There are many restrictions on waterways, and in addition to the time of year, it depends on the goods. Waterway goods are prone to moisture, so some goods such as tea are not conducive to being transported by water. Therefore, if there is a fast trade route between the north and the south, it will undoubtedly be a great blessing for the business groups of the two places. What Lovely Dehua wants, but those official hats of the empire don't just eat and don't do things, they naturally want to get it.

Therefore, the empire opened national highways to speed up the flow of traffic within the territory.

Edward seemed to guess what Eren wanted to say, nodded and said, "That's right, the empire has national highways. But you see, these national highways have been used for a long time, and the road conditions are unknown now. What can be known is that it takes too long for them to travel between the north and the south, after all, for the sake of safety, the national highways all bypass the vicious valleys in the territory. More importantly, I can be sure that every section of the national highway is now controlled by people. After walking a national highway, the taxes paid may be heavier than those on the waterway. And it will be interesting to see how much of these tariffs end up in the treasury. ”

"The route I've drawn is the shortest time. As long as the road is smooth, it can reach the northern capital in 30 days, and it will pass through many important trading cities along the way. For a businessman, one more day of goods on the road is less than a penny. This north-south trade route takes a third of the time compared to the waterway, and that alone is enough to drive merchants crazy. However, there are both benefits and risks, and we must not only open up many vicious places along the way, but also have enough strength to maintain the smooth flow of trade routes. But these are not the most difficult, the most difficult thing is that we will affect the interests of many people, even if this trade route is defeated, it will be difficult for us to sustain it. Edward looked up and asked, "Then we have to see what kind of powerful person Rhine can handle." ”

Alan let out an "oh" sound, pointed at Edward and smiled: "You have calculated that Lai is a prince?" Otherwise, how could such a trade route be drawn, and he planned to cooperate with the royal family and share the proceeds. ”

Edward shrugged: "I'm not a god, how do you know who Rhine will introduce to you." If it's just a prince, then this road will be paved until you become the Grand Duke of the Empire. Now, it's just a matter of pushing the clock forward. Prince...... So, the emperor is going to make a prince? ”

Alan narrowed his eyes and said, "Can you be stupid so that I can look smarter." Anyway, you wait for me to finish, and now it looks like I don't have to say anything. ”

Nelly next to her couldn't help but chuckle.

Edward was unfazed, and said, "It's just a simple inference. If the emperor didn't want to establish a prince, a heavenly nobleman in the northern capital would be able to make friends with you as a viscount in the south? ”

"That's because I beheaded an alien strongman in a mountain city."

"Oh, the Empire's eyeliner is everywhere. That's fine, you're finally in the spotlight of the Empire's top echelons. Tell me which prince it is. ”

Alan laughed and said, "Guess? ”

"Forget it, lest it hit you again."

"Bastard." Alan cursed, and then told the whole story of his conversation with Rhine.

Edward listened quietly, and waited until Alan finished speaking before he exhaled and said, "I see, I roughly know." The Great Prince has military support, and the Fourth Prince has an uncle of the Sword Lord, hey, one of our potential opponents. Ma Sen, if he really wants to enter the imperial capital, he still can't get around this big tree of the country. As for our second prince, if Rhine hadn't hidden some words and never shook them out, then our Royal Highness Julian might not be in a good situation. ”

"Why?"

"Guess what." Apparently Edward was fighting back against what Allen had just done.

Allen said without changing his face: "Anyway, with you, it's okay if I'm stupid, you can say it." ”

"It's very simple, Rhine said that he has a lot of capable people, but he still has to win people over you, the Southern Sir. It is conceivable that there are people under him, but they are just mediocre people. Rhine also said that what he likes is your combat power, so at least in terms of combat power, Julian can't compete with other princes, so you who kill the strong of the alien race with one knife will become a hot person in his eyes. The prince competes for power, and the competition is not only financial and powerful, but also combat power. At the very least, you have to have a guard who is a master to prevent assassination, right? ”

"It is conceivable that on the Northland side, the masters who can be co-opted will probably divide up the eldest prince and the fourth prince. If the second prince wants to break the situation, he has to ask outside, so in the southern realm, the most popular one is now none other than you. Another thing is that you're just a viscount, and you're from the Borderlands, and you don't have much to do with royalty. Besides, probably our Prince Julian thinks that an earl is probably enough to satisfy your appetite. ”

Alan laughed dryly twice, shook his head, but didn't say anything.

Nelly next to her looked at it in her eyes, and her face couldn't hide her surprise. Whether it is Edward's tone or Allen's demeanor, it shows that the person this young knight is trying to do is by no means a mere earl.

"It's fine." Edward said suddenly: "The eldest prince is too strong, and the fourth prince is not the object we can take refuge in at all because of Ma Sen's relationship." As for the other princes, they are worse off than Julian, so the second prince is a good stepping stone for you. And if Julian is weak, you help him win the crown prince, then if you have the heart, it will be much easier to manipulate him, the new emperor, than other princes. ”

Alan gave him a blank look: "You are not afraid that there is also an empire here, and such rebellious words can be said." If Julian listens, he doesn't have to wait for me to go to the imperial capital, I'm afraid that I can see the imperial army as soon as I walk out of Ark Harbor. ”

"If you think about it with your head, you know that it is impossible, and the eyeliner that the empire has placed in the territory is naturally focused on big things. If the mountain castle hadn't been for the presence of alien races, you would have thought the eyes of the empire would fall on you. After all, you took advantage of the Shadow Duchy to enter the eyes of the upper echelons of the empire. As for now, even if I scold the emperor of the empire, the emperor will not hear a word. ”

Alan pulled Lanali and said, "Let's go, talking to this kind of person is the most boring, you can never try to take advantage of it." ”

Edward laughed.

The next day, it snowed in the last days of winter.

Goose feather heavy snow.

In less than half a day, the whole city has turned into a snowy expanse. In the backyard of the City Lord's Mansion with a pile of snow, Eren stood in the snow with the Red King in his hand. He held the Red King in his hands, his eyes were closed, and his breathing became incomparably long, as if the whole person had merged into this heaven and earth, and became an inseparable whole with the snow.