“That sounds pretty good. Have the Second Army set out tomorrow and be sure to place reliable people at the important ranks. After reaching the stronghold, they aren’t allowed to stop their daily training and ideological education. Furthermore, I expect a weekly report to be sent back to Border Town.” Roland instructed.
The last to report was Barov, he first looked at everyone, then slowly saluted Roland before reporting, “Your Royal Highness, ever since the previous payment to Margaret’s Chamber of Commerce for the refugee transportation and the money spent on Theo’s mission, the City Hall’s gold stock has declined very badly. Coupled with the bumper harvest and the Ministry of Agriculture’s acquisition of grain according to the set market price, it has resulted in an inventory of barely 2000 gold royals, this can be considered as a relatively dangerous boundary.”
Two thousand gold royals… compared with last year’s winter it undoubtedly was a huge sum of money, but Roland was also perfectly aware that Border Town’s situation was also no longer the same at it was back then. Even just for the Ministry of Construction, already burdened Border Town with the huge expenditure of paying for the five thousand workers. There was also the high salary for the First Army, factories, chemical laboratory, and City Hall, which also required a large amount of money.
In other words, Border Town might have been earning money quickly, but it was also spending the money just as quickly. Even under the circumstances that large parts of the materials and machinery were self-sufficient.
“I am aware of this, but at the beginning of next month, when Margaret’s caravan arrives in town, we will be able to obtain a huge income through the sale of the steam engines,” Roland responded. “Furthermore, the purchase of food and the transport of the refugees aren’t daily expenses. I’m sure that during the next six months, the treasury should be able to improve steadily, there is no reason for you to worry too much about it.” He paused. “also, I plan to raise the salary of everyone here.”
“Raise the salary?” Barov got startled and stared blankly at Roland.
“That’s correct, the City Hall is no longer an institution only run by a dozen people, and your workload has increased significantly, so your salary will also naturally rise.” The Prince smiled and then continued to say, “From this month onwards, I will increase your monthly salary to five gold royals, and according to this ratio, the payment for your apprentices and assistants will also go up uniformly. Be at ease, the needed fund doesn’t accumulate too much, it is not more than 20 to 30 gold royals.”
Although a salary of five gold royals for this kind of position in the City Hall couldn’t be counted as generous, but Roland knew, that what Barov enjoyed even more than the salary, was being in charge of Border Town’s revenues and expenditure and providing them with the according statistics. Furthermore, since he had yet to set any regulatory ministries, Barov could get hundred times his current salary. But so far, he had not seen any signs of corruption from Barov.
Of course, apart from relying on the other people’s conscious, Roland could also always count on Nightingale’s ability to maintain the department’s integrity. No one could conceal their bad behavior from her gaze.
“In addition, there is one thing you may already know,” Roland continued. “By the end of the Months of Demons, I plan to officially establish a city here. In other words, Border Town will be upgraded into an official city. The city’s west side will stretch until the barbarian wasteland, the eastern border will be Longsong Stronghold, while the southern end will be the hills and the ocean. With the city walls and the mountains as a natural barrier, the area will be far larger than King’s City or any other city in the Four Kingdoms.
“So you still need to pay particular attention and improve your work, to meet the attitude that is required to establish a city,” Roland paused and then emphasized every word, “I hope that our city, even while in a boundless winter, can stay as warm as during spring.”
Chapter 270 High Pressure Air Bottle
After the meeting concluded, Roland and Barov both stayed behind.
“You also saw it, currently people are crucial to the chemical laboratory and Graycastle Industry, and I also intend on starting the mass production of soap and perfume soon, which will require a lot of additional staff.” The Prince said. “But it will be at least a year before the greater part of the townsfolk pass the primary education examination. Furthermore, even by taking all of them into account, there still won’t be more than 600 to 700 people, that just isn’t enough. I need more people.”
“In case we enlist people from the stronghold…”
“No,” Roland interrupted, “Next year, after Border Town has upgraded to the status of a city, the stronghold and Border Town will be fused into one entity. Therefore, it would be the equivalent of the moving money out from your left pocket into your right pocket; so, I will need more people from outside the Western Territory.”
“This…” Barov looked somewhat troubled and worriedly suggested, “I am afraid that isn’t such good idea to solve it. If you go to others cities to fish for workers, the local Lords would definitely not sit by and idly watch as it happens.”
“Do not go to the cities,” Roland said. Then he stretched his finger toward the cup, dipped it into the iced water and then moved it over the table while saying, “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but since the end of the Months of Demons, Graycastle has constantly been at war. Including several charges which had been led by Timothy against the Southern Territory, resulting in Eagle City being destroyed from a fire, and leaving the surrounding cities and towns severe damaged. Then there was also the subjugation of the Northern Region, where they stripped the Duke Ise of his title and territory. And lastly the marine attack against the Eastern Region,” he beat two times against the tabletop, leaving a group of water stains, “Which seriously impacted the Sea Wind Region, Valencia, and Shivering Crow Castle, not even mentioning all the small towns in the surroundings. Just by looking at all the people who’ve fled to King’s City you can already see how seriously the impact was on Graycastle’s population.”
“What do you mean…” Barov revealed a thoughtful expression.
“Go out and spread propaganda about the Western Region,” The Prince smoothed out the water then explained in more detail, “During the last six months, only the Western Region remained peaceful. There has been no forced recruitment, nor has it been hit by the flames of war. Especially since Timothy so wantonly uses commoners to attack, he will definitely recruit and even force the civilians of each region. Who can guarantee that next time that fate won’t fall on their head? So you have to propagandize that the only calm and peaceful place completely isolated from the chaos of war is the Western Region.”
“I think I got it,” Barov said after pondering about his next words, “You plan to attract the civilians of other cities by not pressing them into service, or forcing them into labor, and furthermore, by providing them with shelter, food, and stable work?”
“Almost,” Roland said with a smile and nodded. His active thinking and ability to find the key points is one of the Assistant Minister’s strongest points. “However, one of the key points you need to propagandize is the excellent treatment that literate people will enjoy. I think that these places definitely have some Knights and nobles who have no way out and because of this are unwilling to come to the western region to try their luck.”
Whether it was small villages or towns, they were almost all territories of minor nobility. And during peacetime, even if the land was small and barren, and the management poor, supervising a few acres of land would always manage to fill their stomach. But during the time of war, something which severely impacted the population, it was hard for them to survive. At those times, if there was a stable and peaceful destination for them, it would really prove tempting to most of them. Even if there was no one who could safeguard their territory and keep it from being occupied by others, they would only have to endure these days of war. Afterward, they could use their money to recruit some mercenaries and go back to take over their territory once again.