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Chapter 4
Chapter 4 A New Era
After returning to the Ducal Estate, Eileen began her routine inspection.
Oswald did not know what exactly she was inspecting, but this had been her habit even in the previous life. From the entry and exit records of the Ducal Estate to the procurement lists, then to personnel changes and sanitation within the estate...
In short, by the time Eileen completed each inspection one by one, Oswald, who had been sitting before the fireplace and was about to fall asleep, finally saw her.
Having changed into a clean maid outfit, Eileen respectfully submitted the report into Oswald’s hands.
Е nǔ m å
“You have worked hard. Sit.”
After Eileen sat down, Oswald finally began seriously reading through the report on the establishment of the coal yard.
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Food, energy, finances, population.
Among these four major issues, perhaps the only one that allowed Oswald to breathe a little easier was energy.
Eileen had done an outstanding job. She had led more than five hundred miners and not only successfully opened up a road, but also established a settlement near the coal yard.
Before she left, they had already built wooden houses that could shelter people from wind and rain, and they could produce several hundred tons of high-quality coal every day.
Е̊n̆u̇ m а̇ .ї d̂
With a stable coal supply, the next thing to do was smelt iron.
This year and in the next few years, the territory as a whole needed to recuperate and rebuild. But the construction of the army could not be delayed for even a single day, especially in terms of the supply rate of weapons and equipment.
Iron armor was unsuited to the northern climate. It was something Oswald had already abandoned in the previous life. By comparison, soldiers in cotton armor had a higher survival rate and stronger combat effectiveness on the battlefield, which had already pointed out the future direction of military development for him.
Aside from that, the construction of two elite forces, cavalry and archers, also needed to be placed on the schedule.
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However, if he took too large a step, he would easily hurt himself. After the defeat, the total military strength in the Ducal Estate’s hands had already sharply decreased to thirty-five thousand men, and it had completely lost the ability to launch an active offensive.
It was a tower-defense game, after all. There was always no avoiding the part where one had to defend the tower.
W̌_е̇ b nо́ v̌ е̃l E n̊ ǔ m̀ а
Therefore, Oswald decided to select two thousand elite cavalrymen and three thousand archers from among these thirty-five thousand men for separate training. The location would be set at Broad Valley City.
Broad Valley City was located between Ice City, the capital of the Northern Territory, and Starfall City, the mighty northern pass. It had a terrain shaped like a vertical basin sandwiched between two mountains.
In front of the city was a narrow forested passage, making it a strategically dangerous location. Behind the city were vast stretches of flat land with abundant water and grass, suitable for military farming and raising troops.
As for the mountain ranges on both sides, although they were steep, they contained abundant iron ore resources. With both favorable timing and terrain, this place had already become the only proper choice for establishing a military camp.
As for the remaining thirty thousand soldiers, the five thousand elites under Red’s command needed to guard Ice City and absolutely could not be transferred away. They were already one of the few units in Oswald’s hands still capable of field battles.
For the rest, Oswald planned to organize them into five regiments of five thousand men each, divided into two garrison regiments and three reserve regiments.
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The two garrison regiments would naturally be mainly composed of veterans who still retained combat strength. They would respectively guard the two passes of Starfall City and Broad Valley City and receive priority in military resources.
The three reserve regiments would undergo collective training in the newly established military camp. Aside from that, they would also take on the task of military farming.
When Oswald handed the plan titled Iron and Fire to Eileen, Eileen’s eyelids twitched a few times involuntarily.
After a long while, from between the densely packed words, she finally saw two words: money and grain!
They had to open mines, establish a military camp, and carry out a series of production activities... This was no longer a matter of tightening their belts to get by. This was throwing the entire Northern Territory’s finances into the military.
“Your Grace.” Eileen drew in a deep breath, gently set the plan down, raised her eyes, and asked, “May I ask where the money needed to implement this plan will come from?”
Ӗǹ ǔmа́
Could it be that he intended to confiscate the property of another noble?
“I possess considerable family wealth.”
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Oswald turned his head and inadvertently met Eileen’s clear eyes. He was momentarily dazed.
Without letting anything show, he picked up a cup of low-quality ale that only people of the lower classes would drink, forced a smile, and raised it slightly to Eileen.
Eileen hurriedly shifted her gaze away and tugged at the folds of her skirt. After returning to her senses, she understood that the duke was not even planning to spare himself. He intended to confiscate his own family’s property.
“Go recruit disaster victims. In addition, inform the residents throughout the Northern Territory that poor people with little or no land may all come to the Ducal Estate to sign documents and obtain usage rights to the Marquis Estate’s land. The tax rate will remain unchanged, and no field rent will be collected!”
Ӗn̆ u̇ m ă
Following Oswald’s order, the entire Northern Territory seemed to revive like spring itself, bursting with vigorous life.
An age of great transformation had begun. As soon as March arrived and the spring breeze had just awakened the green buds, the major roads throughout the Northern Territory became crowded with soldiers and civilians coming and going.
Most of the army traveled north, heading toward the vicinity of Broad Valley City. Large numbers of disaster victims accompanied them, dragging their families along as they went to build a new homeland under the escort of the cavalry.
Even more people headed east. That was the main agricultural production area. Aside from people returning to their hometowns, there was also a group of new farmers carrying documents from the Ducal Estate.
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They still did not understand the phrase “usage rights.” Although the land was not theirs, they understood the phrase “free cultivation for thirty years.”
Thirty years later, if they still wanted to farm the land, they could continue signing contracts and pass it down generation after generation.
Е n ù m а̇ . і̃ ď
This was truly a great pie falling from the sky, a wonderful fortune one would not encounter in several hundred years. The Marquis Estate was famous for being a great landowner, and its lands were all top quality. In the past, even if they had wanted to sell themselves into service to farm for that family, it still would not have been the turn of thin, starving poor people like them.
Now, hmph, with one word from the duke, the land had been divided and handed down. Each person receiveddozens of acres, all connected in a single stretch, as large and flat as a pancake.
What did it have to do with the marquis anymore? Did everyone not know that the entire North belonged to the duke’s family?
On the other side, the departure of a large number of people allowed Ice City to return once more to its former tranquility.
But as the shocking news of the Marquis Estate’s land being divided spread, under the calm surface, hidden currents still began to surge.
The nobles were restless. Red hurried over and knocked on the door of the duke’s office.
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“Enter!”
Pushing the door open, Red’s mouth, which had just opened in a rush, instantly froze. Before the desk, where was the duke’s usual violent and unrestrained face? All that was there was a pair of calm eyes.
He suddenly took in a great breath, pointed at her, and flew into a rage.
“Eileen, why are you pretending to sit in the duke’s seat? What do you think you are doing?!”
Eileen, who was processing official business, ignored him. She set down the pen, took a sheet of letter paper from the desk drawer, placed it on the desk, and smiled faintly.
“The duke left this for you.”
Ė ň.u m̃ а
Red looked at her suspiciously, strode forward, and snatched up the letter paper. With just one glance, he was immediately so frightened that cold sweat poured down his body.
There was only one sentence written on it, and there was not even a signature, yet he still recognized the duke’s handwriting. The elegant characters flowed like dragons and snakes as they read: Of the money the nobles give you, keep ten percent and consciously hand over the rest. In addition, if a noble uprising occurs while I am away, you will present your head to me.
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Red swallowed. He no longer had any of the momentum he had shown when accusing Eileen just now. Facing a loyal servant of the Ducal Estate of the same type as himself, he weakly asked, “How much do you hand over?”
Eileen smiled proudly, revealing her little tiger teeth. With a bright smile, she spread out five fingers.
“What?!”
Red let out a sharp shriek. Unfair! This was far too unfair! He had already seen it from the last reward. The duke was not ordinarily biased. Aside from being unable to become a maid, in terms of loyalty and merit, in what way was he inferior to her?
Е̇ñů m ã.id
“On what basis?”
Red stiffened his neck, looking as if he would lie on the floor and refuse to leave today unless she gave him an explanation.
“You are a soldier. Military achievements, wealth, and rank are all won from horseback. As long as you can win battles, what reward would you not receive?”
Eileen glanced at him, snorted coldly, and continued, “To think you are still the Knight Commander. Is accepting bribes something you should be doing? That was originally the daily work of me, his personal maid! That money can only pass through my hands!”
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“A corrupt official...”
Red left with a face full of melancholy. There was nothing he could do. He would obediently hand over the money. Oswald was no kind and benevolent man. If Red did not listen honestly, he might not even be able to keep his position as Knight Commander.
Е̂ n̈ u̇m̊ а̇ . í d
However, Eileen was right about one thing. A soldier’s wealth was all on horseback. If he could not win battles, then he truly was nothing at all...
At the same time that Red was racking his brains to preserve his position, Oswald led a squad of cavalry off the main road and arrived at an unnamed small village.
The village was not large. It was built against the mountain, with low houses scattered beside several small streams, forming a peaceful and tranquil scene.
Seeing a large squad of cavalry arrive, the villagers working in the fields straightened up one after another and leaned on their hoes as they sized the riders up curiously.
The children were bolder. One after another, they climbed onto walls and shouted excitedly.
Although this place was remote, the people still recognized the insignia of the Ducal Estate’s cavalry. After all, the North had been at war all year round. If they could not even recognize their own troops and did not know which direction to run, then they would truly be stupider than pigs.
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Recently, travelers passing by would occasionally stop in the village to rest, and what they spoke about were all stories from the big city. They heard that the newly appointed duke was a kind-hearted person. Not only had he distributed grain for disaster relief, he had also allocated land for others to farm.
Every time the sturdy young men in the village heard a traveler mention this, they would beat their chests and stamp their feet in regret. How could they not have been present when such a good thing happened?
That was land. Land they could obtain just by signing their names!
They wondered which noble the duke would seize next time, and whether he would divide that family’s land too.
In short, now, surrounded by the children, the cavalry dismounted at the village entrance and slowly walked into the village.
A highly respected old man came forward with a walking stick and asked shakily, “May I ask what important business brings you here?”
Е̌ n u m̌ а̊ . і̃ d̆
Oswald, dressed in military uniform, stepped forward and politely answered, “I have come to find someone. His name is Federico.”
When the old man heard this, he nodded heavily and pointed beneath a large tree not far away, where a young, burly man was idly catching lice out of sheer boredom.
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“That would be him.”
The corner of Oswald’s mouth twitched. He had long heard that Federico had been a scoundrel before joining the army, but to be so idle that he was picking lice during the busy farming season... Truly, seeing him in person surpassed his reputation.
Federico’s father had once been the most powerful mountain bandit in the area around the Royal Capital. He was brave, fond of battle, and fearless before the powerful and noble. At the peak of his influence, he had even had nearly ten thousand men under his command.
However, a tree that stood taller than the forest would inevitably be destroyed by the wind. After the mountain bandits were wiped out and his father died, Federico escaped alone. To avoid pursuit, he disguised himself as a vagrant and came to the Northern Duke’s territory.
W е b́ n̆ о̃ v̌е ľ. Е n̄u m̌ a
In the previous life’s Northern Army, this person had been a legendary existence.
In only four years, through dozens of victories, he had gone from a foot soldier to a junior officer, climbed all the way up the ranks, and eventually became a Grand General commanding the three armies.
Not only was his resume astonishing, he had also earned all manner of military achievements—slaying enemy generals, seizing banners, being the first to scale the walls—drawing the jealousy and admiration of countless soldiers.
However, standing before this man once again, Oswald could not help doubting whether he had come too early.
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What was this lump of rotten filth before him?! Tell me, what exactly was this foul-smelling rotten thing that picked its nose and then picked its feet?!
Federico had just narrowed his eyes and glanced sideways at the newcomer when the horsewhip in Oswald’s hand cracked across his body with a snap.
Ë ñ u m̃ а̇ . і d́
“Stand up!” Oswald roared, and another lash followed.
Federico cried out strangely several times, covered his face, and stood up crookedly. With a mixture of confusion and fear, he looked at Oswald in grievance.
This military lord was so unreasonable. Why hit him for no reason?
“Stand straight!”
When the third lash fell, Federico finally behaved himself. He straightened the waist he had not properly straightened in years, and several rusty cracks sounded from his body.
Oswald’s anger had yet to subside. Before coming here, he had imagined many classic cases of a fine steed meeting its Bo Le. He had even expected a moving scene of the nation encountering a good general, and a worthy subject rejoicing at meeting an enlightened lord.
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But it was said that Shun rose from the fields, Fu Yue was raised from among the builders, and Jiao Ge was lifted up from the fish and salt trade... Those great figures, those historical people worthy of the saying that Heaven was about to place a great responsibility upon them, were many of them even greater laboring people before they rose to prominence.
Then look at this fellow. He was idling about even during the busy farming season. A perfectly good young laborer had somehow lived himself into the appearance of a beggar!
Now Oswald seriously suspected that the reason Federico had enlisted in the army in the first place was very likely because years of war had left the village without extra grain to support him, leaving him no choice but to enter the military camp in order to fill his stomach.
No longer in the mood to test Federico’s abilities, Oswald only coldly left behind a single sentence before turning to leave.
“From now on, you are a soldier under my command. Follow me immediately!”
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