Salam Mountain Range
Baron Redman's arrival officially kicked off Hudson's public relations campaign. All previous actions were merely warm-up.
Both visits were made in person, Hudson clearly sensed a difference between the two. It wasn't that people were materialistic; it was mainly due to the obligation of personal favors.
It's either about reclaiming the favors previously made, or about the family owing the other party a favor.
Of course, everyone involved was a nobleman, and they certainly had their pride. On the surface, it was just a simple reminiscing session, with all the transactions left unsaid.
Compared to simply giving gifts, this kind of social exchange within the circle is undoubtedly more to the liking of the nobility.
I helped you yesterday, you helped me today, and I'll help you again the day after tomorrow... This cycle repeats itself, and slowly we become family friends.
The Hudson family now visits members of the Coslo Family who have been close to them for generations, with ties dating back at least three generations.
Even with close relationships, success cannot be guaranteed every time; the premise of helping others is to prioritize one's own interests.
Whenever his master expressed difficulty, Baron Redman would decisively change the subject and then quickly take his leave.
Hudson maintained a good attitude throughout. He believed that helping was a favor, and not helping was within his rights. Having a family relationship did not mean that he had to help unconditionally.
Through their connections, the Hudson father and son also learned a lot of information, the most crucial of which was the King's Judgment.
This is very important. If Count Pierce's proposal is approved and the fiefdoms are limited to the baronial level, then it is highly unlikely that any direct descendants of powerful nobles will emerge from the Northern Aristocrats south.
If the powerful dragon isn't strong enough, it means that a local power like Hudson can compete with it. This is probably the situation Count Pierce most wants to see.
Conflicts arose during the struggle for fiefdoms, and with a little instigation from behind the scenes by the Dalton Family, conflicts were bound to arise between the local nobles of the Southeast Province and these outsiders.
Hudson was not qualified to participate in the high-level power struggle. Taking advantage of the time before the battle for the fiefdom, after visiting a group of old friends, he immediately appeared in the Salam Mountain Range with Young Bear and dozens of guards.
Calling it a mountain range is an exaggeration. The Southeast Province is flat, and any so-called mountains are just small mounds, including the Salam Mountain Range.
Composed of over a hundred hills of varying sizes, it resembles giant steamed buns placed on the earth. Choosing the highest hill, it only took Hudson and his group a little over two hours to climb from the foot to the summit.
Most of the hills have a relative height of no more than 200 meters. They are clearly just hills. Calling them mountains is just the last stubbornness of the nobles of the Southeast Province.
Upon arriving at the Salam Mine Area, the scene could be summed up in one word—chaos. Production had long since ceased, the site was a complete mess, and the miners were nowhere to be found.
He casually picked up a stalactite-shaped iron ore from the ground, waved it in front of the Young Bear, and said in a seductive tone, "Beldens, it's your turn to perform."
Whether the future holds the promise of daily animal milk and honey, or the poverty of having to eat dirt every meal, depends on today's events.
"Give me a rough estimate of how much of this kind of stone is buried underground and how deep it is from the surface."
The bewildered Bear Kid stared at Hudson with a resentful look. It had been tricked more than once since the contract was signed.
Not only were the promised food standards not met, but it was also forced to work. If it weren't for the fact that its training speed with Hudson was accelerating, and the temptation of beast milk and honey was too great, it would have gone on strike and run away long ago.
Shaking its head, the bear pointed its paw forward and led Hudson and his group through the forest.
After crossing one hill after another, if the Young Bear hadn't repeatedly assured him that it hadn't gone to the wrong place, Hudson would have suspected it was playing a prank.
The ore vein extends even further than indicated in Hudson's data, which explains the low grain yield in this hilly area. The ground is full of iron ore, covered only by a layer of soil.
In many areas, there are exposed mineral deposits on the ground, but large-scale mining has not been carried out, presumably because that unfortunate viscount did not pay attention to it.
Since the iron produced cannot be used to forge weapons, it loses its strategic value. Merely producing pots, pans, and farm tools is not worth the noble lord's effort.
After traversing the mountains, they finally arrived at a swamp, where Hudson decisively stopped the Young Bear from advancing further.
Just because the Earth Bear can walk on mud as if it were flat ground doesn't mean he can. If he were to get stuck and die, that would be a disgrace to any transmigrator.
Smelling the earthy aroma and gazing at the boundless swamp, Hudson was utterly puzzled. How could such important information be missing from the map?
Do you think there's no development value? Or did our ancestors simply overlook it and not explore it thoroughly?
After hesitating for a moment, Hudson ultimately abandoned the idea of exploring further. After all, the swamp was here, and it wasn't going anywhere; there would be plenty of opportunities later.
However, this only strengthened Hudson's resolve to acquire the land. The hilly terrain being unsuitable for agriculture did not mean the swampy areas were unsuitable either.
Perhaps because it is not conducive to food production, most of this hilly region, apart from the mines, is not on the map, which means it is not registered by the kingdom.
Unclaimed lands belong to whoever develops them. If one becomes the lord of the southernmost fiefdom of Wright County, there will be no one to compete with Hudson.
Although the development is quite difficult, the corresponding benefits are also substantial. In particular, the swampy area to the south, once developed, will become a natural granary.
Most importantly, the hills in front provide cover, making it a rare and dangerous location even in the Southeast Province. Even in the event of war, the hilltops can be used for defense.
While a powerful enemy might be unstoppable, chaos of the level of the Skull Society Rebel Army can most likely be held.
These days, everyone uses serfs to farm, and without the approval of noble lords, the population simply can't move around. If the news is well-sealed, the outside world might not even know about it for ten or eight years.
Without wasting time here, Hudson and his group continued to determine the distribution of the mineral veins, following in the footsteps of the Young Bear.
In fact, one can make a rough judgment from the vegetation. In areas where the mineral deposits are shallower, most of the plants growing are trees, and the few ancient trees that do grow are crooked and not very tall.
Outside the mining area, or rather, in areas where the ore is buried deeper, the vegetation is much more lush, and signs of wild animal activity are more pronounced. If food production were to take place there, the yield would likely be much better.
What delighted Hudson most was that he also discovered many mountain people and miners fleeing the war along the way. Labor was extremely valuable in postwar Wright County.
He didn't disturb them; now wasn't the time to recruit followers. Hudson's mission was heavy; surveying the Salam Mountain Range was just the beginning, and he also needed to check out the other candidate areas.
After all, accidents can happen at any time. Before everything settles down, no one can guarantee that nothing will go wrong.
In case the plan fails, there must be a backup plan. As a cautious person, Hudson didn't want to be caught off guard at the last minute.