Free Web NovelChapter 817: Chapter 92: The Final Preparations Before the Harvest Festival and Season of Abundance (Part 2)
Because he has yet to solve basic safety and stability issues, he is in the early stages of establishing himself as a lord, where development is the utmost priority. Only after establishing stability does he have the right to think about resolving the bloated issues of the Church. When people are on the brink of starvation, don’t worry about how to diet away excess.
The Vault Area, apart from these, also contains many military equipment like powerful banners, tents, and military supplies. Currently, the territory has 13 banners with banner rune effects, and two banners have up to 7 rune effects.
Basically, every squadron in the territory can have its own battle banner.
Altogether, the wealth in the entire Vault Area is estimated to be no less than 100,000 Gold Coins.
It’s definitely not comparable to an elector in the Sulande Province, but the wealth already comprises about a quarter of what the Green Dragon’s Dragon Nest had, which satisfies Su Li greatly.
After all, this Vault Area only contains wealth he collected; more investments and heavy assets are actually scattered throughout the territory.
Vandar and Oliver confidently assured Su Li that after the Radiant Competition Festival concludes and the next harvest season arrives, the wealth in Su Li’s Vault Area will increase by at least 15%!
This speed of development can be described as soaring!
And this is normal; since his territory is still small, discovering a super-large mining area could double the wealth of such a small force.
Su Li has immense confidence in their assurance because the entire territory truly doesn’t lack wealth; the Vault Area holds over 50,000 Gold Coins from various business guilds, knight clans, and wealthy landlords.
As Flash Spear City gradually rises, more and more families are applying to withdraw their wealth and Gold Coins, transferring them to the bank building in Flash Spear City.
Su Li is also full of anticipation for Flash Spear City; as this city rises, the territory will have its second city, and the development speed will surely soar further.
But at least for this harvest season, Heisen City is still the absolute pillar of the territory, where the agricultural harvest significantly prospers the entire territorial economy.
On the last day before Summer Solstice, this extended harvest season that spanned almost a cycle finally ended in the territory.
The scenes of harvest were incredibly inspiring. After inspecting the Vault Area, Su Li spent several days on the roadside between Bjorn Shallow Bay and Heisen City, watching wagons of harvested goods transport from the fields to various warehouses.
With the bright sun shining, Su Li’s smile was even brighter, as he watched four Swamp Mantis lugging nearly a hundred tons of grain, their legs resembling pillars, slowly move across the road. Su Li couldn’t help but smile broadly and asked Hilude by his side, "Hilude, do you think I look somewhat like a rich landlord now?"
The Swamp Mantis were gathered by Su Li several times from the Mirror Swamp in the south; these creatures originated from the Beast Realm, but fell to the Mortal World. Su Li found that when there were no Swamp Mantis left in Mirror Swamp, the probability of refreshing a new one was quite high.
With just one, the effect wasn’t apparent. Although originally, one Mantis could transport more than dozens of wagons, the primary force in freight transportation was without a doubt the territory’s wagon fleet.
But with four, their transportation capacity underwent a qualitative change!
A cart can carry around 1,000 pounds of goods; a strong-bloodline horse or Uros Bull can pull close to 2,000 pounds. The Swamp Mantis, with dozens of times their transport capacity, is practically a land vessel. Just one can carry more than 20 tons of goods like a giant ship, genuinely a heavy-duty transporter.
When all four act together, they can effortlessly haul more than a hundred tons of grain. Ogres are the best laborers; they are immensely strong. As long as the grain is bound with wooden planks and ropes onto the Swamp Mantis’ back, these gentle Mantis will, like old oxen, slowly transport the goods into Heisen City.
Though they move slowly, their size enables them to cover the distance to the destination by noon, making two trips a day and resting at night.
Their gentle disposition indicates they are all herbivores. Su Li prepared plenty of pasture for them, and during the harvest season, provided them with even more nutritious Moonlight Alfalfa to ensure their strength stays ample.
Thus, watching them transport goods daily gives Su Li a true sense of satisfaction akin to a wealthy landlord who sits by the roadside, witnessing his fields reap great harvests, as tenant farmers transport the golden grain cart by cart into the warehouse.
In response to Su Li’s inquiry, Hilude laughed and said, "It shows that the joy of people is shared. Seeing a bumper crop, whether farmer, wealthy landlord, or lord, it’s the same feeling."
"During this time, our territory has seen abundant harvests in every manor and village, with warehouses stacked full of new grain. As these warehouses rise from the ground, your prestige in the territory has reached its peak. Everyone praises your wise leadership and benevolent generosity."
Benevolent generosity refers to the manor system and tax relief in Hesse Territory. This year was peaceful and bountiful; thus, Su Li provided tax relief to everyone in the territory.
This is a rare benevolent tradition within the Empire. During good years, offering tax relief to the foolish commoners allows them a higher chance to endure various turmoil and crises.
