Chapter 64 Disappointment and Hope
Hansel got up early the next day, washed and dressed up carefully, had breakfast with his family, and then rushed to the public office of the Royal Capital Intelligence Department. He showed his identification and went inside to find his direct boss's office.
He knocked on the door gently, and when a "Please come in" came from inside, he pushed the door open and greeted the intelligence officer who had issued him a commission a few months ago: "Viscount Eden , long time no see."
The official who was immersed in a pile of documents raised his head and stared at Hansel for a long time, and finally asked: "Are you..." Obviously, he has only met once. Zhiyuan's subordinate can't remember it.
Hansel felt angry for a while, but he did not show it at all. He introduced himself with a smile: "Baron Hansel Abbott, I took over the commission from you in the military camp in the Highlands a few months ago. writ, went to Arda to serve as royal commissioner."
Viscount Aiden stirred his brain vigorously and finally regained some impression.
"Ah! It's Hansel." Mr. Viscount didn't feel embarrassed at all. The people who called him were basically the people left by Count Merlin who had no place to arrange them. Anyway, there is a special person for correspondence. The liaison is responsible for delivering, what use is it for these little people to bother remembering what they look like.
He remembered that he had casually sent the guy in front of him to that inhospitable place in the northwest bay. "Then, why did you return to the royal capital?" Viscount Aiden put on a serious expression. His expression, could it be that this guy couldn't stand the hardships in the northwest region, so he left his post without permission and came back to enjoy the blessings? Alas, today's young people need a good education.
"Uh-huh!" Hansel cleared his throat, took out a roll of paper, and placed it on Viscount Eden's desk. "Please take a look, your lord."
Viscount Eden was curious. Unfolding the roll of paper, it turned out to be a grain handover certificate. Thinking of the instructions given to them by the royal family not long ago, he immediately understood.
"So? You have already obtained food from the local lord?"
Hansel puffed up his chest and said: "Yes, sir! Although the quantity is not large, this is only the first batch, Al The lord of Da, Count Paul Greiman, promised me that he would send more food in the future, and it would be free of charge and we would not need to spend a single copper."
Viscount Eden nodded with satisfaction: " Okay, in this day and age, there are not many local lords who are so loyal to His Majesty the King. I understand, you can go back first." After saying that, he put the handover certificate aside and continued to immerse himself in the official documents on the table. .
After a while, he still didn't hear the sound of the door opening and closing, so he raised his head strangely and found Hansel still standing there, as if waiting for something.
"Huh? Baron Abbott, what are you still doing here?"
Hansel, slightly disappointed, took out two letters and put them on the table and said: "There is one more thing I need to trouble you with. Here is a letter written by Count Greiman, Lord of Arda, to His Majesty the King, and one letter written by me to His Majesty the King. The letter written by His Majesty the King contains some suggestions about the northwest region. Please send it to the palace for me."
Viscount Eden glanced at the letter on the table and said, "Okay, but. His Majesty the King has so many things to do, I’m not sure whether he can spare the time to read your letter. Hansel, if there is nothing important, please return to the Northwest Bay as soon as possible and continue to perform your duties as the Royal Commissioner. It's very busy here. "
"I obey your order, Lord Viscount."
Hansel turned and left the office and closed the door. After walking a few steps in the corridor, he stopped. Coming down, he hesitated whether to go in again, but finally shook his head and left the building.
……
After finishing his business, Hansel hired a carriage and drove in the direction of Wangli Jingyao College. About a quarter of an hour later, the carriage stopped in front of a tavern.
Hansel jumped out of the carriage, gave the driver a few coins, straightened his clothes and walked into the tavern. He looked around and found a familiar figure in the corner, so he walked to the bar and said: "A glass of rum."
The tavern owner stared at him without moving, just when Hansel was a little When he was impatient, the boss spoke: "Guest, please show your identification and receipt."
"What do you mean? I need identification and receipt to drink a glass of wine?" Hansel was confused, could it be After the warehouse was burned down, was the capital's alert level so high?
A voice came from behind: "Boss, my friend has just come back from other places. He doesn't know about the recent alcohol prohibition. Give him a glass of apple juice."
Hansel turned around and saw the acquaintance sitting in the corner. He opened his arms and said enthusiastically: "Bernard, it's been such a long time!"
Hansel's old classmate——Ber Baron Francis also opened his arms and hugged him, "Yes, I have not known where you have been for the past few months. I only found out this morning when Tommen came to deliver a message that you went to the northwest to become a royal commissioner. "
The two walked to the table in the corner and sat down. Hansel asked strangely: "What is the prohibition you just mentioned?"
Bernard asked. Waved his hand: "Forget it, isn't there a food shortage recently? His Majesty the King issued an order to strictly restrict the brewing of various types of wine. Nobles can only drink half a liter of wine a day, and commoners can only drink one liter of wine a week, and no more banquets are allowed. Drinking in public. I warn you, don’t break the ban. This time it’s no joke. Several unlucky guys have been caught and fined heavily.”
“Okay! "Hansel reluctantly drank the apple juice handed over by the boss, "Then I'll use this to quench my thirst first."
Bernard took a sip of the juice in his cup and asked: "Have you been transferred back to the capital this time?" "No! I will return to the Northwest Bay in a few days."
"Oh! What a pity!" Bernard raised his glass to Hansel in sympathy.
Hansel continued: "Actually, besides reminiscing about old friendships, I asked you to come here this time for one more thing."
"Huh? What is it?"
Hansel organized his words and said: "Now there is an opportunity that can change your destiny. I wonder if you are willing to seize it."
"What opportunity?" The friend in front of him just asked casually. Said, then raised the cup to drink the juice.
"Will you go to the Northwest Bay with me?"
"Cough-cough!" Bernard choked on a mouthful of juice and coughed violently.
Hansel quickly helped him beat his back, and it took him a while to calm down.
"Ahem - you're kidding, aren't you?" Bernard asked Hansel doubtfully, wouldn't going to that place be equivalent to being assigned? Why did you drag your good friend to jump into the fire pit?
Hansel put on a serious expression: "Bernard, I am definitely not kidding. I just came back from the Northwest Bay. I know the land there, I know the people there, and I know the lords there. , it is definitely not the barren land spread among the aristocratic circles of the royal capital."
He stared into Bernard's eyes and said word by word: "It is a rich land that needs to be cultivated and will be filled with gold in the future. "
Bernard blinked and said, "Hansel, you know these gorgeous and empty words cannot impress me."
Hansel sat down. Exit, "Okay, Bernard. To tell you the truth, there is a place called Arda. The local lord hopes to vigorously develop the industry in his territory and increase the output of various materials including grain and iron, but he There is a shortage of talents under his command, and the most urgent need is those who can read and understand arithmetic. "
Bernard rubbed his chin, seeming to understand his friend's intention.
Hansel continued: "You know, grain and iron are the most important materials in war. Once their production is increased and continuously provided to His Majesty the King, as a relevant factor in promoting this matter Staff and credit are definitely indispensable."
Bernard nodded: "You said it well, but will this matter be successful? Every lord hopes that his territory will become more and more successful. Prosperity, but I have never heard of any territory becoming rich in just a few years."
"Any investment is risky. How can you know the result if you don't work hard?"
Then he introduced Arda's agricultural development plan to Bernard, and told about the various measures Paul had taken in the territory, such as destroying pirates and cracking down on laws, emphasizing that Arda is now in order, not like before. People's descriptions of the northwest bay are still full of pirates and bandits.
He finally said: "Think about it, Bernard, you are almost thirty years old, and you are still working as a librarian in the college. How much money can you make per month? The road is getting narrower and narrower. I don't want to think about it anymore." Just find a way to stay like this for the rest of your life. Although the town there is smaller, it is no worse than the capital, and it is very suitable for living. The lord promised to pay the people who defected to him higher wages than before, and the prices there were also extremely high. Low.”
Hansel’s words hit Bernard’s nerves, and he began to think about it carefully.
Hansel struck while the iron was hot: "In the royal capital, there are low-ranking nobles like us everywhere, but what about the northwest? There are very few nobles there. When you walk on the street, you are almost nothing to the civilians around you. A sun-like existence. With our knowledge and talents, we can definitely occupy a place there. In the future, after you have made great contributions, you can choose to return to the capital or continue to live there. However, at that time, the northwest is under our efforts. It must be prosperous down there.”
Bernath thought about it and finally said, “I have to go back and think about your suggestion before I give you an answer.”
Hansel held his hand. : "Good friend, think about it carefully. Also, tell this matter to the people you know, especially those who are dissatisfied with the status quo, including civilians. If they are interested, let them come to me."
Bernard nodded, "Okay, Hansel! I will give you an answer the day after tomorrow at the latest!"
Hansel raised his glass: "Cheers! My friend, I really hope we have enough food to come. Make wine, so you don’t have to use damn juice instead."
The two glasses clinked together, "Cheers! I hope what you said comes true."
(End of this chapter)< br>