A Capable Maid - Ch. 45

[xussie]

if have to see Rachel's face in any more episodes, I might just punch my phone 😐

 

[ImJustAWeirdo]

He'll see right through you anyway, you lying stealing bish. Grrrrr.

 

[snowyang26]

@Mathiason Since this world's modeled on 18th cen. Europe, it reminds me of the Holy Roman Empire. All of Europe was incredibly devout and the Church had enormous power over the legitimacy of entire empires and rulers. I imagine they restrict dealings with any non-Christian nations under penalty of renunciation. But yes I agree they could have made this more clear when explaining what was restricted or not

On the other hand, declaring you'll go to war as a threat while literally letting your enemies know your people are starving is maybe not the best decision...you know, since you're revealing your people are dying, you don't have funds to purchase grain, you're threatening to conscript peasants to war away from their farms and already starving families (most nations did not have large standing armies), and taxing unhappy, desperate peasants to fill war chests. That's like asking for revolt and invasion

 

[Mathiason]

@snowyang26 Granted threatening to declare war is not the nicest, economic or smartest approach for a negotiation, but that's probably why they tried to make a big thing about the meat not properly being prepared to their beliefs despite having no way of knowing whether it was or not. Also, it was probably a declaration of intent if their food crisis isn't solved. As for revolt if they didn't get enough food soon there'd be riots over food while a war could be blamed on the other side refusing to trade for food and taking what they need. That and, while an extreme and drastic measure, anyone killed would be one less mouth to feed as it's impossible to fight large battles without soldiers dying. Basically they were saying we're in a real mess and help us solve it or we'll be so desperate and have no other choice but to try to take it by force. Whole thing is a mess but those are things people at the top have to deal with during crises

 

[snowyang26]

@Mathiason I get the intent, but that is some seriously poor decision making on the Eastern Holy Nation's part. Throughout history rulers have tried to distract from domestic problems by creating a foreign enemy and that's usually ended badly. The fewer mouths to feed argument doesn't entirely work here since you require strong and healthy male labor to tend to the farms. If you conscript all the healthy soldiers and leave the old, young, and sick that's setting yourself up for failure. You suddenly have drastically less labor tending to crops. Plus feeding an army is a massive endeavor. Maintaining one is even more expensive. Back then farmers were taxed in grain. So suddenly, decreased labor force -> less crops + high taxation --> extremely unhappy conscript soldiers who know their children, wives, and parents are starving to death at home while they fight a pointless war on foreign soil.

War strains economic and political stability and reveals weaknesses in a nation. Sometimes that's enough to bring an empire to its knees. One extremely important aspect to note is that certain parts of the nation will be wealthier while others struggling. In good times, if you drum up enough war hawk patriotism, you might get some grumbling but you're strong enough to weather the criticism. The same holds true now. When war isn't fought on your soil or you don't experience significant decrease in quality of life, no one really cares. BUT when you're already under intense internal pressures, regional tensions will emerge. Say you're in a wealthy area and the empire calls on you to send more men and finances and live under ration because you're capable, you'll think hold on, why should I do this for the poorer areas of the empire (which are also often culturally, religiously, and ethnically unique). We're doing well on our own (maybe they're the bread basket region or industrial area), either tax us evenly, avoid war altogether, or let's breakaway.

This is exactly what's happening in modern Italy split between the industrial Lombardia and rural Sicilia. No one can agree on changing the tax policy. Also the Catalonian independence vote, which was successful btw. This is also why Brexit happened since wealthier nations didn't want to pay for those under austerity. And that's without the pressures of war. Meanwhile, the poor regions at wits end will straight up revolt because why not, they're going to die anyway they might as well take their chances at home. There's also a heck ton of resentment over wealthier regions sending the poor folk to war while being unwilling to distribute wealth. Then tada, you get peasant revolts + external war, major contributing factors to the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Achaemenid Empire, Tang Dynasty, and into infinity. Like that was literally how Imperial Russia ended. The Bolshevik takeover started from the February Revolution with women protesting in bread lines after the imperial dynasty decided it was more important to conscript soldiers to fight a European war. Never underestimate women in bread lines. I'm looking at you Women's March on Versailles. I repeat, never underestimate women in bread lines.

 

[YourFather]

No

 

[izayamikaelis]

Oils! ask them for massive reserve of oils like a certain country o3o

 

[anzuda]

@snowyang26 @Mathiason Thank you for the engaging and informative discussion.

 

[timidhakana]

waoh woah, slow down blonde bitch

 

[SovietWeeb]

What? Really? Two things. One, that's your brilliant idea? Make them pay for the food? I feel that even children could come up with this. It's a give-and-take situation. Why would this not eve be something given to as part of the deal, to begin with? Yeah, let's ask help from a hostile Empire, not offer them anything, and threaten war! Brilliant! This is so mind-boggling annoying right now. The story is actively making the world seem dumb so that the main characters can look smarter than they are.

Second. Really? This is the trade? You guys have somehow been unable to obtain sugar seeds? I was thinking Marie was gonna suggest something fairly smart. Like obtaining a fairly big amount of acres from the Empire. Then usuing those to farm Sugar. This way they'd be able to farm them and keep them as their own. But you're gonna instead try to grow and raise them in what? Italy? Serbia? Austria-Hungary? I don't know what country this is. But Europe isn't gonna have any ideal spots for farming. Especially not on the European coast that is known to be quite Hllish, and lush with greenery

 

[RossiniChii]

I FCKING HATE HER. NO WONDER HER NAME IS RACHEL. 😒

 

[idelvice]

Wow, you're incompetent and stupid... why everything should be relay to you... if you ever get chosen as the crown princess, you're still an imbecile princess.

 

[Goyal99Raj]

.....seriously trading is a good idea? Like, no one else thought of that before? Just the crown price and Marie? This is so damn dumb

 

[sopya_aa]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[Sleepawake]

NOOOOOO PLEASE DON'T LET THIS USELESS NOBLE DAUGHTER TO GET THE IDEA😩😩😩😩😩 PLS THINK ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THE "CROWN PRINCESS" IS USELESS AF IN FUTURE

 

[Kthp]

GROUP PROJECTS SUCK. One person does all the work, and the Professor (Prince) will obviously know who is slacking off.

 

[penguinwin]

i'm so freaking mad at rachel. when will marie realize that although rachel will be her stepping stone to escaping the palace, rachel will be useless without her. rachel will kept on using her for every damn thing like a dumb bitch that rachel is.

 

[Siquall]

Incoming the prince "IS THIS REALLY YOUR IDEA ???" For the 4th time.