Pacification

Disarmament would take some time to complete, followed by troop transfers, officer selections, camp construction, and the resettlement of demobilized soldiers. Laszlo maintained a keen interest in military affairs.

However, ignoring the demands of the Hungarian nobles would undoubtedly provoke their displeasure.

Thus, amidst widespread anticipation, Laszlo finally issued an edict requiring all nobles of Hungary to arrive in Budapest on the first day of June to attend the long-awaited Hungarian Parliament.

Historically, the majority of seats in Parliament were occupied by great nobles of count rank or higher, followed by the clergy, and finally by minor nobles and commoners, who had negligible influence in Parliament.

According to Hungarian tradition, all nobles theoretically had the right to attend meetings convened by the King to discuss important national affairs, i.e., the Hungarian Parliament.

However, in reality, many minor nobles were unable to frequently attend Parliament due to financial constraints—attendance fees had to be paid by the nobles themselves.

Moreover, in times of frequent warfare, minor nobles often bore the heaviest military and economic obligations in the Kingdom.

For instance, the 'Trenčín Edict' issued by Emperor Sigismund in 1405 recognized the tax exemption privileges of minor nobles.

However, after the Hussite Wars broke out, Sigismund, a scoundrel, immediately reneged on his promise, forcing Hungarian minor nobles to provide money and soldiers to form a large army that was sent to Bohemia to be slaughtered wave after wave.

In 1446, minor nobles formed an alliance to protest in Parliament against the great nobles' monopoly on royal offices; at that time, Albrecht II, in order to gain the support of the great nobles, rejected this proposal.

At that time, the threat posed by the Ottoman was too great, and the King had to rely on the assistance provided by the great nobles to withstand the fierce offensive of the infidels.

Now, however, it was different: the great nobles had become the greatest threat to royal power, making the minor nobles potential allies.

They would always have to depend on a powerful force; rather than being oppressed by the great nobles, it was better to directly pledge allegiance to him, the King.

As for how to win over the hearts of these minor nobles, Laszlo's method was simple and direct: increase their privileged treatment.

In recent days, his spies had delved into various parts of Hungary to understand the oppression suffered by Hungarian minor nobles.

They sometimes had to lease land to great nobles at low prices or provide military services in exchange for protection.

Moreover, the power to appoint local officials was almost monopolized by the great nobles who owned vast tracts of land; only by currying favor with them could one possibly obtain an official position.

As for royal offices, they were even more monopolized by the great nobles; unless the King overruled all objections, it would be impossible for a minor noble to serve as a local official.

These minor nobles, whose paths to advancement were severely restricted, either completely declined and were absorbed by the great nobles, or they joined the military, seeking a path to survival through their fervent passion.

However, reality was cruel; in the past few decades, Hungary had almost yearly wars, and countless military nobles died on the battlefield.

The two major new powers that truly rose from the sea of blood and corpses—the Hunyadi Family and the Károlyi Family—began to suppress newcomers just like the great nobles who had once oppressed them.

Laszlo intended to portray himself as the savior of the minor nobles; winning over their hearts was one reason.

More importantly, these lower-ranking nobles were the cornerstone of the Hungarian feudal system; only by stabilizing them could the country achieve stability.

Before the appointed time for the Parliament to convene, Laszlo had over a month to engage in negotiations and reach agreements with various parties.

By the end of April, Szilágyi and other high-ranking generals of the Hungarian Border Guard had all finally arrived in Budapest; their swift action was commendable, and Laszlo was very pleased with it.

Inside the grand hall of the Budapest Kingdom, candlelight flickered, and the atmosphere was somewhat solemn.

Laszlo sat on the throne, his gaze sweeping over the five generals in the hall; no one could discern from his face whether the Emperor was pleased or angry at that moment.

Szilágyi and Hunyadi Laszlo were old acquaintances of Laszlo; he knew a little about Károlyi, and the remaining two were Perényi György and Hervoye Hrvatinić.

Among them, Perényi was also a trusted general personally promoted and recommended by Hunyadi, while Hervoye was a Croatian general who commanded the Croatian troops within the Hungarian Border Guard.

These generals stood neatly, their expressions outwardly respectful, but some of them knew very well that today's audience would likely be a war without gunpowder.

Laszlo cleared his throat and spoke to the generals with fervent words: "Generals, over these years, you have commanded the Hungarian army, fought for the royal family across the land, and achieved illustrious military feats; I will not forget your achievements.

Now, with peace across the land, Hungary is about to enter a rare period of peace, naturally, there is no need to maintain such a large army, and you no longer need to toil day and night.

To commend your achievements, I have decided to give you new appointments."

The Emperor's words did not make the generals feel at ease; they understood well that once their military power was stripped, they would lose their greatest reliance.

Only Hervoye was not worried, as the Emperor had already reached an agreement with his good friend, Frankopan, Governor of Croatia, beforehand.

The defense mission of Split would be handed over to the Croatian army, and Hervoye was the designated commander.

"General Szilágyi, for many years you have defended the border, long assisted Janos, participated in the Battle of Belgrade, achieved the great victory at Gyurgyovo, and also the subsequent Battle of Varna; your contributions are immense, and I hereby enfeoff you as Grand Marshal of the Kingdom of Hungary.

Henceforth, you shall retain the position of Hungarian Military Commander, join my Regency Cabinet, and be responsible for the formulation and guidance of national military defense strategies. The military affairs of Hungary will henceforth rely on your wisdom, Marshal."

Szilágyi's heart sank; the title of Marshal and the cabinet seat were all superficial, and as for real military power, he probably shouldn't even think about it.

However, he dared not act out on the spot and could only suppress his dissatisfaction, bowing deeply to the Emperor in gratitude: "Thank you for your Imperial favor, I will certainly do my utmost in the future, may God protect you and Hungary."

Laszlo nodded with satisfaction, then turned to Hunyadi: "Hunyadi Laszlo, you are the son of a hero, and you once served as my bodyguard, and you are also a pillar of the nation.

Since your father's death in battle, the position of Governor of Transylvania has remained vacant, and you have often served in the military.

Now, I officially appoint you as Governor of Transylvania of the Kingdom of Hungary, responsible for managing all affairs in the eastern part of the Kingdom. Do not disappoint me."

Laszlo gave Hunyadi a meaningful glance.

Hunyadi was somewhat surprised by this appointment; after realizing it, he immediately said joyfully: "Thank you for your Majesty's great favor, I will certainly not fail your expectations."

Aside from these two, the remaining generals also had their respective arrangements; Hervoye, as expected, was appointed Royal Inspector, responsible for managing the Split garrison camp.

Károlyi's attitude was surprisingly "suspicious," clearly not a suitable candidate. Laszlo gave him an honorary title, a promotion in name but a demotion in reality, sending him back to his territory, to be recalled for military service during wartime.

As for whether he would actually be recalled, everyone knew the answer.

Finally, Perényi, whose attitude was "neutral," had the best attributes among the five generals present, especially his four points of firepower, which even surprised Laszlo.

Thus, he was chosen as another Royal Inspector, responsible for managing the Pressburg garrison camp.

As for the Budapest garrison camp, Laszlo had his own arrangements; after all, these were the troops guarding the capital, and their commander naturally had to be absolutely loyal.

After the meeting, the generals left the castle one by one. On the tree-lined path down the hill, Hunyadi and Szilágyi rode side by side, both silent, each with their own calculations.

"Uncle, Emperor seems... not to have intended to completely break ties with us."

Hunyadi's expression was somewhat relaxed; although he lost command of the Border Guard, gaining the position of Governor of Transylvania in return was not a loss.

Szilágyi sighed softly: "His Majesty will probably target the nobles next, which is why he is so eager to seize military power now.

You must remember, after returning to Transylvania, be more restrained. If you continue to act recklessly, disaster will strike sooner or later, and I don't want to see your mother heartbroken.

Some time ago, the Emperor even sent Matthias to Italy for studies, showing great importance to him, which indicates that the Emperor does not completely hold hostility towards you and me.

Now we are weak, and rash actions will only plunge our family into an irreversible situation.

You must endure for now, secretly accumulate strength, and await the opportune moment.

The Emperor's power is indeed strong, but his attempt to initiate reforms in Hungary is bound to touch the interests of many, which will certainly cause greater turmoil. At that time, it won't be as simple as the nobles forcing him to convene Parliament.

When that time comes, it will be our opportunity."

Upon hearing this, Hunyadi glanced at Szilágyi, silently nodding, and held his uncle's teachings close to his heart.

They noticed Károlyi ahead, still sulking as he walked, and their mood immediately improved; after all, there were people worse off than them.

Perényi and Hervoye, who left the palace last, presented a completely different scene; both exchanged experiences in managing the army and discussed many other topics with relaxed expressions.

Laszlo stood on the high terrace of the castle, watching the generals' figures disappear from sight, a faint, almost imperceptible cold smile playing on his lips.

After seizing military power, he no longer needed to be cautious when dealing with those nobles.

Of course, this did not mean he would directly force the nobles into rebellion. According to investigations, the proliferation of private armies among the nobility in the Kingdom of Hungary was appalling.

These private armies, both large and small, amounted to over twenty thousand, and dealing with them all would not be simple.

This game of power had just begun, and the road ahead was full of challenges and uncertainties, but he was determined to conquer Hungary!