PS: I have something to do today, so I'm updating in advance.
Old World, Noska Mountains, Giant Mountain Range, Lone Dragon City's luxurious guest room, balcony, overlooking the mountains.
Late May, the Noska Mountains were still covered in snow. This was a land surrounded by mountains. The Noska Dwarves' fortress was located in the east of the Noska Mountains and the northwest of the Mourning Mountains. The geographical environment here was very good.
How good was it?
The Noska Dwarves now had a total of four kingdoms and three dwarven fortresses. A total of seven dwarven cities were located in the Noska Mountains in the shape of the letter '大'. They were surrounded by the Noska Mountains, and only a narrow mountain road in the north could lead into the mountains. Therefore, as long as this road was defended, the Army of Chaos and the Barbarians would not be able to attack.
Of course, this was not the case in the past. Once, when the Noska Dwarves and Noska Humans were living in peace, the Noska Mountains were filled with dwarven fortresses. When the Dwarves saw the Humans who drank raw meat and drank blood, they decided to teach them how to make tools and smelt metal. The two cultures influenced each other and gradually formed the Noska culture — drinking, fighting, and singing.
However, as mentioned before, Noska was close to the Wastelands of Chaos. As time passed, the Noska Humans gradually abandoned their famous belief in heroic spirits and old gods. Under the constant corruption of Chaos, they gradually converted to Chaos. The Noska Humans who did not want to believe in Chaos basically moved to the Kingdom of Nords, Kislöw, or even further south.
However, the Dwarves were not a race that was easily corrupted. They had a complete inheritance from Granny. They used the statues of their ancestors and rune magic to fix the Wind of Chaos that blew over into stones for other purposes. The Noska Humans and Noska Dwarves gradually fell apart. At that time, the Dwarven Kings ordered all the Dwarves in the Noska Mountains to be moved to the Giant Mountain Range and re-divided into four kingdoms. All the roads to the outside world were cut off and destroyed. Huge sandstone statues were erected at the borders of the territory. Each stone was carved with a powerful master-level rune to protect the Dwarven territory.
If the Barbarians and the Army of Chaos wanted to attack the Norse Dwarves, they could only go through the narrow mountain path in the north, where the Dwarves had set up ten lines of defense.
The Knight King, Laing, was wearing a king's robe and a thick lion's cloak. He stood on the balcony and looked down. Because the Giant Mountains blocked out the wind, snow, and cold air, the dwarves could grow some highland crops, such as barley and a few cash crops. They could barely be self-sufficient in terms of food. However, the dwarves not only needed to eat, they also needed to drink, and that was not enough.
"Laing, do you think the Norska dwarves will agree to your 'great retreat'?" The facilities in the room were a little strange. On one hand, it was very luxurious, with large amounts of gold, silver, gemstones, and all kinds of rare animal skins and fine sandalwood. On the other hand, it was very backward and strange. There was no basic water system, and it lacked all kinds of convenient living facilities. There was no wardrobe, only a few clothes racks, and even no magic lamps. There were only candles and flintstones, and they were very backward flintstones.
The Lady of the Lake was wearing a gray, diamond-studded high-waisted pleated dress, a platinum crown of eternal radiance, and a full set of platinum jewelry from the Emperor. Under the dress, she wore a pair of white fox-patterned cotton slippers. One could see thin white stockings wrapped around her delicate ankles, swaying back and forth. She stretched lazily and asked Laing, who was standing on the windowsill, "Didn't you say that the Norska dwarves are very reluctant to return to the system in the Mountain Kingdom? Why are you proposing a 'great retreat' now? "
"What, more than a hundred thousand dwarves aren't good enough?" Laing continued to stand on the balcony. The Knight King opened his arms, allowing the cold wind of Norska to blow at the hem of his clothes and his black hair. Now, Laing's every move was extremely majestic. After years of constant victories and accumulations of power, this Knight King had become one of the most powerful people in the old world. If the Brittany Laing who traveled in Nord back then was a divine sword that was revealed in front of people, then the current Laing was a king's blade that was usually kept in its scabbard. He had restrained and restrained his sharpness because he no longer needed to prove himself. Even so, the aura that occasionally emanated from the scabbard was enough to deter everything.
The more the Lake Fairy looked at it, the more she liked it. She liked the joy of nurturing Tegris. Back then, when the sickly, weak, weak, and dejected was eliminated by Horth, she also saw the potential in Tegris and chose him. The Lake Fairy sat on the hard plank bed covered with a white bear skin. She tidied her dress a little and held her smooth jade-like face. "But how do we convince them?"
"It's actually not difficult to convince them, my lady." Laing turned around and said gently, "Since the Norska Dwarves spent more than a hundred years to build the Dark Rolling River, these dwarves have long thought about how to find a way out for themselves and their clan if they were surrounded by Chaos or even facing extinction. We also know that the Supreme King of Norska, Aislin, had besieged this place for a long time. So I can be sure that the Norska Dwarves have actually made preparations to retreat from here. It's just that they're too proud to say it."
"That's how it is with dwarves." The Lake Fairy nodded and yawned lazily. Then she kicked off her soft cotton slippers and raised a transparent white foot with green nail polish on the tip. The Goddess's foot was curved and charming, with a hint of red in the white, and the skin on the bottom of her foot was very delicate. The Goddess had been well served by Laing recently, so she was in a good mood. "But you haven't answered the question, my dear. You still haven't solved the problem of the Mountain Kingdom and the Norska Dwarves."
"Isn't that easy?" Laing couldn't help but stare at the Lake Fairy's foot. He shrugged and said, "There are two reasons why the Norska Dwarves can't let go of this place. First, the endless mines and wealth here. Second, they don't want to be under the jurisdiction of the Supreme King of the Mountain Kingdom."
"So, to deal with this, I've proposed three plans." Laing raised his hand. "The first plan is to retreat to the Mountain Kingdom and meet up with the Supreme King Solgreen. This plan will undoubtedly be rejected."
"The second plan is to retreat to the south and live with the humans. The Empire and Brittany have plenty of places to accommodate these dwarves." Laing raised a second finger.
"That's impossible. The dwarves don't want to live with humans." The Lake Fairy shook her head and gestured for Laing to come over.
"So, it's the third plan." Laing sighed. "Retreat to Brittany. You know, we have a lot of empty dwarven strongholds, including Orca Mountain and Blackstone Stronghold. These are all ready-made dwarven fortresses with complete facilities and can be moved in at any time."
"Traditional words and negotiation skills." The Lake Fairy nodded quickly. She understood Laing's idea. First, he proposed the most difficult one that the Norska Dwarves couldn't accept. Return to the Mountain Kingdom and accept the rule of the Supreme King, which the Norska Dwarves would undoubtedly refuse.
Then, he proposed to let them enter human society, which would be difficult for the Norska Dwarves to accept, but at least it was much more comfortable here than before.
Finally, he proposed the third plan.
"Come here, Laing. Help me rub my foot." The Lake Fairy stretched out her white foot and gestured for Laing to come over. As expected, the Knight King obeyed. He walked over to the Goddess and kneeled on one knee to rub her foot. Laing enjoyed the smoothness of her foot and smiled happily. "Also, did you know that Belegar built a large dwarven brewery in Orca Mountain?"
The Lake Fairy nodded slightly. The Goddess looked at Laing who was kneeling in front of her and rubbing her foot proudly. She liked the way Laing kneeled in front of her and served her. She felt very proud every time.
However, the Lake Fairy also knew that everything had to be controlled. Occasionally, it was a little fun between husband and wife. Laing also enjoyed it. It would be too much if she made Laing kneel in front of her all day long. After letting Laing massage her foot, the Goddess gestured for Laing to sit beside her. "So, everything is going according to your plan?"
"Not necessarily." Ryan kissed the tips of the two silky feet of the Goddess in the Lake and sat down beside her. "But there are a few ready-made fortresses and a ready-made brewery. I'm sure the Northka dwarves will be tempted."
Ever since Eight Peaks Mountain was reclaimed, the dwarves of the Angran clan had returned to Eight Peaks Mountain Fortress in waves. The original Blackstone Stronghold and Occa Mountain Stronghold gradually became empty. Only Dugan Ironman, his Black Gunpowder Brotherhood, and Novigrad's Iron Shatterer Warriors were left in Britannia. There were no more than four hundred dwarves left in Britannia. Leon didn't believe that the Northka dwarves wouldn't be moved.
"Yes." The Lake Fairy leaned on Laing's shoulder silently. The Goddess thought for a moment and said, "That's quite possible."
"Where's Morgiana?" Laing asked casually.
"Morgiana is doing maintenance in the bathroom," the Lake Fairy answered casually. The Fairy in the Lake also replied casually, "Routine body maintenance to keep my skin pink, moist, and fragrant."
Although the Lake Fairy was very strict with Morgiana, she was actually very nice to her first Chosen One. As long as Laing's family members attended the turkey feast, the Lake Fairy would give them high elven ointment mixed with her own divine power, various wood elven flowers, and essential oils made of secret herbs. She also taught them a set of maintenance recipes. Morgiana was no exception. As long as the Lake Fairy had free time, she would spend at least half a day on maintenance every week to ensure that she was attractive to Laing.
Although everyone had a fixed amount, Theresa used it up very quickly. Every time they had a chance to meet, the sorceress would embarrassedly ask for more.
Laing thought that Teresa must have shared all these things with her.
The sound of water came from the bathroom. Morgiana, who was soaking in the medicinal bath in the wooden tub for maintenance, thought that the Lake Fairy was rushing her. She could only say awkwardly, "My apologies, My Lady. It'll take a while. Let me wash myself inside and out. It'll be convenient after dinner …"
"… It's fine. Take your time, Morgiana. We're fine here," the Lake Fairy said to her. The Goddess thought for a moment and asked Laing, "Then, the exclusive trade agreement with Lone Dragon City? You're not going to share it?"
"Of course I'll share a little." Laing smiled and nodded. "But you're right, My Lady. I intend to take most of it for myself. The profits from the trade with Lone Dragon City are too great. I won't share this fat meat with anyone else."
"You won't slap the people below and say that you're competing with the people?" The Goddess smiled faintly and interlocked her fingers with Laing's. "What is this, Royal Trade?"
"It's called Tribute Trade." Laing laughed. "My Lady, don't you think that the trade with the dwarves of Lone Dragon City is very similar to the Elven Empire's Tribute Trade? Both sides only trade on an official level, and the price has already been agreed upon. "
"What do you mean similar? Not at all." The Lake Fairy wanted to put down Laing's arrogance. "Also, you want to treat the dwarves as your vassals? If the Crimson Lord knows about this, he'll be the first to fall out with you! "
"In any case, the trade with Lone Dragon City is Royal Trade. I must hold it firmly in the palm of my hand." Laing naturally knew that the dwarves would not be treated as vassals, but the nature was similar. Most importantly, Laing could firmly hold the pricing power and the exclusive right to trade. This was an endless source of income.
Laing remembered the tribute system of the Celestial Empire in his previous life. All this time, most people had a negative opinion of the tribute system. There were generally two reasons. The first was that it was an unequal relationship between nations, and did not conform to the principle of the Westphalian System of equal exchanges. The second was that the Celestial Empire always rewarded some cheap goods with too much. They were the spendthrifts, and would rather suffer than lose face.
But in fact, it was easy to understand these two reasons.
First, there was only one sentence. Would the abolition of tribute really achieve equality between nations? Had the European Continent, which believed in equality, freedom, and democracy, ever stopped fighting?
As for the second reason, the problem was actually very simple. The Celestial Empire was willing to be the spendthrifts.
What was the most important thing about the tribute trade in the economic account?
It was what Laing valued the most — the pricing power and the exclusive right to trade!
To put it simply, as the Celestial Empire, the Celestial Empire had the pricing power for all tributes from all vassal nations. This was how much the item was worth, and it would be worth! In other words, it was the most powerful "official pricing" in the legends. Moreover, you could only trade within a limited area and target!
Because of this, the huge profits that the tribute trade actually brought were terrifying. Perhaps the Celestial Empire would suffer a small loss from the official envoys and the imperial court, but in fact, the Celestial Empire could easily recover tens of times the cost through the tribute trade. Moreover, the Celestial Empire could set the standard of the price. My goods are expensive, your goods are cheap. Want to trade? Add more money! If it's not enough, add more money!
This was one of the core reasons why Beiming was so passionate about taking in dogs! The tribute system and the royal monopoly of the sea trade system established by Zhu Di had earned an astonishing amount of wealth. This was also an important reason why he had done so many things during his reign and had not destroyed the country's finances.
Of course, there were two reasons for the gradual collapse of the tribute system. The first reason was that the system itself had to be strong enough. After the Tumu Castle incident, the military deterrence was gone, and the "suzerain" was no longer stable.
The second reason was just as the Fairy in the Lake said, "competing with the people for benefits". The "people" here did not refer to the ordinary people, but to the officials. The bureaucrats and scholars were jealous of the terrifying profits of the tribute trade. They repeatedly deceived the Emperor by saying that this was "competing with the people for benefits". If Emperor Chengzu could not be deceived, he would deceive his son, Emperor Renzong. If Emperor Xuanzong could not be deceived, he would call him the "cricket emperor" and try his best to write down a small notebook to discredit him and continue to deceive his son. If Emperor Chenghua could not be deceived, everyone worked together and quickly put the hat of "an obnoxious emperor who has too much control over his mother" on him.
In the end, the Hongzhi Emperor, Emperor Xiaozong, was deceived. This was a mediocre emperor who was mediocre, cowardly, and had perfect personal morals. No matter what the scholar-officials said, he nodded like he was pounding garlic. Since then, the tribute trade and tribute system that Zhu Di had established with great difficulty after conquering Mongolia five times and conquering Southeast Asia seven times was immediately hollowed out by the scholar-officials and became a real loss-making business.
Incidentally, this kind of emperor was the favorite of the literati, the scholar-officials, and the scholar-officials. The title of "The Holy King" quickly became popular!
In other words, the reason why Laing went to Lone Dragon City in person was for two reasons. First, it was for the future of the dwarves. It would be a pity if 110,000 dwarves died in Northka. Second, it was to establish a trade route similar to the tribute trade. The Knight King's kingdom could exchange the most urgently needed mineral resources, priceless rune weapons, rune equipment, and technical talents from the dwarves of Northka at a very low price. No one would complain about having more money.
Once the Brittany royal monopoly on sea trade was established, the Knight King could almost see endless wealth rolling in.
Laing had even thought of a name for this trade route. Laing had even thought of a name. It would be called the Azure Sea Route.
"Aiyo, my dear, there's nothing to do while waiting for the results to come out. It's so boring." The Lake Fairy pouted and acted coquettishly at Clayon. Her sacred and noble face revealed an expression of attachment. "How about you give me a job?"
"How about I do a split in the air and act as the captain of the Huberian who cleans the deck and toilets?" Laing joked.
"No, it's boring." The Lake Fairy looked at him with disdain. "What's a split in the air? And a cleaner? That's what you do as a captain? And what's the Huberian? A new battleship? "
"Then what do you want me to do?" Laing suddenly had a bad feeling.
"How about we do some exercise before dinner?" The Lake Fairy said mysteriously in Laing's ear. "It'll also give you a good appetite."
"No! Lilith, not now! Dinner will be served soon! The dwarves have always been very punctual! "Laing quickly used the excuse he had thought of before.
"Eh? What a bummer! Then, let's go out for a walk! "
"That's more like it."
As soon as Laing and the Lake Fairy came out, they were greeted by High Lord Tolgarde and his Royal Star Iron Guards.
"Your Majesty Knight King, there's good news. In principle, we have called for an emergency meeting of the ancestors and passed a resolution. We agree to sign an exclusive trade agreement and begin preparations for the 'Great Retreat' plan! We choose to consider the third option you proposed. Soon, the Four Kingdoms will gather an expeditionary force of three thousand dwarves to follow you. They will first go to your Knight King Kingdom to inspect and take over the large dwarven brewery in Belegar, Blackstone City, and Oka Mountain. We need to assess the situation and assess the situation first. "
"Very good!" Laing clenched his fist.
Supreme King, I've done what you couldn't do.
How are you going to thank me?
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