Overnight, the international grain market changed dramatically. The major importing countries were outraged by the alliance of the Yassanian Empire and the Kingdom of Kolas, which had an eighty percent share of the international grain export market and had complete control over the pricing power, and publicly expressed their dissatisfaction and claimed that they would retaliate by reducing their share of imports.

Theoretically, a sudden and large increase in the price of a commodity will inevitably dampen demand. However, grain is a special commodity, and the elasticity of demand is very small. The price of meat is too high, and people can choose to eat less, but they cannot reduce the need for food rations, otherwise they will starve to death.

The cries of grain-importing countries such as Hailan and Fizhen revealed that they were not emboldened, and the authorities of the empire and the Far East ignored them, insisting on monopolizing prices unwaveringly. The two sides were at a stalemate until the end of 1622, and with the green season approaching, the importers were forced to compromise. Eventually, Hailan and Fijin were forced to import grain at a price of 30 gold thalers per tonne, in accordance with the monopoly agreement between the empire and the Far East. This is one-third higher than the price of grain futures signed between the two governments and the Far East.

This dramatic turn of events was blamed on the press of both Fijin and Hailan, and after the public exposure in the newspapers, the government and opposition in both countries were shaken by the parliament, and the parliament asked the cabinet officials in charge of grain imports to attend a hearing to question them and explain the "clever but clever mistaken" move. The two governments were forced to fire several cabinet bureaucrats involved in the incident to calm the public anger, but they could not break the grain price alliance jointly established by the Asshan Empire and the Kolas Kingdom, and for a time they could not find other alternative import channels, so they could only face the pain and were forced to import grain at high prices.

The Assanian Empire, which accounts for the largest share of grain exports, is undoubtedly the beneficiary of this price war. The Mueller cabinet has received a large amount of off-budget revenue by inflating the price of grain exports, and its financial situation has improved, and it has dared to stand up and speak out in front of radical military officers and conservative clergy. The Köras government was the biggest beneficiary, and the manipulation of international food prices not only brought rich monetary rewards, but also the greater benefit of forming a community of interests with the imperial authorities, turning from confrontation to cooperation, so as to avoid an almost imminent war.

Roland doesn't know how long this kind of partnership based on common interests can last, but it can drag on for a day. Time is on the side of the Far Easterners, and one more day of peace will give the Far East one more precious opportunity for development, and further narrow the gap in national strength with the Yashan Empire.

At the same time that the governments of Vares were fighting over food prices, Roland received a letter from the North Bay. Helena Drake, Governor of Kolas Island and Commander of the North Sea Fleet, wrote to him with the good news that the Kolasburg Mystery Lock had finally been built!

On the same day, Roland received letters from Sir Adric and André "The Red Robe", both about the newly completed Mystery of Krasbourg.

Sir Edric has been the most active promoter of the Mystery Lock Project on Koras Island over the years, in order to build this project, he did not hesitate to take out his personal property to pay for the project, and now the Mystery Lock has finally been established, and the strategic location of Koras Island, which is stuck in the throat of the North Bay - Meteorite Ocean, has been secured, and the island's falconry base, desalination plant, magic locomotive factory, military factory, shipyard, fleet base and North Sea Trading Company headquarters and other important facilities no longer have to worry about pirate harassment, and the old Sir finally has a wish that has been concerned for many years.

As the person in charge of the contractor of the Mystery Lock on Koras Island, Andre "Red Robe" wrote a letter to invite Roland to attend the inauguration ceremony of the Mystery Lock, first, with the intention of showing off, just like the designer who completes a masterpiece will always have a grand press conference to announce it to the world, and secondly, he wants to take this opportunity to discuss with Roland the details of the follow-up operation of the Mystery Lock on Koras Island, after all, this project adopts a new financing model, Beacon Hill eats this crab for the first time, and what to do next so as not to lose money, Mr. Andre has no bottom in his heart.

The inauguration of the Mystery of Koras Island was scheduled for November 11, 1622, and Roland couldn't help but amuse when he saw the time. There is no such thing as "Singles' Day" in the world of Vares, and Andre, Helena, and Sir Edric probably thought that the date looked neat and symmetrical, so they chose this day to celebrate it casually.

That morning, Roland arrived on the island of Kolas by airship. The "Dawn" was the first military airship in the Far East born in the North Bay, and it had a special commemorative significance for the local residents, and this airship almost became Roland's "special plane", as soon as the islanders saw the glittering silver hull and the Koras flag fluttering in the wind, they immediately realized that their lord was on the airship, and spontaneously raised their arms and shouted long live, and flocked to the airport to welcome him.

When Roland walked out of the hatch, he was immediately shocked by the thunderous scene in front of him, and he was a little overwhelmed. After a moment's astonishment, he remembered that the island of Kolas was not nominally part of the territory of the kingdom of Koras, but the private territory of his Roland Koras, so it was not permissible for the islanders to cheer "Long live the lord" and "my merciful master" to him instead of his father, His Majesty Rudolph.

Roland has been busy in the Far East all these years, and he has rarely visited this overseas enclave. When was the last time you were on Kolas Island? It seems that Leonid had been sent to the island a year ago to establish the Magical Power Research Institute, and that he had not publicly met with his subjects, so he was really surprised that people loved him so much as a lord who rarely appeared in public, and even a little irresponsible.

"Your Highness Roland, your reputation on the island is like a myth, you don't need to be like those vulgar politicians, deliberately putting on a posture of enjoying the people and trying to curry favor with the people, you have won yourself the respect you deserve with your practical actions!" Helena, the beautiful governor who came to greet Roland, heard Roland's doubts, and her beautiful eyes showed true feelings, "It was you who liberated this island that had been occupied by pirates for many years and made it a trading hub in the North Bay, you brought the North Sea Trading Company and the Magic Locomotive Factory to Kolas Island, bringing business opportunities, prosperity and hope, the population of Kolas Island has tripled in just four years, and the number of residents with the nationality of the Kolas Kingdom has exceeded 200,000 in just four years, Not to mention the large number of expatriate residents who came to the island to pan for gold, and the strong popularity and active market made Koras Island catch up, and quickly grew from a barren pirate paradise to a trade transit point in the North Sea region second only to Baigull Harbor, with a financial revenue of more than 10 million gold talers, and now you have helped us establish a mystical barrier that envelops the entire island, bringing a suitable climate of warm winters and cool summers to all your subjects settled on the island, and a safe barrier against tsunamis, typhoons, and pirates. People can't express their gratitude to you enough! ”