"Your Excellency Xiao Chen, this is too much!" Viscount Brahms's hand shaking as he held the list, which prominently contained the number of 1,000 to 50 golden axes. For a baron, 1000 golden axes could be a few years' income in his domain, "The ransom you are demanding is simply too high." Under normal circumstances, ransom payments are conventional. A baron's ransom will not exceed a hundred golden axes! A few years ago, when we were at war with the Empire, fifty or sixty golden axes could redeem a baron!"

Xiao Chen shrugged and said, "Then you can not redeem it, these nobles are useful in my hands." ”

Brahms remembered the parade he had seen yesterday, the nobles in shackles, sealed with their fighting spirit, walking up and down the town, surrounded by militiamen carrying signs with their names and crimes, and special preachers around them to introduce the identities of the illiterate people. The nobles had to face the ridicule and ridicule of the poor people around them, and some even threw stones and clods of earth at their heads.

He even saw one of its representatives, Baron Antunes, confessing his sins in the square. His voice was amplified throughout the town, and Brahms believed that even the passing caravans and the peasants outside could hear his trembling voice.

The nobles lost their faces. Viscount Brahms felt that even if Julio or some other nobleman returned one day, it would be difficult to rule over these people as he had done before. Because they have lost their due reverence for the nobility. Yesterday he saw a lot of emotions in the eyes of those civilians that he had never seen before: contempt, disdain, ridicule......

This should not be the sentiment that commoners should have towards nobles, but now it has been planted in their minds by these people in front of them.

Brahms came back to his senses and said, "Your Excellency Xiao Chen, when the god of nature created all things, he kept everything in order, so the same is true of the politics between lords and lords, and the rules are not so easy to break. What we observe is like a pool of water, whether you throw a stone into it, you go and slap the water, all of this is at most a few waves, and in the end everything will go back to the way it was. ”

"A pool of stagnant water. Chen Hansheng said, "Xiao Chen, it seems that His Excellency Brahms wants to teach you how to solve a pool of stagnant water. ”

"I don't think it's difficult, as long as you steam the pool of water, everything strange underneath will be revealed. Xiao Chen said lightly.

Xiao Chen's answer left Brahms speechless, and he warned: "It is impossible for the Duke to agree to such a price, if you are stubborn, you will get nothing in the end." ”

"The duke also won't get what he wants. Xiao Chen got up from the backrest and approached Brahms, showing a look of confidence, "Even he will lose a lot of things, such as the support of vassals, such as the loyalty of the army, and some upcoming opportunities." ”

Obviously, this time Xiao Chen poked at their soft underbelly. Viscount Brahms's face was cloudy, he hesitated for a long time, nodded the list and finally said: "A total of nearly six thousand golden axes, this is not a small amount of money, the Duke does not have that much cash." ”

"That's not a problem. Xiao Chen laughed, it seems that the other party is going to take the bait in the end, all these prices for redeeming slaves are based on the output of the other party's territory, and after careful calculation, although the price is definitely high, but it is still within the range that the other party can take, "You can use many things to pay off your debts, such as magic materials, minerals, food, weapons and equipment, and even slaves." ”

"I'll have to discuss this with my assistant before I can give you an answer. Viscount Brahms said coldly.

"That's fine. Xiao Chen knew that this matter was not far from ten, "But Mayor Chen still has some small problems here. ”

Chen Hansheng was still a little weak, coughed twice and said, "It's just that the duke still owes me a compensation." ”

"Compensation? Your Excellency Xiao Chen's request to us does not contain this article. Brahms had a sense of foreboding.

"That's not Greenpark's business, it's when Matos attacked our town of Arano and caused a lot of damage. When you come in, you must see that many roads and walls in the town have been damaged, not to mention that the community center, which we now have in the former baronial house, needs to be rested, and the big hole at the front door has not yet been filled. Chen Hansheng said slowly.

Brahms almost couldn't control his emotions: "But this has nothing to do with the Duke, it is the result of Matos's unauthorized actions." ”

"Don't forget, Matos is a vassal of the Duke of Greenwoods, and now that he is dead, and his younger brother is with the Duke again, who are we not looking for the Duke?" Chen Hansheng paused and said, "However, we also have a backup plan, that is, if you can't pay the compensation, then we can only let those captives work to pay the money, and they can't be ransomed until they offset all the debts." ”

"If I don't ransom them, you're going to use them as slaves?"

"Of course not, they will work with our people, but the hardest and most dangerous work will fall to them. They are inherently stronger than ordinary people, and good steel naturally has to be used on the blade. ”

"How much?" Brahms asked directly, not wanting to listen to the nonsense of these two men anymore.

Chen Hansheng stretched out a finger, "I only need a thousand golden axes, which are mainly used to repair facilities." You can also pay for it with stone and wood. ”

"I'll give you an answer after deliberation. ”

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After Viscount Brahms left, Karanda, who had been watching the whole process, said: "It seems that you are not prepared to resolve the conflict with Greenwood City, and it seems that you are ready to settle the feud to the death?"

"Looks like you've seen it. Chen Hansheng glanced at Xiao Chen and said, "You come and explain to Kalanda." ”

Xiao Chen nodded and said, "Green Forest City has no meaning for us to reconcile. Because the location of Greenforest City is very special, the area is suitable, the products are abundant, and it belongs to the edge city, which is of great significance to us. So this won't be our last battle, and we'll definitely have constant conflicts with them, and even wars, until we are completely sure of the ownership of the surrounding area. ”

"That's why we have to squeeze their money and material resources as much as possible, and take out every penny they can steal from their pockets. It's also about weakening their logistical strength, which will give us a greater advantage in the future. Chen Hansheng added.

Xiao Chen smiled: "The best thing is that even if Viscount Brahms knows this, he has to follow our rhythm. He's going to be the captain of this transport!"