Chapter 348: Huge Harvest

Chapter 348: Bountiful Harvest

After Elron left, the next to arrive was Chahar.

“Master, you’ve finally returned!”

Chahar arrived breathless, as if he’d run from the farthest corner of the earth.

Loning scanned him from head to toe—his former steward, now the financial officer of the Ubei territory, his attire had markedly improved.

Once, Chahar’s clothes had been decent enough, but nothing compared to this opulence; the fabric, surely woven from the finest wool.

“You look far more spirited after two months.”

“Heh.”

Chahar glanced down at himself, sighing. “What can I do? When I travel on business, I represent Ubei. To appear shabby would be to shame you.”

Loning gestured for Bella to pour Chahar some tea. After sipping, Chahar spoke again: “Master, if you don’t return soon, I’ll be driven to despair by the territory’s finances!”

“Did you run out of money?”

He’d left over a thousand gold coins behind—surely not spent already.

“No, not yet—but these past two months we’ve been purchasing supplies, leasing storefronts in Pasture City, spending heavily.”

Chahar hurried to explain: “And you may not know—the number of transcendent beings in Ubei has now reached twenty-four. At your set rates, their monthly stipends alone amount to nearly two hundred eighty gold coins. Add to that the expanded staff, caravans, village heads, group leaders, assistants…”

Faced with such staggering expenditures, Chahar lay awake each night wondering: if the lord didn’t return soon, how would he explain unpaid wages?

Village heads and group leaders were manageable—but among the transcendent beings, he had no authority.

In truth, Loning’s spending on personnel was immense.

Beyond Ubei, there were Stone City, Rapid Island—combined, their monthly stipends alone exceeded five hundred gold coins.

“I’ll allocate three thousand more gold coins as reserve funds,” Loning said. “But you must also manage the territory’s income. Build sales channels for ironwood, paper, porcelain, livestock, fish, and shrimp—urgently.”

“I understand!”

Chahar reported: “Two batches of ironwood weapons have already been sold—gross profit over five hundred gold. As for your other suggestions, production is stabilizing, but results won’t show for another six to eight months.”

“The capital’s nobility has ordered seventy-plus silk ceremonial robes. Here’s their order.”

Loning handed it to Chahar. “Send word to Purple Berry Village—have them craft these according to the pattern. Complete them by June next year. And—”

“Right away, I’ll send someone at once!”

Since becoming financial officer, Chahar had grown hypersensitive to gold. Now, staring at the order worth three or four thousand gold coins, his eyes gleamed.

Finally came Minister Wilson, who, it was said, was overseeing the reclamation of paddy fields in the countryside.

He could see how deeply the lord valued “rice.” To ensure next spring’s planting wasn’t disrupted, he’d given these experimental plots his utmost attention.

“Lord, here is the territory’s population registry.”

Wilson now presented the registry on paper produced in Mountain Forest Town.

He used it not only for convenience, but because he no longer felt the sting of cost.

Had he recorded this on parchment, the expense would have been incalculable.

Hearing Chahar’s account, such paper would sell like wildfire on the market—the lord was truly a genius.

“During this time, Rogna transported twenty-five thousand people from your father, Count Vingis, ten thousand from Brilliant City, plus two shipments of slaves delivered by Anthony and countless free settlers who came of their own accord. Ubei’s population now exceeds fifty-five thousand.”

“Excellent!”

Loning was deeply pleased with this population surge.

Vingis had delivered twenty-five thousand—quite a boon.

Yet fifty-five thousand, though vast, remained sparse for such a sprawling earldom.

Wilson continued: “All have been distributed as you instructed. Mountain Forest Town, Three-Party Town, Black Earth Town, and Marsh Town each now exceed ten thousand residents.”

As Loning heard this, four lines of text materialized before his eyes:

【Achievement “Flourishing Population” unlocked: Attribute Points +300, Essence of Energy +600】

【Achievement “Flourishing Population” unlocked: Attribute Points +600, Essence of Energy +1200】

【Achievement “Conquest and Expansion” unlocked: Attribute Points +400, Essence of Energy +800】

【Achievement “Conquest and Expansion” unlocked: Attribute Points +600, Essence of Energy +1200】

A smile spread across his face.

Nineteen hundred attribute points at once—more than enough to break through to seventh-tier transcendence!

Loning summoned his achievement interface to examine the new details:

【Flourishing Population: Territory’s registered population reaches one hundred thousand. Reward: Attribute Points +1500, Essence of Energy +3000】

“Combined with Stone City, Red Mountain Town, and Rapid Island—could we complete this?”

He turned to the next:

【Conquest and Expansion: Simultaneously hold five towns with populations exceeding ten thousand. Reward: Attribute Points +1000, Essence of Energy +2000】

Ubei’s four towns each surpassed ten thousand. Add Red Mountain Town and Stone City—this achievement was within reach.

Then, his total Essence of Energy would surge to unprecedented heights—sufficient to elevate Elron to eighth-tier Archmage.

If Elron became an Archmage, his allure would magnify—many mages might flock to Ubei.

“You’ve done exceptionally well,” Loning said, his spirits high. “With Ubei’s population exploding, have construction teams immediately build temporary housing. Also, organize teams to prepare for the construction of docks and harbors.”

Wilson’s mind stirred—he recalled the recent visitors from Horn City.

“Knights Krami, Juvet, and Sim are accompanying Baron Hamet in searching for a suitable harbor site. Nearly a month has passed—have they found anything?”

“They’ll have results soon.”

Loning ordered: “Soon, Horn City will send a contingent of craftsmen and skilled laborers. When the survey concludes, dispatch teams ahead to build dwellings and stockpile grain near the site.”

“I’ve already begun preparations.”

Since meeting Baron Hamet, Wilson had anticipated these needs. He’d drafted contingency plans—better early than late.

Loning briefly outlined the cooperation details with Horn City, giving the minister a clear foundation.

“Outside the corridor lies a new crop called ‘potato.’ Plant it in March or April next year. Its cultivation resembles wheat, but potatoes require loose, well-aerated soil and consistent moisture.”

This batch of potatoes, like the rice he’d previously gathered, were seeds—only after one or two growing cycles could they be widely propagated.

Wilson still harbored doubts about rice cultivation—now another entirely new crop? He felt immense pressure, terrified of losing the seeds.

Yet he couldn’t complain to the lord—entrusting him with these tasks was a sign of faith.

After careful thought, he jotted down every instruction, then planned multiple experimental plots—never put all eggs in one basket.

After meeting Elron, Chahar, and Wilson, Loning announced a grand Ubei Territory Council would be held in the Fortress Hall of Marsh Keep three days hence.

It would be both a public introduction to newly joined transcendent beings—and the moment to lay out Ubei’s next phase of development.

(End of Chapter)