The Rise of the European Emperor

What? You said that the French will come to snatch Iceland after hearing the news? Don't be kidding, France doesn't even have a decent fleet now. What's more, now that the English ships see the French ships, they go up and rub against the sea... So, even if the French know that there is volcanic ash in Iceland, they can only stare blankly...

Although it is indeed extravagant to spend 20,000 gold coins for a cover. However, compared with the real secret of Beihai's high grain production, this little money is really nothing. If others realized that the secret of Beihai's high agricultural yield was not volcanic ash, Beihai might be doomed. At that time, all of Europe may organize coalition forces to force the North Sea country to hand over its secrets.

Marin should be thankful that Europe was still a serf era in this era, and the population had little mobility. If the population moves freely in modern times, agricultural secrets cannot be kept at all, and sending troops is useless. The only way to keep secrets is to close the country. Just like the Qing Dynasty, it wasn’t until the Opium War in the 19th century that the country’s gates were opened. In the 1850s, a missionary named Fortune sneaked into Wuyi Mountain and stole the black tea seeds. Then, there was Assam milk tea...

Marin is currently implementing the policy of closing the country. It is usually fine. Once the spring plowing and autumn harvest period arrives, soldiers will be everywhere in several areas of Beihai State that adopt new agricultural technology. He got up and tortured to prevent the possibility of the secret being leaked. In particular, Marin raised a large number of mounted policemen on horseback in the North Sea country, and equipped them with powerful Alsatian wolf dogs, which made it not easy for spies to get in.

After deciding to buy Iceland for cover, Marin and Kohler conducted situational reasoning in the secret room. After reasoning, Marin found that—it seemed that the current reaction was not reasonable.

What is unreasonable? That's attitude...

According to normal circumstances, if a country's food production is affected, it will almost shake the foundation of the country. At this time, as a monarch, Marin's reaction should not be to find an Icelandic volcano instead of an understatement, but to jump in a hurry... This is a normal reaction...

Therefore, before buying Iceland, Marin needs to pretend to jump in a hurry...

He had to do a full set of plays, so he postponed sending people to Denmark to discuss the purchase of Iceland, but first urgently sent Kohler south to see Louis XII. Then, Kohler took a group of guards and rode southward on horseback. Along the way, he didn't stay in the hotel post system that Marin had arranged in advance to change horses, as if he was walking in a hurry...

A few days later, Kohler and his entourage arrived in Naples, anxiously burning their buttocks, and begged to see Louis XII.

"Kohler, Minister of Finance of the North Sea State? What is he doing here?" Louis XII was taken aback for a moment.

"Your Majesty, it probably has something to do with us confiscating their volcano? After all, we confiscated their volcano, and they cut off the source of fertilizer.

Why are you in no hurry? "John Laffey said.

Louis XII suddenly laughed:

"Haha, hurry up. I just want that guy Marin to be in a hurry. Huh, he actually wants to snatch his daughter-in-law from me! England belongs to France, and the mere Beihai country also wants to snatch it? It's beyond self-control!"

Having said that, Louis XII waved his hand and said:

"Let's just say that I'm not in good health these days and can't see guests, let him wait for a few days!" Then, Louis XII went drinking alone...

As for Kohler, he pretended to be very anxious on the surface, and walked around outside the gate of the Royal Palace in Naples, still scratching his head and scratching his head, looking helpless.

But at night, after returning to the hotel, Kohler immediately fell asleep. After waking up, Kohler continued to ask for an interview outside the Royal Palace in Naples the next day, but he continued to be rejected and continued to pretend to be extremely anxious...

It was not until 5 days later that Louis XII lazily received Kohler. Kohler looked broken and spoke very bluntly, arguing with Louis XII. However, according to the script, Kohler just refused to say why he wanted to go back to the volcano. On the surface, it appears that Kohler is keeping the secret that volcanic ash is fertilizer. And Louis XII was happy to pretend to be stupid, but refused to return it.

Speaking of anxiety, Kohler actually jumped up and faintly threatened:

"Your Majesty, a few days ago, King Juan III of Spain sent people to Aurich to hire 30,000 elites from the North Sea Kingdom to help suppress the Moroccan heretics..."

Although there is no public threat, anyone who is not a fool can hear it - if you don't return my volcano, I will send troops to help Spain!

Louis XII's face finally changed, because he also realized the danger...

Spain itself has strong financial resources, and it is not a problem to gather an army of 40,000 to 50,000. Otherwise, Louis XII would not have brought 60,000 troops south, just for insurance.

However, there seems to be an army of 30,000 to 40,000 in the mainland of Beihai! Moreover, the battle is very tough. That army was defeated even by veteran Swiss mercenaries. The French know how powerful the veteran Swiss mercenaries are. If Beihai really sent 30,000 troops to help Spain, then the French would be really in danger.

So, Louis XII backed down a little, wondering if he wanted to return the volcanoes in Marin? This war is a battle of national destiny. If France is defeated because of the joining of Marin's North Sea army, France's national fortune may decline...even, a large piece of meat will be bitten off...

In fact, Louis XII didn't know that Marin was actually more afraid of Spain than France. Because, after all, France is nothing but a land hegemon. Spain, on the other hand, is a maritime power that can threaten the overseas colonial interests of the North Sea country. Therefore, Marin would rather see the rise of France than see Spain prosper. Of course, it is the best choice to use France, the land giant, to hold Spain back.

Louis XII's heart was already a little bit drummed at this time, but the king's face made him unable to show his face to give in to Kohler. Therefore, Louis XII held on that day and did not agree to Kohler's request. However, in the end, his tone was much gentler, and he was no longer overbearing.

In the evening, Louis XII and John Lafite and other cronies discussed countermeasures, and the opinions given by everyone were--before the decisive battle, first appease Marin. If it really doesn't work, it's okay to return those volcanoes first. When the overall situation is settled and France wins, then those volcanoes will be confiscated...

...

So, the next day, Louis XII sat confidently on the throne in the living room of the Royal Palace in Naples, waiting for Kohler's arrival. But in the end, Kohler didn't come...

"What's the matter? Why didn't that bastard named Kohler come?" Louis XII called the guards who guarded the gate of the palace to ask.

"Your Majesty, that German guy named Kohler did come here this morning. However, before he entered the palace, his subordinates came down and called him back..." the gate guard reported.

"Call him back? He's busy with important things. What else is more important than what he's doing now?" Louis XII was a little unconvinced.

At this moment, one of the two gatekeepers, a Swiss who knew German, said:

"The subordinates remember what the person who called him said. The person who came to call him said, 'Master Kohler, there is news from Aurich that he has discovered an island with De...Devacen'..."

"Devacen? Volcano?" John Laffey, an insider, pretended to react. As for this Dvaken, it is the pronunciation of the German volcano.

"An island? A volcano? No wonder they don't want those volcanoes... By the way, John, send your people to Beihai to find out what the other party is doing now. By the way, find out what island has a volcano..." Louis X Er frowned.

"Yes, I will arrange it immediately!"

...

At the same time, Aurich also received the pigeons released by Kohler from Naples. The information brought back by the carrier pigeon shows that the first scene is over, and the second scene can start...

Then, Deputy Prime Minister Haider personally led the team to Copenhagen, Denmark, to discuss the purchase of Iceland with King Hans of Denmark...