Chapter 390 Hobert's New Order
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Hobert had mature political and economic ideas, and investment and construction could not be stopped for a moment.
Since it was difficult for this backwater to get foreign investment, the lord would have to keep investing.
Hobert planned to spend the more than nine thousand pounds he had saved up, equivalent to more than eleven thousand gold Lire, first!
If that wasn't enough, he still had gold and so many Beyonder characteristics, so he had to keep investing and improve the economic situation of the territory at the same time.
Through observation during this period, Hobert discovered that the corruption from the lake was similar to that described by Bishop Simpson, and now that he had the "Ocean Pendant", he planned to explore the lake in the next day or two.
Phillip reminded him: "There are not many building materials left in the territory, and they need to be bought from other places."
Hobert nodded: "Go and call Wayne!"
While summoning Wayne, Hobert stayed in the study for a few minutes, and then returned with a delicate sword in his hand.
He handed the sword to Seel: "You did a good job, this is a reward for you."
Hobert was referring to the fact that Seel had done a good job in calling people to the lord's mansion during the household registration.
Seel happily took the sword with both hands: "Thank you for your reward, Lord."
Hobert added: "From now on, you will be my captain of the guard. Go and organize seven or eight helpers, and take turns guarding in front of the lord's mansion."
Seel quickly knelt down to express his loyalty.
"Get up." Hobert smiled: "The first task as the captain of the guard is to go around the town and villages and warn the people that bandits have recently infiltrated. If you see any unfamiliar faces, report them to the lord's mansion immediately.
"If it is determined that they are bandits, the lord's mansion will give the reporter a reward of no less than 10 silver Solas."
After all, this was Hobert's territory. As long as the people in the territory were mobilized, the three mercenary teams would not dare to act openly.
Then, if they wanted to launch an attack again, they would have to travel at least twenty or thirty miles to reach the lord's mansion.
"Yes!" Seel, who received the order, left the main hall with a proud look on his face, holding the sword.
Soon Wayne came to the main hall, and Hobert said: "I have some dried fruits that need to be sold, and some building materials need to be purchased in the territory. I need someone to help me run errands. Are you willing to accept this errand?
"You can continue to run the boat. As long as it doesn't delay the lord's mansion's expenses, you can come to the lord's mansion every week to receive a salary."
Wayne quickly said: "It is my honor to serve you."
Hobert nodded: "I will send you an assistant, a clerk.
"The assistant will help you drive the steamship, and the clerk will be responsible for bookkeeping. Set off after the manpower is sent out."
Watching Wayne leave, Hobert asked Roy, who was standing at the door of the main hall, to ask Phillip to arrange manpower for Wayne, and call the "Household Registration Knight" who had just been conferred yesterday.
Conrad was now working in the lord's mansion, and came to the main hall in just a minute or two.
Hobert said: "Although the household registration work is over, your work has just begun.
"Don't dismiss the clerks who made the records before. There will be places where they will be used next. They will all be under your command for the time being.
"Your first job is to count the shops in the town. If they have already closed down, buy them in my name. Roy will follow behind you to pay. If you can't find the shop owner, confiscate them.
"If they are still in business, make a record on the corresponding household registration to confirm the property rights."
He paused and said: "Then you have to count the houses in the town and register them on the relevant household registration. All ownerless houses will be confiscated.
"After completing these tasks, you have to measure the land around the town and villages and register the corresponding fields.
"At the same time, you have to explain one thing to the town residents and villagers: from now on, if there is a transaction of fields, you must report to the lord's mansion to have legal effect, otherwise I will not recognize the transaction as valid."
While Hobert spoke, Conrad took notes. Although he didn't quite understand the purpose of what the lord was doing, he just had to do it.
After issuing several decrees in a row, Hobert drank a cup of tea to rest.
Fors, who was taking shorthand on the side, took this opportunity to ask: "What is the purpose of registering field transactions in the lord's mansion?"
She always felt that Hobert had a big plan in this matter, but she didn't quite understand what he was planning.
"Of course, it is to indirectly obtain the ownership of all the fields in the territory!" Hobert smiled: "From a legal point of view, all the arable land in the territory is my private property, and it is only lent to the people for cultivation, so the people have to pay taxes.
"But this kind of legal principle cannot be put on the surface, it can only indirectly make the people realize this."
Fors frowned: "These legal principles seem, seem a little inhumane."
"Sometimes maintaining rule is to be inhumane." Hobert said seriously: "This is the only way to concentrate power to the greatest extent and do things that individuals cannot achieve.
"And if it is a mess, relying only on individual strength to carry out infrastructure construction, it is impossible to complete."
"Okay." Fors smiled: "It seems I am not suitable for politics."
She asked again: "What are you going to do with so many shops? I went to the town the day before yesterday, and the town residents have been exploited for six years and have no money to buy things at all."
"That's why I want to acquire shops, and that's why I want to keep building." Hobert smiled: "When everyone has money in their hands, they will have the idea of spending.
"I will reopen the shops I acquired before, and control the prices, or rent them to individuals at low prices, and the market will soon prosper.
"But I plan to make large-scale renovations, transforming them into hotels and inns, restaurants. After the town prospers, tourists will definitely flock here."
Fors said in her heart: This is difficult.
At least Fors didn't see any hope, but she didn't want to dampen Hobert's enthusiasm, so she didn't tell the truth.
She also planned to do her best to help Hobert achieve this goal, and it didn't matter if it couldn't be achieved, they had worked hard.
...
Southern Continent, Hodis Copper Mine.
Elliot and other family members waited by the roadside early today to welcome the family elder who came to inspect.
At about nine o'clock, they finally saw the convoy consisting of three carriages.
The convoy drove slowly to the front and stopped in front of Elliot and others.
Elder Calvin got out of the middle carriage: "My God, how can there be so many wooden houses in the Hodis Copper Mine!"
"That's where the slaves live," Elliot explained: "Living in wooden houses helps them maintain their physical strength."
Although everyone knew that Elliot was a believer of the "Creator", after all, the copper mine was a family property, and the "Creator's" instructions still had to be concealed.
Elder Calvin came to inspect the operation of the copper mine this time. After a simple greeting, the inspection process officially began.
After visiting all morning, everyone had lunch together.
In the afternoon, Calvin called Elliot to the room prepared for him for a private conversation.
Calvin went straight to the point: "We now need the help of the 'Creator'."
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