Keeping the Workers

They exchanged glances, and the five men and one bear walked onto the stone bridge. Both sides' armies retreated a hundred meters each to show their sincerity in the negotiations.

In theory, there are no security risks in negotiations between royal nobles like this. No one would dare to defy public opinion and attempt to assassinate the other party in such a setting.

However, Hudson remained vigilant; the miniature Young Bear perched on his shoulder served as his bodyguard.

This seemingly cute little guy is far more powerful than he is, a complete weakling. Those seemingly insignificant little paws can snap a tree as thick as a bowl in two with a single slap.

As the initiator of the mediation meeting, Hudson took the initiative to speak first, "Welcome everyone to Mountain Territory."

We were supposed to meet at a banquet, but because our territory is too humble to host you all, we've chosen this picturesque spot for our chat.

The outside world called it the Mountain Territory, and Hudson had no choice but to follow the mainstream and abandon the outdated name of the Salam Territory.

No one takes polite words seriously, and the claim that a banquet cannot be held is pure nonsense. The real reason is that Hudson is unwilling to provide food, drink, and shelter for more than a thousand people.

Even landlords don't have surplus grain; to live a good life, they must be frugal. Every penny saved on unnecessary expenses is a penny earned.

Although three batches of weapons were sold, most of them were on credit. The cash received directly was less than one hundred gold coins.

Hudson didn't want a single banquet to wipe out all the money he had worked so hard to recoup.

"Lord Hudson, you are too kind. I have long heard of the esteemed Divine Bow Knight. I should have come to visit my neighbor sooner, but I have been too busy with affairs of the territory and have not had the time until now."

It is a wonderful thing that we can gather by the stream today. Perhaps we can even leave behind a legendary story for future generations, for wandering poets to recount.

"That's what Baron Katerley said cheerfully."

The claim that the territory was busy was obviously nonsense. Apart from the three hundred soldiers he brought, there wasn't a single living person to be found in the entire Maple Leaf Territory, so there was no way the territory would be busy.

Baron Katerley was indeed quite satisfied with the meeting place. As a Northern Aristocrats, whether there was a banquet or not was unimportant; the key was to ensure safety first.

A small stream separates them, which may not be of much use, but at least it can prevent them from being ambushed.

Although such unethical behavior is rare among nobles, ambushes are commonplace on the battlefields of the Northern Frontier. Deep-seated instincts kept Kateley vigilant.

The two barons were exchanging compliments, while the three knights could only watch awkwardly from the sidelines. Their unequal status and power made it difficult for them to join the conversation.

After exchanging pleasantries, Hudson deliberately took a step back and said, "The main reason I invited the four of you here today is to clear up some unnecessary misunderstandings."

We're all neighbors, and we'll be interacting with each other for a long time to come. Some minor disagreements are inevitable, and there's no need to dwell on them.

I hope everyone can uphold the spirit of unity among the nobles of the Alpha Kingdom, properly handle this misunderstanding, and build a stable and harmonious southern Wright County.

These were all heartfelt words. Although he was an arms dealer, Hudson truly did not want the situation to collapse.

The long-term tense standoff and the continuous expansion of military equipment by all parties are the only ways to keep doing business.

Direct factional conflict and escalation of tensions in the short term can indeed generate huge profits, but once a winner is determined, the business will be over.

Most importantly, the territory had not yet been developed, and regardless of which side won, Hudson was not capable of dealing with the ensuing changes.

Having given up his spot, Hudson became a bystander, quietly watching the four haggle over the price.

They only step in to smooth things over when negotiations are on the verge of breaking down, allowing the negotiations to continue.

It must be admitted that there are differences between nobles. Even in a three-on-one situation, Baron Katerley had a significant advantage.

Most importantly, throughout the entire process, they never directly threatened violence; they merely used lofty principles such as aristocratic spirit and chivalry, along with minor flaws, to debate with the three.

Since there was no overt evidence of bullying, Hudson naturally had no opportunity to intervene. Ultimately, he was merely a mediator, not a party involved, and could not have any obvious bias.

"Gentlemen, it's getting late. If we continue to argue over minor details, we'll probably drag this out until dark without any resolution. Perhaps it would be better if both sides compromised a little."

In fact, the discrepancy regarding the number of people in the territory is not entirely impossible to define.

Although Maple Leaf Town was once a large town, it suffered from the Skull Society and Bones Rebellion, and only one or two out of ten people survived.

The current Maple Leaf Territory is only one-third the size of the original Maple Leaf Town. Based on the original registered population, the number of survivors can be roughly estimated.

Considering the two-month delay, the further decline in population, the exodus of refugees, and certain human factors, the situation is further complicated.

The population that eventually entered the ranks of the Coelho Knights, Knight Roman, and Knight Valov can also be roughly estimated.

The total number should be around five hundred. Even if there's a slight discrepancy, the three knights have been taking in refugees for so long; they can't have worked for nothing, can they?

Hudson said matter-of-factly.

Especially when talking about "human factors," he remains completely unfazed, as if it has nothing to do with him.

However, Hudson wasn't afraid to bring up this issue. He had inherited a portion of Maple Leaf Town's land, and inheriting a portion of its inhabitants was only natural.

If he hadn't been mindful of his table manners, he would have gone to the neighbors to demand the person be released. Of course, that's just wishful thinking.

Although Hudson had no contact with them, that doesn't mean the Coslo Family had no connection either. Even if they weren't close relatives, there was always some personal relationship involved.

If you were to kick someone when they're down at a time like this, all the reputation you've worked so hard to build in aristocratic circles would be ruined in an instant.

Moreover, there are more than one way to generate income. Compared to directly abducting people, other covert methods can also be used to utilize this labor force.

For example, the job of making charcoal was outsourced by Hudson under the guise of selling weapons.

Now, these three good neighbors have begun a happy life of burning charcoal to pay off their debts, greatly alleviating the pressure of insufficient charcoal production capacity in the Salam Mine Area.

If the three weren't already working for him, Hudson wouldn't have personally stepped in to help them at this time.

The words had barely left his mouth when Baron Katerley's brow furrowed. This number was far from what he had expected.

In fact, Baron Katerley was well aware of his own territory, and there were not many people left after the war.

He only wanted to take advantage of the situation and extort money from his three neighbors, the Knights Coelho, Knight Roman, and Knight Valov.

Unfortunately, the three pushovers have now latched onto a powerful ally, thwarting his plans.

"The people of Maple Leaf Territory scattered, not only entering the territories of Knights Coelho, Knight Roman, and Knight Valov, but also some entering the noble territories of the north, east, and west."

Due to the war, the exact number of people who entered each region can no longer be accurately calculated.

However, since Baron Hudson has made the request, then the number of inhabitants entering the southern region shall be five hundred. But the number of able-bodied men must not be less than a quarter.

Hudson understood the implication and nodded accordingly. Coelho, Roman, and Valov—these three guys had gathered nearly a thousand refugees from outside; keeping half of them alive would be quite an achievement.

With the remaining population from the three original territories, the total population is still over a thousand, so charcoal production will not be greatly affected.

As for the nobles in other areas bordering Maple Leaf Territory, they had nothing to do with Hudson, so he couldn't care less about their lives.

Since Baron Katerley was willing to give him face, Hudson wasn't the type to take advantage of someone's kindness and interfere in everything.