Chapter 36: Cunning Seizure

Because the territory was very small, there was no justification for creating numerous departments. Therefore, establishing many departments was completely unnecessary. The management was also exceptionally simple.

In that era, there was no precedent for centralized authority on the Mu Continent. Feudal lords were regarded by everyone at that time as the orthodox and rightful path.

In other words, the officials working for Farra had no real experience. Those officials truly lacked any substantial experience. Trying to skip over this stage and jump straight to centralization would be utterly absurd.

This was also one of the reasons why Farra decided to start out as a city-state. It was small and simple, allowing the workers to get some practice first. After one or two, three or five years, once they became skilled, expansion could begin. Once the outermost framework was built, expansion would be just a minor military matter. Although this was just a “small matter” from Farra’s perspective. Indeed, it was only a “small matter” for Farra himself.

On the second day after Farra had issued the new institutional framework, he summoned Harper and emphasized some key points.

“For the Construction Department and the Agriculture Department, remember to assign more people who truly understand their work, as I do not need useless men on the payroll.”

“Yes.”

“The plot of land to the north will be for the construction of the Administrative Hall, which will later serve as your office. However, this matter needs to be put on hold for now; once the cultivated land there has been opened up to 2,000 acres, we can transfer the surplus manpower over.”

“Yes.”

“Afterwards, I will have the captives brought back. Assign all those captives to the land reclamation, and substitute their daily rations with eggs and the like, since the harvest on the cultivated land has not yet fully come in.”

“Yes……”

“Then arrange personnel to observe those guys’ attitudes. For the hostile ones, work them to death; for the compliant ones, give them household registration and a room. I do not want to see any lazybones, and everyone must be given work… again, those who do not labor shall not eat. As for the copper and silver coins I have brought back, have someone contact those merchants and exchange them all for tools, and in the Industrial District construct a Textile Factory first, followed by a Brewery and a Paper Mill.”

“Yes.”

Farra thought it over and confirmed there were no major omissions in the overall direction. Then he patted Harper on the shoulder. “Do a good job.”

“Yes, my Lord!”

After tossing all the tasks to Harper, Farra left the territory again with his own troops. However, out of the four hundred people brought back, he left one hundred in the territory. Their mission was very simple. They were to guard the armory. It was also to guard against any unforeseen circumstances.

Although leaving only one hundred people in the territory as a precaution appeared somewhat flimsy, after assessing the strength of the surrounding lords, Farra considered it quite reasonable. The bandits in the back mountain had already been cleared out by him. On the side of the other lords, at this point nothing had yet come to light… the matter of Engel had not leaked out. For the time being, it posed no major issue.

By the time those relevant barons had any reaction, Farra reckoned they would not come marching to punish him. Instead, he intended to take his sword and personally knock on their doors to pay his respects. Farra pulled one extra person from the Imperial Guard that was guarding the armory to lead them. Apart from him, Harper had no authority to redeploy that person. Or more precisely, apart from Farra, no one else within the territory was qualified to touch military authority. He could delegate every other power to his subordinates. Only military authority, even with the retainer Contract in place as a restriction, would Farra not hand over lightly. At least not for now.

……

“Lord Joy, you have a letter.”

“My letter? Let me see it. Who delivered it?”

“It was brought by someone from Baron Engel.”

It was in the Joy Barony. After opening the letter handed over by his subordinate, Joy casually scanned it. Then he could not help but burst out laughing. “Ha! My old friend Engel, we haven’t seen each other for a while, so how did you end up in such a sorry state? You’re actually surrounded by bandits?”

Standing beside him, his trusted subordinate heard Joy’s monologue and immediately thought he must have misheard. What on earth? A lord surrounded by bandits? How was that possible?

After laughing for a while, Joy read the letter through from beginning to end again. Then he laughed for a while again. The room was filled with an atmosphere of joy. After taking some time to calm himself, Joy finally said to his trusted subordinate, “Go count the soldiers and prepare for the expedition.”

“Yes, Lord Joy. Should we mobilize everyone?”

“We’re only dealing with a mere gang of bandits; why would three thousand be needed? A thousand will suffice! Have them make preparations, we need to go and lift the siege for my good friend.”

“Yes.”

The subordinate immediately went to count the soldiers. Including the entire castle garrison and the surrounding standing troops, the total came to almost a thousand men. After receiving the order, all the soldiers assembled on the field outside the castle. All the soldiers gathered on the open ground outside the castle.

Joy dressed in full gear and walked out to inspect them. Then he nodded in satisfaction. Among these thousand, five hundred carried swords and shields, and five hundred carried spears, more than enough to suppress a band of bandits. The only problem was the supplies on the road. Feeding and supplying a thousand men was not that easy. Although the distance was not very far.

“Anfen, from here to Baron Engel’s castle, how much food do we need to bring?”

“My Lord, I have roughly calculated that at least five days’ rations are needed.”

“Can we resupply along the way?”

“Along the way is all within your territory, so we can resupply. However, once we reach Baron Engel’s domain, I’m afraid we won’t be able to……”

“Oh, that’s fine then. Since we’re going to rescue him, it’s perfectly reasonable for him to cover a bit of the military expenses. Let him foot the bill for the provisions of this thousand-strong army!”

“Yes……”

Seeing his lord’s beaming face, Anfen knew exactly what was on his master’s mind. Anfen thus knew his lord’s intention was definitely not to rescue Engel. Rather, he was calculating how much loot he could casually pick up along the way. At the very least, he wanted to break even with the expenses of mobilizing a thousand men.

“Alright, Anfen, go organize the troops, we’re about to depart!”

“Yes.”

After receiving the plea for help personally delivered by Engel’s subordinate, Joy set his forces in motion that very day and departed directly from his own territory to aid Engel. They barely rested at all along the way. Once they reached Engel’s territory, Joy immediately slowed down, proceeding at a measured pace. He also had his soldiers collect rescue fees from the large and small villages along the way.

In a fine phrase, they proclaimed, “We are reinforcements here to save people!” They had rushed over without even eating. What’s wrong with requesting some supplies? Of course, while taking some provisions, they also conveniently took a few other things. The villagers did not dare to resist. They could only hand over everything they had. Then they watched as the thousand-strong army marched majestically through their village.

As they drew closer to Engel’s castle, Anfen reminded Joy, who had been continuously engaging in crafty plunder along the way. “Lord Joy, we are already near Engel’s castle; I suggest we send someone ahead to reconnoiter the specific situation.”

Upon hearing this, Joy waved his hand and said, “Whatever you decide is fine.” He was still busy drinking and eating meat while inventorying the various supplies they had gathered along the way.

“Yes.”

Anfen saluted. He then began assigning various tasks to the thousand-man force that had run all the way there. Generally speaking, not every lord would lead troops… those who did not understand the military side actually comprised the vast majority. At least in regions driven by years of conflict, that was how it worked. Under them, they would usually have a military advisor. In wartime, commands would basically be issued by that person. However, when the lord spoke, the advisor’s command authority vanished entirely.

Joy knew that he actually could not fight and that commanding a thousand men was somewhat difficult. So he simply entrusted it to his capable subordinate, Anfen.