Magic Industrial Age.

Chapter 484, Part 482: Second Preparations (Bonus Chapter 18)

It should be said that when the three marquises launched the war of nobles, the reaction was intense within the Flower Territory, while the outside was relatively calm.

For example, in the Habsburg Empire, the news was buried in the battle reports and did not even attract the attention of the imperial cabinet.

For example, some kingdoms that traded with Roy, such as the Tudor dynasty, the Duchy of João, and the Kingdom of Bourbon, did not take it seriously.

The reason is simple: they have absolute confidence in the flowers and don't believe that Roy will lose.

The three marquises were the epitome of overestimating their abilities and were simply asking for a beating.

This is not blind trust, but rather the fact that Flower Leader's financial resources, legion building, weaponry, number of strong individuals, and so on are all in a precipitous lead.

It's like an eight-year-old child facing an adult; no matter what methods the child uses, it's just a matter of building up a punch.

Sometimes, you even have to worry that you might punch someone too hard and kill them!

Therefore, the three marquises' prolonged antics actually had little impact on the Flower Territory.

Production continues, trade continues, and Siren Port is busier than usual, with the unloading and loading areas operating in shifts day and night.

The ship owners working the night shift even offered triple wages to hire skilled porters.

However, this was only because they were afraid that a fight would affect freight transport; it wasn't because they thought the flower guild would lose.

As they had imagined, the three marquises were defeated in one battle and did not last more than three days.

However, when the three major empires entered the fray, the situation immediately reversed, and everything changed.

Those are three great empires. Even if they are still at war, the slightest bit of power leaked from their fingertips is something that Flower Territory cannot withstand.

This caused panic among countless people.

The embassy street outside Lion Manor seemed to be in an uproar, with countless people whispering and exchanging information in taverns, hotels, and dance halls.

At the same time, the threshold of Lion Manor was almost worn down by the crowds.

Imperial Ambassador Lord Robin Water was the fastest to arrive, reflecting the speed at which Imperial intelligence gathered information, but he was not the only one to make the visit.

Next came the envoys from the Tudor dynasty, who were naturally most concerned about the magical weapons and processing machinery they had ordered.

With the outbreak of war, everything becomes uncertain. Can their orders be guaranteed?

Can it be delivered on time?
These are the things they care about most!
Moreover, they also pay a deposit when ordering these products, which is usually 30% of the total price.

This is no small sum. If Flower Territory falls and the Raymond family is wiped out, what will happen to this money?
This is not an isolated case!

Trade accounts tend to become more complex as time goes on, with various situations getting tangled together, making it difficult to sort them out.

Following the Tudor dynasty, many more envoys from duchies came to visit.

Some just want the goods, some want a deposit, some are gathering information, and some are simply looking to freeload.

That's right, some people are trying to take advantage of the fact that the flower-gathering party is too busy to care for itself and make a quick buck!
As the flower industry has developed to this point, in addition to being self-sufficient, a large portion of its raw materials and components are also purchased from abroad.

The Raymond family would naturally pay a corresponding deposit, although there were individual differences, but it was usually around 30% upfront.

Seeing that the Raymond family was about to face a major disaster, they actually set their sights on the deposit, using various excuses to delay paying for the goods.

This whole thing made Luo Yi both angry and amused. The worst part is, there were more than just one or two people who wanted to do the same thing!

It's like everyone's kicking someone when they're down.

After receiving the group, Luo Yi completely lost his patience. With a wave of his hand, he issued an order.

For all orders, if you want your deposit back, you will receive a full refund, without any deduction.
However, if you want to do business with Flower Fairy again in the future, the price of all orders will be increased by 20%, and you will not be allowed to bargain.

If you still choose to trust FlowerClaim, we will deliver the goods according to the actual situation. If the delivery is delayed, FlowerClaim will offer a discount of up to 20%.

Furthermore, future business will still enjoy a 5% tariff reduction.

As for those who are late in picking up their flowers, they can either return their deposit and all will be well;
If someone is greedy for a deposit and fails to deliver the goods on time, they will be blacklisted by Flower Clan.

Putting aside accountability and retaliation, just in terms of trade alone, from now on, Flower Collar will not accept any form of buying or selling.

This news calmed down quite a bit of the commotion.

Whether you're optimistic, pessimistic, want a refund, or are taking a gamble, you've all received definite news.

However, this also revealed the weakness of the Flower Territory to Luo Yi – its territory was too small!
If the population is insufficient, it can still reproduce; if there is a shortage of talent, it can still be trained. However, the territory is too small, resulting in a scarcity of various resources. If large quantities are imported, it will create dependence.

If something unexpected happens and the supply is cut off, it will be very difficult.

Fortunately, Luo Yi is someone who likes to "stockpile food" and has a lot of raw materials in addition to grain reserves, which can ensure that production will not be interrupted.

However, aside from these disgusting incidents, there were also quite a few people who offered a helping hand.

For example, Baron Miller wrote a letter stating that he could help Roy operate within the Empire if needed.

Using the name of the Petrovich family as collateral, he aimed to attract the attention of the cabinet or His Majesty as much as possible. Miller's love for the Empire was beyond question, and he, as the Minister of Railways, was well aware of the difficult situation within the Empire.

Even so, he was still willing to help make arrangements, which shows that he values ​​Luo Yi as a friend quite a bit.

Luo Yi was quite pleased to have such a good friend, but he still declined.

To put his mind at ease, Luo Yi even revealed that she had a trump card up her sleeve, which he could only watch from.

His Holiness Saint Bartholomew also summoned Lloyd for a long talk.

He explained the Empire's difficulties to Loy, but said he could offer Loy the greatest possible help in his personal capacity.

Although he is only a peak fourth-tier mechanical mage, he can help Luo Yi stop a legend if needed.

Well, Loy had to admit that this promise dispelled the slight resentment he felt towards the empire's indifference.

This man is kind-hearted, but he clearly doesn't think much of Flower Territory and has already planned an escape route for Luo Yi.

This left Luo Yi feeling helpless!
For example, Alexius, the Siren King, sent word that the Siren tribe was willing to fight for Loy if he needed it.

In fact, he wasn't just saying it; the Lion Fleet's safety on the Silver Sea was basically their responsibility.

Alexius even went so far as to expand the escort fleet so that it could summon sea monsters to cause trouble at any time by using the Siren's Song.

Over time, rumors even circulated that Flower Territory had acquired the method to summon sea monsters, causing countless pirates to avoid it.

Moreover, the Siren tribe of today is no longer the small group it once was.

With financial resources, material support, and the backing of the Flower Territory and Prince Eros, they expanded extremely rapidly.

Alexius, the Siren King, even consulted Loy and devised a system suitable for the sea creatures, encompassing management, balance, promotion, and rewards.

As a result, the Siren tribe grew at an almost visible speed.

If Loy wanted, Alexius could indeed inflict some damage on the Sardinian navy and fleet.

After all, the seabed has a natural advantage when dealing with 'floating objects' on the sea surface.

And this doesn't even include Prince Eros of the Naga Empire's Northeast Province.

He was equally unwilling to lose Loy as an ally, and even made promises. On land, he had no say, but at sea, the sea creatures had the final say.

If necessary, he could completely block the Sardinian navy, keeping them away from the Flower Territory.

The only price was that Lloyd sent some mechanical mages to the seabed, where Prince Eros needed them to practice magical machinery.

In fact, they were much more decisive than the Habsburg Empire.

After a moment's thought, Kroy rejected them all.

This is ultimately a war between nobles, and its scale and limits are limited. If foreign races were introduced, even the Papacy would likely be alarmed.

At that point, things might really get out of hand!

Most importantly, while others see Flower Leader as being in dire straits, for Luo Yi, the real show is just beginning!
In the following days, Luo Yi stayed at the Lion Manor, and through the communication network, she made various deployments and arrangements.

First, he conscripted a large number of workers, militiamen, and able-bodied young laborers.
Instead of sending them to the battlefield, they were tasked with building and digging various types of fortresses, trenches, and barricades along the border of Flower Territory.

Secondly, allocate a sufficient number of magical weapons, equipment, and medicines to various locations to prepare for a protracted war.

Finally, the mobilization, arrangement, and deployment of tens of thousands of Imperial Guards were undertaken.

Of course, there were also groups of magic tanks that secretly traveled to various places and hid in various secret passages.

They were not under the command of the Royal Guard, but were entirely commanded by Lloyd alone.

To be honest, when the three marquises attacked Flower Territory, Luo Yi didn't feel that his forces were stretched thin.

With a ratio of 6,000 to 60,000, you dare to claim the advantage is on my end!
But now, facing the military pressure from the three great empires, he felt that he didn't have enough troops at his disposal.

As a region with a relatively complete industrial system, Flower Territory certainly doesn't lack magical weapons and artillery shells.
But what's lacking now is someone who can skillfully operate it, which makes Luo Yi somewhat frustrated.

Therefore, he had to forcibly conscript some workers who had awakened their magic, forming them into a reserve force and organizing them for intensive training.

It would be best if they didn't need it, but if they did need it, all they needed to do was load the shells and activate the magic.

When the time comes, hundreds or even thousands of cannons will fire simultaneously. Regardless of their accuracy, the impact will be quite terrifying.

"When the enemy is poor, strike with precision; when the enemy is rich, unleash overwhelming firepower." This saying, which I heard countless years ago, is a profound truth here.

It is worth mentioning that, in the midst of this intense second preparation for war, the intelligence system of Flower Territory finally began to prove its worth.

The deployment of troops that the three great empires were about to send was gradually becoming clear.

(End of this chapter)