Chapter 688 Xia Pipei’s Wail
Standing in front of the expensive silver mirror produced in Baisha Land, Xia Pipei trimmed his mustache with small scissors while silently listening to the servants reciting the letters sent from the Lilac Corridor.
"...So, the local governor hopes to end the war as soon as possible, but Duke Portosa is opposed to it."
After reading the letter, the young manservant with the pot-top head hanging down his shoulders stood nervously by the side, waiting for the Minister of the Navy's response.
But Shapipe just trimmed his beard quietly without saying a word. It wasn't until he put down the scissors and came to the table that he asked lightly: "What did Yuni (Uleri Larkin) say?" br>
"Sir Uleri said that it is acceptable, but the portion is too small. I asked if I could order more."
"Of course he can accept it." Xia Pipei snorted disdainfully and threw the armistice agreement and the cardboard on the table with a crisp sound, "How could Lord Conrad give birth to such an An?" A stupid son of the current situation? Doesn’t he know who is making the money in the spice trade?”
After Conrad Larkin, the leader of the old party, failed in the political struggle, the old party did not completely disappear from the court, but persisted tenaciously.
The fundamental reason is that these upper-class landed aristocrats of the old party also imitated the new aristocrats and engaged in industry and commerce. Of course, they still advocated agrarianism.
The old and new parties in the French court are not so much strict programmatic parties as they are loose political alliances. It is normal for a courtier to jump between sides repeatedly.
Their political opinions cannot be inferred from their background. Many times those political opinions are just a gimmick for power and gain, that is, "I must oppose whatever you agree with."
A major financial source of the old party was the spice and sugar trade in Lilac Corridor and Hongyeqiu. Although the textile industry and other large and small industries and commerce were taken away by the new party, these two items were still firmly in the hands of the old party.
Otherwise, how could these two places monopolize spices and sugar? They really thought they had the ability to fight against the king.
As a wealthy nobleman of Lilac Corridor, Xia Pipei is even more unlikely to give up this benefit. He can cede the French colony to the Norn Kingdom as he likes, but he really has a spice merchant guild!
"Then I write to Duke Portosa and ask him to continue recruiting troops?"
"He lost this battle. Nearly 20,000 people were killed like dogs by 8,000 people. He still wants to continue recruiting troops?" Xia Pipei's veins jumped at the thought of this.
It was his idea to send troops this time. The original intention was to give the new king a warning and let him see what would happen if he mixed sugar and spice.
The result is now good, he has become a show of force.
Where did Saint Sunhorn come up with so many elite infantrymen who could almost keep up with the King's Guards? Is it possible that two and a half years of fighting in the Thousand River Valley War could train so many elite soldiers who have fought in hundreds of battles?
Could this group of short-haired thieves really be what Barneyforth said, elite soldiers who had been lurking in the Thousand River Valley for decades?
No wonder Prince Condai, who suppressed the French knights, suffered disaster here.
Thinking about the Black Snake Bay incident, Xia Pipei felt it was difficult, especially since the other party was on the side of the royal family.
"What should we do?" The servant scratched his scalp, "How about we call Valentin back from the Zealand Islands? He is the best at Dunjar's square formation."
"What a big phalanx. Didn't you see the magic catapult mentioned in the battle report? Tsk, I'll go meet His Majesty the King later and wipe their butts." With the help of the maid, she straightened her clothes. Xia Pipei stretched his neck and said, "In the evening, help me contact Ullery and several other adults. We must agree on this matter and don't let that little kid take advantage of the loophole."
"As you command, my lord."
Leaving the administrative residence and walking through the narrow alley, Shapipe walked into the French Palace through the cold doorway.
He asked the valet to take away the horse in a familiar manner, and then with his head slightly lowered, he walked through the corridor of portraits of the French kings that he had passed countless times. Behind the mahogany door at the end of the corridor was the highest ruler of the Kingdom of France, Charles. VIII.
After the official announcement, the enthusiastic voice of Charles VIII came: "It turns out to be Your Excellency Shapipe, please come in."
After walking into the study, Charles VIII picked up the bone china and poured a cup of fine black tea for Xia Pipei, and enthusiastically handed it to his hand: "I heard that Your Excellency Xia Pipei recently built a new garden?"
"Excuse me for your Majesty's concern, I built a retirement residence in Golden Sheep Beach. It can't be regarded as a garden, it can only be regarded as a courtyard." Xia Pipei took the bone china cup with a smile.
"Have you heard about the war of suppression in Lilac Corridor and Black Snake Bay?" Charles VIII always focused on efficiency, and he said straightforwardly after greetings.
Xia Pipei naturally knew the character of His Majesty the King very well: "The nobles of Lilac Corridor witnessed Black Snake Bay helping the Qianhe River Valley rebels to expel the church. They were very angry and started the war of suppression in advance."
"I heard that those Qianhe Valley troops used a special catapult that could launch iron balls five miles away?" "Hahaha, Your Majesty, these soldiers just like to exaggerate. In my opinion, It would be good to shoot at least seven or eight hundred steps." Xia Pipei naturally covered it up with a haha.
Holding a bone china teacup, Charles VIII nodded thoughtfully while drinking tea unconsciously as if he was distracted.
After about three minutes, Xia Pipei was a little distracted, and the king spoke calmly again: "How many rune craftsmen are there in Lilac Corridor?"
The so-called rune craftsman is actually an alchemist's cover-up, which is essentially to cover up the nobles' secret control of the local secret party and wizards.
The nobles said they were sworn in with the wizards, but in fact they all understood.
Then Barnett also knows how to secretly raise monsters in exchange for huge profits. Don't these French nobles who act more exaggeratedly know?
Similar to spices, they themselves do not have such high value. The real value lies in the overt blockade and suppression, so such high profits can be obtained secretly.
There was even a period of time when some southern nobles tried to draw a clear line between themselves and the alchemists through the trap of rune craftsmen, as if they were listening to others.
It's a pity that the pope at the time, Johnny VIII, snuffed it out just as it started to show some signs of success.
Coincidentally, among the young priests who advocated the legalization of rune craftsmen at that time, there was the fifteen-year-old Prime Minister Lorenzo.
"What are you doing standing still? Say it." There was a trace of impatience in Charles VIII's original friendly tone.
Although he didn't understand why His Majesty asked this question, Xia Pipei still said vaguely: "There are probably 1,000 more, probably."
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"Send it." With the acne on his face, Charles VIII said decisively, "I will not pursue the matter that you started the war without consent this time and caused my knights to suffer."< br>
"Send it? Your Highness, do you mean to send all those alchemists to Huaqiu City?"
"Otherwise?" Charles VIII said coldly, as if what he said was talking about someone else, "Your family has been manipulating the spice trade for so many years, don't you think I don't know about it? Or do you think everyone has no objection?"< br>
Xia Pipei instantly felt countless thorns rising from the velvet cushion, making him restless: "This war... then we... are... a war of suppression..."
"Who said it was a war of suppression?" Charles VIII's mouth curved in a mocking arc, "Grandiva did not receive your notice."
Xia Pipei's hair stood on end. He still wanted to defend himself, so he could only force a smile and say: "We must not miss the opportunity to fight. Our messenger may not have arrived yet. Maybe we will receive the notice in the next two days..." < br>
"Is the garden at home okay?" Charles VIII interrupted him again and asked about the topic just now.
Xia Pipei, who was originally wondering about the purpose of Charles VIII's question, finally came to his senses. His mouth kept opening and closing like a goldfish, and it took him a long time to say: "No, Your Highness, you can't do this... I have shed blood for the royal family." Blood, I have made contributions to the empire..."
"You can choose whether I will make the announcement or you will make the announcement." Charles VIII lost all the enthusiasm he had when Xia Pipe came in and looked at him coldly.
As a thorn in the side of Lilac Corridor in the palace and a powerful figure of the old party in the palace, it was impossible not to take advantage of the turmoil of the Spice War to drive him out of office.
As long as this nail is gone, Lilac Corridor will not be blind to the palace, but it will not be as well-informed as before.
This news was almost like a bolt from the blue, leaving Xia Pipei speechless.
You must know that at least half of the troops in Lilac Corridor are in Black Snake Bay. If Charles VIII really makes up his mind to take action at this time, Lilac Corridor really has no ability to resist.
Although he didn't like the New Party as a political enemy, Xia Pipei also had to agree that the Wang Xian cavalry they trained were much more powerful than those country knights.
Curled up on the chair, Xia Pipei struggled for a long time before forcing an ugly smile on her mournful face: "My garden has not been taken care of for a long time. Please allow me to go home on vacation and repair the garden where I will retire. ”
"You are a loyal and good minister, and I will never forget your contribution." Charles VIII immediately stood up, "What is yours will not be less."
After Xia Pipei closed the study door, Charles VIII immediately heard the heavy objects falling to the ground and the exclamations of the servants.
Carrying the teacup, he walked to the window and looked at Shapipe, who was being carried by his servants and running towards the palace physician's residence. Charles VIII murmured to himself: "Horn, Horn, you are really a surprise every day."
(End of chapter)