That wealthy neighboring state had finally transformed from a loose federation into a centralized empire. Having been neighbors for centuries, how could the Harlan Empire's courtiers not understand that neighbor's vile temperament? They had always liked to clear the way with money. Whatever they did, whether legitimate or illicit business, they habitually began by smashing down a pile of gold coins.
In the past, such coin-smashing had merely been the spontaneous behavior of local nobles.
But with the founding of the Dragon Mountain Empire, one could well imagine that this practice would evolve from the personal conduct of minor and middling local nobles into an act of state. When that nation, rich enough to drip oil, gleefully raised heap after heap of gold coins and brought them crashing down upon people's heads, could the commanders of the Harlan Empire's border forces truly withstand such terrifying temptation?
If they did not keep a closer eye on those commanders from now on, then one day the Dragon Mountain Empire's army might stroll into the Harlan Empire's heartland as easily as if they were out on a picnic. When that time came, the Harlan Empire would truly be staging a tragedy.
Therefore, Holy Radiance I's order could not have been wiser!
But could doubling the pay of the border soldiers truly ward off the Dragon Mountain Empire's monetary offensive?
Especially when the head of the Longshan Family was that famously dissolute bastard. When he casually tossed out banknotes worth hundreds of millions of gold coins one after another... the civil and military ministers within Tulip Palace all shuddered at once. If the Dragon Mountain Empire truly smashed such banknotes down before them, they would probably sell Holy Radiance I, bones and soul alike, without the slightest hesitation, wouldn't they?
The Gallic Empire was