After that, Ella was surrounded by people all day long. Although the general agreement has been reached, many details still need to be negotiated. Including specific tariffs for different goods, specific fees that chambers of commerce of different sizes need to pay if they want to be protected by the Pirate Kingdom, etc.
Not only merchants, but many nobles also want to increase income for their territories through trade agreements. Compared with merchants, it is much easier to discuss trade with nobles - those merchants will always point out some small details that Ella has never thought of, which makes Ella a little overwhelmed. Although the agreement was signed in the end, the smiles on the faces of those businessmen made Ella always feel that she had suffered a big loss.
Although Ella has become more sensitive to money because of her huge debts, she is still nothing in front of those businessmen. Out of caution, Ella only signed the first agreement for one year. In this way, even if you are fooled, you can stop the loss in time.
"You should pay the first fee directly to the city of Lübeck. I owe them a lot of debts." Ella said. This is to increase the businessmen's trust in her - because they all know that Ella owes the city of Lübeck a lot of money and has not repaid it.
While Ella was negotiating, Duke Otto stayed in the corner drinking.
Ella noticed this, and in the meantime, she winked at the mayor of Hamburg and motioned for him to wait for her outside. Then, she found a break and walked out of the venue.
"I need your help." Ella said to the mayor of Hamburg. "Can you help me find a carriage immediately and let it wait for me at the east gate? It is best to ensure that this carriage can pass unimpeded and will not be blocked. Guards stopped."
"This... King of Sweden, do you want to leave tonight?" The mayor of Hamburg looked a little shocked. "According to the current progress, the talks may continue for another day or two."
For a long time, there was no contact between the Pirate Kingdom and the Alemannic Federation. Now we suddenly have to conduct trade, and we have to negotiate with each city, each chamber of commerce, and each noble separately. It is really a arduous task.
"If you want to ensure the outcome of today's talks, it's best for me to go back today." Ella said, "I don't want to become the second Frey Avnet."
The mayor of Hamburg understood the meaning of Ella's words, responded, and started to prepare.
Ella looked around and wiped a few handfuls of mud on her face, then took off her clothes and soaked in the mud water. Although if you look carefully you can still tell that the clothes are expensive, but no one would pay so much attention to it in the middle of the night. Wearing this dirty dress, she turned a few corners in the alley, and finally found Habiba and Gottfried in a corner, making a fire to grill fish. They were followed as Ella's attendants.
When Habiba saw Ella coming, she hurriedly took a bite on the grilled fish skewers on her left and right hands.
"Hey! I said, you don't have a share of this fish! You are eating delicacies from the mountains and seas inside, while my apprentice and I are hungry outside! I managed to sneak into the kitchen and steal these fish!"
"Don't worry about these fish. I'll give you a portion of all the dishes as they are some other day!" Ella lowered her voice and said, "I'm leaving the city now! Habiba, I'll hire you with three Nomis horses. Can you protect me and help me return to Stade smoothly?"
"Sanomisma? Okay! I'll take it."
Habiba said as he tried to put out the rising fire. Ella hurriedly grabbed his hand: "Leave the fire here! Put the fish back on the grill! Just pretend that you are just leaving for a little while. Let's go!"
After saying that, Ella hurried towards the east gate.
Habiba and Gottfried quickly followed Ella. Gottfried lowered his voice and asked: "What happened? Are you so anxious?"
"I am the King of Sweden! The Kingdom of Sweden and the Alemannic Federation are at war! This is the enemy's base camp! Do I need to tell you the rest?"
"Is there a war?"
Habiba and Gottfried were taken aback. They came all the way back from Île-de-France, but they didn't feel the atmosphere of war at all.
"But aren't you negotiating? Did the negotiation also break down?"
"No, the negotiations went very smoothly and I signed agreements with many people."
"Then what are you still worried about?"
"Because it's 'many people', not 'all'! This is the base camp of the enemy country. Even if only 10% of the people oppose me, I am still in danger. Do you understand?"
Habiba and Gottfried were startled and hurriedly imitated Ella and smeared a few handfuls of mud on their faces.
"When you came here, your expression was quite natural, and you didn't look like you were going into the enemy's cave at all, so I followed you!" Habiba complained, "If I had known better, I would have disowned you. You walked away by yourself! When did you realize that you were in danger? You should have told us in advance!"
When was it discovered?
Ella shook her head silently.
The danger did not exist until she spoke at the meeting - Amy had already considered her safety and paved the way for her. As long as she admits that Amy is a rebel, she will never be in any danger.
But then, Amy would be in danger.
"That...King of Sweden," Gottfried whispered from the side, "I wonder if it's my imagination, but you today...are a little different from the one I knew before."
"I'm stupid and never realize there are enemies. My sister knows this about me and always worries about me. In order for me to come back safely, she made herself infamous."
Ella wiped her eyes with her muddy hands.
"But I'm not a loser. My sister has told me that the enemy is there. I can't be a fool anymore, can I?"
While talking, they had arrived at the east gate. There was already a carriage waiting there. The mayor of Hamburg waved beside the carriage, signaling Ella to get on the carriage quickly.
"This is my carriage," he said. "As long as you say it's me, no one will stop you."
However, before he finished speaking, a group of people suddenly chased him. They shouted to the carriage from a distance: "Is that the King of Sweden over there?"
"Let's go!" The mayor of Hamburg helped Ella onto the carriage.
Seeing that something was wrong, the team drew out their knives and rushed toward the carriage. At the same time, a group of people suddenly appeared from the houses on both sides, blocking those people's footsteps.
"Don't worry, it's just a few unworthy little nobles who are causing trouble. The Chamber of Commerce in Hamburg will protect the safety of the King of Sweden. I only hope that the King of Sweden can strictly implement the agreement signed today."
The mayor of Hamburg told the coachman a few words. The coachman nodded, waved his whip in the air, and the carriage started running.
It carried Ella and staggered on the way home.
