Mage? Spell Engineer!

Rorschach brought the spring breeze of Valuana, successfully overthrown the small glass guild, created a rising joint venture, and brought some changes to Byrne. However, the Holy Kingdom itself encountered some problems. Spring was coming to an end, and people were not sure what season would come next.

Especially ordinary people who entrust their life savings and future to those stock managers and bank salesmen.

Just when the Rorschach airship docked successfully, two big shots came to the weird monastery on Dupont Street. The casino next to it changed its appearance and turned into a securities company. However, there are very few people coming in and out now, and the guards of the big shots are lined up all the way to the door, which does not affect the already bleak market.

There have been rumors of discord between the prime minister and the finance minister for a long time, and recently the tension between the "left and right brains" of the kingdom has become more and more public. This private meeting in the monastery is very rare.

The two master the data and intelligence constantly compiled and reported by the Kingdom. There are various signs that the enthusiasm in the market from last winter to early spring has subsided. Now people can no longer enjoy the promotion effect of super-issued paper, but they have to endure the continuous tightening of living standards. pain of.

More and more small trading companies have withdrawn from stock market trading, or stayed there half-dead, business financing has gradually become difficult and stopped, and new investments have gradually concentrated in relatively "safe" enterprises. Managers' attention is now focused on "royal stocks" and "guild stocks". The largest representatives of the two stocks are "Sareana Mining" and "Hercules-Heracles".

The red-coated prime minister felt that the kingdom's situation had reached a critical point, but the finance minister had yet to see any changes and efforts, and he seemed unable to see the approaching crisis. Therefore, he has been in a bad mood since this private meeting: "It's time to stop your tricks, stop fooling the fools in the country... and your Majesty."

In response to Du Plessis's question, Necker just smiled contemptuously, especially when the other party took "your majesty" out of "foolish husband".

He did not look at the questioner, but admired the historic furnishings in the chapel: "You knew everything from the beginning, and you tacitly allowed me to do this."

"The acquiescence was a result of my inattention and the illusion that I could save the kingdom through gentle, financial means. Now I understand my past mistakes. Why continue to maintain the guise of a gold mining company? You and your ex Haven’t your colleagues had enough to eat and drink from it?" Du Plessis said that the former colleagues of the other party were of course bankers. Now their weight and assets have increased, and they can no longer bend down when entering the mansions of nobles.

"The time has not come, Prime Minister!" Necker knocked on the table: "Once the gold mining company's stock price falls, the devaluation of banknotes will be out of control. Of course, depreciation is not an absolute bad thing for the kingdom, but it should not be now."

"When is that?" The prime minister's tolerance made him still willing to listen to Necker's sophistry.

"When the harvest is done in the fall. Since your pesky tax collectors set quotas in the new currency, we have to keep the currency stable while they tax the farmers so that..."

"Let the tax collectors force farmers to hand over more grain to the market." Du Plessis immediately understood Necker's intention - to squeeze out as much agricultural output as possible while the currency is still strong: "This is What's your solution? Ask hungry people to cut their own flesh in an attempt to fill their stomachs."

Necker himself started from grain trade. He knew that if farmers and landed nobles were not allowed to sell more grain when the purchasing power of money was strong, once the royal capital was unstable, local small farmers, wealthy merchants and nobles would all agree to sell as much grain as possible. Keep the food in your hands.

The result is that, just like before he took office, there is insufficient food circulating in the market and urban rations are in short supply.

"I prefer to call it ensuring food security. Only when the rural granary is opened to the city and to the market can Valluana gain a stable foundation." The Minister of Finance explained his careful design:

"There is a short and wonderful time lag between collecting taxes and paying dividends and repaying debts. As long as control is relaxed, countless debts will be turned into waste paper as the currency depreciates."

"Necker, I have to admit that you have your own opinions on the kingdom's finances. One person can control invisible hands, and then...make both hands dripping with blood."

"You have to pay the price, Prime Minister. As long as we survive the difficulties, we will use the gold reserves to pay off all the public debts, and then use the General Tax Bureau's revenue guarantee for the next year to revalue the currency and start over. Isn't this great? ?”

"It's still a debt trick."

"You said that I control two hands, but I also want to tell you that debt and taxes are the two legs of the kingdom's progress. What we need to ensure is that they are reasonable and appropriate. As for those farmers and small businessmen, when the kingdom is in emergency , the interests of some people must be sacrificed, as long as they suffer and get through it, everything will be fine."

"You know? As a bishop, I have another way to correct mistakes. If you are declared by the church as a destroyer of the holy order, you will have to stop this farce that destroys the foundation of the holy kingdom." If you are so declared, Necker You will only be "excommunicated" by the Pope.

"There is no need to threaten me, Prime Minister." Necker was very emphatic in his title: "As far as I understand, the last thing you want is for the church to interfere excessively in the internal affairs of the kingdom. As long as I am still the Minister of Finance, you will not let Your efforts are in vain, right?”

"Everything can be weighed and weighed. Don't speculate on my bottom line." Du Plessis believed that the subsequent exchanges were meaningless and he had to prepare for the worst case scenario.

The finance minister gradually showed a slight anger: "Please don't think that you are the only one who is working wholeheartedly for the kingdom, Prime Minister. No matter how the current situation changes, you will still be the bishop of the cathedral, and you can still enjoy the wine and power when you return to the church. At least this little monastery is a good place to retire.

"And what about me? If I mess up everything, who can protect me and forgive me? Who?" Necker said nothing more, bent down and bowed to the bishop before leaving.

After confirming that the bishop's interview partner had left, his assistant walked out of the side room and waited for instructions. "Inform the bishops of each diocese and recruit the southern earls and dukes to arrive in the royal capital before June. Prepare to convene a 'meeting of dignitaries'."

Since the 14th century, powerful nobles have gathered around His Majesty to enjoy the colorful world of Valouana, so Duplesi's order is mainly aimed at the church. The so-called meeting of dignitaries is a meeting attended by priests and nobles. It is often held when the Holy Kingdom encounters difficulties and the king asks for help from the two classes.

The assistant was surprised and said, "Your Majesty the King." Asking for help means that the king has to transfer his authority to other people attending the meeting. The kingdom has not had such a meeting for more than 170 years, especially when the 14th King said, "I am the country." "After that, the king's power was unprecedentedly powerful, and he no longer needed to bargain with both classes at the same time.

"Since Necker wants to seize the opportunity, we must also seize the opportunity and convene it when His Majesty can recognize that the crisis is coming, but there is still room for joint efforts to save it." The prime minister thought for a moment and added: "We should also invite representatives from the magic guild to participate. meeting."