Minister of Finance, Wooden Leg Frey was very happy today, or he would be so happy after the monthly open-air market. So much so that he whistled a rare whistle when he walked into the chamber.
The Imperial Prime Minister Manuel, the Grand Scholar Canute, and the Augustan King Fernando, who were already seated, were not surprised by this. Because the Minister of Finance is in a good mood, it indicates that there is no problem with the empire's financial resources.
Boom! Boom! Frey slowly walked to his seat, and after sitting down, he carefully leaned his swallow-headed cane against the table. The four people in this stone room at this moment are the ones at the helm of the fate of Aogu City.<
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"Now that everyone is here, let's start today's imperial meeting?" Imperial Prime Minister Manuel cleared his throat, turned his head and asked King Fernando of Ogu with his eyes.
I don't know when the morning light came through the glass window, reflecting the four people's faces in colorful colors. The morning's meeting was neither long nor short.
Although everyone is describing the future and yesterday, in Frey's view, these are just confusing accounts that go around in circles.
As the finance minister of the royal city, he has to worry about many things every day. Because even if a noble has a minor illness, it may change the numbers on the financial report.
Just like the old Marquis who lost his son not long ago, he rarely goes out until today. Naturally, the gold coins in his pocket have also become decorations. Who can make money if he doesn't consume? Civilians can't make money, and the empire's tax revenue
Where did it come from?
Perhaps compared to King Augu, he is the one who sincerely hopes for peace in the world. Because only in this way can the treasury under his jurisdiction not be exhausted by war.
Frey walked into his office room, closed the wooden door, and slowly took off his left foot. At this moment, his eyes revealed endless sadness.
Compared with those great aristocratic families that have existed for thousands of years, his family is like the difference between elven delicacies and ashes at the bottom of a pot. Although his grandfather's net worth skyrocketed during the Holy War, there are some things that money cannot buy.
Such as nobility.
Nobility is an inheritance engraved in the soul and blended into the blood. It is the kind of shamelessness in facing disasters, and it is the twisted pleasure of enjoying intrigues.
Therefore, countless people lost their heads soon after the new king took over, including the former finance minister.
But Frey's father was a smart man, or it was the nature of a businessman. Therefore, after spending almost all his money, his father finally climbed into the stone house of the Royal Council.
This incident angered the nobles like a thunderbolt, but King Ogu's reaction to it made them shut up. No one wanted to be killed, and no one dared to question the new king's decision.
Time flies, and the sun and the moon fly by. The already elderly father feels more and more powerless. But fortunately, his son Frey is gradually growing up.
But just on the eve of King Ogu's permission to give up the position of Finance Minister to his son, Frey was suddenly attacked, and his left leg was cut off at the knee.
Although Frey managed to save a small life with the help of the Arcane Guild and the Grand Master, he will have to live with a prosthetic leg for the rest of his life.
He once tried to commit suicide, and even hated his father and those nobles. But life will not stop because of a certain person. When people are hungry, they should eat, and naturally they have to find ways to untie the knots in their hearts.
For three years, Frey locked himself in a room for three years. He only did one thing every day, which was to read all the books that could help him secure his position as finance minister, and paint his face full of hypocrisy. p>
Three years later, he stood in the sunshine again, feeling the noise and chaos of Augu City. At this time, Frey had completed his transformation, although one of his legs was torn off when he emerged from the shell.
He took the swallow-headed cane that his father never left, and walked slowly but firmly towards the palace. It was the first time he had such a close conversation with King Ogu, and it was also the first day he became the Minister of Finance.<
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At this point, the name Frey the Wooden Leg spread throughout the streets, and although the nobles still disdained it, they also sent congratulatory gifts one after another.
However, the first thing Frey did was to find out the count who had hired someone to chop off his left leg. With the acquiescence of King Fernando of Augusta, he had his house confiscated and dismissed.
Dongdong! Dongdong! Frey's swallow-headed cane and wooden legs rubbed against the ground, and the heartbroken earl slumped in the blood.
However, it was not over yet. Frey slowly raised his cane and smashed the exquisite swallow's mouth into the opponent's head. As for the others, their left legs were cut off and thrown into the manure pit...
...
"Sir, the envoy from the frozen continent has arrived. Look..." The guard's voice brought Frey back to the real world. Only then did he realize that the coffee on the table had already gone cold.
"Welcome, Ms. Belinda, the mayor of Changsuo City." Frey said with a smile, but did not get up.
"I have read your transaction documents, but I prefer the sale of raw materials rather than the sale of finished products." Frey thought for a while and continued.
Time passed minute by minute, and finally, at nearly noon, Belinda slammed the door and left in anger. But Frey, who had always been sitting in the wooden chair, was not surprised.
In the eyes of the world, power and strength always rule the world, and property is just an accessory. This is like the room that can make people sleep peacefully, not the quilt.
But Frey doesn't think so. He always feels that money is the fundamental driving force of historical development. Wars are for money, fighting for power is for money, and everyone is doing it for money.
Anything whose value can be calculated is worthy of attention. On the contrary, most of it is pedantic and is just an affectation after being penniless.
"I hope those magic cannons purchased by His Majesty this year will never be used." Frey frowned and thought, this matter is his biggest headache now.
Countless transaction documents were placed in front of him, and the day's work was coming to an end. Frey reattached his wooden leg and left slowly holding the swallow-headed cane.
Now he is no longer the boy he once was. After giving up all illusions, he only thinks that his children will be able to see the world as clearly as he does in the future.
Boom! Boom! Frey appeared in the market area more than half an hour later. The merchants were seen bowing and saluting, for fear of offending the finance minister.
There is only one reason why he chose to come here today, and that is to collect his own commission. As for the source of the commission, it comes from the just-concluded open-air market and the well-known underground auction.
"Lord Frey, this is your gold coin for this month." Eric, the owner of the market district and a merchant family among the four major families, said with a smile.
"Huh? Why are there so many? Has the ancient scroll of fire magic been sold?" Frey weighed his money bag and asked in surprise.
"That's right, sir, that thing was bought by someone just last night. I don't know which idiot it was." Eric still maintained the gesture of bowing and saluting, not daring to take it lightly.
"Haha, in that case, I'll leave this thing to you." Frey stuffed the money bag into his arms, but took out something again.
Eric looked at the retreating figure. Although his expression was still respectful, he kept cursing in his heart. Because what he was holding was another fire magic scroll. If Boom was there, he would definitely recognize it.