King

In Dadir City, the atmosphere of war has permeated every corner of the city.

Unknowingly, prices in the city have begun to rise quietly, especially the prices of daily necessities that are needed soar the fastest.

The County Sheriff's Office has repeatedly issued documents to stabilize prices, but driven by intimidation, the market has long lost its rationality.

Coupled with the fueling of greedy businessmen, prices soared even faster.

Those most affected were the soldiers from Northern Xinjiang who followed the Sith southward.

After being away from home for so long, I felt homesick. Now that the war is about to break out and the family members are still on the front line in northern Xinjiang, this sentiment has been further amplified.

In order to appease the morale of the military, Sith also made a lot of efforts. Most of the soldiers started families here, with wives and children.

The roots have taken root, and the attachment to the homeland is still firmly imprinted in everyone's hearts.

Including Viscount Sith himself, he has spent more time looking north recently. Obviously, there is still nostalgia for his hometown that he can’t let go of.

…

"Master, are you going to give up your tax rights just like that?"

Butler Fearon asked in panic.

For the county governor, the right to tax is undoubtedly the most important power, which is equivalent to financial power.

A county governor who loses his financial power will inevitably have a greatly reduced say in county affairs.

"It's too late! The war is about to break out, and everything must give way to the war.

The strongest player in Wright County is the mountain leader. Before that, I could use the rules of the game to fight against him, but now it's too late.

Without the cooperation of the local nobles, it would be difficult for us to raise enough strategic materials on time. When it comes to the safety of the front line, this kind of thing cannot be delayed.

What's more, Wright County was hit by a war first and then a locust plague, and the economy has yet to recover.

Many territories have barely managed to balance their budgets and cannot afford enough supplies. It is not easy to complete the tasks assigned above according to regulations.

You can't really force people to death, right?

It would be better to leave this hot potato to Hudson.

The Koslow family has friends and family all over the place, which used to be his greatest advantage, but now it has become his greatest disadvantage.

It is estimated that if the tax-packaging task falls on him, not only will he not make any money, but he may also have to advance a lot of materials for others.

Normally, it's just a favor. During the war, if any accident happens, these will become dead ends. "

Sith said with a sneer.

It was just the unwillingness between his brows that betrayed his true inner thoughts.

Risk and return are always directly proportional.

Complaining is risky, so it is not a kind of self-comfort in the face of powerlessness.

…

Mountain Territory

The opponent fell flat, and Hudson, who became the winner of this round of power struggle, did not show the joy that a winner should have on his face.

In addition to a thousand soldiers, they were gathered in the shortest possible time. Whether it is war taxes or material collection tasks, they have encountered obstacles.

There is an endless stream of people who come here every day to complain about poverty.

It can be enforced if there is no friendship, but if there is a close relationship between relatives and friends, Hudson really can't do it.

At the Governor's Mansion, Hudson had tried his best to get it.

Earl Pierce did not deliberately create difficulties on this issue. The tasks undertaken by the nobles of Wyton and Wright counties were only 80% of those of the nobles of other regions.

Although the care was not enough, it was still taken care of after all. This kind of thing can't be perfect.

The tasks of the kingdom were divided by provinces. If some counties provide less supplies, other counties must provide more. The total amount must be enough.

…

Looking at the people in the hall who kept complaining, Hudson scolded angrily: "That's enough!

I invited you here today to discuss solutions, not to listen to your complaints.

It is everyone's responsibility to fight against the invasion of orcs, the nobles of Alpha Kingdom. We are collecting supplies at the rear because there are people on the front lines fighting for us.

If you feel it is unfair, you can choose to sign up to join the battle. As long as you take the army to the front line, you don't need to worry about money and food issues!

You all know the total amount of money and food that needs to be raised in Wright County. I think you all know whether the numbers I have allocated are fair and reasonable.

Don't think that you can escape by crying a few times. The assigned tasks are strict orders, and the quota must be met.

If you don't fulfill your noble obligations and your territory is taken back and your noble status is taken away, there will be no regrets! "

Crying children are fed milk, and that is in their own homes. Once outside, no one has the obligation to accommodate them.

If making a fuss can solve the problem, then if everyone goes to make a fuss, what will the front line do?

According to past practice, nobles from all over the country contributed money and efforts. The only exception is the nobles of the North, who only need to fight on the front line.

All is fair.

This mobilization mode is because the private armies of nobles from various provinces participate in the war and adopt a rotational combat mode. After fighting for a period of time, they will come down to rest and others will continue to work.

As a northern noble who has the responsibility to protect his territory, he does not receive this kind of treatment. As long as the war breaks out, they can only fight on the front line until the end of the war.

To defend their own land, the northern nobles had already used all their strength to expand their armies and prepare for war. Each one of them was a militaristic master. All the money and food in the territory were invested in the army, and there was no need for the kingdom to send anyone to urge them.

"Dear Viscount Hudson, it's not that we don't want to fulfill our noble obligations. But now the territory cannot make ends meet, and we really can't afford this expense."

Knight Handel said in frustration.

It can be seen from the helpless expression on his face that this guy is really powerless and is ready to be completely destroyed.

If you can't do it, you can't do it. Even if you are forced to go to the front line early, you still won't be able to come up with enough money and food.

Especially strategic materials, not only will they be released now, but they will be released every month in the future. And this number is likely to continue to increase.

For some impoverished nobles, it may not be difficult to collect supplies for one or two months, but they really cannot afford the long-term consumption.

"Knight Handel, I am also aware of your situation. Providing money and food to the front line for a long time does put a lot of pressure on you.

But rules are rules, and you and I are not qualified to change them. The king's orders must still be fulfilled without compromise.

In Wright County, there are not two noble families facing the same predicament. It can even be said that most nobles have certain difficulties.

We are all adults and have the ability to take responsibility for our own actions. No matter what decision you make, I respect your choice.

If you don't want to spend money and food, you can just fill out the registration form, take the army to the front line with the food transport team, and participate in the kingdom's defense battle.

I want to remind you: blocking the invasion of the orcs is not as easy as suppressing the Skeleton Society's rebellion.

Based on the experience of previous wars, the sooner you participate in a war, the lower the probability of coming back alive in the end. Whether you want to take the risk or not, you can make a decision after thinking it through.

I personally suggest that you first collect as many supplies as possible to complete the tasks assigned above. In the end, there was really no choice but to take the army and serve in the frontline army.

Money and food are, after all, external things. Even if you have depleted your wealth now, you can still save it again in the future.

Life is your own.

Especially for some families with few heirs, once you die on the front line, the family fortune you have worked so hard to accumulate can only be used at an advantage to others. "

Hudson persuaded him earnestly.

If the gap is small, it will be enough to help advance the payment. But the current situation is obviously not right, someone actually messed it up as soon as they came up.

Then there is no choice but to follow the rules. Everyone has a responsibility to fight against the orcs. If you have money, give money, if you have food, give food. If you have nothing, give life.

The atmosphere in the ceremony suddenly became tense. The nobles who originally wanted to win over suddenly found that the reasons they had prepared were actually so ridiculous.

Difficulties are indeed worthy of sympathy. But the problem is that everyone is having difficulties now. The nobles responsible for raising supplies had a difficult time, and the nobles fighting on the front line had an even greater difficulty.

"Dear Viscount Hudson, the supplies in our hands can't last long at all. We can't let the people go hungry in order to complete the mission!

I wonder if you have any countermeasures that can help us tide over the difficulties? "

Baron Sanchez asked expectantly.

After such a reminder, everyone realized that today's meeting is to discuss countermeasures and tide over the difficulties together.

Facing the expectant looks of everyone, Hudson shook his head directly and said helplessly: "It turns out that I only knew that everyone had difficulties, but I didn't expect that the difficulties would be so great.

To tell you the truth, even if the mountain leader wants to complete the task, it is extremely difficult, and I have to find a way to fill the holes.

There is insufficient food in the mountainous areas, and among various strategic materials, only iron production is abundant. According to regulations, 150,000 pounds of good iron must be provided every month to complete the task.

I believe you all know that even based on normal prices, the value of so much good iron is more than five thousand gold coins.

At this time, if you sell it outside, it wouldn't be surprising if the price doubles.

The cost of iron smelting has always been high. Even if the cost of ore and coal is not taken into account, just eating, drinking and sleeping on thousands of miners is a huge expense.

I cannot bear such a heavy financial burden. In order to reduce expenses, we can only undertake some forging tasks and reduce some expenses.

The situation in mountainous areas is special and it is impossible for everyone to follow suit. But you can also develop some side jobs that can be completed based on your actual situation.

For example: The lords along the rivers and rivers can catch some fish, and after smoking and drying, one pound can hold four pounds of rye.

It would be even better if you have the conditions to raise some fast-growing aquatic products yourself.

In a territory where there is plenty of prey, some prey can be captured and dried to be used as replenishment.

Even wild vegetables in the fields can be harvested after being dried. You can also plant some fast-maturing crops according to actual conditions.

Wright County is only a hundred and eighty miles away from the sea. If you have wide connections and can get a boat and organize people to go fishing, this is also a way out.

If these are not possible, then our mountainous area lacks labor force, blacksmiths, miners, farmers, shoemakers... can all come here.

Employment price is calculated based on actual ability. You can send someone to discuss the specific details with the steward below.

How to do it specifically depends on your actual situation. Even if the supplies raised are only a drop in the bucket, it is better than doing nothing. "

Whether it is making dried fish, dried meat, or dried vegetables, it is a typical bad idea. It’s not that there is a problem with the countermeasures, the key is that they are divorced from reality.

They are all well-developed cultivated land. The fish and shrimps in the river are often visited by residents along the coast; the wild beasts in the mountains and forests often appear on the dining tables of nobles.

Wild vegetables are also food. For serfs, wild vegetables can be regarded as half of the staple food. It is almost a must-have for every meal. It is not enough to eat at home. Wherever there is excess, we use it to make dried vegetables.

Going out to sea to fish is even more nonsense. Even if someone really has connections and gets a boat, letting a group of landlubbers go fishing is not a reliable thing.

What's more, the sea in the magical world is not peaceful either. There are countless dangerous creatures in the vast sea.

Fisherman has always been one of the riskiest professions. Few people are willing to risk going out to sea to fish if they can farm the land with peace of mind.

The real way out for everyone is to rent out labor force. Materials such as food and cloth cannot be grown in a day or two, but the output of the mine can be increased in a short period of time.

In times of war, iron is a commodity. Whether it is the raw iron produced or the forged weapons, you can submit them to the Governor's Mansion.

After a pause, Hudson added again: “If all these are done, it still cannot meet the needs.

You can also consider becoming mercenaries, completing military service for wealthy nobles from neighboring provinces in exchange for generous rewards.

If there are many applicants, I can propose to the Governor-General to stagger your military service time. This will prevent you from being drafted by the province again during your service.

They also went to the battlefield, followed the provincial troops to the front line, and could come back to rest every once in a while. The security is far higher than joining a standing army and fighting until the end of the war.

According to usual practice, the kingdom will not recruit a large number of nobles from our southeastern provinces to the front line until a critical moment.

Theoretically, as long as the provinces coordinate well, they can still be staggered. "

It’s not that Hudson is fooling people, but there is a real need. Some wealthy aristocrats who happened to be in a period of retirement had the need to hire someone to serve on their behalf.

The mercenaries have low fighting will and can barely perform the task of defending the city. Once you lose in a field battle, it is easy for deserters to appear.

In principle, the kingdom prohibits this kind of hiring people to serve, but the law is nothing more than human relationships, so there are always exceptions.

For example: The last time the Skull and Bones caused chaos, some families in the two counties still had heirs.

You can't let people carry these doll lords to the battlefield, right?

At this time, the officials responsible for the specific implementation will turn a blind eye, close one eye, and acquiesce in their use of mercenaries.

There are also risks here. If something goes wrong with the mercenaries who serve on their behalf, the employer will also have to bear the responsibility.

Under normal circumstances, everyone likes to ask nobles to do it for them. They are all very knowledgeable beings, and they can run away from the priest but not from the church.

In addition, there is another situation - obligation exchange.

To put it simply, nobles from different provinces exchange their respective obligations. You go to my province to fulfill your obligations, and I go to your province to fulfill my obligations.

It is limited to nobles with comparable status and comprehensive strength. And the consent of the governors of the two provinces must be obtained.

This situation often occurs in large families.

There are many people in a large family, and it is normal to have collateral descendants distributed in other provinces. During the war, if I didn't feel comfortable following others to the battlefield, I exchanged them back in this way.

Generally speaking, as long as you apply, there will be no problems. Anyway, someone has to complete the task. Everyone gets what they need, provides convenience to each other, and can also leave a favor.

The number of children in large families varies, and the actual situations are also different. This kind of exchange cannot be made up exactly. If there is a difference, compensation needs to be given.

It can be supplies, or people can be sent to serve. The specific situation still depends on the actual coordination situation.

If the situation is urgent, there will be no time to coordinate. Then transfer the obligations directly. To put it simply: when these nobles enter another province to perform their obligations, their obligations are also directly transferred to that province.

After countless gameplays, everyone has rich experience, and no one can take advantage of this.

They were all forced out by the orcs. During the long years of war, the pressure of life and death forced the top leaders of the Alpha Kingdom to make continuous progress.

In response to various unexpected situations, corresponding countermeasures have been formulated early. For the little nobles below, it doesn't matter who they follow on the battlefield. What matters is the obligations they have to fulfill, and they cannot be less.

"Dear Viscount Hudson, if we send all the young men to work in the mountainous areas, can military training also be carried out here?"

Baron Kettle asked bravely.

The local nobles are in trouble, and the northern nobles are not easy either. Except for a few wealthy nobles, most of the northern nobles cannot afford it.

Originally, Keterai was ready to go to the battlefield, but now he suddenly found that he could still struggle for a while, so he naturally wanted to ask questions.

"Of course! But it's only for reserve duty. Daily basic military training will be conducted according to the ten-day drill.

You are still responsible for the specific training, I only provide the venue.

During the busy farming season, you can also let the young and strong return to work in the territory. Prioritize ensuring food production in the territory.

Don't rush to be happy, you have to be mentally prepared. Mountain Territory only employs surplus labor during slack seasons, so the price will not be too high. "

While speaking, Hudson deliberately glanced at the livid Viscount Sith. If this guy hadn't lied down and thrown all the troubles to him, there wouldn't have been such an opportunity to take advantage.

If we hadn't caught up with this special period, it would have been almost impossible to get the entire county's workforce to come work.

Even if the lords could show some humiliation and let their men come over to work, Hudson would not be able to pay them.

After all, the market is affected by supply and demand, and blindly increasing production capacity will only lead to price collapse.

Only during wartime, when the demand for iron reaches its peak, can we desperately increase production capacity.

With the huge profits brought by the explosion of production, the development expenses of the territory will naturally come out.

Although he knew Hudson's sinister intentions, this was a naked conspiracy, and Viscount Sith was powerless to do anything about it.

Even if you say it out loud, it can't stop everyone's enthusiasm to join. From the moment they chose to lie flat, Wright County's dominance fell into Hudson's hands.

"Sabotage?"

As soon as this idea came up, it was killed by Sith himself. Increasing iron production is entirely in the interests of the Alpha Kingdom.

In the king's order, it was clearly stated that various regions should increase iron production. In order to be able to forge more weapons and arm more troops to fight against the orcs.

He was already at a disadvantage, and if he jumped out and went against the general trend, he might lose his last bit of popularity among the northern nobles.

After taking a look at everyone's expressions and looking to the north, Viscount Sith slowly stood up and said with a smile:

"Viscount Hudson's arrangement is very reasonable. As long as the iron production in the Mountain Territory increases, everyone's material crisis will be solved.

Even if you are short, you can still borrow money! Our heroic Viscount Hudson is not a stingy person.

However, everyone is engaged in production, and military training must not be neglected. All previous orc invasions would end in bloodshed.

Just practice for ten days, I’m afraid…”