Above the mage

Chapter 796 The Five-Ring Mage

"It's not that simple," Gao De said, shaking his head.

He knew, of course, that the fastest way to fill the talent gap in the North was to recruit existing talent from outside.

"The problem is that the political, managerial, and financial talents we need are necessarily high-ranking officials within various kingdoms, duchies, or powers."

"They are often in high positions, wield real power, and are bound by generations of family achievements. It is almost impossible for them to be willing to give up everything of their original power and start over in our Northern Territory."

"What we in the North can give them is far less than what they already have."

In this world, the path to advancement is entirely controlled by the nobility.

In the realm of mages, there are also some grassroots mages who have risen to prominence and broken the monopoly by virtue of their talent.

However, in the political and financial sectors, you can't access these things without a family background.

Without hands-on experience and practical skills, even the greatest talent is useless.

Therefore, those who are proficient in these fields are almost all of noble birth.

To bring nobles from various countries to the wild and desolate northern border?

It's obvious that it's unlikely.

"Moreover, even if a few people do have discontent and are willing to defect, their original forces will never easily allow their core talents to leave."

"If we deliberately recruit such talents, it may even expose the rise of the North, putting us in the sights of major powers and attracting unnecessary prying and suppression in advance, which is extremely risky."

Recruiting existing high-end talent from outside sources may seem like a shortcut, but it is fraught with hidden dangers and is simply impossible to implement.

Faced with this seemingly unsolvable situation, Elsa remained silent for a moment, then looked directly at God and said solemnly, "Your Highness, I know a group of people who possess these abilities and do not have the problems you are worried about."

Gao De paused slightly, a hint of surprise in his eyes. After a moment's thought, he still had no clue: "Oh? Who are you referring to?"

"Former subjects of Westminster." Elsa's voice was calm yet heavy.

"After the fall of the Principality of Xidian, in order to quickly take control of Xidian's territory and plunder its wealth and resources, the Principality of Evoga did not directly massacre all the lower-level officials. Instead, it adopted a strategy of dividing and absorbing, purging the upper echelons, and incorporating the middle and lower-level officials into its ruling system."

"The war-loving nobles and core royal faction of the Duchy of Xidian were all executed or imprisoned, cutting off any possibility of restoring the kingdom."

"As for the many mid-level officials who handled government affairs, they were forcibly incorporated into the Russian government and became tools of the new regime."

"These people are truly mature political talents, but because they belong to the remnants of the Duchy of Xidian, they are greatly marginalized under the rule of the Duchy of Ovoga. They can only be low-level laborers and bureaucrats, and are suspected, exploited, and marginalized, with their future completely cut off."

"This is the batch that has surrendered." Elsa changed the subject, her eyes becoming even clearer.

"There are also a group of noble elites who are loyal to their former masters and hold high positions, like me, who chose to flee when their country was destroyed, hiding in various places on the continent and living a life of hiding their identities."

"These fleeing aristocratic elites are by no means mediocre."

"Several of them were promising young talents cultivated by the former Duchy of Xidian. They came from noble families and were the next generation of core members of the court."

"Loran Weiss comes from the long-established noble Loran family of Westminster."

"His family has held the position of finance minister of the duchy for generations, and is a wealthy family that has existed in Xidian for hundreds of years."

"Lorran Weiss learned from his father from a young age, immersing himself in the duchy's financial regulations and becoming well-versed in financial practices. He was able to take charge at a young age, and his talent far surpassed that of many veteran ministers."

"And then there's Winston Ryder, who was an expert in legal documents and governance of people's livelihoods, and was the youngest county-level official in Xidian at the time."

"They received a traditional elite education from a young age, with generations of family tradition in scholarship, and were also hands-on in practical matters. Their abilities were just right for the current institutional needs of the North."

"With just a little instruction on His Highness's governing philosophy and the new regulations and laws of the North, they can immediately take up their posts and support the new policy system."

"After the fall of the principality, they refused to submit to Ovoga and managed to escape, hiding their identities. However, I knew their hiding place and left behind a secret code for their meeting."

Elsa's gaze was intense, and her tone was unwavering: "Your Highness, they are the top talents we are looking for: those who have no powerful backing, no status constraints, possess mature abilities, and are eager to join the Northern Territory."

"More importantly, they were all loyal to Xidian, with steadfast hearts and reliable character."

"As long as I send someone to contact them using the old secret code, they will know that I am conscripting them, and they will most likely rush to the northern border immediately."

Upon hearing this, Gao De lowered his eyes in silence and pondered.

He understood what Elsa meant.

What makes this group special is their status; they are not high-ranking officials in a certain power, but rather remnants of a fallen kingdom who have lost their allegiance.

The North's absorption of them would not create any conflicts of interest with any existing powers, nor would it arouse suspicion or spying from foreign powers.

Because these people had already broken away from the original system and lived in anonymity, no one knew their whereabouts or unusual movements.

However, he still had one concern.

The obsessions and selfishness of those who have lost their country are always the biggest hidden danger.

But Elsa, before Gaode could think further, saw through his worries and spoke up to dispel them: "I know what Your Highness is concerned about."

"You must be worried that they are burdened by their longing for their homeland and that once they enter the North, they will harbor selfish desires to restore their country and will not be able to be truly loyal. They may even take the opportunity to provoke trouble and cause hostile conflict between the North and the Principality of Ovoga."

"Your Highness can rest assured on this point."

Elsa said earnestly, "First, Westden has been destroyed for a long time, and the royal family has all perished. Only Anna and I are left outside, without soldiers, land, power, or foundation."

"They are all intelligent men, and they must understand that there is no hope of restoring the country, and they no longer have the obsession with restoring the country. What they want is just a place where they can use their talents and establish a stable foothold."

"Secondly, they are all fugitives and are wanted by the Principality of Ovoga."

"Once their identities are exposed, they will be hunted down and eliminated by the Ovoga. The North is their only refuge, and they have no choice but to rely on and be loyal to the North."

"Third, I will definitely keep an eye on them and make a deal with them. Once they enter the Northern Territory, they will become citizens of the Northern Territory, abandoning their Western Dian identity. All their rights, responsibilities, salaries, and future prospects will be decided by the laws of the Northern Territory and by Your Highness."

"If there is even the slightest selfish motive, Your Highness will not need to intervene; I will show no mercy."

"Finally, this group of people fled in haste back then, hiding among the common people to avoid being hunted down by the Duchy of Ovoga. They no longer possess the resources they once had, nor are they the noble nobles of Westminster. They have come to the North alone and cannot stir up any factional turmoil."

"They have been living under assumed names for many years. Once they arrive in the North, they will simply change their identities and be registered in the North's household register, completely severing any trace of their past. They will soon be assimilated and become North people in the true sense."

After Elsa finished speaking, she stood there quietly, waiting for Gaode's decision.

Gao De pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded and said in a deep voice, "This matter is now entirely in your hands."

"Our priority is to bring back these elite talents. As for the middle and lower-level officials who have surrendered, we can try to win them over as well."

"Consult and recruit secretly, keep a low profile throughout the process, and allocate the necessary personnel, resources, and authority as needed without further reporting, so as to fill the talent gap in the North as soon as possible."

"Yes, Your Highness." Elsa's eyes lit up with joy.

She was naturally happy to have the opportunity to bring the people she trusted and was close to back then to the North, so that they could escape their lives of constant fear and uncertainty.

Elsa also left first, leaving only God and Flora in the room.

Seeing that no one was around, the petty man stopped maintaining his ministerial demeanor.

She fluttered her thin, glass-like wings, floated up, and flew to Gao De's side. She found a suitable and comfortable spot on his shoulder and sat down, swinging her short legs gently. She asked, "Master, you've been gone for a long time this time."

"I had some important business to attend to and couldn't get away, but I didn't forget to bring you a gift."

Gaode refers to the mother plant of the root fungus.

Unexpectedly, Flora didn't immediately focus on the gift, but instead said, "The farm has gotten much bigger."

"Thank you so much, Lady Flora. You've worked so hard, Lady Flora," Gao De said gratefully.

"Lady Flora isn't afraid of hardship!"

The little one hummed and whined.

"Then I'll trouble Lady Flora to take me to see the Ministry of Agriculture's achievements during this period."

"Just listening to reports doesn't give you a real sense of reality; you have to see it for yourself."

Gao De always understood Flora's thoughts and took the initiative to make a request.

The little boy was very responsible and capable, so even though he was "innocent," he still earned the respect and awe of everyone in the city hall.

But no matter what, what she really wants is definitely from Gaode Maps.

However, the little guy won't say it directly; he'll only remind Gaode in various subtle ways.

Of course, he can also praise directly.

But that's just empty boasting, a boast that doesn't come down to anything.

Praising Flora only after witnessing her achievements firsthand requires specific, detailed, and practical praise to truly resonate with her.

"Master, let's go!"

The little creature flapped its wings, quite satisfied with Gaode's "sensible" behavior, and immediately flew ahead to lead the way.

Once outside the city gates, the vast, snow-covered, frozen plains of the north slowly unfolded before us.

A few years ago, this land was a truly wild and desolate wasteland.

The permafrost is as hard as iron, making it difficult for any grass to grow, and the land becomes barren after the cold wind passes through.

But what you see now is a completely different scene of vibrant life.

The vast plains were completely divided by neat and uniform field ridges.

The Northwest Barley No. 1 variety merges with the blood-red Northwest Barley No. 2 variety to form a sea of ​​barley, undulating with the wind.

Between the ridges of the fields, people move about in an orderly fashion, each performing their duties, without any of the chaos and noise of traditional farmland.

Even in such "lowly" places, you can still see people in uniforms holding official documents and recording something.

Those were clerks from the Ministry of Agriculture, meticulously recording the growth, registering the harvest, and verifying the planting sequence.

Everything on the farms in the North is managed according to strict procedures and in an orderly manner.

This is the concept of order and systematic planting logic brought by Gaode.

Flora led God on a leisurely inspection of the farm.

As we walked along, everyone who saw Gaode stopped what they were doing, bowed their heads, and looked on with heartfelt awe and respect.

When everyone's gaze swept over Flora, the small but spirited creature who flew in front of him to lead the way, their awe transformed into gentle and genuine respect and gratitude.

No one looked down on or disrespected her because of her petite stature and innocent, carefree nature.

Flora does not possess strong combat capabilities.

But in the hearts of most people in the North, her status is second only to Sunefair and God.

These scenes, witnessed by Gaode, also deeply moved him.

Flora was his magical pet, but after arriving in the North, she basically stayed there.

In reality, the time we've been apart from each other has long exceeded the time we've been together.

He also wondered if this was being too irresponsible towards Flora.

The contract between a magical pet is meant to be a bond of mutual support.

But seeing the genuine respect and gratitude the workers showed towards Flora, and Flora herself enjoying herself, Goddard was absolutely certain that keeping Flora in the North and appointing her to head the Ministry of Agriculture was the right decision.

Flora lacks combat power. Although she possesses many unique abilities, such as the ability to detect malice, she rarely uses them.

After all, her greatest strength lies in her talent for magical plants.

Their presence primarily provides emotional support. While they don't have demanding tasks, their most powerful talents are rendered useless, as they are merely his dependent magical pets.

But in the North, she protected the people of the North with her own abilities, earning their trust and gratitude. She was no longer just a pet of God, but the rightful Lady Flora, the Minister of Agriculture.

Thinking of these things, Gao De's expression changed slightly.

"What are you thinking about?" Flora's voice came from beside Gao De's ear.

The latter looked at him suspiciously: "Master, something's wrong with your expression."

"Some rather high-level things."

"Something high-level?"

"It's all just empty grand narratives about personal values."

"Can't understand."

"This means Lady Flora needs to study even harder."

"They often say that food is hard-earned and should not be wasted; we should eat it sparingly."

God knew that when Flora mentioned "them," she meant the people of the North.

"Huh?" He just didn't understand Flora's sudden change of thought.

"Therefore, books should be read sparingly," Flora concluded.

"Hiss..." Gao De gasped, "Unbelievable, Lady Flora has even learned analogy."

"Lady Flora is clever!" the little one said with absolute certainty.

It took Gao De and Flora more than an hour to inspect the two farms.

Looking out, the farm's pioneering boundaries continue to extend outwards.

In the distance, vast stretches of still-snow-covered wasteland are being reclaimed and renovated by laborers and low-level mages.

Based on current trends and the scale of land reclamation, barley production in Northwest China will continue to experience explosive growth for at least a considerable period of time.

"Lady Flora has built such a great undertaking from scratch; it is truly remarkable." Standing at the end of the wheat field, looking at the thriving life, Gao De praised her sincerely.

Flora just stared at God with her big eyes.

After thinking for a moment, Gao De added, "Before I left, the farm had expanded so much, far beyond my expectations. It must be because Lady Flora was so diligent and hardworking."

As soon as the words were spoken, the little figure hovering in mid-air instantly smiled and raised its delicate chin slightly.

She was satisfied.

The little one's skills are getting stronger and stronger, and he's becoming more and more adorable.

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