Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Lehrist sat in the tent with a gloomy expression, looking at the dejected family knights.
"Speak. Why aren't you speaking? Why are you all so smug? There is strength in numbers. We have a lot of people now, but do you have enough food to feed them? Fengle Plains has just settled down, and we still have to provide some food subsidies this year. We can only be self-sufficient by next year at most. You heard the numbers reported by Spear and Camora. The food stored by the family can only last for another eight months at most.
It's the 12th of July now, and there are only four more months until November. Everyone will be in winter from December to March next year. And then? There will be no food by April or May next year. We've invested so much resources and money in developing Fengle Plains over the past two years, and it's almost like there's no return. We can finally relax for a while, but you've brought such a huge burden to the family! "
Lehrist was furious. There were more than eight hundred thousand people in the Northern Lands, and three hundred thousand had been moved during the raid on the Grand Duchy. This time, these bastards had swept away all the lords in the Northern Lands, except for the three families that were allied with the Kenneth Family, the Shahin Family, and the Filim Family. They had brought back almost two hundred and eighty thousand people. Now, apart from the original two hundred thousand people in the three families' territories and the seventy to eighty thousand refugees that the second prince had moved to the Grand Duchy in the past two years, almost all the people in the Northern Lands had been gathered here.
"You thought you could get a large amount of food from the lords to replenish your supplies, but now you're all dumbfounded, aren't you? The second prince has been plundering the Northern Lands without restraint, and do you know how much the lords have set the land taxes? Seventy percent, and fifty percent has been handed over to the second prince. Those people are left with barely enough food to survive. Otherwise, why would they be so happy to be your prisoners of war and follow the soldiers? The food we provided along the way is already something they haven't eaten in a year, and they still want to eat their fill … "
While escorting Princess Sylvia, they passed by a few supply points as well. Every time it was mealtime, the temporary camps were bustling with activity. All the migrating civilians were in high spirits, as if they were attending a banquet. Only when Laurist went over to ask did he realize that the vegetable porridge with dried daemon meat was a rare delicacy to these civilians. Furthermore, it was salted, and everyone was given a thick piece of black bread …
If these civilians still stayed in their original territories, they could still harvest some potatoes at the end of the year. Although most of them would be taken away by Sir Baron, the rest could be used to dig some wild vegetables to survive the winter and wait for the winter wheat to be harvested. That way, they would be able to survive tenaciously.
However, the armed forces of the Norton Family had come. They had captured the Lord, emptied the castle, and forced everyone to follow them. At first, some people were not happy about it. However, when they heard that they would be given land and houses, the taxes were low, and there would be no labor, they were all tempted. Then, the Norton Family's armed forces placed a large pot of dried Magical Beast meat into the vegetable porridge and cooked it. They shouted that they would all eat this on the way there! All the civilians immediately volunteered to become captives and follow them.
With food in hand, there was no need to panic. If not for these 280,000 civilians, even with the additional 50,000 to 60,000 captives, the family's food reserves would be enough for everyone to eat for two to three months a year. Even if they encountered a natural disaster, there was no need to panic. However, with the additional burden of 280,000 people, just as the two supervisors had calculated, they only had eight months' worth of food reserves. Even if the potatoes and other grains planted at Fengle Plains were harvested at the end of the year, it would only last for two to three months at most, and they would still not be able to make ends meet.
It would take at least two years for these 280,000 people to settle down and be given land and houses. During these two years, the family would still have to provide them with food. The development of the Black Clay Swamp required a large amount of manpower and resources, and there would be no food production for several years. This burden would not be able to be carried by the family for at least two to three years.
Taking a deep breath, Leurist looked at his subordinates with disappointment. "What's wrong? Are you all mute? Say something. Where are we going to get food with so many people?"
Fatty Shi said with a sad face, "My lord, I think it's better for you to make the decision. We were wrong, just tell us how to punish you …"
"Bring me a map of the family's territory, and the original map of Spencer's territory." Laurist ordered Redi, who was standing behind him.
"How many captives did you capture this time?" Laurist asked.
"A total of 63,248 people. Those who did not die in the northern army were all captured. In this battle, the second prince's first legion suffered more than 10,000 casualties. More than 8,000 died, and more than 3,000 were injured. We have already given them treatment, and after a few months, they will be able to serve as labourers. "Fatty Shi could recite the numbers like the back of his hand.
This time, the northern nobles' army of a hundred thousand really lived up to its name. It was not an exaggeration, and there were even more. But now, it was a complete wipeout. Not a single one escaped, and even their lair was swept clean.
"How many of the nobles are still alive?" Laurist asked again.
"Forty-seven. More than twenty who resisted were all hanged to death …" Fatty Shi's voice became softer.
"Sigh …" Laurist sighed again and thought for a moment. "Chief Camelot, bring Tagger to deal with these lords. Hang those with bad reputations, and send the rest out of the country as gifts for the new lords conferred by the second prince. Raise the old Northland lords like Earl Spencer's family first, and provide them with an annuity. Their castles and territories have been destroyed by our family's armed forces, and their subjects have all followed us here. Even if we let them go, they will only be waiting for death. Let's find another territory for them in the future. "
"Yes, my lord." Manager Camora stood up and answered.
Redi brought the map over and spread it on the table.
"You three have given me trouble, so you three will be responsible for cleaning it up. Knight Bofinger, take three heavy armor battalions and escort the captives to the Black Swamp to serve as labourers. Remember two things. First, the walls and trenches from Tortoise Mountain to Crouching Bull Hill must be completed by the end of November. Use the soil dug out from the trenches to make mud bricks to build the walls. When winter comes, pour water and freeze it. I do not wish to play with magical beasts this winter. Even if there is a wave of magical beasts, we must stop them outside the walls.
Second, you can slow down the road in the Black Swamp. I will have the chariot battalion work with you to eliminate the Ironback Bay Crocodiles. However, we must speed up the road along the coast, and fill in the path to the highlands by the sea as soon as possible. I hope to find a suitable place by the sea to build a shipyard next year. Do you understand? "Laurist tapped the map with his finger.
Bofinger stood at attention, "Yes, my lord. I will definitely complete these two requests."
"Don't agree so quickly. You have to widen the walls that I mentioned. At least two chariots must be able to travel side by side." Laurist increased the difficulty. Two chariots had to be at least five meters wide, which was equivalent to doubling the workload.
Bofinger was stunned, "My lord, why do we have to allow two chariots to travel?"
"It's over twenty kilometers from Turtle Mountain to Crouching Bull hill. Do you plan on having our clan's soldiers run back and forth every day? Allowing two chariots to travel side by side means that we can directly pull the chariot battalion up to set up defences in times of emergency. Do you understand now? "
"I understand, my lord." Bofinger rubbed his head in embarrassment.
"Knight Shredder, you have many things to do. First, the distribution of land for all the citizens of the Fengle Plains must be completed before the end of the year. The planting of the land cannot be delayed either. Right now, we can still plant another batch of potatoes in November, so we have to spread the word about expanding the planting area. At this time, grains are also life-saving crops, so the more we plant, the better. After harvesting this batch of potatoes, you have to organize the citizens of the Fengle Plains to plant winter wheat. Tell them that the wave of magical beasts won't come again during winter, so they can plant without worry. The first year of next year, our clan will only collect ten percent of the land tax. The more they plant, the more they will reap … "
"My lord, I know what to do. I will do it well," Fatty Shi said.
"You can just leave such a small matter to steward Boris. This is not the focus of your work. " Loriste pointed at the civilian camp outside, "You have to form a team of young labourers from these two hundred thousand new citizens to develop Poplar Beach and build a town. I want to turn Poplar Beach into a logistics base for the development of the Black Clay Swamp. In the future, all related construction materials will be gathered there …
Also, the construction of Monolith Back City must be done quickly. Whether it's the defensive walls or the planning of the residential communities, they must all be completed before the end of next year. That way, I won't be annoyed by the sight of a ruined city every day. Once these two areas are completed, you can prepare to build Monolith Back City. This was the plan you proposed before, so you will carry it out. "
"Lastly, come over and take a look at this map of the former Earl of Spencer's territory. Roth, come over here too." Loriste said as he slapped the map on the table.
Fatty Shi and Roth the Ferocious Tiger walked over obediently.
"The former Earl of Spencer's territory and the territories of the nearby lords. This large piece of land is a rare area of lush water and grass in the Northern Region. Look, there are also three big and five small lakes, which are very suitable for large areas of reclamation and planting. I have named this area the Xingan Plains. From today onwards, the Xingan Plains belongs to the Norton Family.
The Xingan Plains can be divided into eight districts like the Fengle Plains. Knight Shredder, you will be responsible for settling these two hundred thousand citizens into the Xingan Plains. Delineate the districts, settle the residents, and register the census. I will have Head Supervisor Cordan help you with these. Head Supervisor Spear will provide the rations and supplies, and Head Supervisor Hansk will help you with the statistics and planning. All the requirements are the same as the seven districts of the Fengle Plains.
However, after you have divided the eight districts, you can concentrate your efforts on developing three or four districts first. The remaining districts can be developed after the population increases. Remember, you have to hurry up and use the land that has been developed before. Let the citizens plant potatoes first. It will be good if they can harvest more food. As for Ross, your three lancer battalions will be stationed in the Xingan Plains and will be responsible for security. "Laurist told him the plan he had come up with to settle the citizens.
"Sir, why don't you move these citizens into the family's territory? Look, on the road from Monolith Castle to Maple Forest Manor, we have already developed the Fengle Plains near the Blade Peak Mountain on the left. The wasteland on the right near the Black Forest is bigger than the Fengle Plains and can definitely accommodate more people. "Fatty Shi objected.
Laurist shook his head lightly. "The safety of this area is still uncertain. I don't plan on developing this wasteland. Perhaps we can set up a ranch in the future, but let's not talk about building a town or reclaiming the wasteland for now. I remember that three years ago, when we were transporting supplies from Maple Forest Manor to Monolith Castle, we were attacked by nearly a hundred Mountain Barbarian cavalry on this road. That time, it was Josk who showed his prowess and killed more than thirty Mountain Barbarian cavalry in one go. The rest of the Mountain Barbarian cavalry were so scared that they escaped into the Black Forest.
Before we deal with the Mountain Barbarians, let's leave this wasteland as it is. That way, even if the Mountain Barbarians appear in the wasteland, as long as we discover them, our powerful family's armed forces will be more than enough to annihilate them. If we develop this wasteland and the Mountain Barbarians use the Black Forest as a cover to attack the towns and villages under construction, there will be heavy casualties. When that happens, the people will panic, and we will have to expend extra troops to defend them. The gains won't make up for the losses.
Right now, only our four families are left in the north, so the external security can be initially guaranteed. We don't need to rely on the walls of Monolith Castle to protect the family's territory. As long as the towns and villages in the Xingan Plains have reliable defensive facilities like the ones in Fengle Plains, even if the enemy invades, we will be able to withstand the first wave of attacks. The mobility of our family's armed forces will be able to deal a devastating blow to the enemy.
Therefore, developing the Xingan Plains is imperative. The Grand Duke of the North's invasion and the second prince's attack. The Furious Bear Family has already made a name for themselves in these two battles. It's time for us to stretch our claws and occupy some territory. Otherwise, we will always be called a turtle hiding in the family's territory. Does everyone understand what I've said? "
"Understood, my lord." The family knights in the tent replied in unison.
"Right, there are two more things. The first is to divide the Xingan Plains into eight regions. Prepare to build a manor and castle in each region. Knight Shredder will be in charge of this, "Laurist said.
"My lord, what is this for?" Fatty Shi was very curious. Every region already had a central town, but they still wanted to build a manor and castle. Were they preparing to station troops?
Laurist laughed, "Our family already has six Gold Knights. According to the rules and common sense, every Gold Knight should have a manor and castle. They have been wronged in the past few years, and the family has too many matters to attend to. Now that we have the conditions, we should prepare a manor and castle for them. Building two more manors and castles is because of Terman and Yuri. These few years, they have advanced very quickly. They have gone from being a 3-star Silver when they graduated from the academy to the peak of the Silver rank. In another two or three years, they will be able to advance to the Gold rank. When the manor and castle are built, we can give them to them …
Knight Shredder, you should work hard too. Don't fall behind. Also, Dolus, don't be obsessed with the power of chariots and crossbows. You need to be strong to forge iron, and you can't fall behind in your training. If you advance to the Gold rank, you will have a manor and castle too. I can even build a chariot corps for you and make you the commander. "
"Really?" Dolus was overjoyed.
"I won't lie to you," Laurist nodded.
"Alright, I'll train hard when I get back tonight …" Dolus patted his chest and shouted.
Everyone laughed.
When the laughter died down, Laurist's expression darkened again, "Yuri, I heard that you were the most active in the purge of the northern lords. You ran the fastest and caught the most, right? I'll leave the second task to you. In August, Old Man Barlek will be taking the carpenters to the Black Forest to look for suitable wood. You will lead the Ranger Battalion and protect them. Don't let any of the craftsmen get hurt. Understood? "
"Yes, my lord, I understand. Just like you said, these skilled craftsmen are the family's greatest treasure. I will do my best to ensure their safety. If I knew this would happen, I would've learned carpentry … "Yuri's voice grew softer and softer until it became a mumble.
"It's not too late for you to learn now. I can give you two years of leave and you can come back after you've mastered it. You will become our family's first carpentry knight. I will also send someone to protect you in battle." Laurist's ears were sharp, so he heard what Yuri was mumbling.
"My lord, I think it's better not. Otherwise, you will ask me to bring a saw when I go into battle …" Yuri replied with a frown.
Everyone in the tent roared with laughter again.
… …
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