"Why did the Pope come?"

"It's not just the Pope. A lazy and charming voice sounded from the luxurious and comfortable bed in the middle of the bedroom, a pair of smooth and delicate feet fell on the thick cashmere carpet, and the slender and white legs instantly disappeared into the spider silk nightdress, Sylvia took the silver cup in Victor's hand, took a sip of water, curled up on the soft sofa, and said proudly: "The water conservancy project in the Centaur Hill is an unprecedented event, and the church and the silver and white tower want to participate." The church has provided us with an interest-free loan of one million gold soles, which is also the result of Clement's hard work, and he wants to leave a strong mark on the epic of the church with this, how can he not come?"

"Next year's Fire Season, we are preparing to hold a clan tournament, and the invitation has been sent, not only Clement will come, but the major families of the White Tower camp will send core representatives to participate. ”

Victor sat down on the sofa opposite Sylvia and said helplessly, "I mean, why did His Majesty the Pope visit my territory?"

"What do you say?" Sylvia gave him a blank look, and said angrily, "Pello has a lot of respect for your public carriage, and under his pressure, we have to invest a lot of money to imitate the public transportation of Randall and Buryat Territory. But you must know that the area of the Centaur Hills is not comparable to that of Randall and Buryatia. We spent 30,000 gold soles on the carriage alone. We are losing money every day, but the Pope is coming to praise you. ”

It dawned on Victor. If you want to gradually change the travel habits of the people, you must first have a relatively complete transportation system and public credit, and the carriage must go to the various villages in the territory, take a fixed route and depart on time.

The investment in public transportation is huge, and the profits are meager, and it is impossible for any free man and wealthy merchant to complete the construction of a transportation network in a territory. Therefore, Victor quoted the business model of building first and then renting, proposing that the lord first fund the construction, and then encourage the people to subscribe to horse-drawn carriages and contract routes. However, the cultivation of the public transport market required a gradual process, and before the people were accustomed to riding in the car, most of the public carriages were currently unsitting, and the lords and wealthy freemen were unwilling to make a loss-making deal, and in the face of the appeal of the church, they only bought a few horse-drawn carriages symbolically, and coped with the matter.

Although public transportation is convenient for believers to go to church to pray, the church must not provide any form of financial subsidy to the lord or individual, otherwise the lords will follow suit, and no matter how large the family is, it will not be enough. Therefore, Bishop Perrault pinched the interest-free loan and forced the York family to implement public transportation, while the Pope visited the Randall family to show his support and encouragement to Victor.

Victor shook his head and sighed, "I don't know what benefit the Pope can give me? ”

"There will be no substantial reward for thinking beautifully. Sylvia raised her eyebrows and said, "Are you very short of money?" Randall Ling's annual sales revenue from raw sugar alone is probably not less than 50,000 gold soles, right?"

"Uh...... Almost. ”

The profitable business of the Viscounty of Randall included pork, medicines, oil canvas, copper wagons, jaggery, coffee and snow sugar, and the annual revenue was about 70,000 gold soles, deducting the taxes paid to the royal family, and the surplus was 50,000 gold soles, while the net income of an ordinary marquisate was only 20,000 to 40,000 gold soles a year. Victor's means of making money are eye-catching, but there are more places where he needs to spend money.

Putting aside the investment in territorial operations, army building and mercury expansion, Victor is ready to take advantage of the gap in the development of public transportation to build a transportation network from Randall to the Kingdom of Neville, the public carriage under his control has already connected Randall, Buryat and Chebman, and his subordinates are disguising themselves as freemen and wealthy merchants are negotiating with the priest of the Barony of Schultz, or it will not be long before the public transport of Schultz's domain will also fall into Victor's hands. Victor has already spent 20,000 gold soles on this, but it is expected to cost 250,000 or more to complete this plan.

The investment in controlling the transport network is significant, but well worth it.

The public transport business, which is a delicate stream and has the protection of the church, is originally a sound investment. Victor intends to gradually transfer a part of the public carriage to the local freedmen by paying in installments, so as to establish a close relationship with them. These drivers can not only facilitate the transportation of private goods, but also invisibly become a hidden pile of mercury, through their ears, eyes and tongues, the flow of local personnel, the operation of materials, big and small things, Victor will know everything about it, and even create public opinion or rumors in his favor.

Invest a sum of money that can be withdrawn to get a latent force for your own use, and you will be responsible for your own profits and losses. Public transport is definitely a lucrative business, but that's not Sylvia's focus.

"Dear Victor, I heard that you helped the Buryat Territory and the Chebman Territory to establish public transport. With a dangerous glint in her blue eyes, Sylvia said slowly, "Since you are so rich, why don't you help me?"

"This is definitely a rumor!" said Victor in a righteous manner, "I bought the carriage purely to curry favor with Bishop Perro, so that he would agree to a pre-divine notary. In fact, I'm looking for a freeman vendor to take over the public carriage. ”

Sylvia looked incredulous, and Victor added: "My dear, investing in public transportation is beneficial and harmless, Yeliu City's tax revenue in the past two months has increased by one percent compared to before, and I believe that Jinshui City's tax revenue has also increased." ”

"The city of Goldwater and Wild Willow are becoming more and more prosperous, and the tax revenue should be increased, what does this have to do with the public carriage?" Sylvia sneered.

Victor's head was suddenly as big as a fight, and he really didn't want to discuss with Sylvia the help of the flow of people, logistics, capital, and information to economic growth. Without a little care, this extremely intelligent woman can get a glimpse of his true intentions.

At this point, silence is golden.

Sylvia didn't linger any longer, she changed the subject and asked, "You saw how I hunted Itugos. What if your infantry phalanx encounters a similar giant monster?"

Victor was a little displeased: "I now know that the infantry phalanx is not practical, you don't have to laugh at me anymore." ”

"The infantry phalanx was rigid and stiff, unsuitable for actual combat. Sylvia smiled slightly, sat up straight, and said, "But it means a lot!"

Victor's eyes lit up with the Divine Knight's evaluation, and he said in surprise: "Honey, do you see it that way?

"The discipline and majesty of the infantry phalanx united the soldiers and multiplied their courage. It's a great initiative. Sylvia glanced deeply at Victor and exclaimed, "Rock bricks, new farming and animal husbandry, water conservancy projects, and infantry phalanx...... Honey, I wonder how you have so many brilliant ideas in your head?"

Victor frowned and asked, "The Yorks also practiced the infantry phalanx?, but the courage and unity that cannot enjoy victory are like a castle made of sand, which will collapse at the slightest touch." If you can't deal with the ant tide, what's the use of the infantry phalanx?"

"Why let the infantry phalanx collide with the anttide? Tactics are just tactics, we will face different enemies, and Ant-Man is just one of the challenges. You have created the infantry phalanx, haven't you found its true value?" Before Victor could reply, Sylvia added, "Today is not the best of times, but the human kingdom has also been glorious. The first pope overthrew the tyranny of the Chosen One, and the knights signed the Glorious Code with the Church, inheriting the city-states, domains, and populations left by the Chosen One. After hundreds of years of cultivation and recuperation, the human kingdom occupies more than ten times the fertile land it has now, with a population of more than 500 million, and the church has 300,000 Templar troops, more than 3,000 radiant knights, and thousands of high-ranking clergy, including many legendary powerhouses. There are tens of thousands of knights and nobles, more than 400 peak knights, and dozens of legendary knights. However, what is the reason why humanity has been defeated in interracial wars, and our ancestors have lost the northern wilderness and been squeezed into the barren south?"

What is the reason? Of course, it is the flaws of the system. But this answer was too sensitive to the foundations of the Church, and Victor was reluctant to show insight beyond the times, so he said: "The Church and the knights are strong, occupy a lot of land, and their power is relatively scattered. The knight families in the hinterland held on to their city-states, and the border lords were not supported, and the territories were broken by the orcs one by one. ”

Sylvia nodded silently and said, "The kingdom has replaced the city-state, and with the assistance of the vassals, the lord and the church have finally recovered some of their decline. ”

"The knights are now united under the banner of the kingdom, the vassals are our right-hand men, and the beliefs of the clergy remain the same, but we are still unable to open up more territory. After a pause, Sylvia sighed, "The Seven Great Islands of the Borui Kingdom and our Centaur Hills can only be regarded as cheap to pick up. ”

"It's not because we're weak! It is reported that the army of the Sassan Empire and the Knights of Radiance have penetrated a thousand kilometers into the northern wilderness, and they have fought against the centaur tribes, winning and losing each other, but they have never been able to build a castle in the wilderness. ”

"The Borui Kingdom did its best to open up the Southern Continent, fought against the barbarians for two years, and finally failed. If they can build two vanguard fortresses, which are horns on each other, they may succeed. ”

"Every time the lord fights with a foreign race, the cowardly outcasts hide far away. Without enough manpower, we will not be able to build fortifications and improve logistics and supplies, and even if we defeat our opponents, we will not be able to hold the victory!"

"It's the people who can't afford to use them that are making it difficult for us to get going. Sylvia stared at Victor's face and said seriously, "My love, you have made me see a different future!"

Speaking of which, Sylvia's intentions are already clear. Victor asked with a strange expression, "Are you going to recruit soldiers among the homeless?"

Sylvia pondered for a moment and said slowly: "The infantry phalanx pays attention to the coordination of infantry, cavalry, and archers. But in my eyes, it's both a tactic and a rare training method. It is not about physique and skill, but about the courage, will, and cohesion of the soldiers. These are precisely the qualities that displaced people lack. ”

"The phalanx trains the army, not the individual!"

"Incisive insights. Sylvia stood up, gave a knightly salute solemnly and gracefully, and added, "The most amazing thing is that in a short period of time, a plate of scattered outcasts can be transformed into a disciplined army. I don't understand the mystery and I don't care, but I know that they have become brave, united, honored. Such people will fight side by side with us and expand the territory. ”

"Expand the territory?" Victor asked curiously, "The Centaur Hill is remote, so there is still land to explore?Do you want to get involved in the north? That is the ......sphere of influence of the Kingdom of Dordor?" Sylvia shook her head and said, "The south bank of the Jinshui River." ”

"Oh. ”

"You're not surprised at all?" Sylvia leaned over lightly, a fresh and pleasant aura surrounded Victor, and while enjoying his lover's ears and temples, he said lazily: "There is nothing strange about it, we have a foothold on the banks of the Jinshui River, the infantry phalanx can not only train the army but also clear the river beach fishmen, and in more than ten years, the manpower, material and financial resources of the people and horses and hills will be enough to support you to build a port." At that point, you'll lead a large army across the river to build giant brick kilns, produce rock bricks, build castles, and open up new territories. He frowned, "New farming was originally part of the strategy of the Great Army, but I only want to defend against Ant-Man, and you are thinking about expansion. ”

"My dear, thanks to you, your presence has changed the future of the family, and I am fascinated by your talent. I'm proud of you. Sylvia slammed a fragrant kiss on Victor's lips and said with a coquettish smile, "Once the walls of the Swamp are built, the Ant-Men will no longer be a threat to us, and even if they take a detour from the north, it will be the Duoduo who will have a headache. In fact, the Kingdom of Dodor is surveying the gap in the Skylark Mountains, and they are also preparing to build a fortress to defend against monsters. ”

"That's good. Victor nodded and teased, "In the future, I will call you Her Majesty." ”

"Even though the crown is heavy, I have the courage to bear it. This is my responsibility and the meaning of my life. Sylvia looked solemn, and in her eyes, Victor saw not only ambition, but also the responsibility of a leader and the pride of a peak knight.

"Sylvia, I don't want to hit you. But it's not that simple. Victor was silent for a while, and then said: "The army is strong and strong, and only the warriors who have survived a hundred battles can be regarded as the real elite, but have you ever thought about it, how can the church sit back and watch the homeless soldiers suffer heavy casualties? Once they intervene, military discipline will be gone, and as soon as they ascend to the top, the army will change hands." They won't even allow us to recruit soldiers from the homeless......"

"The divine right is vested in the church, and the government is vested in the lord. The Church has never been at odds with the lord when it comes to pioneering!" Sylvia stretched out her index and middle fingers and said, "Victor, please keep two principles in mind. The soldier must be voluntary, and the lord must never ask the soldier to die. ”

Different environments have evolved different forms of government and corresponding military ideas. In the eyes of ancient kings, soldiers and armies were just groups of cold data, and the so-called mercy was not in charge of the army, and hundreds of thousands of people were often in battle, and sacrifice was inevitable. However, in this world, salvation and protection of the common people are the oath of the clergy to the Lord of Light and the cornerstone of the faith. The two principles proposed by Sylvia are the embodiment of the idea of conservation.

Is an army that needs protection still an army? What is the use of an army that cannot fight a hard war?

The almost unsolvable contradiction led to the unsustainable military reform of Victor, and Sylvia's confident appearance made him speechless, and he was stunned for a long time before asking, "Then what do you let the displaced soldiers do?"

Sylvia said contemptuously, "Build fortifications, provide logistical support, open up farmland, repair armaments, and assist the vassal soldiers in clearing out weak monsters. What else can they do? Anyway, I'm not going to let them die. He added: "Twenty years later, the children of the family's vassals will become qualified elite soldiers, I was originally worried that the number of knights in the family is not enough, and the situation is much better with the alienated war beasts." The outcasts were able to take on the logistics, so that the Fangs could concentrate on assisting the Knights of the Rose in defeating the enemy. ”

"There are new agriculture and animal husbandry, rock bricks, alienated war beasts, and auxiliary soldiers, I believe we will be able to gain a firm foothold in the Southern Continent!"

No, that's the rhythm of the base! I'm the best at the base......

Sylvia's words were like a bolt of lightning in the mist, instantly illuminating the direction of the Randall family's military development. Victor vaguely felt that there was another key point that he had not clarified, and he asked tentatively: "What will be the reaction of the Church to this, and how do you ensure the loyalty of the displaced auxiliaries?" ”

"One elite, one mediocre, two-military? Sylvia nodded with satisfaction and said, "The church will not only support it, but will also pass on our experience to other families. However, they did not have rock bricks, and the dual military system was meaningless. As for guaranteeing the loyalty of the homeless...... Hehe, nothing more than wealth and land. My dear, the infantry phalanx was you came up with, and you must help me improve the system of the army of the outcasts. ”

"Think about it. Victor fell into deep thought. The constraints of the church are the biggest problem in the construction of the Randall family's military system, and Sylvia doesn't care about this at all, the difference is that Sylvia trusts the church, while Victor is wary of the church's interference. At the root of this, it is not difficult to find that the knights and the clergy have equal status and common interests, and the two sides compromise and depend on each other, and the basis of symbiotic coexistence is their own extraordinary powers: the Elemental Sea, and the Holy Power Pool.

Victor holds the Alchemy Tower, which is the foundation of his growth. However, the power of an alchemy pagoda is far inferior to that of the Elemental Sea and the Holy Power Pool, and of course it is not as powerful as a person, and of course it cannot blatantly assert its own interests, just like a big fish eating small fish, and a small fish eating shrimp, Victor has been developing in secret.

The secret of the Alchemy Tower caused Victor to suffer from gains and losses, ignoring his own bloodline and nobility, and unwittingly treating the church as an obstacle and restraining his hands. After figuring out the joints, Victor realized that the alchemy tower is the alchemy tower, the faith is the faith, and the regime is the government, and he can coexist with the church and use its power to develop the military and education system of the Randall family.

X-3 is constantly in motion, and Sylvia stares intently at Victor's handsome face, fascinated by the active fire elemental and moved by her brilliant vision. Sylvia was not short of patience, and if it weren't for the fear that Victor would give up on the study of the Grand Legion's strategy, she would have preferred to sit idly by, but at the moment she just wanted to thank the Elemental Sea for sending Victor to her side.

Your bloodline, strength, and wisdom are impeccable. Do not betray me, or I will only destroy you.

The knock on the door woke Victor, who noticed that Sylvia was smiling at the corner of her mouth, pressed against her chest, and was about to sit up straight, when Sylvia spoke, "Alina, come in." ”

Alina pushed open the door and saw a fragrant scene, the beautiful and enchanting Lady Sylvia's face was crimson, curled up in Victor's arms, she lowered her eyes, and said, "Madam, sir, the dinner is ready." ”

Sylvia smiled charmingly and commanded, "Let them wait, I haven't finished talking about Victor yet." ”