Chapter 569: Who Will Assassinate You?

On July 25, Lorist and his family boarded the passenger ship Blue Seagull and set off for Qilin Harbor to attend the enthronement ceremony of His Royal Highness II in the imperial capital. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 Of course, when passing through the province of West Degrad, the territory of the Kenmax family, you have to stop at Platinum Beach for half a day to pick up Duke Kenmeth, who is going to travel with Lorlist, to the boat.

The Blue Seagull is a new type of large ocean-going vessel specially designed to carry passengers by the Niujiaowan Shipyard, with 124 cabins and a capacity of 470 passengers at a time. This is the first dedicated passenger ship in the history of the Gallinthia continent, and the Norton family plans to build three more passenger ships of the same type to open up the route from Beihai City to Zangjin Bay, instead of the current need to carry cargo ships to both places.

This is the first official operation of the Blue Seagull passenger ship, which will continue the voyage to Zangjin Bay after carrying Lorist and his party to Qilin Harbor. Lorist took his family and nearly two hundred servants on board, leaving more than half of the cabins for Duke Kenmeth. But what I didn't expect was that Duke Kenmest actually brought more than 2,000 people to the imperial capital, but fortunately, Duke Kenmest seemed to have expected this situation, and transferred half of the Kenmasse family's large ocean-going merchant fleet to solve the problem of overcrowding.

"Locke, you brought such a small number of people to His Majesty's enthronement ceremony?" was the first thing Duke Kenmas said after getting on the boat.

Lorist was stunned: "What, is there any problem?"

Lorist brought a team of 100 guards this time, plus five wives and his own children, as well as maids and maids, etc., there were only about 200 people. On the contrary, as a territorial archduke, it is normal for a guy like Kenmeth to bring more than 2,000 people all the way through the city with great fanfare. It's just that Lorist has always disliked this kind of travel pomp, and the more simple the better.

Duke Kenmax said stupidly: "Although you are a sword master, you naturally don't have to worry about safety when traveling. It's not like I have to bring a thousand-strong escort with me at all times. But don't forget, on His Majesty's enthronement ceremony, a duke of a realm like ours sends a thousand-strong family of men to a parade to show allegiance to our Majesty......"

"It's easy," Lorist said with a smile, "I can draw a garrison of 1,000 men from the island of Hilois to the imperial capital to participate in this parade." Anyway, it's all put on a show, and no one will take it seriously. Besides, my family's armed forces only returned from the expedition at the end of last year, and now that they are all on vacation, there is no need to gather them to select people from them to participate in the grand ceremony of the imperial capital. ”

"Well, that's fine. Duke Kenmeth nodded, "No wonder I didn't see Schrader and Bodfinger going with you to the imperial capital. The other lords' subordinates were not allowed to follow them to the grand ceremony. ”

"I asked them, but they wouldn't go. Maybe for them, it is better to go to the imperial capital to participate in the grand ceremony than to spend time with their families at home. After all, after three years of expedition, they need the comfort of their families. So I brought Reddy and Genolio with me this time, as well as Captain Pat of the Guard. Lorist said.

Duke Kenmeth sighed understandingly: "I understand, three years ago I returned to West Degrad Province with the remnants of the family army, and I stayed at home like them and didn't want to go anywhere. Unlike you, you have returned triumphantly, and we are survivors of the bloody battle, and the feeling of having escaped death has always haunted us when we returned home. During that time, I was eating and drinking, and having sex like crazy with the maids. It wasn't until half a year later that I slowly calmed down and didn't have the heart to take care of all kinds of family and chamber of commerce affairs......"

Lorist didn't say anything, everyone was cheated by His Royal Highness back then, thinking that gathering a million troops to the border would make the business alliance agree to return the territories of the two provinces and reach a peace agreement with the Kingdom of Antinac. Everyone thinks that it is just a march to the border with the family arms, and after a circle, they can go home and enjoy the favorable conditions promised by the Second Highness. No one expected that the business alliance did not take this million army in its eyes, but instead provoked a war first, and after three years of bloody battles, both were defeated.

Lorist and the Tempest Sword Saint of the Business Alliance suffered heavy losses and left the front line, and then a rebellion broke out in the family territory, so the three major field legions of the family armed forces on the front line returned to the territory to quell the rebellion. As soon as the main forces of the three Norton families took the front line of the Mana Hill Plains, the alliance of the nobles of the Andinac Kingdom could not bear the strength, and in the face of the continuous reinforcements and crowd tactics from the southern provinces of the commercial alliance, the noble alliance suffered heavy losses and could only barely maintain the battle line.

Fortunately, Lorist recovered from his injuries and quelled the rebellion in his family's territory, first destroying the Merchant Alliance's Invincible Armada, and then raiding the Golden Bay to capture the city of Molent, returning to the passive situation on the battlefield in one fell swoop, forcing the Merchant Alliance's armed forces to withdraw from the Plains of Mana Hill. Rescued the crumbling aristocratic coalition from the brink of collapse and set them back on their journey back to their family's domain. Then he defeated the business alliance with three years of conquest, forcing it to bow its head and admit defeat.

It can be said that without the struggle of the Norton family, there would be no enthronement ceremony for the current Second Highness, and it was the Norton family that saved the fate of the entire Andinac kingdom by arming. Duke Kenmeth also knew this very well, and what he deeply regretted was how he could be so easily confused by the generous treatment promised by His Second Highness, and followed His Second Highness straight to the cliff with a hot mind, burying most of the family's carefully organized heavy armed army.

"Regret shouldn't have been!" Duke Kenmeth sighed, "You once said that our King Majesty is a man who is so happy that he does not know how to restrain himself when he succeeds. We have all forgotten your good advice, if we do not attack the Plains of Mana Hill after destroying most of the forces of the Business Alliance, there may be a high chance that an armistice will be reached with the Business Alliance to restore peace. However, His Majesty insisted on the bloody destruction of the city of Morent on the plains of Faliqiu, and the result was that we fell into a bloody battle, and most of the casualties of all the family forces could not be sustained......

Thankfully, you, the Norton family, are willing to lend a helping hand, so lucky of us were able to crawl back from that fleshy quagmire in Mana. All the nobles of the kingdom know that without the help of your Norton family, not to mention that our King Majesty can now hold the enthronement ceremony, it would be very difficult to retreat from the Falcan Plain three years ago. Not to mention that if we fail, the army of the merchant alliance will sweep down, and it is a question of whether the kingdom can exist or not, because we have lost all resistance forces......"

"The war has subsided, peace has come. Lorist interrupted Duke Kenmeth's exclamation: "You are not traveling with me to complain about this bloody battle that has passed." The past is in the past, and we should learn from the mistakes we suffer once so as not to make the same mistakes again in the future, instead of dwelling on the memories of the past. Tell me, what do you really want to say to me this time? Otherwise, with your party-loving and lively temperament, you would have gone to the imperial capital to enjoy yourself, and you would not have waited to go with me. ”

Duke Kenmeth smiled bitterly: "Don't look at me with the old eyes, I've lost interest in those gatherings since I came back from the Plains of Fallinow. But you're right, there are a number of reasons why I'm with you this time, the first of which is that I want to thank you for supporting Dawn College to open a business branch in Wanades City, which is very good news for all the chambers of commerce in Wanades City. With the opening of the Business Branch, those chambers of commerce that want to expand do not have to worry about where to find the right talent. With the participation of students who have graduated from the business branch, the development of these chambers of commerce can be on the right track and avoid detours......"

More than ten days had passed since the meeting with Dean Crewe, and Duke Kenmax had naturally received the news, so it was not surprising that he thanked Lorlist.

"You're welcome, you've done a good job as the lord of Vanades City, and I've begun to think about how to reward you by developing Vanades City into the largest commercial city in the kingdom over the years. But what makes me wonder is, how did you convince the chambers of commerce throughout the kingdom to make them reside in Venades?"

To be honest, this is indeed Lorist's question, although Vanades City used to be the commercial city of the Duchy of Madras in Lorist's impression, it is not much smaller than the city of Morente. The main thing is that the Grand Duke of Madras used the city of Fanades to trade grain, so it was a bit prosperous. After Lorist led the family to destroy the Duchy of Madras, he brought the city of Fanades under the family's jurisdiction.

Later, the Kenmath family changed their territory and moved from the eastern region of the Northlands to the province of West Degrad, and Lorist bargained with the Duke of Kenmath to appoint the Duke of Kenmas as the lord of Vannades City, handing over the largest commercial city in the northwest to him to run, and giving the Snow Salt Chamber of Commerce a base to settle down.

It's just that to Lorlist's surprise, Duke Kenmath is indeed running Venades City with his heart, not only attracting many chambers of commerce to set up a residence here, but also spontaneously forming the largest commercial market in the Northwest with Vannades City, and the annual tax collected by the Norton family from Vannades City has reached three or four hundred thousand goldfords, which has exceeded three times the tax revenue of King Windbrie, where the largest livestock market in the Northeast is located.

The corners of Duke Kenmeth's mouth grinned: "Actually, the prosperity of Vannades City should be most thanks to our Majesty the King. During the conquest of the four central principalities, in order to raise funds for armaments, he ordered the tax on the residence of the chamber of commerce in the kingdom to be raised to 30%. If you add the customs clearance fee and the tax on the transportation of the goods, then the total amount of taxes to be borne by the merchant reaches about sixty percent of the total cost. Such a tax would make any profitable business lose money, forcing the chambers of commerce in the imperial capital to move their locations.

In such a situation, Vannadez City is the best choice for most chambers of commerce. Because Vanades City is under the jurisdiction of the Norton family, the resident commercial tax is only ten percent, and the Norton family's territory and our four Northland alliances are within the sphere of influence, and the customs duties are only collected once per family. Even if you go to another province of the kingdom, because it is a chamber of commerce in the territory of the Norton family, you will be treated more fairly and will not be subject to additional exploitation.

Therefore, slowly all the chambers of commerce in the kingdom chose to locate in Vannadez City, and as soon as there were many merchants, the city would naturally prosper. Besides, I am also a merchant, and I understand what merchants need most, to strengthen the law and order in the city of Vannades, to combat robbery and kidnapping, to eliminate bandits and robbers on the trade routes, and to make merchants feel safe. Investing in large-scale urban construction, public health, and formalizing business transactions and providing guarantees will lead to rapid growth. ”

Lorist nodded and praised: "I didn't expect you to have such an excellent governing ability in addition to having a businessman's mind, of course, I won't say much about your pickling skills and communication skills." By the way, apart from thanking me for supporting Dawn College's opening of a business credit in Venades City, is there any other reason why you have to come with me?"

Duke Kenmeth's face became serious: "Yes, another reason is that I will be safer with you......"

"What do you mean......" Lorist was stunned.

Duke Kenmeth slowly unbuttoned his shirt, exposing most of his chest, his white chest wrapped in a thick white bandage, faintly with a hint of red fresh blood. Lorist immediately understood, no wonder he always smelled a smell of medicine.

"I've been through three assassinations in the past two months, the most dangerous being this one, when the assassin threw his sword over me and made a cut in my chest because our family guards were too guarded to get close. So I've been hoping that you will come soon, and the moment I saw you, I was truly relieved, and now I don't have to worry about being assassinated. Duke Kenmax said bitterly.

"Who did that? Did you catch the assassin?And why didn't you ask me for help earlier?" Lorist was furious.

Duke Kenmath shook his head: "I don't know who did it. However, the Assassin was a first-class great swordsman. Although our family's guards can't keep him, he can't do it either. As for asking you for help, hehe, I can't afford to lose this face, and if you are a sword master, the Kenmax family will become a joke in the aristocratic circle. ”

"You, you have to die to suffer shame. Lorist frowned and pondered: "It's a little strange, why would a great swordsman attack you? With the status and interpersonal relationships of your Kenmax family in the kingdom, there should be no reason why it is worth sending a great swordsman to assassinate, and it is dispensable to kill you in terms of the impact on the kingdom, it is not worth it to let a first-level great swordsman risk stabbing you three times in two months......"

Duke Kenmeth protested: "Hey, hey, hey, am I as bad as you say?"

Lorist ignored him, and speculated to himself: "Refuse to give up after the first assassination attempt, even if your family has improved their precautions, the Great Swordsman Assassin still shoots twice, which is impossible to say without deep hatred." Could it be that you provoked a noble lady who didn't wipe her ass clean, so that the husband you cuckolded was unwilling to buy the great swordsman to assassinate you? Well, I think that's the biggest possibility......"

Duke Kenmax said angrily: "Don't laugh, okay, does that cuckold mean anything? Well, I'm sure it won't be the reason you're talking about. Actually, I suspect that the reason for the assassination was at the Snow Salt Chamber of Commerce. ”

"Snow Salt Chamber of Commerce?"

"Yes, do you know the Vicasian knight who had an affair with the former queen? is the illegitimate son of His Majesty the King......

Lorist nodded.

"Didn't he say the year before last that he coveted the great bazaar that your Norton family had opened in their port of Lin, and last year His Majesty the King made him an earl, and his territory was arranged in the province of Majik, and he was ready to send him out of the imperial capital. But the Wickan knight clung to His Majesty's feet and cried, and in the end His Majesty agreed to let him stay, but removed him from his position as head of the royal guard.

Then the Count of Wake started a chamber of commerce in the imperial capital, called the Antario Chamber of Commerce. Somehow, he obtained the right to sell two rock salt mines in the Crimea province in the middle of the former empire from His Majesty the King, so in the second half of last year, he started a commercial war with our Snow Salt Chamber of Commerce for the salt sales market in the provinces of the kingdom. I used all sorts of connections and snow salt to slash prices and finally won the war, costing that Count of Wickus nearly 100,000 gold fords. "Duke Kenmax was a little smug.

"So you suspect that this Count of Wattus sent the Great Swordsman to assassinate you? First of all, he can't support the Great Sword Master in his capacity, and second, he should know that once the truth about assassinating you is revealed, no one can save him, and His Majesty the King can't afford to take this responsibility, so he won't be so irrational. I still suspect it's your lustful ......," Lorist expressed his doubts.

Duke Kenmax sighed, "Well, I knew you didn't trust my instincts. ”

"Don't worry, from now on you won't have to worry about anyone assassinating you. I'll arrange for Reddy to lurk around you while you're in the Imperial Capital. If that great swordsman assassin comes again, then we will know who sent him if we capture him. Lorist said.

"Well, thank you then, Locke. ”

......