Isildur frowned. "Are you talking about the boy who ignored the law and let his tribe die in a duel? Of course I remember him."
"I met Risadiran half a year ago behind White Deer Fortress. He seemed to be helping a human lord fight. He was the one blowing the horn in the forest..."
Twilight Knight said hesitantly.
"He is fighting for the human lord? It seems that he has the trust of that human lord... Are you going to ask his lord through Risadiran to find out why humans invade our forests in large numbers?"
Isildur's thinking is obviously very sharp.
"Yes, Your Highness, he may be the only Noldor trusted by human lords... But, I can also understand your pain of losing a loved one..."
Twilight Knight hesitated a little as he spoke - Risadiran killed Isildur's nephew in the duel.
To be honest, if it were the violent Lord Aldarian of the An'er family, Risadiran would have been torn into pieces. Isildur would have been very kind just to exile him.
"Oh... let's try it... let's try it. We can't go to full-scale war with humans. Things will eventually be resolved."
After sighing deeply, Isildur nodded in agreement.
"Your Highness, what should we do with this camp?"
The Noldo who spoke first asked hesitantly.
"You lead a patrol to monitor this place. As long as no one enters this camp, you don't have to worry about it. But if there are humans who dare to settle here... then destroy them!"
After Isildur gave the instructions, he led Twilight Knight into the depths of the forest.
Today's Wheat Fragrance Territory is no longer the same as before.
In the eyes of many people, the current Wheat Fragrance Territory is already part of White Deer Fortress, and most people in Long River Town already call Wheat Fragrance Territory "the Wheat Fragrance Territory of White Deer Fortress".
Because most of them know that Lord Li Ang has been stationed at White Deer Fortress regularly.
Today, this territory surrounded by wheat fields is completely connected to White Deer Fortress.
Due to the existence of Long River Express, whether you travel from Long River Town by water or land, you can quickly reach Wheat Fragrance Territory, and the transportation of goods is very convenient. Therefore, all trade activities between White Deer Fortress and Long River Town have gradually been transferred to the market of Wheat Fragrance Territory.
Wheat Fragrance Territory has become the trade distribution center for the entire Aier County.
The market area originally planned by the lord has now become a 'comprehensive wholesale market'.
This makes White Deer Fortress more and more people devote themselves to business activities.
The personnel exchanges between Wheat Fragrance Territory and White Deer Fortress have become very frequent, especially the vendors of White Deer Fortress and the logistics followers of Knight's Territory. Now there are hundreds of people traveling between the two places almost every day.
They will go to the Wheat Fragrance Territory Wholesale Market to purchase goods, and then go to various villages in White Deer Fortress for retail; they will also buy some local specialties or handicrafts from the villages and sell them to Long River Town merchants in the Wheat Fragrance Territory comprehensive market.
Many White Deer Fortress farmers have also opened new shops or engaged in handicraft production, and switched to business.
The increase in the industrial and commercial population is actually a good phenomenon in this era, which will cause the area to develop rapidly and continue to attract foreign people to move in.
Although there are only about 10,000 people in White Deer Fortress, there are now about 2,000 people engaged in industry, commerce or the tertiary industry. This ratio is actually very suitable for urban development.
This is entirely a behavioral change brought about by convenient transportation.
In the past, transportation was inconvenient and there was no chance to do business, but it is different now. The road between Wheat Fragrance Territory and White Deer Fortress has become quite good.
The farmers who were divided into 'production groups' by Li Ang have their farms scattered on both sides of the road between White Deer Fortress and Wheat Fragrance Territory. When nothing happens, they will consciously maintain the road and ensure road safety.
This is not a request from the lord, it is considered a spontaneous act.
Of course, the territorial residents were not so noble originally, but when they discovered that there was a free "bus" in the territory, they did consciously start to repair the roads.
Since the Lord returned from the Bacchus Empire two months ago, in early June, a dedicated bus line has been opened between Wheat Fragrance Territory and White Deer Fortress.
That is, the box carriage made by the lord.
But the box carriages in the territory are completely different from the one sold to Kairos. These buses are quite crude and extremely simple in style. There is no decoration except for the huge Griffin crest on the carriage.
Compared with the freight car, the wheelbase was only deliberately enlarged, a rain-proof roof was added, a few benches were added to the carriage, and two draft horses were used to pull the carriage.
If the road is smooth, a carriage can fit more than a dozen people in a squeeze.
It only takes half a day for this kind of carriage to travel this hundred miles. Taking into account the time for the horses to fully rest along the way, it is more than enough for each carriage to make one round trip every day, so the lord has arranged for more than twenty vehicles.
This ensures that no matter whether you go back or forth, you can meet one every half hour.
The residents of Wheat Fragrance Territory and White Deer Fortress don't have to rush to work during the morning rush hour. It's enough to have a carriage passing by on average every half hour.
This is the first batch of public transportation that appeared in the Pande Continent. The fare is very cheap. From Wheat Fragrance Territory Square to White Deer Fortress City, a distance of nearly a hundred miles, the fare for each person only costs five large copper coins.
That is 50 fils, equivalent to 20ths of One Dinar.
The currency of Pendor is roughly 1 dinar=10 Dirham=1000 fils.
1 dinar can buy nearly a hundred pounds of wheat at the market price - of course, this refers to unprocessed grain. If it is processed into flour or made into finished products such as bread, the price is different.
50 fils is roughly equivalent to the price of five pounds of wheat, or two pounds of bread.
The reason for such a price is mainly due to the travel habits of people in this era - for a journey of hundreds of miles, whether it is a business trip or a knight's retinue going out to do business, most of them will be accompanied by two people.
A merchant would bring a mercenary or a hired worker, and a retinue would usually bring an apprentice, because in a vast and sparsely populated place, difficulties would inevitably be encountered on the road, and there must always be someone to take care of him.
Therefore, the fare for two people is exactly one Dirham silver coin.
In this day and age, the fare is quite cheap.
You must know that in other places Pande Continent, if you hire a carriage to travel a hundred miles, the cost will be settled in dinars at least, and the road is full of dangers.
But don't think that this price is not profitable. It seems that the carriage can only carry a dozen people in one trip, but in fact, at least twenty or thirty passengers will pay for the up and down journey, and there will probably be dozens of people in two trips - this allows each vehicle to earn more than 2 dinars per day.
Excluding the groom's salary and the consumption of draft horses, each car can net at least 1 dinar for Long River Express every day.
It may seem like a small amount, but a dozen or so cars can generate a net income of seven hundred or eight hundred dinars a month, which is almost tens of thousands of dinars a year, which is really a lot.
You must know that this is just the first route. The total investment cost is actually dozens of draft horses. The cost is only about 10,000 dinars, but the annual net profit can reach 10,000 dinars.
Moreover, running two hundred miles a day on the road at a leisurely pace, with a few hours of rest in between, does not cause much wear and tear on the draft horses.
Of course, it's not that profitable right now.
The current cheap ticket price is currently only for outsiders, such as White Deer Fortress vendors and Knight's Territory logistics staff.
Because residents of Wheat Fragrance Territory ride for free - they have monthly passes...
The monthly ticket was originally created by the lord to mobilize his subjects to build roads. It was actually a piece of parchment stamped with a heraldry, with a month marked on it.
The first batch of monthly passes are actually given free of charge.
The Lord issued a monthly pass to every citizen living near the road, and also issued one to each of the soldiers, including some of White Deer Fortress's soldiers - mainly for Amy's guards.
On the one hand, the residents don't have much money at the moment, so they have to provide some convenience so that they can boost the bus business.
On the other hand, this allows the residents to consciously maintain the roads, while also making it easier for soldiers to take vehicles at any time during patrols.
Since this is a horse-drawn carriage, it is not that convenient to "stop at the wave of your hand". If the road conditions are bad, the driver will not stop - if the horse-drawn carriage is too heavy, it will be difficult to start and brake. When encountering an uphill slope, passengers may need to push it.
And when two cars meet, it will be really difficult if the road surface is not wide enough.
Besides, these carriages were quite crudely made, and they were not comfortable to sit on. A slight hole in the ground would cause pain in the buttocks.
Because the lord has not had time to get the shock-absorbing steel plates and springs...
Therefore, the citizens who have monthly tickets in their hands are of course willing to build better roads.
As a result of more than a thousand people's voluntary efforts, in just over a month, this road was built into the highest quality highway in the Pande Continent, which is five meters wide.
Some smarter citizens even deliberately filled the flat land on the roadside with flat stone slabs to serve as a 'bus stop' to ensure that the carriage would stop at the door of their farm.
It's the end of July now, and this bus line has been running for nearly two months from the beginning of June to now.
The second batch of free monthly passes in the hands of residents is about to expire, and the buses are already running normally and are familiar and accepted by the entire Aier County public.
Especially small traders and logistics personnel of various Knight's Territory who need to travel frequently between the two places are quite satisfied with this cheap means of transportation.
Originally, they couldn't travel between places frequently unless they bought horses. But the one-time investment cost was too high, and raising horses also cost money.
The emergence of buses can actually reduce their overall travel costs.
Although they need to pay a small fare, they can improve travel efficiency, which in turn allows them to save or earn more money, because there are no middlemen who can make their difference.
Buses can bring the travel capabilities of ordinary civilians and wealthy businessmen to the same starting line. This essentially equalizes the information gap. Everyone can go to Wheat Fragrance Territory's wholesale market frequently, and the number of small traders doing retail will naturally increase in large numbers.
And those who have the skills to engage in handicrafts will have more sales opportunities for the objects they make.
This also makes the prices of various commodities gradually become stable. Large merchants can no longer use the information gap between regions to control the prices of goods. The wholesale price and retail price will always remain within a reasonable range. Of course, small traders will be able to engage in retail business for a long time.
This can actually greatly prosper the entire Aier County economy. In fact, some people have gradually begun to move to Aier County.
This is the greatest significance of convenient transportation.
In fact, White Deer Fortress many small vendors and people are very greedy for things like monthly passes, and even reselling them - Wheat Fragrance Territory There are many residents who really have no travel needs. Besides, they can share one monthly pass with their whole family...
The lord was even a little confused after knowing this - it seems that the whole family uses the same old age card, which happens in every world...
Therefore, the lord decided not to give away monthly passes for free in August - the roads have been well repaired, the people's enthusiasm has also passed, and the main groups of people traveling have become traders and White Deer Fortress civilians.
It would be a bit of a loss to issue monthly passes for free. Bus lines must make a profit after all, so Li Ang set a standard price for monthly passes, 9 Dirham each.
The reason why we don't use the convenient price of One Dinar is because the statement "less than One Dinar" sounds cheaper, and the lord is deliberately collecting Dirham silver coins.
But considering that the people in my family are currently very poor, they have no money, and the people of White Deer Fortress are not rich either, it is difficult for them to afford it with money.
So the lord issued another decree in the past two days, telling everyone in Aier County that in the future, they can use saltpeter to exchange for a monthly pass. Two pounds of qualified saltpeter can be exchanged for a monthly pass.
This purpose is naturally obvious - the national nitrate control does not necessarily require a large-scale war. Sometimes sending dozens of carriages to run back and forth can solve the problem, and can also carry soldiers on patrol to ensure the security of the territory.
Of course, this policy has just been issued and the results have not yet been seen.
And new trouble has arrived.
Now Wheat Fragrance Territory is getting very crowded.
Originally, all supplies and troops of Wheat Fragrance Territory were transferred to White Deer Fortress, and most of the population was scattered to various farms. There were not many people living in the previously designated residential areas.
But just a few days ago, more than 1,300 young people were brought in, and this small place was suddenly filled to the brim.
Coupled with the constant flow of vendors and carriages, Wheat Fragrance Territory, which was originally only two streets, can actually give people the feeling of a big city.
The business of the merchants stationed in the Wheat Fragrance Territory comprehensive market has always been very good. Even though White Deer Fortress seems to be at war in the past half month, it has not had much impact on the business of the wholesale market. The transactions and transshipments of various daily necessities have always been done.
The only impact was that the buses were suspended for two days in order to fake the surrender plan.
In the past few days after the battle, Wheat Fragrance Territory's business has become even more prosperous.
Group after group of various mercenaries came to Wheat Fragrance Territory at this time.
There are many mercenaries coming from the north, which is the road that the Lord first walked and met Risadiran.
But more of them came by boat from Long River Town.
There is an endless stream of people coming and going in the comprehensive market, and places like 'Grand Food World' are even more bustling with people. Most big cities are not so lively.
These consumers are basically adventurers and mercenaries from other places.
Recently, many mercenary groups have come to the vicinity of Wheat Fragrance Territory, and their purpose is very obvious - to capture Noldo Elves.
In Noldo Forest, only this famous local product can attract so many mercenaries...
It's just that there are so many mercenaries coming recently, so many that Wheat Fragrance Territory can't even fit them in.
These are all large and small mercenary groups, led by Ebony Gauntlet Knights. The current total number of people has exceeded 3,000.
And this is definitely not the final number, because they still have not fully entered Noldo Forest and are still waiting, obviously waiting for the arrival of subsequent personnel.
Although these mercenaries can indeed increase the sales of merchants, for today's lords, the trouble they bring may far exceed the economic value they bring.
The lord is currently discussing countermeasures with Amy and his men.
This is the lord hall of White Deer Fortress. Li Ang is sitting on the main seat. Amy, Sarah, Roland, Ansen and others are all sitting around the round table.
Risadiran did not hide in the dark this time, but also sat in front of the round table.
"Everyone, according to the news I got at Lion City, those mercenaries should be here to capture Noldo Elves, and I'm afraid it's for the Noldor noble girl... Risadiran, please tell me what the noble girl in your clan means..."
Li Ang is very anxious now and motioned Risadiran to explain to everyone the situation within the Noldor tribe.
"We have a total of four ethnic groups, that is, four noble families. I belong to the Aino Family. At present, there are only more than two hundred nobles in the Aino Family, including me. And there should be only two unmarried girls among the nobles now., I estimate that other families are similar - that is to say, if those mercenaries want to complete their ugly mission, they will inevitably start an endless war with my people... Of course, I think they will get nothing, and they will all be buried in the forest."
Risadiran is also very nervous, but his nervousness does not seem to be for the safety of the Noldor people - he feels that those mercenary groups will probably be wiped out halfway.
In fact Li Ang thinks so too.
But he and Risadiran both considered another issue at the same time - the employer of these mercenaries was King Ulrich.
They were hired by the king at a large price, not to capture ordinary elves, but to capture Noldor noble girls.
There are not many Noldor in the first place, and noble girls are not that easy to find.
This means that they will not engage in petty hunting activities at the edge of the forest. They will go deep into Noldo Forest and invade the core territory of the elves on a large scale.
The mercenaries may be seeking their own death, and probably no one will sympathize with them.
But they were hired by the king to start a large-scale war with Noldor, which was actually a disaster for White Deer Fortress.
The last time human armed forces invaded Noldo Forest on a large scale was more than three hundred years ago. The outcome of that battle was that a combined army of 30,000 human noble lords was buried forever in the forest.
Yes, very few people can escape.
Since then, Long River Forest has been called Noldo Forest, and the Noldor no longer have any communication with humans, and the two races have become mortal enemies.
The number of Noldo Elves is probably indeed small, but no matter how arrogant anyone is, they will not ignore the fighting power of the Noldor, and no one will easily step into the depths of Noldo Forest.
For hundreds of years, Noldo Elves has been hiding in the forest and watching humans conquer each other. They will never leave the forest easily if humans don't provoke them.
But if it is such a large-scale invasion, the reaction of the Noldor is obvious - this is a group with extremely strong fighting power, they have the ability to fight back, and they will definitely make the invading country pay a heavy price!
No matter whether those mercenary groups can succeed or whether they will be completely destroyed, the fury of the Noldor for revenge against the Lionheart Kingdom will definitely burn towards White Deer Fortress.
Who made White Deer Fortress belong to the Lionheart Kingdom? Who made White Deer Fortress be the closest to Noldo Forest...
This is a huge crisis.
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