At the Dock
Victor stood quietly at the bow of the ship, his gaze fixed on the bustling, noisy scene of people thronging the dock.
Hundreds of Dockworkers were busily moving between the various cargo piles, sweating profusely yet moving swiftly to carry heavy crates of goods. They then strode confidently toward the massive fleet he led, carefully placing the cargo into designated spots on the ships.
Meanwhile, the experienced and battle-hardened sailors were not idle either.
They were either busy checking the ropes to make sure they were secure or carefully checking the cargo list to ensure everything was in order; however, occasionally some minor incidents would occur—for example, when Dockworkers accidentally put a box in the wrong place, it could easily lead to heated arguments or even endless disputes between the sailors and Dockworkers about how to properly place the cargo.
Victor asked, "Gaita, is this the last batch?"
Gaita, standing behind him, immediately responded, "Marquis lord, this is the last batch of supplies. There's only some wheat left in the Blackwater City warehouse, which is this year's new grain that we collected from Wright County."
As per your request, this batch of new grain will be sold to Great Merchant Guilds, in exchange for old grain or rye and barley, to be used as rations for the serfs who will immigrate next year.
Preliminary estimates suggest that, including the grain they used to offset payments, they should be able to stockpile over 30,000 tons after the New Year, enough to feed 150,000 people for one quarter.
Victor nodded. "Yes, this number is enough. According to the agreement with Alex, 200,000 serfs from the original Central Region of the duchy can be relocated over the next three years. The first batch will be relocated next year, with a maximum of 50,000 people. There should still be a surplus of food by then."
After next spring, you can send half of them to Boler County. The majority of future immigrants will still be there. The serfs of the southern and eastern nobles will first be sent to Golden Sunflower County, and then board ships in Great Oak Territory to head north.
Next year, the first year alone, I estimate there will be more than 100,000 people. I'm still worried about how to deal with food next year. I estimate that even if I empty the food reserves of both territories, it still won't be enough to meet the needs of these newly arrived people.
Gaita, over the next three years, your responsibilities will be heavy. Not only will you need to cooperate with Steward Boon in merging and developing the newly expanded territories of Golden Sunflower Territory, but you will also have to travel between Golden Sunflower Territory and Blackwater City to procure and gather the necessary food and other supplies for the territory in the Central Vira Province."
Gaita was delighted to hear this, knowing that Victor was explaining his future job prospects to him, at least a deputy supervisor position, indicating that his work during this period had been recognized.
It's important to understand that the Golden Sunflower Territory is no longer what it used to be; it's no longer just a small baronial territory. The area has already exceeded 1,500 square kilometers due to the two consolidations made before this Civil War alone.
For his achievements in the Civil War, Victor not only gained a promotion to Marquis, but also acquired a large number of new territories in Sextus County and Cambridge County in the east, as well as Hampshire in the south.
Victor doesn't plan to operate the enclave; he intends to exchange it with someone else.
According to Victor's plan, Gaita will participate in transactions with some nobles in the Eastern Region and be responsible for the exchange of Golden Sunflower Territory with several surrounding noble territories.
Several noble families surrounding the Golden Sunflower Territory will relocate from their current lands. By merging these territories, the Golden Sunflower Territory will expand again to approximately 4,000 square kilometers, and its population will increase to over 250,000. In terms of both area and population, it can be considered a small Count.
As for whether those nobles would agree, Gaita wasn't worried at all. He'd first ask who was backing him—it was none other than Marquis Victor of the Marquis Golden Sunflower!
"I'll continue the journey with the fleet. I'm leaving Blackwater City in your hands. Don't abandon the Chamber of Commerce Joint Conference; we'll need them in the future."
"Yes!"
With the cargo transport mostly finished, Victor said to Gaita, "Alright, I should get going. The fleet will only stop once more in Great Oak Territory before heading north."