"Where are the people who came? Is there any classification?" Roland asked.
"Please look below," the Minister's Assistant pointed to the bottom of the document, "a total of 1,100 people have been sent to Border Town. Most are serfs, already resettled outside the town as per your instructions. Thirty-five craftsmen have been assigned to Karl's command, with their residences concentrated in the 'Civilized New District'." Barov uttered the awkward term, "But Your Highness, is this acceptable? I recall you originally intended for the witches." "My sentries to spread rumors haven't returned yet. The progress is slower than expected. Let the craftsmen and their families use the houses first, then we'll rebuild later." Roland's plan called for a complete renovation of Border Town, converting wooden houses and mud-built bungalows into brick structures while preserving wide streets instead of the current narrow alleys that barely allow two people to walk side by side.
"Yes," Barov nodded. "Your Highness, I heard they're bringing cattle and sheep from that region?" "Hmm, but not now. I specifically delayed their arrival by a few days to coordinate with the herders. There's a vast grassland between the West Wall, the Desolation Forest, and the Desolation Mountains. It would be ideal to convert it into a pasture. We'll first blast two breaches in the wall for passage, as it only serves during the Demon's Moon." With people and funds now secured, the bottleneck hindering Border Town's development has temporarily vanished. Roland can finally unleash his full potential.
He called the guard outside and instructed, "Find Karl from the administrative office. If he's not in the mine, he must be in the wooden shantytown outside the town." Half an hour later, Karl entered the office, bowed, and said, "Your Highness." It had been nearly six months since he first met this stonemason association member. Since joining the Border Town City Hall, he had been the busiest official in the past six months, overseeing the construction of the city walls, model housing complexes, and temporary wooden shantytowns. At thirty-five, his temples now showed streaks of silver, and his skin had darkened slightly, but his appearance was much better than when he first met him, and his voice was strong and resonant.
It's true that the environment can transform a person overnight. Six months ago, he was a cautious stonemason who had fled the war, now a project manager with hands-on engineering experience, his every move exuding the air of a seasoned professional. But what Roland admires most is his godlike willingness to sacrifice for others.
Roland smiled and nodded. "Come to the table," he said, handing over the sketches he had just drawn. "Take a look. I need you to build something new." "This is a warehouse," Karl scanned the first sketch quickly. "The raised floor will effectively prevent dampness." He paused before flipping to the second one. "This... is a kiln?" "Exactly. You'll need to build five or more kilns on the northern slope to calcine cement and fire clay bricks. Choose open areas for the kilns, plan material transport routes and storage yards. More kilns will be needed as the operation grows." "Agreed," Karl continued flipping through the final sketch. "This... looks like a ditch? Wait, there's a roof and retaining walls above... and a pool at the back. Your Highness, I don't quite understand." Roland chuckled. "This is a toilet, and your top priority project." "A toilet?" Karl pondered. "Your Highness, where do you plan to build it? Your castle has chamber pots, and the servants regularly handle them. Most villagers don't need such things—they can dispose of waste outdoors. Serfs do the same; they can flush into the Chishui River, which carries away the filth." "That's why we smell so strong today when we dock," Roland shook his head, brushing aside the unpleasant memory. "Exactly. That's why we need to change this bad habit." "Uh... bad habit?" Karl looked somewhat confused.
"For commoners accustomed to defecating and urinating indiscriminately, it's hard to fathom how wonderful a world would be where one could stroll around without stepping on landmines," Roland muttered to himself. "Anyway, just follow the blueprint. I've already marked out the approximate dimensions using the lengths we agreed upon earlier. Place them near the wooden shed area—build four in total, two pairs side by side. Except for the central ditch built with bricks, the outer sheds, roof slabs, and partitions should be constructed with wooden boards to save cement." "Your Highness, you want to concentrate them... well," Kalkard paused, clearly feeling it was beneath royal dignity to discuss such mundane matters with Your Highness. "But what if they refuse to enter?" "I'll issue orders for compliance. You can organize the manpower." "In that case, I shall follow Your Majesty's command," he nodded. "Roland, Your Highness, I have another matter to report." "Go ahead." "After the stonemasons were forced to disband, many like me chose to leave the capital. I plan to write letters to recruit stonemason guild members I know who've relocated to Border Town. They each have their specialties—Lothar, for instance, excels in kiln construction as you mentioned." "Your Highness, I'm not sure..." "No problem at all," Roland said decisively. "You can bring them all to reorganize the Stone Masons' Guild. Their pay will be calculated according to the guild's standards. The experienced members can even join the City Hall." "Thank you for your generosity," Karl bowed in gratitude.
After the stonemason left, he began to write about the management of serfs and the system of emancipation.
Border Town is approaching a critical growth phase. If it continues to rely on grain imports, the town would face severe risks in the event of natural disasters or trade disruptions. Therefore, alongside industrial development, agricultural growth must be accelerated to achieve self-sufficiency in food production as soon as possible.
Prince believes that by establishing a clear path to advancement, these serfs will soon transform into productive farmers. With the improved seeds from Yezi, the farmland along the Chishui River will turn into a golden sea of wheat by summer.
The requirement of toilet priority construction is also prepared to cooperate with agricultural development—after having people, land and seeds, the last link to be supplemented is fertilizer.
Roland was well aware that human and animal manure was far more cumbersome to use than chemical fertilizers. It required regular cleaning of storage pits and manual composting, making it far less convenient. However, the chemical industry had yet to develop any viable alternatives. He therefore opted to use this purely natural organic fertilizer as a temporary solution—at least, human and animal manure had stood the test of time. Even in the 20th century, some rural areas still practiced this traditional method of fertilization.
In otherworldly cultures, people have minimal understanding of fertilizers. Most regard manure as a filth, believing it serves only to repel others without recognizing its practical value. This explains why farmers still use the three-crop rotation system: dividing farmland into three sections for spring, autumn, and fall crops respectively, followed by fallow periods to prevent soil depletion from continuous cultivation.