Blessing from the goddess at the beginning, technology VS magic

Chalcedron Castle is not far from Zeiko City. There is a reason why Rodney set the Lord's Mansion here. During the Goblin Disaster, Zeiko City served as the outermost shield, and the Chalcocite Castle next to it Fort showed his determination to live and die with the territory.

Well, this is a very good reason, and it can add one or two points to yourself in front of your father.

But in fact, Chalcedron Castle is a fortress city located in a narrow area. In ancient times, it is a battleground for military strategists, and its strategic significance is very important.

The city's defenses are extremely strong, but due to geographical reasons, communication with the outside world is not very convenient, resulting in prices that are more than twice those outside.

It's not like Rodney didn't think about improvements. He used a lot of means to attract merchants to trade here, and canceled the city's taxation here.

But Lai still didn't attract many people, because this city has no specialties at all. What businessmen focus on is maximizing profits. If you set off from city A to city B, you can bring items from city A to city B for sale. If If you want to return the same way, you can also bring something back from city B to sell.

In other words, I did two business trips back and forth. But if you come to Chalcoron Castle, the only specialty here is weapons. Let’s not talk about how much your carriage can pull. The weapons in Chalcoron Castle are nothing special. Just transport them back. You can't even make back the money spent on food and fodder for the horses.

In addition, the terrain on the way to Chalcoron Castle is treacherous and thieves are entrenched. Even if there is no city entry tax, the risks and benefits are not proportional at all.

Seeing that this method was useless, Rodney came up with another way. Since Chalcoron Castle could not be developed, he would develop other cities in the territory.

The spies sent to Yaori before said that none of their cities seemed to have entry taxes. If they can use this method, then so can I!

Rodney is not unaware that a large part of the tax revenue of local nobles comes from the city entry tax. If the city entry tax is cancelled, their living standards may drop a lot.

So the only problem is to deal with those local nobles. I am the noble fifth prince. Do these low-level nobles still dare to resist?

As soon as the notice was given, countless nobles came forward to persuade, with tears and snot in their noses, and countless reasons for opposition, such as "Businessmen must be restrained, they only have interests in their eyes, even if development will damage the foundation of the country".

Also [the city entry tax cannot be abolished, otherwise the town will be out of money and cannot maintain the food and salary expenses of the soldiers].

In short, there were various reasons, but Rodney still insisted on executing it.

After a long time, he himself was not assassinated by these local nobles, so he thought that his policy had been implemented perfectly.

When he went on inspection, he was still imagining the people's happy life. The prosperity of trade exchanges would inevitably improve the living conditions of ordinary civilians. Isn't this what it should be?

But what he saw was an even more depressed scene than before. The streets were full of beggars, and there were many private soldiers of the nobles breaking down the door of a house.

Later he learned that after there was no city entry tax, in order to make up for the missing money, the nobles put more taxes on ordinary civilians. The civilians were squeezed and had no extra money to buy things, so merchants could not make money. When money is obtained, such a scene will be formed.

Rodney had no choice but to restore everything to the original state and urged the nobles to tax no more than 20%.

But the position of prince still has to be fought for, so what other good ways can be done to make the territory look more prosperous?

Finally, with the advice of people around him, he chose this method:

Until Emperor Albert came in the last year, he saved the money. In other words, the people had a hard time in the past few years. In the last month, Rodney personally paid for it and distributed it to his father and his party who would pass by. of the townsfolk, making them grateful to themselves and creating an illusion of prosperity.

Anyway, once he becomes the prince, money will mean nothing.

Today is the day when his father comes. Rodney puts on the most luxurious clothes and welcomes his father in Chalcoron Castle.

"Why is your castle so empty?"

Rodney replied: "Father, in order to improve the lives of ordinary people, I sold some useless valuables for money."

This is what Melozi taught him, so that he can get a better evaluation in front of the emperor.

"Not bad, not bad, but don't be too hard on yourself." Albert turned to the other princes and said, "Remember, you represent the face of the royal family, so the basic dignity must still be maintained."

He then said to Rodney: "But my father, I can still feel your determination to serve the country and the people."

The second prince said: "I really didn't expect that my fifth brother would be able to do this, but father, do you think the money is really used in the right place?"

Emperor: "Why do you say this? You came with me. Didn't you see them all on the road? The poorest people can have a bite of hot pancakes. The soldiers on the city wall are all in high spirits. Your territory is comparable to ?"

The second prince continued: "Father, I'm afraid this is just an illusion. The eldest brother and the third brother both went to ask those people in person. That's not what the common people said."

"What did those people say?"

The eldest prince said: "I asked a beggar. The beggar said that this is a benefit that has only been available for the past month. The nobles will give them money and ask them to be grateful to His Highness Rodney."

The third prince said: "I asked an old man, and the old man said that this is a gift from His Highness to them. Several towns next door do not have such treatment."

The second prince: "Fifth brother, we brothers strive for the position of prince based on our abilities. You are too narrow-minded."

After hearing this, Rodney felt bad. Who the damn guy let it slip? I knew that these untouchables were unreliable, and those nobles couldn't do anything good after giving so much money!

At this time, he noticed the look in Mo Luozi's eyes next to his father. Was he finally going to reach that point?

My good brothers, I'm sorry, you forced me to do this!

Mo Luozi said: "Your Majesty, if this is the case, why don't we just ask the people for their opinions?"

"Ask the people's opinions? What should be done?"

"It's very simple. Tomorrow, we will go to a city we haven't passed through on the road, pretend to be civilians, and ask the people there."

Second Prince: "It depends on whether the fifth brother agrees or not."

Rodney: "Of course I'm fine"

"Okay, let's leave tomorrow"

"Father and brother, please come with me. The room has been prepared for you."