round of gunfire, some targets not far away fell to the ground, while others, which were clad in armor, were shattered, and many of the remaining targets had bullet dents indented into their armor.
The quality of this armor was not particularly good, but in fact, most of the soldiers didn’t even have such armor.
“Nothing impressive.”
The old party noble who had previously spoken up said stubbornly, “It’s not as good as a spell from my family’s professionals.”
“Ha.”
Nora only let out a cold hum, then casually raised the firearm in her hand and aimed at the noble.
The guards around Nora also raised their firearms, aiming at the nobles.
Looking at the dark muzzle of the firearms, the noble unexpectedly felt his legs go weak, filling with an inexplicable fear. In fact, he had already witnessed the power of the firearms just a moment ago.
This was clearly the method by Her Majesty the Queen to win over the nobles of the Southwest Borders. If the nobles of the Southwest truly supported the Queen, would there be any benefits left for the old party nobles like himself?
So, no matter what, the old party must belittle these firearms, declaring them worthless and having no impact on the war in the Southwest.
“Bang!”
Before anyone could react, Nora shot the old party noble, and he collapsed to the ground in front of everyone, frantically using his robe to cover himself.
Even though he was a professional, he was unskilled, basically no different from an ordinary person and lacked the confidence to block a bullet at such close range.
“Nora Les, do you intend to attack a noble in public?”
The noble, lying on the ground, cursed while being helped up by other nobles around him.
“Oh? But I didn’t fire just now, did I?”
Nora retracted the firearm, and her guards also lowered their weapons.
“I just wanted to provoke you a little.”
With that, Nora revealed a smile that felt like a breath of fresh air. Being a handsome man already, along with the deliberate flattery, made many noble young girls hold their breath.
“Since you think this firearm is nothing to worry about, why be afraid?”
The old party noble felt both ashamed and angry, leaving under the escort of his guards.
Lilith did not stop him; instead, she covered her nose and said, “Everyone, let’s discuss this in another place.”
“Nora, you’ve gone a bit too far.”
“I apologize, Your Majesty.”
Nora bowed in an apologetic manner, but Lilith did not even impose any symbolic punishment, and everyone more or less realized that this scene was at least tacitly approved by Her Majesty the Queen.
However, seeing Judith and Scott, the two dukes, surrounding Nora, inquiring about the purchasing channels and production methods of firearms, many nobles who had just been close to the old party quietly distanced themselves.
But the old party members still looked down on the firearms, believing that experienced professionals were still the backbone of the battlefield.
Especially since Anju Kingdom had already organized the cultivation, recruitment, and training of professionals to form purely professional units.
This greatly excited most nobles who favored theoretical discussions, believing that the kingdom should not implement any reforms that would complicate matters but should learn from Anju Kingdom, concentrating all professionals and completely abandoning the outdated tactics set by the Lars Family that involved cooperation between professionals and ordinary soldiers.
However, these people did not understand why Anju Kingdom could organize professionals while Cape Kingdom’s new and old parties were dragging their feet over issues that might not even exist; the new king of Anju had already completed the consolidation of power.
The combined power of Lilith and Nora might not even match that of their king.
In such a situation, who would command these professionals from different backgrounds? Who would establish the regulations? Who would pay their salaries?
Knowing this deeply, Judith and Scott were thrilled after confirming the details of the firearms.
Although firearms were of little help against the attacks of professionals, they allowed ordinary people to have at least a chance to resist against the professional army, directly widening the gap between ordinary soldiers, preventing the Southwest Borders from being passive targets anymore.
“But if such firearms were to fall into the hands of Anju Kingdom…”
After the excitement, Judith also calmed down, realizing that these firearms, when combined with the opposing professional units, might become even more terrifying.
“There’s no need to worry.”
Nora handed the firearm to a guard, then took a longer firearm from the guard.
“The governor of Graythorn Territory, Lind, said that if we can uncover the truth behind the former king’s assassination and identify the forces behind it, he will provide more advanced firearms, like this one.”
Nora skillfully aimed and pulled the trigger, sending the previously armored target standing not far away flying.
“With the cooperation of this governor, our firearms will always be ahead of Anju Kingdom.”
In truth, Nora was also uncertain, but she had to say this.
Upon hearing that it was the work of her distant cousin, Judith believed it a bit more, especially from the snippets of Caroline’s letters, Judith was able to gather that Graythorn’s weapons were highly advanced, which made it possible for them to stand against Doug with a significantly larger territory.
“This governor is truly loyal to the king. Everyone should learn a lot from him.”
Judith complimented this “insider” as she seized the opportunity.
“Exactly.”
Scott chimed in at the right moment, “Governor Lind is still trying to uncover the truth behind the former king’s assassination. He is not only loyal to Her Majesty the Queen but also to this country.”
Seeing Judith and Scott lead the way, the other nobles from the Southwest Borders also praised Lind, especially since Lind had previously stated that anyone who caused the Queen to abdicate would be made to abdicate themselves. For a while, Lind became the noble of nobles, with everyone claiming they wanted to learn from Governor Lind and serve the kingdom wholeheartedly.
No one noticed that Lilith, although smiling, had a face full of frustration, with veins bulging on her hands, seemingly about to crush her scepter.
That was truly too loyal.
But Nora felt that the timing wasn’t right yet. To motivate this group of nobles in the royal capital to actually take action and to stabilize Lilith’s position, Nora ordered someone to bring in a small cannon.
This was the real trump card sent by Lind.
When everyone saw there was something new, they flocked to Nora to continue asking.
Lilith recognized the classic-skinned cannon at first glance, and for a moment, she even held her breath.
Did that traveler really spend so much? Although Lilith believed she would eventually be able to create one herself after getting the gunpowder formula, she didn’t expect the other party to directly pull out a finished cannon.
Nora, unlike before, did not explain enthusiastically. Instead, she pushed the crowd back, led everyone to a safe position, and had the guards set up a barrier while elegantly putting on earplugs and personally firing the cannon.
“Boom!”
This shot immediately woke up the nobles who were somewhat drowsy, with dust and debris flying in the training ground, and some stones even flew directly onto the pre-erected barrier.
Once the noise settled, only Nora’s deep and magnetic voice remained: “This cannon can only be fired once; after that, it will be scrapped. The governor of Graythorn Territory, Lind, has said that whoever can uncover the mastermind behind the assassination will be gifted a complete cannon.”
“Oh, and the manufacturing methods and purchasing channels for the cannon will also be opened to Her Majesty the Queen after being clarified.”
Judith and Scott swallowed their saliva, their eyes shining, while some of the nobles in the royal capital instinctively took a step back, subconsciously distancing themselves from some old party nobles.
