Digging into the corners of the empire Ainan has no psychological burden, he has not the slightest sense of identification with the empire that Soradin has built, and the little hoe is a joy. Before leaving, Sloan meant to loot the southern cantonments of the two empires, and after tasting the sweetness and seeing the laxity of the guards at the cantonments, Ainan couldn't stop.

In just ten days, at Ainan's insistence, they not only completed the set goal when they set out - the two cantonments that Sloanan had once garrisoned, but also looted the ten cantonments along the Sador River on the southern border.

Based on the calculation of 4 million catties of grain per cantonment...... Well, Ainan admits that he was scared.

40 million catties of grain, eat one bowl and pour two bowls, and you can't finish it until you die.

"How can there be so much food?"

Ainan was puzzled.

The human productivity in this world is very backward, and its level is a little better than that of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States period in the other world, and the level of cultivation is not very good. Not to mention 40 million catties of grain, even 4 million catties can make the rulers of the entire Araso Empire anxious.

But what now?

The cantonment on the southern border of the empire was quietly piled up with 40 million catties of grain, which was too weird.

If it weren't for the fact that the grain was in the ten wagons in the ranks, and if it hadn't taken him a day to check every packet of grain, Ainan really couldn't believe it.

Sloane didn't think this was any surprise, and explained to Ainan that "the southern cantonment of the empire has been delivered with food every year since its inception, and the magic vehicles created by the court mages to store food have a magical storage effect. The grain in it will not rot and spoil no matter how long it is stored, and there has been no war in the south, so this grain has accumulated year after year. ”

It turned out to be the accumulation of multiple generations of emperors in the empire, and this is about the same.

The Arathas Empire has been established for thousands of years since Soladin the Great, and it is not clear how long the southern frontier cantonment near the wetland swamp has been established, but it is certainly not short. Forty million catties of grain is scary to say, but it is not difficult for a country to divide a part of it every year.

Thinking of this, Ainan couldn't help but feel that he was lucky enough, and all the food that the Araso Empire had accumulated for many years for the possible war in the south fell into his hands, so that he was full. If it weren't for the fact that the empire was in the midst of a period of power change, and all the nobles and powerful factions in the country were focused on Riptide Castle and had no time to care about anything else, it would be tantamount to a fool's dream to get so much food so easily.

"With so much food, let alone 10,000 people, even if it is 100,000, 200,000, 300,000 people, I can afford to feed them. The city is still more than half empty, and I hope that Tas will gather enough people. ”

The so-called food in his hand is not panicked, and with enough food, what Ainan has to consider is no longer as simple as filling his stomach. If a city wants to develop, there must be enough people, didn't the ancients say it well: those who do great things must be people-oriented.

There was no shortage of talent among the displaced people, and countless craftsmen who had gone bankrupt due to the turmoil of the empire or the oppression of the aristocracy were forced to leave their homes, such as stonemasons, carpenters, blacksmiths, and farmers...... And so on, all of which are necessary for urban development.

The aristocracy did not cherish it because they were prejudiced against these so-called untouchables, and the nobles, who thought they were superior, would not bend down to listen to the voices of the commoners.

However, Ainam would.

He knew how powerful the beloved commoners were, and how terrifying their creativity could be if given the opportunity, so he would absorb the outcasts who were seen by the nobility as destabilizing factors.

"Your Excellency, please rest assured, although Tas is not stupid even though he has no scheming, and he is serious in his work, and the people he picks out will definitely satisfy you." Sloanan and Marcus exchanged glances as they spoke, and finally he asked the words that had been held in everyone's hearts for a long time, "......What are your plans for the future?" ”

The raiding of the first and second southern cantonments can also be said to be in accordance with the established plan, and it is understood that it is understood as taking the rations for the lives of the tens of thousands of displaced people who were taken in, and then the third, fourth, and even the tenth cantonment are brainless.

Ainan led them to frantically raid the empire's camps, scavenged the food stored in the south by generations of empire kings, and asked Tarth to do his best to collect the outcasts before the action, and it would be too slow for them to see Ainan's mind - the majesty of the empire was not intimidating in Ainan's eyes, and the young mage wanted to take advantage of the chaos.

Don't look at Ainan is still a low-level mage at this time, his future will definitely not be just a low-level mage, and Sloanan and the others can see this very clearly.

If you want to start a business, if you want to build a foundation, if you want to become a prince, you must first have a piece of territory. Coincidentally, Ainan found a city in the deserted wetland swamp, and there were hundreds of miles of fertile soil outside the city, which was the foundation of his business.

Secondly, you have to have someone, the tens of thousands of displaced people who remained in the valley and were cultivating the land in the city, and they were extremely loyal to Ainan, who took them in so that they could live. With this group of people, even if a large number of new displaced people are added, the hearts of the people of the city can be guaranteed to be in the hands of Ainan.

There are land, there are people, and now even the food that was most scarce in the early stage of development is available, and Sloan and Marcus believe that as long as they survive the most difficult first year, Ainan's power will grow bigger and stronger.

"That valley of ours is deep in the swamp of wetlands, and even the mages of Violet Castle have not noticed it, and they can't help us even if they are at odds with the Empire. Venture deep into the swamp, don't even think about the Imperial Army's current level, and let the mages come to conquer me...... Oh, don't forget, Thorbain is a usurper, and the court mages won't listen to him. I am also a mage, and I believe that Violet Castle, which has migrated to the far north, will be happy to see a new mage force emerge in the south, where they are beyond their reach, to clamp down on the Arassol Empire, where the nobility reigns. ”

Everyone who heard this was overjoyed, Ainan did not hide his thoughts, and generously told them his plan, which was to treat them as his own people and regard them as his own team. In fact, at this point, if Ainan is still secretive, it will make them look down on them - you still don't admit that things have been done to such an extent, do you treat us as outsiders or don't have the confidence to resist the consequences of offending the empire?

Without waiting for everyone to digest what they had just said, Ainan spoke again: "You don't have to worry, I have already thought about everything when I left the valley, as long as we don't say how those guys who stay in Riptide Fort and fight non-stop know that we have sacked the southern camp. Even if they know, we have a scapegoat. Didn't Sir Lothar go back to Arathas to collect supplies, his status as a direct descendant of Emperor Soladin is like a firefly in the night, no matter what he does, he can't hide his light, and he will gladly accept the truth that it was the Sir who ransacked the southern strongholds. ”

"But the truth is ......"

Ainan interrupted Marcus without hesitation: "It doesn't matter what the truth is, what matters is what Thorbain needs, and we sent what he needs at the right time." So, we're going to be fine, and Jazz they're going to have to bless themselves. ”

Marcus got it - this dirty politics.

Still want to build a city on the banks of the Sadol River?

Ainan sneered.

How can you allow others to snore on the side of the couch, and you don't even understand such a simple thing, should I say that you are naïve, or do you have illusions? The struggle for the supreme power of a country is actually a fluke, fantasizing that you can accumulate strength on the borders of the empire and then fight back, and regain the throne under the nose of Thorbain, you are insulting everyone's intelligence, which one of you who has been able to usurp the throne since ancient times is not a ruthless and decisive person?

"Sloan, send me men to keep an eye on that valley on the banks of the Sadol River, and if they fail to defend it, we will go and grab people. The aristocracy hated it, but the craftsmen and experienced farmers in their hands were not the same. ”