In the past few days waiting for Prince Eliot to arrange an envoy for the Thorny Hills defensive line, Gastens has not been idle. He first paid a visit to his former friend, Erica Russell of the General Staff, and gave him a prepared gift, an Eliot rifle engraved with his name, and listened to him complain about the miserable life of holding the line in the depths of winter, and also heard the fact that the troops had recently been mentally slack, and the desire for war was almost none. Immediately afterwards, he went to his old boss, Lord Vincent Navre, the former chief of staff of the 3rd Guards Division and now the chief of staff of the 3rd Guards Army. Similarly, I sent a specially customized enhanced signature version of the Elliot rifle, and I also heard from the old leader about the recent movements on the other side. Like the Third Republic, civil strife broke out in the Republic of Negro, and although the exact circumstances are unclear, it is a fact that the number of troops on the opposite side is gradually decreasing, and the General Staff has confirmed this by many indications. Originally, this was a good thing for Anken Rein, the opposing side was empty, and the counterattack after the beginning of spring would be very smooth. However, for some reason, it is estimated that the original spring campaign will not be able to be fought.

Gastens knew that Vincent Navlay was talking about Ronninger, but he shouldn't have known about it, so he didn't discuss it in depth. Later, he took Ivan, Zink, and Eddie around the front line, and sure enough, he found signs of passivity. The construction of many breastworks has been slowed down, and some of the semi-permanent camps, which were supposed to be built in large numbers, have been replaced by tents. Although the soldiers are still training, they are talking about their hometowns and hometowns. The entire army of the Thorny Hills defense line was slackened by His Majesty's statement and the civil strife in the opposite country.

However, this is not something that Gastens needs to worry about. On the fourth day of his arrival at the Thorn Hills, Prince Eliot summoned him to Roseville, with the chief of staff, Vincent Navley. Although he was surprised that Prince Eliot would come out in person, Gastens soon realized that his own matter was probably only secondary, and His Royal Highness's return to Rosewell should be more related to Ronninger.

"For your business, I want to find the head of the Logistics Department of the Guards, General Adepopo Leitz, who is a member of His Majesty the Emperor, and I had a good relationship before. I wrote a letter and Vincent will take you with me and ask him what is going on. ”

Arriving in Roswell, Prince Eliot pointed Vincent to Gastens and went about his own business. Gastens had the Plain of Elena in mind, and went straight to the point with Vincent. On the outskirts of Roswell, where the headquarters of the Guards was stationed, they found this General Leitz. Knowing that it was the confidant of the Sixth Prince, General Leitz was so enthusiastic that he interrupted his work and received two visitors in his office.

Vincent Navre, as the former chief of staff of the 3rd Guards Division, is now the chief of staff of the 3rd Guards Army, and his rank has also been mentioned as a major general. He and General Letts were old acquaintances, and the two of them chatted as soon as they met, and after a while, they talked about Gastens.

"This thing...... Dude, it's not like I said, it's a bit tricky......"

Adepppolec got up and personally brought tea to the two visitors before continuing, "The rifle you produce is called the Elliott rifle, right?" The price is only about 20% higher than the Type 27, but the power is comparable to the Welsh Type 2 on the Negru side, so it's a very useful weapon, right? ”

"Well, it's really good. I tried it myself when I was on the front line, it was durable, and it was able to draw with the enemy. If you use it well, you can even have a slight advantage", Vincent added, "I wonder what's in the way?" ”

"It's easy to say," General Letts subconsciously lowered his voice, "The Royal Academy of Arms Research has recently launched a new improved Type 27 rifle, which can make the most of the production equipment of the old Type 27 rifle, and can also increase its power and range. Overall, it's even a little better than your Elliot rifles. Billy Auduye named the gun Glory and presented it to His Majesty the Emperor. His Majesty the Emperor personally ordered that all other experimental and improved rifles, especially those not on the wartime economic protection list and not included in the list of military suppliers, should stop purchasing unless the products produced are irreplaceable. ”

Billy Auduye was the director of the Royal Academy of Arms Research, and after Gastens handed over the blueprints to Eliot, Eliot once gave Auduye a copy of the blueprints, hoping that all military factories across the country could start production as soon as possible to cope with the pressure of the enemy's advanced weapons, and at the same time to credit this great credit to Eliot. However, there was no news about the production of Elliot's rifles, and Gastens received Elliot's order and went back to Enspan Province to set up the Elena factory. Judging from the current situation, this Billy Auduye seems to want to rob Prince Eliot of the credit?

"My lord, I don't know if you have a Glory Rifle here, can we take a look?"

When Gastens heard the news, his first thought was that someone was stealing the credit. And, judging from the description of the Glory Rifle, it is obvious that it is a copy of the Elliot rifle he designed.

"Yes, naturally," Audouye glanced at Gastens, and heeded the little major's interjection, he got up and took a brand new rifle from the display wall of the reception room, and handed it to Vincent.

"That's it."

Vincent took the rifle and handed it to Gastens. Gastens probably checked a few more times, and then looked at a few key links, and quickly came to a conclusion. He looked up, looked at Vincent, and nodded.

"My lord, it's our design, basically unchanged."

Vincent turned his head to look at General Leitz, "Adepupo, this is our weapons expert and the designer who designed the Elliot rifle. You have heard his conclusions, but what can be done? ”

Adepoppo Leitz looked embarrassed, "Brother, I actually knew about this for a long time, how can it be so coincidental in the world, two groups of people made almost identical weapons at the same time?" This Glory Rifle is actually made after your Elliot rifle. But now that His Majesty the Emperor has decreed that the country's rifle factories and industrial chains must give priority to ensuring the production of Glory Rifles, what can I do, a small logistics minister? ”

Both Vincent and Gastens knew that General Leitz was telling the truth, and in his position, it was indeed not good to go against the will of His Majesty the Emperor. Vincent didn't give up, though, and he threw out a new one.

"Brother, I know you're not easy to do here, but we have a factory to produce Elliot rifles, and there are hundreds of people up and down. Moreover, you can ask the soldiers of the Thorny Hills defense line, what kind of gun is everyone's favorite now, what glory is it, we have not seen a single one from the beginning to the present! The Three Guards are the core strength of His Royal Highness, so you can't let him even match his favorite rifle, right? ”

Letz nodded, knowing that if he didn't give something, the two people in front of him would not leave, and he would not be able to explain to the sixth prince. He thought about it and came up with a compromise solution.

"In this way, the rifles you have produced now, we will pay in full, and if you want to produce the rifles in the future, I will not stop you, and I will not forcibly order the three guards to purchase the Glory rifles. But the money for the production of rifles, you need to figure it out yourself. Alternatively, if His Royal Highness can get His Majesty the Emperor to agree to the use of your own Elliot rifles by the Guards, I will pay directly without delay. Brother, what do you think of this method? ”

"It's okay, it's okay, at least our factory can run for the time being", Vincent was relieved when he saw Adepoppo give in, "I know that this matter is not easy for you to handle here, brother, and we are very satisfied with this." I will go back and report truthfully to His Royal Highness, and if there is anything that needs my brother's help, I will come back to you. ”

Hearing Vincent's relief, Adepopo also breathed a sigh of relief, he apologized repeatedly, and sent the two out of the barracks enthusiastically before turning around and going back to the office. Now that Prince Dawn has been killed, the six princes have become the hottest people, although he is loyal to His Majesty the Emperor, but the people of the six princes dare not offend too much. Now that the news has been told to Vincent, let the six princes communicate with him, as the head of the logistics department, as long as he does his job.

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"Olduye, bastard!"

After listening to Vincent's report, Elliot dropped the glass on the spot. Vincent and Gastens stepped forward in unison and landed on one knee at the same time. When His Royal Highness the prince is angry, the more humble his attitude is, the more respectful he is.

"Your Highness, please stop your anger! It's probably not that simple. ”

Vincent was the old minister pointed out to Eliot by His Majesty the Emperor, calm and serious, and he was really thinking about Eliot. And Gastens is just a small serf who hugged Eliot's thigh and had some talent, and the relationship between him and Elliot was far from equal. Therefore, at such times, Vincent spoke far more appropriately than Gastens.

"I naturally know that the old fox of Auduye, without the above meaning, he would not dare to move like this. And I also sent a copy of the blueprint to my father at that time, he knew what was going on with this gun, and now he has to stop my factory, which must be what my father meant, not what the old dog meant. ”

"Your Majesty the Emperor is beating you," Vincent whispered his thoughts, "Prince Dawn has been killed, and now there is only one suitable heir to the throne. Your previous mistake in the Battle of Green Pine is a stain on your military resume—"

"That's not the one I lost! I've been winning! It's the stupid forks in the Western Theater behind who didn't hold the line themselves! It's my! ”

Prince Eliot seems to be obsessed with the Second Battle of the Green Pines, and when Vincent mentions it, he scolds as soon as he opens his mouth.

"But Your Majesty and the others don't think so, what they want is your failure, not the reason for your failure", Vincent's voice was calm, not affected by Elliot's anger in the slightest, "Now that Prince Dawn is dead, the new heir has not been raised yet, only you, Your Majesty will definitely worry that your family is dominant." At such a time, it would not be appropriate to give you such a great credit as improving the weapon, so Billy Auduye will take this credit at the behest of His Majesty the Emperor. This is also His Majesty's balancing act, I hope you don't mind. ”

"Hey—"

Elliot sighed, knowing that Vincent had a point. He sat back down and began to think. Vincent and Gastens stood in front of him, quietly waiting. From this time he came to report to His Royal Highness the Prince, Gastens has hardly spoken except for a salute after meeting. Now things are more serious than he thought, and he doesn't want to show his head until he finds a perfect solution.

"Your Highness, or else", Vincent waited for a while, and when he saw that His Royal Highness the Prince himself was silent, he gave a suggestion, "We won't go to rob the whole country for the great merit of changing clothes, but we still have to take the equipment of the three armies of the Guards in our own hands." Gastens's factory, let him produce our own weapons, and it can be regarded as a backhand. After all, I inquired today, and the combined output of the three factories put into operation by the logistics department was not as large as the output of one factory of the small serf. ”

"Speaking of which", referring to the output of the Gastens factory, Elliot thought of something, and finally looked at Gastens, "Gas, what you told me when you went to Enspan Province before was indeed right, my father really wants to limit me in terms of the supply of weapons. The Royal Arms Factory, what a big factory, produces such a small thing as the Elliot rifle, and the output is less than a hundred a day, he is not perfunctory to me, what is he doing? ”

"Your Majesty is worried about your prestige in the military system. After all, he knew about the Great Magister before us, and what he was thinking about in his heart was definitely how to maintain his rule without the Grand Magus, and it was reasonable to be cautious. ”

Gastens had his own sense of things, and his factory produced the highest output in the country, which surprised him a little, but it was also expected. This fact will increase the weight in the heart of His Royal Highness the Prince, and make what he wants to say next more credible.

"That's what you said", Eliot nodded, and suddenly threw out a proposal, "Now my fifth brother is gone, the old opponent is gone, and the new opponent has not grown up yet." Vincent said, leave your factory and give me my own weapons. But I always feel that if I really aspire to that position, how can I not trust my father? How can you care about this little profit? Gastens, I plan to shut down your factory, and make a thorough statement to my father, so that he can see the loyalty of my son, what do you think? ”

Hearing this question suddenly thrown by His Royal Highness the Prince, Gastens's cold sweat fell. He knew that this question seemed simple, but behind it was the prince's temptation of himself. Is it for His Royal Highness the prince to set up this factory by himself, or for his own selfish interests. As a person, whether he listens to His Royal Highness the Prince, or has his own little Jiujiu, is in the answer to this question. If there is any mistake in his answer, not only may he lose the Plains of Elena, but he may even lose the trust of His Royal Highness, so that all the preparations he has made during this time will be nullified.

The speed of thought was fast, and it only took a few seconds for Gastens to spin the thoughts in his head. He knew that he could not hesitate too much, lest he give the prince the impression that he was greedy for power. He bowed lightly to His Royal Highness and gave his own answer.

"Your Highness, I listen to your orders, the factory was originally set up for you, you said stop, just stop, I will go back and continue to fight with you, I just hope that you will not dislike me as a little serf."