Volume 3 Chapter 31: Wanting benefits again?

Lampuri Thirteenth was sitting in a small garden in the back of the royal palace. There was a wool blanket on his legs and the winter sun welcomed him as he read the document in his hand.

This was the document the royal army submitted a few days ago and it was his third time reading it, but he was seriously reading it over.

Because this was a summary report of the Muerto Mountain Range campaign. As the king who had taken the throne during the ten year turmoil and then calming the turmoil in the worst situation, stabilizing his throne, the current king Lampuri Thirteenth understood military affairs better than his predecessors and placed more importance in them.

After holding the throne for more than ten years, he fully understood how important the conflict with the Sack Kingdom to the north was to the entire Lampuri Kingdom.

Because of the suppression from the Sack Kingdom, the Lampuri Kingdom had to spend large amounts of gold coins on the northern army each year. The army headquarters had to use most of the military expenses on the northern army, only being able to barely block the Sack Kingdom.

However, this sucked the Lampuri Kingdom in and they had to spend large amounts on military spending each year, which couldn't be avoided at all.

Actually Lampuri Thirteenth was well aware of the Sack Kingdom's strategy. The Sack Kingdom didn't declare war on the Lampuri Kingdom to rely on their stronger national strength to slowly drag the Lampuri Kingdom down, then they would easily defeat the Lampuri Kingdom.

Rather if they threw the dice down and started a war, perhaps the Lampuri Kingdom would put up a fierce resistance, so the Sack Kingdom would be greatly damaged even if they could win. At that time, there might be another country that will swoop in.

But even if he knew, the Lampuri Kingdom couldn't solve this problem. Because the Sack Kingdom was stronger than the Lampuri Kingdom and had the initiative, the Lampuri Kingdom being able to hold on was already good enough. How could they think of a way to fight back?

In this Muerto Mountain Range campaign, although the Sack Kingdom was aggressive in the beginning, like they wanted to start a war, they didn't continue pushing forward after taking control of the Muerto Mountains.

This action was just to increase pressure on the Lampuri Kingdom, forcing them to invest more into the northern army. The Lampuri Kingdom's finances wouldn't be able to hold on like this.

But the Sack Kingdom never would have thought that the Lampuri Kingdom would suddenly change equipment and prepare those terrifying Magic Trebuchets. Adding in the fact that they used steel arrows without caring about the costs, they were able to forcefully take back the Muerto Mountain Range.

Now the northern army had control of the Muerto Mountain Range and created large pressure on the Sack Kingdom, forcing them to invest more into their armies to defend against the northern army.

As for attacking the Muerto Mountains.....With the strong equipment of the northern army, they didn't have this thought at all for now.

But in the Lampuri Kingdom's royal army's report, they didn't ask the king for their merit, rather they were asking for help.

According to the statistics of the royal army, in the Muerto Mountains campaign, although they had a great display and captured the important Muerto Mountains, the army headquarters had invested over one hundred and seventy gold coins. They had basically emptied the army headquarters' budget for this year.

In order to maintain control of the Muerto Mountains, the northern army had to spend at least forty thousand gold coins each month.

It had to be said, just the cost of transporting goods was over ten thousand gold coins,

And that was even when the army headquarters racked their brains to think of ways to save money.

In the report, the royal army had accurately laid out all the data and clearly indicated that the royal army had no money. If the kingdom finances didn't provide them more funds, the army headquarters wouldn't be able to hold on and they would lose the Muerto Mountains again.

This report seemed like a threat to the king for more money, but Lampuri Thirteenth was very clear that the army headquarters were just reporting facts.

Because he knew the kingdom finances better than anyone else in the kingdom.

The kingdom had no money, so naturally the army had no money.

But this was a problem that had to be solved, otherwise the northern army's actions before would all go to vain and the Lampuri Kingdom would be put in a passive position.

But if they found a way to increase the military budget, it would bring down the Lampuri Kingdom and make the kingdom finances even worse, forming an endless loop.

How could they solve this endless loop?

Lampuri Thirteenth thought for a bit before picking up another report to his side.

This report was a fall harvest summary from the kingdom's agricultural department.

In this report, Banta City was in a very good position.

The reason was very simple, in this year's fall harvest, Banta City had splendid results that far surpassed the other cities in the kingdom.

In the report, the agricultural department profusely praised the current Banta City City Lord Count Stagg, calling him the number one contributor to Banta City receiving such a high harvest and that he should be greatly rewarded. They said that if every city in the kingdom has such high grain yield, the Lampuri Kingdom would be able to cast off their lack of grains and every citizen wouldn't be troubled by famine anymore.

After carefully reading this report, Lampuri Thirteenth suddenly gave a snort as a cold smile appeared on his face. He took another report and after looking at it for a while, his lips curled as the smile on his face turned joyful.

This report was actually a confidential report with several dozen pieces of paper thickly stuck together.

If Xu Yi was here, he definitely would have been surprised.

That was because in this thick report, it was all matters related to the Frestech Chamber of Commerce.

Lampuri Thirteenth read this report more carefully than the ones from the army headquarters and the agricultural department. There were many times when he stopped to think before he continued reading.

It took him close to an hour to finish reading this report. Lampuri Thirteenth put down this report and leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes to enjoy the warm sunlight. It seemed like he was planning to rest, but his lips and brow twitched from time to time, showing that he was currently deep in thought.

After a while, a set of soft footsteps entered the garden, awakening Lampuri Thirteenth from his thought.

He didn't need to open his eyes to know that his favourite youngest daughter Seveni was here.

"Royal father, you actually have time to rest today?" When the footsteps stopped in front of him, Sveni's pleasantly surprised voice sounded.

Lampuri Thirteenth opened his eyes and revealed a warm smile to Seveni. He pointed at the chair opposite to him, signaling for her to sit.

"Speak." When Seveni sat down, Lampuri Thirteenth spoke these brief words.

Seveni knew that her royal father didn't like wasting time, so she nodded before giving a document to Lampuri Thirteenth.

"It's related to that fellow Xu Yi again?" Lampuri Thirteenth didn't reach out to take it, rather he asked Seveni this with a teasing smile.

Hearing the teasing tone in his voice, Seveni's face turned a bit red. She reached out towards Lampuri Thirteenth with the document again.

"You'll know once you see it."

Lampuri Thirteenth revealed a smile and took the document. After looking it over twice, his expression immediately became serious and he actually sat straight up.

After carefully looking over the document, he thought for a bit before asking Seveni with a serious look, "How confident are you?"

Seveni thought for a bit before replying, "With my understanding of Xu Yi, since he said this and gave you this proposal, I think that he is at least 50% certain."

"Alright, being 50% certain means it's worth doing."

Lampuri Thirteenth looked at the document in his hands and gave a smile of self ridicule.

"Hei, I never thought that something I've worried about for over ten years would be easily solved in the hands of this kid. It's a good thing that he's planning on going to the Stantine Duchy. Although I knew that the Stantine Duchy was fertile and could deliver a large amount of grains, I never had the strength to do it and could only give up this idea."

Seveni revealed a faint smile, "Royal father, Xu Yi said that there are many things in this world that can be solved with money and doesn't require force. He also said that things that can be solved with money aren't considered important matters."

Lampuri Thirteenth couldn't help staring at her, "This kid said is so easily. His Frestech Chamber of Commerce earns quite a bit, so of course he can say this, but our kingdom's finances aren't as ample as his company. If he has the skills, why doesn't he have our Lampuri Kingdom earn as much?"

Seveni said with a smile, "Royal father, if Xu Yi really had a way to make the kingdom as rich?"

Lampuri Thirteenth was stunned. He looked at Seveni with a frown, "Seveni, I know that you've always admired Xu Yi and I agree that the magic machine industry led by the Frestech Chamber of Commerce has changed the entire Banta City, but a country, a company, and a city are different, it's not that simple."

"How do you know without trying." Seveni shook her head, "Royal father, our Lampuri Kingdom has been on the same path for hundreds of years, but there has been no improvement. Now that there is a chance to change, why aren't you willing to give it a chance?"

Lampuri Thirteenth looked at Seveni for a while before giving a sigh, "It's not that I don't know this, but Seveni, there are many things in the kingdom that I can't easily decide."

"I understand." Seveni gave a slight nod, "I'm not hoping that you will make any large changes, I just hope that you'll give some help to these changes."

Lampuri Thirteenth laughed, "I knew that you came this time to get more advantages for that kid. If he wasn't already married, I would doubt that you planned on marrying him."

Seveni's face turned red, but she didn't refute anything. She just stared at Lampuri Thirteenth, "Royal father, I am being serious. Xu Yi is being treated by Count Stagg like this and is still thinking about our entire kingdom, if we don't show him a bit of support, he will definitely be disappointed. I feel that no matter what, we can't lose him and the Frestech Chamber of Commerce."

"It isn't that I don't agree, but you haven't told me what benefits you want to get for him, so how can I agree?" Lampuri Thirteenth said with a smile, "If you're requesting territory for him, then don't say anything because I will definitely not agree. Last time the nobles almost turned the world upside down when he was given territory, so if we give him any more, I'll be bothered to death."

Seveni paused before replying with a serious look, "I hope that you can give free trading rights to the Frestech Chamber of Commerce."

Lampuri Thirteenth was stunned before saying in a sharp voice, "That is impossible!"