Expansion Plan
The situation was more difficult than he had anticipated, especially given the huge funding gap.
Karl's fingers tapped unconsciously on the table as his brain raced, trying to piece together the jumbled clues one by one.
The money issue is actually relatively easy to solve.
After handing over 1,500 Sauron heads to the King, he still held more than 4,000.
After deducting the two thousand he planned to give to Earl Rochefort as a token of gratitude and to maintain their relationship, he would still have more than two thousand left.
According to the kingdom's current bounty standards for the heads of Sauron.
The head of an elite warrior is worth two hundred Silver coin, or twenty gold coins; the head of an ordinary regular soldier is worth ten gold coins; and the head of a tribal militiaman is worth one gold coin.
Even if he were to "transfer" these heads to border Lord who urgently needed military merit to consolidate their positions or to claim credit from the Royal Capital at a relatively favorable price, such as a uniform price of ten gold coins per head, he could easily earn a huge income of over 20,000 gold coins!
This is enough to solve all of Carnford's immediate problems, and there's even some left over.
But the key to the problem lies in the distribution channels.
Karl von Schmidt had a shallow foundation and few connections in the Northern Territory aristocratic circles. Finding a reliable and powerful buyer and successfully completing this somewhat "gray" transaction was a major challenge.
Ultimately, this matter still depends on Earl Rochefort's extensive network and influence, and we need to ask him again to act as a go-between.
However, compared to funding, there is a more fundamental and intractable problem that cannot be solved quickly with money: population.
The fierce siege that lasted for more than a month almost drained Carnford's original young and able-bodied men.
More than 70% of the soldiers were killed in action, and the people who were originally engaged in farming, crafts and other productive activities also suffered heavy casualties.
Today, there are fewer than a thousand healthy adult men in the entire territory capable of undertaking the heavy physical labor of reconstruction.
This is a fatal weakness for Carnford, which needs to quickly repair its defenses, reclaim land, and restore production.
Fortunately, the "legacy" left behind by Harald during his hasty escape north gave Carnford a glimmer of hope.
The more than 5,000 former slaves who escaped from the Sauron camp and ultimately chose to seek refuge in Carnford have become the most valuable human resource at present.
After preliminary statistics and screening, Edgar discovered that the vast majority of these people were originally farmers, miners, or craftsmen from the inner regions of the Goldflower Kingdom. They were familiar with farming, skilled in crafts, and hardworking, making them the most ideal and "dutiful" source of people for rebuilding the territory.
More importantly, almost every one of them had a blood feud with the Sauron, their homes were burned, their relatives were slaughtered or captured, and they themselves suffered enslavement and humiliation.
This deep-seated hatred transformed into the strongest will to resist the Sauron invaders, and the most basic loyalty and dependence on Lord Karl of Carnford, who could shelter them and lead them to revenge.
Karl needed just that kind of person: skilled, physically strong, and, most importantly, determined to fight the Sauron to the bitter end.
By properly resettling and effectively organizing these 5,000 people, the reconstruction of Carnford will be greatly accelerated, and the future defense forces will have a broader source of manpower.
However, five thousand people are far from enough.
To fully restore Carnford to its former glory and make it a strong fortress against future Sauron invasions from the south, a stable population base of at least 20,000, or even 30,000, is needed.
This is necessary to support a sufficient standing army, maintain sustainable agricultural production, and develop the necessary handicrafts.
Relying solely on passively receiving slaves left behind by the defeated Sauron would result in a limited and unstable population. It is imperative to take the initiative and seek more stable and larger sources of people.
A clear and bold plan was gradually taking shape in Karl's mind.
He raised his head, his gaze sharp as he looked at Edgar, his tone decisive. "Edgar, I have a way to solve the gold coin problem. You don't need to be too anxious for now. Now, there is a more urgent task than money that you need to handle immediately."
Edgar quickly composed himself and listened attentively.
"The key is still population! Our population has suffered too much damage," Karl tapped his finger heavily on the table. "You immediately do two things: First, carefully select two thousand of the best-quality Sauron heads and pack them properly; second, and more importantly, select a dozen or so men from the recruits who survived the siege and were supported by the Count last time."
He emphasized the selection criteria. "Don't choose those taciturn veterans, choose those quick -Clever Lads are talkative, bold, and have many relatives and friends in their Fran City!"
Edgar seemed to understand somewhat, and tentatively asked, "Does Your Excellency mean... that they should return to Fran City with a mission?"
"That's right!" Karl's eyes gleamed with the brilliance of a strategist. "Prepare a unified, vivid, and persuasive speech for them! The core message should be: Carnford achieved a brilliant victory, proving our ability to protect the territory; everything is in ruins after the war, and there are many opportunities; Lord Karl benevolent and loves his people, the government is peaceful and the people are harmonious, and as long as we are willing to work hard, there is a way to survive and hope!"
Edgar's eyes lit up; he completely understood Karl's intention. His tone was filled with admiration. "You're going to... get them to go back and advertise, give testimonials, and attract immigrants?"
"Exactly!" Karl affirmed. "The common people in Fran City and the surrounding areas are not wealthy, and are even impoverished. What they lack is not strength, but a safe and hopeful place to go."
"Today, we in Carnford have proven our ability to survive and our determination to protect our people with a bloody battle! That is our greatest attraction! Let these soldiers return to their familiar surroundings and tell their fellow villagers, through their own experiences, that Carnford in the north is a new land worth seeking refuge in!"
He stood up, his tone resolute. "Funds can be raised quickly, but population recovery requires time and opportunity. We must proactively create that opportunity! We must use our victories and the blueprint for the future to attract those who yearn to change their destiny! This matter must be done immediately, and quickly!"
"Yes, sir! I understand! This is a brilliant idea!" Edgar accepted the order, his face showing excitement.
After Edgar accepted the order and hurriedly left, Karl's gaze turned to the other side of the long table.
Seated there were Carnford's military backbone: Brendan, Richter, Roland, Lyon, and Thorsten.
Unlike Edgar and Morr, who were primarily responsible for internal affairs, these officers personally drew their swords and fought bloody battles at the last moment, so almost everyone had obvious scars on their bodies.