In the twentieth year of Dayue, July.
Far Hope, Northern Archipelago.
The Northern Archipelago, once belonging to the Haining Alliance, was now welcoming wave after wave of merchants, sailors, hired laborers, and others disembarking from Seracla merchant ships.
Groups of blond- or brown-haired foreigners in hats descended from the vessels, holding assorted suitably sized short canes, dressed in tailcoats that made their backsides look pert and shapely, with exquisite little mustaches, as they surveyed these scattered yet vast islands.
"According to Commander-in-Chief's orders, the Purple Fluorite mines here far exceed our expectations. Within ten years, we must develop them to an extent sufficient for Commander-in-Chief to accomplish his grand undertaking." A white-haired merchant spoke with a smile.
"Old Tori, are you planning to stake everything on Commander Saff?" another elderly man beside him asked with a chuckle.
"We'll see. But the policies here are quite good. My accountants have already calculated it carefully. If we establish a branch company and hire local laborers, our annual profits will be more than three times those of the other colonies. The quality of the mineral veins here is simply too high," the white-haired merchant sighed.
"Why not go take a look first? Before I came, my niece had already mentioned that the situation here was basically settled. Quite a few adventurers have already made a fortune here."
"Very well."
The group soon boarded the carriages their subordinates had arranged to receive them.
They sat in the spacious carriage compartments, gazing at the scenery through the windows.
The carriages soon traveled inland along the port road.
Before long, they passed a mine by the roadside.
Large stretches of pale violet and deep purple ore, crystalline as crystal itself, grew intermingled with gray-black stone.
Teams of sturdy young Far Hope natives moved in and out