Chapter 246

A bundle of new parchment was spread out on count galvis's desk, with a wine glass on the top and a pocket watch on the bottom.

On the left hand of the pocket watch is the French signature of [Edward kenwy] and on the right hand is the English flower of [Alexander Hamilton]. The handwriting is as beautiful as a man.

But there was no one behind the desk. Lorraine was drinking on the sofa. Carmen sat beside him with dignity. The count stood by the window and looked at the construction site in the distance.

"Kenvi..."

"I'm here."

"Do you know why the Yankees agreed to this price?"

"I know part of it."

"Tell me."

Lorraine put down her glass and stood up to clear her throat.

"First of all, blockade," he said softly, "I don't know whether the count took all the business to Baltimore or whether the British blockade is really effective. In short, judging from the situation of the wharf, the number of smuggling ships in Baltimore is very small."

"In fact, all your guesses are right." the count said something that surprised Lorraine. "Baltimore is the designated port of the Continental Army. At present, we are the only one who carries out maritime trade with the Continental Army."

"But Chesapeake Bay is not Baltimore Bay. There are many ports in Virginia and Maryland, especially Norfolk in Florida and Annapolis in Maryland. The scale of the transaction is no smaller than Baltimore."

"State militia?"

"Maryland has the reputation of the old front state, and Virginia is the core war zone. The two states have great demand for arms and militia. They are really fighting hard for the founding of the country."

"In this way, I can understand the behavior of the British." Lorraine solved a doubt. "Baltimore, Annapolis, Norfolk, and those small private smuggling ports. We have many friends, but it is estimated that other trade lines are still the traditional mode of subcontracting and distribution, fighting their own battles."

"When there are many smuggling ships, the power of formation defense is great. The visible gains will attract more and more attention from the British. Just like rotten meat there, it will always attract jackals to stop."

The count smiled: "it seems that the first reason is established. The blockade. The Americans probably thought we had a huge loss before we had your lucky break in. After all, the losses in Maryland and Virginia were real, and the ship sank into the water, and God could not know where she wanted to go."

"Then, ambition." Lorraine stretched out his second finger. "Each contract can arm a standard projectile regiment, build four, and the Continental Army has the strength to organize campaigns. Ten are enough to lead the line and militia to launch a series of campaigns at the level similar to Clinton's southward operation, which helps to build the prestige of the Continental Army."

"Since you can see this, you can certainly see the needs of France." the count looked back at Lorraine. "The United States and France are friends and good friends. We help them stand up and teach them to walk, but if possible, we just hope they won't learn for a lifetime."

"But children have to learn to walk," Lorraine looked back. "And before they learn to walk, they have learned to speak and have the ability to express their wishes. If France doesn't want to teach him to walk again, he should find new friends."

The count's eyes were fierce.

"Edward KENWAY, you are a well-informed little man. Have you heard rumors in some dark place that we have never heard of? Spain, Portugal, Denmark, or the Netherlands?"

"Why not England?"

Lorraine was completely unaffected by the count, and even seemed more relaxed.

He paced back to the sofa, picked up the wine glass on the tea table and shook the ice in it.

"Carmen, do you know the history of the war of independence?"

Carmen never hesitated at this point.

"In 1773, Samuel Adams, a Bostonian, poured tea violently; in 74, the Continental Congress was held in Philadelphia; in 75, there was gunfire in Lexington, and the militia officially clashed with the British army; a few months later, the Second Continental Congress issued the declaration of independence, and the United States of America was established..."

"Enough, enough."

Lorraine smiled and patted Carmen on the shoulder. He turned lazily and looked at the count for the second time.

"France is always too confident, but it doesn't know the root of America's resistance to Britain. This war is like an adolescent child disobeying his father. No matter how fierce the dispute is, his father is still his father."

"Count, please objectively recall this war, violence, quarrel, violence, leaving home. Does the whole process look like a family farce?"

"It's no problem for France to join the child when he wanders. It's no problem to give him sticks and teach him to fight. However, children who can't survive independently will always miss home. When he misses home, he will forget the unhappiness when he ran away, forget his father's decision, humble and beg for mercy."

"What can France get? Hatred!" Lorraine raised his hand and raised his glass to the sky. "Father hates France for abetting children, and children hate French fairy tales for seduction. When neighbors look at this joke, they will only think France is stupid and hopelessly stupid!"

"There is only one way to stop the child from coming home. Let him be strong, let him be independent, let him remember the teacher of France and replace his father's image in his heart. What's more, we can stir up his desire, let him think about his father's property and make him feel that everything should belong to him."

"Desire! Desire is the original sin, and even the Lord and father cannot be erased from people's hearts. Once it takes root, there is no room for family affection to turn back. Only hatred and fear can implement them all the time. This is what France should pursue!"

The study was horribly quiet.

Lorraine did not speak, Carmen did not smile, and the count returned to his desk with a gloomy face, silent, looking at the new contracts on the table.

"You... Is that why you dare to sign a new contract?"

"No," Lorraine answered naturally. "My purpose is to make money. Everything before is just gossip."

"Gossip can also confuse people?"

Lorraine laughed.

He knew that the count was about to agree. At present, he was only short of a foot at the door. He used this foot to clean up all the previous accumulation, and clean up the count's shame and patriotism.

He whispered, "count, wrong."

"Wrong?"

"It's not my words that confuse people, but your patriotism."

"Patriotic... Bewitching?"

"Is it strange?" Lorraine waved and asked Carmen to add the wine for him. "I guess you are hesitating. I wonder how to send today's leisure to your Majesty's desk so that he can understand your loyalty, your kindness and, of course, your ability."

"Yes..."

"Let me guess again. You may be depressed to find that there is no suitable channel around you. The only thing you can rely on seems to be the queen, and the queen..."

"Queen... What?"

"That lady is very nice, intelligent, beautiful, educated, resourceful, and has a good family, which ensures her weight in politics. However, you don't want to rely too much on her. You just have no choice but to be the boss of a political association. If possible, you still want to become the pillar of a political association and use your intelligence rather than the trust of the Lord to help the country."

The count felt his mouth dry and bitter. He wanted to stop Lorraine from talking, and wanted to know what Lorraine wanted to say.

He swallowed the wine on the desk and let the spicy slip through his mouth: "I think so, isn't it?"

"It's not a question of right or wrong, but the same question. Joan of arc must have thought about it."

"Saint... Your honor?" the count heard Joan of arc from Lorraine for the second time, which represented a very different meaning from the last conversation. "You mean that I will die alone like the saint."

"The end of your political career should be about the same to some extent?" Lorraine leaned down against the sofa. "You ah, life is finally satisfactory, but you also forget who brought you Ruyi."

The count suddenly woke up!

Yes.

At that time, he traded the huge price of offending the whole France for the support of the queen. He forgot such an important thing.

Bernardo de garvis, the first Earl of Louisiana, the first member of the French parliament, was a rising political star during Louis XVI.

His image has long been determined. No courtier, flatterer, treacherous minister or favorite minister has anything to do with integrity, and it is impossible to wash the brand of the queen.

He chose it himself. He had no regrets when he chose it, but now he almost forgot it all.

Queen Mary is his support, the king is not, loyalty to the queen is loyalty, France is not.

What does the queen need?

Want France to be strong? In her heart, France was probably immortal.

Do you want the prestige of his majesty Louis? In her heart, her husband was probably grand.

The count had seen Queen Mary, and although he had not talked for a long time, he was sure that she thought so.

The noble daughter of Habsburg is not stupid, but her life has been disconnected from the world for many years, and it is impossible to sink back to the world

She only wants money!

The count glanced at the contract and asked softly, "is this the gift you prepared for me?"

"Gifts or steps, who knows? I just want goods anyway."

"Someone will bring you the goods you need. Now tell me, is this a gift?"

Lorraine did not seem to hear the count, but whispered to himself.

"For the queen who loves money, smuggling should be very important? There are her agents and dealers here, but I don't know who is more trustworthy in her heart..."