Iron Powder and Spellcasters

   Chapter 215 Homecoming

  The councilors who remained in the castles unanimously passed the motion: abolish the old Palatu Republic, reorganize the government, and establish the Palatu "Second" Republic.

The    member is also a member of the King Castle faction, and his office is still in the Great Council Hall.

   looks like a block changer, but it's actually far from it.

   In the first few years of the Republic, the factions of the castles representing the interests of the cities could suppress the old noble factions.

   However, with the continuous expansion of the military freemen class, the blue blood faction gradually gained the upper hand, and finally suppressed the king castle faction.

   The Blue Blood faction has been in power all the year round, and the Wangbao faction can only be in the opposition all year round, and the opposition faction has been in power for more than twenty years.

   Suddenly in power, the Kings and Castle factions immediately began a series of radical reforms.

   The first act passed by the new General Assembly was the Debt Restructuring Act.

  According to this decree, Palatu is about to usher in a large-scale debt restructuring.

   The net assets of the Republic will be paid first to domestic creditors, and the debts of foreign creditors will be compulsorily paid using a kind of [annuity bond].

  The interest rate of annuity bonds is 3% in principle, the repayment period is forty years, and the Second Republic has the right to redeem the annuity bonds at any time.

  Although Grove spoke very hard, his deputy [Member Baker] immediately approached the chief advisor of Veneta.

  Baker explained the reason and asked for forgiveness: "There is indeed no money in the treasury! It is far from enough to pay the debt!"

  …

   For the past 30 years, Plato has borrowed money to fight the barbarians.

   Not only were citizens happy to buy bonds, but allied investors were happy to lend them money, because Parato won every time.

   Allied investors are mainly Veneta bankers, and the proportion of federal funds is not much.

   One is that the people of the Union have suffered big losses, and the other is that there are no bankers in the Union.

   By adding leverage, Paratus only needs to pay interest with a small amount of money, and can leverage a huge amount of money.

   These funds were turned into weapons, armor, war horses, rations, and lead bullets at barbarians, bringing three decades of victory to the Paratus.

  The spoils of war are mainly land, slaves and livestock, and there is very little gold and silver. How can investors get their money back?

  It doesn't matter, on the basis of "bonds can be traded", Veneta bankers have invented a dizzying variety of financial instruments: mortgages, secondary mortgages, bundling, splitting...

   Even in order to hedge risk, Veneta bankers introduced the concept of shipping industry - insurance to the bond market.

   Marshal Ned still underestimated the greed of human nature. He must never have imagined that the little tricks he used to raise military funds would actually evolve into a giant beast on his own.

   In short: if Plato wins, everyone in the chain makes money; if Plato fails, the building collapses like a domino.

   First and foremost were Veneta bankers and retail investors who went broke buying bonds.

   So the people of Plato cannot fail; no one thought that Plato would fail before; but this time, Plato was defeated.

   Some people will ask, isn’t there still a large area of ​​unmanned land that can be used to pay off debts like the new reclaimed land?

   Please don't forget that those lands are not the property of the Palatine Republic, but the Palatine Army.

  Plato's army can not only do business, but also local landlords, and can maintain a country within a country.

  …

   That's why Grove's second reform: reorganizing the government and taking military power.

   Due to the historical legacy of the sovereign war, the Parato Army Headquarters is legally a subordinate institution of the "Alliance", only half a level lower than the Great Council.

   Strictly speaking, the two are a partnership. The Great Council cannot even decide on the appointment and removal of army personnel, only "suggestions".

  Grove Magnus reorganized [Paratus Army Headquarters] into [Paratus Military Council], and the new Military Council was attached to the Grand Council.

   This is also the long-standing political appeal of the Kings Castle faction, changing [army with a country] to [country with an army].

   The template for [army with a country] is the province, and the template for [country with an army] is Veneta.

  Plateau's degree of JGism is somewhere in between, but for three decades it has continued to fall toward the federated model.

   In addition to this, there are a number of reform measures aimed at weakening the local power of the old nobles.

   The new Great Council issued a statement, the Declaration of the Republic.

The core idea of ​​   is to occupy the moral high ground: the Second Republic of Palatu is established! Have a good time everyone! Taxes, taxes and servitude will be reduced! We will also share land rights and encourage land reclamation! All outside the Second Republic are pseudo-governments! Please support us a lot!

   There are, of course, two other life-and-death orders: the gathering of garrisons from various places to the castles; and the dispatch of envoys to Arpad to save the peace as much as possible.

  …

  Congressman Baker dragged the chief advisor of Veneta and said a lot, in a word: We are indeed out of money.

   The treasury cannot even pay the interest, let alone the debt itself.

  The government couldn't even get the expeditionary army pension because it was an astronomical sum.

  The property of the army had to be seized to fill the hole.

"Fuck you!" The irritable chief consultant of Veneta immediately scolded back: "You take me as a three-year-old child? Net assets give priority to repaying domestic debts? Who are the domestic creditors? Isn't that the **** members of your group? !"

   The chief advisor pushed the other side away and walked away angrily.

  …

When the news of    debt restructuring was sent back to Hailan, there was another wail.

   Immediately, the old man responded: "Isn't this the mad king's trick to deal with the people of the United Province?"

   The previous emperor of the empire, "Mad" Richard IV, also borrowed money from the Union Province bankers to fight - it was not called the Union Province at that time, it was called the Duchy of the Piedmont [Fosland].

   When there is no money to repay the debt, the mad king spreads his hands and issues the "Bankruptcy Edict", announcing the debt restructuring.

   The Forslander banker vomited blood from this set of punches.

   On the surface, their claims have not been cancelled, but in fact it means that the Mad King has frozen all their capital with very little money.

  If they want to sell these bonds, they have to cut the flesh hard.

  Many Firslanders went bankrupt and even committed suicide, and the financial landscape of the continent changed accordingly.

When the news of   Plato came back, the bankers of Veneta were indignant: "If they don't want to pay it back, they won't pay it back?!"

   "3% interest rate? How dare you! The mad king is giving 5% interest rate!"

   "Why is the Japanese sheep guy?!"

   "[expletive]!"

  …

   Not to mention the anger of the merchants.

  The "Throne Room" of the Veneta Army Headquarters, the attention of the officers is in another place.

   "What's the situation? Why did the fight start?" Someone was puzzled: "Sekler is a very rational person in my same period, how could such a thing be allowed to happen?"

"It's all about how well you play? Who wins and who loses? We're sitting here and we don't know." Layton - who is now a lieutenant general - scolded: "Alpad is still my squad leader! I don't know. Surprisingly he can do it."

   "Where's General Janosh? General Janosh can't hold them down?" someone asked.

   "General Yanosh is said to have suffered a stroke." Another voice answered softly.

   Admiral Zio suddenly said, "Do you know what Arpad and Sackler are?"

  The generals looked at each other, not knowing how to answer the military governor.

   Or Lieutenant General Layton dared to ask: "What... what?"

"Alpad and Sackler are the two best hunting dogs. They are strong, loyal and fierce. But only Janos is the hunter." At that time, he became much older: "Now that the hunters are gone, the hounds will bite each other... and no one can pull them away."

The metaphor of    hounds and hunters is only worthy of Admiral Zio, and no one else can.

   "Then what should we do?" Layton smoked a cigarette and said in a sullen voice: "The Third Army confronted the [Goddess of Victory] in the archipelago, and the Fourth Army confronted the [River River], and they were all unable to move. Call for reservists again?"

   "You can get it!" Someone immediately objected: "Tanilia has not finished digesting it! How can we mobilize the reservists so frequently? We can always clarify our goals first, and then discuss whether to recruit the reservists, right?"

  Layton was stabbed, and he was also angry: "The military attache in Palatu is really a waste! What kind of information is sent back? It's upside down, can he understand it himself? If he doesn't know anything, how can he make a decision?"

  Zio opened his eyes and sat up straight.

  The officers in the throne room understood that the governor was going to speak, so they all restrained their appearance and sat upright.

   "Send the spectator attache over."

  …

  …

   Pierre Mitchell deserted.

  Angelo, Vashka, and the rest of Wolftown escaped with him.

  Pierre does not consider himself a coward.

   Fighting back to Palatu from the wasteland, he never lost his legs once.

  Pierre just didn't want to work for them any more.

   "Go." He told his partner the idea: "Let's go home."

  Go home, the word seems to have magical powers, bringing tears to everyone's hazy eyes.

   "Okay." Everyone muttered: "Go home."

When the    troops moved out from the Shuangqiao Camp, they took advantage of it and slipped away.

   deserters, death sentences...they don't care anymore, they just want to go home.

  Wolf Town people choose small paths, deliberately avoid villages and towns, and even detour into no-man’s land.

  Drinking streams of water when they were thirsty, and eating dry food when they were hungry, after going through countless hardships, the Dajiao River at the border of Wolf Town finally appeared in their sight.

Got home.

   Everyone cheered and ran frantically to the Big Horn. Kiss the banks of the river and take a swig of the water from the river.

  Pierre sniffed and called Anglo: "Hook?"

"what's wrong?"

"My father told me that when I was in my hometown in the north, Dussac would be sent home after serving the emperor for seven years. They would load their clothes, knives and belongings on horseback and lead the horse away together. Keep going. Going all the way to Bow's Back Bay, when the Dussacks saw the Shield River for the first time..."

  [Shield River: The Don River, the hometown of the Dousa people in the Empire]

   The other Dussacks listened quietly.

"… 'My God! Just look at it!'" Pierre imitated his father's tone: "Everyone seems to be crazy, shouting and rushing to the river 'Shield River! Quiet Shield River!' My father and mother! Raise my benefactor! Ula! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

  Pierre couldn't help laughing, but the circles of his eyes were red.

   The wolf town people who are not Dussac heard this, their eyes became wet, and their noses were sour.

Pierre continued: "They threw hats, uniforms, pillowcases and boots into the river. They went home safely, so they rewarded the Shield River. The parents, wives and children downstream saw a hat-making like a swan coming from upstream. When you float down, you know that your relatives are home..."

  Pierre took off his hat and threw it hard at the Big Horn.

   The black hat turned a few turns along the winding river and disappeared behind the reeds.

  Others followed suit, shouting hoarsely: "Father! Mother! I'm home!"

  Pierre went to the river to wash the dust off his body.

   Looking at the face reflected in the water, Pierre could hardly recognize who it was.

   The man's eyes were melancholy, his brows furrowed tightly, his eye sockets were sunken in, and his cheekbones protruded thinly.

  Pierre touched his face, he couldn't remember his original appearance.

   After witnessing the death of his partner several times, he could no longer hold any pity in his heart. He became hard-hearted and ruthless towards his enemies.

   But he couldn't laugh like he used to, and he couldn't look into the innocent eyes of a child anymore.

  Before this, he firmly defended the glory of Dussack, showing selfless bravery at every opportunity.

   He played with others and his own life with indifference and contempt.

   For his bravery in battle, he received four commendations and three medals.

   And now, he's a deserter.

   But that doesn't matter anymore, because he's home.

  Pierre jumped into the saddle and ran towards Mitchell Manor.

  The bright sun swept away the haze of winter, and the sky was as blue as wash.

  The mountains and rivers have long thawed, and the soil exudes the fresh breath of grass buds.

   Swallows have come home from Veneta and the United Provinces, building new nests in old places in pairs.

The formation of    geese swept across the land and flew towards the wasteland.

   In Pierre’s memory, at this time in previous years, the house would be very lively:

  Dad and the handlebars would whip the whip and drive the horses to plough trenches on the ground. The other hirelings followed, cautiously throwing tobacco seeds.

  Mother will surround a small vegetable garden and sprinkle the seeds of nettle gourd, pumpkin, black beans and persimmons;

   To the northwest is the family's wheat field. The wheat seedlings have turned green and are about to be weeded and fertilized.

   Pierre, who was immersed in his memories, was suddenly startled, and the Mitchell Manor behind the oak tree was silent.

  There is no neighing of horses, no horns sung by the working people, no people.

  The flat, fertile land is now barren, and weeds grow haphazardly.

   Pierre's heart was extremely frightened, he beat the horse like a madman, jumped over the fence, and ran straight to the mansion.

   "Dad! Mom!" Pierre shouted: "I'm back!"

   Little Dussack got off his horse, strode up the steps, slammed open the front door, and looked for it with a crying voice: "Dad! Mom! I'm back!"

   "Crash", the plate fell to the ground and shattered.

   Scarlett in the hall threw himself into his arms and burst into tears.

   "It's okay! Don't be afraid!" Pierre hugged his sister tightly: "Brother is back."

  Pierre saw his mother—his dignified and graceful, graceful and tender mother, with her hair wrapped in a kerchief like an ordinary peasant woman, dressed in coarse work clothes, and running towards him weeping.

   Pierre's clenched heart was relieved, and the thing he feared the most did not happen.

   He swore that he had never seen his mother run with her skirt up.

  Ellen Mitchell held her son's face, like holding the most fragile glassware, and murmured: "Just come back, just come back."

  Mother, son and sister, the three hugged tightly, weeping.

   That night, Ellen boiled eggs, warmed milk, and baked bread for her son.

  Pierre finally learned about the situation at home.

After news of the   Hard barbarian invasion spread, Dussack was the first to be recruited.

  Dussack of Wolftown is all on the roster, and his father is among them.

  The Dussacks, armed with weapons and riding horses, assemble and set off.

  In Dusa Village, except for old men and underage children, all grown men have left.

   In order to guard against the barbarians, they had to recruit tenant farmers, recruit grain, and recruit livestock.

   Hired workers fled, peasants hid their livestock in forests and buried grain in cellars.

   If the tenant farmers could not be recruited, many self-cultivators were taken away.

  The hidden livestock and the grain in the cellar were also found, and the farmers who hid the supplies were all whipped.

   Gervoudan desperately collected supplies and recruited troops to protect himself, but no one cared about the outer villages and towns of Wolf Town.

   During the turmoil, several waves of Hed looters were scattered in Wolf Town.

The   Hards may have thought it was just a few small undefended villages where they could loot and rest.

   However, there were militia groups left by Winters Montagne in the villages of Wolf Town, and the stragglers of the Hurds failed to take advantage.

   It was like a beast trap: six or seven Heard raiders broke into the village, and with the sound of gongs in all directions, they were all stabbed or captured with javelins.

   In contrast, it was not the Heards who caused the most damage to Wolftown, but the Paratus.

   Not long ago, another order was issued.

  Mitchell Estate was subject to wartime property tax - a percentage of the value of the land owned.

  When praying before the meal, Pierre held his mother's hand in his left hand and his sister's hand in his right hand. He was sad to find that both mother and sister's hands were covered with scars

   "I'm back." Mr. Mitchell said softly, "Leave it all to me."

  …

   At the same time, Ocean Blue, Navarre House.

   The tense atmosphere seemed to explode in the next second, and the servants avoided one after another, for fear of getting burned.

  Anna sat in front of the dresser, her head bowed.

   "Go to the monastery?" Madame Navarre clutched her heart, her chest heaving violently: "What the **** are you doing crazy?"

  Anna didn't say a word.

   This is what Madam Navarre fears the most. Once her eldest daughter is shown in this way, it means that she has made up her mind.

   And once her eldest daughter has made up her mind, nothing will change.

   This is a very hard-headed girl, and her advantage of being soft on the outside and tough on the inside has become the biggest problem at this time.

   "Is it worth it? You are so young, is it worth it?"

"You put all your heart on him, precisely because your relationship is too short. You love him as you imagined him, not what he is in reality at all. The real him will disappoint and disgust you, and you know that Don't understand? You'll meet better people!"

   "It's just one man, a hundred or ten thousand men are not worth a woman giving up herself!"

  The silent Anna suddenly said, "What about you and Dad?"

   Mrs. Navarre caught her breath: "Me and your dad are the exception. And we're married! And we still have you! And your dad won't let me go to the convent!"

   "I am voluntary."

   "You silly girl!" Madame Navarre had long since lost her usual calmness and elegance. She raised her arms high, and she was still reluctant to tie it down after a lot of effort: "Why are you so stupid?"

   From Anna's face, Mrs. Navarre can always see the shadow of her deceased husband.

Madam Navarre held her daughter's hand, almost begging: "Mom won't force you to get engaged, and she won't rush to find you a husband. It's up to you. You don't need to be a nun, you don't need to use this method. "

  Two lines of tears slid from the corners of Anna's eyes: "I just want to pray for him forever."

   Tears fell from her chin one by one and landed on the blood-stained letterhead in her hand.

   She read every word, her hand ran over every letter.

  This is not a letter, it is a diary written by Winters Montagne to his lover.

  In the diary, as if nothing happened: the wasteland is cold, the sky is blue, I miss you so much.

   But from this plain and monotonous record, she saw his handwriting tremble, and she smelled the burnt smell of the letterhead.

  The owner of the diary gradually switches from the first person to the third person, describing everything from the perspective of a bystander.

   His spirit became more and more detached, and his words became more and more indifferent, as if he had lost all feeling.

  Anna seemed to be touching the soul of Winters Montagne across time and space, seeing him hugging his knees, huddled, and crying in the endless darkness.

   "Was he peaceful when he died?" Anna wanted to know the answer: "Is he in heaven?"

   "Because he is gone, he will always be the most beautiful." Anna sobbed and said, "If I forget him too, then the most beautiful of him will be completely gone."

   Mrs. Navarre felt a pain in her chest, and she could not explain the reason.

She leaned on the back of the chair, her face was pale, and she pleaded: "Anna, mother's heart is very bad, you don't want to stimulate mother like this, okay? You calm down first, and then decide slowly, okay? Mother's heart is now It hurts."

  Anna lowered her head in pain.

   Madame Navarre became more and more anxious, and if guilt couldn't overwhelm her daughter, then she really had nothing to do.

   "Mom! Don't force your sister!" Catherine rushed into the bedroom and hugged Anna in her arms: "If your sister wants to stay in the monastery for a few days, let her stay there for a few days. I'll accompany her!"

  Catherine asked her sister again: "You can go to the monastery if you want, but don't swear to be admitted, okay? Let's stay for a while, okay?"

  Anna nodded slightly.

  It is very common for ladies and wives to go to the convent for a while.

   It is possible to pray together with the nuns, but no lifetime vows are required.

  The crisis is temporarily lifted.

   "Okay, let's go." Madam Navarre's tense spirit relaxed.

   She hated iron and thought: "My daughter, such an excellent daughter, should be fascinated by men, why did she turn it around?"

  Thinking of this, Madame Navarre said angrily: "Don't say that kid is dead, even if he is still alive, I won't allow you to marry him!"

   I am a nameless person, and I sincerely thank the book friend "Blossoming Sunshine" for the translation provided by Dunhe.

   For Winters, Anna is like a dream lover. But for Anna, so is Mr. M.

   Thank you book lovers for reading, subscribing, recommending tickets, monthly tickets, tips and comments.

   The chapter name is fraudulent.

   Actually, according to the habit of the previous volume, the name of the last chapter of this volume must be "Running Horse".

   Another half chapter is paid, only one chapter is left QAQ

   (end of this chapter)