When the Saintess Arrives, No King Exist-Chapter 763 - 718: Messenger of the Shattered Stone Plain

When Jeanne quietly entered the council chamber through the side door, she saw three or five monks taking shorthand notes with charcoal pencils.

As the volume of documentation work increased, some of the Secret Monks started using alchemical hardened graphite charcoal pencils as shorthand tools.

After Jeanne sat down, the first thing she heard from the Shattered Stone emissary was—

"The attitude of the Shattered Stone Plain is very clear, Mr. Horn," the stout emissary named Dabosas said softly, "We have no stance. Whoever offers us more, we follow them."

"I don't think intercepting and killing the shepherds trading with us at the border is a friendly gesture," Madlan said, staring intently at him.

"They violated the laws, smuggling wool to your side," Dabosas said, placing his hand on his chest after taking off his mink hat. "We find it regrettable too, but the law is the law. It's not something newly established, so there's nothing we can do."

"What do you want?" Horn asked plainly, gesturing for a cup of fruit wine to be handed to Dabosas.

Although not understanding his intentions, Horn received him with imperial etiquette.

Except the grape wine was replaced with ordinary fruit wine, but because Horn was generous with the white sugar, and it was distilled.

As a person from the north, Dabosas took a sip and the satisfaction was apparent in his eyes; the fruit, the white sugar, and the strong liquor hit right on the desires of the Broken Stone Primordial People.

"If we can trade in the future, could this kind of wine be on the list of goods?" Dabosas asked with bright eyes.

"The internal supply of wine, I can give it to you for free, but not sell it," Horn said, swirling his wine glass, "Just say what you want to say."

"We at Shattered Stone Plain can formalize the wool trade with Thousand River Valley rather than continual smuggling, which is unfriendly to both you and us," Dabosas said humbly.

"Have you forgotten about blocking our trade and attacking Thousand River Valley?" Jeanne couldn't hold back anymore.

"It was the Oslar Clan that forced us," Dabosas said, as if deeply wronged, "How could we dare want that!"

"We welcome formalization, but I don't know what you mean by formalization?" Horn lowered his eyes slightly.

"Very simple, we won't blockade the border anymore, but we'll raise the price of wool to 1.5 gold pounds per bale, how about it?"

Qianqian immediately slapped the table and stood up: "Are you crazy? If we raise the wool price as you say, our profits will reduce significantly, how could that not have an impact?"

"Raise prices, cut wages, giving these lowly people so much money is just a waste," Dabosas said, looking puzzled at the agitated Qianqian.

Horn frowned, and exchanged a few glances with Qianqian and Madlan beside him, seeing the heaviness in their eyes.

"Do I have to teach you this?" Dabosas was unsure whether to be surprised or scornful, "Have your sheriffs or knights force them to spin wool.

This is labor, if they refuse, kill them. Paying them is already an honor, it's your benevolence, not a necessity."

Horn put down the untouched wine glass, licked his lips and rose: "Mr. Dabosas, your journey to Ry Court Barracks must have been exhausting, why not rest first and we'll talk another day?"

"When can I see you next?"

"Unfortunately," Horn said, grinning to reveal his white teeth, "I'll be touring the Thousand River Valley and Black Snake Bay for the next few months, so I might not have much time."

With his smile frozen, Dabosas jumped to his feet: "Wait, are you rejecting us?"

Horn looked at Duvalon beside him, then addressed Dabosas: "Yes."

"You have no reason to refuse!" Dabosas was both shocked and angry at this moment, "You should understand, from our hearts, we wish to stand on your side.

The Oslar Clan, the Lanfeng Clan, are all the same kind, Shattered Stone Plain, Thousand River Valley, and Black Snake Bay are the same geographic unit, we should establish a nation together and be the rulers.

If possible, once you defeat Leia, Shattered Stone Plain would be happy to join the Holy Alliance.

We have wool, you have those fast-operating textile machines, we should combine forces to earn the little money that Falan Kingdom holds.

We will remain neutral in this war, we could even stir up some trouble in Leia Kingdom to gain you some advantages.

And you don't even need to pay much, just make a few small concessions in trade."

"For me, it might be a small concession, but for the mountain people, it's a bottomless abyss," Horn said, his demeanor icy, unlike his interactions with the inner courtiers. "If I wanted to make money, I could earn abundantly with sugar and spices. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

I initiated the wool trade so the people of South Mangde County could have food, that's also the foundation of the Holy Alliance—we hope everyone can survive and have the hope of living better.

With effort and innovation, you can live better than before, that's my promise to them.

I didn't establish the Holy Alliance for money, I have no interest in money.

If you can represent the majority of Shattered Stone and agree with my philosophy, I would warmly welcome Shattered Stone to join.

But if your joining is just for the benefit of a few individuals, sorry, you don't have the qualification to represent Shattered Stone here in dialogue with me."

"You live in such a big house, use such fine utensils, live a luxurious life..." Sandwiched by two guards, Dabosas was still unwilling to give up, "Once the Leia people come, it will all be gone."

Horn was amused for the first time: "Do you think I care about this? Ridiculous, see him out."

"You will regret it!" Dabosas turned his head while facing away from Horn, "Expect to be pincered by both Shattered Stone and the new king...your palace, your maids, your carriage will all be burned to ashes..."

"Your Eminence, why not just pretend to agree and repent later?" Duvalon turned to ask, unable to resist, watching the back of the furious Shattered Stone emissary leaving from the window.

"They are not our friends, nor the ones we should or could win over." Horn looked at the piece-missing cheese pie in bewilderment, picking up a piece and popping it into his mouth.

"If today's negotiation was with a shepherd leader or small businessmen, I'd be very willing to discuss these matters," Madlan similarly picked up a piece.

Qianqian took a piece of cheese pie and added: "Devils are devils, perhaps some will repent, but as a group, they are not on our side.

Take these Shattered Stone nobles as an example, they were frightened earlier.

The new king is about to ascend the throne, they need to show willingness to submit but also the ability to unsettle the new king to retain enough autonomy.

That's why they write congratulatory letters to the new king while seeking peace with us.

The former expresses submission, the latter indicates they have the capacity not to submit and cause trouble. Believing his words is like swallowing embalmed poison wrapped in syrup."

Duvalon first realized, then asked in confusion: "What about Moliat and those mountain knights?"

"Most mountain knights are essentially small landlords and rich peasants, not real nobles," Horn swallowed the cheese pie, "Indeed, there are some devils among them, and in the future, we can take the victory momentum to purge and expel them all."

"It's just a pity that our agricultural reform in the mountain area is once again stalled." Qianqian flipped through the report in her hand and began to feel a headache.

Horn had anticipated this: "Expand recruitment, launch a few more dam and road projects, ensure they have the means to initiate reforms and withstand the upheaval of the reform period."

"What about the money we just received from Windmill Land…"

"Man plans, but the Holy Father plans better, such is fate," Madlan patted Qianqian's shoulder.