landbeastnovel #238 - Negotiation and alliance
#238 - Negotiation and alliance
The bone-chilling wind kneaded the surging clouds, making the cloud cover above Autumn Dusk Island even thicker.
Behind the withered yellow walls and broken walls, the legion's official residence stood alone. At the southern end of the third floor of this residence was Hoen's study.
Walking into the room and standing by the window, Mittene looked up, the clouds hanging so low that they seemed to press on his head, making him feel suffocated.
Hoen lit the peat iron stove with resin and tinder, casually snapping his fingers, and the fluorite lamps embedded in the surrounding walls and ceiling lit up in sequence.
Illuminated by the fire and fluorite, the originally dim study became bright.
"Your Excellency Mittene, please have a seat." Hoen pulled out a hardwood armchair and warmly invited Mittene to sit down.
Looking at the illuminated fluorite lamps in surprise, Mittene thanked him and slowly sat down.
This number of fluorite lamps can emit such a bright light, this Holy Grandson's magic power level is not weak.
Due to the sensitivity and particularity of Hoen's witch male identity, Sisi only reported the specific situation to Catherine.
Mittene is Catherine's core subordinate, but after all, he is not from the witch's family or the secret party. Not letting him know some things is actually protecting him.
From Mittene's perspective, the farmer Hoen is Jeanne's witch familiar, a lucky man who is good at inciting but has a conscience.
But when Mittene really sat opposite Hoen, he felt something was wrong.
The young man sitting in front of him was about 1.7 meters tall, and the clergy's Mighty Robe could not hide his wheat-colored, thick fingers.
Clearly looking like a farmer, he sat upright in the chair as if he were a young scholar or a young bishop.
During the small talk on the way here, this Holy Grandson rarely showed the ignorance and vulgarity unique to farmers and vagrants in his dealings with people and chatting.
He even used some long and difficult sentences that made Mittene wonder if he was talking to some playwright.
Could it be true, as Sisi said, that he could suddenly realize and become self-taught in a month?
"The room is relatively simple. After all, I am from a farmer's background and don't understand etiquette and art. How about we both be casual?"
"Hahahaha, I am not considered a nobleman, so who cares about etiquette!"
Mittene chuckled in response, picked up the hot ginger and brown sugar juice, took a sip, and felt a lot warmer: "You say it's simple, but I think your碉楼 is as solid as the 金汤堡."
金汤堡 is located in Bear Hammer Territory. In the First Blood War, it withstood the vampire army for three years and was known as the most solid castle.
"It's just the ruins of the ancient Earl Legion Commander's residence. I can't see anything good or bad."
Sitting opposite Mittene, Hoen held up the hot ginger and brown sugar juice, but did not drink it.
He blew away the water mist from the rim of the cup, and asked, whether intentionally or unintentionally, "Why didn't I see Sisi?"
"She went to settle Andar."
"Armand told me about Andar and Jeanne." Tilting the rim of the cup, Hoen hid his face in the water mist, "Jeanne is only sixteen years old, she's a bit naughty, she's just playing around because she doesn't understand. I'll punish her severely later."
Mittene hurriedly interrupted: "It was our rudeness first... Eh, but that magical crossbow today really gave me a scare."
Without picking up Mittene's words, Hoen put down the water cup with a light smile, raised his head, and the two looked at each other, tacitly skipping this matter.
Mittene knew that this kind of key weapon could not be obtained casually, he was just trying it out casually.
"Lord Hoen, I won't waste your time. I came here mainly for the matter of alliance."
After the previous foreshadowing, Mittene felt that the time was right and began to get to the point.
"According to our Catherine's idea, in the current situation in Thousand River Valley, even if the church continues to cover it up, the deaths of Blue Blood Wine and Huanno will spread.
The church has not given a reasonable explanation, and the entire Thousand River Valley, from nobles to farmers, will gradually be disappointed.
When spring comes next year, no new grain can be planted after the flood, and the old grain will be exhausted in winter, the number of farmers starving to death and fleeing will increase explosively.
In this situation, Archbishop Constance has left Thousand River Valley again.
So if we want to talk about the future of Thousand River Valley, now is the best time.
Everyone is united for one purpose, and I won't hide it.
We plan to officially respond at the end of February next year, calling on the citizens of Rapid Current City to expel the priests, and summoning the nobles of Lower Riverford County who are on the side of Thousand River Valley to join.
Originally, we were going to support Duke Jeanneburg to claim the throne of Thousand River Valley, but now the Kush family's reputation has become stinky.
We will most likely support Melia Ti of the Falls family to claim the throne of King of Thousand River Valley.
You know that our Rapid Current City is located in Lower Riverford County, and the main force of the uprising, Grand Duke Melia Ti, is separated from us by three mountainous counties: Upper Riverford County, South Mound County, and Mound County.
The church's base camp, Hotham County, is a flat road from us, and the army arrives in the morning and evening. Now that Jeanneburg has fallen into the hands of the church, it will make us suffer from both sides.
In order to be able to support the arrival of Duke Melia Ti's strong army, we must help each other..."
While talking about the plan, Mittene took out the contract and placed it on the table in front of him for Hoen to read.
"What do these three contracts mean?"
"This represents the three degrees of our cooperation." Mittene blinked and said.
"Tell me about it?"
"The first is to let Sisi be your advisor. We will provide you with resources, officers, and tax officials to help you complete all the necessary activities. You just need to sit in the chair..."
"What about the second and third?" Hoen threw down that contract and picked up the other two shorter contracts.
"The second is the contract of close partners. We will provide you with interest-free loans and weapons and equipment, etc., but you must set off to attack Jeanneburg within the time we stipulate..."
Hoen scanned the second contract, still noncommittal, and continued to pick up the third contract.
Mittene smoothly turned the topic to the third contract: "This contract is a simple alliance of offense and defense. Only after you capture Jeanneburg will we provide low-interest loans. No matter which party asks for help, the other party must declare a break with the enemy and choose an appropriate time to start a war..."
Hoen placed the three contracts in a row on the table and looked at Mittene with a smile that was not a smile: "Which one do you think I will choose?"
"Before coming here, I thought you would choose the second one. After coming here, I think you would choose the first one." Mittene stirred the ginger and brown sugar juice with a wooden spoon and smiled, "Now, I think you will choose the third one."
"Your Excellency Mittene, you are a smart person. Let's be frank. What I am going to sign is this alliance of offense and defense contract." Hoen said directly, "If the strategic autonomy is constrained by the alliance, it would be too passive."
"If you are willing to sign the second agreement, we can remove those restrictions as appropriate."
"If what you mean by discretion is wanting a breech-loading rifle, then I can tell you - I don't know what Sisi told you, but only the Holy Favored can use the breech-loading rifle."
Hoen did not hide anything from him and directly stated the reason.
But judging from his expression, Mittene, who was sitting opposite him, obviously did not regard this as Hoen's proper reason, but only as an excuse.
Hoen had no choice but to say: "Let's sign the third contract. Some specific details and plans have to be discussed carefully."
After determining the general framework, the two finally entered into a discussion of the specific details of the contract.
Mittene tentatively played some tricks on the contract, but Hoen saw through them one by one.
In an efficient discussion, the two did not take long to draft this simple alliance agreement.
Collecting the added content and additional agreements, Mittene looked at Hoen, who was pouring hot ginger juice by the stove, and couldn't help but sigh.
The behavior patterns of these two siblings are really carved out of the same mold.
The younger sister Jeanne looks enthusiastic and straightforward on the surface, just like a silly village woman.
But she can see through Andar's arrogance at a glance and use an extremely simple trick to make him suffer a loss.
The older brother Hoen looks like a pious young priest, but his words are more calculating than the most mercenary merchants.
In all aspects, he can say detailed matters, and does not even need to call in the relevant personnel.
What Mittene could not understand the most was that the various behaviors of the two did not make him feel abrupt, and even had a kind of taken-for-granted feeling.
Mittene suddenly smiled relievedly. If these two had nothing special, how could they have created such a big name with these peasant rebels?
"Your Excellency Mittene, what are you laughing at?"
"Among the many peasant rebels, only Your Excellency can have such a big name. It's really not without reason."
"Oh, why do you say that?" Hoen held the ginger juice and asked with interest.
"Your Excellency's administration is comprehensive in all aspects, and your sister is even more alert and intelligent. With such talents, it's no wonder you can defeat the church time and time again."
Hoen, who was originally smiling and adding peat to the iron stove, stopped his hand: "Do you think these so-called talents are something we were born with?"
"Isn't it?" Mittene asked strangely.
Hoen did not answer immediately, but stood by the window holding the ginger juice.
He looked at the thin soldiers on the training ground and was silent for a full minute.
Just when Mittene suspected that he had said something wrong, he slowly opened his mouth:
"Jeanne was extremely simple and naive at the beginning, anyone could deceive her, and I made mistakes in doing things, and there were always problems.
Mittene, my friend, my sister and I are just an ordinary pair of farming siblings.
None of the talents you mentioned are innate.
These so-called talents are all made in blood, and every step is stained with the tears of companions and ourselves."