When the Saint comes, she does not collect food

Chapter 992 Changes in the Lives of the Secret Society Members of Black Snake Bay

On the pier made of cedar wood, fishermen on the lake cast out their nets, hauling in handfuls of grass carp and river snails.

Outside Long Causeway lies a river and a lake; the river is the Ibe River, and the lake is called Cow Lake.

To be precise, Cow Lake was originally part of the Ibe River.

It was only because the river was straightened and merged with a tributary that Cow Lake was formed.

Under the rising sun, on the pier, members of parliament and the leader of the Secret Party, dressed in linen short-sleeved shirts, were waiting.

Sweat clung to their body hair, dripping down their thick arms and greasy necks, yet they dared not slacken their efforts or seek refuge in the shade.

After Black Snake Bay was brought under the rule of the Holy Alliance, the first problem to be solved was the food issue.

Although grain prices in Black Snake Bay are not as cheap as in grain-producing areas such as Thousand River Valley, they are at least not as expensive as before.

As a result, after the Thousand River Valley became a source of food, a large number of sweet bean fields began to frantically "convert food into fragrance," planting large quantities of spices, sweet twigs, and medicinal herbs.

In particular, the plantations established by various secret societies have made a lot of money from selling these raw materials.

Once you've eaten your fill and have some money, the first thing you'll naturally do is seek out land, houses, clothes, and other necessities.

The Black Snake Bay secret society was used to being poor, so when they suddenly became rich, they were bound to engage in retaliatory consumption.

They imported large quantities of mortar, hired flanking stonemasons to build villas, and even paid for road construction to facilitate their travel.

Last year, Black Snake Bay, with a population of less than two million, bought 40% of the high-end fabrics and furniture that Saint Union imported throughout the year.

Compared to the climate of Thousand River Valley, Black Snake Bay has a hotter and more humid climate, which naturally creates different clothing needs.

Therefore, Horn specifically instructed the garment production department to create a shirt exclusively for export from Black Snake Bay.

In Thousand River Valley, this type of shirt is called the Black Snake Bay Shirt, and it is a short-sleeved shirt made of linen.

It adopted the Cuban collar, which is a collarless lapel, and placed the first button at the chest area for better cooling.

Anyway, the local customs in Black Snake Bay are more open, and there is none of the custom in Thousand River Valley where even men are not allowed to show their arms.

The women in Black Snake Bay all wear high-waisted dresses with ruffles that reach their knees, and they don't have the custom of skirts not exceeding the height of socks, as is the case in Thousand River Valley.

Under this trend, it only took one year.

Leaving aside the poor who had no clothes, even the citizens and members of the Secret Party all changed into these Black Snake Bay shirts and straw hats.

The councilors on the dock were no exception.

The black snake-shaped shirt with a Cuban collar, paired with a fierce look and a gold chain around his neck and wrists.

Those in the know understand that the councilors are waiting for someone, but those who don't might think it's some kind of gang waiting at the dock to transport ice.

However, these members of parliament are actually no different from gangsters, as they are mostly from the Secret Party.

The voting system in Black Snake Bay, based on land and population, is essentially a land-based election system, and those elected naturally become the big landowners of the Big Secretary Party.

However, these domineering landowners and councilors, who were known for their arrogance in their constituencies, were now standing under the blazing sun, holding gifts and waiting for someone.

Everyone says that the saint's grandson is the sun; even before seeing him, the heat is already palpable.

"Dad, how much longer do we have to wait?"

"Shut up! You idiot!" Jose scolded his son, glancing around cautiously to make sure no one was paying attention before continuing, "If you don't die from the sun, then keep standing there."

"Even Sheriff Ruth wasn't standing..."

"What's his relationship with the Pope? I'm warning you, don't waste your breath, Thiago Kukulkan!"

"The ship won't dock for a while, why bother coming to the pier so early?"

"I'll say it one last time: as long as the people on the ship can see the dock, we have to wait obediently. You're not allowed to go anywhere... If you say another word, I'll throw you to feed the crocodiles!"

Thiago was still muttering under his breath, "Is it necessary?"

“Of course! They could crush our family into mincemeat with a single finger. Do you really want to move back to the Eastern County?” Thiago fell silent.

He was born in the Eastern County, but he didn't love the place; he was just born there.

Compared to the northern counties, which have a milder climate and a much higher standard of living than the eastern counties, Thiago would rather die than move back.

They were able to eat solid food, no longer had to worry about being bitten by snakes or attacked by barbarians, and were even able to go to the theater to watch plays.

In the Eastern County, his only form of entertainment was watching alligators bare their teeth.

He'd rather be a fugitive than be sent back to that precarious place.

The fear and ingratiation towards Horn is ingrained in the very bones of most members of parliament, or rather, in the old Secret Party.

The previous cleanup operations and taxation campaigns left a deep impression on them.

Many members of the secret society who originally belonged to the northern counties were hanged, drowned, or exiled to the eastern counties.

During the most terrifying period, crocodiles were too lazy to eat even thin corpses.

The person responsible for all of this was none other than the high and mighty Saint Horn.

After weathering the storm, they enjoyed delicious bread and fried chicken, exchanged burlap and animal hides for linen and silk, and replaced their stilted houses with three-story villas.

But they all understood that they still owed their lives to Saint-Honoré.

If you anger him, he will prevent spice companies from purchasing raw materials from your constituency.

So be it, the more prosperous life is today, the more cruel life will be in the future.

For the sake of mansions and fine clothes, the Secret Society members even had to bribe the manager of the spice company, not to mention the largest shareholder—Horn Galar.

Whether their pleas were genuine or feigned, the Peruvian MPs obediently knelt down.

The church had failed to bring the Black Snake Bay Secret Society to its knees for centuries, but Horn did it in just six years.

No matter how scorching the sun was, everyone eagerly awaited the boat to dock and the gangplank to extend.

Dozens of bodyguards rushed out of the cabin and stood in two rows by the dock.

At this moment, Ruloris emerged from the shade of the tree, carrying a small umbrella as she slowly walked over.

Wearing a black Snake Bay shirt and shorts, Horn, with a straw hat and black crystal sunglasses, walked down from the deck holding a coconut.

Thiago was about to go forward when his father glared at him, making him stay in place.

Jose breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his son retreat.

There was no way around it; compared to himself, Thiago grew up in the overly barbaric eastern county, where the level of socialization was very low.

Emotional intelligence... sigh.

At this moment, Horn put down the half-finished coconut, strode to the dock, and gave Das, who was covered in sweat, a big hug.

“You brat, someone reported that you’ve become the retired emperor of the Snake People Empire, and even the Snake People Emperor has to kneel before you.”

"I wouldn't dare," Das said with a smile, waving his hand. "It's just a small village of tens of thousands of people. Calling it an empire? That's ridiculous."

"That's not how it works. The Snake People Empire has so many vassal states."

This area is a crucial part of the next shipping route, and you definitely need to modify it.

I have decided that the Eastern Counties will henceforth be reorganized into military districts, and you, as governor, will have full authority to reform and manage the region.

“Ah…” Das was taken aback. “I, I’ve never managed such a large region before.”

“You’ve never managed civilian affairs, but you’ve managed the military? You sent me to school, but it was all for nothing. If you don’t know how, then learn. I’ll teach you later.” Horn grabbed his arm. “Enough with the small talk, tell me quickly, what exactly is the situation at Musk River?”

(End of this chapter)