Industrial Revolution of the Mage Lords

Chapter 558 The Promised Oasis

Dozens of huge ironclad sailing ships slowly approached the shore and docked at the newly expanded dock of Fengyuan City.

Dozens of officials in matching uniforms had been waiting on the river bank. As soon as the boat docked, they rushed over, holding huge metal horns in their hands and shouting at the top of their voices.

There were also many soldiers in uniform on the dock, waiting in neat rows. They were obviously sent by the city hall to cooperate with the officials in maintaining order.

Bale and Sek supported the patriarch Zuo'o on his left and right. The old patriarch had lived in the northern desert of Isengard all his life. Not only had he never experienced long-distance travel by boat, he had never even ridden a fishing sampan. The bumpy journey of more than half a month, coupled with severe seasickness, tortured this old warrior who was over fifty years old like a newborn lamb, and he could hardly stand.

Most of the rootless people had never left the desert. Just riding on an ironclad ship that could travel at high speed on the river without sails was enough to make them marvel. Now that they had finally arrived at their final destination, Fengyuan City, and saw the towering and thick city walls from afar, they were so shocked that they were stunned on the spot.

"Get off the boat! Everyone, get off the boat! Don't dawdle and hinder the following boats from docking!" The unfamiliar voice with a southern accent shouted at the top of its lungs, but the urging them to move was not rough. The expected whipping and driving did not happen at all. Many of the tribesmen who had unsteady steps and pale faces even had people reaching out to support and pull them.

"The fertile and flat land and pastures we saw along the way, are they the gifts promised to us by His Majesty the Emperor?" Bale held Zhuo Ao's arm tightly and whispered in his ear.

From the strength with which he squeezed Zuo Ao's arm, one could sense the uncontrollable excitement and ecstasy in the young warrior's heart.

Zhuo Ao couldn't help but frown and scolded in a deep voice, "Don't sniff around like a greedy hyena! We will accept whatever land the Emperor allocates to us. Incessant questioning will only bring shame to the tribe!"

He sighed and earnestly instructed the two young men, "Remember what I've told you all along the way. After you settle down, strictly discipline your tribesmen and don't easily clash with the locals... Even if they show rejection and hostility, we must try our best to be patient. Remember, we are outsiders after all..."

Nearly 10,000 members of the three frontier tribes, Silver Moon, Emerald, and Rock Mountain, migrated thousands of miles south. Along the way, the expeditionary force not only provided them with sufficient food and supplies, but even those who occasionally fell ill had special military doctors to provide treatment... This made them more convinced that His Majesty the Emperor Saint Valen would definitely fulfill his promise and grant them the promised fertile oasis!

Needless to say, the Silvermoon Tribe had suffered a great disaster. The Emerald and Rock Mountain Tribes had already had a hard time surviving in their original settlements. The oasis had gradually shrunk with the annual sandstorms and droughts, and the pastures for grazing and hunting had gradually become deserted. Even if they did not choose to take the risk and move to Saint Valen... by the next spring, most of the tribes would have fallen into the tragic plight of famine and thirst.

They understood the principle that one has to bow his head under the eaves, and thought positively... At least His Majesty the Emperor fulfilled his first promise and brought them out of the desert safely. He did not abandon the old, weak, sick and disabled tribesmen along the way, and when they arrived at their destination, they were not greeted by the whips and shackles of the slave traders.

……

"Are you Chief Zhuo?" A young municipal official stepped forward and asked with a polite smile, "I'm the head of the population department of the city hall, responsible for the resettlement of the three tribes in the northern borderland. Please call me Edwin, Edwin Ralph." Fair skin, delicate hands without even calluses... Bale and Sek looked at each other and immediately understood. The man standing in front of them was a real southern nobleman, an embroidered pillow with no fighting power. However, his clothes were completely different from the luxurious and complicated ones of the nobles in Isengard. He wore a dark blue cotton uniform that looked no different from the civilian officials responsible for maintaining order at the dock.

Zhuo Ao, however, did not despise him. He smiled and nodded, saying, "I am Zhuo Ao, the leader of the three tribes migrating south from the borderland. Commander Ralph, after the tribesmen have landed, we will settle down tonight at..."

As he spoke, his eyes unconsciously looked at a group of low sheds at the foot of the city wall in the distance. As an outsider, he subconsciously believed that the other party would definitely not let them into the city for safety reasons. However, it would be nice to have a temporary place to stay. After getting the land rewarded by His Majesty the Emperor, it would be nice to move to the place where his future home would be and build a new house.

The rootless people have always been hardworking and tenacious, and can always fill their stomachs with their own hands.

The young official followed his gaze and laughed, "What are you thinking? How can we possibly let everyone stay outside the city? Although the weather in Fengyuan City is much warmer than your northern region after the start of spring, the night wind in the plains is unbearable, and the elderly and children are prone to catching the cold."

He then pulled a document from the briefcase tucked under his arm. Without a care for his aristocratic manners, he squatted on the ground and spread out a map. He pointed to a location on the map and said patiently, "The Emerald Tribe is the largest group of this migration. The City Hall will resettle you in Jinglin County. The land there is fertile and backed by vast mountains and forests. It's perfect for farming, grazing, and hunting!"

Bale was delighted and couldn't help but ask, "His Majesty the Emperor has granted us all the land there? Then...how much tribute do we need to pay him every year? Will it be food, cattle, sheep, or taxes?"

Edwin chuckled and said seriously, "All land in Saint Valen nominally belongs to His Majesty. The land allocated to you is for you to freely cultivate food, and no tribute is required... Hehe. However, after the harvest, if you want to sell excess food or cattle, sheep, or game, you must first supply it to the government procurement department. Private transactions are strictly prohibited. Doing so would be a serious violation of the laws of this country."

The emperor allowed the tribes to farm and graze freely, but he did not collect any rent or land taxes, nor did he require the tribes to pay tribute to him... He only restricted the sales channels of excess production. What a generous and preferential gift this was! The tribesmen gathered around Zhuo Ao also heard the young official's words clearly, and they were immediately moved to tears. They fell to the ground and loudly praised the emperor's generosity and kindness.

"Your Majesty, how many soldiers do you need to recruit from the tribes to send warriors to fight against the foreign enemies in the north?" Zhuo Ao thought for a moment and asked cautiously.

Edwin curled his lips and said calmly, "The Kingdom doesn't enforce conscription. Fengyuan City and the surrounding counties and towns sometimes post recruitment notices, and special personnel are sent out to recruit soldiers... However, the requirements for enlistment are very strict, and the soldiers' treatment is very generous. You can't just join the army if you want to."

He did not choose to say more offensive words to undermine the other party's self-esteem - these tribal people who had just moved from the border areas were probably 99% illiterate and could not read a single word. How could they possibly meet the enlistment conditions and requirements of the Northern Army?

It would be better to settle them down and let them farm and raise sheep honestly, and contribute to Your Majesty's great cause of sustainable development.

(End of this chapter)