Volume 7: Doing Business with the World Chapter 215 Laura's Ideal
Isaac was very calm; he had already been baptized when he wrote the play.
Laura was originally very calm - a girl of this age would have no illusions about love unless she lived in a specific environment and was brainwashed or influenced by the general environment - but after she found that the teacher was staring at her sternly, she could no longer remain calm.
"Teacher, do you think I look like someone who can be easily deceived?" Little Lola said in a frown.
"Of course not. Our little Laura is so smart and capable~" Xiao Yun stretched out his tone, "Didn't I do the precautions first? See that domineering president... uh, the shrewd stupid prince, if he showed his love to you with the prince's halo, would you be vain? Would you regard the satisfaction of your vanity as the excitement of love?"
“Teacher——!!” Little Laura jumped up and stomped her feet. “Prince Maurice is only the third in line to the throne. He must find a wife of sufficient weight before the king abdicates. Otherwise, after the eldest prince takes the throne, he can only be a duke without real power at best. He can’t even enter the noble parliament. How can he marry me?”
"Hmm~ Not bad, you calculated the account very clearly, you are worthy of being our smart Laura." Xiao Yun smiled and stretched out his hands, "Come here, let me hug you more before you grow up. If you grow up a little bit, the teacher won't be able to be so close to you."
Laura threw herself into Xiao Yun's arms and acted like a spoiled child...
Isaac looked indifferent.
After comforting Laura, Xiao Yun continued to talk business with his two disciples.
"Isaac, don't get involved in the Battle Ball League." Xiao Yun said seriously, "First, this is Kronen's cake. After all, you are an outsider. It will not benefit you to get involved. Second, I don't recommend that you be taken too seriously by Prince Morris."
Isaac nodded at first, then looked up in surprise when he heard the last part.
"Ayun, do you think Morris is not a good person?" Laura asked curiously.
Xiao Yun shook his head: "It has nothing to do with whether he is a good person or not. It's just like what you said, Laura. He is the third in line to the throne. He is in a high position and has no maternal family to rely on. If the current King Kronin abdicates, he will be excluded from the core power after being stripped of the royal halo. People who can't remain calm in the face of power are not suitable to be bet on."
After a pause, Xiao Yun emphasized, "His situation is similar to that of Carlisle a few years ago, but even without having to fight hard, Carlisle could at least become a prince. However, there is no such thing as a prince in the Kingdom of Kroning. Morris is like a boat going upstream. If he doesn't move forward, he will move backward. The price of following him as a pioneer is too high!"
Isaac frowned in thought, while Laura showed an expression of confusion...
Xiao Yun did not continue to explain and let his disciple think slowly.
In the battle for succession in ancient China, only the bigwigs in the core power zone were qualified to choose the weakest prince to support.
Small fish and shrimps have no reason to cling to the thighs of such a weak prince, as they are destined to be cannon fodder - people who are qualified to play the game of power but lack power and conditions to remain calm in the face of power are often more likely to gamble!
So what do these noble and favored sons of heaven use to gamble?
The lives of small fish and shrimps!
History books only record that a certain prince was imprisoned, so where did all the prince’s younger brothers go?
hehe.
Xiao Yun had no contact with this prince and could not say that he understood him, but since he knew his situation, it didn't matter what the prince's outward personality showed - it was much easier for the environment to change people than for people to change the environment.
Isaac is not a consumable. It is true that he hopes that Isaac can infiltrate Kroenig's top circle to obtain shipbuilding technology, but he has no intention of killing Isaac.
Isaac thought for a long time before he finally figured it out. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and he said in a dry voice: "I understand, teacher."
He was indeed trying to find a way to get close to Prince Maurice and make the other party pay as much attention to him as possible - what could be a faster way to get into the top circle than to cling to the prince?
If the teacher hadn't reminded him, he really wouldn't have known when he had played himself to death...
Xiao Yun smiled and nodded. As expected of Isaac, who had been beaten up by society, he woke up quickly.
If it were someone who has not received social education, he might even retort with some nonsense like "I know what I am doing" or "Don't worry"!
"We are not saying that we should distance ourselves from Prince Morris. We just need to be careful about the degree. We can cooperate, but we cannot be tied to his ship." Xiao Yun continued, "If the two of you are not sure how to manage this distance, then you can refer to Viscount Pope's attitude. No matter how close he is to Prince Morris, you should regard this distance as a red line and not cross it. Don't be fooled by Viscount Pope's appearance of being a good guy. He is smarter than the two of you tied together..."
The two disciples nodded obediently.
The afternoon's basketball game was still quite a sensation, and some businesses in the Knights' Territory closed their doors and came to watch. When the game ended and the Snow Wolf warriors left the stadium, they were blocked by enthusiastic "fans" for more than an hour.
Until the opening of the agricultural machinery exhibition that evening, the distinguished guests present were still talking about the details of the afternoon's competition.
The trade fair was held in the Knight Territory District 3 which was under construction. On the large square which had been planned but not yet broken ground, rows of agricultural machinery were neatly arranged and several headlights illuminated the scene as bright as day.
Isaac personally demonstrated the operation of agricultural machinery for the distinguished guests. He climbed into the cockpit of the four-wheel tractor and hung a triangular pear weighing more than a ton. After running back and forth once, the shining-eyed Kronin nobles rushed forward and caressed the iron-covered fuselage and the triangular pear cast in wrought iron with hungry eyes as if they were looking at a peerless beauty...
After demonstrating the operation of the seed drill, harvester, and sweet potato (red fruit) harvester, Isaac and Viscount Pope were completely overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of the nobles...
Xiao Yun stood calmly beside Laura, laughing and having fun.
"Before, I thought the price of agricultural machinery might be too high, but now I don't have to worry about it." Laura was also very happy. "But Ayun, we agreed to give priority to those in Bolton. You can't forget about me just because others pay more."
"Be good, of course you are the most important." Xiao Yun said with a smile, "Later, the teacher will have someone send you plastic film to build a greenhouse. The snow here in winter is not as heavy as on the grassland, so the plastic greenhouse can withstand it."
It doesn't work on the grassland, as the plastic greenhouses will almost collapse... They can only be used to gain more planting time in early spring and late autumn when it doesn't snow.
"Ayun is the best!" Laura was even happier.
"Don't be too happy, you have to pay."
"I know!"
"But - little Lola, having agricultural machinery and plastic film doesn't mean we can immediately improve the level of agriculture, do you understand?" Xiao Yun turned to look at little Lola.
Little Laura thought about it seriously before answering, "I understand. Harris and his men gave me a report on the living conditions of farmers in Bolton County. Farmers are not as lazy and stupid as the little nobles say. They have to pay 60% of their annual harvest to the local nobles. They have to work for the local nobles for free for at least 100 days a year. They can't see the hope of changing their lives. They have to do their best just to survive. How can they plant with their heart?"
"Yeah, and then what?" Xiao Yun nodded with satisfaction.
"Harris said that after the snake tribe arrived on the grassland, you gave them houses, seeds, taught them how to plant and compost, and asked them to keep 70% of their output, and used the money to buy their surplus food." Laura looked up at Xiao Yun and said seriously, "The snake tribe, who are not good at planting, can support themselves by planting after only one year of learning, and they can live better than before. So I think 'hope' should be the best motivation. Not many people will be willing to continue to be lazy if they can see hope in life. That's what I think, right, Ayun?"
Xiao Yun smiled and touched Laura's little head.
He was not stupid enough to follow the disciples who sat in the position of feudal lords and talk about liberating the people. He just let Laura observe and think for herself, and figure out how to make the territory develop better.
"So what do you think, Laura? What do you think you should do as a lord to give your people hope?"
Laura turned her attention to her "peers" who were arguing with Viscount Pope about the price of farm machinery. After a moment of silence, she lowered her voice and said, "The great nobles levy 30% tax. After the power of taxation is passed to the local nobles, they will collect 60% tax from the farmers. Harris helped me kill... eliminate 40% of the local nobles in Bolton County, but without the intervention of the parliament, Bolton County did not become as chaotic as my steward worried."
After a pause, Laura said more softly, as if whispering, "So I think those local nobles who always complain that I can't govern Bolton Territory well without them are unnecessary."
Laura said this in a very gentle tone, but... it was full of murderous intent!
Xiao Yun looked at Laura in surprise.
The so-called local nobles...are similar to the local gentry in ancient China.
These people are the last level of power in feudal society, but it cannot be said that they have been there since ancient times... Before Qin Shihuang unified the country, the last level of power was the head of the village and the head of the pavilion. After unifying the Central Plains, the country's territory became extremely large, and due to the limitations of productivity and transportation infrastructure of the time, the imperial power had to abandon the countryside, which is the so-called "imperial power does not go to the countryside."
But this problem does not exist for the human kingdom of this world - Kronin is only the size of three provinces, and Bolton is only the size of two prefecture-level cities...
To implement the system of feudalization of land power and create layers of small and medium-sized nobles in such a small territory is, to put it bluntly, lazy governance. The royal family and the nobles are only concerned about collecting taxes and don't care about the lives of you, the lower-class people!
Anyway, the professional strongmen in this world serve those who can afford to pay. No matter how many farmers are starving to death, they can't turn the world around!
The deaths of old Philip and Marcus were too sudden. Laura Philip did not receive an "authentic" aristocratic ruler's education, but this allowed her to break away from this conventional aristocratic thinking.
Patting Laura's shoulder with some emotion, Xiao Yun thought for a moment and said softly, "If you want to abolish the local nobles in Bolton County, then you must be prepared to take over the power vacuum that appears."
"I know, you said that power hates a vacuum. Where explicit rules are abandoned, implicit rules will inevitably take root." Laura was still worried that the teacher would think her ideas were extreme. Seeing that Xiao Yun did not blame her but reminded her, she immediately laughed, "So I can't be impatient. I have to train people who can replace these local nobles and eliminate them from the source of power, right, Ayun?"
"As expected of my little Laura." Xiao Yun couldn't help but smile and nodded vigorously, "Then the teacher will wait and see when you can create a brand new Bolton territory that can give people hope ."
"Hmm!" Laura's eyes sparkled as she once again looked at the adult nobles.
There are many nobles who are higher in status and more respectable than her, but Laura, who regards Carlisle as a goal to pursue and surpass, really doesn't think much of these guys... How can young people not be arrogant!
"I won't always be the First Countess of Kronin, who only sounds nice. Just wait and see." The little girl's eyes flashed with a light of ambition, and she made up her mind secretly.
Lola, who was spoiled by old Philip and had never been taught to be a good wife and a good mother to marry into the family, didn't think there was anything wrong with her ideals...
On the grassland, the new hilly area.
The Fire Department's vermicelli, sauces, canned goods, fresh pork, rabbit meat and other goods were transported to the hilly new district by trailers and then packed into baskets, which were then carried to the underground world by the snow wolves who took turns to deliver the goods. Although it was late at night, the entire new district square was still brightly lit and busy.
Abyss Scythe Anqiluo crossed his arms and looked indifferently at the groups of gray dwarves who were sweating profusely as they helped load the goods.
The new district leader Hongye accompanied the big-breasted dark elf to check the goods with a smile, and took out a two-pound can of oranges from a basket as tall as a person: "Look, Anqiluo, aren't the orange segments big and beautiful? It's full! The quality of our products is absolutely guaranteed, and we will never fill them up casually. When it comes to doing business, we in the Fire Department are absolutely serious!"
"I don't mean to be picky about the quality, I just hope it can be delivered as soon as possible." An Qiluo stared with dead fish eyes, "It took more than a month to deliver the five million kilograms of vermicelli last time. This time-"
"Oh, wasn't it because last time we were delivering so many things for the first time and we were not familiar with the road conditions that we got lost!" Hongye's expression remained unchanged, and there was no sign of guilt at all.
"Lost...!!" Angelo secretly prayed, and smiled with veins all over his head: "Okay, you are lost. But, Hongye, I remember that you didn't have so many gray dwarves before, right?"
"Yes, a lot of gray dwarves suddenly appeared on the grassland in the first half of the year, and we also found it strange. But if others come here to make a living, we always have to give them food, right?" Hongye said honestly.
"Oh - thousands of gray dwarves suddenly appeared?" The veins on Angelo's forehead became more prominent.
"That's right! It's very strange. Don't the gray dwarves all live in the underground world?" Hongye slapped her thigh and sighed, showing a concerned expression. "Hey, speaking of it, you are fighting with the Dwarf Kingdom. Did it affect the rear? Did the gray dwarves feel unsafe, so they ran up?"
Angelo: “…”
After secretly checking his luck again, Abyss Scythe smiled manically: "No, that's not the case. The Dwarf Kingdom's Vanguard is still far away from the dungeon! Besides, these gray dwarves live in the rear, there's no point in running away!"
"Oh... (⊙o⊙)..." Hongye's innocent face, "Are you saying that these gray dwarves were originally your people?"
"Of course!" Angelo roared.
Hongye nodded, pointed at a gray dwarf who was helping to move the goods, and said more innocently: "Call him and see if he agrees."
"You wanna fight, you orc bastard!"
"Why are you so angry? It was you who said they were your people."
“Who living in the underground world is not one of us dark elves?!”
"Don't lie to me. Those adventurers are not your people, and neither are the Dark Iron Dwarves."
“……!!”
I don't know where this big-breasted dark elf pulled out a thin long stick from, and with a "swish" sound, a large sickle popped out from the stick, and he started fighting with Hongye...
Hongye popped out his claws, blocking while persuading: "Okay, okay, you said they are your people, so they are your people, but now they eat our food and get our salary. We have been supporting them for half a year before you came, this doesn't count~~"
"Are you trying to say that I'm being unreasonable? It was you, the Fire Tribe, who stole our Dark Elves' men!"
"No, we are just taking in people who came to the grassland by themselves~"
"Even so, they are still ours!"
"So, the gray dwarves originally lived in the Western Continent."
“……!!”
The gray dwarves who were helping to move things pretended not to see or hear anything and continued to work silently.
The baskets of goods carried by the two hundred Snow Wolfmen were loaded, and Dashui, who was taking turns to deliver the goods, shouted from afar: "We are leaving~!"
Hongye kindly advised: "Dashui and the others are leaving. Didn't you say you would accompany them throughout the delivery? Or do you not want to accompany them? Come and play with us for two days before leaving?"
Anqiluo panted and put away his sickle while shouting at Hongye: "You still want to steal people from the underground world? No way!"
After saying this, he turned around angrily and followed the Snow Wolf Clan's transport team...
"Come and play again, Anqiluo!" Hongye waved at her with a smile.
"Stop talking nonsense!" An Qiluo's angry roar came from the darkness.
Hongye's expression remained unchanged. She turned around and greeted the gray dwarves: "Everyone has worked hard. Go take a shower and go to the cafeteria for a midnight snack. Don't forget to rinse your mouth after eating the midnight snack before going to bed. If your teeth are broken, you can only pull them out, which is very painful!"
The gray dwarves responded and walked towards the public .
"That dark elf finally left. I was scared to death." A gray dwarf wiped his sweat, not because of tiredness, but purely because of fear.
"Yeah, seeing the dark elves here, the memories of my life in the underground world suddenly came back to me." Another gray dwarf covered his chest with lingering fear, "Anyway, I will never go back, and I'd rather die here."
An old gray dwarf turned around and smiled at the two young men, saying soothingly: "It's okay, we are doing well here, there is no point in going back, Hongye and the others will not let us go back."
"Old Baker, did Hongye say anything to you?" The two young gray dwarves took two quick steps and walked side by side with Old Baker.
Old Baker nodded. "Hongye said that the dark elves would find out that we are missing sooner or later, and that we are now living with the Fire Tribe. She told us not to worry. The main food for the dungeon is now purchased from the Fire Tribe. As long as they don't let us go, the dark elves won't be able to do anything wrong."
The gray dwarf next to him also came over, his eyes sparkling, and said, "Grandpa Baker, does this mean that we will never have to go back to the underground world?"
"Of course, as long as we don't want to go back, no one can force us." Old Baker said confidently.
Old Baker, who was once one of the dwarf village chiefs, is now a fourth-level technician selected through two outstanding technician selection activities in the Hilly New District. He can use a simple bench lathe to turn out high-precision parts with an error of no more than 0.1 mm (decimeter level).
As for the micron level... well, don't think too much about it.
The core parts of the flagship product of Qiuling New District, the pneumatic device of the tractor head, are all manually turned by more than a dozen fourth-level technicians including Old Baker. This group of technical talents is the most important treasure of Qiuling New District. They take the initiative to help move goods, and the Snow Wolf people are unwilling to let them touch heavy objects... Helping to carry light objects is enough.
They brushed each other's hands and took a shower, went to the cafeteria for a midnight snack, and went to the sink to rinse their mouths and brush their teeth. Then they returned to their . Old Baker first checked how the children in the same room with him slept. He looked at each of them one by one, pulled up the blanket for the troublemaker who kicked the quilt, and then returned to his own bed.
Old Baker, who used to be able to fall asleep as soon as he lay down, was a little insomniac tonight.
"Although I also comforted those young people not to worry, I was still affected."
After lying down for a while, old Baker sat up again, stared blankly in the dark for a while, and listened to the children's snoring for a long time before his heart gradually calmed down.
Touching his wrist, old Baker smiled peacefully.
When he arrived at the Qiuling New District, he was skinny and weighed less than 100 pounds, with only a layer of skin covering the bones on his wrists. After six months of good food and drink, his wrists have become as strong and powerful as those of a young man, and he will never tremble when he holds the vise when processing parts.
"If Hongye says it's okay, then it must be okay." Old Baker whispered to himself and lay down again.
Soon after, the old dwarf also began to snore.
Old Baker hadn't dreamed for a long time, but on the night when the dark elves appeared, Old Baker dreamed of the past while he was sleeping.
What appeared in his dream was the life when he first came to the hilly new district, not the underground world - the days in the underground world were too monotonous, so monotonous that it made people numb.
In an extremely cold winter on the grassland, Old Baker and the people in the village were captured by the barbaric and rude Snow Wolf Tribe and sent here with their hands tied.
At first I was confused, then I was panic-stricken, terrified, and worried all day long.
When the evil leopard Xia appeared, Old Baker secretly cried in the middle of the night for several days, thinking that the village that he had struggled so hard to maintain would be completely destroyed in his hands.
Fortunately, their fellow tribesman Baru protected them from the brutal Snow Wolf tribe...
It was not until the end of winter that Old Baker and the other gray dwarves slowly realized that something was wrong - the ferocious-looking Snow Wolf Tribe seemed... not that bad to them?
After working with the goblins for a full month in mining and smelting day after day, the snow wolf man, whose smile was still ferocious and terrifying, gave them money and also gave incentive materials to those who performed well among them...
The first time Old Baker timidly proposed to give the children extra food, the Snow Wolf readily agreed, and the next day he set up a welfare department in the new district. In addition to delicious and rich food, the children also received new clothes.
Old Baker was selected as a fourth-level technician, and Hongye invited him to attend meetings in the Hilly New District, and his suggestions would be listened to and adopted by Hongye.
Old Baker, like other gray dwarves, gradually stopped feeling that the snow werewolves were scary and instead felt that they were extremely friendly and reliable...
“Bang! Bang! Bang!”
“Wake up~~~~~!”
Old Baker rubbed his eyes and stood up, called the children, dressed the youngest child, dragged the group of little kids to the sink to wash, and then took them to the cafeteria for breakfast.
"Good morning, Grandpa Baker." The guys from the next door dormitory had already occupied a table and started eating. They greeted Old Baker in a spirited manner, "Hey, Grandpa Baker, you are in a good mood today?"
"Yes, I had a good dream last night." Old Baker nodded with a smile, "Little Harry, don't spill the soy milk on the table."
