The Duke couldn't help looking at those eyes again, trying to find some clues about the man's thoughts, but unfortunately, all he got was a daze... When his eyes met, the light in the room seemed to become brighter, but the silver color only made him feel a headache.

"It's very interesting, but, you mentioned before, this is a gift and a sample. Can I understand it as a commodity and sell it to me?" He sighed after a pause.

"Are you interested?" Edward smiled

From the beginning, the Duke seemed to have shown enough patience. No matter what Edward said, he looked like he lacked interest. Edward must admit that this middle-aged man who kept coughing, like a tuberculosis, was really a difficult guy to deal with. His mental barrier, whether it was magic props or long-term training, was as tough as that strange woman. Although it was not as strong as a mountain, it also made Edward unable to guide or influence easily.

But that's it

Without any means of spiritual power, the psychic warlock can also detect the flash of wavering in the other person's expression...

Armor, weapons, and equipment may be far less severe than the war constraints of this era than in the world he remembers. However, from another perspective, if a knight lacks armor, he will still be easily killed by a knight's crossbow. On the battlefield, a group of heavily armored soldiers rushed into a group of unarmed peasant soldiers, which means the beginning of a disaster...

So as a lord, a duke who occupied the vastest land in this country, and a general who had experienced the baptism of war, if he was calm about a group of fine and cheap armor, he either had something better to replace it or had already occupied all the land, prepared to go to Kuma and put it in the south mountain, and consolidate the unity of the country

“It’s really excellent equipment”

After coughing twice again, the Duke replied slowly, "However, Lord Viscount, you will like this gift more than me or my old friend Earl Qiqilun. After all, compared to me, he is closer to Blake and more nervous. As a transaction, don't you think he is a more suitable buyer?"

However, this answer obviously won't satisfy the mind warlock

"You always have such leisure and leisure... Your Duke is a very interesting joke."

Staring at the other party's blue and gray eyes, Edward hit him haha:

"However, I guess, Your Excellency the Earl would not think so. Even if he had such equipment, how many soldiers could find suitable for using them? Otherwise, why would he be at a disadvantage in the confrontation with Blake for many years? Of course, he was able to survive between the two dukes' territories for many years and frequently made provocative words to Blake, probably not just because the quality of gin in his territory ranks first in the kingdom? As for courage... courage, if there is not enough wisdom to support it, it is not much different from madness."

"The so-called land of the privileged count of the Hartland family... I might as well say it clearly, I'm not optimistic." After pausing, he continued to speak: "The Hulun River may indeed be a natural line of defense, but whether a river can really become an insurmountable barrier. I think, Lord Duke, you are much more clear than me than to consider the issue from a geopolitical perspective. The reason why this Count Corps, which is less than one-third of the Black Hawk Corps, is still preserved to this day is probably simply because a buffer belt is needed between the two Dukes' territories. Whether it is Blake or Ritterg, as long as they are well prepared, they will definitely be willing..."

A light knock on the door interrupted his words, and a maid pushed the door and brought in something: "Mr. Duke, your breakfast"

"I understand, let's put it here. Didn't you see that I have guests?"

"The little sin should be killed, but sir, the lady's instructions to me are that you must eat on time, otherwise she will let me..."

"Okay, I get it, it's so rude..."

"Sorry, Lord Viscount" complained to the servant, and the Duke turned to Edward and smiled helplessly: "My body has never been very good, so the requirements for food time are a little stricter, but if you don't mind, you might as well use some breakfast?"

breakfast?

Edward's eyes turned a bit strange when he just dyed the morning glow in the sky red.

That's...a piece of stuff?

Well, that should be an apple, at least from the outside, it is yes, but now the thing is soaked in a basin of water and emits a little heat, which is obviously cooked. As for the red and green things next to it, the red ones should be oranges, the sand dates and the green ones probably some kind of vegetable?

As a glorious foodie national, Edward doesn't mind using fruits as breakfast to supplement vitamins and moisture. It is a good choice for those who stay up late, but a piece of boiled fruit... Whether the calories destroy most of the nutritional value is another matter. Putting that piece of boiled soft things in your mouth is something that only the guys from Citigroup can do!

"When it comes to this..." He smiled reluctantly and shook his head at the maid: "His Duke, has your illness... been there always been?"

"Is this cough... I have been coughing for more than 20 years. Fortunately, it's not good, but it's not too bad. I'm used to it." The middle-aged man smiled slightly, didn't mind, and didn't avoid it. He scooped a spoonful of fruit puree: "Some medicines prescribed by the mage can temporarily suppress the time of four or five hourglass... Otherwise, I might not be able to sleep... Unfortunately, the power of that kind of medicine is too strong, and people will feel a little dizzy after taking it, so I can only use it once a day."

Asthma platinum or neurobronchial disease

The magical arts in this world can almost treat most diseases, from plague to missing arms and broken legs... So there are few real patients in this world. Even if they are born with deformities, just cut off the disabled and use regeneration techniques, and then cure them. So, like the Duke, who has been tortured for more than 20 years, may only have congenital nervous system problems.

"When it comes to cough, I have a prescription... Well, the method can relieve cough a little."

After a pause, the psychic warlock smiled and said, "If you have pears here, then use the juice they squeezed out, add the appropriate amount of lily roots, dates and sugar to boil, and cook until it is sticky, then add honey and mix it with about two tablespoons and a cup of hot water every day. This thing can be used to relieve cough. It is not difficult to find, and the effect is quite good."

"Oh?" The Duke's eyes condensed: "Sure enough, the caster is always so profound, OK, Leona, have you remember what the Viscount said? Go and tell the kitchen to let them prepare some such things for me."

The maid turned around and left obediently, but when the door of the study closed again, the Duke of Greenland stopped eating.

"Let's go on, Lord Viscount," he stared at the psychic sage: "Can I understand that you think Blake is ready? Also, as far as I know, the road ahead from the southwest is a little narrower and a little desolate, but it seems to be a better passage?"

This old fox

Edward cursed in his heart - in the current where Swan Castle has fallen, the only city blocking Blake on the southeast road is called Burgundy - the other party means, which naturally points out the road that Black Hawk is most likely to move forward.

From this perspective, the initiator of this war was actually the master and apprentice who was tempted by him.

However, if the momentum is weakened, then Edward is not the skinned Edward

"Or, soon, because as far as I know, there was a little problem with Blake's food transfer..." Someone smiled quietly, as if the other party was completely unrelated to himself. "As for going southwest... Haha, Lord Duke, you are joking again. The southwest direction is Burgundy. I think Blake would not rashly challenge the authority of the academy, no matter how much he wanted some results, he would not rashly challenge the authority of the academy, right?"

It is Ai's identity as an apprentice of a mage, obviously not used as a decoration.

"So, if such armor is sold, how much does it think its output can reach?"

Finally, I started to turn the topic to the core, and it was obvious that the duke had made a decision... Edward nodded and bought a small secret: "Well, if you are interested, I can increase the production, but unfortunately, a batch will take at least...well, at least a month."

"A month?" the middle-aged man pondered: "It's not very fast."

"There is no way, you know that my territory is in short supply... A thousand pieces of armor will cost a lot of manpower just by assembling it, as well as problems such as forging as big heads, and collecting ores..." The psychic warlock started to calculate with his fingers indifferently: "Also, it is not easy to melt the fine gold veins,"

"Please wait a moment"

Sure enough, the Duke rarely interrupted the other party's long-winded words: "You said, one thousand? Is that what you call a batch?"

"It's Ai or I can add a little bit, but then I have to work overtime." The cunning person spread his hands and reflected in his eyes. The unconcealed surprise made an inconspicuous smile on the corner of his mouth.

In fact, of course it's more than

If the large hydraulic presses made by those old guys start to be used, they can press at least four sets of armor blanks at a time. Even if the speed of forging steel plates is slower, at least a hundred sets can be released in one day is not a problem; the rest are those ring mails that serve as inner linings. After all, it is still difficult to make wire rings at this stage... However, this problem can definitely be solved perfectly after the large wire drawing machine is developed, and that is not a difficult technology. If it goes smoothly, Edward believes that the number of armor that can be produced in his territory within a month must be at least ten times the number negotiated.

"So, it seems that I will ask my old friend Earl Qiqilun how many gold coins will a set of armor be needed?" The shock in his eyes subsided and the duke pondered. Obviously, Edward had dispelled his last concerns and provided one thousand sets a month. This number was enough to arm an elite Chinese cavalry. Even in a battle, this force was already an important force.

What's more, this armor can save a lot of forging time and manpower and material resources, and can paralyze the opponent. He has to consider the various advantages of receiving the effect of surprise soldiers.

However, when things came to this point, the initiative had completely turned around

"You should be clear that although I am just an apprentice, whether it is gold or platinum, gold coins are just some experimental materials that have been crushed into small cakes," Edward smiled and said, "So, I need some other things, but please forgive me. I haven't considered this yet."

He stood up and bowed slightly: "Fortunately, time is still sufficient, so Lord Duke, I think I need some time."

"A thousand sets of fine gold armor and weapons? What a big deal."

Watching the young man leave his study, the duke stretched out his index finger and gently tapped the armor cast in gold.

Shaking his head, the middle-aged man said to himself: "But the purpose of this little guy is really that simple? Is he trying to make a small profit by taking advantage of this turbulent situation?

But this purpose is too simple, not like a spellcaster's way of thinking

...

"Edward, what are you doing? Did you sneak out with the black-skinned melon last night? I said, do we need to speed up a little, otherwise Arestole's group..."

"Shh..." reached out and pointed Miss Lisa's lips to stop her complaining. Edward responded in a spiritual word: "A deal has just been negotiated. If the effect is good, those guys will not be used."

"Buy and sell? What did you use to bribe that duke? Are you sure what you gave him can make him exchange more than 20,000 people?" The little girl was stunned, lowering her voice with an incredible look on her face.

"I guess two thousand sets of armor are almost the same... it's not a big price. The most important thing is that I can satisfy his own ambitions."

Of course, a duke is naturally unlimited to ambitions. If there is no something called ambition or ideal, then he may not be able to stay in such a position for more than ten or twenty years. Although the Fernandis Dynasty had the support of the ** Division Tower, it would not be possible to collapse. However, even so, around Romanti, these plump pieces of meat were still irreplaceable bait in the hearts of every lord.

Not to mention the rest, those territories that won't attract the attention of the wizards

"Ambition?" The little girl broke her eyes with a slight understanding: "But, are you sure he will exchange half-elves for the broken armor you made? Don't mess it up..."

"What broken armor? That's the fine gold armor. Besides, that's what he needs most now."

"How do you know? Oh, what spell did you secretly cast on him?"

"No, how could a Duke Lord let me cast spells casually?" That little face that was close to me was red because I just woke up, and my green eyes blinked, making Edward unable to help but reach out and pinch the tip of her nose: "It's just a guess based on common sense..."

"You're going to die!" The little girl slapped his hand away, pulled him with her backhand, and shouted: "Or tell me, or answer my question. Did you sneak out with the black-skinned melon last night?"

"Okay, my eldest lady... Actually, it's because those people said that they wanted to send half-elves to mine. Didn't you hear that too?"

"What then?" the half-elf nodded, but then realized that he did not understand: "What does mining have to do with that guy's ambition? Is it related to exchanging those half-elfs?"

"The purpose of this rumor is meaningless, but the means are worth pondering." Edward's eyes turned around: "Think about it, why aren't you going to log or do hard labor, but mining?"

Whether it is a truly feasible assumption to put half-elves into the mine to do hard labor is not a real assumption - no lie is worthless, because it often includes a little truth. Legend has it that this is one of the mottos that devils regard as iron rules...

Due to the limitations of the technological level of this era, it is impossible to do things like a deep mine of hundreds of meters. You can only rely on those shallow surface ores. Fortunately, there are not many things that need to be mined, usually metal minerals such as gold, silver, copper and iron, plus some stones.

But first of all, gold and silver are rare mineral veins controlled by the state. In order not to allow privately minted gold coins to disrupt the economy and cause inflation, these things must be managed by the royal family. They are planned to be mined, and even copper mines as daily necessities must be partially controlled. Of course, if a duke is willing, it is not impossible to add more mining. However, in that case, the large amount of money flows into other territories. The privately minted is equivalent to plundering and kidnapping the economy of all places. Therefore, all the great nobles will not allow this situation to occur unless the initiator is confident of fighting the whole country or stands out immediately.

"Then, the remaining minerals are stone or iron ore, but the former can only be related to large buildings, so the only choice left is the latter... But suddenly with such a large number of people, the ore produced is naturally not used to pile up beautifully," the psychic warlock explained: "What do you think they do?"

"For those civilians?"

"What a kind statement..." Edward couldn't help but smile: "However, Miss, they are not me. It is impossible to improve the living environment of civilians to be more pragmatic and reasonable as the answer used to produce weapons and armor."

"You guy... are so cunning. Can you think of these things even if you make a lie?" After thinking for a while, the half-elf shook his head incredibly.

"It's not that I'm cunning, it's just that you don't like to use your brain."

"Hate, I'm like a fool!" The half-elf pouted in dissatisfaction: "You guy, wouldn't it be better to just use armor to substitute him?"

"That won't work. I haven't drunk the Ganges water, why are you snatching people from the pole?"

In this world, there are always fewer timely helpers, and more people put in trouble. If you want others, it is far worse than equal transactions... Or, if you negotiate with others, you must not show your trump card. Otherwise, if the other party does not speak up, would you be sorry for the ancestors?

To extend it, no matter what your purpose is, you must first take the initiative, use some conditions to sway the opponent's eyes, and then accidentally turn the hook - just look at the classic battle between Emperor Pu and Comlet. A Gorshkov Admiral was given for free to rescue a Russian aircraft carrier manufacturing industry, and even if you know that it is about to be squeezed out of oil, the buyer has to pay for it...

So although I dare not claim to be a master, Edward will never make his real request as soon as possible.
Chapter completed!