Although in Lennon Cohen's impression, the eastern part of the empire had always been synonymous with poverty and backwardness, but... he had never known what life was like when it was rich and healthy.
Some people say that the interior of the empire is prosperous and prosperous, but Lennon Cohen never believed this, because his grandfather was bullied in the interior of the empire and found it difficult to live a stable life.
, came to this barren land.
According to my grandfather's memory, it was probably the time of the first eastward movement.
Many years ago, the eastern part of the empire, including the Idar territory, was still the land of the Kingdom of Basel. Through external expansion, the Norman Empire forcibly seized this vast land in the eastern part of the empire, and made the Kingdom of Basel in the southeast
, completely recognized the big brother of the Norman Empire.
The first population migration in the Norman Empire, the Eastward Movement, began under this background.
After the victory in the war that year, many people at the lowest level who were oppressed by the nobles began to migrate on a large scale to the desolate and remote places in the eastern part of the empire.
At first, the nobles didn't care much about this, but when they discovered that the large-scale migration of the population had significantly reduced the oil and water they could squeeze out... the migration path of ordinary people was set up with many shackles and obstacles.
And it was from then on that a large number of loans with extremely high interest rates became popular in the Norman Empire.
The nobles have never thought about reducing the burden on the people. They feel that...the reason why these untouchables still have the strength to move eastward is because they are too kind and do not exploit the people hard enough!
Therefore, as long as these civilians have debts released by the noble masters, once they want to migrate eastward, the hawks and dogs under the nobles can directly capture them without any scruples!
You owe money and still want to run away?
I will directly demote you to be a serf for generations to come. Just ask if you are afraid!
These past events were told to him by Lennon Cohen's grandfather. It was precisely because of this that he never imagined a stable life. As long as the nobles in power could prevent themselves and their families from starving to death, in his opinion, it would be fine.
He is already an extremely kind noble man.
However, the invasion of the Odins broke his already extremely difficult life.
Although after the tragedy of the city massacre on the Valens Plains, Odin's army did not plan another large-scale massacre in the eastern part of the empire, plundering the people, as a traditional art of the Odin people, has never been absent.
The plundering of the Odin people made the already extremely difficult life even worse. When the nobles fled this land, they took away almost all the money and food, so that poor people like him could only rely on tree bark, grass roots and secretly.
Live on the accumulated food.
Until...a team calling themselves the Idars appeared.
The army and bureaucrats of the Idar Territory took over the land that was once under the rule of the unscrupulous nobles. They brought food and restored order.
Under the rule of these Idar people, he had a full meal for the first time.
Not only are there big chunks of black bread, there are even marinated salted fish!
This was the first time Lennon Cohen had eaten fish in his life. The light salty taste and the strong smell of fish did not disgust him at all, because... fish is also meat!
Moreover, the soldiers of the Idar Territory never plundered anything from these low-class people, but instead communicated with them, the refugees.
It was during his exchanges with the soldiers that Lennon Cohen learned for the first time that there was actually an aristocratic leader in the eastern part of the empire who could stop the people from starving.
There is a place where you can survive on your own strength!
And the name of this aristocratic territory... is called Idar Territory!
According to other people, the Idar Territory is a prosperous and ever-changing aristocratic territory. The Stuart family that rules the Idar Territory has always spared no effort to maintain the peace and stability of the land.
Lennon Cohen even saw with his own eyes an army of thousands of people advancing north. It was said... that they were going to fight the Odin Empire to the death.
Facing the ferocious Odin people, he never felt that the Idar Territory could win, but just a few days ago, news of Odin's defeat began to spread in the land in the eastern part of the empire!
Then, those officials from the Idar Territory began to recruit refugees to work in the eastern part of the empire, provided them with shelter, and paid them according to the amount they paid.
Although Lennon Cohen still had doubts in his heart, he still reported his name out of curiosity about the Idar Territory.
Today is Lennon Cohen’s third day in Solonborg Refugee Camp.
The construction of Hagia Sophia relied on refugees from the eastern part of the empire.
Bruno knew very well that as long as the people in the eastern part of the empire understood that they could have enough to eat under the rule of the Stuart family, then there would not be too many problems with the social order in the eastern part of the empire, and they could even get almost
Everyone’s support.
Anyway...as long as it's not worse than before!
Lennon Cohen's current life is very regular, and his daily schedule is clearly listed, including when to work, when to eat, and when to sleep.
Moreover, the time to work is not only during the day!
The Idar people didn't know what kind of means they used to make the construction site look like day in the dark. Although it was impossible to work around the clock, from five or six o'clock in the morning to eight or nine o'clock in the evening, they continued to work.
There are shifts of workers working on the construction site.
Lennon Cohen was particularly interested in those lights whose principles were unknown, so that when he rested at night, he would often be alone in front of those bright lights.
He is indeed just the most ordinary member of the lower class, and he always likes to explore the mechanism of how things work. However, most of the time, the hunger in his belly makes it difficult for him to have the strength to think about these things, until...he comes
To the Sorrenborg Refugee Camp at the foot.
The work is indeed tiring, but the rewards and benefits provided by the Idar people are not stingy at all.
Although the meals provided by the Idar people were just the simplest black bread most of the time, they were no longer much better than what he had eaten before.
If you work slowly, you may be scolded by the supervisor, but you will not be whipped.
Because the labor recruitment regulations in Idarland are very clear, the more you work, the more you will get paid, and the less you work, the less you will get, so there is no need for the supervisor to arrest anyone.
It's just... if the work points don't meet the requirements for a long time, you will be kicked out of the construction team.
It took a lot of effort to get such a good job opportunity, only a fool would not cherish it!
Not only Lennon Cohen, but also the people at the bottom have long been accustomed to hardship. They are all good at work and are afraid of being left behind by others. Therefore, it is natural to over-fulfill tasks.
While working hard, Lennon Cohen was also observing the land he was on.
The Solonborg Refugee Camp is located on the land near Solonborg. Next to the refugee camp is the Hagia Sophia, which is under intensive construction.
Although the prototype of the church has not yet appeared, you can tell how grand a religious building it will be just by looking at the area. The comprehensive strength of the Idar Territory is naturally evident.
Before the Idar Immigration Administration issues a valid identity document, they, the refugees from the eastern part of the empire, are not allowed to cross the Solon River and enter the core area of the Idar territory.
So... he and the refugees around him often fantasize about what the south bank of the Solon River looks like.
but,
Maybe it's God's will,
Lennon Cohen unexpectedly found a channel that allowed him to understand the Idar Territory.
He was keenly aware that almost every day after work, there would be a gorgeously dressed guy sitting on a stone in a daze near the construction site of Hagia Sophia.
And the guy who calls himself "Woolley Dennis" has no airs at all and often takes the initiative to chat with Lennon Cohen.
That’s right!
After going to the Idar Immigration Management Bureau to request to expedite the immigration process, Woolley Dennis unexpectedly came to the construction site on the north bank of the Solon River to observe the eastern refugees gathered by the Idar people.
because……
He clearly remembered what the officials from the Idar Immigration Administration said after he proposed to increase immigration costs:
"Immigration costs are only one aspect. Your Majesty the Count is more concerned with what you can bring to Idar Territory, or...what changes you are willing to make for Idar Territory."
Before, he didn't know the meaning of this sentence.
But when he put down his airs of being a noble and walked on the streets of Idar like an ordinary person, he seemed to gradually understand.
When he let go of his pride as a noble, the Idar Territory he saw was completely different from what he saw when he looked at the Idar Territory from a noble perspective.
The so-called wealth in the interior of the empire refers to the wealth of the inland nobles.
A large number of lower-class people provided the nobles in the interior of the empire with crops of leeks that they could not use. Although these poor people did not have much to squeeze out of their bodies, there were many people who could not stand it!
Through forced labor, various taxes, and other means, the nobles in the interior of the empire made a lot of money.
Although the eastern part of the empire has always been considered a remote and desolate place, the peace, stability, prosperity and development of the Idar Territory are not only limited to the noble level, but also extend to all the people of the Idar Territory.
They can now afford new clothes, fill their bellies, and even send their children to learn to spell and read aloud!
Maybe their life is hard, and maybe they need to pay the same taxes on time as before, but...everything in Idar's territory has rules!
It is said that the amount of taxes that need to be paid is the amount of taxes that need to be paid. Although there is no reduction at all, there are no layers of increases and various exorbitant taxes that are common in other aristocratic lands.
Moreover, under the rule of Bruno Stuart, Earl of Idar, the income of the people of Idar has almost doubled. The per capita disposable income has also increased significantly!
But... what the city of Idar presented to Woolley Dennis, Earl of Dale, was the result of Bruno's governance. Therefore, he crossed the fast-flowing Solon River in the open range and came to the Solonburg refugee camp where a large number of refugees gathered.
As the former leader of a territory, Woolley Dennis, Earl of Dale, had naturally seen refugees who were half-clothed and starving, but... when he saw the refugees gathered in the refugee camp,
, he couldn't help being shocked.
If he hadn't known in advance, he would never have believed that the people with hope on their faces were actually refugees gathered by the Idar people from the eastern part of the empire!
Why don't they cry? Why don't they plead?
Looking at the people deep in the refugee camp, Earl Dell had a strange feeling in his heart. I am afraid...the lives of these people today are better than those in Dell Hills under his rule...
He wanted to see with his own eyes the changes the Idar people had made to this land, but Lennon Cohen, who was deep in the refugee camp, also wanted to know what the native Idar on the south bank of the Solon River was like, so...
One is a commoner at the lowest level, and the other is a former nobleman. These two people who should have had no contact with each other actually had countless exchanges in the past few days.
For the first time, from the perspective of an ordinary person, Woolley Dennis experienced firsthand the changes that the Idar Territory was bringing to the eastern part of the empire, and even the entire world!
When he saw the people who had been working hard all day and shed tears of gratitude for being able to take a bite of the black bread that he usually didn't even look at, Woolley Dennis was surrounded by an indescribable emotion in his heart, and
For the first time, I had doubts about my own rule.
"Life is great now! As long as you are willing to work and work hard, you can afford food and get paid! The supervisors all say that I am willing to work hard and study hard. They say that if I perform well, I can still get paid.
You can let me learn to spell!"
Lennon Cohen paused, and then asked expectantly: "You are a knowledgeable person... Can a refugee like me learn knowledge in the Idar Territory?"
Woolley Dennis took a deep breath, nodded, and affirmed: "There is a saying in the Idar Daily, which is called knowledge changes destiny. All Idar people who meet certain conditions can study at the Double Point Academy on the south bank of the Idar River.
Learn spelling and knowledge.”
"It's like this!"
Hearing this, Lennon Cohen's excitement was palpable, and he couldn't help but said: "It would be great if the Odin people came here earlier. In this case, the Idar Territory might take over the eastern territory of the empire earlier..."
Woolley Dennis:…
Although Lennon Cohen's unintentional words made Earl Dale feel as uncomfortable as eating a fly,
but……
Looking at the Solonborg refugee camp in front of me,
Recalling what I saw and heard in Idar Territory,
He suddenly recalled the requirements for immigration in the "Regulations on the Movement of Nobles in the Eastern Empire and the Guidelines for Immigration of Nobles"... Provide at least 120 jobs for the people of Idar!
Although he was very reluctant to admit it in his heart, at this moment, Woolley Dennis clearly realized that compared with the Idar Territory under the rule of the Stuart family, any aristocratic territory in the empire was nothing.
Questionable hot chicken!
In his opinion,
Does Bruno make money?
Definitely make money too!
If Bruno couldn't spend enough money, what could Idar use to build such wonders as the Baths of Caracalla and the Fortress of Namur?
But while Bruno was making money, Idar Territory was developing continuously every moment. Not only did the Stuart family make a lot of money, but the living standards of the people of Idar Territory also improved.
Steady improvement!
If given time, the Idar Territory will inevitably become an extremely terrifying behemoth!
With a small earldom, Idar Territory can fight against the invincible Odin Cavalry. If Idar Territory includes the entire eastern part of the empire under its rule, then...
Thinking of this, Woolley Dennis, Earl of Dale, couldn't help but take a breath of air.