Chapter 29: The First Encounter with the High King

Before confronting Roderic, John had another matter to address: the issue of the first batch of Norman conquerors staying or leaving.

These Normans had settled in Ireland for over a decade, and they were anxious about what policies John would implement next. They had come to Ireland seeking a way out.

Their biggest concern was that John would block their exit.

To address this, they elected an interim leader, Hugh de Lacy. After being elected, this respected old conqueror quickly made his way to Dublin, awaiting a meeting with John.

This was an issue that had to be dealt with, and John dared not delay. After a brief rest day, he invited de Lacy to dinner.

The dinner was set in the old lord's hall, a warm and historic hall originally built by the Vikings. John arranged many delicacies and fine wines, awaiting de Lacy's arrival.

The moment de Lacy entered, John understood why he had been revered as the interim leader.

Normans had a deep-rooted martial tradition; they revered strength, and de Lacy's burly stature almost made him the embodiment of strength.

"Your Highness of England, Hugh de Lacy greets you on behalf of all Normans in Leinster."

De Lacy strode directly to John, expressing his respect in his booming voice.

John sized up de Lacy, this Norman with a distinct Norman flavor. Then he glanced at the Earl of Bedford beside him; this guy, though Norman, was worlds apart from de Lacy.

It's worth noting that the Plantagenets were not Normans but French. Although they had blood ties to the previous Norman dynasty, they were culturally distinct.

"I'm also pleased to see you, de Lacy," John replied. "What brings you here?"

De Lacy didn't answer directly but found a seat to John's left, facing Guillaume. It was evident that he was familiar with Norse etiquette, likely from dealing with Vikings.

As Guillaume studied de Lacy's face, deep in thought, de Lacy helped himself to a piece of roasted meat.

After being stared at for a while, de Lacy said, "The one across from me, stop staring. You visited Ireland before, didn't you? I was an ally of Longbow Richard at the time."

John was curious why Guillaume seemed to know people everywhere.

"How did you two meet?" John steered the conversation in an unrelated direction.

Lees explained slowly, "When King Henry arrived with a large group of knights, King Richard couldn't resist. I acted as his representative to negotiate with the king and then chose to follow him."

Behind these simple words lay a bloody story.

Henry II hadn't done anything wrong. To ensure the stability of his reign, he turned a large number of Norman conquerors in Ireland into his dead souls.

For the local Norman conquerors, this was an indelible shadow.

John said solemnly, "I know my father brought you heavy disaster back then. His methods were too brutal, and I won't do the same."

This statement would undoubtedly have a driving effect on the upcoming negotiations.

"So, besides the main culprits like Odo, you've decided not to pursue further, right?" Lees's movements noticeably slowed down, "Or are we to atone for our own actions?"

It was an interesting question.

John actually wanted these bastards to cough up some ransom to help him raise funds. But asking for too little was worse than asking for nothing, and asking for too much would upset these nobles.

Rather than haggle over how much they should pay, it was better to be generous and let them off the hook.

"Of course, we won't pursue it further," John adopted a generous demeanor, leaving those who had followed him for a long time puzzled again.

Strange things must have sinister motives. A stingy prince suddenly not extorting money? There must be something big behind it.

But Lees was unaware of this. He only felt that the prince in front of him suddenly became amiable, as if basking in the spring breeze.

Lees hastily said, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. I will express gratitude on behalf of all Normans."

John waved his hand, appearing nonchalant on the surface but actually pondering how to get these guys to come back. Guillaume, on the other hand, was secretly observing John's expression, trying to discern something from his face.

After confirming that John wouldn't continue pursuing the matter, many of the questions weighing on Lees were resolved. After this jovial banquet ended, everyone returned to their residences.

On the way back, John felt more and more aggrieved the more he thought about it, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt he was losing out.

John felt it necessary to put these guys to use. The conflict between him and Rodri was inevitably going to erupt, so he might as well use these Norman men as vanguards for his cause. With this thought, John felt much better. Operating like this was akin to buying military power, similar to hiring mercenaries.

Watching John's sudden improvement in mood with surprise, Guillaume whistled as they returned to the castle.

Compared to the simmering tensions in Limerick, Connacht in the west of Ireland was experiencing direct turmoil.

The events in Westmeath quickly reached the ears of High King Rodri. This fifty-year-old monarch had faced many hardships in his life—first, the ravages of the Vikings from the north, then the forceful invasion of King Richard. In his later years, he encountered the greedy Plantagenet dynasty, truly experiencing three unfortunate events in his life.

Despite these circumstances, Rodri still firmly held the position of High King, partly because nobody else was willing to take on the role. Now, with the youngest scion of the Plantagenets showing great interest in Ireland, Rodri couldn't stand it anymore. 

First, his father beats you, then he wants to beat you again?

Therefore, the High King rallied all the Irish lords under his banner to resist the evil Englishmen. This call to arms was effective; warriors from various parts of Ireland gathered in Connacht. But once they were gathered, how would their livelihood issues be addressed?

Rodri seemed incapable of solving this problem. He could only allow these Irishmen to roam freely on his lands, causing trouble everywhere.

After a week passed, Rodri couldn't take it anymore.

"We must set out," Rodri grumbled, rubbing his forehead in annoyance. "These guys only know how to cause trouble in my territory, utterly useless. It's infuriating. If I had known, I wouldn't have called them here."

The courtiers listened to the High King's complaints without any reaction, the court resembling a morgue.

Everyone was accustomed to it; although Rodri had no real abilities, he excelled in complaining beyond imagination. Those who had just entered his court might not be able to bear it, but the old courtiers were already accustomed.

"We depart tomorrow. Go tell those lords we're setting out with the army tomorrow, damn it."

Rodri grabbed a jar and slammed it to the ground. The ceramic jar shattered into pieces, much like Ireland now.

Everyone looked at Rodri. Who would expect him to unify Ireland?

But regardless, the High King's army was assembled, and they began to march towards Westmeath. With such a loose formation, all sorts of internal news leaked out like a sieve.

These rumors quickly spread through the crowd, like a virus, and reached Dublin. John stood at the window, gazing into the distance, as if he were looking at his own ambitions. The first confrontation with the High King was approaching.