Seeing Tang Mo staring at her thoughtfully, Alice's face involuntarily flushed with color. She stole a glance at Tang Mo, then another, feeling that the more she looked, the more she liked him.
However, she stubbornly explained to Tang Mo, "This isn't because of my relationship with you, Tang Mo, this is because you have truly brought benefits to Northern Ridge. I am the Earl of Northern Ridge, and I will take responsibility for Northern Ridge.
The reason why I'm fully cooperating with you is not because you...you slept with me, but because I believe that cooperating with you is beneficial for Northern Ridge."
"I understand! I understand, Alice! I have never thought of hurting you, nor have I thought of hurting Northern Ridge." Tang Mo nodded slightly, as if to give Alice a promise.
Though it did not sound like a promise, Tang Mo knew that what he said was the truth and a commitment he decided to execute and maintain throughout.
As long as Alice was still his woman, he would support Northern Ridge, unwaveringly support this land…
There was a moment of silence between the two, and Alice suddenly brought up a matter about a neighboring country, "Have you heard about the reforms in Suthers?"
"Of course, I have heard." Tang Mo was slightly taken aback, but he knew about it, so he did not hide it and openly admitted it.
Alice was wary of the neighbor's vigorous efforts and expressed her concerns, "Do you have anything to say? If their reforms are successful, their military power will grow stronger and stronger, which is not good news for Northern Ridge."
After all, as the actual ruler of Northern Ridge, she had a much deeper experience of such matters than Tang Mo, who sold arms to both sides.
In the past, the defeats and reparations that Suthers had to pay were deep-seated hatreds. If Suthers Kingdom were to strengthen itself after its reforms, the first target they would likely want to retaliate against would be Northern Ridge.
Even if it was just for the sake of restoring their honor, the Suthers Kingdom would definitely want to take back the territories south of the Ice Crystal River that they had ceded to Northern Ridge.
So, as soon as Suthers Kingdom was ready, war would surely break out again in the region of the Ice Crystal River, and Northern Ridge would be the first to be engulfed in that whirlpool of war.
Tang Mo, on the other hand, did not seem to mind and smiled at Alice, "That's why your Northern Ridge needs to become stronger."
Of course, he wasn't worried, because every aspect of the Kingdom of Suthers' monthly tax revenue and changes in the national treasury were promptly reflected in his database. He knew everything about what the King of Suthers discussed in his daily meetings.
After all, the initiator of the reforms, the one who drafted the reform plans, was actually his man. Even the design of the reforms had been taught to his own student; how could he possibly worry about the Kingdom of Suthers becoming stronger…
In fact, he was directing the Kingdom of Suthers to become stronger! Because only by doing so, he could sell more of his arms and countless other products.
Seeing Tang Mo's disdainful expression, Alice realized something and huffed at Tang Mo, "The way you talk, it confirms my suspicion more and more that the activities in Suthers are manipulated by you."
Tang Mo, seeing his lover seemingly upset, quickly spoke up to comfort her, "Don't worry! I will continue to support Northern Ridge in the arms trade, ensuring that Northern Ridge maintains an advantage in weaponry."
"But I have to spend more money on defense!" Alice became even more upset bringing this up because she was practically working for Tang Mo's arms empire, or rather, his business empire!
Indeed, she had earned more Gold Coins, but in the blink of an eye, they all ended up in Tang Mo's pockets.
Although she was well aware that this money didn't stay in Tang Mo's pockets for long but was quickly distributed throughout Northern Ridge and even the entire Leite Kingdom to the common folk—she, as the purse of Northern Ridge, knew very clearly the immense power of capital flow.
She was acutely aware that it was Tang Mo who revitalized the economy of Northern Ridge and even the Leite Kingdom, stabilizing the base of the Kingdom of Leite, which had been in continuous warfare.
Tang Mo continued to comfort Alice, "The Minister of Finance of the Kingdom will allocate a special fund for Northern Ridge in the new year, to be used for defending the northern border regions."
By now he practically controlled the entire economy of the Leite Kingdom. The Minister of Finance was his man, and the Prime Minister had shown a considerable degree of cooperation.
Even King Leite VII, after regaining his military and political power, willingly accepted Tang Mo's financial distribution methods.
It was well known that the new Minister of Finance was Tang Mo's man, and Simon had never denied it.
However, in the first week he took office, he submitted a new tax reform plan to His Majesty the King.
The scheme was quite mature and had an immediate impact—through Simon, Tang Mo assured Leite VII that the Kingdom's financial revenue would increase by thirty percent in the new year compared to the previous year.
Upon hearing this number, Leite VII lost any interest in how Simon was reforming or what he was doing.
He was now preoccupied with military expansion and conquest. After seeing Tang Mo's C64 field artillery, he was filled with confidence in his ability to win battles.
To realize his dream, he was even willing to convert all of his surplus income into Tang Mo's cannons and rifles…
Alice was startled; she certainly knew Simon was Tang Mo's man; she had even shared a meal with Simon in Brunas: Tang Mo was paying.
So, she looked at Tang Mo with a strange look and teased, "Did you plan for me to say all this when you had Simon hastily take up his position?"
Tang Mo flirts without shame, teasing Alice, "Caring a bit for one's woman, isn't that how it should be?"
Alice truly became immediately smitten, boldly staring at Tang Mo and draping her hand over Tang Mo's arm, "This is exactly why I like you so much, Tang Mo."
"We are on the platform..." Tang Mo was startled by Alice's boldness, and as he glanced at the nobility behind him, his face struggled to maintain composure.
Alice drew even closer to Tang Mo, wrapping her arms around his, her face brimming with happiness as she said, "I know."
Tang Mo tried to struggle, "Someone..."
"I know!" Alice continued to gaze intently at Tang Mo.
"They will..." Tang Mo didn't finish his sentence before Alice interrupted him with her actions.
Alice rose on her tiptoes and kissed Tang Mo's lips.
After a long moment, their lips parted, and Alice smiled mischievously, boasting to Tang Mo, "I want them all to know! To see!"
At that moment, a wisp of black smoke appeared on the distant horizon, and the engineers at the edge of the platform let out cheer after cheer.
The guests, who were quite embarrassed and could only pretend to look up at the sky, finally found a reason to look down.
They didn't find it scandalous that a Baroness not yet twenty and a similarly young Baron would engage in a clandestine affair.
Nevertheless, at such a time, it was still necessary to feign ignorance—everyone had their dignity to consider, right?
And then, everyone's attention was immediately captured by the approaching train. They had originally come just to take a casual look, not expecting to see anything spectacular.
But now, everyone realized what they were witnessing might be a terrifying existence capable of changing the whole world!
They widened their eyes, watching the steel dragon wind its way closer and come to a halt before them.
As the train pulled into the station, the daunting size of it delivered an even greater shock to all those present.
Even Alice, seeing Tang Mo's steam locomotive for the first time, widened her eyes as she watched the train stop before her and spew out white steam that enveloped the platform.
The long whistle of the train made everyone shiver, with Alice even nervously clutching Tang Mo's arm tighter.
Eventually, the train came to a standstill, pulling a full ten carriages behind it!
After improvements, Tang Mo's train had enhanced its carrying capacity, able to transport ten carriages at a time, filled with coal or steel, or nearly a thousand passengers or soldiers back and forth between Brunas and Wolf City.
In this era, this was a remarkable feat. The railway made the connection between Northern Ridge and Brunas even more indissoluble.
The officials and nobility representing the Kingdom, standing here, thought of something else: If the railway could make Brunas and Northern Ridge inseparable, could it also bind the entire Kingdom just as tightly?
The answer was, of course, affirmative, otherwise Tang Mo wouldn't have bothered to invite these people to witness a transportation revolution...
Soon, as the workers began to unload the cargo, the nobility who saw the train's terrifying carrying capacity became even more frenzied.
Gossip about a Countess's secret romance had already been forgotten by them; now all they could think about was the content of the railway manual they had been given earlier.
This new means of transportation could carry countless goods to destinations 100 or even 200 kilometers away within a day. How prosperous could the economy of a city connected by this transportation become?
Their own territories must have a platform! Their own lands must be accessible by rail! Their own goods must be transported by rail to farther places!
Just in an instant, these notions sprouted in the minds of the nobility and the merchants.
They swore to all the gods of this world their willingness to offer Tang Mo their loyalty, to worship him, just for Tang Mo...to let them join this gluttonous feast of world redivision...
"Mr. Tang Mo!" a wealthy merchant prepared to come forward to speak with Tang Mo.
"Back off! I was here first!" an Earl shouted excitedly.