Chapter 1702 The Countess' Afternoon Tea

The time came to mid-October, 1622. Most people in Midgard were still worried about the return of the northern invaders. A few well-informed people had already learned that the three kingdoms of Feizhen, Ashan, and Hailan were holding armistice talks, and Business opportunities were sniffed out from the changes in the current situation.

The Countess Josephine Antoinette de Poissons was undoubtedly one of the best informed.

Ever since Joan returned to school from the front line, almost every Sunday afternoon, she had to put on a decent formal attire and go to the Tuileries Hotel. At the invitation of Mrs. Josephine, she had afternoon tea with her.

This kind of regular meeting is not a tryst between lovers, nor is there any important discussion, it is purely the countess' unilateral concern for him, or according to her own half-joking statement: "The older you are, the more important you are." Motherly love overflows."

Joan also regards the countess as his own relatives. As for whether this relationship is closer to "mother and son" or "siblings", he can't tell. After all, he is very unfamiliar with these two kinds of family relationships.

While drinking tea, Mrs. Josephine revealed to Joan that the missions of Feizhen and Hailan were conducting peace talks in the holy city of Ashan. Give up the ambition to monopolize the magic crystal mine, and the sphere of influence of Midgard and Jotunheim will return to the state before the war.

Joan was not surprised by this result, but felt very sad at the same time.

The three major powers have fought for the interests of the New World colonies for nearly a year, and all three parties have paid huge sacrifices. However, comparing the colonial territories occupied by the Ashan Empire, the Feizhen Kingdom, and the Seablue Kingdom in the New World before the outbreak of the war and after the war, the result is But nothing changed.

Countless good fields and homes were burned by the war, thousands of soldiers were sacrificed, and tens of thousands of people were displaced. The wealth consumed in the war was even more astronomical.

None of the three parties that participated in the war took advantage of it. They fought for nothing for a whole year, wasting people and money in vain. It was like a vivid black comedy.

"If last year at this time, the rulers of Fizhen Kingdom and Seablue Kingdom could have predicted that the war would end like today, would they still start the war?" Joan asked Mrs. Josephine.

"Joan, before I answer your question, you might as well ask yourself, in the thousands of years of history of human society, how many times have such wars that hurt both sides been repeated, can you count them?"

Joan shook his head frankly.

"There are no fools in the decision-making levels of governments. Of course they also know the lessons of history that we know. However, the only lesson that history teaches us is that we will never learn any lessons. We are sober and wise when we see others doing stupid things, but when I am deeply in the trap, especially when I am blinded by interests, I will always be lucky, thinking that I will not make the mistakes of my predecessors, and the result will be a lesson for later generations? Of course, future generations will not learn our lessons , will still make the same mistake." Mrs. Josephine replied with a wry smile.

Joan frowned. Although she didn't refute in person, she didn't fully agree with the Countess' overly pessimistic views.

In his view, whether individuals or groups, human beings can certainly learn from their mistakes, and society will of course become more and more civilized and progressive, and recording history serves this purpose.

"Joan, let the officials worry about these important matters about the country and society. We just need to live our own lives." Mrs. Josephine smiled slightly, "War is a disaster for the public, but There are also a few clever guys who found opportunities to make a fortune from disasters, such as your mentor, who made a fortune by speculating in magic crystal futures."

Joan nodded. There was nothing to hide. In fact, he himself made a lot of money thanks to his mentor, becoming one of the youngest millionaires in Midgard City.

"To tell you the truth, I also took advantage of this opportunity to make a small profit. Unfortunately, I was timid and quit too early, otherwise I could earn more." Mrs. Josephine shrugged regretfully, and then urged Joan, "Don't tell Trophim about this, or he will definitely take the opportunity to laugh at me!"

Qiao An nodded with a suppressed smile, and promised to keep it a secret for her.

"Joan, there is another investment opportunity in the near future. If you have spare money, you might as well buy some five-year bonds issued by the Kingdom of Kolas in the Far East. The annual interest rate is still good."

"Far East national debt?" Joan looked at the countess in surprise, "After the war in the New World is over, the imperial authorities will be free to gather troops to deal with the rebels in the Far East. Are you not afraid that the Far East government will support you when you buy the national debt issued by the Far East government?" It will collapse in less than five years, and the bonds in your hands will become waste paper worth not even a copper coin?"

"The risk is indeed great, but I have a hunch that the Kolas government in the Far East will never collapse easily. This new country will shock the entire Vales world. I spend real money to buy Far East bonds , is to bet on the bright future of the Kingdom of Kolas, don’t you think this is very exciting?” Mrs. Josephine smiled half-smile, her wine-red eyes sparkled with excitement.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, I'm not a gambler, so I can't empathize with the kind of fun you're talking about."

Joan pondered for a moment, and then said: "But think about it carefully, your prophecy is actually very insightful. I traveled to the Far East last year, and my eyes were wide-opened along the way. An earth-shaking disaster is happening in that vibrant land. If the imperial government cannot take back the lost land as soon as possible and give the people of the Far East enough time to turn their potential into strength, I am afraid that this land will be lost forever."

"Your travel in the Far East, I heard from Ruby. If I have time in the future, I also want to go to the Far East for vacation and travel. I will witness the 'shattering changes' you mentioned with my own eyes. I hope you can accompany I'll go with you." The countess looked at Joan with a smile, her eyes were as gentle as water.

"You'd better inform me in advance, lest it is difficult to arrange the time temporarily."

"Ha! Our little mage is quite busy! Maybe I want to treat you to afternoon tea in the future, so I have to write to your secretary in advance to make an appointment."

Josephine's playful laughter made Joan feel very embarrassed, and didn't know what to say for a while.

"Well, no kidding, if you are worried about the high risk of bonds, investing in real estate is also a good choice." Mrs. Josephine turned her head and looked at the busy street scene outside the window, and said with deep emotion, "With the arrival of peace, the New World will also It's a prosperous time, and I don't know how long this good time can last."

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