When the Saint comes, she does not collect food

Chapter 1121 Re-election and Treason

Stepping on the waxy floor, the members of parliament returned to their seats, while Jeanne, still wearing her iron mask, stood in the hall.

Although the mysterious iron mask covered her upper face, her lower face alone was enough to captivate countless believers and citizens.

She is as strong as a man, yet possesses the kindness of a mother, is also beautiful, and wears this mysterious veil.

The oligarchs cursed inwardly, thinking that these citizens and villagers were just judging people by their looks and resenting the rich.

One cannot see that these reliable businessmen have had their hearts emptied by wealth, leaving only profound wisdom and benevolent hearts.

But what these oligarchic congressmen think is not Jeanne's concern right now.

She has more important things to do.

She raised her hand and pressed it against the Holy Grail pattern on her breastplate: "I didn't want to get involved in Dawn Island's affairs. The Holy Alliance never forces others to take sides."

We have always believed that the future of Dawn Island should be determined by the people of Dawn Island, by the Father, and by the happiness of the people of Dawn Island.

But now I have to admit I was naive, because external forces have already used this to incite internal conflicts.

They want to trade the interests of the majority on Dawn Island for the benefits of a minority; I can no longer stand by and do nothing.

"External forces?" Upon hearing this name, Valeris immediately gasped in shock, "Ha! Lady Jeanne, you can't just say things like that!"
Our contact with Fran was to advocate for the interests of all Dawn Islanders.

Just because the Holy Alliance can't offer better terms than France, does that mean we should be accused of treason?

Gatz immediately chimed in, "We didn't do anything wrong!"

Jeanne didn't look at them; her gaze swept over the farmer's representative huddled in the corner, then landed on the Saint-Union member of parliament, and her voice suddenly rose:

"Each relying on their own abilities? Then let me ask you."

Who toiled in the fields to supply the Christian army? Who forged guns in the workshops to make weapons for the troops? Who shed blood on the front lines to drive away the Leias?
Aren't they Dawn Islanders? Didn't they contribute in the war? Aren't their demands important?

“Would they do it without our money?” Gredding slammed his fist on the table. “It’s just an employment relationship.”

Before Jeanne could speak, Bradak roared, "With the money you give them, is it necessary for them to work so hard that they risk their lives to labor?"
"Now the National Assembly is trying to decide everyone's future based solely on the votes of these members of parliament. Is this what they call 'each according to their ability'?"

Without giving Greedy a chance to refute, Jeanne stepped forward, glancing left and right: "We need more representatives—farmers' representatives, helpers' representatives, veterans' representatives..."

Only by taking these people's voices into account can the people of Dawn Island truly make their own decisions!

"But, but the charter was set long ago!" Gredding stood up, his neck stiff, his fingers digging into the edge of the table. "When the Five Cities Alliance first met, it was a citizens' alliance; the countryside and the military wouldn't participate..."

“The charter was set, but didn’t they participate in the war? Then go and talk to the people outside.” Jeanne gestured with her chin toward the window. “Go and persuade them to disperse.”

Greedy's stiff neck tightened instantly, and he shook his head like a rattle-drum.

The scene of someone being beaten to death outside was still vivid in his mind; he dared not go out and risk that misfortune.

The council chamber fell silent for a moment, until Valeris, panting heavily, spoke up: "On what grounds? If the Holy Alliance wants to change the constitution, they must have a reason and evidence!"

With a sneer, Jeanne suddenly waved to Bradak.

Bradak's eyes lit up instantly. He sat up straight from his chair, quickly put on his glasses, and walked around the table.

Standing in front of Jeanne, he rubbed his hands on his trousers, looking like a long-awaited lapdog.

"Hehehe!" He even made a "hehehe" sound out of his mouth.

Jeanne shook her head speechlessly at Bradak's appearance.

She pulled a thick file from her waistband and handed it over: "This is the Cheka's investigation report. I've been busy with this matter these past few days."

In front of everyone, Bradak eagerly tore open the envelope and began to read.

He quickly flipped through the files, the rustling sound of the papers turning was particularly jarring in the council chamber.

At first, Bradak only muttered to himself.

Before long, the corners of his mouth turned up higher and higher, and he finally couldn't hold back his laughter: "Hehehe! Valeris, you old pervert... cough cough."

"Sir Gatz, you're quite something. How come your name is the only one listed on the leather trade agreement concession signed with the French?"

He flipped through a few more pages, then suddenly slammed his hand on the table: "Congressman Gredding, you haven't even taken office yet, and you've already allocated the food monopoly rights for the next ten years to yourself?"

The members of parliament in the chamber were initially quite calm, but as Bradak continued his "talking to himself," they became increasingly restless.

Whether they were from the Holy Alliance faction or the neutral faction, they all craned their necks to get closer to the files in Bradak's hands.

A few of those who were nearby simply rushed over to Bradak and passed the document around, hissing as they looked at it.

Turning to the last page, Bradak picked up a list, his eyes widening in surprise: "Good heavens! This is the list of partners of the Fran Alliance, isn't it?"
"Valeris, Gatz, Gredding... Hey, doesn't your Trade Alliance have hundreds of people? Why are there only a dozen or so on the list?"

"The trade alliance agreement has been signed? When?" A Frenchman member of parliament suddenly stood up, his face ashen.

More often, people directly questioned those around them. For example, Mosley whispered to Gatz, "Wasn't it supposed to be signed next month? What's the deal with this agreement?"

“Brother Mosley…”

"Who's your brother?!"

Despite being questioned by his companions, Valeris stubbornly insisted, "It's fake, it's a forgery!"

“Where’s the forgery?” Bradak held up the file with a sarcastic tone. “Isn’t this your handwriting and wax print, Valeris? Or is this fingerprint not yours?”

Based on the previous files, the truth of the matter came to light.

The Franco-affiliated members of parliament turned pale instantly.

Originally, Charles VIII may have only wanted to expand his territory, but his subordinates would certainly not be without benefit.
Without the right conditions, who would want you?
Whether they were die-hard flange supporters or ordinary flange supporters, cold sweat was streaming down their foreheads at this moment.

The Valeris group was sweating because they never expected that such a confidential document would be leaked.

Was the Cheka too terrifying, or was there a traitor within? Or perhaps both?

As for the ordinary Franzian councilors, they included a large number of town workshop owners, city merchants, and monastic communities.

In the archives, many of the things Valeris promised were not things that Valeris' small group could actually do.

It's not that they have it, but that they do!

In other words, Valeris's little group betrayed everyone's interests and then pretended that they were the ones who fought for it.

The other Franco-affiliated members of parliament were, in a literal sense, sold out and then helped the seller count the money.

"I—you son of a bitch!" A hot-tempered congressman slammed his fist on the desk. "What the hell are you talking about?"

One of the Franco-affiliated members of parliament was trembling with anger: "Gats, we're related by marriage! I didn't even take your daughter's dowry back then!"

"No, no..." Gatz waved his hands repeatedly.

The more mild-mannered members of parliament were still shouting and cursing, while the more ill-mannered ones had already rolled up their sleeves and run towards Valeris.

Valeris jumped onto the table, trying to explain and appease the other members of parliament, but they were already unwilling to listen to him.

He had barely jumped onto the table and said a few words when a member of parliament kicked him down with a sweeping leg. Then, seven or eight hands grabbed his collar at once.

If Jeanne hadn't quickly dispatched guards to maintain order, Valeris would likely have been seriously injured.

Not only Valeris himself, but also his small group instantly turned against the rest of the Franz faction.

The lawmakers blamed and shoved each other, punched each other, and even grabbed candlesticks from the table and threw them.

The council chamber descended into chaos again, even more violently than the previous brawl.

"Lady Jeanne, what do you mean by this?" Valeris tried to remain calm, but his voice trembled. "This is an internal affair of Dawn Isle, and the Holy Alliance should not interfere!"

"If the Holy Alliance doesn't intervene, can we win?" someone immediately retorted.

“I didn’t get involved.” Jeanne shrugged, her tone flat. “This was a commissioned investigation by Congressman Bradak. After all, he’s in charge of security on Dawn Island and needs to know if anyone is jeopardizing the island’s interests.”

Bradak immediately responded, slamming the file on the table and shouting, "Gentlemen! As long as we can quell the anger of the farmers and laborers and preserve the peace of Dawn Island, I, Bradak, am willing to give anything!"

That's a beautifully said statement, but to put it another way—he will not compromise until the blood of the Franco faction members has been shed.

After they had calmed down enough, Jeanne tapped the table and said, "Look, this is what happens when you side with Fran."

You are not French, and you will never gain their true trust.

They will only incite infighting among you, tempting you with the interests of a few, and ultimately treating the entire Dawn Island as spoils of war.

"Does siding with the Holy Alliance guarantee their trust?" Grayding shouted, his eyes red. "Won't the Holy Alliance annex us? Won't they take away our assets?"

“It’s not surrendering, it’s joining.” Jeanne’s voice clearly reached everyone’s ears. “There’s precedent for this, just like the Black Serpent Bay Federation.”

His Majesty the Great has consistently stated that different places have different characteristics and that measures should be tailored to local conditions.

Even the Holy Way Sect allowed different local doctrines due to differences in economy, politics and culture.

After joining, you can preserve Dawn Island's traditions and your own culture...

For example, urban self-governance and workshop management can be achieved by abandoning those devilish behaviors that exploit the lower classes and collude with foreign enemies.

Furthermore, I can announce to you that once you join the Holy Alliance, in addition to enjoying the benefits of the Customs Union, the Holy Alliance will also place important orders with you one after another.

Your grapes, besides being used to make wine, can also be made into juice and soda; your land, besides growing grains, can also be used to grow oil crops and herbs…”

As Jeanne began her narration, several cavalrymen started distributing materials to the members of parliament present.

Inside the council chamber, things finally quieted down, with only the rustling of things being turned over remaining.

This was also the first time that many Franco-affiliated members of parliament seriously read the materials and analyses provided by the Holy Alliance.

According to the Holy Alliance's information, the Holy Alliance will not demand that Dawn Island become its territory, but rather that it exist as a member state.

Dawn Island can hold its own elections, govern itself, and choose its own national direction and taxation, just like any other normal country.

However, firstly, they will manage customs duties in a unified manner with the Holy Alliance; secondly, they will allow the Holy Alliance to invest and build infrastructure locally.

Furthermore, Dawn Island can retain military and political power, but in return, it must relinquish diplomatic power.

Militarily, the Holy Alliance will come to support and defend Dawn Island no matter what enemy attacks it.

Economically, the Holy Alliance does indeed have a large order to place with Dawn Island.

After 1455, the glass and tinplate industries in Saint-Louis developed rapidly.

In the following year, 1457, both the soda factory and the cannery were to be put into operation in St. Regis.

Horn meant that, in addition to the fruits produced by Black Snake Bay United Fruits, grapes, as the most common fruit, should also be included in the Holy Alliance's production system.

Then we can promote it as grape soda being a type of wine for children.

This might even reduce the number of cases in many areas where babies are forcibly given wine as a "baptism".

As for oilseeds, the Upper Swiss County is unexpectedly suitable for raising silver gland spiders, and it is expected that the industry will be launched and large-scale breeding will begin next year.

A large amount of oil was supplied to the production of cobweb cloth, which naturally created a demand for imported oil.

If you don't want to suffer from high tariffs on flange oil, then Dawn Island is not only a huge source of raw materials, but also a huge dumping ground for products.

Of course, Horn's dumping is a case of advanced productive forces destroying backward productive forces, and it is a case of eliminating bad assets.

If they didn't do this, where would the locals get the motivation to adopt the new productivity brought about by alchemy and the clockwork revolution?
Besides flipping through documents, I also flipped through the files of the Cheka investigations.

As for Valeris's small group, they were completely isolated and stuck together rigidly.

At this point, they gradually realized that this operation was a trap, a trap specifically set against them.

Their private soldiers stationed elsewhere couldn't get in, their guards couldn't fight their way out, and they themselves were trapped inside this narrow Parliament Hill.

Even if you want to make a comeback, you must first bow your head at this moment.

First acknowledge them, then wait for them to return to their own cities and simply go independent.

In any case, only about half of Dawn Island is currently in the hands of the newly formed Federation, while the rest is still controlled by the nobles.

Neither Fran nor Leia would refuse their surrender!

Apart from the members of Valeris's small group, the other members looked at the scattered files on the ground and listened to the gradually subsiding shouts outside the window, their faces full of struggle.

An elderly councilor with gray hair, a veteran of the Five Cities Alliance, stood up, leaning on his cane, his voice hoarse: "Your Excellency Joan of Arc, we know we were wrong... but what exactly do you want us to do?"

Jeanne looked at him, then swept her gaze across all the members of parliament: "I'm giving you one last chance to redefine the constituencies and electoral qualifications."

But this time, rural farmers, workshop laborers, and veterans of the Christian Guard will all be included in the election.

Elect representatives who truly represent all Dawn Islanders.

Then, the new parliament will vote again to decide whether to join the Holy Union, align with France, or establish an independent state.

The Holy Alliance recognizes any decision made by the majority.

The councilors looked at each other, but no one spoke.

Finally, seeing that no one was willing to step forward, the old councilor sighed and stepped forward, saying, "Alright...we agree to redraw the electoral districts."

The other members of parliament nodded in agreement, and no one objected anymore.

They had already witnessed the machinations of Fran, and there was pressure from outside workers and farmers, and the army was not under their control either.

They have lost all bargaining power.

Jeanne looked at their resigned expressions but did not relax. Instead, her expression became serious: "However, before the re-election, we have something else to do."

She pointed to the file on the ground, her voice icy: "This Cheka report contains evidence of some members of parliament colluding with foreign enemies and betraying the interests of Dawn Island."

"Valeris, Gatz, Gredding... and the dozen or so other members of parliament on the list, your treason cases need to be thoroughly investigated first."

(End of this chapter)