After completing the testing of the thermal ray gun, Gawain left the testing site, and Hetty and Amber left with him. Rebecca and Jenny also wanted to continue optimizing the rune set. Nicholas Egg had to return to the Mechanical Research Institute to design a new production line, and the two knights had their own tasks, so they did not join Gawain.
The success of a new weapon inspired Gawain's spirit and made him feel happy. In his happy mood, he looked at everything in the territory more optimistic than before. A lot.
Half of the Frost Moon has passed, and the temperature is dropping day by day. It won’t be long before this southern land will enter a cold winter, but the first batch of crops has already been harvested, and with the addition of what the king promised Food supplies are arriving one after another, and the warehouses are constantly filled with non-staple food purchased from Tanzanian Town. The territory will not have to worry about hunger at all this winter.
The Cecil family is perhaps the most generous noble in terms of food - in other noble lands, commoners often have to hand over 70% to 80% of the harvest as taxes, and serfs even have to hand over nearly 90% In this way, even with the assistance of druid magic or fertility magic, the poor people at the bottom are always living on the edge of famine. As long as the times are slightly bad, starving to death is common. Various wild vegetables, tree barks and even grass roots are frequent guests in most poor people's pots, but in Cecil's territory, Gawain directly set the grain tax to one-half.
The citizens were grateful, but Gawain felt that the tax rate was still too high.
Other nobles charge extremely high taxes, partly because they often do not really care about farming in their territories, nor do they improve farming techniques or carry out effective labor management, so that the quality of their land The income itself is not high, and the low taxes cannot sustain their luxurious life. On the other hand, their luxury and extravagance have reached an alarming level. A small baron has to build a castle and support a butler, A valet or maid, four footmen and four maids, and a whole host of houseboys, laundresses, kitchen maids, grooms, etc., and endless banquets and During hunting activities, if the nobles have faith, they will donate a large amount of wealth to the local church every year - and these will be converted into taxes on the heads of poor people who do not have high harvests.
But Cecil Territory does not need this.
And Gawain is also very clear about one thing: now that the magic industry has begun to take off, the economic output of agricultural society will eventually be surpassed and replaced by industry. Farmland was once the world's most important resource. The main source of income, but soon gold coins will flow out of the chain of factories and commerce. He does not intend to continue the development model that absorbs nutrients from farmers-but now the magic industry is just a bud, so he must Just maintain this situation for the time being.
The gold and silver stored in the mountain treasury will be used up sooner or later, but Gawain is very confident that before the wealth is used up, the territory will be transferred from net expenditure to income.Balance of expenditure - When the territory's industrial output meets its own needs and there is a surplus, it is time to send out caravans...
While passing by the White Water River, Gawain saw the main thing on the wharf. A large ship was docked, and many ragged people were disembarking from the ship to undergo routine registration and inspection. The people responsible for these affairs were the clerks drawn from the hundred-person aid team and the literate people in the territory. Soldier: After a period of adaptation and learning, these people are now able to take on this kind of work.
The population of the territory is still increasing. After confirming this year's harvest, Gao Wen boldly asked the "Population Introduction Office" in Tanzanian Town to add a new batch of serf orders, and The publicity for recruiting refugees has been intensified. Now, almost every three or four days, a boatload full of people will be transported here from the upper reaches of the Whitewater River to become new residents of Cecil Territory. What is even more gratifying is that , more and more refugees are appearing among these people.
This shows that the homeless people who are wandering around have finally heard and believed the news about Cecil’s pioneering land, and as long as such things start, there will be a steady stream of people. Move in.
In places where there is no shortage of people, refugees are indeed a major hidden danger that gives the Sheriff a headache, but in Cecil Territory where the shortage of people is already causing Hetty and Gawain to lose their hair, the refugees are simply The gold that flows into the territory - as long as you can afford it, no amount is too much.
Compared to slaves who each have a clear price tag and a fixed cost, these refugees who will continue to flow in are the most stable source of population for the Cecil Territory in the future.
"How is the housing security situation?" Gao Wen's eyes fell in the direction of the pier and asked casually, "The weather is getting colder day by day."
"The wooden house is enough. According to the The new method you prescribed is that serfs or refugees who arrive in the territory do not need to participate in agricultural and factory labor at first. Instead, they start building their own houses and learn the labor system and common sense education here. This method is amazing. They worked extremely hard and praised the Cecil family for their kindness. By the time they completed the work, the basic labor system and common sense of life had been firmly imprinted in their minds. "< /p>
“Everyone will give their best to build a home for themselves. It’s a very simple truth.” Gao Wen smiled, “And the subtle education carried out in this whole-hearted labor process is more important than any other. Whips and scoldings can penetrate deeply into people's hearts."
As he spoke, he frowned slightly: "But after all, a wooden house is not as good as a brick house, especially in winter... Even if we are fully prepared. hay and mud to plaster the walls, the house will still be cold."
"Your kindness is really touching, but the output of the brick and tile factory can't keep up," Hetty regretted. The ground shook his head, "There is too much new population, and it is impossible to build brick houses for everyone. In fact, if the lumberyards and sawmills had not stored a large amount of wood in advance, and the sawmills driven by the magic energy engines were incredibly efficient, high, afraid weIt’s difficult to ensure enough even for wooden houses..."
"Then at least ensure the supply of charcoal and let them survive the first winter." Gawain nodded, "All new construction areas will be paved. Got the Hive Magic Network? ”
“Yes, according to your request, magic net is being laid in all areas - even if it cannot be laid in the entire area, it is at least guaranteed to connect the honeycomb structure into a line and connect every building The areas are all connected, leaving exposed Magic Network interfaces everywhere. ”
The so-called Magic Network interface is actually a small rod of magic-guiding material extending from the Magic Network unit. They are made of iron rods coated with a thin layer of mithril or cheaper black stone rods. One end of it is connected to the underground magic network, and the other end extends out of the surface, which is regarded as the foundation laid by Gawain for the future development of the territory.
Although the magic network can provide "wireless power", as long as it is in the magic network. Magic power can be transmitted at a short distance directly above the network, but the efficiency is not high. If many "magic network interfaces" are reserved, we can prepare for future urbanization development, such as connecting street lights or providing power to every household.
"There is another question now," Hetty hesitated, but decided to speak up, "it's about the night school education you are promoting. "
Gawain suddenly frowned: "Night school? Are those general courses? What went wrong? ”
“You require that everyone in the territory must receive education, but now that there is a large influx of people, and they are basically poor people who cannot read or count, the number of teachers is completely insufficient,” Hetty said in embarrassment, "We have added learning places in the central area of the territory, as well as in the western and southern areas, and asked all literate soldiers, craftsmen, and department heads to take turns teaching after completing their work, but we are still too busy. Each 'classroom' can only accommodate a limited number of people, and the newly arrived residents lack discipline. Once there are too many people, the chaos will be a disaster. But when there are few people... more classrooms will be needed. "
"Additional classrooms means additional teachers," Gao Wen frowned, "Didn't Tanzanian Town send some secretarial apprentices? ”
“I have been sent to teach, but it is still not enough. "
"Then recruit from the 'Hundred People Aid Construction Group'," Gawain decided. "In addition to 'high-end talents' like Jenny, there are also some ordinary craftsmen or apprentices. Be literate and should be interested in the extra allowance for teachers. In addition, you need to start publicizing recruitment information in steel plants, mechanical research institutes and other places, and tell the people that both freemen and serfs can work in factories, but they must be able to read and count before they can sign up. Craftsmen, like the craftsmen, receive additional food subsidies so that they are motivated to learn—and maintaining discipline will be easier. "
Hetty nodded slightly: "Yes, I understand. "
Gawain thought for a while and asked: "Is there anything else that needs to be reported? "
Hetty looked at Amber next to her: "Her ability to sleep while walking is really amazing.Very powerful. ”
Gawain was startled, turned his head and glanced, and was shocked to see that this half-elf was really following him with his eyes closed, as if he had been asleep for a while.
"When did this guy fall asleep? ! "
Hetty looked helpless: "When we first started discussing building a house. ”
Gawain looked stunned: “...In a way, she is really a talent. "
As soon as he finished sighing, he saw Amber waking up leisurely. The half-elf lady rubbed her eyes, looked at Gawain and Hetty, and asked curiously: "You two Are you finally done talking about it? "
Gawain twitched the corner of his mouth and looked at Hetty deliberately: "Let's talk about steel production..."
As soon as Amber closed her eyes: "Call me when the meal is ready. ”
Gawain was at a loss. He was about to grab Amber’s ear and twist it half a circle to see if she could wake up. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a soldier running towards this side. Come here.
"Sir! The soldier ran to Gawain, stood at attention and saluted, "There is a stranger in the territory!" "
"Stranger? Gawain was stunned, wondering what the urgency of this matter was, "Are they refugees from the north?" If you come here to seek refuge..."
"No, that man is wearing the clothes of the Holy Light Sect. He seems to be a missionary, but for some reason he is working on the construction site now. ”
“Huh? ”