As we got closer to the city of Pali, the number of villages and towns began to increase, but they were not as miserable as the dilapidated village that Sinampei had seen for the first time, but apart from a few old people, not many people lived here, and even the finances were very good.

After talking to some old men and women, Sinampei learned that anyone who could take refuge had taken refuge in various fortresses and castles - of course, he would also participate in the defense of the city if necessary, and the rest were all willing to risk being killed and stayed here to look after their families.

In the villages and towns closer to Pali, Sinampe understood why the commoners abandoned their homes and hid in the castle like this, because almost every village and town here has traces of looting, and some villages and towns are even worse, and they were directly set on fire by the Caledonian people.

"The Galedonians would not have done this before, they would only impose a grain levy on their own districts and here, which they called the war tax, although some of the taxes were not levied during the war. However, the food problem sparked protests among the common people, who began to fully support His Majesty the King and even organized a resistance to the atrocities of the Caledonians. Carla explained to Sinampe, "So the Galedonians eventually adopted a policy of clearing the wilderness and burning it all, believing that terror would bring obedience, but they were only met with more fierce resistance......

"It's a vicious circle, isn't it?"

Carla nodded, "That's right. The more civilians resist, the more brutal the atrocities, the more brutal the atrocities, the more the civilians resist, and this is almost a cycle that cannot be dissolved. ”

This is a bit like the shape of the Japanese-occupied area during the Anti-Japanese War, but Si Nanpei knows very well that the deep-seated reasons for this are not the same.

As for why this is so, in his opinion, it is because the Kingdom of Caledonia has established a relatively modern taxation system, and they know how to levy standing taxes to maintain the operation of the state machinery, while the Kingdom of Capet is still in the stage of "the king lives on his own" (note: medieval French proverb), the income of the central government is completely dependent on the king's own small territory, and these meager revenues still come from estates and other industries, and in terms of use, they are not separated from the king's inner treasury, and the efficiency of the country's operation can be imagined.

However, in this way, the commoners, who only see the immediate benefits, are naturally willing to support the Capetian royal family, which does not levy taxes in normal times. Ironically, this support comes from a backward system, not a more advanced regime.

Truth be told, it is only when they are beaten that the people realize the importance of a strong regime that can protect them.

Some of the dukes in the country did much better than the king, for example, the "enlightened" Duchess of Auvergne......

Sinampei could only sigh helplessly, this cannot be said to be the incompetence of the king, but there are too many constraints in all aspects, and the weak central government is simply unable to anger all strata in the country while conducting foreign wars.

If you want to collect some temporary taxes, you can only hold meetings with various classes to discuss them.

In fact, the attitude of the king can be seen from the number of meetings of the clergy, nobles, and burghers, the more urgent the shape, the weaker the royal family, the more frequent the meetings are held - because the king has to rely on them, has to compromise with them, and on the contrary, the meetings are often stopped, because the king has confidence.

On the one hand, he despised the powerlessness of the Capetian royal family, and on the other hand, he was glad that the Capetian royal family had no power—otherwise, a local nobleman like Theresa would have ended up in a predictable situation. He really didn't want this lovely girl to end up in a miserable end one day.

Sinampei didn't know why Theresa spared no effort to support the Capetian royal family, who might be a threat to her, and wisely didn't ask - although he vaguely felt that it might be related to Theresa's acceptance of royal guardianship when she was a child, but in his cognition, this smart little girl should not have completely tied herself to the royal family based on this alone.

It was uncomfortable to have these doubts in his heart, but he chose to trust Theresa unreservedly. Although they have only been together for half a year, he already knows that this little girl is by no means simple. Although it lacks the corresponding experience, the development process of the mind is also first-class.

The line stopped.

"Si, a messenger is coming!" Flesova rode to the window of the carriage, "It seems to be Her Highness Theresa...... Someone who has come to search for your whereabouts. ”

Since the area around the Pali Plain could be regarded as a war zone, the cautious Flesova sent reconnaissance cavalry twenty miles around the area in full accordance with the guidelines of the wartime march, and it was normal for him to encounter a messenger.

"Specialized...... Search for me?" Sinampei was quite surprised, when did she become so important in her heart, and according to common sense, she should have sent an envoy to Boulogne to rescue her, so why did she send people around to find out her whereabouts like this?

Keeping his doubts to himself, he jumped out of the carriage and, led by Flesois, met the messenger in the front row of the procession.

The person who came was someone he hadn't thought of at all, but who was quite familiar.

"Ah...... Albert?!" Sinampe couldn't help but exclaim. That's right, it was the assistant that Theresa had once assigned to him, the young Albert!

"Dear Mr. Si, Your Highness is right, I can find you in this direction! You have escaped from the Boulogne!" Albert jumped off his horse and ran over excitedly to hug Sinampe, "I thought I would never see you again in my life." ”

Because he was born in the countryside, Albert's hand strength is not small, and his warm embrace made Sinampei a little breathless. But what else can he say in the face of such a sincere friendship?

"Don't worry, I won't die before you. Sinan Pei smiled and comforted him, "I'll watch you die of old age." ”

"Then you have to do what you say. With tears in his eyes, Albert finally let go of Sinampe.

Looking up and down at Albert, Sinampei asked his doubts: "But I'm quite strange, Theresa...... How does Your Highness know that I will be able to escape from Angus and will be going to Pali from this direction?"

"Your Highness was very worried about you, and as soon as she arrived in Pali, she went to find out your whereabouts from Master Arue, and paid a lot of money for it. Albert smiled with tears in his eyes, "She's a good host." ”

Is she a good money to buy horse bones? Even the heavy money she paid is known to others. Si Nanpei pursed her lips, if she didn't really care about herself, she was in a hurry and didn't have to care about these things, or she was deliberately putting on a show.

Although emotionally speaking, Sinampei expects the former, but intellectually he hopes that it is the latter-in this dangerous era, the smarter the master, the more secure he will be in the future.

It was only a long time later that he learned that the reason for this was not so simple.

ps:The background is slowly rolling out.,But I don't know if you like the style (╯_╰) of these two chapters, and don't blame me for being secretive and not making it clear.,Because that's one of the suspense.,Hehe......