What's wrong with building a steel torrent in a dungeon?

It is not as strong as before. At least in Vienna and the three southern principalities, the influence of Orila City has surpassed that of the Holy Roman Empire. "

"Yes! Fran gave them food to eat and clothes to wear, but the Shinra Church couldn't do that. So everyone would naturally support Fran." Margaret said, "I don't understand why Christina and Fran still have such a good relationship. Shouldn't the conflict of interests between these two people be deeper than mine?"

Just as Wallenstein was about to say something, he heard a knock on the door, and then a guard said, "Your Majesty, the Duke of Hastings is here to see you."

"Duke of Hastings?" Margaret raised her eyebrows in surprise.

After the previous Duke of Hastings committed suicide, Margaret did not kill all of them in order to appease the Duchy of Hastings, but continued to pass on the title of Duke. However, the two sides had a deep hatred after all, and she did not understand what the Grand Duke of Hastings was doing at this time.

The new Grand Duke of Hastings is a woman. She is not particularly good-looking and her abilities are average, making her the best choice as a puppet Grand Duke.

After Grand Duke Hastings came in, he said, "Your Majesty, I have something important to tell you... She looked at Wallenstein.

"She is the person I trust the most. If you have anything to say, you can tell her in person."

"Your Majesty, the elf asked me to bring you a message."

Chapter 4 Sugar-coated Bullet (Supplement April 10)

After hearing this, Margaret and Wallenstein both frowned.

They didn't expect that the elves would have the nerve to come to their door.

If the elves had not rushed to attack the Feruman Empire, which eventually led to the undead scourge, perhaps Margaret's situation would be much better than it is now, at least she wouldn't be alone. On the Soul-Guiding River, the elves caused great damage to the First Legion.

Although the two sides have temporarily stopped fighting, it does not mean that the hatred will disappear.

As if seeing the displeasure in Margaret's eyes, Duke Hastings said, "Your Majesty, the elves apologize for the previous war. Besides, when they attacked the Feruman Empire, their original intention was not to fight against the Holy Roel Empire, but to fight for the members of the Northern Alliance. The elves are also victims of the war.

"Really..." Margaret sneered, "We communicated for a long time in the Soul-Guiding River."

"It's a different time now." Duke Hastings said, "Besides, during the Scourge of the Undead, didn't we also join forces for a short time? In the northern part of the Soul-Guiding River Basin, our country's High Priest Galanodir joined forces with the troops of the Second Legion to fight against the Undead. So, the elves and we don't have any irreconcilable conflicts. We are all fighting for our own glory."

This is the truth.

After Duke Tilly's death, the Second Legion was leaderless. If Galannodiel had not made peace with them and provided them with food and supplies, the cavalry of the Second Legion would have been wiped out. At least the framework of the Second Legion is still preserved.

Margaret then asked, "What message did the elf ask you to bring?"

Duke Hastings was delighted, and then said: "The elves are willing to help you regain the throne of emperor. To this end, they are willing to give you all kinds of economic and military assistance."

As he spoke, the Duke of Hastings handed a letter to Margaret.

The letter detailed the amount of aid from the elves, covering all aspects of the economy and military. The elves were even willing to help Margaret move the capital to a new location and take full responsibility for the construction of the new capital.

After Margaret finished reading, she stuffed the letter into Wallenstein's hands. After she finished reading the letter, she immediately took a breath of cold air.

The elves really spent a lot of money to check and balance Fran. She also vaguely heard that the Dwarf Empire had friction with Fran's caravan at sea. This is the Northern Alliance and the Chinese Alliance suppressing Fran at the same time! Can Fran withstand it?

Margaret looked at the Duke of Hastings below and asked, "So, what is the price? Gifts from the elves are never free. Do you want us to join the Northern Alliance? Pledge allegiance to the Elf Empire? Become a vassal state of the elves?"

"Your Majesty, it seems that you have some misunderstandings about the Elf Empire." Grand Duke Hastings smiled and said, "If you get to know them in depth, you will find that they are truly the beacon of civilization in the main plane. They are all generous and kind people! It's just that some forces with ulterior motives are fanning the flames."

"It seems that Grand Duke Hastings has gained a lot of benefits from the elves." Margaret sneered

"Your Majesty, you are too kind. It's just that the elves felt sorry for the Duchy of Hastings and gave us some money and food. That's all." Grand Duke Hastings said with a smile, "The elves are the same to your Majesty. They can't bear to see a beautiful and brave emperor like you become a puppet of the Orila monster, so they want to help you! There is no selfish motive!"

"You really don't have any selfish motives?"

"Yes. In principle, there are no additional conditions for our assistance this time. You don't need to swear allegiance to the Elf Empire, or even join the Northern Alliance. Of course, if you are willing to join, the Northern Alliance will be happy to accept you. All assistance will be provided in the form of transactions. In other words, this is a commercial trade behavior and does not involve the transfer of national interests. I think you two should understand what the elves mean."

Commercial trade transportation also means that Margaret can turn against the elves at any time and refuse to acknowledge that the elves have ever helped her in any way.

The concessions made by the elves were indeed very large.

"The Elf Queen thinks highly of you. She thinks you are a wise and capable emperor of the Holy Roll Empire. You should not be lost in the long river of history. You should be more outstanding than Charlemagne and Franco the Great in the history of the Holy Roll Empire." Hastings said fairly.

Margaret unconsciously looked towards a corner of the palace, where portraits of Charlemagne and Franco the Great were placed.

These two were both famous emperors of the Holy Roll Empire, who founded and revived the Holy Roll Empire respectively. And they have always been Margaret's idols.

"Your Majesty, you don't have to make a decision right away. The elf messenger has been visiting the Principality of Hastings for some time. You can write to us at any time as long as you agree. I, as well as the nobles of the entire Holy Roll Empire, hope to accept your rule and lead us to create a great and prosperous Holy Roll Empire! Instead of obeying the orders of the Dark Saint Fran."

"Okay, I understand. Let me think about it." Margaret said and waved away Grand Duke Hastings.

"Your Majesty?" Wallenstein looked at Margaret.

"The elves' assistance... so many projects are really exciting." Margaret said, "Being able to rely on the elves is something I never dared to think about before."

"The elf's letter is indeed very generous." Wallenstein paused, then said: "The military aid alone is enough to cover our military expenses for more than ten years. But Your Majesty..."

"I know what you want to say." Margaret said, "Trading with elves is like trying to get the skin of a tiger. But we have been walking on thin ice all the way for so many years. Haven't we tried to get the skin of a tiger many times?"

"So what does your majesty mean?"

"Bring me a pen, I want to write a letter myself," said Margaret.

Wallenstein wanted to say something, but seeing Margaret's determined expression, she knew she couldn't dissuade her, so she had to do as she was told.

Margaret picked up the quill and quickly wrote a name on the envelope.

To my dear Lord Fran.

etc?

Wallenstein thought he had seen it wrong, so he immediately opened his eyes wide and looked again.

Dear, Lord Flan

It has been several months since we last met. If possible, I would like to invite you to a private dinner at the palace to reminisce about the past and the times we fought side by side. And please bring our mutual friend Christina along.

"Your Majesty, what is this?" Wallenstein looked confused.

"Does the elf think that I have only wanted to satisfy my own desire for power over the years?" Margaret smiled, and then said, "They are too narrow-minded and don't understand me at all. They don't understand Charlemagne and Franco the Great either. Send this letter to Fran."

"Yes!" Wallenstein's face was full of excitement.

Chapter 220: Political Marriage?

A few days later, Fran and Christina attended Margaret's private dinner.

"Sister, Margaret has not left the house for the past two days. How come she suddenly thought of inviting us? It can't be another Hongmen Banquet, right?" Fran said with some concern.

"The whole of Vienna is yours! Are you still worried about other people's Hongmen Banquet?" Christina said: "Besides, do you still remember the ending of the host and guest of the Hongmen Banquet?"

"Um... that's right!" It was Fran who told Christina the story of the Hongmen Banquet.

"But sister, I hope you can come up with a way to properly resolve the relationship between you and Margaret. The relationship in Vienna is too delicate now." Christina said: "She is a tiger, not a docile sheep. If a tiger doesn't eat you, it's either full or sick! Absolutely not.

It’s out of kindness.”

"This is difficult to deal with." Fran said, "Although she is not very powerful now, she is still the emperor, and her reputation among the people is not low, especially during the defense of Orila Gele, when all the nobles fled and she was the only one who stayed on the front line! I can't just take action against her after the war is over."

"That's true..." Christina said, "But sister should be careful. Recently, she has been training a new army... Although I know that many officers of this new army are from our Aurora City. But if it goes on for a long time, it's hard to guarantee that nothing will happen. For long-term development, we have to discuss these things with Margaret.

Showdown."

"Wait a little longer, let me find a good opportunity." Fran sighed.

Everything would have been easier if Margaret had fled like the other nobles before the war.

But now, she really couldn't bring herself to stab her teammate who had fought side by side with her.

While thinking, the two had already arrived at the palace.

"Welcome, Lord Fran."

Margaret held Fran's hand affectionately and brought her into the hall.

After the war, Margaret never lived her extravagant life again. Every day the hall was empty, with no one except the necessary maids.

This private banquet does look a bit shabby.

"I wonder what Your Majesty wants to talk to me about?" Fulan asked curiously.

"Is it impossible to keep in touch with City Lord Fran if nothing happens?" Margaret asked.

"Ahaha! It's my fault!" Fran said with a smile: "Come, let's toast to His Majesty.

"When we're in private, you don't have to call me Your Majesty. Just call me Margaret." Margaret said, "I'm not someone who pays attention to those red tapes."

After they drank a few cups, Fran said, "Margaret, I have a question for you. Where are your maids and concubines?"

"Most of them went to the army or the Chamber of Commerce," Margaret said.

"These are all beauties from various races that you have collected, and yet you are willing to let them go? And you even arranged for them to go to a place like the army?" Fran was quite surprised.

"I didn't recruit them, I saved them." Margaret said, "In fact, they are not my concubines, they just stay by my side in this name."

"Oh? That's beyond my expectation."

"As you know, in the Holy Roel Empire, there are many restrictions on noble and commoner women... Of course, that was before your Majesty came. Many families were poor and would even sell their daughters. So I selected some capable and talented people to train by my side. Some became my counselors, and some became my personal guards."

"Then why are they..."

"These people are my trump cards. Since they are my trump cards, I can't let others know about them." Margaret said, "So I made them my concubines? It can conceal my identity and make others take me lightly."

"That's a good trick indeed." To be honest, when Fran saw Margaret like this, she did relax a little. But her previous record was too dazzling, so this deceptive method didn't really work.

Fran suddenly remembered that after the victory in the war with the three southern dukes, Fran immediately found the daughter of Duke Bieson beside Margaret. Later, she heard that the daughter of the duke was also quite smart. It seemed that Duke Bieson was not using his daughter to gain honor, but actually an investment.

It was just like the Duke of Vasa entrusted his daughter Gustave to him. It was just a difference in investment.

only

Fran was a little confused as to why Margaret entrusted such important information to her.

Seeing the doubt in Fran's eyes, Margaret smiled and said, "Actually, this time, in addition to wanting to build a relationship with the City Lord, I do have something I want to discuss with you."

As soon as she finished speaking, Wallenstein handed a letter to Fran.

"Is this a letter from the elf?" Fran was quite surprised.

"open to take a look."

Fran opened the envelope and was immediately surprised by the contents inside.

In order to check and balance himself, the elves are willing to spend so much money.

She originally thought that apart from raising tariffs and boycotting European goods (goods produced in Orila), the elves would not take any more actions against the city of Orila. Now it seems that she was too naive.

Elves are not as straightforward as dwarves, who will do what they say they want to do to you. They prefer to target you in a subtle way, smiling on the surface but stabbing you in the back.

Just a few days ago, the elves signed an order with Minsk. At that time, the elven diplomat said that they wanted to maintain peace with the Vienna Alliance for generations. As a result, this happened suddenly. They are worthy of being the beacon of civilization.

But...why did Margaret give this letter to me?

Fran looked up and saw Margaret sitting in front of her, looking at her with a smile. Fran was startled and stammered, "Your Majesty, what do you want to do?" Christina beside her was also very nervous.

"The elves' intentions are clear. Since they can't break our Vienna Alliance from the outside, they can only create dissensions within us." Margaret said, "In fact, the elves' strategy goes beyond this. They even hope that I can move the capital and create a new capital out of thin air for the Holy Roll Empire."

"What a big deal!" Fran was also surprised. It was indeed an empire that had dominated the main plane for a thousand years.

"It's indeed a big deal... So, I would like to ask our leader, how should I reply to the elf?" Margaret said.

"Eh?...Wait a minute! When did I become the leader of the Vienna Alliance?" Fran said.

"Now it is!" said Margaret.

This……

Fran's brain started working rapidly.

This is an even more unbelievable development than the Hongmen Banquet.

"I am willing to give you the position of leader, City Lord. Not only that, I am willing to disband the army and hand over the finances of the Holy Roll Empire to you." Margaret took a deep breath and said, "But I also have a condition."

"What conditions?"

"I hope you can be my queen!" said Margaret.

"Queen?? Eh???"

Bang! Bang!

The wine glasses in Fran and Christina's hands fell to the ground.

Even Wallenstein opened his mouth in surprise. Margaret had never told him about this.

"Don't! Don't misunderstand!" Seeing this, Margaret blushed and said, "I just want to use this method... to make the Holy Roll Empire and Orila City have better cooperation! And to prevent the forces inside and outside the empire from having any thoughts of alienation. Of course! It's just a political marriage! Yes! It's just a political marriage without love.

! "