Chapter 347: Arms and food

Chapter 341 – Arms and Food

In the North City’s underground armament warehouse, a large number of oily, standardized muskets were neatly packed in boxes, secured by wooden strips, while on the side were already boxed up customized ammunition and maintenance kits.

These were to be sent to Ferrier and Solari, along with small caliber artillery and a large number of civilian muskets, the former for their own use, the latter for sale.

Originally, Owen had a lot of concerns, did not dare to sell a large number of firearms, but after a trip to the empire, he realized that the empire is fragmented, the real upper echelon is never care about firearms, and those who do care often do not have the right to change anything.

Taking Academy City as an example, if one was willing to do so, the initial industrialization could be completed within half a year, and within a year the technology could be upgraded to the fifties and sixties, and some of the technology could even reach the level of a science fiction movie.

By that time, not to mention guns, airplanes, tanks and rockets could be manufactured, the only problem was how expensive mass production would be.

Can make and can be produced are two different things, the former need a laboratory, the latter need a complete industrial system, is not a quantitative thing.

However, Owen did not dare to underestimate the empire, just the accumulation of thousands of years in the academy city, I do not know to what extent the depth of the heritage.

The power of the empire is the reason why Owen dared to sell firearms to the entire Northland, because the real people in power don’t care.

Of course, just firearms, Owen to really dare to aircraft tanks missiles satellites and other large-scale get out, the empire will not let go of him, because this level of equipment has been able to cause a huge threat to the empire, together with a group of legends sitting in the town, that is the level of the heart of the big trouble.

Firearms is now the North City in addition to food, iron sales of foreign another fist product, high profits.

The reason is very simple, because although most of the northern lords have someone behind them, but it is impossible to get the full support of the other side, even if they are given, they do not dare to go to all want, or else they will be completely hollowed out in minutes.

Although all the forces behind the launch, but who do not want to be independent, naturally will be wary.

At the same time, the chaotic and fierce competitive environment in the north makes it difficult for them to have a lot of time to train professional soldiers, so training short molding fast musketeers has become their best choice, once a large-scale army, in the absence of professional interference, against the ordinary army has a high probability of winning, so even if the cost is a little higher, they are willing to shell out money.

Ferrier and Solari are also facing the same problem, before the mining industry is really formed or earn a lot of profit, their monopoly on fur and livestock are the two most valuable industries in the Northland, so they are facing more challengers, so they have to improve their strength in the shortest possible time, otherwise they will face the fate of being eliminated.

Even the two have already prepared the worst intention, if the territory really can’t be defended, they will choose to completely defect to Owen, although they can’t keep the title of count, but the territory is gone, what else do you need a title for.

For two people’s intention, Owen knows well, but did not force the meaning, but strongly support two people to expand their strength.

The reason for doing so is that Owen did not only see the immediate interests.

After a line in the empire, he is very clear, in the absence of foreign enemies, the empire is his greatest enemy, even if there is no conflict now, does not mean that the future is still peaceful, so in addition to the town of Mala, he also needs to establish a buffer zone in the empire’s borders, it is clear that Ferrier and Solari are very suitable, so unless necessary, otherwise he will not interfere, but also strongly support the two people’s development. Before the end of the fall, another snow fell in the Northland, compared to the first light layer like a thin veil, this time the snow was thicker, and the temperature didn’t rise much after the snow stopped, on the contrary, it had a tendency to gradually decrease, and the sky above the Northland was even gathering a large dark and heavy clouds, which had a feeling of pressing down at any time, which made Owen’s heart feel a little bit heavy, because he knew what it meant.

Not only Owen could see the hidden crisis, some smart nobles in the Northland also sensed what was going on, especially with the arrival of the second snowfall, they not only accelerated the harvesting of crops in their territories, but also gave a lot of food orders to the merchant fleet.

As the only place that can export grain, North City also received many orders, but whether to sell a large number of depends on Owen’s decision, which even Maya can’t replace him to make the decision.

Holding the data of the material reserve sent by Maya, Owen fell into deep thought.

Even if the territory’s food was sold year after year, it was still in a state of surplus, for one thing, the amount sold each year was actually limited, and secondly, there was also the super farmland in Green Shade Town, so the food production was beyond the imagination of the general public.

These grains, part of the war reserve, part of the sale, and part of the wine used to brew, but several years accumulated, the inventory is still very amazing, many early stock has been in the critical point.

“This year’s new grain production has been reduced by three tiers, it looks like the other nobles will have a hard time in the next few days.” Owen rubbed his chin and said.

The North City has perfect planting technology and water conservancy facilities, and can even use steam machinery for cultivation and harvesting, even so, the production has been reduced by three layers, replaced by other nobles in the Northland, even if the territory is closer to the south and the temperature is a little higher, but the fall harvest has been reduced by half has become a foregone conclusion, and some even can’t collect the seeds back.

In this case, survival is a problem, after all, the vast majority of northern nobles belong to the new, have not yet established a firm foothold in the north, most of the consumption rely on the assistance of the Empire’s internal forces, their own which has what reserves, can only rely on the purchase.

“New grain as a reserve, sell the stale grain near the end of the term, increase the price of grain by fifty percent, anyway, they don’t have room to be picky.” Owen didn’t care about this profit, but he had to do it, because the Northlands, no, it was the entire empire, couldn’t tolerate a kind lord, because kindness meant weakness, hesitation, so he could be cruel, he could be greedy, only he couldn’t be kind, he couldn’t be merciful, even if he knew that restricting the sale of grains would kill a lot of people.

“Also tell them that they can exchange population for grain, give some concessions and encourage them to do so.” In the end, Owen let go of an opening, so that those northern nobles could exchange their unsupportable territorial people for life-saving grain, and sure enough, he was still too kind.

Owen labeling himself as kind wasn’t to put gold on his own face, because those northland nobles truly thought he was a kind person, because the grain they purchased from other places wasn’t as good as what they purchased in the north city.

Most of the food sold by the caravan to the north of the empire from the border warehouse, are stored for many years of old grain, because of poor preservation, mold and deterioration is common, mixed with sand and gravel rat shit than the grain are more than not uncommon, but the price is also very expensive, so that the purchase of the north of the aristocrats are full of grievances.

Of course they do not eat this stuff, but the people eat this kind of food, not only difficult to get enough nutrients, will also lead to a great increase in the chances of getting sick, and in the cold winter sickness means death.

In the sparsely populated Northland, population is far from being as cheap as the already saturated empire, which is why these Northland lords are heartbroken.

In contrast, although the grain sold in the northern city was also stale, it was very well preserved except for its poor taste, and because it was very dry, it was easier to store than new grain, so it was more popular.

(End of chapter)