The Villain Princess survived the Imperial Riot

There was still contempt in Hestia's eyes, but when she saw that the goblin's trousers under his tuxedo were even wet, her original plan was reduced to silence.

Too soft-boned and too timid, could such a mediocre person really be the legendary adventurer, the pillar of the press, and the godmother of the smuggling zone as described in the Falcon Whistle files?

With the mentality of giving it a try, Hestia said:

"Liliana Vanin, 25 years old, born into a family of wine merchants. When you were seven, your father was arrested and imprisoned for counterfeiting wine, and your mother took away the family fortune and disappeared. Afterward, you were adopted by your uncle, the logistics manager of the Adventurer's Guild, and traveled with him throughout the West Coast.

"Due to your dual identities as a doctor and a guild member of the Empire, you followed your uncle into the smuggling business, operating in the gray area between the Empire and overseas. At seventeen, your reselling of guild weapons was exposed. To appease public outrage, you took your uncle's place, resigned, and disappeared for three years.

"Three years later, the underwater ruins of Valloye collapsed. You published the Valloye Exploration Journal, a firsthand account of your experience. Thanks to this journal, adventurers found a safe route through the ruins. Your work earned you fame, and you opened an adventurer training camp in Bonn Bay. Countless adventurers flocked to it, but 90% of the students who paid your tuition never heard from you again after graduation. The remaining students, upon returning from the ruins, denigrated you. Forced to close the school, you used your connections to start a newspaper, distributing illegal publications and facilitating the smuggling of goods along the Golden Route. Within the community, you earned the respectful nickname 'Madame Fragrance.'"

Liliana's calves were shaking so badly that she had to use a cane to support herself.

To be honest, before the princess arrived, she never worried that these things would cost her her head.

The smuggling business was actually just to support her uncle's business, benefiting the wealthy merchants of Tyran, the ocean-going pirates, and the powerful people of Yunling. If her uncle dared to steal the weapons from the Adventurer's Guild, wouldn't the Governor's Office be able to sell the city guard's armaments? The Tyran elves weren't bad birds either. We were all in the same boat, so no one could dare to mess with anyone else.

But the princess is the princess, and the master is the master. Didn’t Sir Glenn, the protector of Coral Pier, die tragically in prison overnight?

"Your Highness, what is Madam Xiangfen, what is smuggling, I really don't know wow!"

Liliana was crying. She was just a lousy agent who could not keep much money, but she had to take the blame for this. She felt extremely aggrieved.

She absolutely could not admit this matter. The Celestial Dragons would not show any mercy just because of her confession. The only way to survive was to avoid the important issues and focus on the trivial ones.

"So, the illegal publication has nothing to do with you?"

"Your Highness, I, Liliana, sit upright and refuse to admit to the false accusation, but I will never shirk my responsibility for what I have done!" The goblin immediately wiped away her tears and spoke righteously, "The newspaper's publications have been reported to the censorship office and the approval fee has been paid. Although we haven't received the written approval yet, we have gone through the formal channels. How can this be illegal publication?"

"Approval fee, is there such a thing?"

"Yes, the Inquiry Office said so."

After saying that, the goblin walked to the safe in the corner and took out stacks of "bills" from it. He pretended to be stupid and said, "This is the approval fee for one issue of the "Fangxin Evening News". Inspector Milo is here for this. This is the approval fee for three issues of the "Relic Encyclopedia". Inspector Ansel is here for this. This is..."

Hestia propped up her chin with a half-smile, pointed at the goblin with her pinky finger, and said, "Did you know that bribing an imperial official is a serious crime punishable by skinning and scalping?"

"Bribery?" The goblin was startled and quickly waved her hands. "No, no, no, no, Your Highness, you must be mistaken. I always abide by the law and follow the Inquisitor's procedures every step of the way. I don't, I don't know..." She lowered her head and said through gritted teeth, "Liliana wouldn't dare lie to Your Highness! You can ask the Inquisitor if you have anything!"

The goblin chuckled to himself, feeling rather proud of his quick thinking. If the princess really questioned the Inquiry Office, those idle and useless Inquisitors would have no choice but to accept the consequences.

Hestia nodded. "Well said. When the skinning is done, you will sit at the same table with the inquisitors."

"Your Highness!" Liliana immediately lost her balance and knelt down again, her fur all over the place. "I've paid taxes for the empire, I've donated to the empire! I, ...

"Unjust?" Hestia asked. "Then could you translate for me what 'the despicable young dragon is stealing the Fran crown' means?"

Liliana stopped breathing, and after going around in circles, she finally fell into this trap.

Seeing the goblin remained silent, Hestia spoke to herself, "'The Empire has long desired to completely rule Fran and eliminate all opposition. This may be the reason why the Empire's Sixth Princess came to Yunling. Although she is still a young girl, as Fran's only Sky Dragon, it is not difficult to imagine that she is plotting a grand game behind the scenes. An even bloodier massacre will unfold in this frost-worn land of doom. Free will will not yield, and the Imperial Iron Army will find it even harder to compromise. For you and me, the only way out is probably to travel to the New World and find a promised land...' This is your main author, right?"

"It sounds like an advertisement for an immigration agency..." Liliana's face was full of forlornness. "Your Highness, I don't know what these are..."

"Oh."

This indifferent "Oh" seemed to express the princess's impatience. The goblin's defenses were almost broken, and his cute yellow fur stuck tightly to his body.

She choked up and said, "Your Highness, this is just a draft I wrote when I was drunk. I don't know how it got into the newspaper!"

Liliana wouldn't dare to slander Tianlong. At best, she would use Tianlong's reputation to incite some chaos and make some money from the immigrants who came with their families.

The population of the Old World is so large that they can't die. Moving them overseas can be considered a good deed. Even if the New World can't absorb them, those pirate strongholds will still be short of people!

Even though she portrayed the Imperial Dragon as a ferocious beast, if you ask her whether she supports the Imperial Dragon's slaughter of people, she definitely supports it.

But now the knife has fallen on my head...

The princess chuckled softly and said, "Tell me, is bloody slaughter good or bad?"

Ruined.

Liliana couldn't imagine the possibility of survival. The only way was to please the princess. But how could she, a clown who smuggled, spread rumors and incited people, be worthy of the princess's favor?

No matter how you look at it, it seems that a sudden death on the spot is beneficial to the empire.

"Your Highness, I deserve to die! Wuuwuwu! I am willing to donate my wealth to the empire! Wuuwuwu! I am willing to join the army! I have extensive experience in logistics management! Please, Your Highness, let me atone for my sins on the battlefield! Wuuwu, I, I don't want to die—"

The goblin howled. Even in the most difficult times, she had never encountered such a deadly situation, and she didn't even dare to escape.

"..."

Hestia watched in silence as the goblin howled, the floor wet. She had no sympathy for him, but she felt that Zhao An was a disgrace to others.

The princess asked, "You are an adventurer who has survived the underwater ruins. You are really going backwards as you get older."

"Wuwuwuwuwu, I never went to the ruins. I was managing supplies on the exploration ship. Those deeds were all fictionalized by me compiling the oral materials of the lurkers—"

The invisible infectious force spread with the crying, and seemed to affect the princess's mood.

Hestia's eyes suddenly became sharp. With a quick step, she raised her hand, grabbed the goblin by the collar, and lifted her high into the air. "You used mystical magic to infect me?"

Before entering the warehouse, she already knew Liliana's spiritual background, and as soon as something unusual happened, she knew it was the other party who was causing trouble.

The goblin stopped crying and shook his head in even greater panic: "I didn't!"

"I think you really want to die."

"Your Highness, please don't kill me, wu——"

Seeing the goblin dripping again, Hestia threw her to the ground with some disgust: "I must be crazy to think of recruiting a coward like you into my army."

"Wu...ah?" Liliana blinked her large, fluttering eyes with ease. "Your Highness, are you not here to kill me?"

"But you seem to be wanting to die now."

"I'm still useful! I can sacrifice my own family for the greater good! I can be a tainted witness! I know all the perpetrators of this entire smuggling ring! My uncle resold guild weapons, and provincial officials embezzled imperial armaments!" The goblin immediately flattered in a shrill voice, "I was forced into this. I had no choice before, but now I just want to be a loyal and good person!"

Hestia looked at her and had already figured out the goblin.

He was indeed useful, but his two-faced face was really disgusting, perfectly fitting her stereotype of goblins.

Then, Liliana said anxiously, "Your Highness, I have also marked the sailing date of the Adventurer's Guild's treasure ship with the pirate informant. I can give the plan to Your Highness and place the Empire's manpower there. After the pirates succeed, we will..."

"Are you showing me your unfaithful and unrighteous nature?" Hestia raised her eyebrows.

"..." The goblin was about to cry again, trembling with fear, "Birds choose good trees to roost in. Unless there is a sponsor more powerful than Your Highness, Your Highness tells me to go east, I will never go west, wuwu..."

Her words were very realistic and honest, so Hestia would just accept them.

"You passed," Hestia said.

"Hmm?" Liliana blinked away tears.

"Do you know why I came to see you?"

"Smuggling? Spreading rumors?" Liliana asked tentatively. Seeing the princess's indifference, she fell into deep thought and muttered, "Your Highness, perhaps you're also trying to get involved in the gray industry..."

"The Empire has decided to sell titles and land in Fran to raise military funds. Even you, if you have the money, can buy an earldom and become a lord with absolute authority."

"Uh..." Liliana scratched her head.

So it was selling official positions and titles. What's the problem with that? All land under heaven belongs to the emperor. If the emperor wants to sell it, he can sell it. What does a rumormonger like her have to do with it? She wanted to buy it, but she had no money!

Moreover, the empire's credit is just for fun. The crown banknotes have made the printing press smoke, resulting in the market only accepting gold shields. Now the empire has lowered its posture a little due to internal and external troubles. Once the rebels are suppressed and the Russian herdsmen are conquered, I am afraid that they will settle the score later!

Suddenly, Liliana thought of something and hesitated, "Your Highness, are you asking me to endorse this matter in the name of the Adventurer's Guild? No, no! If Your Highness abandons me, the guild's reputation will be ruined! My uncle and I will definitely be punished by the Ministry of Internal Affairs!"

"So you prefer this position to skinning and stuffing."

Hearing this, the goblin looked grim.

Hestia said at the right moment, "Don't worry. You may not trust the reputation of the empire, but you can trust my good name. Anyone is eligible to purchase territory, whether he's a bandit or a pirate, whether he's a Tyran elf or an Ember Dwarf..."

The goblin thought the princess was crazy, or perhaps just too naive, thinking she could pull off a pig-killing scam. In her experience, those pigs were both clever and treacherous, so how could they easily fall for a trick unless they were motivated by profit?

"What if it's a traitor?" Liliana asked cautiously.

"Not everyone wants to overthrow the empire. Even if they do, they lack the courage. Even if they do, they wouldn't believe they have the ability to do so," Hestia explained gently. "There are many moderate voices within Fran. As long as they don't oppose the Heberus royal family, the empire is willing to listen to their opinions and learn from the Southern Parliament's system to promote the establishment of an autonomous nation for the Fran lords."

Liliana didn't realize the concept of bulk Fran, but just let her imagination run wild: "What if I also buy a piece of land and establish an autonomous country, can I also become the queen?"

"I can carve out a territory in Fran and establish the Promised Kingdom for the goblins." Hestia said with a half-smile, "But it must be under the banner of the Empire."

"Oh..." Liliana quickly deflated, "But my savings are only over 3,000 gold shields, which is probably enough to make me a small baroness."

Regardless of how much credibility the princess has, Liliana must admit that she was attracted to him the first time.

As a group of people who have been treated like golden pigs and slaughtered by elves, dwarves, and humans for countless years, the status of goblins is only slightly higher than that of ratmen. If they can really have their own home in the fertile land of Fran, it would be like heaven coming to earth!

"I believe that given the capabilities of your goblin family, money isn't a problem," Hestia added. "Fiefdoms and titles can only be settled in francs. If you don't have sufficient cash, you can obtain a mortgage from the Bank of Lorraine. The loan will be deposited into the borrower's bank account in the form of francs."

"Fran? The Empire is going to print new currency?"

"It's Franxin."

The goblins were so clever that even though it was hard to figure it out at the moment, Liliana vaguely sensed the tsunami of gold coins.

This is by no means simply about raising military funds.

As long as Fran still has land to sell, the status of the new currency will be unshakable. Hot money from all over the world will try its hand at Fran, this fertile land. The princess can even move the money printing machine from the Old World to the New World.

This is more effective than selling official positions and titles, and is equivalent to reshaping Fran's monetary system!

As long as there is money, Yunling's industry and commerce can not only restore its former prosperity, but also be on par with Tailan.

Even the citizens of Fran who hold their wallets tightly have to dissolve in the tide.

After thinking for a moment, Liliana frowned again and said, "Your Highness, I'm worried that I won't do well and fail the empire's mission..."

"Who said you're the only one? Isn't there also the Waning family?"

"Ah, but my uncle is from the Adventurer's Guild..."

"Madam Xiangfen," the princess said, her expression suddenly serious. "I'm sure your uncle wouldn't want his reselling of the guild's equipment to be known to the world, would he?"

The goblin's breath hitched, a flicker of determination flashing across his brow. "He has to do this, whether he wants to or not. I believe my uncle is a man of broad mindedness. Don't worry, I guarantee in the name of the Adventurer's Guild that within a week, the entire coastal area will know of your highness's kindness and favor. Within a month, even the natives of the New World will be determined to cross the ocean!"

……

PS:

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