When the Saint comes, she does not collect food

Chapter 706: The intersection of the new and the old
"One more, one more."

"Take a break." Looking at Ruffier's face covered with notes, Armand put down the cards helplessly. "Besides, we have to meet with Mr. Quevalin later, so please be alert."

"You're already half dead, and you still care about this little formality?" Lifting the tassel-like note on the door curtain, Rufaire glanced at the pendulum clock, but still wanted to pester Armand for another try.

Armand was helpless and could only wink at the maid beside him, asking her to join forces and give in a few times.

Otherwise, Lufel is both bad and playful, and he has to win.

However, before this one started, a servant knocked on the door: "Sir Rufil, Chief Justice Quevalin is about to arrive. Do you need to wash up?"

Rufair, who had been playing cards all night, had dark circles under his eyes and frizzy hair. It was impossible for him to go to see Quevalin like this.

Therefore, Armand had to meet the respected Chief Justice of the Aiel before Ruphiel.

Standing in front of the iron gate of this riverside villa, the black oak carriage slowly stopped and a short old man wrapped in a precious beaver fur robe walked out.

He looked to be over seventy years old, with white hair and beard, and a fur hat on his head that was longer than his face.

The wrinkles on his pale face were covered with age spots, and his eyelids drooped over his eye sockets, covering half of his pupils.

But the remaining half of the pupil was dark and sharp, comparable to the damp sea breeze passing through the hall.

"You, the Thousand River Valley, have made a lot of money in our windmill land." Quevalin naturally stretched out the hand without the crutch to Armand.

"Well, we in the Thousand River Valley don't like to make money from the poor. We only like to make money from the rich, and we especially like to make money from the rich in Leia." Armand naturally supported that arm.

This is not an empty statement. After all, most of the big merchants in the sugar business in Al have agreed on this in advance.

Only most of the Leia oligarchs and a small number of Fran wealthy businessmen suffered heavy losses. The business empire of the Aiel people not only did not decrease, but increased greatly.

According to Catherine's report, this wave of investment will yield a total of up to 50 pounds in cash and high-quality assets from the oligarchs.

At least half of the Leia oligarchs went bankrupt or defected and surrendered.

According to the previous agreement, the cash portion went to Catherine, and the high-quality assets went to the Aires.

Even so, you can get about 20 gold pounds worth of precious metal currency.

Horn fought hard in Black Snake Bay for more than half a year but only managed to get back 16 gold pounds. After adding the cost of sending troops and the start-up funds allocated to Black Snake Bay, he actually did not get much.

Although the Franks will charge a hefty handling fee for the 20 gold pounds, the total amount received will not be less than 16 gold pounds.

"Isn't it time for you to stop?" Quevalin whispered as he walked forward.

In fact, this financial war will almost be over by the end of the year.

With the price of sugar falling to 18 dinars, Mitternich and Catherine have been tightening sugar distribution.

They are trying their best to keep the price at 18 dinars, and are even slowly moving it back up to 20 dinars.

After all, their main goal is to reap the benefits. If the sugar market collapses, no one will suffer.

Armand smiled and replied: "Of course, by tomorrow at the latest, the price of sugar will pick up..."

As soon as Armand finished speaking, he saw the lattice windows on the second floor of the villa opened wide.

Rufair, wearing a light silk pajamas, leaned out half of her body with her hairy head. "Teacher, Armand and I played all night last night. You guys chat first. I need to wash up."

Looking at the disheveled but rosy-cheeked Ruphiel, the frost in Quevalin's eyes increased exponentially.

"Armand."

"Ok?"

"Have you got my ivory comb?"

"How would I know where your ivory comb is?" Armand Khan came down.

"Oh, I thought it was at your place." Rufeil retreated into the room.

"We are playing cards, playing cards." Facing the sharp eyes, Armand hurriedly explained, "I strictly abide by the etiquette and never overstep the line."

"If you are polite, you shouldn't stay in a room with an unmarried lady in her pajamas all night long," Quevalin said unkindly.

"I really didn't, I'm still a virgin," Armand replied without thinking.

After staring at Armand for several seconds, Quevalin turned his head and said, "You'd better... I'm not worried about Rufaire. Even if she's pregnant, there are still a million men who want her."

"Yes, yes." After wiping the sweat from his forehead, Armand regained his polite smile.

Quevalin did not enter the villa, but turned around and said, "Since Rufeil is washing up, you can take a walk with an old man like me."

"my pleasure."

An old man and a young boy walked through the marble corridor, at the end of which was the rose and goldenrod garden attached to the villa.

"This King Gigi is not a pushover." As he walked on the road, Quivalin looked ahead. "After defeating the two dukes' territories, we need to rest for at least half a year before gathering again. It should be the spring of the year after next."

Armand helped the old man walk down the marble steps into the garden, smiling without saying a word.

Even the usually warm city of Shuiba has become colder in December. Black swallows fly back and forth under the cold clouds.

A layer of white frost condensed on the flower bed fence, and the autumn goldenrod drooped and fell limply in the pot.

Most of the flowers in the rose garden have fallen, and the bright petals have turned dark red.

The damp and cold sea breeze blew on Master Quevalin's body, and the Chief Justice, who was wearing a precious fur robe, still shivered.

"If you come to Windmill Land and think you can encourage us to form a federation like you did in Black Snake Bay, you are very wrong." Seeing that Armand didn't respond, Quevalin simply made it clear.

"This is the Holy Father's choice. Just because the windmill land doesn't exist now doesn't mean it won't exist in the future." Armand said with a smile.

"Why, are you very confident?" Quevalin turned his head, his dark pupils fixed on Armand's profile.

"If you don't believe us, it's useless for me to say anything." Armand helped the old man sit down on a bench.

"Believe?" Quevalin slammed his cane down, making a thumping sound on the ground. "With just a small corner of the Thousand River Valley, you want me to believe that he can fight against the entire Leia?"

"If you really want to ask, I can tell you."

Armand straightened his back, speaking in a steady but powerful tone: "Currently, the Holy Alliance has 8000 Holy Gun Infantry, 12000 Pike Infantry, 4500 Infantry Knights, 4000 Light and Heavy Cavalry... The total number of troops is already over 3.

Every soldier is an absolutely elite who receives daily training, and every spearman has at least one breathing technique.

Forty-five fortresses were built on the border and 1800 clockwork cannons were installed.

You have heard of clockwork cannons. They can fire instantly and hit the target at any time. In the Black Snake Bay War, one shot could cause destruction for dozens of miles. A fortress can block 50,000 people.

So what if Leia invades? If they leave the border unattended and come out en masse, how many people can there be?"

"Do you think I'm old and confused?" Quevalin glared at Armand in dissatisfaction, "With the population and wealth of the Thousand River Valley, we can only support 2 soldiers at most, and we still have more than 3.

What's so ridiculous about a single shot destroying dozens of miles of land? Do you think I haven't read "Yi Lin"? "

"The clockwork cannon may be a bit exaggerated, but who says 3 soldiers is not possible?" Although he was exposed, Armand did not blush at all, "The 2 soldiers you mentioned are just agricultural taxes, but you forgot the wool of the Gravel Plain and the sugar and spices of the Black Snake Bay.

They can bring us at least 10 gold pounds per year, which is equivalent to 300 million more farmers.

Although Leia has Windmill Land, Eagle Point Bay, River Island, Dawn Island, Thorn Garden, Gravel Plain, Fairy Stone Meadow, and a population of tens of millions, it seems powerful.

But Windmill Land is self-governing, Thorn Garden only obeys orders but not declarations, the nobles of Dawn Island following the two dukes in rebellion is not credible, and the nobles of Gravelland are neither fish nor fowl.

In the vast Leia, King Jiji could only mobilize Heshang Island, Yingjiao Bay and Xianshidian, with a population of tens of millions.

Let's assume that he has a population of 20 million. Can he actually mobilize 30% of them?

Apart from anything else, we in the Holy Alliance can mobilize at least 70%.

Because this is a war that all the Holy League members want to fight and have to fight, but in Leia, only the King and the Pope want to fight.

Why I say Leia is bound to fail, because the Leians cannot see the situation clearly.

Mr. Quevalin, the general situation in the empire is that the knights and priests will withdraw, and the new industrial and commercial elites and citizens will come to power.

All discerning people can see that, apart from the knights, priests and farmers, the power of the citizens is emerging.

Today, all the land nobles in the coastal areas of the empire live on loans from merchants and bankers.

I heard that some families even had to sell their daughters to merchants and new nobles in the name of marriage.

The Kingdom of Frank accepted the new industrial and commercial elites. Although the Kingdom of Norn was chaotic and backward, merchants and citizens were also guests of honor of the monarch.

Only the Kingdom of Leia clings to the old crown of the country of knights, does not think about making progress, sticks to the ancient system, and still dreams of the third El Empire. "

"Watch your words, boy." Quevalin's lower eyelids wrinkled. "I am an Aiel."

"But you no longer believe in the revival of the El Empire, right?" Armand immediately commented, "You are an El from the Windmill Land, not an El from the El Empire."

After staring at Armand for a long time, Quevalin spoke slowly: "You are very brave, boy. If you anger me, I can ask someone to send you to the dungeon in exchange for a reward of 2000 gold pounds."

"But you won't do that, right?" Armand did not give in at all, "Because you also hope that the windmill land can be truly autonomous, otherwise you will not help Her Highness Catherine in this sugar war."

"When young people are too confident, it turns into arrogance."

Armand straightened his chest and said, "We have the courage and confidence to win, and we have every reason to win!

The independence of the people of Qianhe Valley was earned with countless blood and sweat. We have finally held our heads high. Even if our heads are chopped off, they will never lower them again!"

With his eyes narrowed, Quevalin looked at Armand for a long time without saying a word, while Armand looked back at him without showing any weakness.

After watching for a long time, Quevalin stood up slowly with a dull look on his face: "I am old, and all I have seen in the first half of my life is failure. It is really hard for me to believe that your ideals can be realized.

All I can do is ignore the spread of the Holy Way Sect. Once you are defeated, I will arrest them immediately.

Rufair and Leonardo can gamble with you, but we can't, at least not before you prove that you can be truly independent."

"You will definitely see it." Armand reached out and supported the old man, and they slowly walked into the villa together.

(End of this chapter)