Tunbao

Seeing Edgar's flustered state, Karl chuckled softly and said with a hint of apology, "I'm sorry, Edgar. Back in Fran City, I was only focused on recruiting as many people as possible to strengthen our Carnford forces. I really didn't think carefully about the difficulties of resettlement afterwards. It was my oversight that caused you trouble."

He changed the subject, his tone becoming firm and confident. "However, the most crucial issue you just mentioned, the money, I can tell you now, I can solve it! As long as the funds are in place, the rest will depend on you and everyone else's efforts to settle these refugees as soon as possible."

He walked to the window, pointed to the messy yet vibrant Shantytown Area outside, and solemnly said, "Especially those miners and skilled craftsmen, they abandoned their lives that might have been barely enough to make ends meet and came to this unfamiliar land with us because they trusted me, Karl, and the future that Carnford could give them."

"If we fail to deliver on our initial promises to them, such as a stable home or a job to support their families, they will inevitably be disappointed, and their confidence in us and in Carnford may waver, which is something we absolutely cannot allow."

Edgar's furrowed brow relaxed slightly upon hearing that the funding issue could be resolved. He picked up another file and quickly reported, "Sir, I have made a preliminary census regarding skilled individuals."

"Among them, there are about a thousand craftsmen, including blacksmiths, carpenters, bricklayers, and leatherworkers, and about three thousand experienced skilled laborers such as miners and loggers. If funds are sufficient, we can prioritize planning residential areas for them and immediately start some basic construction projects, such as expanding housing, repairing city walls, excavating new mines and logging sites, so that they can have work and food as soon as possible."

But he immediately raised another serious problem. "However, sir, food is the most urgent issue right now. The price of food in Fran City has already risen due to the influx of refugees and our purchases."

"Originally, one Silver coin and fifty copper coins could buy one hundred kilograms of rye, but now the price has risen to two Silver coin. Although the Count has provided support, allowing us to purchase it at a discounted price of one Silver coin and seventy copper coins, with our current inventory of less than three thousand gold coins, it is absolutely impossible to feed 23,000 hungry mouths, even with our original food reserves, for more than a month!"

"A month?" Karl turned around, a meaningful smile on his face, a smile brimming with the confidence of someone in control. "That's enough. Don't worry, Edgar. If I say money can solve it, I definitely can. This 'timely rain' will arrive soon."

Edgar nodded, seemingly infected by Karl's composure, but then he remembered something and added, "There's one more thing, sir. These days, with the large influx of people, quite a few caravans have already arrived on the outskirts of Carnford."

"They have set up their own camp and do not wish to mingle with the refugees. They have brought goods and news. Perhaps we can obtain some much-needed supplies through them, whether through taxation or direct trade. They are a potential resource. They have requested an audience with you several times. Should I inform them now to await your summons?"

Karl waved his hand, his tone decisive. "Let them wait. Since they're willing to come, we're not afraid to wait a little longer. The most important thing right now is to unify our internal thinking and procedures, and to convene a meeting immediately."

"Yes, sir." Edgar acknowledged the order and quickly left to make the arrangements.

Half an hour later, in the Lord's Hall of Carnford Castle, everyone took their seats.

Karl surveyed the crowd with a calm gaze. Without exchanging pleasantries, he went straight to the point.

"I have summoned you all here to announce some important matters concerning the future of Carnford." His voice was clear and carried an unquestionable authority. He first took out a scroll of parchment decorated with gold ribbons and stamped with the royal Wax Seal Imperial Edict from his bosom and gently placed it on the table.

"The first piece of news," Karl's gaze swept over the crowd, his tone calm yet like a boulder dropped, "Comes from the Royal Capital. His Majesty the newly enthroned King Sigmund, in recognition of Carnford's victory over the Sauron army, has bestowed upon me the honor of marrying his sister, the esteemed Princess Louise."

As soon as he finished speaking, the hall fell into complete silence; you could hear a pin drop.

The expressions on everyone's faces varied, first showing barely concealed shock, then surging with ecstasy!

The Lord has become the King's brother-in-law, a royal Prince Consort! This means that Carnford's status will undergo a dramatic change, leaping from a remote frontier territory to an important fief with close ties to the royal family! The status and future of his followers will naturally rise accordingly!

However, after the initial elation, a subtle worry surfaced on the faces of several people in the know, especially Edgar and Brendan. They both thought of the Count's daughter, Miss Charlotte, and the unspoken feelings between the Lord and her.

How will this unexpected royal marriage be reconciled with the feelings involved?

But when they saw the calm, even slightly serene smile on Karl's face, their worries eased somewhat.

The Lord seemed to have no objection to this matter; perhaps he had already weighed the pros and cons and saw it as a major opportunity for Carnford's development.

Karl took in everyone's reactions. He offered no explanation, nor did he mention Charlotte. He simply continued, "This marriage is a blessing from the King, and a tremendous honor and opportunity for Carnford. It will bring us unprecedented political capital and attention, but it also means greater responsibility and challenges."

He paused, then steered the conversation back to reality. "Right now, our most immediate challenge is how to feed and resettle those 23,000 people outside, and how to transform this enormous population pressure into a powerful driving force for the revival of Carnford. Edgar, could you briefly explain to everyone the material and financial difficulties we are facing?"

Edgar immediately stood up and clearly reported the situation of food shortages, tight funds, and enormous pressure to resettle people. Everyone's expressions became serious, and the air in the meeting room seemed to become heavier.

Karl paused for a moment, then turned his gaze to Morr, who was in charge of the construction project. His tone was steady but carried an undeniable determination. "Mr. Morr, let's solve our housing problem first. It's not only unsightly for our people to live in these shabby shacks for so long, but it also poses a great threat to hygiene and the health of our people."

"Most importantly, I promised them that I would provide them with good houses to shelter them from the wind and rain, and as their Lord, I cannot break my promise."

Morr looked troubled. "Sir, I completely understand your point of view, but with our current resources and manpower, it is indeed very difficult to build sturdy houses on a large scale."

"Hmm," Karl nodded, seemingly expecting Morr's answer.

He abruptly changed the subject, a sharp and creative glint in his eyes. "Precisely because the conditions are difficult and conventional methods won't work, we need new ideas. I've been thinking a lot lately about how Carnford can safely take root and develop on the plains. I have a new idea, which I call 'Tunbao '. Listen to it and see if it's feasible."

As he spoke, he picked up the quill pen beside him, dipped it in ink on a rough sheet of white paper, and began to sketch rapidly as he spoke.

"Look," his pen moved across the paper, "A Tunbao, about five or six hundred meters in circumference, with square walls that enclose about twenty or thirty thousand square meters of land." A simple square outline appeared on the paper.

"The city walls don't need to be as majestic and thick as our main fortress, that would be too costly. A thickness of about one meter and a height of five to six meters is enough," he added. "Its core purpose is not to hold large armies for a long time, but to slow down the enemy's advance and provide the most basic protection for the people inside."

He explained the defensive design in detail, "The city walls will not have wide walkways for troop movement, in order to save materials and time. Instead, several prominent arrow towers will be built at the four corners and key central positions to form crossfire."

"At the same time, dense firing holes were made throughout the wall, allowing the defenders to fire outwards with crossbows or even muskets from relatively safe positions. The entire fortified Tunbao had only one sturdy gate, guarded day and night by soldiers, with strict control over entry and exit, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack."

As Karl spoke, his thoughts became clearer and more fluid, and the sketches he drew gradually became more detailed. "And the most ingenious part is the internal planning! Inside the city walls is a meticulously designed integrated community."

His pen drew neat lines within the box. "Dwellings, warehouses, Blacksmith Shop, carpentry workshops, taverns, even small chapels, as well as command posts and barracks, are all organically integrated together! The street layout must be orderly, public squares must be reserved, and emergency water sources must be dug in advance so that people can live, produce, and even conduct daily training within these city walls!"

Finally, he described the relationship between the Tunbao and its surrounding environment. "Large tracts of farmland are widely distributed around the Tunbao. During the day, farmers open the gates and go out to work in their respective fields; before sunset, they must all return to the Tunbao with their farm tools and harvest. The city gates are closed, and the militia stationed in the fortified Tunbao and the sentries on the arrow towers provide security."

He put down his pen and concluded, "In this way, if small groups of enemies or bandits are discovered harassing us, the Tunbao can effectively resist them on its own, buying precious time for the main fortress of Carnford to send reinforcements. This is how we establish ourselves on the plains, and safely establish ourselves!"