abnabooks #721 - The War Preparations of the Thousand River Valley
#721 - The War Preparations of the Thousand River Valley
"This Black Serpent Bay war was really worth it." Horn looked at the beautiful numbers and overflowing amount on the financial statements and couldn't help but exclaim.
"Don't praise yourself. Why did you suddenly approve the budget report for the Dragon Language Alchemy University this morning?" Thinking of this, Sisi immediately frowned her slender willow leaf eyebrows and asked with a frown.
"They have come up with a key technology, which is definitely worth the money compared to those budgets," Horn quickly explained to this 'housekeeper' of the Holy Alliance.
"But you have allocated too much money to universities and those research institutions," Sisi rolled her eyes. "Some people outside are calling you the Clockmaker Pope."
"Only you dare to call me that, right?" Horn smiled and looked at the gear-filled room decorations. "Compared to the Merciful Pope, I quite like the name Clockmaker Pope."
"But the funds for universities and research institutions..."
"Don't worry." Horn smiled and took out a letter from his pocket. "Armand sent a letter back, Catherine and the others made a killing off the Liah people in Windmill Heights, and it is estimated that nearly 200,000 gold pounds will be credited."
"200,000!" Sisi and Madelaine exchanged glances. "Damn, those blood-sucking financiers really know how to make money."
Horn was still smiling, but a flash of inspiration came to his mind, and the smile on his face gradually disappeared: "I heard that the Liah people are heavily in debt. Do you think this will lead to their bankruptcy and lure the enemy to attack in advance?"
Sisi shook her head: "500,000 gold pounds is not enough to cause bankruptcy, right? At most, it will hurt their muscles and bones.
Moreover, if they are going to go bankrupt, they should first think about resting or attacking Windmill Heights or Thistle Garden. Why would they risk not being able to pay the salaries of the Edict Knights to attack us?"
"That's true." Horn thought about it carefully and it made sense. Even if they went bankrupt, they should first attack Windmill Heights to get money. Wouldn't attacking Thousand River Valley be a loss?
"Yes." Madelaine said happily, "They want to attack at the earliest next year. Let's save up another year, and we will definitely make that Gigi King never return."
With the current development speed of Thousand River Valley, the rapidly increasing income and military strength, it is difficult for Madelaine not to be optimistic.
When Gigi King comes to attack next year or even the year after, what awaits him will not be full-strength squads with half-strength, but seven or eight fully staffed new-style warbands.
After all, after the territory of the Holy Alliance expands, the manpower of Black Serpent Bay can also be used by them.
Looking at the two people with smiles on their faces, Horn smiled helplessly.
The successive victories in the war and the prosperous life have long since gradually reversed the fear of the Liah people among these high-level officials.
Especially in the Battle of Black Serpent Bay, the God's Punishment Army, which had been trained for three months, defeated the noble coalition of the Lilac Corridor as easily as kicking a stray dog on the side of the road.
Otherwise, why would the people of Thousand River Valley clamor to take down Gravel Plains and Stone Cliff Township Meadow?
After all, it is a rare peace, so let's not spoil the fun.
"That being said, not everyone is rational after all." Horn put down the tax report in his hand. "We still have to be prepared. How is the war preparedness of Thousand River Valley?"
Madelaine immediately turned around and walked to the door, poking her head out: "Pettier, Bernardo, come here."
Soon the two people carrying a large number of documents walked into the room. Bernardo stood in front of the table and began to report:
"Currently, new barracks have been arranged in the two county seats of Rapidwater City and Shelley City to train soldiers and recruits..."
"Each new barracks is stationed with an infantry regiment. When necessary, the fifty-man squad captain serves as the hundred-man squad captain, and the hundred-man squad is promoted to the legion commander. Veterans lead new recruits, and it can be expanded to half-strength, which is 4 infantry regiments, within three months..."
"And Greenleaf City is the new-style warband arranged by Andre, with two infantry regiments... But currently there is one major problem, that is, the number of Holy Gunners is seriously insufficient..."
The people in the room looked at Horn in unison, with a hint of cautious inquiry in their eyes.
Horn leaned back in his chair: "Silov's research has recently encountered a bottleneck, don't put too much pressure on her.
Otherwise, I will go to Greenleaf City to bless a batch, or transfer some alchemist priests and workers..."
"It's okay to transfer people usually, but what should we do in wartime?" Madelaine calculated it in her mind and immediately came to the answer, "Transferring too many people will cause a large number of workshops to shut down, and the living standards of residents are expected to drop significantly."
This is also something that can't be helped. The Holy Alliance is a country built on alchemy workshops.
A major reason for its rapid development is the convenience of relying on alchemy.
"This... let's talk about it later. If it doesn't work, we will implement a planned rationing system again, for the motherland and freedom."
Madelaine heard this and knowingly took out her notebook to write it down. This meant that he should publicize this aspect more and give the residents a good psychological expectation.
The Holy Alliance is different from other places. Generally, the ranking of cabinet ministers is Minister of Foreign Affairs/Finance, Minister of Military Affairs, Minister of Internal Affairs, and Minister of the Navy.
But in the Holy Alliance, the Minister of Internal Affairs (Truth Master) ranks first, followed by the Minister of Finance (Holy Treasury Master), then the Minister of Military Affairs (Exorcism Master), and then the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Gospel Master).
After all, the Holy Alliance has enemies everywhere, and there is nothing that requires diplomacy.
A large number of functions of the Gospel Court itself were taken away by the special agent system controlled by the Trueborn, so Bussac, the Gospel Master, has never had much influence.
He didn't even come to such a small meeting today, but was active in Greenleaf City.
This is obviously unfair to him, but he has not made any meritorious contributions, which has led to him being completely suppressed politically by his old rival Jeshka.
While thinking about whether to send Bussac to Black Serpent Bay to be the Supreme Emperor, Horn opened his mouth and said, "Continue."
"Currently, 4 24-pound coastal defense clockwork cannons and loading machines in Greenleaf City are being installed and debugged, and are expected to be available in the summer..."
"The planned 7 large fortresses and 10 riverine redoubts have been completed, and each redoubt is equipped with seven or eight Falcon cannons..."
"Will there be too few Holy Winds?" Madelaine interrupted.
Horn waved his hand: "Orichalcum and steel are tight. The cannon foundry can only satisfy each redoubt with 8 cannons."
That clockwork warehouse is a big consumer of steel and orichalcum. Although mithril is now available, it can only be used on a small scale before mass production.
Currently, the problem of the clockwork engine water pump has been solved, and it was originally possible to mine deep mines.
But the smelting speed is not fast enough, which makes Horn anxious but unable to do anything.
After going around in a circle, he suddenly realized that the problem had turned to Silov again, because the wolf girl was also responsible for the research on the Lightning Furnace and Moon Mercury.
Even after absorbing alchemist talents from Black Serpent Bay, the Lightning Furnace still hasn't made much progress.
The most critical point is how to ignite lightning? How to maintain lightning to refine and smelt metal?
It is too difficult for one person to tackle three technologies, even if Silov has the smartest brain among all beastmen.
"Silov's mental state has been poor recently, and she seems to be affected by the Sefa Ye incident. Strengthen protection and don't let the demon hunters take advantage of it."
"Okay, I'll arrange it." Pettier nodded immediately.
"I knew I shouldn't have told her." Sisi muttered with her head down.
"We must tell her." Horn suddenly became serious and stared at Sisi, "This is a clue to her mother, we cannot hide it for our own self-interest.
...Everyone, I was wondering, should we suspend one of the technologies first and focus on one or two of them? It's hard to chew if you try to swallow too much, what do you think?"