Slander is slander, and the feast is still to be eaten.

The atmosphere of the dinner was quite harmonious, and the fourth prince didn't talk about ores, so he couldn't say anything.

When the prince instructed the maid to change the dessert after the meal, Pelo tentatively said, "Your Highness, according to the past practice, today should be the day of delivery of ore, but I have not seen any ore in the dock yard. ”

Roland put down the small wooden stick in his hand and nodded, "Unfortunately, there was a collapse in the North Slope mine a while ago, and my people have been trying to resume production for the past month. However, the debris at the collapse site has not yet been cleared, and at this rate, the start of construction in the mining area will only be delayed until next year. ”

Pei Luo was stunned for a moment, such a coincidence, but he quickly realized that the other party did not need to lie to himself. Otherwise, it will be clear if you go to the north slope once, telling such an obvious lie is tantamount to slapping yourself in the face.

"That'...... Two months ago?"

"Not too much, as is customary, so a few stones can't support my people. Roland accentuated his tone on the word convention, "Mr. Ambassador, you should remember the Demon Moon two years ago, right?"

Perot, of course, remembered that the bitter cold, which lasted for four months, starved nearly 20 percent of the people in the border towns to death, because of the insatiable greed of the city magistrate Ferreno. It was not without opposition within the aristocracy, and there were even calls for Ferrenaud to be punished afterwards. But in the end, the incident was not resolved, only because he was the husband of the duke's second daughter.

Now that the prince mentioned this, a bad feeling rose in Perot's heart.

"This time it's worse," Roland sighed, "if it is delivered the way before, I'm afraid I will only get two months' share of wheat." My people will not survive the winter, sir, and the old ways of trade must be abolished. ”

Perro opened his mouth, but he didn't know how to refute it. He was not a professional diplomat, and in the face of such a good reason, he really couldn't find a problem, so he had to delay first, "Your Highness, I regret this matter, this time there will never be a repeat of the previous tragedy, I will let the six families jointly lend a month's grain, and your people can wait for the next year to resume production and slowly repay." ”

"If I sell it to Willow Leaf Town, I don't have to pay it back slowly. ”

"But ......"

"Nothing good," interrupted Roland, "they are willing to buy stones with the golden dragon and sell wheat, cheese, bread, and honey at market prices...... Whatever they could buy with the golden dragon, they sold. Taking a step back, Mr. Ambassador, even if you were willing to lend a month's worth of grain, would the other five families agree with your decision? ”

Pei Luo was silent, the fourth prince was right, not only the other five, but he was not even sure to persuade his own father. If he wants to maintain the monopoly power, he must modify the transaction plan, but he does not have the right to make a final decision. It is said to be an ambassador, but in fact it is nothing more than a mouthpiece. Maybe the Duke doesn't want anyone to make any deal with the Frontier Town without permission, whether it's the previous lord or the fourth prince. That's why he assigns different people every season of the year, and these people are never the rulers of the family.

Whatever the outcome, he had to give it a try, and with this in mind, Peero showed his final hole card, "Thirty percent," he held out three fingers, "the fortress buys ore and rough gems at thirty percent below the market price." I think this price should be higher than that of Willow Leaf Town, Your Highness. ”

Roland spread his hands and said, "It's really higher, but it's still an old question, can what you say become a unanimous decision of the six families?"

"I'll leave for Changge Fortress tomorrow, and I'll come with a new contract once an agreement is reached. ”

"But my people can't wait that long. You should know that it is usually time-consuming for the nobles to come to an agreement with each other. ”

"Your Highness, working with the Fortress is a better option for you and your people. Willow Town is too far away, although you can hide from the Demon Moon there," Pei Luo felt his throat and eyes a little dry when he said this, "but the road is easy...... Danger occurs. ”

Oh my God, the gods are above, what am I doing, his heart is pounding, am I threatening a prince?

"Hahahaha," unexpectedly, Roland didn't burst into a rage, but laughed, "Mr. Ambassador, you seem to have mistaken something, I didn't think about going to Willow Leaf Town. ”

"What do you mean ......"

"Of course, I don't plan to go to the Long Song Fortress," Roland looked at the ambassador with a playful expression, "I'm not going anywhere. ”

Perot wondered for a moment if his ears had misheard.

Thankfully, the prince didn't let the strange silence last, and he went on to explain, "This winter, I'll stay in Frontier Town, which will become the new frontier of the Greykeep Kingdom. Don't be so surprised, my friend, this is not nonsense, I can show you the new masonry wall later, at the foot of the northern slope. ”

"City ...... wall?"

"Yes, a stone wall that connects the northern slope to the Chishui River, twelve feet high and four feet wide. With this, we will be able to defeat the evil beasts in the border town. ”

Pei Luo felt that his brain was a little insufficient, and he didn't mention any city walls when the ambassador went back last season, no, at that time, the lord of the border town still wanted to stuff people, how could he send a limited number of people to build this. In other words, as soon as the fourth prince arrived here, he began to repair the city wall? Even so, it has only been three months now, what can be repaired in such a little time?

Wait a minute...... What did His Highness just say? Twelve feet high, four feet wide, and connecting the northern slope to the Chishui River? Pei Luo estimated in his heart that it would be impossible to complete a city wall of this size in a few years, first of all, he did not have so many stonemasons to cut and polish stone! The border town was not a gray castle, and most of the people who lived here could only sell coolies.

Before he could digest the news, Roland's next sentence also shocked him greatly.

"As for ore sales, starting next year, I am willing to reduce the price to fifty percent, sir, but not all of them to Changge Fortress. Because you don't necessarily need that much ore. I think you'll prefer some metal products, such as shovels, shovels, etc., to less profitable raw ore. He paused for a moment, as if waiting for Perot to understand the meaning of his words, "As for rough gemstones, they will be bought by the highest bidder in the form of an auction. I'd love to wait until the gem is cut to get a good price, but unfortunately Frontier doesn't have the capacity to do that right now. ”

Then do you have the ability to build a city wall in a few months! Pei Luo roared in his heart, what does it mean that he doesn't need so many ores, the output of only a thousand golden dragons a year, even if the output will increase, it will be doubled! Two thousand golden dragon fortresses can't be eaten? It's too arrogant!

He held back the resentment in his heart and tried his best to maintain his last etiquette, "I have written down all of what you said, Your Highness. I'll negotiate with the six families as soon as I get back. It's just, you said the city wall...... I want to check it out. ”

"Of course," Roland smiled, "but don't be in a hurry, it's never too late to enjoy these royal pastries, right?" ”