In fact, this official document only reported a small matter, saying that there were several villagers in a village outside the city who wanted to work in the Duchy of Stantin, so they reported to Bangta City in advance to retain their status as citizens of Bangta City.

There had been some similar things in the previous period, but Count Stark didn't pay much attention to it, and gave it the go-ahead as he had done in the past.

However, after seeing the same report on this official document again this time, Earl Stark suddenly had a strong sense of crisis in his heart.

After thinking about it for a while, he realized why this strong sense of crisis suddenly appeared.

The reason is very simple, it is the tax problem of Bunta City, which he has been worrying about for the past few days.

Due to the withdrawal of the Xinfei Chamber of Commerce, the follow-up of other large and small chambers of commerce in Bang Ta City, and the influence of the sudden proclamation of free trade rights by the Department of Commerce, it is very likely that the tax revenue of Bang Ta City will fall back to the level of a few years ago this year.

Losing a large amount of taxes paid by the major chambers of commerce, Bonta City is almost equivalent to being poached by someone.

And now, the commoners under the rule of Bonta City are actually leaving Bonta City, and in the eyes of the traditional nobles of Count Stark, it has simply shaken the foundation of Bonta City.

Earl Stark recalled in his mind the official document approved a few days ago, and also discovered a shocking fact, that is, these commoners who applied to leave Bonta City were actually ordinary peasants in those villages outside the city.

For Earl Stark, who attaches great importance to the development of agriculture, these ordinary farmers are the foundation of support for Bonta City.

The departure of a farmer may not make a difference. Ten leaves doesn't make a difference. But a hundred, if not hundreds, left. The impact is staggering.

After recalling the official documents approved these days, Earl Stark was surprised to find that in such a short period of time, nearly 100 farmers had submitted applications for filing.

If this trend continues, won't Bang Ta really shake its foundations?

Thinking of this, Earl Stark re-read the official document in his hand and found that the report stated that the villagers wanted to leave Bonta City. When I went to work in the Duchy of Stantin, I was all going to work on the land leased from the Duchy of Stanting by the Xinfei Chamber of Commerce.

In other words, they switched from farming in Bonta City to farming in the Duchy of Stantin.

Thinking of the official documents approved a few days ago, the reasons given by those ordinary farmers were the same, and then thinking of the recent actions of the Xinfei Chamber of Commerce, Count Stark's eyes flashed coldly, and he snorted heavily.

"This damn Xu Yi actually dares to snatch the most important sophisticated farmers from my subordinates, is this trying to dig into my corner?"

Earl Stark thought for a moment, picked up his pen and made an approval on the official document. However, the application was rejected outright.

Although, theoretically, he does not have this power. But as the lord of Bunta City, he had too many ways to force these ordinary farmers to stay.

Just as he finished replying, there was a soft knock on the door of his office.

From the frequency of the knocks on the door, Count Stark heard that it was his close confidant, the head of Chekov, and asked him to come in in a deep voice.

After Chekov came in, he saluted Count Stark: "Lord Earl, President Xu of the Xinfei Chamber of Commerce asks to see you." ”

Count Stark was stunned for a moment, and turned to look out the window at the dark night sky.

How could Xu Yi suddenly ask to see him at this time?

Ten minutes later, Count Stark met Xu Yi in the small parlor of the City Lord's Mansion.

"President Xu, it's really rare to visit late at night. ”

Because the City Lord's Mansion obtained 3,000 farmland magic machines from the Xinfei Chamber of Commerce as scheduled during the autumn harvest to assist in the completion of the autumn harvest, Earl Stark's attitude towards Xu Yishi now has changed a lot compared to before.

Xu Yi except for the first time when he met with Earl Stark, every time he met with Earl Stark, he put on a respectful and polite attitude, and this time was no exception.

"Lord Castle, I'm really sorry to disturb you late at night. Xu Yi smiled and said, "But I may have to leave for the Duchy of Stantin in two days, so there are some things that need to be discussed with the city lord in advance." ”

Hearing the words "Duchy of Stantin", Count Stark's face immediately sank: "Very good, President Xu, since you took the initiative to mention the Duchy of Stantin, then I just have a question for you." Since your Chamber of Commerce has leased land in the Duchy of Stantin, why don't you hire the local farmers of the Duchy of Stantin to help you cultivate the land, and you have to poach those experienced old farmers from Bangta City? Do you know that this will have a very serious impact on the agricultural development of our Bangta City?"

Xu Yi's smile remained unchanged: "I just know this, that's why I came to discuss with you, the city lord, to solve this problem." ”

"Solve this problem?" Count Stark snorted. "That's easy to say. Do you know how important these experienced old farmers are to our Bang Ta City? You got them all away, and if it affects our food production in Bang Ta City, can you afford to be charged with it?"

"Of course I can't afford it. Xu Yi smiled and said frankly: "Food production is the top priority of our Lampari Kingdom, no matter how bold I am, it is impossible for me to do such a thing." But Lord Castle, with all due respect, although food production has a very important relationship with people, it does not require so many people. ”

Earl Stark frowned, "What? Are you going to sell me your theory of replacing human power with magic machines?"

Xu Yi shrugged: "I don't think there's anything wrong with this theory. Wouldn't it be nice if people could do more with the help of magic machines?"

"Hmph, magic machines are dead things after all, while people are alive, and many magic machines can't replace what people can do. ”

Xu Yi smiled slightly, thinking that many things that magic machines can do, people can't do either.

But he didn't come to argue with Count Stark about this issue this time, and thought for a while, "Lord of the City. At all costs. I guess you should admit it. It is with the help of the Farmland Magic Machinery that our Lampari Kingdom has been able to suddenly increase its grain production by so much in the past two years, right?"

Earl Stark was silent.

No one can deny the help of the Farmland Magic Machinery to increase the grain production of the Lampari Kingdom, not even the conservatives led by the Stark family, because they are one of the biggest beneficiaries.

And this happens to be the most important reason why the Xinfei Chamber of Commerce and Xu Yi have clearly supported Her Royal Highness Queen Sevigny, but they have been able to be safe and sound.

"Of course, I'm not here to ask for credit from you, Lord of the City. Rather, I am here to show you the reason why we, the Chamber of Commerce of the New Fly, have brought the peasants of Bonta City to the Duchy of Stantin. Xu Yi said again.

Count Stark glanced at Xu Yi and nodded lightly: "You can say it." ”

Xu Yi breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that no matter how much this Earl Stark thought about himself and the Xinfei Chamber of Commerce, on issues related to Bonta City and his fundamental interests, he would still listen patiently to his opinions after all.

"Lord of the City, I think the reason why you are worried that we will bring the farmers of Bonta City to the Duchy of Stantein is because you think it will affect the food production of Bonta City?" Xu Yi asked.

"Nonsense!" Earl Stark snorted coldly, "The farmers in Bunta City are already limited, if you get some more, it won't affect it!"

Xu Yi showed a confident smile: "I think you don't have to worry at all, Lord City. First of all. We are only going to recruit no more than 2,000 people from Bonta City, I think that compared to the more than 40,000 farmers outside Bonta. It's nothing, is it?"

"Only two thousand people?" Count Stark was slightly stunned: "Didn't your Xinfei Chamber of Commerce lease a full 100,000 hectares of land in the Duchy of Stantin?

"According to the agreement signed between our Chamber of Commerce and the Duchy of Stantin, we must recruit no less than five thousand local workers in the Principality of Constantine. ”

Earl Stark frowned slightly: "Even if you add five thousand people, I'm afraid it's not enough, right? It's a hundred thousand hectares, according to my estimate, at least ten thousand people are barely enough." ”

Xu Yi shook his head: "City Lord, to be honest, the people of the Principality of Stantin are really ...... I'm too lazy, so I don't expect the five thousand men to be of any help, for they are not as capable as the two thousand I have recruited from Bonta City. ”

Count Stark snorted softly with a slight smugness: "The people of the Duchy of Stantin are surprisingly lazy, I know this. Your chamber of commerce has to go to that place to invest, and it is not your ability to lose money. ”

"Thank you, Lord Castle, for your concern. Xu Yi smiled and said, "Lord City Lord, what I want to say is that the cultivation of these 100,000 hectares of land, in fact, according to my estimate, can be solved by relying on the two thousand people recruited from Bangta City alone. ”

"This can't be!" Earl Stark said categorically, "Our Stark family has hundreds of years of experience in farming, and we know more than you do. According to my experience, you might be able to reclaim all of these 100,000 hectares of land with 10,000 people, but 2,000 people?

Xu Yi smiled lightly, and suddenly said, "Then the city lord, why don't we make a bet?"

Count Stark showed a look of vigilance: "What bet?"

"If our Xinfei Chamber of Commerce can't completely reclaim the 100,000 hectares of land with just these two thousand people, then our Chamber of Commerce will send all these two thousand people back to Bangta City and pay the corresponding compensation for each of them, as well as 500,000 gold coins to the City Lord's Mansion as compensation for affecting the food production in Bangta City. What do you think, Lord Castle?"

Earl Stark looked at Xu Yi in amazement: "Are you serious?"

"I'm very serious. Xu Yi nodded. "If you don't believe it, Lord City Lord, I can make a contract on behalf of the Xinfei Chamber of Commerce and the City Lord's Mansion as a guarantee. ”

Earl Stark looked at Xu Yi inexplicably, and then asked, "But how can it be considered complete reclamation?

"It's simple. The criterion for reclamation is, of course, grain production. The land of the Principality of Stantin is suitable for growing rice, so according to the annual yield of about two tons of rice per hectare of farmland in Kalmar City, the annual harvest of rice on these 100,000 hectares should be about 200,000 tons. If it's less than that, then even if I lose. ”

"Do you really want to do this?" Count Stark looked at Xu Yi with a serious expression, his expression full of incredulity.

In his opinion, it is not easy to completely reclaim 100,000 hectares of land, and Xu Yi can complete this arduous task with only 2,000 people, which is simply impossible.

Of course, this didn't matter to Earl Stark, and after thinking about it, he asked Xu Yi, "So what if you achieve this amount?"

"Then even if I win, then I hope that the lord of the castle will grant me a request. Xu Yidao.

"What request?" asked Count Stark, with some curiosity.

This Xu Yiming knew that he was targeting him and the Xinfei Chamber of Commerce everywhere, but he came to discuss with him and asked him to agree to a request from him, could it be that his head was burned?

"This request is actually very beneficial to Bonta City. That's ......" (To be continued......