Chapter 146 – Passengers who kept adding to the traffic jam
Chapter 146 – The Passenger Who Keeps Adding to the Traffic
“Lord Gleeman, I have an unfavorable request.”
After the group returned to the naval base, the female counselor quietly approached Paul.
“Say what kind of ungrateful request, Ms. Lardy just say it.”
The female counselor squirmed a bit and said, “Would it be possible for me to be allowed to accompany the ship south?”
“Are you also interested in opening up new routes?”
“That’s not true, I want to take the Southern ship back to my hometown and bring my mother over to stay. Although the Southern may not be able to reach the area around Horn Bay, I’ll walk the rest of the way there on my own. You know, because of my other identity, it’s a bit easier and faster to travel by sea.”
Paul heard the boss was not happy, this ‘witch’ in front of him is a key for him to understand the unknown territory, what if this ‘key’ is lost on the way?
But direct refusal would be too unkind, not to mention the other party’s reasons are very legitimate.
“Oh, I’ve been negligent in not even asking about your family. I’ll talk to Austin about it, I don’t know much about the ship, I don’t know if I can carry one more person.”
The female counselor bowed slightly to him, “Thank you, my lord.”
Paul said, “But you’ve been traveling with fellow Adventure Figure before, haven’t you, is it okay to go alone when you get ashore?”
The female counselor replied confidently, “I have traveled alone for a long time before.”
“Perhaps I’ll send someone to fetch your mother? You wouldn’t have to travel all that way.”
“No, this is something I must do myself. If the Lord Admiral doesn’t agree, I’ll just go south by land.” The female advisor’s tone was very firm.
“Then I’d better have the Southern travel as far south as possible, and then have the crew accompany you ashore, or have a helper.”
……
“This …… well, since it’s your intention, Earl-sama, there are quite a few more people on board.”
Paul mentioned Lardy’s request to the Admiral and Austin agreed.
However, seeing the other party’s tightly furrowed brow, Paul knew that Austin’s heart was extremely reluctant.
“Are you having a hard time with this?”
“Yes, my lord. Generally speaking, it’s not a good thing for women to travel on warships, after all, there are men everywhere on board, and the moral implications aside, the amount of fresh water they waste is unbelievable. They have to use fresh water to wash small articles of clothing, and they’ll do anything to hit the mark. They would corrupt the sentries of the ship, the corporals, even the officers-in a word, corrupt the officers and men of the whole warship, even if it was not out of their intention.”
With a stony face, Austin added, “Especially a woman as beautiful as Ms. Laddie, even if she merely runs out on deck to get some air, she’ll make a lot of weak-willed men unmotivated to work.”
“Besides, the Southern is not a large ship with only one separate room, the Captain’s Room, where would you like her to sleep?”
“This …… Then I’ll talk to her again.”
……
“I didn’t realize that the always polite and courteous Admiral was, on the inside, a person filled with such prejudice against women! It’s truly unbelievable.”
The female counselor was indignant, “Does he think that every woman is a pampered hothouse flower, as an ex-adventurer I have traveled many sea routes as well, wouldn’t I know how precious fresh water on a ship is?”
Paul spread his hands and said helplessly, “Uh …… it can’t be helped, the Southern is going to be tested for range after all, which means she’s trying to stay off shore as much as possible when she can, and fresh water on board is even more strained than normal.”
“Believe me, Lord Graiman, I will be able to overcome such minor difficulties.”
“But what about the other thing Austin mentioned? I’ve heard that looking at sows after spending time on a ship is beautiful.”
“This matter will be better resolved!”
The female counselor dismissed herself with those words, leaving Paul scratching his head.
The guard who came in interrupted his thoughts, “Lord Gleeman, there are a few people here at the base, claiming to be local merchants and requesting your audience.”
“Let them in.”
Shortly after the guards went out, a large group of people crowded into his makeshift office.
Some of them Paul recognized, such as the ship merchant Bennett Todd, salt merchant Godwin Toby, but now we can’t simply call them ship merchants and salt merchants, because they also invested in a lot of Paul’s advocacy of “new industries”, such as paper, canning, porcelain, etc., and earned a large amount of money, of course, but also paid a lot of taxes to the Council of State. There are also a few people Paul did not recognize, but also dressed as merchants.
“Lord Graiman. “
The crowd bowed respectfully to the lord.
“What is it that you all have come to see me about?”
The group of merchants looked at each other for a few moments, and finally Mr. Todd stepped in and said cautiously:
“We have heard that you are arranging for a ship to go south to open a new route?”
Paul nodded, “That’s right, this is something I remember telling you guys about long ago.”
A trace of excitement surfaced on the merchants’ faces, Lord Lord really wasn’t just talking about it, this was going to start.
“Then …… is it possible ……”
Mr. Todd carefully brewed his words, “Could we be allowed to select a few representatives to accompany the ship south ……”
Paul picked up on his words, “An expedition?”
Mr. Todd’s eyes lit up, “Yes, an inspection.”
This group of businessmen’s sense of smell is really sensitive ah, Paul snickered in his heart, he just wanted this motivation from the businessmen.
He had forgotten about this before, originally he wanted to let the Southern ship run back and forth before announcing this matter to them.
I did not think that the merchants themselves came to the door, which is just what Paul wanted, let them see with their own eyes the excellent performance of the new ships, see with their own eyes the business opportunities in the South, see with their own eyes the broad prospects of maritime trade.
So in the eyes of the merchants eagerly looking forward to, Paul hammered the table.
“I agree! But how many of you can be brought, but also to study with the Navy.”
“Your honor is wise!” The merchants were all smiling and praising Paul.
……
“Your Excellency the Count, you will make it difficult for me.”
The Navy Commander said with a depressed face, “This kind of thing should be proposed and planned early.”
“Now that we suddenly have to cram in another batch of people, the allocation of personnel, space, and material will have to be readjusted again.”
Paul said with some embarrassment, “It’s my negligence, but this batch of merchant representatives please make sure you think of bringing them along, it’s related to the ocean trade in the future.”
“Alright, I’ll go back and have a meeting with Quirk and the others and try to adjust it.”
Just then, there was a knock on the door from Duk Duk Duk.
Paul called out, “Come in. “
Then the door opened, and in walked a …… handsome gentleman.
This handsome man has a head of long black hair, his face is polished and fair, and under his long and slightly curled eyelashes, a pair of eyes as clear as the morning dew shines, while his red pupils add a little mystery.
What was even more fascinating was the two neatly trimmed moustaches, which aptly neutralized the slightly feminine temperament of his body.
Paul froze!
Austin is stunned, the guards at the door are doing what they eat, he has not seen such a figure in the base, how to casually let in, the count has just encountered an assassination ah.
Just as the Admiral was about to call out, the other man spoke, in a voice that made the two men present almost jump.
“Lord Earl, Lord Commander, can I be allowed to take the Southern ship now?”
This was clearly the voice of a female advisor!
(End of chapter)