Valuing Commerce

Agricultural output in Glan Territory had surged dramatically, bringing a series of new problems that Zhou Ming had never anticipated.

Grain had become so abundant that the territory's consumption capacity could not keep up. Farmers who suddenly found themselves with vast quantities of grain on hand were left at a complete loss.

"Sell all the plow oxen and farm tools in the castle to the farmers! Then take some coins from the castle treasury and purchase the farmers' excess grain at reasonable prices. If this grain remains in the farmers' hands, Glan Territory's grain output may not merely fail to grow next year—it may even decline! Human laziness is always there. No one will keep working while lying atop a granary."

Zhou Ming adopted a series of emergency measures, recovering most of the farmers' surplus grain through barter and cash purchases.

Together with the old grain accumulated in the castle granaries over the years, nearly ten thousand tons of grain had piled up in Zhou Ming's hands.

The total population of Glan Territory was only a little over four thousand. That much grain was enough to feed everyone in the territory for three years without anyone doing any work.

"No, I have to sell off this grain immediately. If I keep it, it will only rot in the granaries. I need traveling merchants passing through Glan Territory to help sell it in other territories!"

Zhou Ming intended to have traveling merchants solve Glan Territory's grain surplus problem.

Traveling merchants were the main representatives of the merchant class in this world. They roamed between territories, peddling all manner of novel goods. Some were well-informed and widely traveled; some formed merchant associations and amassed great wealth; some swindlers even posed as them. Yet it was undeniable that this group of traveling merchants connected the world's nearly isolated territories through goods and information.

To solve the problem of grain sales, Zhou Ming ordered a merchant recruitment notice posted at the roads along the territory's borders.

The notice contained three main points:

First, traveling merchants conducting business within this territory would be charged only a 10% commercial tax. Those with total transactions below 10 gold coins would be exempt from tax.

Second, this territory had a large quantity of grain for sale. All traveling merchants were welcome to purchase it. The more they bought, the better the price.

Third, traveling merchants passing through this territory would be exempt from transit taxes, lodging taxes, landing taxes, and all other miscellaneous levies. Any traveling merchant could stay at the inns provided by the territory.

Once these three terms appeared on the notice, they immediately caught the attention of nearly every traveling merchant passing through the area.

The merchants stood before the notice for a long time. Any one of its three terms held deadly appeal for merchants who regarded profit as life itself.

First of all, a commercial tax of only 10% was the lowest tax rate these traveling merchants, who had crossed countless territories, had ever encountered. Compared to territories that casually imposed crushing taxes of 30% or 50%, this astonishingly low 10% burden expanded their profit margins by anywhere from double to several times over.

Second, aside from commercial taxes, traveling merchants carrying money and goods through different territories could never avoid being extorted by local lords.

The transit tax was plainly a toll. The lodging tax meant paying for every night spent resting in that territory. The landing tax was even more shameless: it stipulated that if goods on a merchant's wagon fell to the ground, those fallen goods no longer had anything to do with their owner and instead belonged to the local lord.

In other words, compared with farmers toiling in the fields, these seemingly glamorous traveling merchants did not live nearly as freely as they appeared to.

Soro was one such traveling merchant who made his living selling grain. Over the years, he had traveled north and south, east and west. From suffering repeated ruinous losses in the beginning to later meeting many lords and establishing stable business relationships with them, it had taken him more than twenty years. Now, whenever his caravan passed through a territory, as long as he displayed the token given to him by that territory's lord, he only needed to pay a small toll at most. Thanks to his personal friendships with the lords, he could avoid considerable losses.

Even so, though he had earned some money over those twenty-odd years, Soro had not accumulated much wealth. Grain was merely an ordinary commodity, unlike gold, gemstones, weapons, or iron. Its advantage was lower risk, while its disadvantage was low profit margins. Only during years of great famine could one make a fortune from it.

After seeing the notice at the crossroads, Soro, who had originally only been passing by and had not planned to enter Glan Territory, decided to meet the lord of this territory and make a friend.

He also wanted to ask whether this territory really had so much grain for sale.

The castle reception hall.

"Mr. Soro, Glan Territory welcomes grain merchants like you. Buy grain here—however much you want, we can provide. And the larger the purchase, the greater the discount."

Zhou Ming had a servant bring refreshments as he entertained Mr. Soro, who was well dressed, somewhat short, and whose eyes gleamed with the sharpness unique to merchants, while promoting Glan Territory's grain.

"Honorable Ryan Butler, I would like to ask whether the contents of the notice your territory posted at the crossroads are true. For example, the commercial tax of only 10%, and the exemption from all kinds of miscellaneous taxes imposed on traveling merchants?"

Before confirming the partnership, Soro wanted to verify it once more.

"It is written clearly and displayed publicly. How could it be false? Mr. Soro, Glan Territory is a place that strictly abides by its laws. So long as a law has been established by the lord of Glan Territory, it will be enforced. If anyone in Glan Territory charges you commercial taxes beyond what the law stipulates, tell me, and I will punish that person severely!"

Only after hearing Zhou Ming's solemn assurance did Soro finally feel at ease, and he asked how much grain Glan Territory had available for sale.

Zhou Ming took him to inspect the castle granary. Seeing the granary filled to the brim, with grain nearly spilling out, Soro could not help crying out.

"God above, this grain could probably feed the population of an entire count's territory for a year! Even all the grain I have transported in my life would not amount to this much!"

Soro felt as though his heart could barely take it. The granary full of grain was like a beautiful woman standing naked before him—he wanted her, but he could not swallow her whole.

But...

So much grain before his eyes also meant a massive business opportunity before his eyes. If he could seize it, he might not become rich overnight, but he could certainly fill his belly.

That was because Soro had learned from several traveling merchant friends that in the Iron Fortress Kingdom, which bordered the south of the Vorris Kingdom, a fierce struggle for the throne had broken out between the prince and the king's uncle after the Old King died. The war had lasted for more than a year without a clear victor. Vast tracts of land had been abandoned due to the conflict, leaving the kingdom severely short of grain and sending prices soaring. If he could transport a batch of grain to the Iron Fortress Kingdom...

However, although Soro dearly wanted to make a fortune, with his current wealth, it would already be impressive if he could take one-tenth of this full granary. Taking it all was nothing but a fantasy.

Seeing his troubled expression, Zhou Ming asked for the reason. After Soro explained the chaotic situation in the Iron Fortress Kingdom and his own lack of capital, Zhou Ming made a decision Soro could never have expected.

"Soro, I can sell you this grain on credit in batches. So long as you sell this grain in the Iron Fortress Kingdom and then purchase a batch of Iron Ingots that Glan Territory needs from there, you will not need to pay me any additional money. You only need to bring me enough Iron Ingots."

Zhou Ming had long heard of the Iron Fortress Kingdom. It was a wealthy kingdom with thirty-six count territories, renowned for producing large quantities of high-quality iron ore. Its national strength, population, and resources far surpassed those of the Vorris Kingdom. With civil unrest breaking out in the Iron Fortress Kingdom, countless small neighboring countries were eager to take advantage. Zhou Ming wanted a piece of the action as well—though what he had his eye on were the Iron Fortress Kingdom's Iron Ingot resources.

Upon hearing this.

Soro abruptly rose from his chair, removed his hat, and dropped to one knee before Zhou Ming. With a hand over his chest, he bowed deeply. "Honorable Ryan Butler, your generosity and compassion have moved Soro beyond measure. Rest assured, once I transport your territory's grain to the Iron Fortress Kingdom, I will exchange it all for Iron Ingots and carry them back to Glan Territory. Even if I, Soro, do not earn a single silver coin this time, I will still complete the task you have entrusted to me!"

A man would die for one who understood him. Soro had always viewed profit as life itself, and every business trip he made had been driven by the goal of earning a great fortune. Yet this time, he wanted to give up this enormous profit as an investment, earning the young butler's trust and favor and laying a solid foundation for more opportunities to cooperate in the future.

"Mr. Soro, please get up. How could I possibly let you earn nothing at all? Rest assured, you will receive every benefit that belongs to you. If you handle this deal well, Glan Territory's future grain production will continue to be sold through you to various kingdoms and places throughout the world!"

Through traveling merchants like Soro, Zhou Ming saw many opportunities to rapidly develop Glan Territory. For instance, Iron Ingots were currently what Glan Territory lacked most. If Soro could transport enough Iron Ingots, Zhou Ming could use them to forge more farm tools, make more weapons and armor, and train more troops.

What Glan Territory currently lacked most was a capable force that could protect the safety of this land.