Now. It wasnt like I thought all nobles treated their subjects as less than human, but those that didnt were few and far between.
Maybe I really am a saintess I an saint.
The officials we sent out to administer the lands were reporting on a daily basis. However, I hadnt the faintest clue about running a governnt, thus I dumped the mountain load of paperwork on my young adjutant, Ansom Krayt.
At the sa ti, I sent out Tallin to patrol the province on my behalf. His job was to beat any scoundrel foolish enough to stir trouble in my lands, and check up on those officials I sent out.
Even though I did vet those officials, it was also a fact that the entire province was severely understaffed. Thus I did not filter too many out either. As long as there wasn't anything too egregious, I basically sent them on their way. Hopefully, obtaining power wouldnt suddenly change their personality.
As it stood, the biggest problem facing the region was an acute lack of food. Ti and ti again, Ansoms reports made ntion of how this shortage had driven many to cri and robbery. This wasnt a new problem, unfortunately. The province had always been the definition of the poverty line for food production. Barely hanging on was the best they could achieve.
In fact, the Ertalonese army had raided their food stocks a few tis while traveling through this region during the initial invasion. Thanks to that traitorous new lord that murdered his brother, the current situation was balancing on a knifes edge.
With hundreds of thousands of refugees expected to cross the borders
By the ti I was done reading through the reports, I shuddered at the re thought of the human tragedy facing us. Hundreds, perhaps even thousands, would starve to death at this rate. Not to ntion the whole host of problems, like the desperate turning to cri, war profiteering Then the truly desperate who would have to sell themselves or their own to make ends et.
As a last resort, so even tried to revolt, but those were swiftly dealt with.
I hated those rchants who spiked their prices, but I had no food right now to spare. Using violence against those profiteering rchants wasnt a solution either, that would just turn my province into a pariah amongst the rchant community, starving the area further, and hampering any future developnt.
A better solution had to exist.
Naturally, the best solution would be to import food into the province. Without such an acute shortage, the rchants couldnt raise their prices either.
But the estate coffers were empty Which was only to be expected, given that the entire manor was empty, staff and all, unless those people had nowhere else to go when the traitors fled.
I had my own wealth, but I couldnt very well buy from those rchants directly, that would just peg as being desperate, giving them even more leeway to fleece . And I wouldnt want them giving a good price, only to allow them so favor or control over .
A strong front was needed. And I had exactly such an idea in mind though, not the best one ever. I could get my subordinates to disguise themselves as refugees, and find an opportunity to kill off the dishonest ones amongst the rchants. But there could be casualties, and outside rchants might see this as my province being unable to protect their safety. At that point, attracting more business would be difficult.
A lose-lose situation definitely not the best idea ever- and one that shouldnt be used except as a last resort.
Old Adam knew of my conundrum, thus he managed to loan so resources from the smaller nobles left in the region. However, the amount wasnt much, whether food or gold. After all, if there were any nobles left at this point, that ant they were fallen nobles, ones that could not even participate in the mutiny.
Also, I couldnt very well empty their treasuries. I only had so small benefits to give, not to the extent where they would give up everything willingly.
The other regions in the north couldnt be counted on for help; they had their own problems as well. Thus, the King was my next option.
That last idea struck when Redleaf ca to pay a leisurely visit through the teleportation gate she set up. After our usual movie, I suddenly rembered how much influence this lady elf had with the King. I still didnt know why she had so much power in this kingdom, but that didnt stop from asking for her help.
When she heard of my request, she imdiately patted her chest, and raced off, figuratively, back to the palace.
A re hour later, soone claiming to be Andassis the Sevenths ssenger ca out of the teleportation gate
And the following day a huge supply of food ca through the sa gate
With the Kings help, our crisis had been averted. I decided to distribute all the food to the refugees for free, shocking the entire world
The refugees naturally worshiped , but the rchants were miffed, as if the food was stolen from their warehouses. The King gave them to , Ill have you know!
Unfortunately, they couldnt do a thing against . After all, I was the Crimson Dragon Lady. Whatever they threw at had better be stronger than those overlords, or else. In terms of influence, I was the lord of the land, if they wouldnt listen, then off with their heads!
Now that the food crisis was over, another popped up.
When it rained, it poured
Unlike a ga, there was no loyalty stat I could refer to. And there was now talk of corruption in the ranks
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