Chapter 1602: Secret Consultation

"This place is quite good, Prime Minister, you don't need to persuade me anymore; developing Australia well is our goal."

Xie Fang turned and left with a Beauty on each arm.

The Prime Minister glanced at Xie Fang and sighed.

Perhaps the only thing worth being glad about was that although Xie Fang had lost his ambition, he was not a completely hopeless ruler; at least he was still salvageable.

The Prime Minister sighed, turned, and left to continue laboring for this newborn nation.

He returned to the palace.

Although Xie Fang had a Beauty on each arm, he still had a very clear understanding of Australia's current situation.

The issue of military leasing had to be resolved.

To solve it fundamentally, he had to consolidate the military again and thoroughly prevent such things from happening again.

But if he did this, he would bear a huge loss.

However, this was far better than the nation perishing.

Xie Fang thought this, but his hands were not behaving as he touched the two Beauties in his embrace.

These women came from Europe, and as Xie Fang looked at them, he saw none of the shyness found in Longyan women on their faces.

Instead, there was a bit more charm and a sense of unquenchable desire.

Xie Fang smiled triumphantly and was just about to go further.

His room door suddenly knocked, immediately dispelling Xie Fang's interest.

"Your Majesty, Delu from France requests an audience."

Xie Fang snorted coldly; although he was very annoyed inside, he still understood the gravity of the situation. Delu was a family Spokesperson who had fled from France and was a very famous owner of a Textile Machine.

Every year, he would give Xie Fang a large amount of money to pay for the leasing of the military, so as to protect the Factory he had built in Austria.

Facing someone so generous who was also an important Merchant Household in Australia, Xie Fang still valued him quite a bit.

He put on the air a monarch should have and asked coldly, "What is it!"

"He is here to renew the military leasing contract," the servant replied briefly.

Normally, for such matters, Xie Fang would have him talk directly to the Prime Minister.

But once he thought about how the current military leasing had indeed made Australia wealthy, the problems it created were severe; the long-term leasing of the military had already made Australia no longer safe.

Moreover, the most influential people in Australia now were not his government, but these exiled capitalists who had opened Factories here.

They provided jobs for the local indigenous people.

They brought wealth while also influencing the ordinary citizens of Australia.

If they launched a war during this period to overthrow him, Xie Fang would be powerless to stop them.

"I know," Xie Fang said coldly.

The two Beauties looked at Xie Fang resentfully; he ignored their complaining gazes and put on his clothes under their service.

Xie Fang personally received Delu.

Seeing Xie Fang walk over, Delu showed great respect, bowed deeply, and then smiled fawningly, "My dear Your Majesty, you are as dazzling as the sun today."

Xie Fang, who had been very annoyed, felt a bit better after hearing Delu's flattery.

Xie Fang glanced at this very wealthy merchant of Australia and chuckled.

"Stop buttering me up here."

"Speak, what exactly is the matter that brought you to me this time?"

Xie Fang sat on a noble Sandalwood Chair and sipped some tea; although he was in Australia, Xie Fang had built his palace so that it was not much different from the Longyan Imperial Palace.

One could even say that except for being slightly smaller, there was almost no difference.

Delu leaned forward and looked at Xie Fang with a grin.

"Your Majesty, I am here to bring you money this time."

As Delu spoke, he pulled a contract from his bosom, spread it out flat, and fearing that Xie Fang might not see his sincerity, he specifically enlarged the amount of money on the contract.

Xie Fang just took a glance and was instantly stunned; his gaze was immediately drawn to the amount on Delu's contract.

He took the contract.

He carefully counted the amount on it.

"Ten thousand Gold Coins, you want to lease ten thousand Longyan troops?" Xie Fang felt his lips go a bit dry.

Ten thousand Gold Coins was definitely not a small sum for him right now.

This was almost the annual military expenditure for the Longyan troops.

Xie Fang hesitated; to him, this money was the annual military expenditure for the 150,000 Longyan troops in Australia.

For Xie Fang, this money was practically a free gift.

Seeing Xie Fang hesitate, Delu struck while the iron was hot: "Your Majesty, this price is not set in stone."

Delu put on a posture of being ready to be fleeced.

Xie Fang stared at him and said seriously, "No!"

These two words fell into Delu's ears, his smile instantly froze, and looking at Xie Fang, he was incredulous.

This sentence did not sound like it came from his mouth at all.

The Xie Fang he knew was very greedy for money.

"Noble Your Majesty, will you not reconsider?" Delu said, squeezing a smile onto his stiff face.

"I can offer twenty thousand Gold Coins."

Xie Fang sneered: "Do you think I am the kind of monarch who would be swayed by money!"

Hearing this, Delu's expression instantly dimmed; he had just observed that Xie Fang did not hesitate as he had before after hearing his offer.

His expression was exceptionally firm.

Delu was a smart man: "This servant will take his leave."

Delu retreated out.

When he walked away, Xie Fang did not look at him once, yet he felt a pang of heartache; twenty thousand Gold Coins, that was an unimaginable fortune...

Refusing this money was no different from killing him.

However, looking at the long-term goal, he had done the right thing in this matter.

Xie Fang took a deep breath to calm his mood.

He immediately summoned the Prime Minister to announce the policy he had decided upon.

The Prime Minister stared blankly at Xie Fang, his voice trembling as he said: "Your Majesty, have you truly decided?"

"Yes, this matter of military leasing must be resolved as quickly as possible."

The Prime Minister was moved to tears, repeatedly calling Xie Fang wise.

After Delu left, his expression changed; he put away his previous sycophancy, and his entire demeanor became incomparably cold and sinister.

His gaze, sharp as a knife, swept over Xie Fang's Imperial Palace.

He boarded the Horse Carriage and said coldly: "Go!"

Delu withdrew his gaze; not long ago, he had received news from France regarding plans to deploy troops against Australia.

And the mission he received was to weaken Australia's defenses.

Originally, Delu had wanted to take advantage of the military leasing contract to swallow up ten thousand Longyan troops.

He had been operating on the island for a long time.

He had a sufficient understanding of the situation on the island, and the map of Australia was something he had provided.

However, since Xie Fang would not cooperate, he could seek another way.

Delu pondered for a moment and thought of a brilliant idea.

Military leasing was, in fact, providing a certain degree of protection to those families or organizations that had fled here.

If this policy were cancelled, it would absolutely cause panic among some families, as they needed the powerful Longyan troops to secure their dealings overseas.

Delu decided to go lobby other families.