Chapter 1612: Split

Following the will of Earl Howard, the guard relayed his words exactly as they were to Delu, who was waiting at the entrance.

"My apologies, sir, but the Earl is not available to receive guests right now," the guard said apologetically.

Delu gave an "oh."

He was not in the slightest bit surprised by this result; Earl Howard was, after all, an old-school Noble of Britain.

Such old-school Nobles held a natural aversion toward the French.

He was the same.

"It's fine, I'll have to trouble you to go one more time."

As he spoke, Delu produced another Gold Coin to dispel the dissatisfaction that was about to show on the guard's face, and after watching the guard's smile shift from dissatisfaction to delight,

Delu smiled and said: "Please tell Mr. Howard that I have an important matter to tell him, a matter concerning whether he will be able to continue leasing the Dragon Flame Army in the future."

"Alright, please wait a moment." After receiving the Gold Coin, the guard became even more respectful.

He immediately went to report, and under his embellished account, Earl Howard did not feel angry or resentful that Delu had offended him once again.

Instead, he calmed his mind, pondered for a moment, and asked: "What else did he say?"

The guard expressed his apologies: "Earl, I'm afraid you'll have to ask him that yourself."

Earl Howard's brows slowly furrowed; leasing the Dragon Flame Army was his greatest reliance now, and ever since he had leased the Dragon Flame Army to wipe out a group of pirates who had robbed him, Howard had deeply understood the power of the Dragon Flame Army.

Over these years, it could be said that Howard had accomplished quite a lot using the Dragon Flame Army.

Now, if he were to lose the Dragon Flame Army, Howard's vast industries would have no one to guard them.

The armed forces that the Howard Family once possessed had long since been disbanded.

His plantations and industries would likely be visited by bandits and pirates every single day.

Moreover, the government established by Xie Fang never inquired about these matters.

The Zhian-suo he established was as good as non-existent.

In fact, everyone knew what the purpose was.

It was simply to make everyone lease the army, so that Xie Fang's pockets would bulge.

After facing a pirate invasion once, Howard had thoroughly understood: spend money to buy peace.

This money was not spent in vain at all.

"Alright, let him in," Earl Howard said after careful consideration.

The guard went out to report, and Delu was invited into the manor.

Upon seeing Howard, Delu embraced him like an old friend: "My dear friend, Earl Howard."

Earl Howard put on a polite smile: "Oh, my dear friend, please forgive me; my health has been restraining me lately."

If the guard hadn't known that the relationship between the two was average, or even somewhat hostile, he really would have believed that the two had a great relationship, given their constant calling of each other "friend."

Delu was invited by Howard into his manor castle.

Looking at the magnificent decorations and the extremely exquisite murals in the castle, Delu revealed an expression of extreme envy.

In his speech, he was even more unsparing with his praise.

Howard, however, was very casual; as the two walked through the art Long Corridor while chatting and laughing, Delu suddenly sighed and said: "Earl, these collectibles of yours are all too precious, but those pirates and bandits wouldn't know how to appreciate these works of art."

"Can you bear to watch them all be consumed by the flames of war?"

The smile on Earl Howard's face gradually stiffened.

Delu cut straight to the point: "Just received news: starting this year, the Dragon Flame Army will no longer be leased out."

Howard was stunned, and the expression on his face sank instantly: "Do you know something?"

Delu nodded.

He stared at Howard and said flatly: "I just returned from Xie Fang's place; our Majesty told me this himself."

Howard sneered: "That

might be a special provision the Majesty made for you."

Delu shook his head: "I brought out twenty thousand Gold Coins to hire ten thousand men of the Dragon Flame Army; do you think that with such sincerity, Xie Fang had any reason to refuse me?"

"Yet he still refused me; you should be able to understand the meaning behind this."

Howard's face was filled with astonishment, and his heart was in a state of turmoil.

First, he hadn't expected that Delu would actually bring out twenty thousand Gold Coins to hire ten thousand men of the Dragon Flame Army; this financial power was simply terrifying.

Xie Fang's annual military budget was only ten thousand Gold Coins.

Yet he hadn't expected Delu to offer twenty thousand at once.

For the money-loving Xie Fang, this was simply a condition he wouldn't refuse.

But Xie Fang had refused.

This was what Howard found most incredible.

"He really refused!" Howard said in shock.

"It is absolutely true," Delu said earnestly: "I don't think you, Earl, could spend twenty thousand Gold Coins on the cost of the Dragon Flame Army either."

Howard did not answer Delu, but he did the math in his head.

If he put all his industries together for this year, after deducting all expenses, it would be considered not bad if he had twenty thousand Gold Coins left over.

He didn't know about Delu's affairs, but he estimated that Delu probably had about the same amount of money left over as he did.

However, a large part of the reason Delu could bring out twenty thousand Gold Coins to hire the Dragon Flame Army was Delu's port.

The more Dragon Flame Army troops he hired, the safer Delu's port and ships would be.

Howard's industries were now all concentrated on the Australia continent; guarding his home didn't require as many Dragon Flame Army troops as Delu needed.

If twenty thousand Gold Coins hadn't moved Xie Fang,

then how could the conditions he could offer possibly make Xie Fang agree to lease him the army?

Thinking of this, Howard drew in a sharp breath, then slowly exhaled and said, "Speak, what do you want by telling me all this?"

A smile spread across Delu's face: "I just love dealing with smart people like the Count; Count, I can offer you protection, but you must promise me that we will unite together to target Xie Fang."

Howard was stunned; he had not expected Delu to actually want to make a move against Xie Fang, and he immediately became hesitant.

After all, Xie Fang was the de facto ruler of Australia.

The Longyan Army under his command was, to them, simply an invincible existence.

"The two of us, mere merchants, going up against Xie Fang?" Howard said with self-mockery: "My friend, what makes you think we are capable of opposing Xie Fang?"

Delu leaned close to Howard's ear and whispered a word.

Howard was stunned; he looked at Delu with a complex expression and asked, "Really?"

Delu nodded.

After receiving a definite answer, Howard's face turned from pale to flushed, his eyes darting away to stare at the mural on the wall, as if he wanted to see through all its complex colors.

Delu patted his shoulder and said indifferently: "The Longyan people are unjust, yet you still won't resist? Are you waiting to die? Only when Xie Fang falls will we have greater opportunities."

"Now the opportunity for his downfall has arrived; if you don't seize it, someone else will."

Hearing this, a flicker of heat and determination ignited in Howard's eyes.