Iron Powder and Spellcasters

   Chapter 42 Taneria and Aphrodite

   Winters suddenly sighed and asked softly, "Is there going to be a war?"

   "There must be an enemy to fight, right?"

   "Tanilians, the Republic wants the Islands." Winters gave the answer calmly: "I'm too slow to figure it out now."

  Antonio neither denied nor affirmed, but just asked: "Then why did Veneta go to war with his important source of raw materials and trade objects?"

"I don't know the reason, but I have learned from history that people can have 10,000 reasons to start a war, and 10,000 reasons to stop a war. War is not a duel between two people. There are conflicting interests among all parties in war. The reason. As for the root cause of the war, it can only be known from the history books after the war is over. I am just guessing the direction of the wheels from the rut marks.”

   "What rut?" Antonio seemed intrigued.

"Some pieces of information, rumors in the military academy, the conflict between the archipelago and Hailan, the tense atmosphere in the army headquarters, you casually mentioned that you need to recruit reserves... and the most important point, what's the point of putting the case on the pirates? The army still has Can you handle pirates? It's nothing more than trying to direct fire to the archipelago."

"interesting."

   Winters asked with difficulty: "Do you have to fight?" This is really not a question a soldier should ask,

"Not necessarily, war is just a means, not an end. Preparing for war with great fanfare is sometimes just to gain more bargaining chips. Veneta is not a mountain front, and the final means will be decided by the ruling committee." Antonio's The voice is transparent and calm,

He said unhurriedly: "But military deterrence comes not only from force, but also from the determination to use force. If the wrong message is sent and the Federation of Islands thinks that Hai Lan dare not use force, it will only be a war. I have seen it. The big general and the little general are fighting with the wild cats from the yard?"

   "I've seen it, the general is small but more fierce." Every night in the spring and autumn, there are cats fighting around the Winters' house.

"Wrong, it's not that the little general is more fierce, but the wild cats feel that the little general can be bullied and dare to challenge the little general. Do you look at the general again? As long as you see a wild cat entering your own territory, you will fight to the death if you rush to it. The nearby wild cat They were all afraid of it, and they ran away when they saw it. In the end, it was the little general who didn't like to cause trouble and fought more with the wild cat."

   "Is the Republic ready for war?" Winters digested this sentence, he felt that he knew too little.

"Yes, and no. The plan has been made a few years ago, but if the government does not make up its mind, the plan is a piece of waste paper." Antonio snorted coldly, and seemed very dissatisfied: " It was only after the consul gave his fiery speech in the Senate a month ago that the committee of thirteen agreed to make material preparations for the war."

  [The thirteen-member committee, namely the military committee of the Republic of Veneta, consists of senior officers from the army and navy]

   "I think the United Provinces will not watch us control the archipelago." If Hai Lan wins the archipelago, it will inevitably break the delicate balance within the alliance.

   "The 'Emerald Green' has now reached the top of the Jiehe River and the 'River River' in the north. Otherwise, why not let you go by land this year, but let you return to Veneta by sea?"

  [The 4th 'Emerald' Corps, Navy Republic Army]

  [Second 'River River' Corps, Army of the Interprovincial Republic]

  The hair on Winters’ back is standing upright, and the two Alliance Standing Legions have already faced each other at the border. No wonder it was changed to a boat this year. But he felt incredibly absurd: "Could it be that we have to fight the Federalists first?"

"How is that possible? No matter how crazy the Union Provincial Army is, it doesn't dare to risk the world to fight a civil war." Antonio laughed to reassure his nephew: "Their mind is nothing more than to restrain us, so that we can't use all our strength to control them for them. The islands buy time."

   "The province also wants to control the archipelago?"

Antonio replied: "Hai Lan and Piedmont each occupy half of the bay. Whoever can get the archipelago can control the trade in the inland sea. Let me ask you, if you are the Secretary of State of the United Provinces, do you want to control Taniria? "

  In the past, the Taniria Islands were also a direct royal territory. But in contrast to Hailan becoming the emperor because of his wealth, Taneria had to become the emperor because he was so poor that no one wanted it. Before the introduction of commercial crops such as sugar cane, it was a barren land. Apart from the islanders who fend for themselves, there are only exiled prisoners.

   More than 30 years ago, the Alliance Navy (pirates) with only a few galleys set off from Taniria and looted the imperial sea transport ships frantically, forcing the emperor to cross the Shady Mountains to supply the Duke of Arleans. And the archipelago, as a looted land and a supply point for the Allied Navy, attracted the most greedy sailors, mercenaries and speculators on the continent, and the archipelago became prosperous.

   It was also during this period that sugarcane was introduced to the land. In the interior of the islands, large and small, plantations began to appear.

After the lunatic Richard retired, the Captain and Planter Federation also took this opportunity to declare their separation from the empire and become a permanent "neutral free port". For more than 20 years, they have been living as a loose association in the cracks of various forces. .

Antonio said without doubt: "In all fairness, do you think the contradiction between the province and the archipelago is bigger, or is it between us and the archipelago? Do you think the price that the province can offer to the archipelago is better, or what we can offer the archipelago? Good price?

The political entity   The Federation of Islands is too loose, and negotiating with the Federation is like shouting with a hundred ducks at the same time. If you fight for each island, Taniria will sooner or later become the eighth province of the Federal Republic. It's not that Hailan wants the archipelago, but that Hailan doesn't want the combined province to get the archipelago, and the means have to be more intense. "

   After listening to Antonio's words, it was obviously midsummer, but Winters felt a chill from the inside out: "Tell me the truth, won't the Throne send someone to burn down the Victory Arsenal?"

"What are you thinking?" Antonio said to Winters in a reproachful tone: "The competition between Interprovincial and Hailan for Taneria is just an internal competition within the alliance. Although the Interprovincial people do not deal with us, we are also Brothers and allies, not enemies. The Victory Arsenal is an important equipment procurement place for the Navy Blue Army. How can we burn the Victory Arsenal?"

   "That's good, that's good." Winters let out a sigh of relief, and for a moment he was really worried that the tensions between the republics had reached the point where a fight was about to happen in the next second.

Antonio told Winters earnestly, "I tell you these things so that you can get out of the confines of the chess piece and see what the chessboard looks like. To take this assassination from customs is nothing more than the master. The people of the war faction want to take advantage of the theme to put pressure on the ruling committee, coerce public opinion, and advocate war. This kind of trick is not interesting, you should not learn it. Because whether the assassin is a Veneta or a pirate, it will not affect the decision-making of the ruling committee. "

   "Then are you the main war faction or the main peace faction?"

"I am neither the main war faction nor the main peace faction. I have only one principle, that is to put the interests of Veneta first. You must also remember this, you are a Veneta soldier, and your duty is to protect Veneta. The interests of the tower, not the same parties." Antonio's tone was very solemn.

   Winters nodded heavily: "But I still don't understand, why is this case going to the gendarmerie?"

"No matter who investigates this case, there are only two ways to go. Either get to the bottom of the unsolved case, or follow the intentions of the main fighting factions and detain the pirates. The latter way to close the case is easy. , but if the case is not made, the consequences will be very serious if the case is overturned in the future." Antonio laughed: "This kid Field is too crazy, he doesn't have a door on his mouth, and he has offended people for some reason recently. People have a lot of opinions about him, and this case was brought to Field purely to disgust him."

  Antonio added: "But don't worry, you are only a trainee at the military police. Even if the case is overturned, you will not be implicated in the future, but this kid Field will have to go to the War History Department."

   Winters remembered Lieutenant Colonel Field's "heroic appearance" at the introduction to the apprenticeship volunteers. It was estimated that he offended all the senior officers present at that time.

   As soon as the case was mentioned, Winters suddenly thought of the coachman again. He hurriedly said to his uncle: "I think it's better to change the coachman at home."

"why?"

   Winters explained in detail how he discovered that the family's coachman seemed to be involved in a secret society.

  Antonio disagreed: "Isn't it a secret society? There are such things in the sea blue city, not to mention coachmen. The porters carrying goods on the dock have secret societies, and there are several more."

   However, Winters still insisted on changing the driver. After all, it is not two men who usually ride the bus the most, but the two ladies in the family. He felt that the driver must be a reliable person.

  Antonio finally agreed with his nephew. In the end, the two agreed that Antonio would send a chat with the coachman to confirm that there was no problem with the coachman, and then give a severance pay to dismiss the coachman. Finally, two honest auxiliary soldiers were hired from the Third Army to serve as coachmen and horses.

  ——cut——

   Hundreds of beeswax candles illuminate the side hall of Navarre House. The faint aroma of burning beeswax diffuses in the room, making this elegant living room a little more private.

   It was a small reception with not many people. The main hall is too large, which will make guests feel deserted. Madame Navarre certainly wouldn't make such a low-level blunder.

There is no dance floor in the side hall, but at this moment, Madame Navarre is the most elegant dancer.

   She flitted between each small group of guests. Wherever there was a quarrel, Mrs. Navarre would use a witty pun to eliminate the conflict. When she finds a certain guest uneasy, Madame Navarre will deftly guide the guest to a conversation circle that is more suitable for him.

  It was all men who spoke up in the living room, they were eloquent and eloquent. Men crave an audience and crave attention, while Madame Navarre does not seek to make everyone listen.

  Through a look, a smile, a glass of wine, and a witty remark, she made every guest feel like a spring breeze, and had more than enough space to protect the happy atmosphere of the party.

  Although the men occupy the stage, the one who really dominates the order here is the empathetic hostess.

   However, even Mrs. Navarre, who can lift the weight lightly to arouse the atmosphere of the party, can make her helpless. While she was tending around, part of her focus had been on her daughter, for fear that something might go wrong.

   Her eldest daughter is now standing in front of a tempera painting of Aphrodite, surrounded by men. People in this small circle are listening to a handsome man with a beautiful beard talking about the painting.

   For this critic, this young girl is probably the most competent listener in the world. She was seventeen, and she had gotten rid of the immaturity of a child, but not the maturity of a married lady. At the most youthful and energetic stage of life, with a frown and a smile, looking forward to brilliance.

  As a listener, it is even more commendable: there is no impatient look on her face. Madame Navarre's daughter was appreciating the painting seriously, listening with a smile, and nodding lightly from time to time, um, yes.

  Critics think she has gained an admirer, but Madame Navarre has realized from the subtle changes in the girl's eyebrows and the habitual hand movements that her daughter is now out of anger and is on the verge of eruption.

"...The biggest problem is that the painter has a biased perception of beauty." With the beautiful woman on the side, the critic was encouraged, and criticized the painting in front of him more and more vigorously: "Aphrodite is obviously the **** of love and beauty. But the goddess in this painting lacks beauty, let alone reminds me of love..."

   "Anna, come here." Madam Navarre whispered to her daughter who was standing a little further away.

  Ana Navarre nodded slightly to the men with a smile, as if apologizing for having to leave this place, then walked straight to her mother, and passed between the men who stepped out of the way.

  From an objective point of view, Anna's appearance is not a beauty in the traditional sense. She failed to inherit her mother's soft and gentle face, but instead inherited her father's tough facial features. But even if there is no coquettishness about her, people of the opposite **** can't help but turn their attention to her white shoulders and shiny hair.

   Madame Navarre took her daughter's hand and squeezed it gently, reminding her to be polite. Ana understood what her mother conveyed, and snorted in dissatisfaction, but still followed her mother to another place in the living room.

   Madame Navarre placed her daughter in a small circle of young people, and continued to perform the responsibility of the hostess to take care of the guests.

  At the same time, Antonio and his nephew had just arrived at the Navarre mansion.

   Winters had not yet enjoyed his ride, and reluctantly handed the reins of the forcible to the footman in the livery. Under the guidance of the butler, I followed Antonio into this splendid side hall.

   "General Serbia, how are you?" Madame Navarre greeted Antonio enthusiastically and complained in a strange tone: "Why are you here so late? I thought you were unwilling to honor your face."

   "How could that be? I am your most loyal servant." Antonio bowed his head politely and gently kissed Madame Navarre's hand.

   Madame Navarre covered her lips with a folding fan and said with a smile: "You are not faithful at all. Let me introduce this handsome young man to me."

   "Don't you recognize who he is? My nephew, Winters Montagne, just returned from the Army Academy this year."

   "Elizabeth's son?" Madame Navarre exclaimed softly. She measured the position of Winters' waist with her hands, and said with emotion, "God, I'm an adult in the blink of an eye. But in my impression, there are only such tall children."

   Listening to this, Mrs. Navarre seems to have seen Winters, but Winters has no impression. It's impossible to remember things from childhood, so Winters just smiled politely and didn't speak.

   "Well, the military school taught him to be an elm head, you have to take good care of him."

   "You have to prevent your precious nephew from being deceived by which lady." Mrs. Navarre walked up graciously and took Winters's arm affectionately.

   Winters felt the lady's soft body and warmth in his left arm. Apart from his family, he had never had such close contact with a woman, and the sudden attack made him stiff and flushed.

   "Your friends will be waiting for you for a while." Madame Navarre said to Antonio: "Leave this young man to me."

  Antonio nodded with a smile, and Winters, who was at a loss, stayed by Mrs. Navarre's side, and left the party himself.

"Elizabeth and Kesha are my friends, you are only at your own home here." Madame Navarre thought the little guy's reaction was very interesting, and she took a glass of wine from the waiter's tray and gave it to Winters: "Is it very restrictive to be with elders? Let me introduce a few of your peers to you. Have a drink and don't be so nervous."

   "Thank you, ma'am, but I don't know how to drink." Winters said earnestly, "Er...do you have anything to eat here?"

Mrs. Navarre couldn't help laughing at the words of    Winters, the first time she met someone looking for something to eat at such a reception. A party of this size is not a banquet, nor is it a cold dinner party, there is no food, only drinks.

   But Winters is really hungry and dizzy right now. He went with Lieutenant Colonel Field to the Customs Prison in the afternoon, only to spit out all the food he had eaten at noon. When I got home, Kesha took me to the tailor's shop. It was almost dark before I came back, and then I went to Navarre Mansion with Antonio. He was already hungry, but for some reason now his stomach was churning again.

   Winters had a calm expression and a sincere tone. Madame Navarre understood that he was not pretending, but was really hungry. She felt more and more that this little guy had no social experience and was simply cute and stupid, so she explained to Winters: "There is no food here, but there will be in the kitchen, and I will let someone lead you there."

   Madame Navarre softly called her daughter and introduced to Anna: "This is Mr. Montagne, you lead Mr. Montagne to the kitchen and let the chef cook something Mr. Montagne likes."

   She turned to Winters again: "This is my daughter, Anna, let her lead you to the kitchen."

   Madame Navarre's daughter smiled, raised her skirt and curtseyed, and said softly, "Mr. Montagne, please come with me."

  Winters blushed even more when he looked at Anna's smooth forehead and graceful neck. But as a spellcaster, his keen senses made him see that Miss Navarre was actually unhappy.

   She was smiling, but there was no smile at the corners of her mouth and eyes, making Winters feel like a puppet.

"Just call me Winters." Winters also bent down and bowed in return. He didn't like to cause trouble to others, and said to Madame Navarre, "Don't bother this lady, just ask a waiter to take me there. ."

   "You are a distinguished guest, how can you let a servant accompany you?"

   Madame Navarre's attitude was very firm, and Winters had to accept her kindness.

  Under the guidance of Anna, Winters passed through the group of guests and left the side hall through another door.

  Before leaving here, Winters' eyes couldn't help being drawn to the tempera painting of Aphrodite—how could it not be drawn? The goddess in the painting is almost naked, boldly showing her delicate body, only covering a little.

  Poor Warrant Officer Montagne has seen the most paintings in his life, military maps, other than the murals in the church, the saints are all wrapped tightly, even if there are occasional naked figures, they are all male. He had never seen such an unabashed display of the beauty of the female body.

  Anna stopped when she saw Winters was stunned. Winters was embarrassed and followed quickly.

   The two of them pushed the door and left the side hall. They walked through the corridor one after the other until they reached the door of the kitchen. The two of them were speechless all the way.

   Before pushing open the wooden door of the kitchen, Anna suddenly turned her head to stare at Winters and asked him earnestly, "What do you think of that picture of Aphrodite?"

   "What? Is that a beauty god?"

  ——I am the dividing line that accurately steps on thunder——

  Because basically no readers tell me what they think...but I also feel that these chapters are a little too long, so I will push the main story as soon as possible after Ana Navarre is played...

   (The following is in chronological order) Thanks to the book friend 2018010005850390 for the recommendation ticket, thanks to the book friend 20170726153222839 for the recommendation ticket, thanks to the book friend 20181013204343295 for the recommendation ticket, thanks to the book friend 20200303132821369 for the recommendation ticket, and thanks to the book friend Qinggui w for the recommendation ticket.

   Thanks to book friend Qinggui w for the reward.

   This time, let my Hanhan business bow to everyone. (Hanhan is a cat)

   (end of this chapter)