"Cost?" Duke Otto almost cursed when he heard this word, "The Pirate Kingdom is invading our country, and you actually have to calculate the cost first?"
"At any time, cost is the top priority. Especially this time, we are facing the 'Triumph'." Fray Avine returned calmly, "We heard that the 'Triumph'
'The entire village of Brizania evaporated in an instant. This shouldn't be a rumor, right?"
Duke Otto's voice suddenly became lower: "It's not a rumor. But it may not be the work of the Triumphant..."
"From a strength perspective, the only ones who can do this are the Triumphs, right? And I also heard that the Triumphs completely saw through your plan and robbed your team transporting military supplies three times in a row.
, is this true?"
Freavenet's words hit Duke Otto's heart. Duke Otto lowered his head and said nothing.
"So, what was the result of this 'rally'?" Freavenet asked again.
Prince Otto slapped the chair hard.
"Those cowards... when they heard that the Triumphant had figured out our plan to raid the pirate kingdom, they were so scared that they all wet their crotches. We can't count on them at all."
Having said this, Duke Otto raised his head with a glimmer of hope.
"So, Fray Aveney, if you can help me..."
Fray Avine shrugged: "In that case, we can't help you."
"Fraevine, have you really thought it through?" Duke Otto said in surprise: "If you let the 'Triumpher' go, you will never want to do good business in the future!"
"So after we return this time, we will send people to Stade to find out the news. If possible, we will reach a deal with the 'Triumpher' and pay regular monthly tribute of some funds in exchange for the peace of my caravan."
Duke Otto couldn't help but cursed: "Tribute? Are you serious? Even if she agrees, it will be a huge expenditure over many years! Have you really calculated the cost?"
"Yes, it will be a huge expense. When I think of this, my heart starts to hurt. I think all the businessmen in Hamburg feel the same as me. But at least it can ensure the peace of our business.
.But if we support you, we will not only lose everything, but our family may also be destroyed."
"Your family is ruined? Are you also afraid of the 'Triumpher'? It's clear that she has only sent a small force now, are you going to surrender?"
"Then why haven't you dealt with this small force now? Not even a small-scale war? Duke Otto, we are not fools. We still had hope at the beginning, but now we have seen through it - you nobles
Also afraid of the 'Triumpher'!"
Every word Freavenet struck at Duke Otto's heart.
"I think it's not just the city of Hamburg that thinks so. A few months ago, the businessmen in Lübeck thought that the Federation could be their backer, and they dared to go to the Triumph to collect debts. But now, they have been frightened all the way from Gotland.
Running back!"
Prince Otto fell silent.
Gu Zheng
Looking at Duke Otto like this, Freavine added calmly: "Duke Otto, I know that you have always been a calm person and will not act out of impulse. There is one thing I advise you -
—It’s not just businessmen who need to worry about costs. In many cases, you nobles need it even more.”
"……what do you mean?"
"I think the enemies you have to deal with are not just the 'Triumphers', right?"
"Of course not! The biggest enemy of the Federation is the Count of Île-de-France! Just let the pirate kingdom's behavior go unchecked. The Tianfang Empire only sent one envoy, and he surrendered and turned the Alemannic Federation into a subsidiary of the Tianfang Empire.
The country is simply a waste!"
"We are just businessmen, and we don't care whose vassal the Alemanni Federation is. But the Abrahamic Orthodox Church... they actually think that usury is evil. It's just talk, and they actually issue a large number of low-interest loans. This is completely
You just have trouble with our money. I think it’s not just us, but Duke Otto’s plan to acquire land has also been affected to some extent, right?”
Duke Otto is a smart man, and before Freiavine could continue, he understood Freiavine's intention: "You mean...let me form an alliance with the 'Triumphant' to attack the Earl of Île-de-France and Abraham."
Orthodox Church?”
From the change in Duke Otto's expression, Frei Avene already knew that he had been attracted by this proposal. He smiled and said: "We need a leader who has the courage to expel the Abrahamic Orthodox Church. If you do this,
We, the merchants of Hamburg, will stand firmly on your side - Chief Consul, Otto."
The meeting with Duke Otto was over. Freaverne rested for the night in the Duchy of Anglia. When daybreak, he and his entourage dressed up as farmers and set out on their way back to Hamburg.
The carriage might be targeted by the "Triumphers", so everyone could only walk. But Frei Avenet's body was a little fat, and asking him to walk for several days to Hamburg like an ordinary farmer would be equivalent to killing him.
.In this case, he chose to play a patient so that he could have his entourage carry him all the way back on a stretcher without making passers-by suspicious.
Compared to a horse-drawn carriage, this "vehicle" was not only bumpier, but also subject to wind and sun all the way, which made Fréavine complain incessantly. Thanks to this, he became more like a patient.
"Why are you walking so slowly beside me!" He yelled at one of his followers. Two people were enough to carry the stretcher. In his eyes, the rest were just wasting time doing nothing. "I am spending time."
I hired you with the money! Go to work for me! Run back to Hamburg for me! Prepare the carriage for me! Then prepare the honey water and run back and bring it to me to drink! Oops, I’m so thirsty...
"
However, the unlucky follower's physical strength was not enough to support him running all the way to Hamburg and back. When Freiavine arrived outside Hamburg, he scolded the follower again and deducted 10% of his salary.
After getting on the carriage and drinking the honey water, Frayavenet suddenly became arrogant again. An attendant handed him a plate of grapes from the carriage window. He picked up one and ate it, spitting out the grape seeds casually, and then said to him
The attendant said: "I will go to Stade in a few days to visit the 'Triumpher'. You go and buy me a gift."
"How much is it worth?" the attendant asked.
"It doesn't matter how much you spend, but it must be rare and precious. In order to win the favor of the victor, this gift must not be careless!"
Freavenet picked up another grape, and then signaled the carriage to move forward. The coachman cracked his whip, causing the carriage to rush through the city of Hamburg. A girl was struggling to walk with a sack of radishes.
On the roadside, when she saw a carriage approaching, she hurriedly tried to hide. In her haste, she fell and the man dodged, but the bag of radishes was crushed by the carriage.
"Country bumpkin, this is Lord Freyavenet's carriage, stay away next time!"
As soon as the coachman said these words, the carriage disappeared without a trace.
The girl heard a "goo" sound in her throat, and then a dirty man and a man in ragged clothes ran towards her.
