Fatty Shi accompanied Grand Duke Fausta's wife, Windsor Bilina, to Sirovas Island. There, they would discuss the issue of the ransom for Grand Duke Fausta and his family to arm the Firebird Army. This round trip would probably take about a month. Fortunately, Fatty Shi had already handed over the administrative affairs of Moronte City to the newly formed Moronte City Autonomous Committee. He had also reached an agreement with Countess Cate regarding the release and transportation of more than a hundred thousand residents in the inner city. Since he had nothing to do, he could make the trip.
Tagger brought the private ship owner to Lollister. Lollister was curious as to how the private ship owner had returned so quickly. The trip from Syrovas Island to the southern seas should take about a month. In addition, the private ship owners had also purchased a large amount of goods produced by the Norton Family's territory on Syrovas Island. It would take some time for them to sell off all the goods, so Lollister had originally estimated that it would take another month or so before the private ship owners who had reaped the benefits would come again to purchase and trade various goods.
The private ship owner was called Captain Fodres. Three generations of his family had been seafarers. Tagger said that Captain Fodres had joined forces with the private ship owners to subdue the escorts sent by the Invincible Fleet on their merchant ships. They had destroyed some of the people who were loyal to the Commerce Union and wanted to set fire to the transport ships after the Invincible Fleet raised the white flag and surrendered. For this, Captain Fodres had been commended by Admiral Sunbarwood.
Captain Fodres was flattered to be summoned by Lollister, the famous Grand Duke of the North and the newly promoted Sword Saint. For this, he had presented his family's most precious treasure to Lollister, a foot-long bright red coral. It was said that his father had obtained this red coral when he was in danger at sea. It was because of this red coral that he had been able to successfully escape. In the eyes of many seafarers, red coral represented good luck.
As for Lollister's questions, Captain Fodres answered all of them. He told Lollister that he was from the Chigda Kingdom and owned a ship called the Mermaid's Song. This was the first large ocean-going merchant ship that his family had obtained after three generations of seafarers. Because the ship was called the Mermaid's Song, it had connections with the largest merchant guild in the Chigda Kingdom, the Mermaid Merchant Guild. It often transported goods for the Mermaid Merchant Guild.
The Mermaid Merchant Guild in the Chigda Kingdom was backed by the Fausta Family, and the Mermaid Merchant Guild's leader was Duchess Windsor Bellina. Originally, the Mermaid Merchant Guild had started selling high-end clothing and expensive luxury goods. But in the past twenty years, the Mermaid Merchant Merchant Guild had grown into the largest merchant guild in the kingdom, Fausta Windsor Merchant Windsor. Windsor Windsor Merchant Windsor Mermaid Merchant Windsor Guild.
The Windsor Merchant Windsor Merchant Herself Falls, Windsor Prince Six Six Lanc, Saint Windsor Mayor Windsor, Duke Two, Prince, one,,, and, Duke Windsor, and, Union, Duke F, and, Duke Windsor Prince, and, one, and Two, Merchant, Royal, Windsor, Duke Mar, Dun, Sea, Duchess, Dun, Biland Dun, Two Seven, Dragon Windsor, Six, Sy, two, Six, Saint Six Saint, Bilina,,,, Six, and, Ten, Ward Duke San, Windsor Master, In the king's city of St. Maned, the Duchess of Windsor was even more popular than Her Majesty the Queen.
Because of his relationship with the Mermaid Merchant Guild, Captain Fausta accepted Grand Duke Fausta's request to deliver Grand Duke Fausta's personal letter and two messengers to St. Maned City. After delivering the letter, Captain Fredres found out that because Grand Duke Fausta and his family's armed Firebird Legion had surrendered, a storm was brewing in the capital, St. Maned City, and within the borders of Chigda Kingdom. Many noble forces that were hostile to the Fausta Family had jumped out to attack the Fausta Family's territory, their subordinate industries, and vassal lords, intending to beat them when they were down.
At this critical moment, the Duchess of Windsor Merchant Guild withdrew her family's power to protect herself, and, on the other hand, secretly transferred funds to Captain Fausta's ship. As long as she could redeem Grand Duke Fausta and his family's armed Firebird Legion in the shortest time possible, then this storm would immediately calm down. The Fausta Family would still be as stable as Mount Tai, and they might even be able to test their skills on a few of the most active aristocratic families.
Lollister asked Captain Fausta curiously, "How did you deal with the goods he bought from Shirovas Island?" Lollister really wanted to know if the daily necessities produced by his family's territory were selling well in the southern part of the Galinthia Continent.
Captain Freddie replied that the Mermaid's Chamber of Commerce had underwritten his cargo, and that the Duchess of Windsor had taken advantage of the unloading of the cargo to sneak the money she had raised onto the ship. That was why he had been able to return so quickly. He had brought enough funds on this return voyage, and the Mermaid Merchant Guild had also allowed him to borrow an interest-free loan to purchase some high-end goods produced by the Norton Family, such as various glass products and snowflake paper. Captain Fausta was sure that these goods would make him a lot of money. Perhaps in another two or three years, the Fausta Family would own a second large ocean-going merchant ship.
As for Lollister's concern about the sales of the goods produced by his family's territory in the southern part of the continent, Captain Fausta patted his chest and said that there was no problem at all. As an old navigator and owner of a smuggling ship who had been on the sea for more than 30 years, Captain Fausta taught Lollister a good lesson.
For the countries in the southern part of the continent, the goods from the southern and northern parts of the continent were always in short supply. The Romon Empire's specialty was green vine glue, and the Havestan Khaganate's specialty was cattle, horses, and sheep. Both were needed by the countries in the southern part of the continent. At the same time, the countries in the southern part of the continent also transported their specialties to the southern part of the continent. For example, the Telimbo Kingdom's glass, the Bidson Duchy's fruit wine, the Abson Kingdom's ceramics, and the Kikdo Duchy's gold and silver wares …
However, the rise of the Trade Union made Moronte City the number one commercial city in the continent. The unique geographical environment and business advantages made the goods produced by the Trade Union gradually exceed the traditional products of some of the southern and central countries. For example, the Bidson Duchy's fruit wine, the Abson Kingdom's ceramics, and the Kikdo Duchy's gold and silver wares could no longer compete with the Trade Union's trade unions. The markets of the two southern countries were gradually monopolized by the Trade Union with their price advantage.
After the Glass War, the countries in the southern part of the continent jointly blocked the Trade Union's trade routes and refused to trade with the Trade Union. It was not because they wanted to fight for the countries that were annexed by the Trade Union. On the contrary, it was a battle of interests. These countries wanted to fight for the market that was monopolized by the Trade Union. From a business point of view, the nobles in the southern and central countries had no good way to compete with the Trade Union. Therefore, they could only resort to such shameless methods to achieve their goals.
Because of the opposition between the southern and central countries and the Trade Union, smuggling between countries was rampant. The Trade Union had the Invincible Fleet. Most of the goods could be transported by sea to the Romon Empire and the Havestan Khaganate. However, the blockade of the land trade routes made the Trade Union lose the source of most of the raw materials.
Captain Fodders said that in the past ten years, the most profitable smuggling business was transporting raw materials from the southern and central countries to Cangjin Bay by sea. From there, they would be exchanged for manufactured goods before smuggling them to other countries. However, the blockade of the trade routes by the southern and central countries made the smuggling of raw materials like this a drop in the bucket for the Trade Union. Therefore, it was inevitable that the war between the southern and central countries and the Trade Union would break out.
The successive years of war had destroyed the Trade Union and the production capacity of the southern and central countries. At the same time, the Trade Union implemented a system of nobility, so the trade unions had to move their production workshops to their own territories. This led to a decline in the quality and efficiency of the goods produced. Captain Fodders said that the goods produced by the Trade Union had become more and more crude.
Under such circumstances, the exquisite goods produced by the Norton Family's territory had effectively filled the gap in the southern market of the continent. Captain Fodders, with his years of experience in smuggling, could guarantee that the goods purchased by the private ship owners would definitely be sold well in the southern countries of the continent. These guys would all rely on the goods produced by the Norton Family to make a lot of money. Captain Fodders said with some reluctance. After all, he only owned one ship. He couldn't monopolize the entire trade route. There were too many private ship owners competing for the goods.
Laurist suddenly understood why the Peterson Chamber of Commerce and the Chicard Chamber of Commerce had been suppressing the goods produced by the Norton Family's territory. It was because they were chambers of commerce and had their own production workshops. If they purchased the goods produced by the Norton Family's territory on a large scale, it would definitely have an impact on the market of the goods produced by their own workshops. Therefore, in the past, they would only purchase a small portion of the goods and sell them as premium products. On one hand, they would protect the market of their own goods. On the other hand, they would use the monopoly of the trade route and the asymmetry of market information to purchase goods from the Norton Family at a low price to earn more money for their chamber of commerce.
Right now, these private shipowners didn't care if it would affect the market share of the Norton family. They only knew that the goods they purchased from the Norton family could earn them a large sum of money. They didn't have any private workshops, so they didn't have to worry about the impact of the Norton family's goods on the market. This was good. Laurist did not expect that his casual move would deal a fatal blow to the business side of the Trade Union. At that time, he was only considering finding another market for the goods piled up on Syrovas Island.
In another half a year, when the private ship owners spread the influence of the Norton Family's products throughout the southern part of the continent, perhaps the Trade Union would really be driven to desperation. Laurist thought proudly. He rewarded Captain Fodders handsomely by giving him a telescope produced by his family. After learning how to use the telescope, Captain Fodders was overjoyed. He swore that he would treat the telescope as a family heirloom and pass it down from generation to generation.
"Perhaps you can start with the private ship owners and arrange for our secret intelligence system. You do not need to specially send people to the southern part of the continent to gather information. For example, this Captain Fodders is a good candidate. We do not need to develop a relationship with him. We only need to get the latest news from him about the countries in the southern part of the continent, and then verify it with the other private ship owners. Then, we will know if the information is true, "Laurist pointed out to Tagger.
"I understand, Your Highness. I will arrange it." Tagger nodded. Laurist was right. These private ship owners were well-informed and had a wide network. They would be the first to know about the slightest movement in the southern part of the continent. Getting the latest news from them was much more convenient than sending people to the southern part of the continent to gather information. Most importantly, it saved money, effort, and time. After a few drinks in a tavern, they might even know the color of the king's lover's underwear.
From Captain Fodders, Laurist learned that the big-eyed girl he liked back then had now become a real elegant and assertive noble lady. This made him very emotional. Back then, the pitiful girl was helpless after the upheaval in her family. In desperation, she actually jumped into the lake to commit suicide. After being rescued by him, she clung to him and begged him to give her ideas. At that time, she really could not think of any other way but to be shameless and cry.
Nearly 20 years had passed in the blink of an eye. That once pure and beautiful girl had changed. Perhaps he should have realized from the breakup that he knew too little about her. Perhaps he had thought too much of her. From the way she handled the crisis of the Fausta Family, she was not lacking in scheming. Perhaps after marrying Grand Duke Fausta for 20 years, she had finally sharpened herself from the intrigue of the noble circle.
Laurist did not regret refusing to see her again. The past was the past, and it was better to reminisce than to meet. This sentence perfectly described his feelings at that moment. Letting Fatty Shi deal with her was the best choice. Fatty Shi would not care about their friendship in the past. Now that the Norton family had the upper hand, he would sharpen his knife as fast as he could. He would do whatever he wanted to do to her.
But Laurist's relaxed and happy mood was quickly destroyed by the latest news from the imperial capital. "What did you say? Her Majesty the Queen died of a sudden illness? "
"Yes, Your Highness." Tagger held a messenger eagle that had just arrived. "On the 32nd of August, Grand Duke Fisablun rushed to the imperial capital and entered the palace to see His Majesty the King. He did not leave the palace that night. The next afternoon, the news of Her Majesty the Queen dying of a sudden illness came from the palace … "
Two lives in one body. How could they do it? It had been more than a month since the Queen's pregnancy was discovered. In another month, she would be able to give birth. It was almost certain that the child in the Queen's belly had already developed into a baby. Although Laurist was purely a bystander in this matter, he also felt sad at this moment. The second prince and Grand Duke Fisablun were really too cruel.
In the middle of July, the Andenac Kingdom's allied nobles led by the second prince embarked on a journey home. The Fisablun Family's armed forces parted ways with the second prince in the Cambona Province. Grand Duke Fisablun took the road in the Porto Province. He wanted to take a look at the Andvov Province first, which was another family territory that the Fisablun Family had been allocated. Nearly forty collateral relatives of the Fisablun Family would be conferred as territorial nobles in this province. This was also the agreement and compensation that the Fisablun Family had reached with the second prince for sending troops to assist in the war.
Ever since the scandal of the Queen's pregnancy came out, the second prince had not made any moves. In addition to strictly forbidding the people in the capital from discussing this matter, he also put the Queen's adulterer, who was rumored to be his illegitimate son, Knight Wyksas, under house arrest. Laurist originally thought that the second prince wanted to deal with the child after it was born, but now he knew that the second prince was waiting for the arrival of Grand Duke Fisablun.
It was obvious that the second prince and Grand Duke Fisablun had reached some secret agreement, which was why they were so cruel. As a bystander, Laurist could not say anything, nor could he criticize the second prince for being cruel and merciless. However, this matter would definitely pass like this, and with the passage of time, it would only be slowly forgotten. Perhaps there would only be a short record in the history of the kingdom: On a certain day in a certain month, the Queen suddenly fell ill and passed away.
"Hmm, what about that Knight Wyksas? Has he been dealt with? "Laurist asked.
"No." Tagger turned the silk in his hands over and over, carefully looking at it twice before replying, "It seems that he is still in the palace, still under house arrest. There has been no news of him being dealt with."
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