Progressing Smoothly

When people are idle, they tend to stir up trouble. That's why there are many jobs in the camp offered in exchange for food. People are scared of hunger, so anyone with energy puts on a yellow hat and does some work for a meal.

These jobs range from chopping firewood to cleaning the camp, from swatting flies to catching itch mice, and even helping Philip with some farm work.

But there are also bad people among the refugees. Recently, some refugees saved up a few steamed buns through labor, and then thieves appeared.

This brings up a problem: the law in the camp is under Philip's jurisdiction, but he has never taken the initiative to state his position on the matter.

Managing refugees is a pitfall. After Frederick actively negotiated, Philip temporarily appointed the judge sent by Frederick as the dedicated judge for the reception camp, with jurisdiction only within the camp.

Illegal and criminal incidents seriously impact people's first impression of the Wessen Territory. Frederick ordered early on that these matters must be handled strictly and severely.

Under the heavy reward, the thieves were quickly caught. According to the law, after being publicly displayed in a cangue for ten days, they were expelled.

At this time, Frederick was preparing to return to the territory. Before leaving, he issued the latest instruction: all prisoners were to be hung upside down over the latrine pit, hung low.

The situation at the three transit camps on the way back to the Wessen Territory was much better. People who newly joined the Wessen Territory family only stayed here for half a day, and no unexpected incidents occurred.

However, the frequent movement of personnel and supplies in the camps is a huge test for the younger generation managing them.

After Frederick returned to Hausen Town, the administrator, Flick, reported the current work progress to him.

"As of yesterday, 15,532 people have arrived in the Wessen Territory," Flick said, looking at the report. "They have already been relocated to 59 new villages."

"We have now accumulated enough experience and can speed up the transportation."

"Our food reserves are currently sufficient. Not long ago, Lady Sophie's caravan transported ten ships of rice from the Southern Continent. She said it was a gift for you, and wheat and beans will be transported next, calculated at market price."

Frederick was startled when he heard "Lady Sophie." Has this heretical merchant returned from the East?!

"Has she arrived?" Frederick immediately asked.

"No," Flick shook his head. "Her steward said that Lady Sophie needs to deal with some household matters and is expected to arrive here with the goods you requested in late autumn or early winter."

"The steward also said that if my lord wants Red-Horned Mules, just say the word. They recently had a buyer who died unexpectedly, and the goods are going to be stuck with them."

Frederick thought for a moment. Red-Horned Mules are a hybrid product of unicorns and donkeys. Compared to Am Mules, they have less stamina but are faster. They are also not picky eaters. Besides being used by the common people to carry goods and pull carts, cavalry also likes to use them to carry logistics supplies because they can keep up with the speed of horses.

"Take them," Frederick said. "We will need them to transport earth when digging the canal. After the canal is opened, we can establish a caravan specifically for transporting goods and people."

Then he asked, "How are the winter clothes prepared?"

Flick looked at the report and replied, "Currently, we have enough fabric and cotton to produce 65,000 sets of winter clothing. Lord Basf has invented a new type of Slime Gel shoe, which is very cheap. We are now starting to raise Crystal Slime in the fallow fields."

"Crystal Slime needs to be raised for three months. We should be able to make winter shoes before winter arrives."

Frederick rubbed his forehead after hearing this. Winter clothing is also a major expense this time. Equipping over 60,000 people from head to toe will cost a gold ball the size of a volleyball.

In the past two years, the new villages have only had input and no output. So many people are also being supported by Frederick. From pots and pans to grain, the expenses are no less than for winter clothing.

Now, there are no gold cups, gold bowls, gold plates, or gold knives and forks left from those grand banquets. Gold vases and the like were directly exchanged for grain in the South. The only gold left in the castle is almost everyone's hair.

Fortunately, the grain can be purchased in batches, and funds can still be circulated.

If it were someone else, King William's conspiracy could really destroy this territory.

"What do they think about taxes?" Frederick asked. "Five percent tax within ten years, is that okay?"

"How could there be a problem!" Flick sighed. "The tax level in other places is already this high. We only collected less tax because of the low level of land development and low grain production."

Frederick nodded. That's good.

"What about the houses?" he continued to ask. "Can they be completed in time?"

"There's a problem," a hint of difficulty appeared on Flick's face. "Now there aren't enough iron nails. The blacksmith shops have adjusted their staff and are rushing to make them, but we are still short."

"Bryant said that he and Professor Aumert have researched it and can make iron nails much faster with a new machine, so we can barely catch up."

Frederick was also a little helpless and could only say, "If it's really not enough, buy some back."

Although iron nails are small, it is still very troublesome to hammer them out one by one by hand.

Some families have a set of tools for making iron nails at home. When they are at home in winter, they make iron nails by the fireplace. After a winter, they can earn a considerable income.

In Frederick's hometown in his previous life, iron nails only became cheap after the Industrial Revolution, when smelting, metal processing, and machine production reached a certain level and machine production of iron nails began.

He heard the term "foreign nails" quite a bit when he was a child in his previous life.

"How is the management of the villages now?" he asked again.

Flick became serious and said, "Baron, the population and number of villages in our territory have greatly increased, and the original town halls can no longer meet the management requirements."

"I suggest that the existing towns all be upgraded to cities, and the boundaries of each town be redrawn."

Frederick thought about it and indeed, it was necessary. He said, "No problem, I agree. You draw up a plan for me to review."

"In addition, you should also research whether to build a city along the canal."

Flick immediately agreed.

With the tide rising, as the administrator of the Wessen Territory, he is also the mayor of Weissenburg and is above other town heads.

Now that other towns have been upgraded to cities, his authority naturally also increases.

Frederick saw through his little thoughts and didn't say anything.

Adjusting the administrative divisions is inevitable. At the same time, with more people, there are more things to do, and promotions are natural.

It's not strange for people to have ambitions, as long as everyone is heading in the same direction.

"Now it's time for autumn sowing," Frederick said. "This matter cannot be relaxed either."

Flick replied, "This year, the autumn sowing in several villages will be guided by the professors from Weissenburg University. I have already given instructions for the villages to cooperate."

Frederick nodded. He knew about this matter and said, "Okay then, I will go and see tomorrow and see how the professors plant crops."