Now that the upgrade is complete, let's try the new features. Owen clicked on the emergency call icon, and the main interface receded, and a small window popped up that read: Call in progress.

It didn't take long before Winster was connected.

[It seems that your system upgrade is completed, just in time, here I am...]

Boom!

The person standing at the door knocking on the door was Clive. He had two rolls of parchment in his hand, and he was obviously here to submit a report.

【Let’s talk about it later.】

Owen replied in his mind, and then nodded to Clive.

"Come in."

Entering the study, Clive stood in front of the desk, stroked his chest and bowed.

"Lord Marquis, this year's wheat production statistics have been completed. This is this year's wheat production and previous years' production reports. In addition, there are also Bianzhu Town's financial reports for the first half of this year and previous years. Please take a look."

After speaking, he respectfully placed the two reports on the desk. The reason why there are data from previous years is so that the lord can compare and understand the situation in recent years.

Irving first picked up the wheat production report and browsed it briefly.

As expected, this year's wheat production has decreased again compared to last year. If it were not for the large-scale planting of alkali-tolerant wheat provided by Winster next spring, Owen would probably be troubled again.

Since he was mentally prepared, Owen didn't say anything. After reading, he put the wheat production report aside and picked up the financial report.

Seeing this, a trace of doubt flashed across Clive's face. Although Owen only inherited his father's title this year, he had been handling some affairs for his father before. According to past situations, after reading the wheat production report, he would complain about the decrease in production. What happened today?

So calm?

Doubts were doubts, and Clive didn't dare to ask any more questions. He just finished his work honestly.

The statistics in the financial report are very detailed and require Irving to read them carefully.

Bianzhu Town's financial revenue mainly relies on the sale of iron ore and copper mines produced in the Transverse Mining Area, as well as the scorching magic stones and lightning magic stones produced in the Sky Magic Stone Area, with an annual income of at least two thousand gold coins.

If you can dig up high-quality magic stones and sell them at a good price, your fiscal revenue will increase significantly. However, Bianzhu Town has not produced such magic stones for several years.

The bulk of the expenditure is on the purchase of grain, and the expenditure increases year by year.

[Eh? Wait, what are the Hot Magic Stone and the Lightning Magic Stone?] Winster suddenly asked out of curiosity.

"You probably don't have it over there. This is something unique to our world. It's a stone that contains a lot of magic power." Owen explained.

[Interesting, when the sand pit is finished, I will bring a few of these two kinds of magic stones and transfer them over so that I can study them carefully.]

【no problem.】

After replying to Winster, Owen continued to look at the financial report. After a while, he put down the report and looked up at Clive.

"How is the purchase of grain reserves this year?"

It seemed that there was nothing to ask about these two reports, and Clive breathed a sigh of relief. After thinking about it, he answered cautiously.

"Lord Marquis, the demand for food this time is expected to be higher than last year. That is to say, the price of food in Dongsheng Fortress and Linshui City has increased by more than 10% compared with last year."

"Why has it increased again?! It has increased so much. Could it be that their harvest this year is not good?"

Owen frowned. This was not the first time that prices had increased. Grain quotations would rise a little almost every year. This year's increase was a bit outrageous, and he was very dissatisfied with it.

"According to the news I received, Dongsheng Fortress and Linshui City have a good harvest this year, and the output is higher than in previous years."

After a pause, Clive continued: "Your Majesty, Marquis, I personally have some guesses."

"you say."

"I think Dongsheng Fortress and Linshui City are colluding. They are very aware of the food shortage problem in Bianzhu Town, so they raise the price together. They know that even if we are dissatisfied, we have to buy it."

With a bang, Owen slammed the table, feeling so angry for the first time.

"Damn it! This is so deceptive! Border Guard Town has to resist the invasion of undead monsters every winter. They just hide behind and enjoy themselves, but they actually take advantage of the situation to rob food."

[Those selfish nobles are really infuriating. I understand why you desperately hope that Border Guard Town can achieve self-sufficiency in food. There is really nothing you can do if the other party has the power to price food.] Winster was also a little angry.

Taking a breath, Owen calmed down. After thinking for a moment, he asked Clive a question.

"If we don't buy grain from them, but go to other places to buy it, how will the calculation be done?"

After a quick calculation in his mind, Clive replied: "The quotations for grain from other places should be lower, but other expenses including freight will increase. Calculating, you won't save much money, and the time for the grain to arrive will be longer."

Postponing it would be uneconomical."

After closing his eyes and thinking for a while, Owen made a decision.

"Half of this year's grain reserves will be purchased from Dongsheng Fortress and Linshui City, and the remaining half will be purchased from other places. It doesn't matter if it arrives late, as long as it does not affect the operation of Border Guard Town."

Anyway, there will be no more grain purchases next year. Then a large amount of grain will be piled in the granary and cannot be sold. It depends on whether Duke Eddie is in a hurry or not. Owen sneered in his heart.

"Yes, I'll do it right away."

After accepting the task, Clive resigned. Not long after he left, butler Ryan came over to inform him of another matter.

After stroking his chest and saluting, he reported: "Master, the sand pit has been dug according to your request."

"Oh?" Owen raised his eyebrows, "That's just right. Go get three hot magic stones and lightning magic stones. I want to do some experiments."

"clear."

There were some good-quality magic stones stored in the castle, and Ryan quickly took them out and gave them to Owen.

Both kinds of magic stones are shaped like crystal clear gems, the only difference is the color, the red one is the hot magic stone, and the yellow one is the lightning magic stone.

After getting the six magic stones, Owen went to the deepest room on the first floor of the castle and ordered his guards to guard the door. No one was allowed to enter without permission.

Entering the room, it was empty, the dark curtains were closed tightly, and it was a little dark, but it did not affect Owen's observation of the room. The sand pit in the middle was not only filled with sand, but also smoothed out to be flush with the surrounding floor.

This kind of work is a bit redundant, but forget it.

[Hurry up and put these magic stones in the center of the sand pit, turn on the transfer function, and move the transfer point to the location of the magic stones. After activating the transfer, they will be sucked away and brought to me. 】

Winster seemed a little impatient to study the magic stone and kept urging him.

[I know, are the wheat seeds over there ready? 】

【Of course I'm ready.】

Place the six magic stones in the middle of the sand pit, Owen retreats to the edge of the sand pit, opens the main page, and clicks on the transfer function.

The main page disappears, and a black sphere the size of an egg appears in the air not far ahead. A small window pops up in the lower right position in front of you, with a transfer start button on it.

This is the transfer point.

After taking a glance at the black sphere, Owen began to operate from the air, moving the transfer point to the location of the magic stone.

After activating the transfer, the black hole we had seen before appeared again, directly sucking away the sand and magic stones on the ground, and a circular shallow pit appeared in the center of the sand pit.

After a while, the black hole expanded to the size of a watermelon, and a translucent sphere wrapped in a sack drilled out of the center of the black hole.
Chapter completed!