Viking: Master of the Icy Sea

Chapter 227: A New Order

On the twentieth of October, Wig returned to his loyal Londinium.

After the initial cleanup, the city's appearance had vastly improved. Pedestrians gradually filled the streets once more, and the markets resumed their business.

According to Gorm's statistics, the city's population was nearly two thousand, a mere fifth of its peak three years ago. He subtly reminded his new employer not to expect to wring much profit from this place.

"Two thousand people? To have ruined the kingdom to this extent, Aslaug's death was entirely deserved!" Wig exclaimed.

Amidst his complaints, the group arrived at the West City New District. Over ten unfinished high-end residences stood here, completely untouched by the rioting mobs, making them perfectly suited as his upcoming administrative offices.

These estates were personally designed by Wig. The exteriors were secured by stone walls twice the height of a man, while the interiors boasted two-story main residences, small gardens, stables, and other amenities.

According to his plans, a sturdy stone city wall would be constructed around the perimeter to isolate the area from the outside world. Various facilities would gradually be added to transform it into the new royal palace.

Yes, despite Londinium being in ruins, Wig still chose to establish his capital here.

Londinium was situated on the lower reaches of the River Thames, a mere sixty kilometers from the estuary. It could easily anchor seafaring ships and connect to the inland regions through a dense network of waterways, making it a rare natural harbor and a prime trade hub.

From a military perspective, the Frankish kingdoms across the Channel were the greatest external threat to Britain. By establishing his capital in the south, Wig was better positioned to defend against any invasions from the continent."Looking back, the Romans chose this place as the core city of the British region, and later England made it their capital for a long time," Wig mused. "In comparison, Teyne Town lacks the potential for such development and is only suited to be a comfortable regional corner. Ah, well, man naturally seeks higher ground. So be it."

Early in the morning two days later, Wig fulfilled his promise. He gathered the meritorious officials in the West City Square and held a grand, public enfeoffment ceremony.

First were the seven barons. They had all played crucial roles over the past years, and now they were entirely elevated into the ranks of the great nobles.

Joren, having achieved the greatest merit, became the Earl of Winchester.

Mitcham was granted Swindon.

Thorkel was granted Copthorne.

Butcherbird was granted Bournemouth.

Viper was granted Bristol.

Bafors was granted Yeovil.

These six men divided Wessex among themselves, excluding Cornwall in the west. Bracken had the smallest merit, so when it was his turn to choose, Liverpool was the only option left.

After concluding the ennoblement of the great nobles, Wig took the top parchment scroll from a large stack and allocated Cornwall to the nobles of Wales.

Next, he began appointing the minor nobles for his directly governed territories. "Utgard..."

Ennobling over forty barons and four hundred knights in one sitting was a massive strain on his throat. He was kept busy until noon before he was finally free.

Having endured the ravages of war, the minor nobles of the old royal family's directly governed territories had suffered devastating losses. The vast majority of these estates had lost their masters and were redistributed by Wig to newly promoted barons and knights like Utgard. Even ordinary soldiers were allocated thirty acres of farmland each, as if completing some grand cycle of rebirth.

As for Wig himself, he retained Londinium, Cambridge, Tamworth, Nottingham, York, Teyne, and the five counties of the Northern Marches, giving him a total of eleven counties.

With that, the entire enfeoffment ceremony was officially concluded. However, Wig had no time to rest; a mountain of tasks still awaited him.

The first was to accept the fealty of the remaining great nobles from various regions. After conquering Northumbria, Ragnar had ennobled ten great nobles, including Wig, Ivar, Leonard, Ulf, and Pascal.

Later, upon occupying southern Britain, Ragnar had further ennobled Theowulf, Ethelwulf, Gunnar, Niels, Om, Gorm, and Edmund of East Anglia.

Excluding Wig himself and the three houses that had lost their territories—Ethelwulf and Ethelbald, Gunnar, and Niels—there were thirteen great noble houses left.

Following Ivar's death from illness, his eldest son Imon had succeeded him. Imon was only eleven this year, and his power was entirely controlled by those around him. This young duke had recently sent an envoy, expressing his willingness to recognize the rule of the House of Teyne, provided he was exempt from homage and only required to pay a symbolic tribute.

Wig's stance on this was deliberately ambiguous. Forcing a sorrowful expression, he gently reassured the envoy that he would certainly take good care of the child his late friend had left behind. As for these political matters, they could wait until Imon came of age.

When it came to the other members, Wig was far less accommodating. He dispatched envoys to their respective territories, demanding they provide a response within a strict deadline.

Having witnessed the grim fate of Wessex, the remaining nobles offered no resistance. They submissively traveled to Londinium and publicly swore their allegiance to the new king.

After settling the affairs concerning the nobility, Wig set about establishing the kingdom's first cabinet.

Gorm remained in his position as Prime Minister, responsible for financial administration and leading the cabinet.

Mitcham took on the role of Minister of Internal Affairs, managing personnel and assessments for the entire civil service system.

Floki was appointed as the kingdom's Chief Great Shaman, overseeing the temples and their affiliated hospitals across the realm. He gladly accepted the appointment and requested the construction of stone temples in counties like Cambridge and Nottingham.

"I can allocate the land for you, but you'll have to raise the funds yourself. Do not expect any grants from me," Wig told him.

This brief yet intense war had completely drained Teyne's savings. Fortunately, Wig had acquired a haul of spoils worth two thousand pounds in Wessex; otherwise, he would not have even been able to pay out wages.

Bafors was made the Minister of War, responsible for the army's personnel, training, logistics, and military equipment. However, he possessed no authority to command troops, much like a Minister of War during the Ming Dynasty.

The position of Minister of Naval Affairs was filled by his brother-in-law, Helgi. The West Sea Fur Company's business was on the right track, with annual profits stabilizing at around a thousand pounds, so it required little of his attention. Bored with all his free time, Helgi agreed to join the cabinet.

Teyne's master craftsman, Lucar, was transferred to Londinium to serve as the cabinet's Minister of Industry. He was to manage the Royal Armory, the Royal Mint, and other factories, as well as oversee the construction of various large-scale projects.

A couple of days earlier, Om had arrived in Londinium and held a long, private discussion with Wig. As a token of gratitude for his long-term defense of Rotherburg, Wig appointed his old comrade as the Minister of Justice.

Kemi Wildfire, the former headmaster of Tynefort Academy, took on the mantle of Minister of Agriculture and Education.

The education system underwent a restructuring, splitting off a Royal Court Academy from the original Tynefort Academy.

The Royal Court Academy was established in Londinium to enroll the children of nobles and civilian officials, with an initial tentative intake of two hundred students per term.

The restructured Tynefort Academy was exclusively dedicated to enrolling the orphans of fallen soldiers, or the children of soldiers who had participated in two wars and earned third-class military merit. At the same time, a Southern Branch School was set up in Londinium, also with a tentative intake of two hundred students per term. Any surplus spots would be used to take in orphans; the children of nobles were strictly not accepted.

Both academies shared the same teaching materials and curriculum. The school system spanned nine years—five years of primary school, three years of junior high school, and one year of military training—followed by two years of mandatory service in the Royal Guard upon graduation.

The loyalty and moral standards of these individuals would be vastly superior to the rabble of Royal Guard ruffians Niels had trained. With them protecting the royal family, Wig would sleep much more soundly at night.

Once their service period concluded, the students could either advance to higher-level schools for further education or transition into other professions.