"Archbishop Adolf, I didn't expect you to actually come in person."
Laszlo straightened up from his lounge chair to greet Adolf, then shifted into a more comfortable position and lay back down.
His body was still facing the fireplace, the red light from the flames washing over his face; Clement and Adolf noticed the Emperor's expression had become somewhat subtle.
It seemed to express surprise, or perhaps dissatisfaction.
"As the Imperial Arch-Chancellor, I would still prefer you to stay in Nuremberg and preside over the Empire on my behalf for the time being, to lighten my burden."
Adolf could only shake his head helplessly at the Emperor's complaint.
Despite the Emperor's current tired and lazy appearance, in reality, most matters handled by the Imperial Privy Council eventually had to be reported to him for a final decision.
So in the end, the Emperor's exhaustion was mostly of his own making.
As for his role as Imperial Chancellor, it was merely to serve as a bridge between the Empire and the Emperor; sometimes the Austrian Foreign Minister beside him would also fulfill this role.
The difference, however, was that he nominally presided over the Empire's central institutions, while Clement focused more on maintaining close ties with specific princes.
"Your Majesty, I have come this time not only to offer congratulations on behalf of the Imperial Diet but also to bring the suggestions and requests of the princes," Adolf explained, observing the Emperor's expression.
Laszlo's face became more solemn, just as he had expected.
"I have already disbanded the army as you requested, and there is no longer a need to levy war taxes. What else do they want?"
Before they had even spoken much, Laszlo felt a sense of impatience.
This surprised the others present.
The Emperor, who used to exercise extreme restraint when facing the Imperial Princes, seemed to have changed—this was Adolf's impression.
However, the two princes who had been by Laszlo's side recently had noticed the difference earlier.
Their father was gradually losing the patience he once had when discussing Imperial affairs.
The root cause of all these changes was likely the fall of Paris.
"While the princes' support is indeed a fulfillment of their Imperial obligations, many hope for something in return.
This is, after all, the first war since the Crusaders fought truly for the interests of the Empire. If you only take from the Empire without giving anything back, I fear the princes will not be so willing to offer their support next time." Adolf felt a bit apprehensive but voiced his opinion nonetheless.
The princes were greedy; they enjoyed the Empire's protection and the peace brought by the Emperor, yet they always hesitated and set conditions when fulfilling their obligations, and then demanded rewards afterward...
But such was the Empire; the Emperor was ultimately just the leader of a league of princes and could not be called a true monarch—at least not yet.
Furthermore, even for a sovereign, failing to reward subjects who have made contributions would eventually lead to the loss of their loyalty.
Governing a country is no easy feat, especially when that country is called the Holy Roman Empire.
"Rewards... what do they want? Land? Titles? Or money?"
"That depends on you, Your Majesty, but I do have a proposal."
"Let's hear it."
Laszlo's mind had returned to calm, and he began to calculate his options.
Lately, he had been constantly pondering what would happen if he upended the status quo in the Empire, to the point that seeing the Archbishop of Mainz's visit still left him somewhat agitated.
But he couldn't be blamed; after all these years, with the Ottoman Empire in retreat and the Kingdom of France divided, there were no longer any external powers to interfere in his confrontation with the Imperial Princes.
To pit the strength of Austria and Bohemia against the entire Empire... the thought was quite exhilarating.
But these remained merely hypothetical; ruling the Empire through force would likely not be so simple.
"I heard you achieved significant gains in Paris. If you could transfer a portion of the war's proceeds to the Imperial Treasury to fund the operation of Imperial government institutions, I could soothe the princes' cravings for you."
The Imperial Treasury was the institution used to receive Imperial taxes and other revenues, as well as to disburse funds approved by the Imperial Diet.
Logically, the Emperor should have the final say over the treasury, but the seven treasurers jointly elected by the Electoral College and the College of Princes had the right to oversee the use and flow of the funds.
In short, it belonged to the Empire and was public property, not Laszlo's private wealth.
Below this, the Austrian Treasury was at Laszlo's disposal, and the Emperor's private privy purse was what he could use at will.
By transferring money from his private purse to the Imperial Treasury, Laszlo could claim that the Empire had also benefited from the war, thereby silencing the princes.
This meant some of his own money would be given away for nothing, but Laszlo was still quite interested in the proposal.
"How much are you asking for?"
"Well... how about thirty percent of the spoils you have on hand?" Adolf asked tentatively.
He was still wary of the irritation the Emperor had just shown and didn't dare ask for too much; if the Emperor was dissatisfied, a smaller amount would suffice.
There were varying rumors among the princes who had returned to the Empire about how much the Emperor had gained this time.
Some said two hundred thousand florins, some said five hundred thousand, and some even claimed the Emperor had plundered over a million florins worth of property.
Laszlo knew that aside from sculptures, paintings, and other artworks, as well as a large number of precious books and documents, his total cash and goods amounted to about three hundred thousand florins.
This didn't include the ransom the Duke of Bourbon had recently paid, of which he received fifty thousand florins after a fifty-fifty split.
This amount seemed like a lot... and indeed it was; even a wealthy Imperial Elector would need several years to save up such a sum.
Asking him to give up thirty percent of his gains all at once was like cutting off his own flesh.
"I can provide some money, but this money must first be used to fulfill my requirements."
"This... Your Majesty might as well tell me what your requirements are first."
"As you know, since its inception, the Imperial government has been unable to exercise its full functions due to a lack of funds.
Currently, the Imperial Court of Justice and its branches have been established in Austria, Bohemia, Swabia, Bavaria, Franconia, and the Rhine region.
The Kingdom of Burgundy is dominated by the Court of Mechelen and the Grand Council, so there is no need for much interference there.
In Westphalia and Upper and Lower Saxony in the northern part of the Empire, the Imperial Court has not yet been established, and the regional courts' capabilities are somewhat lacking.
Therefore, I intend to establish new branches in Cologne, Brunswick, and Magdeburg, and appoint chief justices to handle disputes in the north.
Furthermore, the Imperial Privy Council needs to be expanded. A government composed solely of representatives from various parties is worryingly inefficient in handling Imperial affairs. You will be responsible for this."
"Your considerations are as thorough as ever," Adolf praised.
He had only had a few thoughts on these matters, but since the Emperor had already made plans, he naturally wouldn't object.
Ultimately, he had originally run for Archbishop of Mainz just to make money, and it was the same now when handling Imperial affairs.
However, he would certainly carry out the tasks assigned by the Emperor diligently, though in the process...
Laszlo took one look at him and could pretty much guess all the little schemes in the man's head.
"Regarding the candidates for the heads of the regional Imperial Courts, Hermann von Hessen is confirmed for Cologne, as a reward for the Landgrave of Hesse's heroic performance in the Imperial war."
Allowing the position of Governor of the Upper Rhine to continue within the Hesse family was a choice of necessity for Laszlo, but the princes would see it as a mark of favor.
As Laszlo's court advisor, Hermann was now being assigned externally. Granting him this position was not only a further reward for the Hesse family but also preparation for future plans.
"As for the chief justices of the other two regions, they will be chosen from the families of the princes who contributed the most to this war... Besides those who sent troops, which princes were most active in providing funds and supplies?"
"If we're talking about the most voluntary donations, there's the Count Palatine of the Rhine, followed by the Elector of Bavaria. Both provided extra financial support beyond their Imperial obligations."
"The Wittelsbachs..." Laszlo didn't know how to react for a moment.
The Palatinate was originally within the scope of the levy, but because it had been severely devastated during the earlier Mainz War, the young Count Palatine Philip chose to pay money to be exempt from military service.
Did this family have some bizarre inclination? Both the Palatinate and Landshut branches had suffered at his hands, yet now the whole family had become his strongest supporters.
In another setting, he might have said something like, "This one is too deep; he cannot be allowed to remain."
"Does this family have any recommended candidates?"
"An uncle of the Count Palatine was recently elected as the Abbot of the Abbey of Magdeburg."
"I recall the Archbishop of Cologne is also an uncle of the Count Palatine, isn't he?"
"Yes, and he has another uncle who is still in your prison."
"So many uncles..." Laszlo muttered softly. "Choose him, then. It will put the princes at ease and show them I won't target any family because of past grudges."
"Your magnanimity will be praised by the world." With a bit of flattery, Adolf noted down the Emperor's arrangements.
"For Brunswick, pick a suitable cleric from either the Hohenzollern or the House of Wettin. If none are available, follow the principle of succession I proposed earlier."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Also, after this war, there will be many clerical vacancies in Lyon, Arles, and other places. When you return to the Empire, compile a list of suitable candidates and submit it to me for personal approval, so I can recommend them to the Pope."
Adolf thought Laszlo's way of dealing with the princes was quite ingenious.
The Rhône Valley was full of supporters of the Avignon Papacy; the bishops and even the priests there would eventually be held accountable. The Emperor was taking advantage of his authority and personal relationship with the Pope to install children from princely families there.
As for the remaining land, the Emperor likely intended to swallow it all up. Aside from the portions granted to the soldiers who had distinguished themselves in battle, the rest would probably fall into the hands of the Habsburg Family.
His gaze fell upon the two princes beside the Emperor, wondering who the Emperor would eventually leave this land to.
Seeing Christopher, he suddenly thought of an important ceremony that had been postponed for a long time.
"As you wish, Your Majesty. Also, when will Prince Christopher's coronation be held?"
"We'll talk about that after we've dealt with the antipope in Avignon. Is there anything else?"
Adolf shook his head, glanced at the silent Clement, and tactfully took his leave of the Emperor.
His goal for this trip could be considered achieved... but it didn't seem as smooth as he had imagined. After all, the Emperor's money was like a hot potato, and his workload had increased significantly.
He hadn't been such a diligent person before, but now he had been infected by the Emperor and had started to toil over Imperial matters.
Since his elder brother had also sent troops to join the Emperor's campaign, with so many rewards available, it wouldn't hurt to squeeze in a few more children of the House of Nassau, would it?
Even if one became a priest or even the Pope, the selfish desire for one's family wouldn't really change.
Seeing the Archbishop exit the room, Clement finally began his report.
"Recently, there haven't been many unusual situations in the south and center of the Empire. However, the Elector of Bavaria has opened a university in Munich and is recently following your lead in reforming his court."
"Hmm, the princes were all drafted for the war, so naturally, there are fewer disputes... No, the disputes have all concentrated here with me. What about the north of the Empire?"
"Elector Ernst of Saxony and the Halle City Council have recently had a dispute over the legality of the New Year's market. It has been appealed to the Nuremberg Court, and Halle's envoys are pleading for your help."
"A dispute between a city and an Elector—another headache." Laszlo held his forehead, feeling that compared to legal means, violence was indeed simpler for resolving disputes.
However, what he needs is a stable Empire, and the development of the rule of law is essential.
"Later, have that chief justice from the Wittelsbach family form a committee as a commissioner to handle this dispute. Anywhere else?"
"It is said that someone has been secretly contacting princes in Westphalia and Lower Saxony, possibly planning actions that threaten Imperial order. It is suspected to be the Count of Landshut, who has been missing for a long time."
"He really is persistent. Let him make a fuss; otherwise, it won't be easy for us to intervene in the north."
Laszlo was actually looking forward to seeing what kind of trouble those dissatisfied princes could stir up.
This calm and composed demeanor allowed Clement to breathe a sigh of relief while also making Christopher, standing nearby, look on with admiration.
As for Maximilian, the fellow was nearly falling asleep standing there; clearly, the preceding conversation hadn't interested him in the slightest.
At this, Laszlo could only sigh helplessly. After giving a few instructions to Clement, he glanced at the heavy snow falling outside and closed his eyes to rest again.
Once the snow stopped, he would lead his army straight to Lyon. Seizing the Rhône Valley would be easy, and after that, he could return to court in triumph.
As for which child to enfeoff there, he already had a plan.