In the Louvre in Paris, France, Charles VIII, with a gloomy face, was discussing something with his favorite Earl Matthews. The surrounding maids and guards were all sent out.
"Your Majesty, after some inquiries, the little bastard named Marin has reclaimed a large piece of wasteland since he took over Texel Island. There are thousands of Ugrams, and he has recruited thousands of serfs. He also used the coal mines of the Hoffman family A kind of fuel called briquettes was produced, and salt was boiled on the island, and a certain amount of income was obtained from boiling salt..." Earl Matthews reported.
Marin blocked the communication between Texel Island and the outside world, and the salt and coal on the island were loaded on the ships of the Wiggins Chamber of Commerce without passing through outsiders. Therefore, Matthews didn't know that Marin made so much profit from cooking salt, and he only thought that Marin made a little bit of money.
Besides, even if they knew it, the French could not imitate it. Because there are basically no coal mines in France. Otherwise, later generations of France would not have specially developed nuclear power. Because, whether it is coal or oil, France is very short. Therefore, they had to find another way to develop nuclear power.
Therefore, the French have no special feeling for coal, nor do they know the benefits of using coal to boil salt. Neither Earl Matthews nor Charles VIII had any feeling for Marin cooking salt. In their view, the increase of thousands of people on the island and the reclamation of a large area of wasteland are the things that benefit Marin the most... So, the two monarchs and ministers made a misjudgment...
"That is to say, the little thief Marin has reclaimed a large amount of farmland? Is he going to get rich?" When Charles VIII said the word Marin, he gritted his teeth...
"Yes, Your Majesty..."
"I don't want to see this little thief live well, Matthews, what can you do to add trouble to this little thief?"
"Your Majesty, we can't deal with this little bastard openly! You are a man who aspires to be a great king, and you can't do anything that will affect your reputation!"
"I know, so I want to ask you if there is a way to secretly play tricks on that little thief? By the way, does he have any other enemies?"
"This... seems to be there..." Matthews thought for a while and replied.
"Oh? Who is his enemy? Tell me quickly, I want to support him and let him deal with the little thief Marin!"
"It's like this, Marin's enemies can't be regarded as enemies, but there is a conflict of interest..."
"Speak carefully!"
"Yes, Your Majesty. I heard that the Marin thief seems to be very interested in the development of the fishing industry. Therefore, he privately recruited a large number of Frisian fishermen. These Frisian fishermen are all from Texel across the sea. The Frisian aristocratic republic facing each other... ”
"The Friesian Noble Republic? Is that the small state that we funded before they broke away from the Principality of Burgundy?"
The Frisian noble republic was annexed by Charles the Bold to the Duchy of Burgundy, but after Charles the Bold died in battle, with the secret support of France, the Frisians became independent from the Burgundy Lowlands.
"Yes, Your Majesty, it is them!"
"That's really great. This small country has a good relationship with France. I have no excuse to attack the Marin thief's Texel Island, but I can use this small country to attack Texel Island!"
"Your Majesty, the Marlin thief just recruited a few hundred fishermen. The Friesian Noble Republic shouldn't start a war for this..."
"Hundreds of fishermen are really nothing, but it is also a good excuse. If you really care about it, it can be barely used as an excuse."
"Such an excuse is not enough to kill that little thief..."
"There is no need to kill the little thief, as long as there is a conflict, the Frisian army can use this excuse to attack the island of Texel, and then destroy the crops on the island, making the little thief bankrupt..."
"You mean to let the Marin thief lose his money?"
"Yes, that's it. The little thief's crops are destroyed, he must not be reconciled. At that time, he may retaliate. When he retaliates, he will inevitably kill people. At that time, there is no excuse for the Friesian noble republic to kill him? If so It doesn't matter if he doesn't kill people, we can help him kill one or two Frisian nobles, and then blame the Marlin thief... "
"Then the Frisians will have an excuse to kill the Marin thief... High! It's really high! Your Majesty, my admiration for you is like the surging Seine River, endless..."
"Yes, at that time, the Friesian Noble Republic will attack Texel Island for the second time. We can quietly hire Swiss mercenaries to participate in it, and strive to defeat the Texel army at once and kill the Marlin thief..."
"What about the first time? We won't send Swiss mercenaries to participate?"
"No, for the first time, we just need to watch. Because, the excuse for the first time is not enough for the Friesian noble republic to kill the Marin thief. Send Swiss mercenaries over early, so that the thief won't find out. ? I even expect the Marlin thief to defeat the Frisian army. It is best to kill a few more Frisian nobles. In this way, the Frisian noble republic is completely enraged, and there is an excuse to kill the Marlin thief. Then , we will quietly dispatch elite Swiss mercenaries to put on the flags and costumes of the Frisian noble republic army, pretend to be Frisians, and kill the Marlin thief... "
"Your Majesty is really talented and far-sighted. In this way, not only can you eradicate the Marlin thief, but also keep France out of the matter, and your Majesty will not have to bear a bad name... Your Majesty, your wisdom will make the sun and the moon dim..."
"Hmph..." Charles VIII smiled smugly. Probably thinking of the scene of Marin's tragic death under the spear of a Swiss mercenary, Charles VIII smiled smugly.
Although Earl Matthews didn't know what Charles VIII was thinking, it must be a "cool thing". So, he also imitated Charles VIII's wretched expression, and laughed slyly along with "hehe"...