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

So after combining their past valuable experience, the elves chose winter as the time to recruit soldiers.

In this way, they will definitely be able to obtain a large number of cheap soldiers without any effort.

But the truth is always unexpected.

What surprised the elves was that the recruitment post opened by the elves was almost deserted. Even if someone came in occasionally, they would turn around and leave after asking about the treatment, and before leaving, they would not forget to look at these officers with contempt, as if to say...

That's it?

As a result, after several days of conscription, they were unable to even put together a commando team.

This! This is unscientific!

The Northern Alliance officer in charge of conscription was completely stunned. How could it be possible? Would the disaster victims rather starve to death than join the army? How bad is the reputation of the Holy Roel Empire's army?

As a last resort, he had to go out of the conscription post and recruit people himself. However, what confused him even more was that he did not find any disaster victims in the city.

What happened? Could it be that the Holy Roel Empire was so poor that the victims starved to death before they even made it through autumn?

The officers immediately dispatched personnel to various cities to visit victims who might still be alive.

I don't know if I don't see it, I'm startled when I see it.

There was no sign of war or chaos in the Holy Rohr Empire. Although every household could not be said to be well off, at least they had food.

Disaster victims? They don’t exist!

This is simply impossible?

Every household has enough food to survive the winter. Even the northern countries that are least affected by the war cannot do this! How can your Holy Roel Empire, which has been at war, do this?

After a careful investigation, the officers immediately understood the reason behind it.

Jade potato!

As early as after the end of the Undead Scourge, Fran had already vigorously promoted the cultivation of yam in the Fruman area. As the Fruman area gradually stabilized and food from the southern orc empire was continuously transported, the food problem that had been choking Fran was naturally solved.

However, after solving the food problem, Fran did not use food as a diplomatic weapon or a means of making money like ordinary forces, but very generously sold it to every corner of the Holy Roll Empire.

Only when the whole country is well fed and clothed can it develop better. What's the point of enriching only one Chamber of Commerce, Fran? If he raises the price of food wantonly and extorts money from the people, what's the difference between him and the financial group within the elves?

With this idea in mind, Fran not only did not sell grain at a high price, but instead sent people to help poor villages and towns everywhere, for fear that some villages and towns would starve to death due to lack of food.

Thanks to Fran's efforts, the Holy Role Empire was no longer flooded with disaster victims as it had been in the past. Although other parts of the Holy Role Empire looked very poor, with rubble and ruins everywhere, it was rare to see starving people.

It has to be said that this is a complete miracle in the Holy Roll Empire and even in the entire Calradia continent.

Always remember, there will be reverberations.

Fran's move actually directly resolved the Northern Alliance's aggressive conscription plan.

I'm afraid that even Fran didn't expect things to develop in this direction. After all, she didn't think so much at the time.

For the Northern Alliance and the Chinese Alliance, since they could not recruit soldiers by using traditional methods of cheating, no, they could only use money to attack.

Isn't it okay if I pay the money and take care of the wages? The Northern Alliance and the Chinese Alliance gritted their teeth and had to approve a special sum of money for conscription.

Chapter 265: Exposed

The first wave of offensive by the Northern Alliance was thus cleverly resolved.

The plan to take advantage of the hunger and cold to get free soldiers also came to nothing. Unable to take advantage of the fire, they could only honestly pay the military salary to recruit soldiers.

I'll give you money! Then you can always recruit enough soldiers!

What about the salary level?

It is obviously impossible to compete with the elves! How can my noble elf soldiers be the same as your soldiers of the Holy Roel Empire? After the final discussion, the Northern Alliance decided to recruit soldiers based on the average salary within the Northern Alliance (excluding the elves).

As for the price, it was about one magic crystal coin per month! Of course, this was before tax, not including food, sleep, five insurances and one housing fund, etc. The actual income was only about 60%.

To be honest, the price offered by the Northern Alliance for this recruitment is indeed not too low, especially in the old and weak Holy Roel Empire, such a salary is really acceptable. In terms of withholding military pay, the Northern Alliance’s army is definitely not as good as the nobles of the Holy Roel Empire.

Just this moment and that moment.

The young and middle-aged people of the Holy Roll Empire today really look down upon the monthly salary of one magic crystal coin.

The reason is simple, because to their west there is a city called Orila which can provide a large number of high-paying jobs.

In the territory of the Holy Roll Empire today, two super radiation circles have been formed with Vienna and Biesund Port as the centers. Within these radiation circles, there are various factories, new mines, new service industries, and processing industries.

Within these two radiation circles, 40% of the metal products, 60% of the textiles, 70% of the gunpowder, and 90% of the muskets and artillery of the entire main plane are produced. In some special fields, industrial products such as sugar, refined salt, cotton and linen, kitchen utensils, farm tools, lighting equipment, etc. are unparalleled in the world.

It can be said that as long as the research institute realizes the industrialization of products in a certain field, the products in that field will start to sweep like a flood. To open a factory and establish a production line, a large number of workers are needed!

Of course, if it is primitive accumulation of capitalism, it is inevitable that the wages of workers will be squeezed. However, these factories are controlled by the official forces of Orila City, and they focus not only on short-term interests, but also on the long-term benefits of the entire country.

In today's situation where there are no competitors for industrial products, there is no need to rely on squeezing workers' wages to reduce costs and improve competitiveness. On the contrary, increasing workers' income will help expand the country's domestic demand, promote development, and even enhance the country's national strength.

At the same time, in order to attract enough labor to enter large-scale production, these emerging factories will offer very generous remuneration and promise to provide food and accommodation during the training period, as well as salary! This alone is enough to attract a large number of workers!

what?

You are recruiting apprentices to teach them knowledge, not only do they not have to work like slaves, but they also get paid a full salary? This is a must!!

Under such circumstances, only a ghost would be willing to join the army you, the Northern Alliance, have called for!

Just because you recruited people in the dead of winter, I know your motives are not pure!

Half a month later, the Holy Roel Empire welcomed the first snow of the winter. Soon the snowflakes covered the devastated land. The holy white buried the ruins, craters, tombstones, and barely concealed the wounds of war.

However, although the snow scene is beautiful, it is also cruel.

The cold it brings is enough to kill any creature that is not prepared for winter. Therefore, in Calradia, it is also known as the White Death.

But things are different now. With enough food to survive the winter, the people of the Holy Roel Empire will no longer avoid the snow as they did in the past.

At the same time, local governments at all levels in the Holy Roll Empire (only in areas controlled by Fran) also issued temporary conscription orders, organizing winter mobile teams to carry out daily maintenance and repair of dilapidated buildings, clearing snow from roads and other tasks. This conscription order absorbed a large number of poor laborers, which could be regarded as work-for-relief.

At least the salary given by the Winter Mobile Team is enough for them to spend a warm winter.

Without the worries of food and cold, ordinary families with spare money will naturally seek a better quality of life.

As a result, the market, which was always closed in winter, reopened, making this winter a unique and lively one. Some elderly people even said that they had never seen such a lively and vibrant winter in their lives.

This was all thanks to the miracle created by the city of Orila. Such a miracle could not be covered up by the elves no matter how much they launched a propaganda offensive.

After all, the news can lie, but the improvement in people’s quality of life can never be ignored.

As the snow on the roads was cleared, the capillaries that were originally blocked by the wind and snow became active again, and various supplies were able to dock at the port of Biesson, arrive in Vienna, and finally be transported to various places in the Holy Roll Empire (only places controlled by Fran).

In a sense, industry is going against nature. Nature uses winter to lock life in its own nest, but industry allows life to break through hunger and cold and carve out a path in the snow.

On this day, a team of simple carriages quietly set out from Vienna, headed eastward along the road, and finally arrived at the Leopold Fortress in the far suburbs of Vienna.

Fortress Leopold is one of the most important defense lines around Vienna. As early as the War between the Two Emperors between Margaret and Grand Duke Hastings, Margaret relied on the defense line built by Fortress Leopold to hold off the opponent's offensive until Grand Duke Hastings' economy collapsed.

However, as the war in the Holy Roel Empire ended and the industrial production in Flanders began, the Leopold Fortress, as a hub, unexpectedly transformed itself into a transit station for various commodities and eventually became a prosperous commercial center.

The original garrisons and barracks have also become residential areas and storefronts. There are shops everywhere in the city, and there are even stalls on the city walls. It is very lively.

After entering the Leopold Fortress, this mysterious carriage team did not encounter any stops or questioning, and it had a smooth journey. It did not stop on the busy streets, but went straight into an inconspicuous tavern in the city.

In the backyard of the tavern, two women got off the carriage. One of them was a well-proportioned (average) woman, and the other was Christina, the Saint of the Shinra Church.

Of course, Fran came to the tavern this time not to give a speech like "My Struggle", but to meet someone.

Led by several guards, Fran came to the most secluded room in the tavern. Sitting in the room was the nominal emperor of the Holy Roll Empire, Margaret, and her subordinate, the Minister of Finance and Military Affairs of the Empire, Wallenstein.

"Your Majesty, and Duke Wallenstein. Long time no see! You have become much more beautiful recently." When Fran saw Margaret, she immediately opened her mouth and started to speak sweet words.

"With you helping me with advice behind the scenes, I don't have to worry about so many things. With fewer worries, I can naturally focus more on life." Margaret said with a smile.

Why does this sound a bit sour?

After Fran sat down, Margaret immediately asked the maid to bring Fran's favorite dessert - papaya milk cake, which made Fran's eyes shine.

Margaret is really attentive. Last time at her party, Fran didn't touch anything else but the papaya milk dessert. Unexpectedly, Margaret remembered this detail.

Seeing Fran sitting down, Margaret sighed quietly, and then said: "City Lord Fran is really good at creating miracles. In just half a year, he has made Leopold City so prosperous. You know, in my impression, there is only a fortress with troops stationed here, and there are few villages and towns around it."

"This has nothing to do with me." Fran smiled and said, "Those who built this place were all passing merchants and hardworking workers. I just renovated the roads and rebuilt the city. Just like what I did in the Feruman District."

Fran paused, then said, "But this time, His Majesty wanted to meet me, probably not just to express his feelings about Leopold City. I wonder if His Majesty has something important to say."

"Is it not possible for me to see you... and Saint Christina unless it's something important?" Margaret said with a smile.

"Meet me? That's a bit too much trouble!" Fran was a little confused, but she slapped her head and continued: "I have a good idea! Why don't we leave a portrait of each other? That way we can see it anytime. Oh, I remember there is a portrait of your majesty in the palace."

Oh!! My sister is so unromantic! Christina on the side couldn't help but cover her forehead.

Forget it. I don't care about your business.

Wallenstein on the other side was also embarrassed. How did this little girl go from being a hollowed-out city lord to defeating all the generals and eventually developing such a terrifying force? Such a naive person would be eaten up in a minute in the aristocratic circle, and not even his panties and socks would be left.

Margaret took a deep breath and said, "Okay, Fran, you saw through me. Actually, I came to you this time because I did have something important to discuss with you.

"That's what I told you!" Fran said proudly, "How could you come all this way just to see me, right, sister? I've learned to read people's expressions."

as long as you are happy.

Christina thought helplessly.

Margaret was about to complain, but suddenly realized what was happening, so she asked tentatively, "Sister? Fran, why do you call Christina sister?"

This is terrible!!

Fran and Christina were both shocked.

Ever since Margaret's forces moved out of Vienna, the two had been hanging out together. As time went by, their vigilance also dropped.

"Um, Your Majesty, didn't you say there was something important?" Fran said immediately

"It's just the plan of the Northern Alliance and the Chinese Alliance! But these are not important for the time being!" Margaret looked at the two of them with burning eyes.

Chapter 266 Sisters

"Your Majesty, this papaya milk cake is Leopold's specialty. You must try it!"

"What's wrong, sister?"

"Your Majesty, the scenery of the Orc Empire is very beautiful. Let's go there to play together someday? And meet the Beast King by the way!"

"What's wrong with you, sister?"

"Your Majesty! I'll give you Vienna again! You move back to the palace, and I'll go back to Orilla City. What do you think?"

"What's wrong with you, sister?!"

"Your Majesty... let's play advanced mathematics. I'll be the advanced and you do the mathematics."

Fran tried to change the subject several times, but Margaret stared at Fran and ignored Fran's plan.

Finally, Christina couldn't bear it any longer, so she sighed and said, "Your Majesty, what do you want to know?"

"Are you two sisters?"

"No..." Christina said, "But we are closer than real sisters."

"Closer than real sisters? Does that mean they knew each other before?!" Margaret said in surprise

"Yes, that's right." Christina nodded.

With Fran's current position in the Holy Roel Empire, it is clear that she no longer needs to use this secret to plot, and she does not need to worry about someone using it to sow discord between Orila City and the Holy Rosarian Church. So her relationship with Christina was once a big secret, but now it has no value.

Of course, the biggest reason for this change is that the strength of the Shinra Church and the Aurora City is completely unequal. Now the clergy of the Shinra Church need to be approved by Fran! Both the establishment and salary are provided by Fran Aurora City.

As long as Fran is willing, she can even convince these Shinra clergy to turn herself into the sole spokesperson of the Twelve Pillars of God and the carrier of the oracle, and even change her voice into the Thirteenth Pillar of God.

A religion can be unfaithful to its faith and its main god, but it cannot be unfaithful to its rumbling stomach.

"So...when did you meet?"

"If I have to say it..." Christina thought for a moment, then said, "When Fran was only six years old?"

After hearing this, Margaret and Wallenstein's eyes widened.

Both of them knew Christina's identity, a nun who had emerged from a Shinra monastery.

The birth of a saint is usually not very good. The Holy Ra Church needs a saint with no background and who is very easy to manipulate to be a vase, so that they can make money with this vase. The identity of a poor person can also bring the relationship with the believers closer, and even seduce the believers to send their outstanding women to the monastery and become part of the church's property.

So Christina did not hide the fact that she grew up in the slums.

If the two knew each other when they were children, this also means that Fran also grew up in the slums!