When the Saint comes, she does not collect food

Chapter 1110 Insects, Never Changing

There's a reason why Jeanne became a hero in the hearts of the people of Dawn Island.

Her own achievements are important, but publicity is also crucial.

Napoleon was able to reverse his reputation as a tyrant thanks to the Battle of Saint Helena, so what if Jeanne is a foreign woman?

The priests from the Holy Alliance Truth Court were well aware of this, and were even more familiar with the messianic mentality of the common people within the Messianic culture.

Fortunately, Saint Union has a complete system and team of playwrights, enabling it to quickly produce scripts and tour in the countryside.

Various tropes and jokes that resonate with ordinary people are emerging one after another, and it has already become a mature industry chain.

Compared to the refined aristocratic dramas of the past, Saint Union's plays quickly gained popularity among countless ordinary citizens.

As the first work they worked on, Joan of Arc was undoubtedly their dream book.

In addition, Joan of Arc did indeed achieve several victories that were considered "unbelievable" by the Dawn Islanders.

This glimmer of hope amidst despair, guided with silken smoothness by the monks of the Holy Alliance, catalyzed the mythologizing of Jeanne d'Arc, played by Jeanne d'Arc, among the common people.

Some even said, "If you give the order, we will support you as the King of Dawn Island."

However, Jeanne has always been rather averse to this kind of thing.

As for the oligarchs and middle-class citizens of the five cities, they scoffed at this.

Because you commoners have no power, and their taxes are the source of funding for the army.

Without our money, your Dawn Island Defense Committee is nothing.

Now that the war has progressed to this point, the enemy's numbers have decreased, so it's reasonable for them to reduce the number of soldiers they have to save money, right?
"Did they really say that?" Jeanne's face darkened.

Bradak nodded with a wry smile: "Although many people are on our side, the vast majority still think this way."

In April, when spring is in full bloom, Jeanne's expression was as cold as ice as she paced back and forth beside the military training ground with a furrowed brow.

"They've gone too far!" Michelle shouted, raising an eyebrow. "A bunch of defeated soldiers, daring to whine and complain like that."

“But what they said is partly true.” Bradak scratched his head. “At least 70% of the army’s food and pay is supplied by these oligarchs and middle-class merchants.”

“If they dare to reduce supplies, we’ll send troops to their house to demand them back.”

"Wouldn't this trigger another civil war on Dawn Island?"

“These oligarchs are no good people to begin with. They collude with the nobles. I’ve had enough of them for a long time. They should all be swept out. The artisans, citizens, and farmers are the true owners of this land.”

"You make it sound nice, but where will the money and supplies come from? Besides, wouldn't doing this confirm the Holy Alliance's interference in the Dawn Island War?"

So far, the war of words between Leia and the Holy Alliance has been relayed back and forth several times through the official letter and the French embassy.

Everyone had a vague feeling that Joan of Arc was Jeanne, but they just couldn't find a way to prove it.

Before resolving the conflict on Dawn Island, Jeanne did not want to reveal her identity, much less trigger a civil war on Dawn Island.

The battle on Dawn Island was a case of spending a fortune to buy a horse's bones. If the Holy Alliance were to seize power on Dawn Island, it would only incite resistance against the Holy Alliance from the people in other regions.

How can the Holy Alliance then export its freedom and equality to other regions and countries in the future?
In Jeanne's view, the war was still at a stalemate, just one last opportunity, one crucial moment.

Many oligarchs and nobles believed that our army had already won and only the final finishing touches were left.

The nobles and oligarchs of Dawn Island were already growing increasingly dissatisfied with the expansion of the army.

Too many middle-class and civilians have risen to positions of power in the military. If we don't curb this now, we won't be able to control it after we win the war.

Are we really going to let these peasants become high-ranking city councilors?
Therefore, no matter what they said, they refused to let Joan of Arc command and manage the soldiers under their command again.

The so-called reduction of supplies and reduction of soldiers were actually attempts to regain some military power.

The consequence of this is that what was once a complete victory that was just one step away will once again be plunged into a state of stalemate.

Can Jeanne forcefully retain the army?

It still doesn't work. The current Dawn Island army is divided into two groups: one is the militia of the Holy Alliance system, and the other is Dawn Island's own militia and mercenaries.

The former is fine, but the latter was only temporarily transferred to Jeanne's command, and she only had the right to use it, not the ownership.

With some troops missing, Jeanne will be unable to deliver the final blow, and once the kingdom's army recovers, the battle will have to continue.

It is foreseeable that once the situation begins to deteriorate, the oligarchs will return the army to Jeanne.

It would probably take several repetitions like this before the oligarchs would finally harden their hearts and minds, regardless of the consequences.

Jeanne finally understood why her brother had always been talking about "insects, insects" back then.

Don't these people know the consequences of doing this?

“Our pious region is so large, can’t we supply it by issuing IOUs or bonds?” Tora, who had been silent all along, asked in a low voice.

“It is possible, and it’s what I was going to do anyway.” Jeanne stopped walking. “But the problem is, there’s not enough time.”

From requisitioning grain to transporting grain and recruiting new soldiers to fill the gaps, once everything is completed, the Kingdom's army will probably have recovered.

This month is the last window of opportunity.

If we can't win this month, the next chance to win will probably be a year from now.

Jeanne already knew about what was happening with the Holy Alliance, and both the small purge and the war at the Royal Court were constantly on her mind.

"Bradak, do you have a way to postpone the day when those oligarchs cut their allowances?"

"Delaying it for two weeks should be possible, but it will require the cooperation of the monks in the Hundred Households District."

“I will inform them about this.” Jeanne then turned her gaze to the other waiting monks from the Hundred Households District.

In reality, the monks sent by the Holy Alliance were completely incapable of managing such a large rural occupied area.

Today, the main sources of monks in the Hundred Households District of Dawn Island, besides the Holy Alliance, are local low-ranking monks and monks from other places who come to provide support.

Since the Dawn Island Defense Committee raised the banner of the Holy Path Sect, low-ranking monks from Franlea and even Norn have been pouring in.

If the Holy Alliance, as the first Holy Path Sect nation, was the beginning of a new era, then Dawn Island was the solid first step for the followers of the Holy Path Sect.

With the help of the Holy Alliance, if Dawn Island can become independent, it means that people in other regions may also have a chance.

A large number of volunteer monks thus came under Jeanne's command.

With the addition of officers from the Holy Alliance, Jeanne had essentially assembled a complete team of both civilian and military personnel.

Currently, Windmill Land and Dawn Island are the two major sources of the Holy Alliance's export of the Holy Path.

"Besides helping Bradak, you should also try to bring over as much food as possible."

If the oligarchs threaten you, you can back down, but there must be a benefit in doing so.

"What benefits?" The leading monk asked, looking puzzled.

Jeanne paused for a moment: "Tell them that when the country is established in the future, farmers will also have the right to vote. Just get this promise from them."

In the past, if the oligarchs hadn't acknowledged the debt, the farmers probably would have just let it go.

But now that the Holy Alliance is backing them, the situation is different.

At this moment, Tora seemed to suddenly realize something, and he slowly approached: "Your Excellency Joan of Arc, what is the meaning of your actions?"

"What do you mean?"

"Aren't you planning to leave the city and defeat the enemy within a month? Isn't that too risky?"

"Shh." Jeanne playfully put her index finger to her lips. "It's a secret."

　P.S. There will be more later.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)