The Imperial Era (II)

"The wings are wider than the sky; the back is taller than the earth; the tail is longer than the mountains."

"All peoples worship together, Great Red Dragon in heaven!"

"The flame is your majesty's robe, the sky is your majesty's curtain, the dark and violent storm follows your majesty's journey, the earth hangs in space, full of treasures and treasures."

"How can I repay this kindness? Your Majesty allows the springs from the mountains to flow down to the flat areas, and allows the gentle rain and rain to moisten every place."

Bard was sitting on a wooden bench, playing the lute skillfully. He opened his mouth slightly, and melodious music and singing echoed.

People gathered around Bard, clasped their hands, closed their eyes, and chanted devoutly.

——They sang "Keosius Anthem" which is very popular in the empire. It is said that it was composed by a fanatical Dragonborn Bard. The melody is particularly sacred.

The former song "Ember Song" has now become a banned song, and was even banned from mention by the empire.

This is the most prosperous and lively area of Istaria - Emperor Square.

It is centered on a huge square paved with stone slabs, surrounded by several of Istaria's most representative landmark buildings - Great Arena, Imperial Parliament Hall, and Imperial Tower. All the buildings surrounding the square are magnificent.

Fountains, gilded iron gates and all kinds of ornate architecture.

In the center of the square, the huge red Dragon Statue stood majestically, its pale golden pupils deep and majestic, as if looking down and inspecting everything around it.

Several gold-plated fountains spray clear water and make a clear gurgling sound, which blends with the melodious music.

On this Emperor Square, there is a hustle and bustle everywhere, and all kinds of people gather here: there are Starfallers who are looking for tasks everywhere, there are vendors who are hawking, there are Bard who are performing on the street, and there are drunk citizens.

The choir was just a corner of this bustling square. Their singing couldn't even be heard above the cries of vendors - nor could it be heard above the noise of drunkards in the tavern.

"Drink the strongest wine! Be the strongest man!"

"The best rye bread ever!"

A tall drunk man raised his glass. "Red Scale Conqueror is the most powerful legion in the empire! After riding Wyvern, they are unbeatable! I will also go to the garrison to participate in the selection!"

"You fart!"

Another drunkard lay all over the wooden table and slurred:

"Dragon, Dragon Contract Paladin is the strongest! Dragon Oath Temple's An, Anthony once defeated Lion Knight of Bosque's family with one against three!"

"Crack!"

Another person slapped the table and stood up, looked at the two drunkards with disdain, and threw wine in their faces.

"Stop making any noise!"

"You still want to become His Majesty's family members with your muddy appearance? Are you afraid that you can't even pass the recruitment process?"

This is the ethos of the empire.

Confident, advocating force, speaking loudly, and having great respect for His Majesty.

Different from the despairing hierarchical order and lifeless social atmosphere of the original Northern Kingdom, the empire provided people with channels for advancement, which also stimulated the vitality of the people.

Almost every Imperial Citizen has more or less the ideal of becoming a "big shot".

A tall man wearing a gray robe sat in the corner. He put the sword on his back next to him and took a sip of wine.

"Anzeta has turned into this."

"It's incredible."

The man looked very young, only in his twenties, but his eyes showed vicissitudes that were inconsistent with his age. Even the hood could not hide his golden hair and lavender pupils.

Blonde hair and purple pupils were a reflection of the noble bloodline of the former the North, because this was the characteristic of the heirs of "Northern Lion" Bosk Family.

But now, with the passage of time, it has become a symbol of sin and despicability, and will even be reported as a remnant of the North.

Yes, he is Andre Bosk, the second son of Grand Duke Leo, the first nobleman to voluntarily betray the North.

After the North Unification War ended, Andre did not continue to stay in the army, but chose to become an ordinary adventurer to accept tasks to make a living.

Andre turned his head and looked at the drunken man who was making more and more noise.

"What did you say?"

"I say - you are worthy of becoming His Majesty's family members, bah!"

"You son of a bitch, you're worse than those Northern Nobles who peed their pants!"

The verbal conflict soon escalated into physical friction, and became more intense under the numbness of alcohol - the drunkards were about to start a fight.

"No fighting in the city!"

But before they could take action, the Sheriff riding Wyvern descended from the sky and happily received the free contribution.

Wyvern grabbed one person with his left paw and two people with his right paw, and flew to the Public Security Management Office not far away.

The Yuan-ti waiter in the tavern skillfully picked up the overturned tables, chairs, and wine bottles, seemingly not surprised by this.

Andre was quite surprised by the efficiency of this work. If the North once heard a hoarse male voice, interrupting his thinking.

"Little Andre, long time no see."

Andre raised his head and saw the familiar, wrinkled face, and stood up to greet him with some surprise.

"Are you——Mr. Guges?"

The old man smoothed the hem of his worn-out gown and smiled heartily, "Hahaha, little Andre, the North has died long ago, we don't need to be so polite."

He sat on the wooden chair, stretched out his hand to pour the wine, and then raised the glass.

"Come, sit down and drink."

"Okay."

Andre clinked glasses with Guges, and then drank the luscious wine in one gulp.

This Mr. Guges is a well-known the North scholar. He is erudite and knowledgeable. It is said that he has memorized all the history of the North for thousands of years. He is known as the "Walking Strasbourg Library".

He was also born into a noble family, but after the "Great Conscription" incident, he became completely disappointed with the corrupt rule of the Northern Kingdom, and fled to North Wind Fortress with his few family properties.

The rebellion of Andre was also due to his persuasion.

"Little Andre, do what you think is right."

"The North is hopeless. It is rotten from top to bottom, and the dirty pus flows to the bones."

——This is the original words of Guges.

"All people worship together, Great Red Dragon in heaven"

The sound of Bard playing and singing came from outside the tavern.

Andre quietly stared at the bustling Emperor Square, and then looked at the old man seriously. "Mr. Guges, have you lived in the Embers of the Burned Empire for how many years?"

"What kind of country do you think this is?"

Guges put the wine glass to his mouth again, and his beard was almost soaked.

Hearing Andre's question, he shook his head and smiled, then lowered his voice and said, "Just like its supreme ruler - a greedy giant beast that is never satisfied."

"But compared to the group of borers in the North, it is hundreds or even thousands of years advanced. It can be called a utopia."

Guges did not forget to add.

Andre frowned slightly, seeming to be thinking about something.

He carefully studied the system of the empire. In addition to the supremacy of imperial power, terms such as "freedom and equality" appeared most often. This concept was implemented throughout the empire.

But he always felt like something was wrong - that this wasn't true equality.

This country seems to regard everyone as nourishment for its growth, allowing itself to proliferate and expand at an unimaginable speed.

In layman's terms - the Empire oppresses everyone equally.

"Mr. Guges, I still don't understand why they want to"

While talking and laughing, Guges had already drank the entire bottle of wine, and a hint of drunkenness appeared on his wrinkled old face.

"Right now, it hasn't reached its limits yet."

"If one day this empire is no longer as advanced as it is now and is about to be eliminated by the tide of history, I will do my best to do it."

"Mr. Guges"

Andre looked around with some vigilance and covered the other person's mouth.

Fortunately, the people around him just regarded this as the ravings of a drunkard and didn't pay much attention.

Guges had a smile on his face. He lay on the wooden table and continued:

"Little Andre, I, I have found the direction, those Starfallers! They are undiscovered treasure troves. In their minds, there is knowledge that reveals the nature of society."

"I, I've put those things into the manuscript."

The year has passed by in a hurry, and the snow in the northern wilderness has melted for several months, and then piled up again with the biting cold wind.

However, the lives of people here have undergone earth-shaking changes.

Matra Great Farmlands developed on a large scale, and the imperial agricultural officers led Skeleton Legion to work day and night, and later even drove a combine harvester.

The organic combination of spells, equipment and labor has brought about unprecedented productivity improvements.

Therefore, after the unprecedented harvest in September, the ruthless north wind did not bring famine. People were able to buy food at normal prices, and even if the situation was poor, they could still eat cheap cans from food processing plants.

According to official statistics from the empire, this was the first winter in Anzeta's thousands of years in which almost no one died of starvation.

Due to the development of the empire's light industry, cheap and warm cotton coats became standard equipment for people. They no longer had to sit around the stove shivering, but could put on their coats and go out to work.

This was also the first winter in Anzeta in which fewer than 500 people froze to death.

Everything looks so beautiful, but underneath the beauty, there is also a lot of blood and tears hidden.

The biggest changes are in the cities.

Factories rose up one after another, forming a cold steel forest, while new buildings appeared in the city, and a large number of people poured into various cities.

They have basically become diligent workers, screws in the development of urban industry, or fuel and consumables.

Although the empire's regulations have provided the most basic protection for workers, according to incomplete official statistics from the empire, tens of thousands of people still died due to unnatural causes - most of them died in factories, but this information was hidden and could not be seen by the outside world.

The empire's management of important cities such as Istaria and North Wind Fortress is relatively strict, but in the remote cities of the original Northern Kingdom, the management strength is much weaker.

What's more, the rules and regulations of the empire were not perfect at that time.

As a result, all kinds of darkness and chaos arise.

After the empire just Conquer the Northern Lands. Dragon Blood Noble, Emerging businessmen followed the official call for industrial development and invested in building factories in various cities.

On the eve of the promulgation of "Empire Labor Law", various regulations have not yet been completed.

Thanks to the widespread use of steam engines and textile machines, cotton mill work was not only easy to learn but required very little physical effort. As a result, factory owners hired women, especially children, in large numbers.

The main reason why factory owners like children is that children are weak and docile, while adults are often reluctant to submit easily. At the same time, the wages of child labor are very low, less than one-third of those of adults.

In order to maximize profits, the machines run 24 hours a day and the workers have to work continuously day and night.

They take breaks in shifts. Under such circumstances, work-related accidents have become commonplace - fingers are broken by belts, Limbs is crushed by gears, and other incidents often occur.

But when the workers sought compensation, they did not even have the courage to file a complaint when faced with Dragon Blood Noble, who had both strength and power.

These cheap daily necessities are mass-produced. Most of these products are sold to the Fadlan area through Empire South Continent Company, but some are also sold to the mainland.

But just this small amount ruthlessly crushed the original market, and the North's former handicraft workshops and factories declared bankruptcy one after another.

Craftsmen passed down from generation to generation in their families have declared bankruptcy, and their shops have been acquired by factory owners. In the end, they can only enter factories and become the fuel for industrial development.

With the collapse of slavery, people were indeed free, but invisible chains gradually wound around them.

Where there is oppression, there will be resistance.

Under the frenzy of industrial development, a small-scale uprising broke out in Rostin City, located on the northeastern border of the empire. The workers smashed the machines and fled out of the city.

Immediately afterwards, several sporadic resistance incidents occurred, but they were all ruthlessly suppressed.

It was only at this moment that the empire officials finally realized the seriousness of the matter. As Chief Minister, Lang Pu was even more furious and issued the far-reaching "《Beware of Barbaric Development》" statement.

He was not angry because he sympathized with the workers, but because it was detrimental to the development of the empire - and more importantly, it went against the will of Keosius.

Therefore, under the day and night work of the Legal Department, relevant laws and regulations such as "Empire Workers Act" and "Apprentices' Health and Morality Act" were promulgated one after another.

Imperial Judicial Inspection Corps also patrolled various cities, sent many people to prison, and even guillotined those "new rich" whose excessive oppression led to riots.

This incident and the previous execution of "《Empire Corporate Law》" were collectively called "Great Purge Movement", and this also left a mark in people's hearts that the laws of the empire cannot be desecrated.

Maybe it is not sacred, but the shining guillotine dripping with blood proves that it is indeed not something to be violated lightly.

However, light industries such as spinning, ceramics, and leather processing are not the fastest-growing industries in the empire. There is only one industry that can bring the greatest benefits to the empire—the military industry!

The "Three Emperors War" in the south intensified, millions of people were chewed to pieces by the cruel battlefield, and the former Fadlan forces such as gods, legendary mages, and Construct Golem were wreaking havoc on the mainland.

This is undoubtedly a disaster for the local people.

But the more this happens, the easier it is to sell the empire's armaments, the better Empire South Continent Company's business will be, and the group behind it will be able to make more profits.

Later, people began to look forward to war, hoping for a more violent war, and even took the initiative to provoke war - only in this way can they bring more Gold Coin.

A terrifying monster gradually thrived under the nourishment of blood and fire.

——Ask for monthly ticket——