You’re better off with the Mongol/Dracul system - instead of making pacts with the local lords, you kill them and promote competent nobodies to rule instead. The peasants don’t care who their lord is, and by promoting nobodies who don’t have a claim to legitimacy outside your support, you guarantee their loyalty. Plus, you get to pick the most competent people, instead of being stuck with the local fat lazy lord who only got the role because his daddy had it.
You’re better off with the Mongol/Dracul system - instead of making pacts with the local lords, you kill them and promote competent nobodies to rule instead. The peasants don’t care who their lord is, and by promoting nobodies who don’t have a claim to legitimacy outside your support, you guarantee their loyalty. Plus, you get to pick the most competent people, instead of being stuck with the local fat lazy lord who only got the role because his daddy had it.