Demon Alliance, Brooke Empire, Western Section of the Grand Canal.
It was a tailwind, but the old-fashioned transport ship was still moving slowly on the canal, because only half the sail was hung on the main mast in the middle. The well-dressed nobles couldn't stand the speed, and kept sending people from the exclusive cabin to the deck to vent their anger.
The captain kept pointing out the crack in the middle of the mainmast to them and told them that the crack was caused by the rubble stone of the Sbia Expeditionary Force in the last war, and then the yelling would disappear.
At the hatch.
On this ship, during this period, no one will openly insult Sibia, not even the nobles and warriors, because this is an area controlled by the Southern Treaty Merchant Group - scolding other people's masters on their territory,
Do you think your life is too long?
In fact, even those aristocratic gentlemen know that it would be nice to have such an old boat to ride on. You must know that in other parts of the canal, the most popular means of transportation now are small fishing boats and sampans. Those luxurious and comfortable shuttle boats in the past were first
One batch was destroyed during the war, another batch was lost after the war, and a batch was recently requisitioned by the Canal Defense Force. It is difficult to see them again.
How high is the transportation pressure on the Grand Canal? Even the broken ships that sank in the water were snapped up and bought before they were salvaged. No matter what type of ship they were, they were repaired and used.
It's not that there are no new ships being launched. There are many shipyards along the canal, but those ships have already been ordered by the treaty merchant group and used directly to offset the compensation for the defeat. Because there is a diplomatic treaty, even the emperor cannot jump in the queue.
Passengers who had no money to enter the cabin gathered around, chatting, and various news gathered on the deck. People who came from the treaty business group territory vividly told others about their experiences, how heavy the taxes were, how difficult the world was, and what the people had.
How discouraging... After hearing this, the passengers from Foxborough would sneer, describe what the man just said three to five times more tragically, and then swear to tell everyone that this is the truth.
The current state of the empire.
Occasionally, someone will interrupt this boring game of "Who is the worst? I am the worst!" and call on everyone to join the treaty business group as soon as possible to find a way out. Then the royalists on the deck will make noises, and then both sides will start talking.
Let's fight...
The captain shouted hoarsely and insisted on justice, threatening whoever fought again would be thrown into the water, but there were also heartless people betting on who would win.
In this kind of matter, Crow's observation ability is extremely keen. He won ten games in a row. Cohen was so angry when he lost that he wished he could fight in person... When the young master's endurance reached the limit, the ship finally came to sea.
Got on the pier.
"This is the hub city at the western end of the Grand Canal? It's not small, but it's a bit dilapidated." Crow got off the boat and looked back at the bridge that was damaged in the war in the distance: "How are we going to find a place to eat?
?”
"It has been arranged long ago. Look at the people over there." Cohen looked at a group of people disembarking from the boat: "Do you see the trick?"
"Mage, warrior." Crow said, "Nothing strange."
"They are just guards, the consumptive ghost in the middle is the master." Cohen said with a smile: "Follow us, he will be our guide."
The full name of the Demonic Treaty Merchant Group should be "The Demonic Alliance and the Exclusive Treaty Merchant Group for Post-war Affairs of the Sbia Empire". This full name is not only wordy, but also makes demonic people feel depressed when it is called, so it will only
It is used in the most formal documents. In daily documents and verbally, demon countries, internal personnel of the business group, and even the business group headquarters call it the Southern Treaty Business Group - there is no need to worry about duplication of names. Those private business groups are absolutely
Don't have the guts to fight for the name.
In the past, the Southern Treaty Merchant Group was headquartered near the capital, and was originally only separated by a river from Foxborough City. However, later, due to the worsening relationship between the Merchant Group and the Bruck Empire, the Merchant Group became weak in terms of strength and morals.
It began to move its headquarters, and then moved again and again until it retreated to Vuitton City, a hub city in the western section of the Grand Canal.
After that, the Southern Treaty Business Group began to show a tough side towards the Brook Empire. In fact, the reason was very simple, because this was the final limit for the Treaty Business Group to give in - Weeden City was the post-war indemnity and settlement of demons.
The key point of material exchanges is that when the treaty with the Sibia Empire was signed, Sibia repeatedly required the business group to control Weeden City to ensure that compensation and materials could be transported smoothly to Sibia. If the Southern Treaty Business Group could not do this,
If this is the case, then there is no need for it to exist!
Therefore, Weeden City is as important to the Southern Treaty Business Group as Foxburg is to the Brooke Empire.
The Southern Treaty Business Group knew this very well, so it took root in Weeden City in the early days of its establishment and operated it as a base camp. The old Emperor Brooke also knew this, so more than half of the empire's military deployments were aimed at this.
The city on the canal. Between Foxborough and Weeden City, the troops of both sides were deployed layer by layer along the canal, and the atmosphere of war was already quite strong.
In the confrontation stage before the two beasts fight, there will always be some vultures and wild dogs wandering around who want to take advantage of the fight. Although these beasts that live on carrion are not very powerful, in the eyes of a wise commander, they
It is not completely useless. The leader of the Southern Treaty Business Group, Duke Swice Hepburn, is a wise commander, so even in such tense days, he is still meeting with representatives of these forces.
Along the canal, the warriors inside and outside the city walls were on guard, but at this moment, various banquets were being held in the Duke's temporary residence, and people were coming and going... If it weren't for the Duke's absolute authority here, plus
He has always had an outstanding reputation, but his backbone has long been broken by the military and civilians.
But the Duke himself cannot take care of this. He is now not a general who only needs to be responsible for a certain battle, but the only leader who controls the treaty business group. The treaty business group is very large, and this leader's identity is in every aspect the same as that of the emperor.
Even though the business group's management system is not yet sound enough to rival that of the empire, the Duke has to do a lot of things that are important to him. How can he be "busy"?
"Your Highness the Duke." The guard captain knocked gently on the door: "The guests have arrived and are waiting in the small living room."
"I got it." Duke Swice said a few words to the secretary beside him, put down the official documents in his hands and went out. Several deputies followed him closely, flipping through the data in their hands, and reporting the guest's information and information to the Duke.
Things to pay attention to during the interview.
"As soon as the frontline military report arrives, it will be sent to my room." Duke Swice took the data and looked through it himself, and then explained to the adjutant: "From tomorrow on, every batch of materials shipped to the frontline will have to be increased by 20%. It is not enough.
The amount will be intercepted in the nearby merchant group's escort of supplies, and the losses will be reported to Sbia. If necessary, you can also use next year's losses - the front line must be guaranteed!"
"Let the Secretariat make a notice to convey to the imperial officials and lords in the area around the canal that I don't want their money, I want labor, a lot of labor." When passing by the stairwell, the Duke arranged his order in front of the mirror on the wall.
He checked the meter and said: "Three quotas will be allocated to every ten households and sent to Vuitton as quickly as possible... If not, I will ask the laborers to dig a joint burial pit for them!"
The adjutants quickly took notes until they arrived at the door of the small living room before handing the Duke over to his personal maids - the deft maids arranged the Duke's clothes, gave him mouthwash, and handed him a handkerchief.
A poor man who stayed up late dressed himself up in a grand manner and was astonishingly efficient.
"Good day, everyone." As soon as the door of the small living room opened, Duke Sves was no longer the decisive leader of the business group, but an elegant and graceful aristocratic diplomat: "Have I kept everyone waiting for too long?"
The guests stood up and were polite, and then the guests and hosts sat down on the sofa respectively. After a brief but necessary greeting, everyone entered the topic of common concern. Anyone who can allow Duke Swice to invite into the small living room does not represent a small power.
Of course, they also have a broader vision than others. They don't want to eat scraps, but want to follow the Duke to tear a piece of meat from the Bruck Empire.
Everyone knows that if you want to eat fresh meat, you have to work hard, but everyone has their own opinion on the ratio of working hard to eating meat.
"We can only send out one hunting group and three thousand private soldiers. As for announcing the army before the battle begins, we cannot fulfill this request. But as compensation, in the middle of the war we will raise our own supplies and send an additional one.
Set up a security force of no less than 1,500 people to help the business groups maintain local security..."
"Two regiments of six thousand private soldiers. The supplies will be provided by the merchant group. As for the guards, they will be exempted." The Duke understood the other party's intention and replied with a smile: "I am not selling my official position, but the merchant group will give it to you after the war."
The family has the right to operate an exclusive product, tax-free for six months."
"That's...okay!" Knowing the Duke's uncompromising style on such matters, the other party nodded.
A secretary immediately came to take people out to sign the agreement, and another guest had already begun to explain his family's position.
"We can fulfill His Highness's other requests, but it is difficult for us to terminate the marriage between my young lady and the prince. Your Highness knows that the family's reputation is very important. This marriage was already scheduled years ago..."
"The marriage must be suspended, and it must be announced in a high-profile manner. Let the whole country know that your family is not optimistic about the prospects of the royal family in this war. Don't make bets between the two families. This is the prerequisite for our cooperation." The Duke said in a tone that left no room for doubt.
Said: "As long as the prince is not dead, you can still marry the young lady after the war. In this case, won't the family's reputation be preserved?"
"About arranging for my master to rebel before the battle..."
"About my family's revelation that the emperor embezzled war reparations..."
"About asking my family to stop supplying food and medicine to Foxborough..."
Every matter mentioned by the guests would normally be a serious crime of confiscating a family and exterminating a family, but in this small living room, it was discussed as if it were a trivial matter, because these families knew very well the background and capabilities of the Nanyue Merchant Group.
I also know that in the eyes of the business group, these things are business, and there is nothing to avoid - everyone is poaching corners of the empire, who is afraid of being betrayed by someone? Even if the old emperor knows, can he take care of it? Apart from the business group,
Does he still have the energy to care about anything else?
Soon, the guests left one after another, and there were only the last three people left in the hall. Duke Swiss flipped through the information a little rudely to understand the contents of the transactions between these three companies and himself. Taking advantage of the Duke's actions, one of the closest people came.
His guest also cleared his throat and prepared to speak.
"Your Highness the Duke, regarding the supplies my family will provide to the business group along the way, we have prepared twelve points, and we can also open new ones... Sorry, let me look at the data." The elderly guest put his hand into his pocket and put something in his pocket.
While the Duke was waiting in his eyes, what he took out from his pocket was a magic crystal entangled with various colors, and he raised it towards the Duke: "The royal family sends its regards to His Highness!"
"Assassin!" As early as the moment when the guest's hand came out of his pocket, Duke Swiss had already noticed that something was wrong, but something happened suddenly, so he could only fall back and overturn the sofa in front of him to protect his own body.
The magic barrier was also deployed at the same time - but it was obvious that the thing in the assassin's hand was enough to completely destroy the entire building, but the Duke himself had no chance to escape. He could only raise the level of the magic barrier to the extreme to resist
The coming impact!
No sound.
There was no violent light, and no vibration was felt. Only some strange sounds came. The Duke was very strange. He waited a moment before sticking his head out to check. Then, the Duke saw what he had never seen in his life.
, the most breathless assassin.
Another guest pinched the assassin's hand raised in the air and was held in a double grip. The bright colors in the magic crystal had faded a lot. A person who could suppress this explosive magic by himself in a short period of time
, the all-demon alliance... no, even in the whole continent of Bis, there are not many of them, at least not by Duke Sivis himself!
The assassin was angry and anxious, and waved his other fist desperately to hit the person who stopped him. What a pity, those who can launch this kind of magic assassination are all great magicians with superb attainments. This harsh requirement determines that the assassin is a weakling.
The person with the power of binding a chicken... He was shaken by the opponent and couldn't even stand firmly. How could he hit the opponent? His old face was already full of tears!
Although it is still unclear who prevented this tragedy, Duke Swice was grateful for it. If the other party had successfully activated magic, he himself would have survived, but the loss to the business group would have been immeasurable.
"Can you please explain a little bit, your Excellency?" Just as the Duke was trying to identify the other party, a familiar voice sounded in his ears: "Why do you look so unlucky every time I see you?"
The Duke's eyes trembled for a moment, then moved sideways to the left, and saw a squatting man beside the sofa. Although only half of his face could be seen clearly from this angle, the expression on it was already evil enough!
"Koen Keda!" Duke Swice gritted his teeth: "It's you!"
"Well, it's me." Someone took off the mask on his face, revealing the face of a mad wolf: "I said, do you want to stand up first? Such a handsome person, lying on the ground and pretending to be dead
Dogs are not very elegant..."
"You arranged this assassination!" Siwes stood up and lowered his voice: "What do you want to do?"
"Don't look at me with old eyes. People will make progress. But the most fundamental thing is that I don't have the time and have no interest in doing such a tasteless thing..." Cohen threw himself into the single sofa next to him: "Originally
I just came to say hello to you, but I didn’t expect to foil this dear friend’s plan. You know, I’m not the kind of person who likes to make small reports, and I can’t interrupt you in advance.”
"You guys should disperse, there's nothing wrong here." The Duke ordered at the door, then turned around and said, "It's not you? Are you so kind to save me?"
"What can't be saved... You can't die. It's none of my business if others die, but the female noblewoman conferred by the first emperor of the Jiliguala continent's Xilihuala empire can't have anything happen to her for such a boring reason. By the way, when it comes to this, call her
Bring us something to drink." Cohen chuckled and turned to his companions: "Stop playing and let this guy be quiet!"
After a soft crackling sound, the shocked assassin was thrown onto the sofa. His joints were removed from his whole body, with the magic crystal still in his mouth.
Siwes went to the door again to give some instructions. One of his personal maids, that is, the "female noblewoman conferred by the first emperor of the Jiliguala Continent's Xilihuala Empire" walked in quietly, and after greeting Cohen and others
Various drinks were served, and even one was placed in front of the assassin.
"Your Excellency Mad Wolf, who lives alone, now has a companion?" After the maid left the scene, Duke Swice sat down in his original position and said with a stiff face: "Why, I feel that I have done too many bad things, and I am worried that someone will
Looking for trouble?"
In fact, the Duke understands that there must be a reason for Cohen's sudden appearance in front of him, but he cannot speculate. Moreover, he is still unable to face Cohen calmly, which is clearly reflected in his words and deeds.
But Cohen didn't have this problem. To put it simply, this man's thickness of skin has broken records. He laughed again after hearing this: "I'm afraid that when you see me, I will rush up and chop you. Of course, I have to prepare a weapon that can pull you away."
helper."
"This is a business group." Duke Swice's expression became even more unkind: "Only business is discussed on my territory!"
"Of course, do I want to have a relationship with you?" Cohen pulled out a piece of tissue paper and threw it over: "I have a personal business to discuss with you."
The Duke took it, unfolded it and his brows began to beat: "Are you kidding me?"
"I won't do anything that is easy." Cohen shook his head: "You read that right, I want to provide you with three regiments of 9,000 private soldiers, as well as five special forces, and even - if you need it,
I will lend you another magician brigade. The level of these people is not comparable to that of the noble private soldiers, and they are enough to help you win a key battle. As long as you nod, they can arrive here within five days.
There is no doubt that I have ambushed men in Brooke a long time ago, you should be lucky that you are using them."
Duke Sivis was silent for a long time before he said: "What terms do you want in exchange..."
"Isn't that written all over it?" Cohen's face was full of a warm smile: "If you don't agree, I think your uncle will agree. It's a war now, who doesn't want to be stronger?
?”
The Duke's gaze at this moment was as ferocious as if he wanted to eat someone.
"Silent, that's good, I'll take it as your promise!" Cohen laughed and stood up: "This assassin guy is very interesting. I'll take him away - don't give it away, don't give it away, otherwise I won't be able to leave.