The grand Platinum Fort is the most complex building that humans can design, and its square shape and walls were designed to accommodate nearly 10,000 troops, and it is also one of the important functions of many lords' residences. However, as the times progressed, this purpose was gradually diluted, and how to build grander and more expensive buildings became the new fashion of high society.

Buckingburg pioneered this trend a hundred years ago, spending a lot of manpower on materials and structural improvements. What remains of the building has been erased by many additions and renovations, making Buckingburg a giant palace with more than 740 rooms large and small.

In the midst of this, many things are stored and brewed. The solid and heavy walls have never experienced war, but they have provoked many wars here.

Martin smoked the last tobacco out of his pipe, poured the unburned ash into the spotless ashtray on the table, and knocked it lightly. It's like a timid cat that doesn't want to attract attention.

Carey Romeo waited patiently, and before Martin could empty his pipe, Padraic walked in and opened the informal mini-High Council. The three of them gathered around the table, and the atmosphere felt more serious than the formal High Council.

"What makes you so eager to come to me?" Padraic said with the attitude of a king's hand, "anything should be reported directly to the king, and the king will decide." ”

"That's why we are privately looking for you to come to Your Highness. "You should be assured that unarmed politicians will never dare to joke about what they are standing on, and we will not bother you for no reason," Carey said. ”

"Why didn't anyone else show up?" asked Padraic.

"Because there are some things that they shouldn't know too much. Martin said.

"Well, I'll listen. Padraic said, pulling a chair and sitting down.

"Rante is the largest kingdom of the Empire, and nearly half of humanity lives here. "But the seven years of war have depleted all our reserves, as well as our treasury." To this day, there are still many standing armies stationed on our borders that consume food. ”

"I didn't think the army's food was a problem. Padraic said.

Although the kingdom of Rant claimed to have 700,000 troops stationed in the east, there were not 200,000. And according to the resolution of the Supreme Council, half of the army was disbanded and located in the immediate vicinity of the two rivers (the plain between the lower reaches of the Jinshui River and the Yinshui River). Farming. The flooding of the rivers in the spring brings a lot of fertile soil to the area, and even if it suffers from some natural disasters, there is no need to worry about food.

"It's a big problem now, Lord of the King's Hand. Martin said: "The Kurosawa Tongmasons who were sent earlier confessed something, and a series of hailstorms at the beginning of July, when the harvest season had just begun, was a conspiracy of the Kurosawa people. ”

The abnormal weather a month ago turned almost all the rain into hail, and in some places there was no harvest.

"Hail?" Padraic was surprised, "if the Kurosawa have the ability to create hail of this magnitude far away from the horizon, will they be able to use such magic to thwart us on the battlefield?"

"It's unlikely, at least that's what the maests and mages promised me. Martin said, "This magic only changes the warmth and coldness of the air at the right time, and there is no such luck on the battlefield." ”

"Now that you've said that, I can rest assured. Padraic said.

Carey also talked about the treasury, "In the previous year, we bought 3 million gold coins of wheat, oats, rye, etc. from Tours. It was a normal harvest year, and we paid bills of this denomination. I'm afraid it's ...... this year"

"How's this year going?" asked Padrak.

"If, as the year before, we set aside the food and grass supply of our army, this number will rise to 5 million gold coins, or the estimate after the value of the Rantt gold coins has recovered now. What's more, Tours will not easily sell so much grain, and the spontaneous grain trade of the people may also be restricted. ”

"So what if we give up our military food reserves and open up our warehouses to help the people?" Padraic said.

"It's still difficult, we may not need to buy food to survive this winter, but we can no longer afford a surprise war. Carey said, "A shriveled granary is a signal to invite war." ”

Padraic was at a loss for words, "We should tell our father, he should know what to do." ”

Martin silently observed that although the crown prince was trying his best to learn from the sophisticated king in words and deeds, he was still just a child who did not understand political affairs. In his anxiety, he even forgot that the purpose of this secret meeting was to avoid the eyes and ears of the king.

"Your Highness, you are the Hand of the King. With the rightful powers of all kings except the army, you can do many things with them. Martin advised.

Padraic's head was quiet, ready to hear what the two men had to say.

"The food hazard of the Rante Kingdom cannot be hidden from Tours, there is a lot of trade between the two countries, once we fall into a situation of emptiness and no food, Tours will definitely attack non-stop. Carey said, "Fortunately, the Gray Pass is an excellent barrier, and there is not much chance that the western frontier will be invaded until it is destroyed." ”

"We were invaded last time. Padraic noted.

"Last time, no one expected a war. Martin recalled: "Now Hans Saunders is very much guarded at our western gates, and there are soldiers on guard even in the snowy mountains. ”

"I hope you're right. Padraic said.

"In the same way, Kurosawa has struck our food, which means that they could go to war at any time. "From the beginning of winter to the new harvest season in April, they can pick a good day to attack and catch us off guard," Carey said. Every second increases the likelihood of Kurosawa's raid, and by then we will have nothing left to stop them. ”

"So what are we going to do?" said Padraic angrily.

"We are allied with Tours. Martin said: "Tours' trust comes at a great cost, and His Majesty Azil will never allow it." ”

Azir had an old-fashioned military spirit, and the enemies he had fought on the battlefield would never meet at the negotiating table. It's hard to imagine that if it weren't for the family's powerful army, the king would have been defeated on his way to conquer the world. Martin sighed, counting on Patrick to understand this.

"We are going to bring 300 good horses of the steppe, 50 carts of cloth of all kinds, 50 carts of fine cindus tobacco, and 10 boxes of gold," Martin said. On top of that, we will take a hostage, which will surely be exchanged for the alliance of Tours. ”

Ten boxes of gold are about 4 million gold coins, and as a hard currency, it is not affected by the market economy, which is enough to show sincerity.

Padraic gritted his teeth tighter and tighter, and when he finally heard the word hostage, he froze. "I'm not going to take Tur as a hostage from Joseph!"

"You are the hand of the king, as you wish. "Now we just want to borrow your hand to prepare gifts, and I'll go to Telmi myself." I promise to bring back a mutually acceptable agreement, but there is still the possibility of His Highness Joseph's sacrifice. ”

"Even if I agree,......" said Padraic, "how are you going to make a living man under my father's nose?"

"We hope you will convince the prince. Carey said, "Prince Joseph will not refuse if you ask, he is a man who understands the urgency of things." ”

Padraic said firmly, "I'll have what I need, and twice as much, and hopefully that will send Tour's gang away." ”