Free Web NovelThe convoy slowly entered South City, where the streets gradually widened and pedestrians became more numerous.
The sight before Mary stunned her.
South City Square was already taking shape; although there weren't many buildings, they were neatly arranged, and vendors had set up temporary stalls in twos and threes along both sides of the stone-paved road.
Shouts rose and fell, the air a mixture of sweet dried fruit and savory smoked fish, and in the distance, she could even catch a faint whiff of mead.
"Come see the cotton cloth from the south! As fine as snowflakes!"
"Fresh smoked fish, just dried from Red Tide Lake!"
"Raisins, mead, South City specialty!"
The hawking, bargaining, and laughter intertwined, creating a lively atmosphere that Mary had long missed.
Mary, being a merchant's daughter, had a more discerning eye than others.
Those fine white cotton cloths must have come from the prosperous southern regions, and that basket of raisins and spices also followed the southern trade route.
But there were also local Red Tide specialties: smoked fish, mead, and rough pottery woodenware.
This meant that goods from the south could be brought here, and Red Tide's own produce was being organized for production and market circulation.
"Even more prosperous than Frost Halberd City."
This thought gently surfaced in Mary's mind, leaving her in a daze for a long time.
Frost Halberd City, the old capital of the North, was now in decay, the remnants of war not yet extinguished, the market desolate, vendors scarce, food severely lacking, and even with money, there was nothing to buy.
But here, people were buying and selling, bargaining.
Their smiles even lacked the cautious flattery and wariness, instead carrying a sense of ease.
A strange mix of sourness and shock suddenly welled up in Mary's heart.
She couldn't explain this feeling, like a land frozen for many years suddenly bursting with greenery before her eyes.
In this northern region, ravaged by disaster and war, Red Tide Territory stood out like an oasis, with wide streets, a thriving market, and people with peaceful smiles on their faces.
In fact, the vitality of Red Tide Territory's market was not accidental; it all stemmed from the system Louis had personally designed.
It was not like Frost Halberd City with its scarcity of goods, nor was it like the south, where nobles exploited the people.
Almost all of Red Tide Territory's resources were in the hands of the Lord's Mansion: grain, iron ore, timber, potions, and even the most basic salt, all had to be registered and allocated through the Material Coordination Office.
Large quantities of materials were not allowed to be traded freely.
Grain, fuel, minerals, etc., were prioritized for the army, construction teams, farms, and workshops.
Every household was registered with the government and received rations and salt with allocation vouchers.
Newly arrived refugees would first receive basic settlement: warm shelter and hot porridge subsidies, but to get more, they had to earn it with their own hands.
"Work for food." This was Red Tide Territory's iron rule.
Mary's gaze fell on a street corner, where a group of newly arrived young refugees were moving grey stone bricks; they looked tired but had no complaints.
Next to them, an official wearing the Lord's Mansion emblem was recording their work hours. For every task completed, the workers would receive additional allocation vouchers, or even a few shiny copper coins.
Yet, the government's high level of control did not make the place stagnant.
On the contrary, Red Tide's streets were exceptionally lively because Louis had not completely shut down the market.
In South City Square, vendors were allowed to trade freely, and small workshops could sell their own products. As long as a small market maintenance tax was paid, the government would not interfere with pricing.
Thus, Mary saw vendors shouting, bargaining with customers, and children running around the stalls on the square's edge.
At this moment, the air was filled with the breath of life.
Mary quietly watched the carriages and crowds crisscrossing the streets, the vendors' shouts and laughter in her ears.
"Perhaps," she whispered to herself, "this is the future center of the North."
The convoy continued, turning around a wide stone-paved street, and Fierce Tide Square slowly came into view, emanating a faint scent of lime and sawdust.
Construction was still underway here, with half-built platforms surrounded by sturdy wooden frames and ropes. Dozens of workers were operating in an orderly fashion, hammer blows and shouts constantly intertwining.
The young reception official turned around, pointing to the center of the square: "This is Fierce Tide Square, one of Red Tide Territory's administrative centers."
His voice rose slightly with excitement: "This will be the most important heart of Red Tide Territory. All decrees, mobilization orders, and material allocations will be announced here first, and anyone can come directly to see them."
Mary looked up and saw a towering bulletin column, its ink characters particularly striking in the sunlight:
"Grain and Fodder Allocation Order"
"Spring Plowing Mobilization Order"
Several civil officials stood in front of the column, loudly reading the latest decrees.
Many common people gathered around, some holding children, some carrying bamboo baskets, all looking focused.
"The second batch of grain and fodder this month will be allocated to the square before the seventeenth. Please come with your allocation vouchers to collect them!"
"Spring Plowing Mobilization Order: All residents aged sixteen to thirty who sign up for farming will receive additional subsidies and food quotas from Red Tide Territory!"
The officials' voices were loud and clear, occasionally pausing to allow the audience to digest the information. The Red Tide Knights quietly maintained order nearby; there was no clamor or chaos, only a sense of orderly flow in the air.
Mary stared at this scene, her heart inexplicably moved.
In every city she had visited, she had never seen decrees so openly publicized.
Those nobles often monopolized the benefits, with only the scraps falling to the common people, yet here, policies were directly announced to everyone.
The official turned his head and explained to Mary and the others: "These decrees will be immediately posted on the bulletin column, so everyone doesn't have to worry about delayed information.
The allocation of grain, seeds, ironware, and ploughing oxen is all public. The territory will first ensure everyone's basic needs, then allocate additional rewards based on labor and contribution."
And behind all this, Mary vaguely realized that this city was quietly accomplishing something astonishing:
It was attracting people. Whether they were fleeing refugees, displaced artisans, or merchants from north and south, Red Tide Territory took them all in.
Those with strength were assigned to construction teams building city walls, reclaiming land, and paving roads.
Those with skills were sent to workshops, ranches, and potion institutes, becoming "Red Tide Technicians."
Merchants from the south, meanwhile, were making a fortune in South City Square.
As Mary pondered, the convoy slowly drove past the edge of the square, and a tall building of wood and stone emerged from the mist.
"That's the Administrative Center," the young official pointed to the tall building. "In the future, if you encounter any problems, such as housing, household registration, allocations, or education, you'll register and handle them here."
Mary looked up and saw the three-story building, majestic and tall, its exterior walls made of alternating grey stone and cedar, window sills inlaid with dark gold trim, and the Red Tide sun emblem carved on its facade.
In front of the building, officials in uniform red robes came and went, carrying dossiers, their steps light and expressions focused.
There was no idle chatter, no chaos; occasional whispers were only to verify information.
The young official's voice carried a hint of pride: "Our Red Tide Territory is still small, but the administrative system has already been established.
Household registration, military affairs, farming, education, workshop allocation—each item has a dedicated person in charge. Every decision and the destination of every resource are written on the bulletin, accessible to everyone."
Here, Red Tide Knights maintained order, workers busied themselves with construction, and officials at the Administrative Center worked nonstop.
With so many people, there was no chaos in the air, only a reassuring sense of order.
Mary closed her eyes, recalling the rumors she had heard before leaving Frost Halberd City.
"Red Tide Territory? That place was a wasteland a few years ago, without a decent lord."
"I heard wild beasts often appear there, and there aren't even any farmlands."
"That place? At most, it's a hellhole where exiles and paupers gather."
But what about now?
Here were city walls, squares, schools, and markets.
There were complete roads and bustling crowds.
There was an order that made the common people smile with peace of mind, and a guarantee that allowed refugees to survive.
"Is this really a barren land?" Mary's gaze unconsciously lifted to the horizon, where the Red Tide giant wave sun fluttered in the wind.
She thought of that young Lord, who in just a few short years had transformed this once-barren land into a city more livable than Frost Halberd City.
She wasn't the only one who thought this; the families of the Broken Fang Knights traveling with her more or less shared the same idea, yet what they saw was only the tip of Red Tide's iceberg.
The convoy slowly drove towards the south of the city, gradually leaving the bustling South City Square.
The noise in her ears gradually faded, replaced by a quiet and open neighborhood.
Through the carriage window, Mary's gaze was suddenly captivated by a peculiar sight.
It was a neatly divided residential area, with Red Tide-style domed houses one after another, their exterior walls alternating between dark grey, dark red, and dark gold, giving them a solemn yet warm appearance.
Unlike the dilapidated stone and wood houses of Frost Halberd City, these domed houses were half-buried below ground.
Their eaves had soft curves, as if naturally extended. A few wisps of morning mist lingered among the snowy eaves of the roofs, reflecting an almost dreamlike glow.
"Everyone, please look." The young official rode forward, unable to hide his pride, his voice slightly raised, as if showcasing Red Tide Territory's most acclaimed achievement.
"These are our third batch of residential areas, completed last year. They feature double-layer insulated walls and a geothermal heating system, so even when heavy snow blocks the mountains, the indoor temperature remains constant. You will live here from now on."
As his words fell, a low gasp of admiration immediately rose from inside the carriage.
"Oh my goodness, is this Red Tide Territory's residential area?" Arlene, the knight's wife sitting opposite, couldn't help but cover her mouth, her eyes full of disbelief.
Her slender fingers tightly gripped the edge of the carriage window, as if that was the only way to confirm that the scene before her was real.
Several younger family members could no longer suppress themselves and simply leaned out halfway, craning their necks to gaze. Their headscarves fluttered gently in the morning breeze, and even their earlobes were red with cold, yet not one of them pulled back.
"Are these—are these really the houses allocated to us?"
An older woman sitting in the corner of the carriage spoke with a trembling voice, afraid that she would wake up from a beautiful dream the next second.
"It won't be just for us to see, will it? Can we really live in them?"
The atmosphere suddenly grew lively, and the young official clearly enjoyed this reaction, continuing to add: "Each dome house comes with an independent kitchen, two-story living areas, and in winter, there are also geothermal subsidies and hot water insulated barrels. Lord Louis once said—"
He paused slightly, lowering his voice, imitating Louis's tone: "Knights fight desperately on the front lines, so their families should live better than others."
These words flowed into Mary's heart like a warm current.
She hugged Irene tightly, her nose slightly stinging, but she couldn't say a word.
The wheels rolled over the bluestone road, making a slow, rumbling sound.
Finally, the convoy slowly stopped on a wide, straight main street. The morning mist had not yet dispersed, and /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ faint golden sunlight streamed through the clouds, reflecting on the dark grey domes, creating a soft halo.
At the street corner, Bradley was already waiting there.
"It's been hard work, everyone." He bowed slightly. "The houses have been allocated, please follow the reception official to complete your settlement one by one."
Mary looked up and saw that behind Bradley, more than a dozen young civil officials were already lined up on both sides, dressed in uniform dark red robes with the same Red Tide sun emblem embroidered on their cuffs.
It was an order and sense of ceremony they had never seen in Frost Halberd City.
The civil officials quickly came forward, guiding each family out of the carriage and verifying the roster one by one.
"Knight Commander Smith's family? Please follow me."
Their host was a cheerful young official. He held a stack of neat registration books, explaining as he flipped through the pages:
"This is the third batch of dome house areas. Each house is connected to a geothermal circulation system, so the indoor temperature in winter can be maintained at around eighteen degrees. You and your children will no longer have to worry about the cold." fгeewebnovёl.com
As he spoke, his brows and eyes showed a hint of pride, as if he were introducing his own home, not just an ordinary residence.
"In addition, each household will receive an initial settlement subsidy, including grain, cured meat, and fifty gold coins. If additional supplies are needed later, you can collect them at the General Distribution Office of the Administrative Center with your household registration."
Mary listened quietly, until the heavy weight of the fine cloth-wrapped money bag was placed in her palm, giving her a sense of reality.
Following the official, they arrived at their house. When the door was pushed open, a warm breath enveloped them.
Flames danced in the fireplace, their faint light reflecting on the warm wooden walls.
A wooden staircase spiraled upwards, leading to a spacious second floor.
Cotton and linen curtains hung from the window sills, the beds were neatly made, and a few dried flowers were placed in a pottery jar in the corner, as if silently welcoming them. Mary, holding Irene, gently stepped over the threshold. The thick rug under her feet was soft and warm, as if the entire floor was gently comforting her tired nerves.
Her husband, Smith, also arrived shortly after, and stood stunned at the doorway, speechless for a long time.
He surveyed the room slowly and silently, until his gaze finally rested on Mary and their daughter.
After what felt like a long time, he murmured, "We... live here?"
Mary pressed her lips together and slowly nodded.
She heard something 'thump' deep in her heart, and a certain unresolved burden finally fell away completely.
