One Sneeze Destroys A Magical Civilization

Chapter 239 Upholding Justice

In the solemn courtroom next to the municipal office building of the Askatla administrative district, a lawsuit that attracted the attention of everyone in the city and lasted for two weeks was held as scheduled.

One of them knows without asking, and after investigation, it was confirmed that the expedition team had committed an unforgivable crime, the Knights of the Burning Heart paladin.

In order to ensure a fair trial for these appalling crimes, Commander Witherland even made an impassioned statement in court.

"My lord, the Attorney General, and all the citizens who came to listen.

I must tell you that after questioning all the sailors, it is basically confirmed that after Cordell and his gold mercenary group discovered the Maztec continent, the first thing they did when they went ashore was to brutally massacre the local aborigines. .

They looted a total of seventeen villages, six small towns, and a city that accommodated tens of thousands of people.

More than 6,000 people died directly because of this, many of whom were old, weak, women and children who had no ability to resist.

As for the displaced, even more died of starvation, thirst, injury or infection.

If you commit such a crime, you can still get away with it, and even enjoy the plundered wealth.

Where is the justice?

Where is the law?

Where is the axiom?

Most importantly, these evil deeds were committed in the name of Amn, which greatly damaged the reputation of the city and the entire country.

It is foreseeable that for a long time, the aborigines of the Maztec continent will remain hostile and wary of us.

It is known that Amn sent expeditions to expand trade and do business with more cities and countries.

Just imagine, if the aborigines in a continent are full of hostility and don't even allow us to get close to their gathering places, how can merchants engage in trading activities?

So Cordell and his golden mercenary group must get justice!

Only in this way can we prove to the aborigines of the Maztec continent that they are just a group of robbers looking for money, and what they have done has not been officially authorized and approved..."

It has to be said that the leader of the Knights of the Burning Heart, Weatherland, is quite eloquent. He not only criticized Cordell and the Gold Mercenaries from the standpoint of good and evil, but also analyzed the pros and cons from the perspective of a businessman. .

His purpose is very simple, that is to make the man standing in the dock pay the price for the heinous crime he committed.

Because this is not a murder involving a few or a dozen people, but a genocide and population genocide involving thousands or even tens of thousands of people.

As a paladin serving the God of Justice, Witheran will never allow Cordell and his golden mercenaries to escape the punishment of the law.

If the law of Amn fails to give a fair verdict, then he will not hesitate to risk a confrontation with the Council of Six, and directly lead the Knights of the Burning Heart to attack and kill these villains whose hands are stained with the blood of innocent people Exhausted.

Just look at those paladins in full armor standing at the door with solemn expressions, and you will know how angry these holy warriors who swear to defend justice and protect the weak are.

Especially Sir Kedong, who was standing in the front row, was holding the two-handed giant sword shining with golden light tightly in his hand. When he looked at the members of the golden mercenary group, he seemed to be looking at a group of dead people.

You must know that in the not too long history of Amn, there has never been any case that has allowed the entire Knights of the Burning Heart to come out like today.

The judge and chief prosecutor sitting on the stage kept wiping their sweat, completely frightened by this endless momentum.

They are very clear that these single-minded paladins will not make any private deals or compromises with you, and they will not simply threaten and intimidate like the shadow thief's gang, but will really do it without hesitation.

A few months ago, the Duke of Terga, whose territory was in the Titan Plain, disclosed the whereabouts of the paladin squad sent by the Blazing Heart Knights to a vicious wanted criminal.

As a result, the latter set up an ambush and almost wiped out the entire team. Only Cassius and Kaidong survived.

And it was the two of them who, through day and night tracking in the wilderness, finally found the enemy's lair and slaughtered it.

After returning to Askatla to report the matter, the Knights immediately sent someone to question Duke Terga.

The latter refused to admit it at the beginning, until the irrefutable evidence was presented, then hid in the castle and wanted to use the private army in his hand to fight against the law enforcement agencies.

But in the end, it was overwhelmed by a wave of attacks from the paladins and apprentice knights of the Blazing Heart Knights.

Not only was the entire family uprooted, but many other crimes were unearthed along the way.

During this process, no matter how the nobles involved with Duke Terga pleaded, pressured, or threatened, the paladins remained unmoved and went through all legal procedures unswervingly.

In the end, not only was the Duke of Terga and his direct participants successfully sentenced to death, but the family territory that had been passed down for hundreds of years was also confiscated, and even the descendants were expelled from Amn, never to set foot in this land again.

Therefore, in the eyes of those evil camps and those who have committed unforgivable crimes, paladins are more terrifying existences than mercenaries and killers.

Because the latter may still be bribed through monetary benefits, but once the paladins are convinced of something, even death cannot make them retreat.

Cordell, who was standing on the dock, was soaked in sweat all over his body at the moment. While frantically turning his head to think about how to defend himself, he cursed Bernard and Sir Kelvin secretly.

If these two guys hadn't invited the Burning Heart Knights to arbitrate, it wouldn't be what it is now.

Right now, the only thing he can count on is the solemn-looking Highest Priest of the Guardian God, Osig who holds the title of "Chief Inspector" sitting in the gallery.

As long as this high-ranking man is willing to come forward, then with the consistent weak attitude of the Council of the Six in Amn towards the Church of Gods, it is likely that the matter will be settled in a peaceful way.

As for the dead-brained paladins of the Burning Heart Knights, it is enough to bribe the Masked Mage Guild to escape with the help of teleportation magic, and there is no need to confront them head-on.

However, Cordell is not sure about the attitude of the "Chief Inspector" Osig, and he is also not sure whether the church of Heim, the God of Guardians, will kick him away after the things he has done are exposed.

Just when he was about to excuse himself, a commotion and noise suddenly came from the passage not far away.

Immediately afterwards, the three sponsors of this expedition appeared in everyone's sight.

Especially Zuo Si, who disappeared for a long time, instantly made some members of the top powerful families feel that something big might happen.

After all, as a voter of Talona, ​​the goddess of poison and disease, his identity is extremely sensitive.

Coupled with the fact that he also has the title of advisor to the six-member council, once he expresses his position, it will inevitably lead to a series of very serious consequences.

Looking at the silent courtroom, and the somewhat confused judge and prosecutor, Zuo Si looked around, walked straight to the open space and bowed symbolically with one hand on his chest.

"I'm very sorry, because I was not in Askatera some time ago, the other two sponsors, Bernard and Sir Kelvin, were unable to express their views, which made things develop to such a bad situation today.

But now, on behalf of all sponsors, I officially declare that the crimes committed by Cordell and his gold mercenary group in the Maztec continent have nothing to do with us, and we are willing to give up all the wealth obtained through killing and plundering.

Not only that!

We would also like to publicly condemn their actions that are inferior to animals, and actions that discredit the chamber of commerce and the country.

Most importantly, Cordel still tried to link his evil deeds to Heim, the guardian god, and violated Talona's domain while deliberately spreading plague and disease.

This is outright blasphemy!

As a chosen one of the gods, I demand the death penalty for the entire golden mercenary group including him!

If the Church of Heim disagrees with this, then a divine judgment will be held.

Let's see if the God of Guardians will admit such a person as his believer. "

While saying these words, Zuo Si raised her head and did not avoid looking at the "Chief Inspector" Ossig in the auditorium.

He is very clear that the reason why this lawsuit has been delayed until now is entirely because this guy has been unwilling to remove Cordell and his gold mercenary group from the sequence of the Church of Heim.

Although I don't know exactly what the other party is thinking, and what ulterior relationship and transaction there is with Cordell.

But as long as Zuo Si forces the Church of Heim to perform divine judgment, then no matter what Osig is planning, he will definitely have nothing to hide in front of God.

You must know that Heim is a god of the neutral camp, so his believers are quite complicated.

Coupled with its almost strict internal discipline, it is particularly prone to corruption.

Undoubtedly, in the face of the doubts of another chosen god, Osig has no room to back down.

Because if he chooses not to answer, he will not only disappoint the entire church, but also lose a large number of believers.

In fact, since the revelation of what Cordel and the Golden Mercenary Group did in the Maztec Continent, the situation of the Church of the Guardian God has become very bad, and the number of believers has decreased significantly in a short period of time.

So after hesitating for a moment, the "Chief Inspector" finally stood up slowly, and responded in a tone without any emotion: "There is no need to perform a divine judgment. In the name of the guardian god, I officially announce that from this moment It is said that Cordell and his gold mercenary group will no longer be part of the church organization. As for the crimes they committed, they should be tried as they want, and I have no opinion."

Wow——

Accompanied by Osig's speech, the entire court was in an uproar.

No one in the room expected that just after Zuo Si appeared on the stage, the top leader of the God of Guardian Haim Church, who had always refused to express his opinion, chose to back down.

"Damn! Who can tell me what's going on?"

"Are the voters of Talona, ​​the goddess of poison and disease, so powerful? Even the church of Heim, the God of Guardians, fears her so much?"

"I don't think things are that simple! Maybe Osig had some secret deal with Cordell in private, maybe the massacre in the Maztec Continent was instigated by the former."

"What? Really! The Church of Haim would actually do such a thing?"

"Hmph! What's so strange about this. On the border between civilization and barbarism in the north, many believers of the Guardian God have degenerated to a jaw-dropping level, and they are even robbers."

"That's it. No wonder Cordell and his gold mercenary group would do such an outrageous thing."

...

All of a sudden, everyone in the hall was talking about it.

You must know that in the turbulent year not long ago, because of his inhumanity, Heim, the god of guards, killed the goddess of magic who wanted to return to the Pantheon to expose the conspiracy of the three gods of death to the god Io, which directly led to the next series. Disasters occurred, and thousands of civilians died.

Therefore, many city-states, regions, and countries in Faerun Continent have a fairly negative view of the Church of Heim.

This time, coupled with such a big scandal, it is estimated that the reputation will basically not be able to recover within a few decades.

But Osig didn't have any intention of explaining, he just stood up and walked out.

Seeing this scene, Cordell in the dock immediately couldn't help shouting: "My lord! My lord Chief Inspector! You can't just leave me like this! There is an agreement between us!"

Unfortunately, Osig disappeared at the end of the corridor without looking back, as if he hadn't heard it.

"Your Excellency, I think you should be able to pronounce the sentence now." Zuo Si reminded unceremoniously.

From the beginning to the end, he ignored Cordell, the clown who was abandoned as an abandoned son, and he never felt that the Golden Mercenary Corps deserved his attention.

Quite the opposite!

Whether it was Cordell or the Golden Mercenary Group, they were just pawns pushed to the foreground.

Zuo Si even suspected that the Church of Heim had known about the existence of the Maztec Continent through some channels, so they ordered Cordell and the Golden Mercenary Group to be the pioneers, and use Amn's ambition to colonize the outside world to achieve it. own ulterior motives.

It's just that no one except Osig probably knows what the purpose is.

Of course, these are not important now.

Because according to the law of Amn and the fair contract made before, the investors Zuo Si, Bernard and Sir Kelvin have obtained the right to develop this new continent.

As for the Church of Haim, they were already out the moment they chose to back down.

No matter what kind of plan they had before, it has completely failed now.

The reason is very simple!

If you want to cross the perilous ocean to reach the Maztec continent, the first thing you need is a ship, a lot of large ocean-going ships with amazing weight.

On the entire west coast of Faerun, the country with the most ships and the strongest navigating ability is undoubtedly Amn.

Then it will be the turn of the rising Nelanser Islands.

Right now, of these two forces, one is completely under the control of Zuo Si, and the other has also become a member of its upper ruling class.

So he has a lot of ways to completely defeat the plan of the Guardian God Haim Church.

In this way, under the watchful eyes of countless pairs of eyes, the judge and the chief prosecutor discussed in a low voice for a few minutes with their heads down, and then publicly pronounced Cordell and the Gold Mercenary Group guilty, and three days later they were burned at the execution ground, that is, kidnapped. Burned alive by pouring oil on a wooden frame.

I have to say that this result made many kind-hearted people with relatively high moral standards applaud.

There are also some families who want to use Cordell to muddy the water and take the opportunity to intervene, secretly cursing this guy and the Heim Church behind him for being too useless.

In short, in just a few minutes after the verdict was pronounced, the world was fully displayed to the fullest.

But there is one thing in common, that is, no one cares about Cordell who was forcibly dragged down by the guards, and his mercenaries who are stained with the blood of the indigenous Maztec residents.

After all the people in the auditorium were completely gone, Weatherland, the head of the Knights of the Burning Heart, walked over with a kind of paladin, and solemnly put one hand on his chest and bowed deeply to Zuo Si.

"Thank you very much for your timely appearance, the elector of the Goddess of Poison and Disease—Your Excellency Sous. Although I don't agree with Talona's teachings, I still want to thank you for your actions of upholding justice, axiom and law today. Otherwise, Things could go in the worst possible direction."

"You're welcome, I just did what I should do. We sponsors actually don't know what Cordel did in the Maztec continent, and we don't want the original good expedition to end up as A disgraceful killing and plundering. By the way, I don't agree with the teachings of the goddess of poison and disease." Zuo Si responded with a smile.

In Amn, the Knights of the Burning Heart is a very special organization.

First of all, it does not belong to any church of gods, and it does not even fully obey the Amn government. It belongs to a small group spontaneously organized by paladins who serve good gods.

At the very beginning, they didn't even have the right to enforce the law, and could only do some work of mediating conflicts and disputes.

Later, the six-member council found that this organization had a very high prestige among the people, and it could greatly alleviate the conflicts between the poor at the bottom and the businessmen and nobles at the top, which gave them a certain degree of law enforcement power.

But in return, the Blazing Heart Knights must not violate all laws and regulations of Amn, and at the same time must not engage in any activities that may subvert the country's existing order and the upper ruling class.

In other words, by granting law enforcement powers, the council of six put a layer of shackles on these paladins, turning them from potential threats into tools to help them maintain their rule.

It has to be said that the top dignitaries of Amn are much smarter than the merchant class of Baldur's Gate in this respect.

Even for a long time, the Blazing Heart Knights were the sharpest sword used by commercial aristocrats to suppress traditional aristocrats.

However, in Zuo Si's eyes, the Knights actually played a huge role in society.

In particular, it has brought hope to the poor and civilians at the bottom who are not enjoying their lives.

As long as these paladins are still active, it proves from a certain aspect that the country has not been corrupted to the point of hopelessness, and the law has not been completely reduced to a toy in the hands of the powerful.

Of course, this is just wishful thinking.

In fact, if the Blazing Heart Knights really had such a big effect, it would be impossible for the Shadow Thieves to maintain such a large scale and influence.

"You are really as special as the rumors say." Witherland couldn't help laughing.

For there is nothing quite as comforting as having the words of an evil deity's chosen disapprove of that deity's teachings.

Zuo Si shrugged her shoulders indifferently: "It's not that I'm so special, but that I never believed in Talona from the beginning to the end."

"But I heard that under your influence, this evil goddess, who has been turned down by countless city-states and countries, is now shifting towards the neutral camp. Especially the new sects established near the poor areas have no Instead, they are actively teaching poor people to practice good hygiene, thereby reducing the chances of getting sick and poisoning."

Standing in the back row, the paladin Kedong, who believed in being loyal to the God of Courage, Tom, couldn't help but interjected.

Since this god formed the "Three Holy Alliance" with Irmat, the god of suffering, and Tyr, the god of justice, a long time ago, their churches in the mortal world often cooperate closely regardless of each other.

Therefore, through the Church of the God of Suffering, Kaidong knew something about Zuo Si becoming the chosen one of the Goddess of Poison and Disease.

"No, that is the goddess' own choice, and has nothing to do with me. To be precise, I have never participated in the management of the internal affairs of the Talona Church, so no matter what they do, it has nothing to do with me."

Zuo Si did not hesitate to completely cut herself off from the believers and followers of the goddess.

Because he couldn't be sure whether Talona, ​​who was in the chaotic camp, would suddenly change her mind after a sudden twitch.

There is no way, the fact that the chaotic camp is too arbitrary is really a headache.

"Didn't the establishment of that new sect come from your instigation?" Kai Dong was stunned for a moment.

Not only him, but other paladins of the knight order also showed expressions of seeing a ghost.

You must know that Talona is a very ancient god, who has been a representative of extreme evil and chaos for thousands of years, without any rationality at all.

But with the appearance of Zuo Si, a voter, everything began to change.

They couldn't figure out whether this was a manifestation of the goddess' excessive love for this voter, or some other plan.

Zuo Si shook his head slightly and explained: "Of course not. Regarding this new sect, I just gave some reference suggestions, that's all.

Also, I think you better not be too optimistic.

Because I think the reason why Talona created such a sect is not so much to change her own camp, but to retaliate against Irmat for interrupting her good deeds, and deliberately rob believers from the God of Suffering .

Of course, as the number of believers increases, some inevitable changes will definitely occur in her camp. "

"So, we need to pay more attention to this new sect in the future." Captain Witherland showed a thoughtful expression.

"Not only Talona's new sect, but also the recent behavior of the Haim church. I think the chief inspector seems to be hiding something." Zuo Si reminded meaningfully.

Hearing this sentence, the paladins present subconsciously frowned.

Kaidong even asked bluntly: "Do you think the massacre and plunder of the aborigines by the Golden Mercenary Corps in the Maztec Continent was inspired by the high-level Heim Church?"

"I have no evidence for this yet.

But please pay more attention to the next move of the Church of Helm.

If they really have any plans for the Maztec continent, they will definitely send priests and believers there on a large scale in the future.

In addition, I suggest that it is best for the Knights to send a squad of paladins to follow the fleet to the Maztec Continent to stay permanently in order to ensure that similar things do not happen again.

After all, with the discovery of the New World and safe routes, there will definitely be a lot of adventurers, mercenaries, and businessmen flocking there to seek gold in the future.

Given the time it takes to establish settlements and ports, there could be a long period of legal vacuum.

No one knows what kind of crazy behavior these greedy adventurers, mercenaries and merchants will do when they lose their restraint. "

Zuo Si made no secret of his invitation to the Blazing Heart Knights.

Considering the bloody and violent era of earth colonization, he felt that it was necessary to use the power of paladins to deter those who wanted to imitate the golden mercenary group and go to the Maztec continent to plunder.

Especially the shadow thieves and some chambers of commerce that occasionally play pirates are targets that need to be focused on.

Captain Witherland was obviously a little moved. He lowered his head and pondered for a moment and quickly replied: "This is indeed a good idea. But I can't make a decision by myself. I need to go back and hold a meeting to discuss it seriously."

"No problem. At any time, the ports and strongholds we have established on the Maztec continent welcome members of the Knights of the Blazing Heart."

At this moment, Zuo Si feels like a "good guy" who advocates kindness and order.

So much so that the paladins present had a certain amount of admiration for him.

Others felt that the reason why he became the chosen of the goddess of poison and disease was purely the result of a mistake, or Talona's wishful thinking.

But Bernard at the side knew very well that all this was just a sensory illusion.

As long as Zuo Si is willing, she can show the values ​​that are perfectly in line with the camps of good, neutral and evil at any time, and make the other party think that she is her own.

It is this powerful ability to deceive and disguise that allows him to move between different camps with ease.

After the members of the Burning Heart Knights left, Sir Kelvin couldn't help asking: "Your Excellency South, are you really planning to invite these paladins to the Maztec continent?"

"Why not?" Zuo Si asked back with a smile. "Are you sure you can control the actions of those adventurers, mercenaries, and merchants?"

Sir Kelvin smiled wryly and shook his head: "How could it be possible? Perhaps in the settlement, we can also rely on the rights granted by the Council of Six in Amn to restrict their behavior. But once we enter the wild and dense jungle , who knows what they did."

"That's why the paladins of the Knights of the Burning Heart are needed.

In many cases, as long as they are there, they can awaken the conscience and bottom line in some people's hearts, so that the settlements to be established on the Maztec continent will not become a gathering place for hooligans and bandits.

Remember, what we need is to trade with the natives, not to be seen by them as invaders and vermin. "

Zuo Si warned solemnly.

"About this, I can understand without you telling me. Also, do you have any good suggestions on where the first settlement and port should be established?" Sir Kelvin asked in a low voice, stroking the beard on his chin.

Zuo Si pondered for a moment, and quickly replied: "If possible, it is best to build it on an island that is relatively close to the mainland.

In this way, they can not only protect their own safety, but also keep a certain distance from the local indigenous residents to prevent unnecessary conflicts and troubles.

In addition, for those who want to follow the fleet to the Maztec continent in the early stage, sign a treaty in advance to ensure that they will not return to Faerun within five years, so as to prevent the route from being exposed prematurely. "

"Good idea! It seems that the next time we set up a fleet to set sail, we can recruit more farmers and craftsmen." Bernard added excitedly.

"In short, I'll leave it to you to establish a stronghold. I'm afraid I can't help you much in this regard."

Zuo Si expressed his attitude simply and neatly.

Because this is not something that can be done in one or two years, it takes at least five years for immigration alone.

A real port city can only be established when the population of the entire gathering place reaches tens of thousands.

In addition, due to the fact that it is too far away from the mainland of Faerun, the stronghold also needs to solve a series of problems such as food, housing, metal smelting, and maintenance and maintenance of weapons and armor.

Even with the full support of the Council of Six, it will take time to build bit by bit.

As the saying goes, everything is difficult at the beginning.

What's more, the natural environment of the Maztec Continent is a rainforest, full of dense jungles, lakes, and swamps. It is not easy to find a suitable settlement.

In this way, after leaving the court, the three people went straight to the municipal building of Askatera, and had an hour-long secret discussion with the six-member council who had been waiting for a long time.

No one knows what kind of agreement the two sides reached.

Anyway, within a few hours, an announcement was posted at the entrance of the municipal building, and a special announcer loudly preached to the passing civilians, businessmen, and nobles.

As for the content, it is also very simple.

The first was that the Council of Six recognized all statutory rights to the Chamber of Commerce that financed the expedition.

The second is that the Amn government decided to subsidize 20 ships at one time, as well as a large number of tools and materials necessary to establish a stronghold, as support for the development of the New World.

The third is to recruit pioneers from outside. Not only can they get a generous settling fee, but they also promise that everyone can get a large piece of land of their own.

The last, and most important one.

All ships that want to go to the Maztec continent to do business must obey the unified arrangements of the Amn government and must pay high fees, otherwise they will be considered illegal.

All ships that sailed privately, once discovered, were captured and imprisoned, or sunk directly.

Obviously, the Council of Six wanted to completely monopolize the trade route with the New World through this method, thereby earning huge profits.

From the things brought back by the expedition, they have been able to identify more than a dozen special products that have never appeared in Faerun.

And these things will bring unimaginable wealth to the upper ruling class of Amn.

In addition, the Maztec continent is also rich in precious metals, magic metals and various gems.

In short, under the coordination of Zuo Si and the Council of Six, the upper ruling class of Amn quietly completed a use of carve-up.

To celebrate this historic occasion, an exceptional banquet was held on the upper floor of the municipal building.

The leaders of the major families expressed their gratitude to Zuo Si, the "prophet" who successfully predicted the Maztec continent more than half a year ago, followed by a flood of praise and flattery.

"Your Excellency South, recruiting you as one of the masters of Amn was probably the most correct decision we have ever made in our life." A noble businessman in his fifties said in a very serious tone.

Another old woman who was also not young next to her nodded approvingly: "That's right. This Maztec continent full of unknowns will bring great benefits to all of us. Especially the A kind of bean called cocoa, after taking it, can keep people’s spirits excited, and even have an aphrodisiac effect to a certain extent. I think as long as they find a suitable cooking method, many people will fall in love with it crazily.”

"Ma'am, if you mean cocoa, then I can tell you that it's super easy to make delicious. Just add a little sugar and milk. Oh yes, I just happen to have a ready-made cocoa snack here , you can taste it."

As he said, Zuo Si took out a can of chocolates given to him by the twin brothers of the Weasley family from the satchel he was carrying.

If he guessed correctly, it was probably George and Fred who sneaked into the Hogwarts kitchen and asked for it from the house-elves during their night tour of the castle.

"Is this... made of cocoa beans?" The old woman had a surprised expression on her face.

"Yes. You only need to simply grind it into powder, then add milk, sugar and a small amount of flour, stir it, and then pour it into a mold for cooling. You can get this kind of snack that tastes pretty good."

While explaining, Zuo Si opened the jar and distributed a small piece to everyone around.

The nobleman who got it first put it in front of his nose and smelled it, then licked it with his tongue, and finally put it in his mouth to chew slowly.

After a few seconds, their eyes began to light up, obviously surprised by the unique taste.

The old woman even licked her lips and exclaimed: "Unbelievable! I was still having a headache on how to remove the bitter taste in cocoa beans, but you gave the answer directly. With this recipe, I think Aspen It won’t be long before Katla will see a flood of workshops specializing in cocoa-like foods.”

"It seems that we have been able to determine what special products the first fleet to the Maztec Continent should have brought back."

"Hopefully those indigenous people will have enough cocoa beans to provide us."

"Don't worry. I heard that there are a lot of trees of this plant over there. As long as we can provide them with the goods they are interested in, there is no reason why the other party will not agree to the transaction."

"I'm going to send two ships to the Maztec Continent to fill up with cocoa beans and come back!"

"Fortunately, the Church of Heim was kicked out. Otherwise, it would not be an easy task to monopolize the trade in the New World so smoothly."

...

All of a sudden, everyone present expressed their optimism for this kind of addictive snack.

After all, Amn now monopolizes the only route to the Maztec continent and completely controls the origin of raw materials, so it is absolutely possible to sell food made from cocoa beans at the same price as luxury goods.

In order to avoid competition with each other, the leaders of this group of big families got together to divide the exclusive area of ​​each family in detail, and made a unified price.

In terms of doing business, apart from Sambia, there is no city-state or country in Faerun that can compare with Amn, which has already begun to capitalize.

Of course, as the heroes who discovered the New World, Zuo Si, Bernard and Sir Kelvin got the biggest piece of cake.

Looking at the large area painted in red on the map, the young businessman Bernard clenched his fists in excitement, and said to his father-in-law: "Now we are really going to make a fortune. It doesn't take much, just need We can make a net profit of at least 300,000 gold coins by shipping back a shipment of cocoa beans. This is simply faster than getting money from robbery!"

"Yes! We have caught up with the best times, and at the same time, we have met people who can fight for our best interests."

Sir Kelvin stroked his gray hair, and cast his eyes on Zuo Si who was devoting himself to eating a seafood noodle.

"What are your plans for the future?" Bernard asked enthusiastically.

"First choose a location to establish a stronghold, and then immigrate to the stronghold as much as possible with the support of the six-member council, while trading with the natives of the Maztec continent to obtain more cocoa beans. The money earned by selling cocoa products , continue to invest in the construction of the port city. Once the port is completed, we will benefit from it for decades or even centuries to come."

Sir Kelvin did not hide anything, and spoke out his plan openly.

Compared with making quick money, he is obviously more interested in building a permanent port.

"I support your decision. However, when withdrawing funds, it is best not to withdraw too much at once, otherwise I am afraid that Your Excellency South will be in trouble when you suddenly need to spend money." Bernard reminded in a low voice.

You must know that the huge cost of building the mage tower last time left a lot of shadow in his heart.

Sir Kelvin smiled and patted his son-in-law on the shoulder: "Don't worry, I know how high-level mages spend money, so I will save at least one-third of the funds as reserves. Compared with this, I'm more concerned about the fact that you and Edith have been married for almost half a year, why there is still news of pregnancy. Could it be that there is some problem in that regard?"

Hearing these words, Bernard blushed instantly, and quickly denied: "No, of course not, please don't get me wrong. Actually, Edith didn't come on her period last month, but I'm not sure yet. Not really."

"Oh? Really! That's really great. It just so happens that His Excellency South is a pastor and a voter himself, so I'll let him take a look at it after the banquet is over."

Sir Kelvin couldn't help but dragged Bernard to Zuo Si and explained the matter.

In Faerun, rich and powerful people will ask the priest to confirm the position, health and gender of the fetus when their wives are pregnant.

At the same time, it will ensure the safety of babies and pregnant women during labor and prevent death from sudden bleeding.

It has to be said that this request made Zuo Si, who had never given birth to a child and had never seen anyone else give birth, stunned on the spot.

Although he stored in his mind a lot of knowledge about midwifery and obstetric examination collected from the British Library, his practical experience was completely zero.

But in the end, under the warm invitation of Sir Kelvin, he reluctantly gave Bernard's wife a health check after the banquet, and immediately confirmed that she was indeed pregnant.

It's just that since the relationship is less than two months old, the gender cannot be confirmed yet.

Knowing that he was finally going to be a father, Bernard was ecstatic. He not only gave the servants an extra month's salary as a reward, but also donated 5,000 gold coins to the temple of Irmat, the God of Suffering, to send the housekeeper.

Because this god is the one who cares and loves babies and young children the most among all the gods in Faerun.

So the businessman hopes that Irmat can bless his child to be born smoothly and grow up healthy and healthy.

Since a large amount of donation had been made before, the priests of the temple thoughtfully made a blessed amulet out of wood as a reward after learning of the situation, which can keep pregnant women and fetuses in a peaceful state of mind.

At the same time, it is also guaranteed that when it is time to give birth, it will personally go to deliver it.

You must know that the priest of the God of Misery often helps the poor to deliver babies for free, so his experience and skills in this field are far superior to those of his peers, and even professional midwives have to bow down.

(end of this chapter)