Evil dragon has a warm heart-Chapter 112 - 111 Ambitious Goals

Chapter 112: Chapter 111 Ambitious Goals

Chapter 112 -111 Ambitious Goals

“A black market?” Russell shook his finger, “I am a lord, and a noble at that, I will not allow the existence of a black market.”

Upon hearing this, Halls immediately hung his head in dejection, “I’m sorry, Sir, I spoke out of turn.”

But the next moment, Russell said, “However, the Echo Water River Cavern does not need a black market. According to your idea, we could completely establish an open, legal cavern trade market, where trade and taxes are conducted normally.”

“Ah.” Halls was stunned.

Immediately afterward, he was overjoyed, “Sir, you are absolutely right. Please forgive my foolish mind; the gloomy environment of the cavern has clouded my vision. With your noble bloodline of the Fluorescent Fungi Family, you can indeed establish a legal cavern trade market!”

Despite the freemen of the caverns being traditionally looked down upon by nobles.

Legally speaking, the Cavern Freemen are not criminals. On the contrary, they hold the status of commoners in the Shadowflame Grand Duchy. They simply do not belong to the subjects of the Glowing Valley, and as such, they can only live in the caverns surrounding the territory.

For Russell to establish a trade market in the Echo Water River Cavern and provide services to the Cavern Freemen is completely in line with the law.

And it does not violate the rules of the Glowing Valley.

However, Russell only indicated that he would not establish a black market. As for whether to build a cavern trade market, that would require further study.

“Go back and report your proposal to Charles, then discuss with him whether or not to enter into this business,” Russell said, “Present the final discussion results to me, and I will decide whether or not to proceed.”

The establishment of a cavern trade market, after all, involves all the caverns around the Glowing Valley and affects over three thousand Cavern Freemen.

Plus those unreported in the population, the number could even reach four thousand.

This includes some fugitives, and even murderers, so whether the business can be done, and how to do it, Russell needs to consult with his father. Even with his father’s permission, he would still have to give a heads up to other lords.

Halls is unaware of Russell’s concerns.

At this moment, he is excited and immediately says, “Sir, I will go to the small market right away to report to Lord Charles about the cavern trade market.”

Russell waves his hand, “Go on, then.”

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After Halls leaves, he and Eric, along with two Fantasy Beasts, prepare to return. The journey back is somewhat dull; Eric has never been a suitable conversation partner, not fond of gossip, idle chat, nor off-color jokes.

So Russell simply asked out of boredom, “Eric, do you think it’s feasible to establish a trade market in the cavern?”

“I don’t know,” Eric responded in a muffled voice. “But rest assured, Sir, if the Cavern Freemen come to the trade market, they must follow your rules. Anyone who dares to cause trouble in your territory, I’ll be the first to take them down!”

He is not concerned with the economic implications of the trade market, he’s only concerned with security issues.

Russell chuckled, both making idle chit-chat with Eric and expressing his own thoughts, “Halls’s proposal isn’t so much about the small amount of money that can be made from the Cavern Freemen; it’s that with this trade market, I might be able to attract even more Freemen from outside.”

Eric is silent, listening without interrupting.

Russell continued, “The population of our territory is too small, even the entire population of Glowing Valley is too scant.”

The entire Glowing Valley covers about 2,600 square kilometers.

This area cannot be considered small; after all, in Russell’s hometown, this area is larger than many counties and even some major cities like Shenzhen, Xiamen, Sanya, Zhuhai, and others.

But the total population of Glowing Valley, including the surrounding Cavern Freemen and all unreported, underreported, or omitted counts, doesn’t even add up to 70,000.

This has led to the issue not being insufficient farmland to sustain people, but rather a shortage of people to farm the land.

Of course.

This also had to do with the low yield of the fields, as a serf could only farm so much land, and the majority of the field’s output had to be handed over to the lord, after all the lord needed a large amount of resources to train knights to participate in the Snowfield battles in the future.

The serfs could not eat their fill, and with many knights dying on the Snowfield each year, this gradually slowed down the population growth of the territory.

After several generations of cultivation by the Fluorescent Fungi Family in Glowing Valley, they had only managed to accumulate a population of over sixty thousand to date.

“If I want to develop my territory, I need a large population, but if I solely rely on the freemen to have children, who knows how many years it will take for the current population of less than four thousand to double. Plus, once I start training knights, the freemen will have to tighten their belts,” he said.

It was a catch-22.

Humans wanted to open up territory, clear trade routes, and had to fight with Snow Ghosts and Snow Demons; these battles required knights.

And to train a fully armed knight required an enormous amount of resources, basically dozens of serf families had to tighten their belts and ceaselessly scrounge from the land in order to provide for the normal training needs of one knight.

Blackwaist Snake Manor had only over seven hundred serf households, hardly enough to support the practice and training of many knights.

“Sir, you are still young and can afford to wait,” Eric consoled, not quite understanding why Russell was in such a hurry.

In his mind, if Russell spent decades earning himself a baron’s title, it would be a great success.

Even if Russell didn’t achieve it, his children continuing the quest would be just as great a victory.

Just like the founding of the Fluorescent Fungi Family.

And if he couldn’t assist Russell in earning a baron’s title in his lifetime, he had a son who could continue assisting Russell’s son. Generation after generation, as long as each one is aspiring, they will eventually create a great legacy.

Three generations striving, completing the advancement from commoner to nobility, that would be the most inspiring story for him and his descendants.

The kind that could be carved on a tombstone.

“Haha, I may be young, but I often feel an urgency, as if time is not on my side,” Russell replied with a candid smile, “Perhaps it is too ambitious, but I am not content to spend my whole life holed up here… Blackwaist Snake Manor is just a starting point.”

Hearing this, Eric patted his chest, “It’s our fortune that you have lofty goals, Sir, and I am willing to strive for you!”

“Mr. Eric, let’s work together.”

…

The plan to construct a trade market in the Echo Water River Cavern was soon discussed and passed at the public office meeting—the Manor’s public office had yet to be built, and for now, the office was located in a wooden cabin near a small marketplace, as it would have to wait for the off-season before there were enough hands to build houses.

Then Russell’s letter to Mr. Luo Man was also answered.

Baron Roman consented to his construction of the Cavern trade market, but he couldn’t help advising Russell not to aim too high or blindly increase the population, believing that the stability of the territory outweighed everything and urging Russell to earnestly practice.

“The Baron’s way of governance is not my way of governance… I am a man meant to ride Great Dragons; how can I bury my talent in a country manor,” sighed Russell, shaking his head with a rueful smile.

Then he began writing again, sending letters to Lord Utreras of Red Falcon Manor, Lord Sally of Greycat Manor, and his own uncle Rosen Fluorescent Spore, each to inform them of his plans to build the Cavern trade market.

These three lords had manors adjoining the cavern and often dealt with the Cavern Free People, so it was necessary to give them a heads-up.