Islandil frowned, "Are you talking about the boy who ignored the law and caused his people to die in a duel? Of course I remember him."
"I met Lisadilan behind the White Hart Castle half a year ago. He seemed to be fighting for a human lord. He was the one blowing the horn in the forest..."
Twilight Knight said hesitantly.
"He's fighting for the human lord? It seems that he has gained the trust of that human lord... Are you planning to ask his lord through Risadiran to find out why humans are invading our forest on such a large scale?"
It is clear that Islandil's mind is very sharp.
"Yes, Your Highness. He may be the only Noldor trusted by the human lords... But I can also understand the pain you feel for losing your loved ones..."
The Twilight Knight hesitated as he spoke - the person that Risadilan killed in the duel was Islandil's nephew.
To be honest, if it were the violent Lord Aldarian of the Aner family, he would have torn Risadilan into pieces long ago. It was very merciful of Islandil to just exile him.
"Well... let's give it a try... Let's give it a try. We can't go to war with humans. We have to resolve the issue."
After a deep sigh, Islandir nodded in agreement.
"Your Highness, what should we do with this camp?"
The Noldor who spoke first asked hesitantly.
"Take the patrol team and monitor this place. As long as no one enters this camp, you don't have to worry about it. But if any human dares to stay here... then kill them!"
After giving his orders, Islandil led the Twilight Knights deep into the forest.
…
Today's Maixiangling is no longer the same as before.
In the eyes of many people, Maixiangling is now considered a part of Bailubao, and most people in Changhe Town already call Maixiangling "Maixiangling of Bailubao".
Because most of them knew that Lord Leon had already settled in Bailu Fort.
Today, this territory surrounded by wheat fields is fully connected to White Deer Castle.
Due to the existence of Changhe Express, whether by water or land from Changhe Town, one can quickly reach Maixiangling, and the transfer of goods is very convenient. Therefore, the trade between Bailubao and Changhe Town has gradually shifted to the market of Maixiangling.
The Wheat Ridge became the trading center for the entire Ayrshire.
The market area originally planned by the Lord has now become a 'comprehensive wholesale market'.
This has led to more and more people in Bailu Fort engaging in commercial activities.
The flow of people between Maixiang Territory and Bailu Fort has become very frequent, especially the merchants of Bailu Fort and the logistical attendants of Knight Territory. Now, there are hundreds of people traveling back and forth between the two places almost every day.
They would go to the Maixiangling Wholesale Market to purchase goods, and then sell them in various villages in Bailubao; they would also purchase some local specialties or handicrafts from the villages and sell them to merchants in Changhe Town at the Maixiangling comprehensive market.
Many farmers in Bailubao also opened new shops or engaged in handicraft production and switched to business.
The increase in the industrial and commercial population is actually a very good phenomenon in this era. It will enable the region to develop rapidly and continue to attract foreign population to settle in.
Although there are only about 10,000 people in Bailubao County, there are now about 2,000 people engaged in industry, commerce or the tertiary industry. This ratio is actually very suitable for urban development.
This is entirely a behavioral change brought about by convenient transportation.
In the past, transportation was inconvenient and there was no opportunity to do business, but now it is different. The road between Maixiangling and Bailubao has become quite good.
The residents who were divided into "production groups" by Li Ang had their farms scattered on both sides of the road between Bailubao and Maixiangling. When they had nothing to do, they would consciously maintain the road and ensure road safety.
This is not a request from the lord, but a spontaneous act.
Of course, the people in the territory were not so noble at first, but when they found out there were free "buses" in the territory, they really began to repair the roads on their own initiative.
Since the Lord returned from the Bacchus Empire two months ago, in early June, a special bus line has been opened between Maixiangling and Bailubao.
That is the box carriage made by the lord.
But the box carriages in the territory are completely different from the one sold to Kairos. These buses are quite crude and simple in style, with no decoration except for the huge griffin emblem on the carriage.
Compared with a truck, it only deliberately enlarged the wheelbase, added a rainproof roof, added a few benches in the carriage, and was pulled by two horses.
If the road is flat, a carriage can hold more than a dozen people.
This kind of carriage only needs half a day to travel the hundred miles. Considering the time for the horses to rest, each carriage is more than enough to run a round trip per day, so the lord arranged more than twenty carriages.
This ensures that you can see one every half hour, whether you are going back or forth.
The people of Maixiangling and Bailubao didn't have to rush to work during the morning rush hour, so it was enough to have a carriage passing by every half hour on average.
This was the first batch of public transportation that appeared on the continent of Pandor. The fare was very cheap. From Maixiangling Square to the foot of Bailubao, a distance of nearly 100 miles, the fare per person only cost five large copper coins.
That is 50 fils, equivalent to one twentieth of a dinar.
The currency of Pand is generally 1 dinar = 10 dirhams = 1000 fils.
One dinar can buy nearly 100 pounds of wheat at market price - of course, this refers to unprocessed grain. If it is processed into flour or made into finished products such as bread, the price will be different.
50 fils was roughly equivalent to the price of five pounds of wheat, or two pounds of bread.
The reason for this price is mainly due to the travel habits of people in that era - for a journey of a hundred miles, whether it is a business trip or a knight's escort going out to do business, most of them will travel in pairs.
Merchants would bring a mercenary or hired worker, and retainers would usually bring an apprentice, because in sparsely populated areas, it is inevitable to encounter difficulties on the road, and someone will always be needed to take care of them.
So, the fare for two people was exactly one dirham silver coin.
In this era, the price of this fare is quite cheap.
You should know that in other places in the continent of Pande, if you hire a carriage for a hundred miles, the cost will be at least settled in dinars, and the road is full of dangers.
But don't think that this price is not profitable. A horse-drawn carriage may seem to carry only a dozen people in one trip, but with people getting on and off along the way, there are actually at least twenty to thirty paying passengers per trip. There may be dozens of people for two round trips - this allows each vehicle to earn more than 2 dinars a day.
Excluding the wages of the grooms and the cost of the draft horses, Changhe Express could make a net profit of at least 1 dinar per vehicle every day.
It may seem like a small amount, but more than 20 vehicles can generate a net profit of 700 to 800 dinars a month, which is almost 10,000 dinars a year, which is really a lot.
You should know that this is only the first route. The total investment cost is actually only a few dozen draft horses, which costs about 10,000 dinars, but the annual net profit can reach 10,000 dinars.
Moreover, they could run 200 miles a day at a leisurely pace on the road, and they could rest for a few hours in between, so it would not cause much damage to the draft horses.
Of course, it’s not that profitable right now.
The current cheap ticket price is only for outsiders, such as the merchants in White Deer Castle and the logistics personnel of the Knights' Territory.
Because the residents of Maixiangling don’t have to pay for the bus ride at all - they have monthly passes...
The monthly ticket was originally created by the lord in order to mobilize his subjects to build roads. It was actually a piece of parchment with a coat of arms stamped on it and a month marked on it.
The first batch of monthly tickets were actually given away for free.
The lord issued a monthly ticket to every citizen living near the road, and also gave one to each soldier, including some soldiers from White Hart Castle - mainly to provide Amy's guards.
On the one hand, the leaders currently don’t have much money, so we have to provide some convenience so that they can boost the bus business.
On the other hand, this will allow the people to maintain the roads on their own initiative, and it will also make it convenient for the soldiers to take the vehicles at any time when on patrol.
Since this is a horse-drawn carriage, it is not so convenient to "stop when you wave". If the road conditions are bad, the driver will not stop - if the carriage is too heavy, starting and braking will be difficult, and when encountering an uphill slope, the passengers get off and push.
Moreover, when two cars meet, it is indeed quite difficult if the road is not wide enough.
Besides, these carriages were made rather crudely and were not comfortable to sit in. Even the slightest pothole in the ground would cause pain in the buttocks.
Because the Lord hasn't had time to get the shock-absorbing steel plates and springs...
Therefore, the people who have monthly tickets are of course happy to make the roads better.
As a result of the voluntary efforts of more than a thousand people, this road was built into the best quality highway in the continent of Pande in just over a month, with a width of five meters.
Some smarter subjects even deliberately filled the flat ground on the roadside with flat stone slabs to serve as "bus stops" to ensure that carriages would stop at the gates of their farms.
It is now the end of July. From the beginning of June to now, this special bus line has been running for nearly two months.
The second batch of monthly passes given to the residents are about to expire, and the buses are already operating normally and are familiar and accepted by the people throughout Ayrshire.
In particular, small vendors who need to travel frequently between the two places and the logistics personnel of various knight territories are quite satisfied with this cheap means of transportation.
Originally, they couldn't travel between the two places frequently unless they bought horses themselves. But the one-time investment was too high, and raising horses also cost money.
The emergence of buses can actually reduce their overall travel costs.
Although they need to pay a little for the fare, they can improve travel efficiency, which in turn allows them save or earn more money because there are no middlemen to make a profit from the difference in price.
Buses can bring the travel capabilities of ordinary people and wealthy businessmen to the same starting line, which essentially narrows the information gap. Everyone can go to the wholesale market in Maixiangling frequently, and the number of small retail vendors will naturally increase significantly.
Those who have the skills to engage in handicrafts will have more sales opportunities for the items they make.
This also makes the prices of various commodities gradually become stable. Big merchants can no longer manipulate the prices of goods by taking advantage of the information gap between regions. Wholesale prices and retail prices will always remain within a reasonable range, and small vendors will of course be able to engage in retail business for a long time.
This can actually greatly boost the economy of the entire Ayrshire. In fact, more and more people have begun to move to Ayrshire.
This is the greatest significance of convenient transportation.
In fact, many small vendors and people in Bailubao are very envious of the monthly pass, and some even resell it. Many people in Maixiang Territory really don't have much need to travel, and besides, their whole family can share one monthly pass...
After the Lord knew about this, he was even a little dazed - it seems that the whole family using the same senior citizen card will happen in every world...
Therefore, the lord decided not to give away free monthly tickets for August - the road has been well built, the people's novelty has worn off, and the main group of people traveling has become merchants and civilians in White Deer Castle.
It would seem a bit of a loss to give out monthly tickets for free, as the bus line has to make a profit after all, so Li Ang set a standard price for the monthly tickets, 9 dirhams each.
The reason why the convenient price of one dinar was not used was that saying "less than one dinar" would make it sound cheaper, and the lord was deliberately collecting dirham silver coins.
But considering that his own subjects are very poor at present, they have no money, and the people of Bailu Fort are not rich either, it is difficult to afford to buy them with money.
So the lord issued another decree these two days, telling everyone in Ayrshire that they can exchange saltpeter for monthly tickets in the future, and two pounds of qualified saltpeter can be exchanged for one monthly ticket.
The purpose is of course obvious - the production of saltpeter by the whole nation does not necessarily require a war. Sometimes sending dozens of horse-drawn carriages back and forth can solve the problem, and they can also carry soldiers on patrol to ensure the safety of the territory.
Of course, this policy has just been issued and the results have not yet been seen.
And new troubles have arrived.
Maixiangling is now becoming very crowded.
Originally, all the supplies and troops of Maixiangling were transferred to Bailubao, and most of the population was dispersed to various farms. There were not many people living in the previously designated residential areas.
But a few days ago, more than 1,300 young and strong people were brought in, and this small place was suddenly filled to capacity.
Coupled with the constant coming and going of vendors and horse-drawn carriages, Maixiangling, which originally consisted of only two streets, actually gave people the feeling of a big city.
The merchants settled in the Maixiangling Comprehensive Market have always had good business. Even though there seemed to be a war in Bailubao in the past half month, it did not affect the business of the wholesale market much. The trading and transportation of various daily necessities still need to be done.
The only impact was that the bus service was suspended for two days to facilitate the fake surrender plan.
In the days after the battle, Mai Xiangling's business became even more prosperous.
Groups of mercenaries of all kinds came to Maixiangling at this time.
Many mercenaries came from the north, which was the road that the lord had originally taken and met Lisadilan.
But more people come by boat from Changhe Town.
The comprehensive market is bustling with people, and places like the 'Food World' are even more crowded. Most big cities are not as lively as this.
These consumers are basically adventurers and mercenaries from other places.
Recently, many mercenary groups have come to the vicinity of Maixiangling, and their purpose is very clear - to capture the Noldor elves.
In the Noldor Forest, only this famous local specialty can attract so many mercenaries...
It’s just that there are so many mercenaries coming recently that even Maixiangling can’t accommodate them all.
These are all mercenary groups of various sizes, led by the Ebony Gauntlet Knights, and the total number of people currently exceeds three thousand.
And this is definitely not the final number, because they have not yet fully entered the Noldor Forest and are still waiting, obviously waiting for follow-up personnel to arrive.
Although these mercenaries can indeed help merchants increase sales, for today's lords, the trouble they bring may far outweigh the economic value they bring.
The lord is currently discussing countermeasures with Amy and his subordinates.
This is the Lord's Hall of White Hart Castle. Leon sat in the main seat, and Amy, Sarah, Roland, Anson and others sat around the round table.
This time, Lisadiran did not hide in the dark, but also sat at the round table.
"Everyone, according to the news I got in Sarleon City, those mercenaries should be here to capture the Noldor elves, and they are probably after the Noldor noble girls... Lisadiran, tell everyone what the noble girls in your tribe mean..."
Leon is very anxious now, and signals Lisadiran to explain to everyone the situation within the Noldor tribe.
"We have four tribes in total, that is, four noble families. I belong to the Ino family. At present, there are only more than 200 nobles in the Ino family, including me. And there should be only two unmarried girls among the nobles. I estimate that the other families are similar. In other words, if those mercenaries want to complete their ugly mission, they will inevitably start an endless war with my people... Of course, I think they will get nothing and will all be buried in the forest."
Lisadiran was also very nervous, but his nervousness did not seem to be for the safety of the Noldor people - he felt that those mercenary groups would probably be wiped out halfway.
In fact, Li Ang also thinks so.
But he and Lisadiran also considered another problem at the same time - the employer of these mercenaries was King Ulric.
They were hired by the king for a huge sum of money, not to capture ordinary elves, but to capture the noble girls of the Noldor.
There are not many Noldor, and noble girls are not easy to find.
This meant that they would not engage in small-scale hunting activities on the edge of the forest, but would go deep into the Forest of Noldor and invade the heartland of the Elves.
The mercenaries may be seeking their own death, and probably no one will sympathize with them.
But they were hired by the king to wage a massive war against the Noldor, which was actually a disaster for the White Hart Keep.
The last time human armed forces launched a large-scale attack on the Noldor Forest was more than three hundred years ago. The outcome of that battle was that the combined army of 30,000 human noble lords was buried forever in the forest.
Yes, only a few people were able to escape.
From then on, the Long River Forest was called the Noldor Forest, and the Noldor no longer had any communication with humans, and the two races became mortal enemies.
The number of the Noldor elves is probably indeed small, but no matter how arrogant a person is, they will not ignore the fighting power of the Noldor, and no one will easily step into the depths of the Noldor Forest.
Over the past few hundred years, the Noldor elves have been hiding in the forest and watching humans fighting each other. Unless humans provoke them, they will never leave the forest easily.
But if it is such a large-scale invasion, the reaction of the Noldor is obvious - this is a group with extremely strong combat power. They have the ability to fight back and will definitely make the invading country pay a heavy price!
Regardless of whether those mercenary groups can succeed or be completely destroyed, the anger of the Noldor for revenge against the Kingdom of Sarleon will definitely burn towards White Hart Castle.
After all, White Hart Castle belongs to the Kingdom of Sarleon. After all, White Hart Castle is the closest to the Noldor Forest...
This is a huge crisis.