The Lord Of Blood Hill-Chapter 97: The Iron Fist of Capital
Once Henwell announces the city-building plan, the entire Peace Haven buzzes with interest. While the residents of Peace Town remain indifferent, the caravans react most intensely. Their keen business instincts tell them that if a city is established here, it will quickly become the regional hub.
Consequently, heaps of gold coins pour out from these merchants' hands as they purchase property ownership. Henwell specifically designates warehouse, trade, and leisure zones, which become the focal points of merchant investment. Caravans begin hiring locals en masse to construct their shops.
Taking advantage of the situation, Henwell opens two more quarries, swiftly absorbing Peace Haven's idle serfs. Large-scale construction invariably boosts the prosperity of the entire region. Henwell anticipates that once the city wall foundations are laid, it will attract a significant influx of villagers from nearby areas. Cities hold a strong allure for village residents, no matter the location.
The townsfolk, who perceive themselves as superior, eagerly rush into the city. Additionally, the sense of security that a city provides is unmatched by that of villages and towns.
After roughly planning the city's construction, Henwell turns his attention to his smuggling operations. Under his command are four smuggling caravans and two legitimate ones. Of course, Henwell is merely one of the shareholders in the smuggling ventures.
Two of the caravans trading with the Kingdom of Ika have Roderick as the other shareholder. The other two, trading with the Kingdom of Ogiro, have Divarak as the partner. Divarak is a baron in Ogiro, with his cousin serving as the commander of Ogiro's Ninth Border Legion.
Henwell's monthly earnings average over ten thousand gold coins, and he currently holds more than two hundred thousand gold coins. Additionally, his bandit group has accumulated significant wealth.
Without the need to construct a knight's manor, Henwell isn't short on funds. Excluding these less-than-reputable earnings, Henwell's property income from the warehouse district alone places him among the wealthier knight lords.
Henwell is now focused on forming his army, which is a major financial drain. Equipping three hundred cavalry with horses is a significant expense, already covered by Baron Jansen.
Henwell aims to establish a cavalry camp with at least five hundred soldiers. The remaining two hundred horses and equipment need to be smuggled in. Both the Kingdom of Ogiro and the Kingdom of Ika can supply these, but even at a friendly price, it's not cheap—over fifty gold coins per set, including the horse.
Henwell can't just buy two hundred sets; he needs an additional two hundred for training new recruits and accounting for normal wear and tear. Each cavalryman costs at least five gold coins monthly for upkeep and salary. Annually, one cavalryman consumes about sixty gold coins, totaling over thirty thousand gold coins for the entire cavalry camp each year.
Moreover, Henwell plans to form an infantry of a thousand men. Though slightly less expensive, the equipment and recruitment costs still exceed ten thousand gold coins, with annual salaries adding another ten thousand. With the costs of barracks, logistics, and personnel, Henwell's army requires nearly sixty thousand gold coins annually.
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This is already the maximum Henwell can earn from his legitimate business ventures. An annual expenditure of sixty thousand gold coins! Even a baron lord would grimace at such a figure. This is why noble private armies typically consist of one to two hundred elite soldiers, with the rest being militia. If a duchy calls for conscription, serf soldiers are often used to fill the ranks.
However, Henwell's army clearly isn't aimed at the standard of noble private forces. Instead, it's aligned with the elite regular forces of several nations. In a system of feudal lords like this, if he were in one of those centralized empires his comrades often talk about, forming such an army would likely result in a poisoned cup from the imperial center being delivered to his doorstep the next day.
With money paving the way and officers serving as the backbone, Henwell quickly assembles his army. Soon, everyone sees the Lord of Blood Hill leading his troops on daily runs.
Besides running a lap in the morning and evening, they spend their days digging at a small hill named Blood Hill. This hill, with only a hundred-meter elevation difference, irritates Henwell. He plans to flatten its top a bit to facilitate the construction of his knight's manor.
For a month, they run in the mornings and evenings and dig during the day. Henwell finally stops this routine, not just because he wants a level ground for his home, but more importantly, to select the best soldiers. He ensures the meals are rich and nutritious, guaranteeing the soldiers' health. If they can't endure this, how can they have the stamina and perseverance needed for killing?
Henwell doesn't dismiss the soldiers who are eliminated; instead, he assigns them to the logistics team. Even after a month of hard work, they're still far superior to the militia. From then on, the selected soldiers are relieved from labor and focus solely on training during the day.
At this time, Henwell's sale of city residency rights attracts many wealthy villagers and townsfolk to purchase property here. The thriving caravans bring an abundance of goods.
Although the city walls aren't up yet, the new city's residents already enjoy the perks of urban life: a rich variety of products, wide roads, brand-new houses, ample entertainment, and bustling streets. These elements allow them to savor the wonderful life of being city dwellers.
The patrolling city guards, night watch soldiers, and the cavalry camp, not to mention the martial prowess of the Lord of Blood Hill, provide the new city's residents with a profound sense of security, vastly different from that of villages and towns.
Of course, all this is built on the foundation of wealth. Living expenses in the city are significantly higher than in villages and towns. However, all the new city residents believe that the money is well spent.
As the saying goes, "It's like wearing brocade clothes at night if you don't return to your hometown in glory." Now that they've become city people, they feel the urge to flaunt it back in their villages.
People have a tendency to compete, which leads to another wave of new residents before winter sets in. Just when everyone thinks selling houses is a lucrative business, Henwell suddenly announces that the new city will temporarily stop accepting new residents. This decision puzzles Knight Mark and others. With so many houses still available, why not sell them?
Henwell doesn't offer much explanation. He plans to let those small-town big shots experience the ruthless tactics of capitalism firsthand.
Before the year's end, the price of a two-story house that once accommodated a family of six has more than doubled from its original one hundred and fifty gold coins.
Yet, people are eager to buy, seeking to acquire properties from previous buyers. Those duchy officers who followed Henwell's advice to purchase multiple properties are now grinning ear to ear with their profits. Knight Mark is so impressed that he's almost ready to swear brotherhood with Henwell.
Is Henwell motivated by money? Yes, but that's not all. He's also targeting the population in villages and towns—the serfs and lands held by wealthy families. As they spend more money on houses, they need additional funds. Becoming city dwellers makes them feel that they no longer need serfs, nor do they wish to farm their lands anymore.
Currently, everyone in Peace Haven is caught up in property speculation, while Henwell quietly acquires village lands and population resources at bargain prices.
Chapter 97: The Iron Fist of Capital
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