Chapter 239: Upholding Justice (a 10,000-word chapter, please subscribe)
In the solemn court next to the Municipal Office Building of the Ascatla Administrative District, a scene attracted the attention of everyone in the city and lasted for two weeks. The lawsuit went ahead as scheduled.
One of the parties knew without asking, that after investigation, it was confirmed that the expedition team had committed an unforgivable crime.
In order to ensure that these horrific crimes could be tried fairly, Captain Witherland even personally took action and stood in court to make an impassioned speech.
“Your Honor, the Prosecutor General, and all the citizens who came to listen.
I must tell you that after questioning all the sailors, it is basically confirmed that the first thing Cordell and his golden mercenary group did after discovering the Maztec continent was to carry out an inhumane massacre of the local indigenous people. .
They looted a total of seventeen villages, six small towns, and a city that accommodated tens of thousands of people.
More than 6,000 people died directly as a result, many of whom were old, weak, women and children who had no ability to resist.
As for being displaced, even more people eventually died of starvation, thirst, injuries, and infections.
If you commit such a crime, you can still get away with it and even enjoy the looted wealth.
Where is the justice?
Where is the law?
Where are the axioms?
The most important thing is that these evil deeds were committed in the name of Amn, which greatly damaged the reputation of the city and the entire country.
It can be foreseen that the indigenous people of the Maztec continent will remain hostile and wary of us for a long time.
As everyone knows, the reason Amn sent out the expedition was to expand trade and do business with more cities and countries.
Just imagine, if the indigenous people of a continent are full of hostility and do not even allow us to approach their gathering place, how can the merchants engage in trading activities?
So Cordell and his golden mercenary group must get justice!
Only in this way can we prove to the indigenous people of the Maztec continent that they are just a group of bandits who are motivated by money, and everything they do is not officially authorized and permitted..."
No Not to mention, Captain Witherland of the Knights of the Burning Heart is very eloquent. He not only criticized Cordell and the Golden Mercenary Group from the standpoint of good and evil, but also analyzed the pros and cons from the perspective of a businessman.
His purpose is very simple, that is, to make the man standing in the dock pay the price for the heinous crime he committed.
Because this is not a murder involving a few people or a dozen people, but a genocide and population genocide involving thousands or even tens of thousands of people at a time.
As a paladin who serves the God of Justice, Witherland will never allow Cordell and his group of golden mercenaries to escape legal punishment.
If Amn's laws fail to give a fair verdict, then he will not hesitate to risk falling out with the six-member council and directly lead the Knights of the Hot Heart to attack and touch these innocent people with their hands. The bloody villains were killed.
Just look at the paladins standing at the door, fully armed and with solemn expressions, and you will know how angry these holy warriors who have sworn to defend justice and protect the weak are.
Especially Sir Kaidong, who was standing in the front row, clutching the two-handed giant sword shining with golden light in his hand. When he looked at the members of the Golden Mercenary Group, he seemed to be looking at a group of dead people.
You must know that in the not too long history of Amn, there has never been a case like today that brought out the entire Knights of the Burning Heart.
The judge and the prosecutor sitting on the stage kept wiping their sweat, completely frightened by this unrelenting momentum.
They know very well that these single-minded paladins will not make any private deals or compromises with you, nor will they just threaten and intimidate like the gangs affiliated with the Shadow Thief. Will take action without hesitation.
A few months ago, Duke Telga, whose territory is in the Giant Plains, revealed the whereabouts of the paladin team sent by the Knights of the Burning Heart to a vicious wanted criminal.
As a result, the latter set up an ambush and almost wiped out the entire team. Only Cassius and Kaidong survived.
It was the two of them who, by tracking day and night in the wilderness, finally found the enemy's lair and slaughtered it.
After returning to Ascaltra and reporting the matter, the Knights immediately sent someone to question Duke Telga.
The latter refused to admit it at first, until the irrefutable evidence was presented, and then he hid in the castle and wanted to use his private army to fight against the law enforcement agencies.
But in the end, they were overwhelmed by a wave of attacks from the paladins and trainee knights of the Knights of the Burning Heart.
Not only was the entire family uprooted, but many other crimes were unearthed along the way.
During this process, no matter how the nobles involved with Duke Telga interceded, pressured, or threatened, the paladins remained unmoved and went through all legal procedures unswervingly.
In the end, not only was Duke Telga and his direct participants successfully sentenced to death, but the family territory that had been passed down for hundreds of years was also confiscated, and even the descendants were expelled from Amn and were never allowed to return. Step into this land.
So in the eyes of those in the evil camp and those who have committed unforgivable crimes, paladins are more terrifying existences than mercenaries and killers.
Because the latter may still be bribed through financial benefits, but once the paladins identify something, even death cannot make them retreat at all.
Cordell was standing in the dock, his whole body soaked with sweat. He was thinking frantically about how to defend himself, while secretly cursing Bernard and Sir Kelvin.
If these two guys hadn't invited the Knights of the Burning Heart to arbitrate, it wouldn't be like this.
Right now, the only thing he can count on is the solemn-looking Supreme Priest of the God of Guards, Ou Sig, who holds the title of "General Overseer" sitting in the auditorium.
As long as this powerful man is willing to come forward, then with the consistent weak attitude of the Amn Council of Six towards the Church of God, there is a high probability that the matter will be settled peacefully.
As for the hard-headed paladins of the Knights of the Burning Heart, they can simply bribe the Masked Mage Guild to use teleportation magic to escape. There is no need to confront each other head-on.
However, Cordell is not sure about the attitude of "General Overseer" Ousig, nor is he sure whether the Church of Helm, the God of Guards, will kick him away after the things he has done are exposed.
Just when he was about to defend himself, a commotion and noise suddenly came from the passage not far away.
Following this, the three sponsors of the expedition appeared in everyone's sight.
Especially Zuo Si, who disappeared for a long time, instantly made some members of the top powerful families feel that something big might be going on.
After all, as a chosen one of Talona, the goddess of poison and disease, his identity is extremely sensitive.
Coupled with the title of consultant of the six-person council, once he takes a stand, it will inevitably trigger a series of very serious consequences.
Looking at the silent court, as well as the somewhat confused judge and chief prosecutor, Zuo Si looked around, walked straight to an empty place, put one hand on his chest and bowed symbolically.
“I’m very sorry. Since I was not in Ascatla some time ago, the other two sponsors, Bernard and Sir Kelvin, were unable to express their positions, which is why the matter developed to this point. Such a bad situation now
But now, on behalf of all the sponsors, I officially declare that the crimes committed by Cordell and his golden mercenary group on the Maztec continent have nothing to do with us. We are willing to give up all the wealth we have gained through killing and plundering
Not only that!
We also want to publicly condemn their actions that are less than a beast and bring disrepute to the Chamber of Commerce and this country.
Most importantly, Cordel still tried to link his evil deeds to the guardian god Heim, and violated Talona's domain while deliberately spreading plague and disease.
This is unmitigated blasphemy!
As the chosen one of the gods, I demand that the entire golden mercenary group, including him, be sentenced to death!
If the Church of Helm has any objection to this, then let's hold a divine judgment.
Let's see if the God of Guardians will still recognize such people as his followers. "
While saying these words, Zuo Si raised his head and did not avoid looking at the "chief inspector" Ou Xig in the auditorium.
He knew very well that this lawsuit The reason for the delay until now is entirely because this guy has been unwilling to remove Cordell and his golden mercenary group from the order of the Helm Church.
Although I don't know exactly what the other party wants. , and has any ulterior relationship or deal with Cordell.
But as long as Zuo Si forces the Church of Helm to carry out divine judgment, then whatever Oisig is planning will inevitably happen under God's control. There is nothing to hide in front of you.
You must know that Heim is a god of the neutral camp, so the composition of his believers is quite complicated.
Coupled with its almost strict internal discipline, it is particularly prone to corruption.
There is no doubt that in the face of the doubts of another god's elect, Oceig has no room for retreat.
Because if he chooses to avoid answering, he will not only disappoint the entire church, but also lose a large number of believers.
In fact, since the revelation of what Cordel and the Golden Mercenary Group did on the Maztec Continent, the situation of the Church of the God of Guard has become very bad, and the number of believers has increased even more in a short period of time. significantly reduced within.
So after hesitating for a moment, the "General Inspector" finally stood up slowly and responded in an emotionless tone: "There is no need to hold a divine judgment. I officially declare in the name of the God of Guards that from this moment on Cordell and his gold mercenary group will no longer be part of the church organization. As for the crimes they committed, I have no objection to the trial.”
Wow— —
With Ouchig’s speech, the whole court was in an uproar.
Everyone present did not expect that as soon as Zuo Si came on stage, the top leader of the Church of Helm, the God of Guard, who had always refused to express his opinion, chose to back down.
“Damn it! Who can tell me what’s going on?”
"Are the chosen ones of Talona, the goddess of poison and disease, so powerful? Even the church of Helm, the god of guardianship, is so afraid of her?"
"I don't think things are that simple! Maybe it's Ou Xi Ge had some unknown deal with Cordel in private, and perhaps the massacre on the Maztec continent was inspired by the former. "What? Really? The Church of Heim would do this. What kind of thing?”
“Hmph! What’s so strange about this? In some areas on the border between civilization and barbarism in the north, many followers of the Guardian God have become astonishingly corrupt. Robber."
"That's it. No wonder Cordel and his group of gold mercenaries would do such a thing that angers both humans and gods."
...
For a while, everyone in the entire hall was talking about it.
You must know that in the recent turbulent year, the guardian god Heim was unkind and killed the goddess of magic who wanted to return to the Pantheon to expose the conspiracy of the three gods of death to the god Io. This directly led to the subsequent series of disasters and the deaths of thousands of civilians.
So many city-states, regions and countries in Faerûn have a fairly negative view of the Church of Helm.
With such a big scandal happening this time, it is estimated that there is no hope that the reputation can be restored within a few decades.
But Ou Xig didn't have any intention of explaining. He stood up and walked out.
When Cordell saw this scene in the dock, he couldn't help shouting: "Sir! Mr. General Inspector! You can't just abandon me! There is an agreement between us!"
Unfortunately, Ousig seemed not to have heard anything and disappeared at the end of the corridor without looking back.
"Your Honor, I think you should be able to pronounce the sentence now." Zuo Si reminded unceremoniously.
He never paid attention to Cordell, the clown who was abandoned as an outcast, and never felt that the Golden Mercenary Group deserved his attention.
Quite the opposite!
Whether it is Cordell or the Golden Mercenary Group, they are just pawns pushed to the front stage.
Zuo Si even suspected that the Church of Helm had long known about the existence of Maztec Continent through certain channels, so it ordered Cordel and the Golden Mercenary Group to be the pioneers and use Amn to control foreign colonies. expansion ambition to achieve their own ulterior goals.
But what exactly is this purpose, I am afraid no one knows except Ousig.
Of course, these are not important now.
Because according to the laws of Amn and the fair contracts that have been made before, Zuo Si, Bernard and Sir Kelvin, as investors, have already obtained the development rights of this new continent.
As for the Church of Helm, they were already out the moment they chose to retreat.
No matter what plan they had before, it has completely failed now.
The reason is very simple!
If you want to cross the dangerous ocean to reach the Maztec continent, the first thing you need is a ship. There are many, many large ocean-going ships with an astonishing weight.
On the entire west coast of Ferenc, the country with the most ships and the strongest navigation ability is undoubtedly Amn.
The next step is the rising Nelanthel Islands.
At present, of the two forces, one is completely under Zuo Si's control, and the other has become a member of its upper ruling class.
So he has many ways to completely fail the plan of the Church of Helm, the God of Guards.
In this way, under the gaze of countless pairs of eyes, the judge and the prosecutor discussed quietly for a few minutes with their heads lowered, and then pronounced Cordell and the Golden Mercenary Group guilty in public, and they were on the execution ground three days later. The punishment was to be burned at the stake, which meant being tied to a wooden frame, poured with oil, and burned alive.
It must be said that this result has made many kind-hearted people with relatively high moral standards applaud.
There are also some families who want to use Cordell to muddy the waters and then take advantage of the situation, secretly cursing this guy and the Church of Helm behind him for being so useless.
In short, in just a few minutes after the verdict was announced, the human world was fully displayed.
But one thing they have in common is that no one cares about Cordell who was forcibly dragged down by the guards, or his mercenaries who were stained with the blood of the Maztec indigenous residents.
After everyone in the auditorium was completely gone, Witherland, the leader of the Knights of the Burning Heart, came over with a kind of paladin, solemnly put one hand on his chest and bowed deeply to Zuo Si. A bow.
"Thank you very much for your timely appearance, Your Excellency Thos, the chosen one of the goddess of poison and disease. Although I do not agree with Talona's teachings, I still want to thank you for your actions in upholding justice, justice and law today. Otherwise, Things may develop in the worst direction.”
“You’re welcome, I just did what I should do, and those of us who supported Cordell did so. People actually don’t know, and they don’t want what was originally a good adventure to turn into a disgusting killing and plunder. By the way, I don’t really agree with the teachings of the goddess of poison and disease,” Zuo Si said with a smile. He responded with a smile.
In Amn, the Knights of the Fiery Heart are a very special organization.
First of all, it does not belong to any god's church, and it does not even obey the orders of the Amn government. It belongs to a small group voluntarily organized by the paladins who serve the good gods.
At the beginning, they did not even have the power to enforce laws and could only do some work of mediating conflicts and disputes.
Later, the six-member council discovered that this organization had a very high prestige among the people and could greatly alleviate the conflicts between the poor at the bottom and the upper-class businessmen and nobles, so they were given a certain degree of law enforcement power.
But in return, the Knights of the Hot Heart are not allowed to violate any laws and regulations of Amn, and they are also not allowed to engage in any activities that may subvert the existing order and upper-level ruling class of this country.
In other words, by granting law enforcement powers, the Six-person Council put a layer of shackles on these paladins, turning them from potential threats into tools to help them maintain their rule.
It must be said that in this regard, the top dignitaries of Amn are much smarter than the merchant class of Baldur's Gate.
Even for a long time, the Knights of the Burning Heart were the sharpest sword used by the commercial aristocrats to suppress the traditional aristocrats.
However, in Zuo Si's eyes, the Knights actually played a huge role in society.
Especially it brings hope to the poor and civilians at the bottom whose lives are not satisfactory.
As long as these holy warriors are still active, it proves from a certain aspect that this country has not been corrupted to the point of hopelessness, and the law has not completely become a toy in the hands of the powerful.
Of course, this is just wishful thinking.
In fact, if the Knights of the Burning Heart are really that important, it is impossible for the Shadow Thieves to maintain such a large scale and influence.
"You are really as special as the rumors say." Witherland couldn't help but smile.
Because there is nothing more comforting than coming from the mouth of a chosen one of an evil god who disapproves of that god's teachings.
Zuo Si shrugged nonchalantly: "It's not that I'm so special, but I've never believed in Talona from beginning to end."
"But I heard , under your influence, this evil goddess, who has been talked about by countless city-states and countries, is now transforming into a neutral camp, especially the new sect established near the slums, which no longer has any trace of evil. , On the contrary, they are actively teaching the poor to maintain good hygiene habits to reduce the chance of illness and poisoning." Kaidong, a paladin who stood in the back row and was loyal to Tom, the god of courage, couldn't help but interject.
Since this god formed the "Three Holy Alliance" with the God of Suffering Ilmat and the God of Justice Tyr a long time ago, they often cooperate closely with each other in the mortal church.
So Kaidong knew some inside information about Zuo Si becoming the chosen one of the goddess of poison and disease through the Church of the God of Suffering.
“No, that is the goddess’s own choice and has nothing to do with me. To be precise, I have never participated in the management of the internal affairs of Talona Church, so no matter what they do, it has nothing to do with me. "
Zuo Si did not hesitate to completely separate himself from the goddess's believers and followers.
Because he couldn't be sure whether Talona from the chaotic camp would suddenly have a brain twitch and suddenly change her direction.
There is no way, the chaotic camp is too arbitrary, which is really a headache.
“The establishment of that new sect was not based on your instruction?” Kaidong was stunned for a moment.
Not only him, but the other paladins of the Knights also looked like they had seen a ghost.
You must know that Talona is a very ancient god. She has been a representative of extreme evil and chaos for thousands of years, and there is no reason at all.
But with the appearance of Zuo Si, a voter, everything began to change.
They couldn't figure out whether this was a manifestation of the goddess's excessive love for this elector, or whether she had some other plan.
Zuo Si shook his head slightly and explained: "Of course not. Regarding this new sect, I just gave some reference suggestions, nothing more.
In addition, I think you are the best Don't be too optimistic
Because I think Talona created such a sect not so much to change her alignment, but to take revenge on Ilmat for interrupting her in the first place. It is a good thing that she is deliberately trying to steal believers from the God of Suffering.
Of course, as the number of believers increases, there will definitely be some inevitable changes in her camp.”
"So, we need to pay more attention to this new sect in the future." Captain Witherland showed a thoughtful expression.
"Not only Talona's new sect, but also the behavior of the Church of Helm in recent times. I feel that the general inspector seems to be hiding something." Zuo Si reminded meaningfully.
Hearing these words, the paladins present frowned subconsciously.
Kaidong asked bluntly: "Do you think the massacre and plundering of the indigenous residents by the Golden Mercenary Group in the Maztec Continent was authorized by the high-level officials of the Helm Church?"
“I have no evidence about this yet.
But please pay more attention to the next movements of the Church of Heim.
If they really have any intention to attack the Maztec continent, they will definitely send priests and believers there on a large scale in the future.
In addition, I suggest that the Knights would best send a team of paladin to follow the fleet to the Maztec continent to ensure that similar things never happen again.
After all, with the discovery of the New World and safe routes, there will definitely be a lot of adventurers, mercenaries and businessmen flocking there to hunt for gold in the future.
Considering that it takes time to establish gathering places and ports, there may be a long period of legal vacuum.
No one knows what crazy behaviors these greedy adventurers, mercenaries, and businessmen will do after losing their restraints. ”
Zuo Si made no secret of his invitation to the Knights of the Hot Heart.
Considering the blood and violence of the Earth’s colonial era, he felt it was necessary to use the power of the paladin to deter those who wanted to Guys who want to follow the example of the Golden Mercenary Group and go to the Maztec Continent to plunder
Especially the Shadow Thieves and some of the merchant guilds who occasionally appear as pirates are the targets that need to be monitored
Weight. Captain Selan was obviously a little moved. He lowered his head and thought for a moment before replying quickly: "This is indeed a good idea. But I can't make a decision alone and need to go back and hold a meeting to discuss it seriously. ”
"No problem. At any time, the ports and strongholds we established on the Maztec continent welcome members of the Knights of the Hot Heart."
At this moment, Zuo Si felt like A "good guy" who advocates kindness and order.
So much so that all the paladins present had a certain amount of admiration for him.
Some people think that the reason why he became the chosen one of the goddess of poison and disease is completely the result of a strange combination of circumstances, or it is Talona's wishful thinking.
But Bernard on the side knew very well that all this was just a sensory illusion.
As long as Zuo Si is willing, he can show values that are perfectly in line with the good, neutral and evil camps at any time, and make the other party think that he is one of his own.
It is this powerful ability to deceive and disguise that allows him to move between different camps with ease.
After the people of the Knights of the Burning Heart left, Sir Kelvin couldn't help but ask: "Lord Soth, do you really plan to invite these paladins to the Maztec continent?"< br>
"Why not?" Zuo Si asked with a smile. "Are you sure you can control the behavior of those adventurers, mercenaries and merchants?"
Sir Kelvin smiled bitterly and shook his head: "How is it possible? Maybe in the settlement, we can still Relying on the rights granted by the Six-person Council of Amn to restrict their behavior, who can know what they have done once they enter the dense jungle.”
"Because of this, the paladins of the Knights of the Burning Heart are needed.
In many cases, as long as they are there, they can awaken the conscience and bottom line in some people's hearts, so as not to let the people who are about to fight in horse racing The settlements established on the Ztec continent have become gathering places for ruffians and bandits.
Remember, what we need is to trade with the local indigenous people, rather than being regarded as intruders and pests by them. ”< br>
Zuo Si warned solemnly.
“I understand this even if you don’t tell me. In addition, do you have any good suggestions about where the first settlement and port were established?” Sir Kelvin touched his chin The beard asked in a low voice.
Zuo Si pondered for a moment and quickly replied: "If possible, it is best to build on an island relatively close to the mainland.
In this way, you can not only ensure your own safety, but also communicate with the local indigenous people. Keep a certain distance to prevent unnecessary conflicts and troubles
In addition, for those who want to follow the fleet to the Maztec continent in the early stage, sign a treaty in advance to ensure that they do so within five years. They are not allowed to return to Faerun to prevent the route from being exposed prematurely."
"Good idea! It seems that we can recruit more farmers and craftsmen next time we set up a fleet to sail." Bernard added excitedly. .
"In short, the establishment of a stronghold will be left to you. I'm afraid I won't be able to help you much in this regard."
Zuo Si expressed his attitude simply and neatly.
Because this is not something that can be done in one or two years. Immigration alone requires at least five years.
A true port city can be established only when the population of the entire gathering area reaches tens of thousands.
In addition, because it is too far away from Faerûn, the stronghold also needs to solve a series of problems such as food, housing, metal smelting, maintenance and upkeep of weapons and armor, etc.
Even with the full support of the six-person council, it will take time to build it bit by bit.
As the saying goes, everything is difficult at the beginning.
What's more, the natural environment of the Maztec continent is a rainforest, with dense jungles, lakes and swamps everywhere. It is not easy to find a suitable settlement.
In this way, after leaving the court, the three people went straight to the municipal building of Ascaltra and had an hour-long secret discussion with the six-member council who had been waiting for a long time.
No one knows what kind of agreement the two parties reached.
Anyway, within a few hours, a notice was posted at the door of the municipal building, and a special announcer loudly announced it to the passing civilians, businessmen and nobles.
As for the content, it is also very simple.
The first is that the Council of Six recognized all legal rights to the Chamber of Commerce that sponsored the expedition.
The second is that the Amn government decided to fund twenty ships at one time, as well as a large number of tools and materials necessary to establish a stronghold, as support for the development of the New World.
The third item is to recruit pioneers from outside. Not only can they receive generous settlement fees, but they are also promised that everyone will get a large piece of land of their own.
Last and most important.
All ships that want to do business on the Maztec continent must obey the unified arrangements of the Amn government and must pay high fees, otherwise they will be considered illegal.
Any ship sailing without permission will be captured and detained, or directly sunk if found.
Obviously, the Six-person Council wants to use this method to completely monopolize the trade routes with the New World, thereby making huge profits.
From the things brought back from the expedition, they have been able to identify more than a dozen specialties that have never appeared in Faerûn.
And these things will bring unimaginable wealth to the entire upper ruling class of Amn.
In addition, the Maztec continent is also rich in precious metals, magic metals and various gemstones.
In short, under the coordination of Zuo Si and the six-person council, the upper ruling class of Amn quietly completed an exploitative carve-up.
To celebrate this historic moment, a banquet was held on the upper floor of the municipal building as an exception.
The leaders of the major families expressed their gratitude to Zuo Si, the "prophet" who successfully predicted the Maztec continent more than half a year ago, and what followed was a flood of praise. and flattery.
"Your Excellency Soth, accepting you as one of the masters of Amn was probably the most correct decision we have ever made in our lives." A noble businessman in his fifties said in a very serious tone said in a tone of voice.
Another old woman next to her, who was also quite young, nodded with deep understanding: "That's right. This Maztec continent, which is full of unknowns, will bring huge benefits to all of us. Especially that There is a bean called cocoa, which can keep people excited after taking it, and can even act as an aphrodisiac to a certain extent. I think many people will fall madly in love with it as long as they find a suitable cooking method.”
"Madam, if you are referring to cocoa, then I can tell you that it is very simple to make it delicious. Just add a little sugar and milk. Oh, by the way, I happen to have a ready-made cocoa here You can taste the snacks made."
As he said that, Zuo Si took out a can of chocolate given to him by the Weasley twin brothers from the satchel he carried.
If he guessed correctly, it was most likely that George and Fred sneaked into the Hogwarts kitchen and asked for it from the house elves during their night tour in the castle.
"Is this... made of cocoa beans?" The old woman had a surprised expression on her face.
"Yes. You just need to simply grind it into powder, then add milk, sugar and a small amount of flour, stir, and then pour it into a mold to cool, and you can get this snack that tastes pretty good."
As Zuo Si explained, he opened the jar and gave a small piece to everyone around him.
The nobleman who got it first put it in front of his nose and smelled it, then licked it with his tongue, and finally put it in his mouth and chewed it slowly.
In about a few seconds, their eyes began to light up, obviously amazed by this unique taste.
The old woman licked her lips and exclaimed: "Unbelievable! I was still having a headache on how to remove the bitter taste from cocoa beans, but you gave me the answer directly. With this Formula, I think it won’t be long before a large number of workshops specializing in cocoa-based food will emerge in Ascatra.”
"It seems that we have been able to determine what special products the first fleet to the Maztec continent should bring back."
"I hope those indigenous people have enough cocoa beans to provide us. "
"Don't worry. I heard that there are a lot of trees of this kind of plant over there. As long as we can provide them with the goods they are interested in, there is no reason why the other party will not agree to the transaction."
< br>“I’m going to send two ships to the Maztec Continent and bring them back full of cocoa beans!”
“Thankfully, the Church of Heim was kicked out. Otherwise, it would have been so smooth to monopolize the trade in the New World. It’s really not an easy thing.”
...
For a moment, everyone present unanimously expressed their optimism for this snack that was a bit addictive.
After all, Amn now monopolizes the only route to the Maztec continent and completely controls the origin of raw materials, so it is completely possible to sell food processed from cocoa beans at the same price as luxury goods.
In order to avoid competition with each other, the leaders of this group of big families also got together to divide the exclusive areas of each family in detail and set unified prices.
In terms of doing business, except for Sambia, no city-state or country in Faerûn can compare with Amn, which has begun to capitalize.
Of course, as the heroes of the discovery of the New World, Zuo Si, Bernard and Sir Kelvin got the biggest piece of cake.
Looking at the large area painted in red on the map, the young businessman Bernard clenched his fists in excitement and said to his father-in-law: "Now we are really going to make a fortune. It doesn’t take much. We only need to transport one ship of cocoa beans, and we can make a net profit of at least 300,000 gold coins.”
“Yes! We have caught up with the best of times, and at the same time we have met people who can fight for our best interests.”
Sir Kelvin touched his gray hair and turned his attention to eating a portion. Zuo Si of seafood noodles.
“What are your plans next?” Bernard asked enthusiastically.
"First choose a location to establish a stronghold, and then use the support given by the six-person council to immigrate to the stronghold as much as possible while trading with the indigenous people of the Maztec continent to obtain more cocoa beans. The money earned by selling cocoa products , continue to invest in the construction of the port city. Once the port is built, we will benefit from it in the next decades or even centuries.”
Sir Kelvin did not hide anything and said it openly. made his own plan.
Compared to making quick money, he is obviously more interested in establishing a permanent port.
"I support your decision. However, when allocating funds, it is best not to allocate too much at once, otherwise I am afraid that Mr. Soth will be in trouble when he suddenly encounters money." Bernard whispered Just a reminder.
You must know that the huge cost of building the mage tower last time left a big shadow in his heart.
Sir Kelvin smiled and patted his son-in-law on the shoulder: "Don't worry, I know how high-level mages spend money, so I will save at least one-third of the funds as reserves. Compared to this, I am more concerned that you and Edith have been married for almost half a year, why are you still pregnant? Could it be that you have encountered some problems? "
After hearing this, Bernard said Instantly, his face turned red, and he quickly denied it: "No, of course not, don't get me wrong. In fact, Edith's period didn't come last month, but I'm not sure whether it really happened."
"Oh? Really! That's great. It just so happens that Mr. Soth is a priest and elector himself. I'll ask him to help take a look after the banquet."
Sir Kelvin couldn't help but drag Bernard to Zuo Si and told the matter again.
In Faerûn, rich and powerful people will ask a priest to confirm the position, health, gender and other conditions of the fetus when their wife is pregnant.
It will also ensure the safety of babies and pregnant women during childbirth and prevent death caused by sudden hemorrhage.
I have to say that this request made Zuo Si, who had never given birth to a child or seen anyone else give birth to a child, stunned on the spot.
Although his mind contained a lot of knowledge about midwifery and prenatal care collected from the British Library, his practical experience was completely zero.
But in the end, under the warm invitation of Sir Kelvin, he reluctantly helped Bernard’s wife do a health check-up after the banquet, and it was immediately confirmed that she was indeed pregnant.
But since the relationship has only been less than two months, the gender cannot be confirmed yet.
Bernard was overjoyed when he learned that he was finally going to be a father. He not only gave the servants an extra month's salary as a reward, but also sent housekeepers and donated five thousand gold coins to the temple of Ilmat, the god of suffering. .
Because this god is the one who cares and loves babies and young children the most among all the gods in Faerûn.
So the businessman hopes that Ilmat can bless his children to be born smoothly and grow up healthy.
Since a large amount of donation had been made before, the priest of the temple was very thoughtful and made a blessed amulet out of wood as a reward after learning about this situation, which can be used by pregnant women and fetuses. Maintain a calm state of mind.
At the same time, he also promised that when the baby is born, he will personally go to deliver the baby.
You must know that the priests of the God of Suffering often help poor people deliver babies for free, so their experience and skills in this field far exceed those of their peers. Even professional midwives have to be inferior.
(End of this chapter)