industrial lord

Chapter 789 Fishing Law Enforcement
Frederick's eyes darted around twice, and Maria knew he was up to something.

A moment later, Frederick instructed the respectfully standing innkeeper, "Very interesting pastries, please bring me another plate fresh from the oven."

"Remember, don't add anything, keep it in its original state."

"And some more high-quality sweet cream, the kind that's whipped to perfection, with an extremely smooth and delicate texture, preferably in multiple flavors."

“You,” he said, turning to the servants beside him, “go find a clean, small syringe, the kind doctors use to clean deep wounds.”

Maria looked at her husband with anticipation, her intelligent eyes filled with curiosity as she waited for him to come up with this new dessert that she thought would be delicious.

The boss and his servants did the same, but they immediately responded respectfully and quickly went to do it.

Soon, a plate of steaming, hollow puff pastry balls, exuding the rich aroma of freshly baked butter and flour, a bowl of whipped sweet cream as white and fluffy as the first snow and as smooth as silk, and a metal syringe that had obviously been carefully sterilized were carefully placed on the table in front of Frederick.

Under the curious and inquisitive gazes of the crowd, Frederick began his operation.

He picked up the syringe, steadily inserted it into the delicate little bowl filled with cream, and slowly sucked in the full amount of snow-white, sweet cream.

Then, he selected the roundest-looking hollow flaky pastry ball, gently held it in place with his fingers, carefully inserted the thin needle of the syringe into the most inconspicuous spot at the bottom of the ball, and then pushed the piston with steady and slight force to slowly inject the cool, silky sweet cream into the inside.

His movements were meticulous, and his expression was so focused that it was as if he were conducting a precise and important experiment, rather than simply fiddling with a dessert.

Soon, a cream puff was ready.

Frederick handed the new pastry to Maria, who had been watching him intently, and said, “Here, my dear, try this cream puff.”

With a childlike curiosity and anticipation, Maria gently accepted the pastry her husband offered and gracefully took a bite.

The incredibly crispy outer layer burst open, instantly filling the mouth with cool, delicate, and perfectly sweet cream that wasn't cloying at all, creating a striking and delightful contrast in texture with the warm, crispy crust.

Her eyes immediately lit up, and a surprised and satisfied smile bloomed on her face. She exclaimed sincerely, "Mmm! What a wonderful taste!"

"The outer crust was still warm, with a freshly baked aroma, while the cream inside was refreshingly cool. This interplay of hot and cold was quite unique!"

"Moreover, the flavor is much richer and more complex, making it far more delicious than eating the pastry alone or dipping it in sauce!"

Frederick looked at the undisguised surprise and satisfaction on his wife's face, and a smile of accomplishment curled at the corner of his mouth.

Frederick made one for himself, and after tasting it carefully, he nodded affirmatively and said, "It seems my idea was right; the effect is indeed quite good."

He then turned to the teahouse owner, who was watching with great interest, and said with a smile, "You can try making these cream puffs to sell, and I won't charge you any patent fees."

The boss was so excited that his face turned red.

However, Frederick was unaware that his casual use of the word "puff" had led to numerous academic papers on its etymology.

When the wall clock struck four, Frederick and Maria, surrounded by their guards, left the teahouse, satisfied.

Frederick carried several boxes of cream puffs carefully made by the teahouse owner. In addition to sweet cream, there were several other flavors, and even some with jam.

“I’m sure of it,” he told Maria, “that within three days someone will definitely stuff meat in.”

Maria asked, puzzled, "Isn't that normal?"

Frederick had nothing to say.

Back at his hotel, Frederick enthusiastically distributed his newly invented snacks to his officials and servants, letting everyone enjoy this unexpected treat.

Then Frederick went to the bedroom, where a "white bear" was lying.

Susan, wearing a warm polar bear-shaped pajama, was sprawled on the bed, hibernating and snoring softly. Frederick, learning she had been sleeping since after breakfast, carried her away.

Dinner was served in the brightly lit hot spring room, where food suitable for eating with your hands was laid out on the table by the pool, and drinks were placed in the ice bucket, with steam rising and exuding the unique warmth of sulfur.

Just after finishing his meal, a secret letter, sealed with sealing wax and marked with the highest level of authority, arrived in Frederick's hands.

Frederick left the spa room and went to his study alone to open the letter, his eyes scanning the contents of the letter with lightning speed.

As he expected, the letter contained the message that once someone commits treason, the second and third times are not far off.

Just then, Maria came over in her bathrobe and brought a steaming cup of refreshing tea.

Frederick took a sip, then pulled Maria onto his lap.

This letter concerns the arrangements for the Bohemian region, and Mary also has a say in it.

Mary took the letter and began to read it carefully with a focused expression.

As her gaze moved between the lines, her delicate brows gradually furrowed, and her expression became serious.

The letter contained a very detailed record of the secret meeting between Count Marcin and Lady Bibian that afternoon. Marcin agreed to use the channels of the nobles in the Bohemian region to obtain grain aid from the Duchy of Wessen for the region, which would eventually be transported to the Kingdom of Piast.

Maria put down the letter, looked up at her husband, and said seriously and with worry, "According to the current code of our Duchy of Wesen, defrauding state aid and special subsidies is an extremely serious crime."

"The actions that Marchin and Bibian are plotting, if they were to occur within the Duchy, would be serious enough to subject them to the most severe punishments, possibly even the death penalty."

"Now that the food aid program for Bohemia is about to officially launch, should we make advance preparations and take some necessary precautions or restrictive measures to prevent them from succeeding and causing losses?"

Frederick gently stroked her long hair down her back, gazing at the map on the wall. His voice was calm and unwavering, revealing no emotion whatsoever: "You are absolutely right. Defrauding the state of aid is defrauding me of my money, which is an undeniable serious crime."

He paused slightly, then said calmly, "However, my dear, the Bohemian region, at least under the current legal framework and in terms of international recognition, is not yet under the direct jurisdiction of the Principality of Wessen."

"Therefore, I have no right to inquire about or manage what they are planning there now."

Maria immediately and keenly caught the subtle and profound implication in her husband's words.

She hesitated for a moment, then involuntarily asked in a low voice, "You mean, you were actually intentionally staging a sting operation?"

"You are using this opportunity of providing large-scale aid to Bohemia as a test. Your goal is to see clearly which nobles and forces here are secretly colluding with the Kingdom of Piast and standing on the opposite side of us, so as to accurately identify those hidden unstable factors that may become major threats in the future."

"Or, to identify specific targets in advance for possible future integrated operations."

Frederick neither directly admitted nor denied his wife's speculation.

Mary understood.

After returning from the Battle of Red Waterwheel Village, where she charged into enemy lines with the soldiers, she developed a different perspective on politics.

In the past, politics discussed in salons was always warm and friendly, with national affairs decided over tea and meals.

I've discovered that sometimes, holding up a knife can be surprisingly convenient.

Of course, you can't just raise a knife whenever you want; like many things, you need to be prepared first.

This preparatory work falls exactly within the responsibilities of the Ministry of Culture.

(End of this chapter)