Chapter 235: To the City of Morente

"How many boats are you going to buy?" asked Fat Shi.

The Cow Horn Bay shipyard produces up to seven ships a year, and is currently building two whaling ships and a three-masted sail ship designed by Lorist himself. Lorlist's plan was to create a fleet of seven or eight whaling vessels dedicated to whaling or fishing, supplying the family domain with fish products. The undeveloped waters further north of the Northland are rich in marine fishery, which is a treasure trove for the family's territory.

Next, the family must also have a powerful armed fleet to defend the surrounding seas, which are the family's maritime territory, and although they have not yet encountered enemies such as pirates, the family needs to be prevented and safeguarded. The three-masted sail battleship, which is now nearing completion, is an attempt at a long-range attack ship. Over the next two years, the plan was to assemble a small fleet of five warships to escort the family's maritime communications and marine development.

As a result, the Oxhorn Bay shipyard is already fully scheduled, and although there are plans to build a shipyard on Hiloas Island, the shipyard is mainly responsible for the construction of small offshore fishing vessels and small cargo merchant ships, and can repair the family's large fishing boats and warships. In terms of scheduling, it will take at least two years for the shipyard on Hilois Island to bear fruit.

After Lorist came to Hirowas, he captured six sea ships, all of which belonged to the children of the nobles who occupied the Wanghai Manor, and one was requisitioned by the Viscount of Aslan to Hilois Island to collect taxes, and now they have all become Lorist's spoils. Two small ships became the ferry from Hilois Island to the port of Chilin, and the remaining four sea vessels and two whale boats together formed the small cargo fleet from Hornhorn Bay to Chilowas.

The development of Hilois Island required the support of the family's domain, which required a large cargo fleet, and the purchase of cargo ships was the only option when the family owned only one Cow Horn Bay shipyard. And the city of Moriente is dotted with shipyards in the Golden Bay, where you are sure to buy a suitable cargo vessel.

"I don't know, let's inquire about the price before deciding when I get to Moldant City. Lorist replied.

"This is another large amount of expenditure, and the family's finances are not optimistic!" Shi Fatzi sighed a little.

As the former big butler of the Norton family, Shi Fatzi is very aware of the family's financial situation and financial reserves. Thanks to the sweeping and looting operations of the family's northbound convoy, coupled with the sacking of the Grand Duke of the Northland, the family's capital reserves exceeded four million Kingford at its peak, which is an astonishing, huge, and rich number, enough for Lorist and his family knights to enjoy nothing for two hundred years.

However, Lorist invested all these funds in the development of the family territory and the improvement of the combat power of the family army. It cost nearly one million gold to resist the tide of demonic beasts, resettle the displaced people, and develop Fengle Yuan and Xing'an Yuan. Next, the investment in the development of the black mud swamp on this side of the family territory is expected to require a total investment of nearly one million goldfords. In addition, the Oxhorn Bay Shipyard and the Xuantie Refining Base in the Blade Mountains, the Bow and Crossbow Manufacturing Yard, and the Weapons Production Base also cost no less than 500,000 gold coins.

Regarding the development of Shiloas Island, after discussion, Lorist made a decision, and the development budget given by Shi Fatzi was nearly 800,000 goldfords. Now Lorist is going to buy a large number of cargo ships, which is not a bargain, and four or five thousand gold fords are already second-hand. As a result, the family's financial reserves are only about 500,000 gold fords, and the family's annual armament expenditure and administrative expenses are close to 300,000 gold fords. 、

"Don't worry about funding. Lorist smiled and comforted Shi Fatzi: "Now the development of Fengle Yuan and Xing'an Yuan is nearing the end, judging from this year's tax collection, it has been able to be self-sufficient in the expenditure of the administration and garrison and has some leeway, and those processing plants have also begun to make profits, last year the family earned several thousand gold fords in this regard, and this year it is expected to have a profit of more than 20,000 yuan, which is not a small supplement to the family."

From the point of view of investment, the territory of the Black Mud Swamp is already in our hands, and the next focus is to build a riverside embankment and a harbor city, which is a long time ago, and there is no need to worry about the funds. Another big head is the shipyard, which needs to continue to invest money, which has also been arranged for a long time. As for the bases in the Blade Mountains, they have already earned a lot of profits for the family, and they don't need a lot of research funds, just spend twenty or thirty thousand a year for them to research and improve.

The Snow Salt Chamber of Commerce, which we have a joint venture with the three major families, can now bring us tens of thousands of dollars a year, and the investment of the family armed forces in the past few years is basically in the formation of new guard battalions and sailor battalions, and the rest of them have been redressed and only need to be maintained by salaries, which has reduced the expenditure on armaments by nearly 100,000 gold fords. I estimate that by next year, the income of Fenglewon and Heunganwon alone will be able to cover the armament expenses of the family's armed forces and the administrative expenses of the entire family. ”

"It's impossible to ......" Shi Fatzi shook his head and expressed disbelief: "Even if you subtract 100,000, the annual armament expenditure and administrative expenses will be nearly 200,000 gold fords, and it is impossible for the family domain to have such a high income." ”

Lorist laughed: "How is it impossible, there are more than 12,000 residents on the island of Hilowas, and in the past few years, fifty percent of the tax revenue can receive about five thousand, and almost one person has to pay half of the Kingford's tax." If you think about it, there are now nearly 800,000 people in the family territory of Fengle Yuan and Xing'an Yuan, and there are about 200,000 people who hand over a quarter of Jinfu by one person, and there will be even more next year.

What's more, it's not that we can't just go in and out, although it costs a lot of money to buy a cargo ship in Moldant City, as long as we transport the Warcraft skins accumulated in the Northland to Morent City in the past few years, we can sell more than one million goldfords, as well as those smoked Warcraft jerky and whale meat, which are all best-selling goods, and we will soon be able to earn back the funds invested in development. ”

"yes, I forgot that I could do business. Shi Fatzi patted his head: "But Locke, you return these captives to His Second Highness to make the development here very tight, Hirois Island needs a lot of labor, do we really want to recruit displaced people? What if His Second Highness doesn't agree?"

"I should agree, Krisya said that he also has a headache for these displaced people, and he has to consume a large amount of food every month to feed the displaced people in the southwestern provinces, and we have to recruit these displaced people as laborers to reduce the burden on him, and he will not stop him. In two days, Chrisya will bring us the authorization documents, so you can rest assured. Lorist replied in deep thought.

"We estimated that more than 30,000 young and strong workers would be needed to complete the initial development of Shilovas Island in two years. The relocation of Shiratori Town, the expansion of the dock area, the construction of defensive walls and facilities, the reconstruction of the Wanghai Manor, the reconstruction of the seven villages and the development of terraces, the construction of the sailor barracks and the fleet dock, the selection of the shipyard, the fortress castle of the 3rd Guard Battalion, and the construction of the coastal embankment all required sufficient labor......

Shi Fatzi shook his head and continued: "There is too much money to be invested in the development of Shiroas Island, according to the principle of family selection of displaced laborers, we will recruit those displaced people with families, and these displaced laborers who bring their families will increase our expenditure and food consumption. Locke, when you go to buy a ship, you also have to order a large amount of food for reserves, and the people on the island will not have enough food to consume......"

Lorist thought for a while and said: "I forgot to ask Chrisia last time, I heard her say that the situation has been good in recent years, and the Kingdom of Andinac has harvested a lot of grain, because the taxes are offset in kind with grain, and the grain reserves of His Second Highness are very abundant, I see if I will buy a batch from him, I believe he will be happy." But in the future, we have to store a large amount of food, and the more the better. ”

"Why?" asked Fat Shi.

"It's very simple, the second highness will wait for the third prince to die, and Krisya said that the third prince will not survive for three months. As long as the third prince dies, His Royal Highness II will definitely wave his troops to launch a battle to unify the empire. If the war breaks out or if the war is lost, I am afraid that the Kingdom of Andinac will also be in turmoil. If the war drags on for a long time, I am afraid that it will be like the years of the Imperial Civil War, and no one in the kingdom will be able to cultivate in peace, and the food we have stored at that time will be used to save the lives of these refugees. ”

"You are so not optimistic about the Second Highness? If you want me to say where the 300,000 army goes, not to mention the unification of the entire empire, it is enough to sweep half of it. When the time comes, with those wall grasses, His Royal Highness's momentum will become more and more public, and no one will be able to stop his soldiers. "Shi Fatzi doesn't understand why Lorist is always not optimistic about His Second Highness.

"I can't say it, it's just an intuition, I vaguely feel that His Royal Highness just can't succeed, and I don't know how I think that. Forget it, let's not talk about that, if His Royal Highness agrees that we will recruit talents and accept displaced laborers in the imperial capital, who are you going to put in charge of this matter?" asked Lorlist.

"This time the family comes to the ship, and the two stewards of Kedan and Hansk will come with the ship, I want the head of Haskot to stay on the island to help me, and let the Kedan steward take Hicked to the imperial capital, and they can ask Kalitok and Krisia to take care of it. As for recruiting displaced laborers, I may personally visit the two southwestern provinces. Fat Shi replied.

"Well, I'll let Jim lead you to your safety with the five hundred guards who came with me this time. I'll take Joske and Elre, Dorus, and the ten guards to the city of Moriente on the Morning Exocet. Everything in Hilovas is in your hands.

In addition, the matter of purchasing food is also up to you and the Second Highness to negotiate, and the eldest son of Master Sid who came with the ship this time wants to explore the minerals on the island of Hilois, and now it is November, don't let him go deep into the mountains to avoid any danger, let him spend the winter on the island and then take the guards to survey the whole island next year. ”

Lorist patted Shi Fatzi on the shoulder, and remembered one more thing: "By the way, write a letter to your father and let me bring it over." ”

"What are you doing?" asked Fat Shi.

"Buy glass, isn't your father a glass agent, buying a large amount of glass from him and then shipping it to the family territory reduces the freight. You know, a piece of green glass that we bought in a few copper plates in the city of Moronte will have to pay a big silver coin to buy it after it is shipped to the Northlands. Many of the inhabitants of the family estate now have wooden planks for their windows, so the first thing I purchased and transported after I decided to buy a cargo ship was glass. Lorist was remarkable.

Shi Fatzi laughed: "Okay, I'll write it and give it to you in the evening." When are you leaving?"

"In two days, I will have to wait for the family's ship to come this time, and this time the ship has brought 500,000 gold fords, as well as some samples of Warcraft furs and other goods. I will bring 100,000 gold fords as a deposit and purchase money, and the remaining 400,000 will be left here for you. Lorist said.

......

Three days later, the Flying Fish set sail again and headed south.

The further south you go, the more ships you encounter, including large and small offshore fishing vessels along the coast, as well as small merchant ships of all kinds.

Captain Wilson said that the former Krisson Empire had never paid much attention to the seas and had not formed any fleets, mainly to the north coast without good ports. The port of Qilin was already the northernmost known seaport, and due to the depth of the water, it was impossible to moor large ocean-going merchant ships and warships. The small ships in the waters to the south were mostly owned by the coastal lords, who relied on the location to seek their own wealth at sea.

Lorist remembered Mr. Tim, whom he had met a few years ago when the convoy was heading north, and the bastard son he had put on the position of Viscount of Talbury wondered how he was doing. However, before Fat Man led the convoy north, he facilitated the cooperation between the Peterson Chamber of Commerce and the Viscount of Turbury, and also helped Mr. Tim form a garrison brigade. Thinking about it now, he should be doing well, maybe he can get news from the Peterson Chamber of Commerce, this time to go to Moriente City, he still needs the great assistance of President Peterson.

"To the Viscounty of Tybury. Lorist commanded.

Seven days later, the Flying Fish of Dawn appeared off the coast of the Viscount of Tybury, and Dores and Eyre had followed Fat Man a few times before, and soon found the cargo dock of the Viscountdom, and saw the banner of the Tybury family fluttering on the manor castle built on the hillside in the distance.

There were only two small armed cargo ships moored at the wharf, and there were no large cargo ships from the Petersen Chamber of Commerce. Wilson commanded the ship to come closer to the dock and stopped.

In the distance, a trumpet sounded in the manor castle, and in a short time a group of garrison soldiers arrived, led by an old knight with white hair.

"Hehe, this is Old Comers, we've dealt with him. Dores and El cried.

Lorist had heard Tim say before that he was the only surviving old knight of the Terbury family, but he had never met the old knight, and the old man was in his sixties.

The old Knight of Kremus was not dazzled, and he also recognized Dorus and El, and laughed and came up to hug the two of them one by one, and then formally saluted Lorist. However, when I heard that Lorist wanted to see Mr. Tim, I was sorry that it was not a coincidence, and the Viscount and his three children had gone to the city of Moldent for the winter with the fleet of the Peterson Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Tim has three children? Lorist was amazed.

The old Knight of Kremers was grateful that the marriage appointed by Lorist for Mr. Tim was very happy, and the couple had a good relationship, having given birth to two sons and a daughter in six years, and now the viscountess was pregnant again. As a result of the smooth cooperation with the Peterson Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Tim also made a lot of money, and the Peterson Chamber of Commerce bought a house in the city of Morent.

Because of the Viscountess's preference, the Viscountess now basically stay in the city of Moriente for half the year, only returning to the viscount in the summer, and going to the city of Moriente again before the winter comes.

Lorist said, "Forget it, we are also on our way to the city of Morent, you give me the address of the viscount, and I will visit you later." ”

The old knight of Comers wrote the address and handed it to Lorist, thought for a moment and pointed to the swallow-tailed flag of the symbol of the Andinac Kingdom fluttering on the Flying Fish in the morning light and asked, "Lord Earl, you are now a nobleman of the Andinac Kingdom?"

Loris nodded, looked at the hesitant expression on the face of the old Knight of Comers and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I beg your pardon, Lord Count, you may fly the banner of your own family, or the banner of our House of Tebberly, but it is better not to go to the city of Moriente under the banner of the Kingdom of Antinac. The people there did not like to let the ships of the Kingdom of Antinac into the Tibetan Golden Bay. Said the old Knight of Kholmes.

"Oh......," Lorist said thoughtfully.

...... (To be continued.) )