industrial lord

Chapter 799 Subtle
Hojenproz walked up to Pavel and struck up a conversation with him familiarly.

“Sir Pavel,” he said with a gentle smile, “I heard you’re studying at Wesson Military Academy? You’re quite the young man.”

"You've worked hard traveling around with us businessmen."

What are your thoughts on our initial plan?

His questions seemed casual, but they were actually probing, trying to find out whether the young man had genuine insight or was just acting on a whim.

Pavel turned to face Hozenproz with a warm smile and said, "Congressman Hozenproz, you're too kind."

"It is my honor to learn from you all."

"Your plan is ambitious and interconnected, which has greatly inspired me."

"In particular, your concept of industrial chains and industrial clusters has given me a practical understanding of the fragility of individual projects and the power of cluster development."

He paused briefly, his gaze sweeping over the vast, undeveloped land before him, his voice tinged with personal aspiration and determination: "To be honest, I come from the north, and I also have my own little territory."

“When I passed through this city and saw the city of Budvis seeking change, and heard the blueprints described by everyone, I wondered if I could bring this development approach back to my hometown.”

“I may not have the financial resources and expertise of you all, but perhaps I can start with something smaller and more suitable for our local context.”

"For example, we could learn from Mr. Spike's techniques to improve our local livestock farming; or we could draw on Mrs. Rhea's ideas to increase the meager agricultural output of our territory."

"I hope to do something like you all and contribute to the development of my hometown."

His words were simple and unadorned, yet full of sincerity, demonstrating his down-to-earth ambition.

Hojenproz listened attentively, his curiosity gradually turning into a hint of appreciation.

He had seen too many boastful young nobles, but a young man like Pavel, who had status but was not arrogant, who had ideas but knew to start from the basics, and who even clearly stated that he wanted to learn from their model to build his hometown, was truly rare.

“A very good idea, Sir Pavel.” Hojenproz nodded, his tone now carrying a hint of sincere encouragement. “Building up one’s homeland is a noble aspiration.”

"No matter how low your starting point is, as long as you are in the right direction and are willing to put your heart into it, you can always find a way out by taking one step at a time."

"You are welcome to come and communicate anytime."

Lunch was ready, and the brief conversation ended.

The investigation continued after lunch, and Thomas discovered that Pavel had been thinking all afternoon.

The cold wind was still biting, but Pavel's heart was burning with excitement because of his clear goal and the recognition he had just received.

He seemed to see that in the near future, not only Budvis City, but also his hometown, might sprout new life under the influence of this spring breeze from the south.

A cold wind swept across the withered grassland, stirring up fine dust and remnants of snow.

As evening fell, the expedition team temporarily stopped on a hill with a wide view, below which was a river that had not yet completely frozen and meandered through the outskirts of Budvis.

The merchants from Weisen gathered in twos and threes, pointing at the land on both sides of the river and exchanging opinions in hushed tones.

Pavel stood a little distance away, his brows slightly furrowed. Although his gaze was fixed on the scenery, his mind was clearly absorbed in his own thoughts.

It was time to head back as the sun began to set. On the way back, Hojenproz invited Pavel to ride in his car.

Through the car window, the outside scenery is the desolate landscape typical of winter in the north.

“Sir Pavel,” Hojenproz’s voice broke the silence, tinged with barely perceptible curiosity, “you seem to have something on your mind?”

Do you have any further questions about our plan?

Pavel snapped out of his reverie, turned around, and gave a helpless, honest smile. “No, Mr. Congressman,” he said, “your plan is very clear and logically sound. I am deeply inspired.”

“But…” he paused, as if searching for the right words, “I’ve been thinking about a problem that has been bothering me for a long time.”

“Developing the local economy, as you have said, or as Mr. Thomas mentioned earlier, sounds very useful.”

"But ultimately, what is the most crucial secret?"

"Have you found any unique resources?"

"Introducing advanced technology?"

Or should we create a favorable environment?

“I’ve been reading some books recently and have talked with Mr. Thomas. I feel like I’ve gained some insights, but I always feel like there’s something between us, and I haven’t touched on the most fundamental and core point.”

"This still leaves me feeling somewhat at a loss as to how to truly begin changing my hometown."

His eyes were filled with confusion, the bewilderment that comes when ideals meet the barriers of reality.

All afternoon, he pondered how to develop his territory, but something felt off; he felt he had overlooked something. Hojenproz listened quietly, the shrewd smile on his face gradually fading, replaced by a deeper expression, a mixture of reminiscence and感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex emotion encompassing both reflection and contemplation).

He did not answer immediately, but instead cast his gaze out the car window, as if he could see through the mountains and into the heart of the Duchy of Wessen.

“Sir Pavel,” he began slowly, his voice exceptionally clear in the cold wind, “it’s perfectly normal if you don’t understand, or feel there’s something between you and him.”

"Because of you, and many others, we may not have truly understood the fundamental reason for the real economic rise of our Duchy of Wesen in recent years."

Pavel was slightly taken aback, his attention completely drawn.

He had expected to hear answers about innovation, trade, or productivity.

Hojenproz turned his head, looked sharply at Pavel, and said seriously, "Do you think it's just a group of daring and enterprising businessmen like us, or some novel technologies and management methods?"

Pavel thought so in his heart, but he wasn't so stupid as to not understand the meaning behind those words.

Hojenproz gently shook his head and said, "No, those are all appearances, just the branches and leaves."

"The real foundation lies in a strong and capable central government, and the correct and stable policies that this government promulgates and implements."

He raised his hand and began to count them one by one, as if taking stock of vital treasures:

"Think about it, without the railway artery that the principality government spent huge sums of money and overcame obstacles to build, how could our goods be transported to various places quickly and cheaply?"

"Without a government-led magical communication network covering major towns, how can business information be transmitted in a timely manner to reduce blind transactions and risks?"

"Without a relatively unified and stable monetary and tax system implemented by the principality government, how can cross-regional trade and investment be carried out?"

Every question struck Pavel's heart like a heavy hammer.

He knew these factors to some extent, but he had never systematically linked them to economic development.

Because of the long-term conflict in Bohemia and the lack of a stable, large government, Pavel never consciously considered the role of government in business.

“But that’s not enough,” Hojenproz said, his tone becoming more serious. “A rich but weak country is like a fat, hornless sheep, which will only attract the covetous eyes of hungry wolves.”

A flicker of reminiscence for the difficult past flashed in his eyes as he said in a deep voice, "Do you know how many tolls and protection fees the Weisen caravan had to pay when it reached the Bohemian region a few years ago?"

"Do you know that just as our new product was starting to gain traction, local lords tried every possible means to seize it by force?"

He paused, letting his words settle, before saying each word carefully: "It is the powerful Weisen Army, their formidable reputation earned through victories in the trade route wars, that has provided us merchants with the space to operate with peace of mind and dare to expand!"

"Without an army to eliminate bandits, deter neighboring countries, and ensure the safety of sea routes and trade routes, even the most astute merchants can only stay in one corner, and even the best products cannot go far."

Hojenproz looked at Pavel's wide, shocked eyes, and softened his tone, but it was still firm: "So, Sir Pavel, do you understand now?"

"The core secret to local economic development is not simply what the local area has or how hard local officials work."

"The core of economic development lies in whether it is within a strong national framework that provides the right policies and security guarantees."

“It’s great that you want to develop your hometown.”

"But you need to think about more than just what your hometown can grow, raise, and produce."

"You need to think more about how to secure more favorable policy support for your hometown?"

How can we ensure that the roads leading to our hometown are open and safe?

How can you enable your hometown's businesspeople to trade and compete in a larger, more stable, and more orderly market?

Fresh, cool air blew in through the gaps in the car windows, but Pavel felt hot all over.

Hojenproz's words were like opening a brand new door, allowing him to see a broader and more fundamental picture that he had previously overlooked.

The core element he had always felt was missing suddenly became clear – it was the decisive support that a strong and orderly overall environment provided for local development.

Pavel took a deep breath of the cold air, and the confusion in his eyes was gradually replaced by a deeper and more determined light.

“I understand, sir.” His voice was steady and strong. “Thank you very much for your guidance; it is more valuable than any specific business advice.”

Hojenproz nodded slightly, his businessman's warm smile returning to his face, but his eyes held a deeper expectation for future cooperation.

He knew that this young man might actually be able to forge a path different from that of ordinary nobles.

The influence of the Duchy of Wessen's model may also be subtly spread to more distant places through these young people.

The inspection team returned to the city. Instead of a banquet, everyone who brought a thermos had dinner together behind closed doors and held closed-door discussions.

As the moon climbed higher and higher, the city slept soundly under the cover of night, lulled by hope.

(End of this chapter)