Chapter 1085: Chapter 1026: You’re in for a Juicy Time
As August arrived, a large number of monks and priests had already gathered near the Spring Castle Duke’s meeting.
With it followed a strong religious atmosphere on the streets and theological debates everywhere.
As the Duke’s meeting drew closer, Horn dared not linger long on the Shattered Stone Plain, and set sail southward, heading towards Xiaochi City.
From Xiaochi City, it’s a quick journey south by boat, crossing the border to reach Spring Castle.
However, Horn was not in a hurry; he even discussed trade issues with Blago regarding Fat Cow Castle along the way.
Simply put, as the Holy Alliance people became wealthier, the meat from North County was already trailing behind their appetites, especially beef.
Fortunately, Fat Cow Castle is located in the Roaring Corridor, rich with mountain cattle resources, perfect for filling the meat supply gap in the Holy Alliance.
Moreover, with the emergence of the lightning furnace, the Holy Alliance could now produce both tin and glass cans.
After certification by the Wolf Woman’s eye, the Basque sterilization method could indeed ensure that neither fruit nor meat cans spoil.
Horn already decided to add meat cans to the Holy Alliance Army’s procurement list.
Previously, battles were fought at one’s doorstep or in the home, so the supply of meat logistics was tolerable.
In the future, when fighting on River Island, in Windmill Land, in Furnace Plateau, or even further east in the Norn Kingdom, meat supplies might not be as timely.
Do not underestimate the importance of luxury goods like meat and fruit on morale and soldiers’ health.
As for fruit cans, they would be the flagship product, exported to the north and Furnace Plateau.
Besides fruit cans, more importantly, are luxury goods like juice and even soda.
In Horn’s era, juice soda was considered a household item, but in this era, they are definitely petite bourgeoisie luxury items.
Currently, Horn’s pace of spending was a bit rapid; by August, last year’s surplus spending was down to just a quarter.
Though bonding could still prolong it, it would mean the need for new development points or profit points.
Otherwise, the Holy Alliance risks becoming a usury empire.
The new profit point Horn found is the long-distance transportable leisure luxury foodstuffs like juice and soda.
Otherwise, being continuously robbed of gold reserves by the Falan people using high-end products is also not a solution.
In this empire’s commercial system, anchored with gold, mercantilism does make some sense.
As for choosing juice and soda, it is partly to diversify the industries of Black Snake Bay.
Black Snake Bay can produce tropical fruits, while sugar and spices are raw materials for making fruit cans and juice.
To prevent the collapse of the sugar and spice market, taking Black Snake Bay down with it.
On the other hand, it benefits the surplus production of glassware and can production.
The machines are there, depreciating every day, so naturally, as much as they can produce and sell, they should.
It would just as well consume the production capacity of the lightning furnace; otherwise, seeing no return is adverse for the development of the Holy Alliance’s steel industry.
In other words, Horn was not expanding capacity for profit; he was maximizing capacity first, then seeking money for the capacity.
If the capacity can’t find money, then what?
Then the capacity could be used for religious undertakings, like Horn thought the Falan people were not free enough and needed a holy war to liberate them.
In doing so, isn’t the capacity being output?
Once conquered, wealth and land are redistributed, and productivity and production relations are modified.
With new markets and consumption, wouldn’t the capacity find money again?
The establishment of the Holy Alliance Good Juice United Fruit Company was also on Horn’s memo.
To achieve this, there were still two technological points unsolved.
One was the glass bottle blowing machine, and the other was the canning rolling and rust removal method.
Relying solely on handcrafting wasn’t impossible, just that the output was too low and costs too high, mismatching the target demographic.
Nobles could smile all the way, but citizens couldn’t afford it, relying instead on jams and fruit wines as substitutes.
Juice soda, as a low-cost version of fresh fruit, aimed at the emerging middle-class citizen group in Falan.
Though they weren’t as wealthy as the nobility, they were richer than peasant civilians, more importantly, their numbers were vast.
Horn wanted the Falan’s low-end market, and he wanted the middle and high-end markets too.
A comprehensive development of low, middle, and high is sound.
Horn briskly penned the last note in the manuscript and looked up to find Rang Buluo already present.
Sunlight streamed through the glass window, highlighting the old man’s white hair and wrinkled face, making him appear somewhat awkward and uneasy.
"Mr. Rang Buluo, you’re here already, why didn’t you let me know?"
Horn stood up, organizing his manuscript of thoughts, and smilingly asked Rang Buluo.
Rang Buluo, once Horn’s political adversary, was now particularly cautious in Horn’s presence: "I saw you were working, didn’t dare disturb."
"It’s alright, I’m multi-tasking, not delayed." Horn didn’t engage much in small talk and got straight to the point, "Have you completed the verification of ’Saint Rania’s Life’?"
Rang Buluo’s face showed some unease: "With the help of your Miracle Priests, it is completed."
The Miracle Priests Rang Buluo referred to were actually the Divinity School’s Dreamless Society trained divination warlocks.
Whenever Rang Buluo found some discrepancies needing investigation, these well-read in scriptures divination warlocks would attempt to use divination for corroboration.
However, their divination results were often indiscernible between truth and fiction, sometimes quoting a seemingly plausible original text.
Yet, upon investigation, it would become apparent that not only was the text randomly fabricated, even the documentation seemed fictitious, though it appeared authentic.
Rang Buluo once suspected ’Saint Rania’s Life’ was forged using such divination methods.
If he had the chance, this conservative old man preferred to verify gradually, making it a lifelong endeavor.
However, time did not wait, with the Duke’s meeting looming.
Compared to his career, he wished more to see the Holy Sect, inheriting Juanist Faction, triumph.
"Very well, are you interested in attending the Duke’s meeting?"
"Do you mean attending as an observer?"
"No, I mean attending, representing the Holy Alliance and debating against the church! You will defeat the entire church!"
"Me?" Rang Buluo rigidly pointed at himself.
"Yes, no one is better suited. You discovered the forgery of ’Saint Rania’s Life’; you completed the entire research, naturally you should be the one to contend.
Besides, I’ve mentioned, this is your research, what am I debating about? I’m to debate on the doctrine of divine works and good deeds."
"It’s not appropriate, I..., I mean, I did once..." After a bout of incoherence, Rang Buluo sighed, "I am a sinner, I have decided on a reclusive life."
"You made mistakes, but you are not a sinner." Horn’s eyes flickered, suddenly smiling, "I can certainly use your research to debate, but you, wouldn’t you want to represent the Juanist Faction in this Duke’s meeting?"
"The Juanist Faction, isn’t the Juanist Faction already..." Rang Buluo swallowed back the word ’swallowed’.
Horn shook his head: "The Holy Sect suits the Holy Alliance, doesn’t necessarily fit everywhere, perhaps in specific places it could be implemented.
As long as it is for the wellbeing of the believers, what difference is there between the Holy Sect and the Juanist Religion?"
Representing the Juanist Religion in the debate, using the ’Saint Rania’s Life’ forgery theory to promote the Juanist Faction’s ideas...
Rang Buluo’s cloudy eyes gradually brightened; wasn’t this what the three talents of Blago once most hoped to see?
The wrinkled fingers grasped the manuscript tightly, and he stood up, bowing to Horn.
"Now that it’s settled, coordinate with Thomas; he’s currently in charge of the Saint Father’s Association’s religious work."
Rang Buluo nodded emotionally, rose, and walked to the door but suddenly turned back: "Your Excellency, from what I know about Grandiva, I predict he might have some underhanded tactics, such as deploying troops..."
Horn chuckled lightly: "Rest assured on that; the Black Champion has long been prepared, but it’s military secrets, I can’t tell you specifics."
"Understood, understood." Rang Buluo nodded hastily, finally couldn’t help but say, "After seeing your article, I reckon Grandiva will lose his temper greatly."
"Hahaha, I figured the same; he’s already issued several indulgences banking on this for money; he’s probably going to faint with anger." Horn laughed.
On a whim, he even imitated a Falan accent of Grandiva: "That damned Horn, isn’t he stabbing himself with a dagger?"
