"Your Highness, 48 meritorious soldiers have been promoted to baron this time, 26 have been promoted from baron to viscount, and two have been promoted from viscount to count. The list of promotions has been verified, and there are no mistakes. However, the fief this time has already conferred the fief in Delemke and Winston provinces, and there will be no more fief to be conferred in the future. What I mean is, should we transfer some of the fief to Yungesandra and Muganohara provinces? It's basically empty there … "
What was the saying? The higher-ups moved their mouths, and the people below broke their legs. Although Laurist always felt that he was very busy, there were so many things waiting for him to decide, so many documents waiting for him to review, and so many family officials waiting to report to him. But in the real situation, no matter what it was, Laurist only needed to say a few words to set the tone, and then the family officials would naturally be busy working on it. After they were done, they would report to Laurist, and I would feel flattered if I could get a 'good job' or 'very good' in return.
For example, at the end of the year, the main event of the new fief and the promotion of nobles was handed over to Fatty Shi, and then he was busy playing with his wife and children. Fatty Shi gathered a group of family officials, and they were busy from day to night. Finally, there was a result after 20 days. Conferment and promotion were important matters. The division of the new fief and the expansion of the fief after the promotion all needed to be carefully calculated and coordinated. It could be said that Fatty Shi had gone all out to complete this task in 20 days.
Laurist shook his head lightly, and said to Fatty Shi, who was holding a large stack of documents to report to him, "There's no need. Yungesandra province is now being developed and built by Söderkamp, and it will take another two to three years to complete. Conferring nobles in Yungesandra province at this time will only cause trouble for Söderkamp, and it will not be conducive to his overall management. In the next 20 to 30 years, I plan to manage Yungesandra province as a direct territory of the family, so I will not confer new fief nobles there.
As for Makino Province, Governor Hickard wrote to me in his own hand to ask me not to confer the nobles of the territory there. Governor Hickard said that the role of Muye Province is to prevent the grassland barbarian cavalry from attacking the family territory. Secondly, it has a strategic geographical advantage for the Fisablun family. Thirdly, it forms an open market for the trade between the Norton family and the grassland barbarian tribes, which is beneficial for our family to accept and assimilate the grassland barbarian tribes in the surrounding area.
Because of this, Governor Hickard believes that if the new nobles of the territory are conferred to Makinohara Province, it will cause great harm to our family's rule. Because we can't guarantee that the newly promoted nobles won't forget their principles at the sight of profit and collude with the Barbarian Tribes through smuggling, inviting wolves into the house, and privately harming the family's interests. In view of the rights and interests of the nobles, it is impossible for us to effectively supervise this.
Therefore, Governor Hickard believed that a strategically important territory like Makano Province should also be directly administered by the family. This way, we can respond in time in case of unforeseen events, and there will be no unnecessary delays and delays because of the involvement of the nobles of the territory. I think what he said is very reasonable, which is why the new nobles of the territory and the promotion of the territory are limited to the provinces of Delemke and Winston. "
Fatty Shi placed a large stack of documents on the desk. "But Your Highness, the territory of these two provinces has been conferred. What should we do if the family conferred more titles and promoted titles in the future?"
Lollister took a bottle of black currant fruit wine and two crystal clear goblets. He poured the black wine into them, and then used a silver clip to pick out two relatively intact ice cubes from a glass basin filled with half-melted square ice cubes. He picked them up and put them into the glass. "Have a glass. This is the new black currant fruit wine of our family territory last year. It tastes very refreshing with ice cubes. Try it."
"Not bad." Fatty Shi took a sip and praised. However, he was very puzzled. "It's October now. Where did you get the ice cubes?"
The nobles of the Galinthia Continent had the custom of digging ice caves to store ice cubes. They usually dug a very deep cellar and pasted the walls with bluestone. After cleaning it, they would instruct their subordinates to choose clean ice cubes from the river water source to store and seal it. In summer, they would take it out to avoid the heat or make a cold drink to quench their thirst. However, ice cubes could not be stored for long. Basically, they would melt into water before summer was over. It was October now, and autumn had arrived. Fatty Shi was very curious where Lollister had gotten this square ice cubes.
Lollister laughed. "Do you still remember the gunpowder laboratory? Professor Bob discovered that saltpeter had the effect of cooling and freezing during his experiments, so he used this characteristic to make ice cubes for himself to cool down. Didn't I go to the gunpowder laboratory a few days ago? I got some saltpeter to make ice cubes. "
Fatty Shi was a little resentful. "You're really carefree. We're so busy here, yet you still have the leisure to wander around and bring back saltpeter to make ice cubes. Sigh, didn't the family say that the supply of saltpeter to make gunpowder is very tight? Is it okay to waste this saltpeter? "
"It can be recycled. As long as the water evaporates, we can still get saltpeter crystals." Lollister said, "I'm also curious. This time, we opened up two more valleys in the Blade Peak Mountain Range as saltpeter fields. Professor Bob thinks that we can double the production of gunpowder within two years. It should be enough to satisfy the training and reserves of our family's fleet and artillery battalion. "
Fatty Shi downed the black currant fruit wine in one gulp and poured himself another. He picked up two large ice cubes and threw them into the wine glass. "Alright, let's talk about the topic just now. Your Highness, what should we do if there are more people in our family who will be promoted in the next few years? The Delemark and Winston provinces were already full. In the end, the family had no choice but to take out the Yungesandra and Makinohara provinces for the conferment. Since Makinohara is the focus of the family's strategy, the only place that can be conferred can only be the Yungesandra province.
In my opinion, since this is the case, why can't we use this opportunity to confer and confer a group of nobles to the Yungesandra province? The family has invested a huge amount of money in the overall development of Yungesandra province, and we will continue to invest a large amount of money in the next few years. My personal idea is to confer or confer the undeveloped swamps and jungles to these nobles, forcing them to invest their own money to develop according to the family's plans. This will also reduce the family's burden … "
Fatty Shi was being kind. The family had already invested a huge sum of five million gold fords in the past three years to develop the barren Yungesandra province. In the next three years, they would continue to invest the same amount of money. To the Norton family, the development plan in the Yungesandra province could be said to have changed the world. They had flattened the jungles, built a dam to block the Egret Lake, and turned the swamps into fertile fields. Nearly two hundred thousand young captives had been working there for two to three years.
Shi Pudgy believed that he could bestow those territories that had not yet been affected by the war to new nobles, or transfer them to the nobles who had been promoted. The family could provide them with suitable subsidies to help them develop their territories according to the planned development plan. This would reduce the burden of the family's development, and at the same time, it could also train the vassal lords of the family to work hard and have the courage to pioneer. They would not just sit back and enjoy the fruits of the rich provinces of Delemark and Winston.
Laurist pondered for a while, but in the end, he shook his head and rejected Fatty Shi's suggestion. Humans don't worry about scarcity, they only worry about inequality. What was the old saying in his previous life? Fatty Shi might have thought too highly of human nature. He could be selfless, and he could even take the lead to transfer his territory to Yungesandra province. But what about the other newly conferred and promoted nobles?
Delemark and Winston provinces had rich extra territories to confer on, but they were sent to the barren Yungesandra province. Why could others live in those two rich provinces? Could it be that the family looked down on them and sent them here to suffer? It was likely that the nobles in Yungesandra province would be resentful, and it would be a waste of the family's good intention to confer on them.
"It's decided this time. They will all be in Delemark and Winston provinces," Laurist said. "In August next year, His Majesty will ascend the throne and change the kingdom to an empire. In the next few years, it was unlikely that there would be another war in the kingdom. Whether it was internal or external, everyone had fought enough. The three years of bloody war with the Commerce Federation in the Mana Hill Plain had greatly damaged the strength of most of the nobles in the kingdom. Even the most belligerent nobles had to think about whether they had the capital to fight for territory before declaring war against their neighbors.
No matter what, peace has finally come to the Andinac Kingdom, or perhaps the Christen Empire. If our family's knights want to use their military exploits to become lords and obtain titles, I'm afraid they will be disappointed. There won't be another war like the one against the Trade Union. Our family's armed forces also need to rest and recuperate. The ambitious young fellows can only vent their energy in daily training and hunting in the Barbarian Plains.
Perhaps the knights of our family will have to wait for the same number of years as the civil officials of our family to obtain the title and the opportunity for promotion. Therefore, in the next few years, our family will not be able to hold a large-scale appointment and promotion ceremony like this year. Now that our Norton Family controls five provinces in the kingdom, His Majesty will not give our family the authority to govern any of the provinces. He wants to take back all four of our family's provinces.
Therefore, I have decided that our family's future development will be towards the north. You see, after we defeated the invasion of the Mountain Barbarian army, a large area outside of our family's territory has actually become part of our family's sphere of influence. Two Mountain Towns has become the central town of this area. Mercenaries from our family's territory are active in this area, and the Mountain Barbarian tribes have retreated to the depths of the Demonic Dragon Mountains. In addition, our family's armed forces have to pass through this area to hunt in the Barbarian Plains. After many raids, this area has become a relatively safe area. Many mercenaries are complaining that it's difficult to find magical beasts and Mountain Barbarian tribes in this area.
My idea is to include this area under our family's rule and establish a province for development and construction. Because this is our family's territory, His Majesty has no right to interfere. Apart from this area, there is also the Barbarian Plains in the north. It is a boundless land that we can set our sights on. Therefore, I don't have to worry about the lack of territory. After a few years, when this area is established as a province, our family will be able to confer new vassal lords there. "
Fatty Shi was suddenly enlightened. "So that's what Your Highness was planning. No wonder you summoned Father Barlek and asked him to organize an exploration team to investigate the distribution of mineral resources in this area. You even asked Terman to personally escort them with a Knight Battalion. I was wondering why Your Highness was making such a big fuss over such a small matter. I understand now. I have no doubts about Your Highness's arrangements. "
Buckingham nodded and poured a cup of black currant fruit wine for himself and Fatty Shi. "When you return to Furious Bear City, I'll bring you a case of black currant fruit wine. This is a secret brew from the south-central Mobius Duchy, which was famous for its fruit wine. After the destruction of the Trade Union and the annexation of the Mobius Duchy, the winemakers were divided among themselves. This blackcurrant wine winemaker was unwilling to become the slaves of the Trade Union, so he fled with his family to the north and opened this winemaking workshop. The first batch only produced a little more than a thousand bottles, and it took two years to brew. My family has already bought all of them, and there is no way to buy them outside. "
Fatty Shi was very happy. "Thank you, Your Highness, but one case is too little. At least three cases. You know I like to drink fruit wine. This kind of black currant wine is sweet with a hint of sourness. It's fragrant and refreshing, and the taste of the wine is pure. It's very suitable for quenching thirst. You only have a case of ten bottles. How can it be enough for me? "
Buckingham laughed and scolded, "One bottle is already four gold coins. You bastard, you must have gotten used to robbing my wine collection. Go and tell Butler Bowery yourself."
Bowery was the eldest son of Butler Boris. Butler Boris had brought his family to betray the Kamis family and defected to Buckingham's side. He then went to the Haneabada Islands and served as the governor for ten years. When he came back, he was conferred the title of viscount by the Norton family. Due to his old age, he resigned and returned to his territory to enjoy life. Before he left, he handed his eldest son to Buckingham. Because of his family's history, Bowery was an extremely qualified butler. Buckingham was very comfortable and satisfied with him.
"Alright, thank you again, Your Highness. I'll go and tell Butler Bowery later and ask him to prepare a few more cases for me, "Fatty Shi said." Your Highness, I'll be returning to the Furious Bears City tomorrow. Do you have any other orders? "
Buckingham thought for a moment and said, "There's basically nothing else to say. I'm not worried about leaving the New Year's celebration to you. Manager Spear and Manager Cordan will cooperate with your orders. You all have experience in how to organize a New Year's celebration, so I won't say anything more. Sylvia and I will return to the Furious Bears City at the end of November. I'll leave everything there to you. "
Fatty Shi downed the fruit wine in his cup and stood up. "Alright, Your Highness, then I'll take my leave. See you at the Furious Bears City."
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