"John, do you know how dangerous it is to go to Ireland?" Henry II's tone was full of worry, completely genuine.
"Of course, the Irish are very fierce and combative, and the region is largely undeveloped and chaotic, except for Dublin and Waterford," John explained confidently. "Other places are mostly wilderness."
"It's not that exaggerated, but close enough..." Henry II rubbed his forehead; after all, he had been to Ireland.
Finally tired of playing in the garden, the Earl of Bedford sat down on the ground, panting. The knights responsible for guarding him were also exhausted, breathing heavily. Whenever he saw this guy, Henry II would think of "Longbow" Richard, whom he had met in Ireland. He was indeed an energetic, ambitious man. If not dealt with early, he might be a king by now.
While Henry II reminisced, John was observing his father's expression.
Clearly, there was no sign of displeasure on Henry II's face, indicating his mood was still good.
"Father."
John called out, pulling Henry II out of his memories.
"I think, if we want to conquer Ireland, I'll need 300 knights, plus 1000 infantry and archers."
John wasn't asking for an unreasonable number of troops. Though Ireland was small, it wasn't something a few dozen knights could handle. To take Ireland in one go, you'd probably need more than 300 knights. But Henry II also had to consider the Kingdom of France to the south. Even though it wasn't strong now, it was still a threat from the direction of Paris.
"That many soldiers?" Henry II calculated and felt that was too many.
John looked serious. "It's necessary."
Seeing John's firm demeanor, Henry II changed the subject. "So, have you thought about where to land?"
Where to land might seem like a straightforward matter, but it was actually quite complicated.
The Plantagenet royal family had three territories in Ireland: Waterford, Wexford, and Dublin. All three were in Leinster, quite similar but each with its own unique circumstances.
Starting from the north, Dublin was the largest city under the English king in Ireland. But the most famous figure in the city was "Longbow" Richard. Even today, there was still a large anti-royalist force in the city.
Located in the central part, Wexford is the smallest of the three cities, with no major rivers or ports, but it is extremely safe.
In the southernmost part, Waterford is the region most supportive of the king in the entire Irish region. Henry II landed here initially, then proceeded north to defeat various Irish forces and make them submit.
"Considering everything, Waterford is the most loyal to us and is the most suitable as a base," John said confidently. "Landing in Waterford is definitely the best choice."
Henry II had doubts about John's analysis. After all, he had landed in Waterford initially, so it was difficult to say whether John was just being overly flattering.
However, looking at John's serious expression, Henry felt that it was probably sincere.
"Well then—" Henry II redirected the conversation to a new angle once again.
"I have another plan here, which is to ennoble Richard in Anjou and appoint you as Duke of Aquitaine..."
Before Henry II could finish speaking, John reached out and interrupted him: "I refuse."
Henry II had never seen John be so resolute before. In his impression, John had always been the obedient child who went along with whatever was arranged for him, aside from occasionally slacking off. How had he become like this?
Before Henry II could get angry, John began to explain why he wouldn't go to Aquitaine:
"I know Aquitaine is much wealthier than Ireland. But that's Richard's territory; he has been managing it for many years. If I go there, I will definitely be restrained at every turn."
These reasons made sense, but they were not enough for Henry II. Therefore, John decided to add fuel to the fire and manipulate his old father.
"If I were to encounter any accidents in Aquitaine, becoming disabled or even dying, there would be no place to seek justice. Richard's influence there is so profound that I wouldn't be able to do anything to him."
These descriptions were not just meant to scare Henry II.
John felt that if he really threatened Richard one day, he might actually be assassinated.
Henry II had to consider the personal safety of his youngest son. Among his several brothers, Richard was the most stubborn, and he had bad relationships with all of his brothers.
You never knew; this guy might do something extreme.
Seeing Henry II's contemplative look, John knew that his persuasion had worked.
"At that time, we can bring the Earl of Bedford along and let him make up for his mistakes in Ireland," John glanced at the Earl of Bedford in the garden.
It was guaranteed that John had no other meaning.
But to Henry II, this statement was tantamount to expressing a clear intention—to send the Earl of Bedford to Ireland to die.
For a moment, Henry II felt that John had truly mastered political intrigue.
The old father didn't say much, just nodded silently, indicating his approval of John's decision this time. After a long silence, Henry II broke the silence, "So... are you ready to go to Ireland?"
"No," John shook his head, bluntly rejecting Henry II's question. "I need a territory that can provide me with support. The Gloucester County is clearly not enough; they still need to defend against the Welsh. If possible, Somerset County would be a suitable fief."
Yes, John was directly asking for a fief. Since he was already an adult, it wasn't unreasonable to request a piece of land.
"Somerset is not suitable," Henry II shook his head, "How about Lancaster? It's not bad there either. Then I'll grant you some properties in Nottingham to provide you with funds."
In the game of balance, one could only say that old habits die hard. If John really obtained Somerset, then his territories in the southwest of England would form a large contiguous area, becoming a regional hegemon second only to the king in all of England. But if he were granted Lancaster, then John's territories would be divided into north and south, and he could only manage one at a time.
Faced with his cunning old dad's trickery, John could only protest with a wry smile. "If there's nothing else, I'll leave."
Henry II issued the order to dismiss, clearly indicating that he was ready to start his own life of pleasure.
John didn't say much either, and simply left the terrace. As he opened the door, he heard a thud.
"Uh—"
The sobbing of a young girl surprised John, who widened his eyes in astonishment. "You were eavesdropping on our conversation here?" he asked, looking at Isabella crouched on the ground. "How did you manage to follow me here?"
Isabella looked a bit aggrieved, rubbing her head. "I just didn't know where to go, so I came to find you."
Well, it seemed like he had gotten himself into trouble.
"You didn't hear anything just now, right? Remember not to talk about it," John said, taking the girl's hand.
"Yeah," Isabella replied, holding John's hand, her eyes shining with curiosity.
There was no reason for John to criticize this adorable girl, so he simply sent her back to her room and began to contemplate what he should do next.
He should probably go to his own fief first and take a look.