Before Aurora and Teresa came in, Suria was dealing with internal affairs. After Laing left with the army, Suria made all the decisions in the territory. Suria also showed that she was as good at internal affairs as François. Ever since she married Laing, the female knight's ability in internal affairs had been greatly improved. She was very skilled in dealing with many problems, not to mention that she was also in charge of finance.
"The period after the New Year is still the slack period. Tell Guffen to hurry up and recruit as many serfs as possible to maintain the speed of the canal's excavation!"
"Is the new batch of food ready? If it's ready, immediately ask Kasenberg to arrange the transportation. The troops at the frontlines are waiting for food. We must not delay! "
"Also, the patrolling troops must not let down their guard. Tell Olivier that this is a critical time. We must pay more attention to the security of Mu Xilon than ever!"
"Pay attention. Don't put all the gold and silver into the market at once. Do it slowly. Also, tell Steve that the quality of the coins must be high."
"Tell Gasparton to pay attention to the complaints of the people. There must be no news of the embezzlement of the serfs and freedmen's spoils of war. Also, implement a strict curfew. Pay attention to theft and robbery. Send more people."
One by one, Suria sent out orders. The palace team appointed by Laing received their tasks and left. The beautiful Knight King's expression remained serious. Without Laing, she had to manage the entire palace well. The Kingdom of the Knight King was a strong backing for the expedition army. Suria forced herself to sort out everything clearly.
Laing's tax officer, Gasparton, was old. It had been almost twenty years since Laing came to Brittany. The forty-year-old tax officer was now sixty years old. After Laing became a duke, the white-haired tax officer was a little weak. Suria thought that it was time for Gasparton to retire, but this had to wait for Laing to return from the expedition. She and Laing were one body.
The female knight, dressed in a luxurious queen's dress, finished her work. She saw the Lake Goddess's witch, Morgiana, step in from outside. Today, Morgiana was wearing a snow-white mermaid dress with flesh-colored thin silk stockings and pure white high heels. She also had a flower crown on her head. In fact, Suria and Morgiana had been working together to deal with all matters. "What's wrong, Morgiana?"
"Lady Aurora and Lady Teresa are waiting outside. They said that there's a letter from the Emperor of the Empire. It's for you to open it personally." Morgiana sat next to Suria. The Lake Goddess's face was very cold. "Look at what the mother and daughter are doing. Laing and the others are fighting hard at the frontline, and they are responsible for delivering letters in the rear. "
"Lady Teresa is not suitable to fight in the Badlands, and Lady Aurora … She's just the head of MI7, not Laing's female courtier and magic consultant. If she doesn't want to go, no one can force her." Suria gently reached out and tucked her long golden curly hair behind her ear. She looked elegant as she picked up the teacup. "Let them wait outside for a while. Let's talk about what to do next."
Morgiana's green eyes flashed. At this moment, they reached some kind of tacit agreement.
"We've won the battle of the armory. Currently, a large amount of gold, silver, and spoils of war are being shipped in from the Sea Gate." Suria carefully reviewed a series of lists and many reports of major seizures. The female knight said to the Lake Goddess, "Can you reduce the processing fee? To encourage the expeditionary force's morale? "
"… Yes." Morgiana gave it some thought and decided to compromise. "I can reduce it to 12%."
The expeditionary force's spoils were divided into two parts. Most of the spoils of the knights and nobles were shipped back to their fiefs through their own channels. The knights wouldn't embezzle their own money, but they still had to pay taxes on the spoils. The tithes of the Lake Goddess were also valid for the spoils. Even so, the great nobles sold their stolen goods until their hands cramped, and counted their money until they were blooming with joy. Francois alone had filled his coffers with wealth from the war. His father-in-law had recently decided to push for further reforms, and even planned to build a new team of Pegasus Knights.
The spoils of the serfs and freedmen, however, were different. It would be difficult for them to safely send their spoils to their families. Laing had also considered that, so the spoils of the serfs and freedmen would be sent through the postal system. The Lake Goddess's church would vouch for this, but they would have to pay an additional 15% processing fee.
Just from the tithes and processing fee alone, the church's income could be counted in the tens of thousands of crowns.
Seeing that Morgianna was willing to give in, a smile appeared on Sulia's exquisite and beautiful face. The Knight Queen knew that in the entire kingdom, only Leon had this kind of power. At the thought of this, Queen Sulia's small black feet, which were wearing light-colored lace stilettos under her long skirt, gently tiptoed. The female knight thought for a moment and then said, "Also, the coming war will be more and more difficult. We have to find a way to maintain the kingdom's confidence and morale … How is the second issue of the national debt selling?"
"80% of the second issue was sold in three days." Morgiana nodded. "The citizens of Kurona, Bordero and many other cities are buying them. Even some of the lesser nobles bought quite a few."
"Then prepare to issue the third issue! The third issue of Eight Peaks Mountain's treasury will be one year with an annual interest rate of 7%. " Suria hooked her chin with her finger. "As for the amount, let's set it at 200 thousand crowns. We have to send a message that it's first come, first served. Those who come later can only eat the leftovers. The annual interest rate will only get lower and lower."
"Yes, I think so too." Morgiana nodded in agreement. The Lake Goddess Witch thought for a moment and slowly said, "By the way, Suria, do we need someone to go to the front line?"
"You mean … Lao Jun?" Suria quickly understood what Morgiana meant. "Your Highness, you want to see Laing, don't you?"
"If it's useful for the expedition, why not?" Morgiana blushed. "We have to let Laing and the others know that we're paying attention to them, right?"
"Just send someone from the church. Morgiana, you really don't have to go personally." Suria shook her head. "Now that Laing isn't here and he's taken some of the Knight King's nobles with him, the kingdom needs you."
"Alright." Morgiana saw that Suria was resolute and gave up on the idea.
"Let Madam Aurora and Madam Teresa in," Suria said to Sylvia, who was standing behind her.
"Yes."
Two minutes later, Aurora and Theresa came in. Sulia and Morgianna were still sitting there without moving. Sulia was still looking down at the documents. Her sea blue eyes were hidden under her golden bangs. Morgianna, on the other hand, cast a hostile and cold gaze at Aurora.
Aurora raised her eyebrows. What's the meaning of this?
Unlike her mother, Teresa had always been a little afraid of Suria. The sorceress hurriedly took the letter from her mother. "Madam Suria, this is a letter from the Emperor of the Empire. He asked you to personally open it."
"Bring it here." Suria gestured for Aurora and her daughter to sit down. She took the letter. "Thank you for your hard work."
"No, Madam Suria and Her Highness Morgiana are the ones who have worked hard." Teresa pulled Aurora to sit down. "As soon as we got this, we sent it over immediately."
"Alright, let me see." Suria opened the letter and read it carefully. Morgiana and Aurora waited quietly for Suria's reaction.
After a long time, the female knight sighed. "His Majesty Karl-franz really gave me a big problem."
"What did the Emperor say on the other side of the mountain?" Morgiana asked first.
"His Majesty wants to hire a Grail Knight to assist the Empire's army in clearing the Bloody Pine Forest." Suria was a little hesitant. "In terms of procedure, the Emperor's request is not a problem, but now …"
"Can't we refuse?" Morgiana asked.
"It's not that we can't. His Majesty used this kind of private letter to ask us, giving us room to refuse." Suria, of course, knew the Emperor's intention in writing this letter. "I just think that it's not very good to refuse the Empire's first request after signing the contract."
"I can set the price higher." Morgiana made a very straightforward suggestion.
"That's not very good." Sulia shook her head as well. "The agreement we signed with the Empire has been faithfully carried out by them. If we were to raise the difficulty unilaterally, the Imperial Court would definitely try to take countermeasures. This way, the peace and trade relationship that we have worked so hard to achieve will once again be severely challenged."
"Morgiana, you can raise the price appropriately. If the Empire has no objections, I will inform the Grail Knight in charge of guarding Lily Island, Sir Bayard, and my uncle, Sir Jerrold, to organize a small group of knights to cross the Grey Mountains and support the Empire." Suria quickly made a decision. "As for the security of Chalon Forest and Oka Mountain, you don't have to worry about that. Uncle Anglo and the three … Laing's father's Golden Guards are patrolling there."
"Alright." Morgiana nodded in agreement.
"As for Lady Aurora and Teresa, can I trouble you to go to Brunswick? I need to know about the sales of the national debt and the recent military and financial situation of the Empire. " Suria said in a commanding tone. "Also, I want to know what the nobles of the Empire think about the Eight Peaks Expedition."
"I'll send someone to deal with it." Aurora expressed her understanding.
"Lady Aurora, didn't you hear Suria's order? She wants you to go, not to send someone. " Morgiana said impatiently. The Lake Goddess Witch's expression was very cold. "You can agree or not. It's your choice."
"I will go with my mother." Teresa came out to speak. The sorceress pulled her mother back and signaled her not to go against Suria. A trip to the capital of the Empire and back was only a matter of a week or two.
"Very well." Suria nodded. The Knight King then signaled the sorceress and her daughter to go prepare.
I am Uncle Anglo, in charge of patrolling the dividing line of the forest …
February, the Old World, the Roof of the World Range, Eight Peaks Mountain, Eight Pillars City.
The Goblin Warlord, Jit Sourbelly, finally arrived after many difficulties.
Eight Peaks Mountain was once the hub and core node of the Dwarves' land network, so this city was once the most prosperous and prosperous of the Dwarves. The Dwarves once proudly called it Vala-Azli-Lungall (Queen of the Silver Abyss).
No army in the surface world could climb the towering mountain where the city was located. This kingdom was located in the middle of the bowl-shaped mountain range, surrounded by eight peaks, hence the name Eight Peaks Mountain. Each peak had a unique name. The upper fortress of the city was located on the surface, at the bottom of a small valley surrounded by eight peaks. A sturdy and magnificent fortress sat in the middle of the valley like the peak of an iceberg, but most of the city was deep in the mountain range. Most of the city was carved out of rocks, and there were magnificent squares and halls inside, as well as a tunnel network that stretched for countless miles.
The glory of the past was far away, and now it had become the eternal battlefield of the Green Dwarves and the Ratmen. In the huge and magnificent ancestral hall of the Dwarves, the giant stone pillars that were more than a hundred meters tall were full of wooden corridors made by the Goblins. The dilapidated stone statues of the Dwarves were either knocked down or reduced to a place where the Green Dwarves collectively defecated. The stench was overwhelming.
On the ground, there were Green Dwarves tents made of wooden planks and mud. The Green Dwarves usually played, fought, and cursed each other. It was a mess, and the little ones would offer the best pickled fart essence and mushrooms to the Green Dwarves. When Jitte Sourbelly rode his wolf mount, which had been replaced twice, to the ancestral hall of Eight Peaks Mountain to see the Warlord of Eight Peaks Mountain, Skarnik, a big mess was going on in the ancestral hall. The Oker Orcs and Goblins of the Dark Moon Clan were in a huge melee, as well as the powerful Araknarian Giant Spiders and a large group of Skarnig Beasts.
Jitte Sourbelly scratched his head desperately and dug his nose, trying to find a way in. In the end, he mustered up his mana and released the symbol of Brother Hell. Only then did the Green Dwarves move aside, and Jitte Sourbelly rushed in like a wisp of smoke.
The Warlord of Eight Peaks Mountain, Skarnik, was sitting on the throne of the ancestral hall of the Angrond clan. A large group of Dark Night Goblins, the legendary Fanatics of Eight Peaks Mountain, and a group of Black Orcs stood in the hall. When he saw Jitte Sourbelly, Skarnik laughed sinisterly and said, "Ha, the stray dog has come to my place! What does a piece of trash who isn't cunning enough want in my throne room? "
Skarnik was short, and even the tall horned cloak on his head could not cover up his lack of height. However, no one dared to underestimate this Goblin Warlord. Just look at the Black Orcs standing beside the throne room. These legendary, most powerful heavy-armored Oker Orcs had been tamed by Skarnik, and did not dare to look directly at the Warlord of Eight Peaks Mountain. Otherwise, even the Black Orcs would be arranged to be in the mouth of Skarnik's beloved pet, the Goblins, at any time and become its delicious meal.
The candles in the hall were all made of dwarf oil, and the "monument" made of the skulls of the Skarnik Ratmen also proved Skarnik's power.
"Bad … bad news! The powerful general of Eight Peaks Mountain, Beard's enemy, Bellegar Ironhammer, has brought a group of canned shrimps back … back to the Wretched Lands. It's said that the canned shrimps are led by a grey can, Ryan Macado. This grey can is old WAAAGH. They've taken over the armory and slaughtered my clan. I … I've come to join you!" Jit Sourbelly explained the situation to Skarnik.
"Belegar? I already knew. " Skarnik laughed sinisterly and cunningly. "Belegar is back. We have new fun, boys!"
“waaaagh！”
“waaaaagh！”
Deafening cheers erupted in the hall, almost shattering the eardrums of the Green Dwarfs.
After pausing for a moment, Skarsnik nodded and waved his staff. He smiled evilly and revealed his yellow, rotten teeth. "Hehe … You're so aggressive, Belega. You even brought a bunch of canned shrimps with you. But if you want to defeat me like this, you're dreaming!"
"I have already thought of how to deal with this expeditionary army!"
"That is to carry out a full-scale guerrilla warfare, prepare for a protracted battle, and at the same time, scorched earth!"
"Let this expeditionary army formed by Beard and shrimps be drowned in the green sea that belongs to Brother What and Brother Hell!"
“waaaagh！！！”
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