The Lord of the Rings: Lords of Middle-earth.

"So, where is he?" Roland asked.

“The former Palembang!” Omske said seriously.

"There?" Roland pondered for a moment and knew what Omske was referring to. It was once one of the most prosperous inland ports in the game, located on the east bank of the Swift River. Opposite it was a tributary of the Swift River in the Darkwood Mountains. When the Great Greenwood was ruled by the Lagrange Empire, it served as a busy transit point for shipping and trade, and was a trade window for the noble fiefdoms within the Great Greenwood.

“Yes, Palembang is perfect for your needs! And it can connect the waterways of the entire empire’s original territory!” Omsk stopped there, knowing that Roland, as a wise king, didn’t need his subordinates to say too much. Roland was well aware of the importance of a well-constructed port city that could continuously project his power to all parts of the country.

“Okay, we’ll set up our first settlement there!” Roland nodded.

“Then let’s prepare to set off!” Omsk nodded, then gathered the soldiers and told the people to follow.

"Now, Your Highness, please say a few words!" With departure imminent, Omske amplified his voice using his battle aura so that everyone preparing to explore could hear him.

"Your Highness!"

The crowd knelt on one knee devoutly to offer their loyalty to Roland. Although the king was sometimes unreliable, he had never let them down in crucial moments, and at least the people under his rule lived in peace and prosperity.

"You are the cornerstone of the kingdom! The seeds of the future empire's revival! Today we leave Swiftstream City and return to the land that was once ours! The barren fields! The razed cities! Do not worry, do not grieve! We will rebuild it brick by brick! Just as our ancestors did when they had nothing! I swear in the name of King Lagrange! I will not hesitate to bestow titles upon those who have rendered meritorious service!" Roland's impassioned speech, coupled with the lure of a hefty reward, made everyone's eyes redden. It was the possibility of joining the ranks of noble lords!

"How many of us are there?" Roland asked in a low voice to Yunfeng, who was standing beside him, seemingly lost in thought.

“Sigh… I selected 500 families, but the common people were not happy. They thought it was a waste of the quota to send women and children and it was also very dangerous. So in the end, I gathered 2000 strong and healthy young men here!” Yun Feng shrugged.

"My Dragon God... 6500 able-bodied men have been laid off?" Roland's eye twitched, and he felt a sharp pain in his chest! Two-thirds of the workforce was gone!
“If I hadn’t stopped them… not many of them would have stayed! Besides, there was no need to keep them…” Yun Feng sighed.

"After the spring planting season, I will organize the remaining labor force to start road construction. The Imperial Avenue will be rebuilt under my leadership!" A dream of making a name for himself in history flashed in Yun Feng's eyes. The road he wanted to build was a major road that ran along the Swift River all the way to the Rune Inner Sea. This road connected all the core cities and directly administered territories of the empire and was known as the empire's waterway artery along with the Swift River!
"Hiss..." Roland's teeth started to hurt. He understood the principle of building roads first to get rich, but he only wanted to build a road to connect his current territory and cities. However, Yun Feng was going to do it all in one go.

"Why that expression? It's not like it's going to be fixed all at once! It's going to be built in sections! First, we'll build the section from Jiliu City to Lulong Fortress..." Yun Feng looked at Roland with disdain, clearly looking down on his intelligence.

"..." Roland, I am the Emperor of Gotham!
“Your Highness, everyone is ready!” Omske interrupted the two men’s incantation and nodded to Roland.

"Let's go! We can't delay the spring planting!" Roland nodded. After all, these pioneers were going to open up new farmland and build towns. If they missed the spring planting, they wouldn't have anything to eat next year.

"How are the guard arrangements?" Roland asked. "The Knights and a hundred-man squad of Lagrange City guards will accompany us!" Omske replied.

"Huh? So stingy?" Roland looked surprised. He thought that protecting civilians would require at least 500 Lagrange City Guards! Although only 100 people would be stationed there permanently in the future.

"You don't know the cost of firewood and rice until you're in charge of the household!" Before Omske could even speak, Yunfeng exploded.

"Are you going to fill the hole left by the army's expenses? Where does it cost money to feed the people and horses? The national treasury is so empty after just one major battle that mice can run around in it!" Yun Feng jumped up and down in a rage. He felt the same way Zhu Gaochi felt about Zhu Di: one side was desperately building up the family fortune, while the other side was squandering it without any scruples.

"Ahem, fine, 100 it is! That's good!" Roland rubbed his nose, thought about his wallet... Oh well, it won't cause any major problems anyway, the Knights are with us after all!
In fact, the biggest expense of this expansion was the Knights Order. The feed for these magical beasts and warhorses is no cheaper than human food, and even the food for ordinary people is not as good as that for warhorses. These low-level magical beasts and swift horses need to eat eggs and beans to maintain their strength and nutrition. If they just eat grass, they will definitely lose weight. This is why it takes a lot of financial and material resources to support the Knights Order!
……

Amidst the cheers of their families lining the streets, the pioneering team departed from Swiftstream City. Unlike the departure of the people recruited by Apophis Breo last time, this scene was incredibly lively, with everyone hoping that their fathers, husbands, or sons could earn a title.

"I'll lead the knights forward to clear the way!" Omske said, looking at the slowly advancing infantry behind him. Even without women and children to hold them back, the able-bodied men carrying large and small bags were moving at a snail's pace, which showed how bad the road conditions were.

"It's truly a miracle that those soldiers were able to reach Lulong Fortress in time!" Roland, who had previously thought it was nothing special, was now amazed when he compared their speed to that of ordinary people. Good heavens! Did his soldiers used to fly to Lulong Fortress? How could they catch up so quickly in these road conditions?
Roland, who hadn't ridden a horse into battle for a long time, felt as if his spirit had been reborn. He was even more rusty at riding, and he swayed with curiosity as the horse rocked back, while Doss in his arms grumbled unhappily.

"It's been a long time since I've been out here..." Roland said with some emotion. After all, he hadn't led an army into battle for a long time. As his position and power grew, he gradually faded from the center of the battlefield...

After somewhat awkwardly brandishing his lance, Roland realized that the battlefield was getting further and further away from him...

"What's wrong, Your Highness?" Caslo rode over to Roland, who seemed rather sentimental. After all, he was Roland's number one lackey, and his loyalty was top-notch!
"It's nothing, I just felt a pang of nostalgia as I thought about the past!" Roland smiled as he looked at the melting snow and ice on the ground.

“Yes, time flies… We have risen again.” Caslo smiled as he watched the procession. This great battle proclaimed the might of Lagrang throughout Middle-earth! Everyone would hear of the Kingdom of Lagrang! This newly risen kingdom had decisively defeated the Orc army! It had thwarted the Ringwraiths' offensive! From the awkwardness of being unknown when he first arrived to now being the renowned leader of the North, Caslo had witnessed the kingdom's development firsthand.

"Where are we going, Your Highness?" Caslo asked Roland.

"Hahaha, let's go to Palembang, the former trading hub of the North!" Roland laughed and raised his whip.

“Palembang?” Caslow smiled knowingly. It seemed that the old site of Palembang had been chosen as the site for this expedition.

The location map of Palembang has been posted in the QQ group.