"I have checked the trade data of the empire in recent years through credible sources, and found that this huge country still relies on agriculture as the backbone of its economy, and the annual share of grain exports in the international grain market is as high as 60%, and a small increase in grain prices can increase a large amount of fiscal revenue." Roland replied.

Philip listened to Roland's words and snorted contemptuously: "If the only way you can think of is this, I'm afraid it is not worthy of Rudolph's praise, to make up for the financial deficit by monopolizing the price of world food, I don't need you to say that I know, let alone the shrewd Count Muller." ”

Roland didn't care about his sarcasm and continued the interrupted topic.

"Sixty percent of the market share is more or less, and it can be called an oligopoly, but it has not yet been able to achieve a monopoly position. If the imperial authorities raised the price of grain too high, major grain importers such as Fizhen, Hailan, and Canaan would seek other avenues of import, such as plantations in the New World, which were also rich in grain at lower prices than the Empire. ”

"That was once upon a time!" Philip interrupted him impatiently, "Don't think that I'm locked up in this damn dungeon and don't know anything about what's going on in the outside world, the Assanian Empire has waged war in the New World in the past year, not only for the purpose of fighting for the magic crystal mining area, but also a hidden strategic goal is to destroy the farms established by Fei Zhen and Hailan in the colonies through war, and the wheat fields burned by the war have become barren land, and the local farmers will either die in the war or flee their homes, and it will not be so easy to restore agricultural production!" Although the empire did not achieve complete victory in the New World, it had achieved its strategic goal of monopolizing the international grain market. ”

"You're wrong." Roland smiled faintly, "The mistake is to ignore a key factor, here, in the Far East, there is a large granary that is not controlled by the Empire!" We have no less than six million tons of grain available for export this year, and if all this grain floods into the international market, will the Müller cabinet be able to impose monopoly prices? ”

"Six million tons?!" Philip's face changed suddenly, "You're not bragging, are you?" ”

"Just more, no less." Rudolph responded to his son's question, "If necessary, we can add another two million tons of exports." ”

Philip fell silent. The Assanian Empire exported about 14 million tons of grain a year, and if the Koras father and son had not lied, the Far East's grain export capacity had reached half of the empire's, and it was indeed capable of sabotaging the imperial authorities' attempts to monopolize international food prices.

"You are doing this to the detriment of others and yourself, and to cheapen those grain-importing countries for nothing." Philip argued dryly.

"Not long ago, the governments of Hailan and Feizhen unilaterally asked our country to reduce the price of grain, probably because they were proud of making peace with the empire, and they had one more grain import channel, and they wanted to take the opportunity to suppress prices," Roland tugged at the corner of his mouth, "So I completely agree with what you said, my country and the empire, as the two major suppliers in the international grain market, are indeed hurting others and not benefiting themselves by fighting a price war, which will only allow the grain importing countries to take advantage of us in vain, and people will only laugh at us for being stupid, and they will not be grateful at all, but if the imperial authorities are obsessed and insist on the crusade, Faced with the threat of national extinction and extinction, we Far Easterners have no choice but to take all means to fight back, even if we lose both! ”

Roland's words were categorical and sonorous, and Philip couldn't help but be moved by his resolute intentions.

"Your Excellency Philip, please return to the Holy City and tell Prime Minister Müller that the empire and the Far East will have nearly 20 million tons of grain available for export this year, accounting for eighty percent of the world's grain exports, and that if the two countries are in contention, the Reich government will not be able to make up the fiscal deficit through grain exports, and Prime Minister Müller's political career may come to an end; On the other hand, cooperation between the two countries can monopolize international grain export prices, benefiting both sides, and Prime Minister Muller will be able to secure his position and continue to make great strides in the political arena. ”

Roland's remarks were in effect a proposal to the Mill Cabinet that the United Far East Empire should form an "international food price cartel" to improve the situation of the Mill Cabinet by raising the price of grain exports to cover the Empire's fiscal deficit, and in exchange, the Mill Cabinet must try to prevent the War from launching an Eastward Crusade. The kingdom of Kolas was temporarily protected from the threat of invasion from the West, prolonging a valuable opportunity for peaceful development while earning a dividend by raising the price of grain exports.

If the "international grain price cartel" can be successfully created, the empire and the Far East will be bound together by interests, and they will be able to maintain peace for the time being, while it will be the grain-importing countries such as Fijin and Hailan who will be harmed, and passively become the bearers of the cost of maintaining peace between the empire and the Far East. Roland felt no guilt about this, after all, the rulers of Hailan and Fijin did not show the slightest guilt when they tore up the grain trade agreement with the Far East.

Of course, monopolizing the price of grain is not a glorious act, Roland only put forward a verbal proposal to ask Philip to convey it to the upper echelons of the empire on his behalf, and if the empire exposed the matter, he would categorically deny that he had made the above remarks.

After much deliberation, Philippe finally accepted Roland's suggestion and assumed the task of coordinating between the government of the Far East and the Muller cabinet. If he wants to play the role of "coordinator", Philip must first ensure that he will not be held accountable by the imperial authorities for the fall of the Far Eastern provinces, otherwise he will not be able to protect himself when he returns to the holy city of Yasan, let alone match up with the Kolas father and son.

With a feeling of trepidation, Philip, who walked out of the dungeon and regained his freedom, wrote a long letter to Prince Frank overnight, telling about his experiences in the past three years, and incidentally mentioning the commission of the Koras father and son, and sent it to the holy city of Asan with the help of a spell.

Philippe remembers that at the critical juncture of the Collasburg uprisings, Frank sent him a letter in full support of his reforms in the Far East and promised to take him accountable. Although Philip's reform plan was not successfully implemented due to various mistakes, he did not forget the promise of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and writing this letter was a temptation, if Frank ignored it, or avoided talking about the original promise in the reply, it means that he no longer regards him as his own, let alone provides him with refuge, then Philip can only face the reality, refuse the commission of the Koras father and son, and give up the plan to return to the Holy City.

For the first time in three years, Philip left the dungeon and rested on a soft and comfortable bed, but he was tormented by anxiety all night and could not sleep, and ushered in a new day of gains and losses. After a hasty breakfast, Philip remembered the notes he had compiled in prison, and was about to tell Witt to fetch them, when a magic wave suddenly appeared in front of him, and a red light appeared.