Hetty's worries are actually not a problem in the background of this era, because in the three views of most people, and even in the facts of this era, cold winter only means one thing: everything is dying, life is dwindling, everything All work stops, and human beings will store up enough food and fuel before then stop working, return home, and turn into a state of pure consumption.
Just like those animals that store food in tree holes in advance and nest in caves for the winter.
This way of living is determined by reality—although there are all kinds of "magic" that behave like black technology, they only belong to a very small number of upper elites, and the whole world is still firmly bound to the land In fact, farmers are the most basic producers of almost all social wealth. Agriculture and various production activities based on agriculture are the most important production activities in this society. Once winter comes and farming stops, 80% of the people They will be free, and the backward aristocratic order prohibits these people from doing business freely or engaging in any "sideline business that does not conform to their status". Without the permission of the aristocrats, commoners even have to go fishing in the river and go hunting in the mountains to chop firewood. severely punished.
In addition, the vast majority of civilians have limited food reserves in winter, and they can only maintain a half-full state throughout the winter, so they don't dare to waste their energy doing anything "beyond the rules"—they exhale in winter Every mouthful of hot air is depleting their meager physical reserves, and may cause them to freeze and starve to death before spring.
However, in Cecil Territory, the situation is completely different.
The Cecil family currently does not have any form of extravagant expenditure, which greatly saves expenses. The new production mode ensures that sufficient supplies can be stored before winter. Pittman and his trained pharmacy apprentices are doing their best. It also ensured sufficient food in the territory—plus the food purchased from Tanzan Town and the supplies supported by the king, the citizens of Cecil Territory did not have to think about consumption in winter.
Here I have to focus on the materials supported by the king—Gao Wen admitted that he had cheated Francis II a little in this regard, because the agreement he signed with the king was to provide the entire territory of Cecil Territory with the royal family. He didn't say how many people will be in his territory, and how many people will increase in a short period of time, so he has asked for additional supplies from the royal family several times in a fair manner...
The food supply was ensured, and Gao Wen had plenty of jobs here.
Nothing to do after winter? That's another territory, and Cecil still has a lot to do here. The steel factory is expanding in scale, and two large factories have been added next to the machinery manufacturing factory to accommodate new production lines. The kiln area for firing Rebecca crystals has also been converted into a formal factory, named "Magic Energy Crystal Smelting Factory." ", not only used to burn Rebecca crystals, but also set up a laboratory to test what new substances can be synthesized from various minerals dug from the dark mountains. The silly roe deer has to point at the crucible in the laboratory every day Throw more than two hundred fireballs with a small furnace to be happy...
In addition, there are also iron mines in the east and countless construction sites on the territory that also need manpower.
After winter, the ground hardens and the water tends to freeze. All kinds of construction-related work will slow down, but this does not mean that the construction work will stop. Although the output of "products" is low, it performs very well at low temperatures. In addition, there are not too many large buildings in the territory now, so the construction at various construction sites will not stop, and there is a big project that is about to start —
As the Baishui River enters the dry season and the water level drops, Gao Wen plans to build a really strong bridge on this river that can be used for a long time to replace the current temporary bridge. The development work can proceed smoothly.
He was even worried that even with the addition of the refugees in the wilderness, the manpower in the territory would still be insufficient—after all, those people needed training, and they couldn't get used to working at first. non stop...
After Gao Wen presented these plans and supporting plans one by one in front of Hetty, the latter fell into a long period of consternation.
"How about it, don't you worry about those refugees having nothing to do now?" Gawain smiled, "We have enough jobs to keep them busy throughout the winter, and in the process, everyone will adapt to the Cecil Territory. Uncomplicated new laws, so what are you worried about?"
Hetty silently glanced at the plan on the table, took a deep breath: "I'm worried that I'm exhausted..."
Gao Wen: "...cough cough..."
Thinking about the pressure this eldest granddaughter had to bear, Gawain could only comfort her: "Don't worry, Viscount Andrew found a way to find a group of down-and-out knights and bankrupt businessmen and scholars on his own territory, and said with money. Send them to work in Cecilland, I plan to arrange half of them to teach at night school, and the other half will be your deputy, so that you can set up the shelf of the Ministry of the Interior when winter comes."
Hearing this, Heidi finally breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank you ancestors..."
"Why do these words sound so similar to what those barbarians used to say back then," Gawain said with a strange look in his eyes, "Back then they used to praise the spirits of their ancestors first no matter what they did..."
Hetty thought for a while: "I'm different from them, my ancestors could indeed hear me thanking him..."
"Then your ancestors will reduce the workload for you, right?" Gao Wen looked at the granddaughter who was rarely able to make jokes. After the next batch of human resources are delivered, I will give you priority in picking a batch of assistants, right? Just don't say 'thank you ancestors' in that pious way in front of me... I fell behind when dealing with barbarians Psychological shadow, when you mention thanking the ancestors, I feel that I will become the spirit in the sky again... "
Hetty: "..."
Not long after Hetty left, Amber's figure emerged from the nearby air.
Gawain brushed all the valuables on the table in front of him with ease, then raised his eyelids and looked at the half-elf thief: "How about it, did the two mercenaries you captured cooperate?"
"I haven't cooperated yet. After all, you don't allow prisoners to be abused, so those two people are still wasting time with the soldiers." Amber came to Gao Wen's desk unsteadily, and curled her lips when she found that she couldn't do anything, "I said You really don't think about tying those two mercenaries who don't speak up to a pillar and whipping them a few times? This kind of mercenary is actually easy to deal with, don't think they can be fierce in front of refugees, but as long as you are tough, they Immediately, you will sell your employer obediently, and now they are silent, it is all because you neither beat them with a whip nor spend money to bribe them... "
"The one you mentioned is that you can steal chickens and dogs for a few silver coins, and the members are basically mercenaries at the armed militia level." Gawain glanced at the half-elf, "but the two we caught...you didn't notice What? A knight who has reached the third level, a second-level arcane mage, and the low-level knight and mage who were shot to death before. Although these people are all low-level professionals, they are casually A gangster can become an army commander or a mystic consultant for a certain lord. If he goes to the east to make some military exploits and then curry favor with Silas Lauren's family, he can even join the noble class and become a baron or viscount, but They are willing to work as mercenaries in such a remote place, why do you think?"
Amber thought about it hard: "Is it for the ideal? You see, I am such a powerful shadow master, and I still dig graves..."
Gao Wen didn't expect any serious answer from the shame of all things, and after hearing Hu Po's nonsense, he continued to himself: "There are indeed powerful professionals among the mercenaries, but this kind of mercenary group usually has Activities in places close to the Holy Dragon Principality in the north or Typhon Empire in the east, because these places are full of dangers and opportunities, and the wealth that can be harvested in the process of taking risks or completing commissions is enough for professionals to choose this not very respectable path, but The South has been in peace for a long time, and the mercenary groups operating in this area are usually not very strong and financially rich, and those mercenaries with several professionals sitting in the town and wearing extraordinary weapons usually have only one explanation—— They are a 'black hand team' dedicated to serving one or a few nobles."
Speaking of this, Gao Wen smiled: "This kind of mercenary has a strong psychological quality, and most of them have some reason or hostage in the hands of the nobles, so they are not afraid of torture. Ordinary whipping is useless."
Amber looked at Gao Wen curiously: "Then how do you pry their mouths open?"
"Pittman said he has a solution, but he needs to prepare some special ointments and rituals, so I'm not in a hurry." Gao Wen glanced at Amber with a smile, "And I don't believe you didn't learn from those two mercenaries. Find something on your body, I know your character, usually you can drink half a bottle of ink on the way if you are asked to help you go to the warehouse..."
Amber blushed immediately: "When did I ever drink ink!"
"I'm just making a metaphor, do you understand the metaphor?"
"Tch," Amber expressed her dissatisfaction by expressing her dissatisfaction by squeezing some air between her teeth, and then she started to touch her body with a tangled expression, "I'm telling you, this is my trophy, look I'll give it back later..."
"What's the return? The rules I just made prohibit looting on the battlefield. You forgot that the spoils are handed over to the public and credited to the public?" Gao Wen said while holding the various odds and ends that Amber took out before his eyes, "Don't pout. , you are my exclusive guard, and you still want to take the lead in breaking the rules? And it’s not that I won’t give you compensation, there are rewards for meritorious service... Oh, there are a lot of things? No wonder the soldiers came to report that the two captives I didn't find any valuable belongings... you got them all?"
The corners of Amber's eyes twitched, as if bleeding from distress, she felt a little better after hearing Gao Wen's promise of compensation.
But Gawain's eyes were suddenly attracted by a dagger among those trivial items.
On the handle of the dagger, there was a mark that looked like the coat of arms of a noble family.