Exiled to the Frontier, He Became the Empire’s Most Powerful Lord - Chapter 21
Early this morning, the soldiers in the East City camp began to march out of the city in formation!
“Your Highness, what is the meaning of your sudden order for the barbarian army to leave the city?”
Upon hearing the news, Lei Xingmie rushed over and asked.
The Military and Political Affairs Department was nominally under the jurisdiction of the Cabinet, but in reality, everyone knew that it was directly under the control of the Barbarian King.
However, as the head of the cabinet, Lei Xingmie naturally had to inquire about it.
“I was just looking for you!”
Zhou Lingfeng smiled slightly.
“I see many forests outside the city. Although the terrain is uneven, the soil is quite fertile! If we could cut down and prune 80% of the trees, we could create a lot of wasteland!”
“There are still too many people here who don’t have enough to eat.”
Zhou Lingfeng said with pity.
The situation in Mangcheng was incomparable to that of places in Jiangnan, let alone the land of fish and rice, or the prosperous and peaceful Shengjing.
Even in a central city like Shengjing, there were still many poor people.
There is not a single pure land in the heart of this Great Zhou Dynasty where people can live without worrying about food and clothing.
The area outside Mangcheng is actually very large, with fertile soil. With the use of modern planting techniques, it can become completely self-sufficient in the future.
It’s definitely going to be a land of plenty in the future.
However, the jungle here is filled with miasma and hides many ferocious beasts, making it a dangerous place.
“What does Your Highness mean?”
Lei Xingmie was taken aback.
“The inner city of Python City is too small; it must be expanded five times, or even ten times, or more!”
Zhou Lingfeng said directly.
“ten times?”
Lei Xingmie’s mouth almost twisted in shock.
“Furthermore, once these wastelands are cleared, any resident of Python City who is willing to leave the city to cultivate them can receive 50% of the property as private property!”
Zhou Lingfeng then continued.
His dream is to create a truly prosperous place.
“Your Highness, may members of my three great families also be considered?”
Lei Xingmie hurriedly asked!
Although the three families were large and powerful, over the years, the number of collateral relatives increased, and their lives became increasingly impoverished.
“All my subjects are treated equally! In a while, new laws will also be promulgated in our Python City.”
“Let’s assume one person cultivates four acres for now!”
Zhou Lingfeng thought about it for a while.
“On behalf of the people of Mangcheng, I thank Your Highness! If Your Highness can truly uphold the principle of equality under the law, that would be wonderful!”
Lei Xingmie was overjoyed and completely convinced!
This is a truly benevolent policy!
By cultivating four acres of land, one person can obtain two acres of private property!
The harvest from one acre of land is enough to support two people.
If a family has five able-bodied members, as long as they work hard, how can they not live a good life?
The real poverty in this world is actually the distribution system, where most of the money is taken by those in power!
Among the tens of thousands of barbarian king’s army were many high-ranking warriors. Although they encountered many ferocious beasts while clearing the jungle, they quickly became barbecue delicacies for the soldiers.
The prince even shared a recipe for a sauce, a spicy version of the ferocious beast meat with thirteen spices, which directly became a culinary label.
The announcement from the Barbarian King’s Palace caused an uproar throughout Python City! Many impatient people even rushed to the outskirts of the city to watch!
Many people were awestruck when they saw the jungles gradually cleared away and many terraced fields come into view.
Although Zhou Lingfeng has never shown his face in Python City, his prestige and reputation have been quietly accumulating.
The soldiers of the Barbarian King’s army have a higher level of enthusiasm for exploration than anyone else!
Because the people of Mangcheng receive 50% of the profits from reclaiming wasteland!
But they can get double!
Moreover, the better the logging and clearing, the more land they will obtain!
Inside the Barbarian King’s Palace cabinet, Lei Xingmie and the two clan leaders were discussing the development of Python City after the New Year!
The prescriptions Zhou Lingfeng gave him have gathered skilled craftsmen from all over the city, and they are already making progress.
In particular, it can be confirmed that the first batch of cement samples can be produced in half a month.
“Your Highness is truly a man of great talent and vision! This cement is made from locally sourced materials, requiring only labor costs! Once it can be put into use, it will make city walls and paving roads incredibly sturdy, impervious to water and fire—it’s practically a divine artifact!”
“Indeed! With such a divine object, expanding Python City will be a piece of cake! Combined with the current reclamation of wasteland outside the city, it won’t be difficult for Python City to expand tenfold next year!”
“The prince also said that the 300-mile-long official road leading out of our Mangcheng will be paved with cement! This will make it easy to transport all our mountain products to Funingcheng for sale!”
The three of them were extremely excited, as if they had witnessed a miracle!
After all, if Python City develops, the three major families will benefit the most!
Thinking of this, the three of them felt full of energy.
Although the three major families originally called the shots in Python City, it was still too poor and backward!
They were not greedy people, so their family wealth was like that of the poor compared to the powerful families of Funing City.
Although there’s now a barbarian king above him, this guy is actually easy to get along with!
Not only is he easygoing, but he also knows how to share benefits with the people of Mangcheng.
This is undoubtedly a wise and capable ruler, and the three clan leaders have already decided to follow him.
“Your Highness, the brothels and casinos in the city are nominally controlled by the three major families, but it seems that they are actually run by the Green Dragon Gang! However, because Python City is too poor, their profits can only come from these businesses!”
Hong Jiuming was reporting to Zhou Lingfeng at this moment.
“Brothels and gambling dens are far too low-class! They need to be reformed!”
“There must be too much bloodshed hidden here.”
Zhou Lingfeng said calmly.
Hong Jiuming was somewhat surprised, because brothels and casinos were legal in the Great Zhou Dynasty and even in the previous dynasty.
After all, human nature is inherently inclined towards lust and poison!
Once banned, it will inevitably cause some trouble.
The brothels in this python city were only affordable for wealthy families, and their influence was limited to a small number of people.
Casinos are truly a cancer, leading impoverished families into despair.
“You don’t need to worry about this! Go and tell Lei Xingmie and the others to come see me!”
Zhou Lingfeng said calmly.
“Your Highness, how do you plan to reform brothels and gambling dens?”
Autumn, who had been busy all along, couldn’t help but ask in a sweet voice.
“Prostitutes are all pitiful! A pair of jade arms, a thousand men’s pillows; a single red lip, tasted by ten thousand men. Is this not the most tragic thing in the world? I, the king, will change their fate and let them live with dignity!”
Zhou Lingfeng said calmly.
A strange light flashed in Qiu Tian’s beautiful eyes. It was the first time she had ever seen someone of such high status show pity for a courtesan.
“Your Highness, the wasteland outside the city is all your private property. How can you be willing to share it with the people?”
Autumn’s beautiful eyes were fixed on Zhou Lingfeng; this was actually the question she cared about most.
“All things in the world actually belong to all people! Besides, I only eat three meals a day and sleep in one bed. What use would I have for so many things?”
Zhou Lingfeng smiled.
At this moment, he finally felt the kindness that autumn had shown him, though it was very faint, it still represented something.
“If only all the princes, nobles, and other important figures in the world were like Your Highness!”
Autumn suddenly sighed softly, a hint of sadness in her beautiful eyes.
“Perhaps such a day will come in future generations!”
Zhou Lingfeng turned his head to look at her delicate and charming face, and then said, “Push me into the courtyard.”
So far, apart from Mo Li and Hong Jiuming, no one knows that Zhou Lingfeng is not actually disabled.
Even in autumn, you would never think of this!
After all, what normal person could endure living in a wheelchair for three years straight?
If Zhou Lingfeng hadn’t possessed the temperament of a top-tier soldier king, he would have already lost his temper!
Lei Xingmie and the other two arrived very quickly, and on the way they had already inquired about Hong Jiuming’s intentions, which led them to misunderstand Zhou Lingfeng’s meaning.
“Does His Highness’s sudden mention of reforming brothels and gambling dens have any hidden meaning?”
Lei Xingmie began to ponder.
Although the prince has stunning beauties like Qiu Tian and Mo Li by his side, it doesn’t seem like they have a very open relationship.
However, wildflowers always smell sweeter than cultivated flowers, and the prince might prefer the skilled and adept women found in brothels.
After all, he was once the Crown Prince, and what kind of debauchery hadn’t he experienced? Besides, a real man would dare to drug his sister-in-law.
The three discussed it for a few minutes and then suddenly realized something.
It’s a man’s nature; after being in Pan for so long, it’s impossible for the prince not to have needs.
Although the prince’s two legs are crippled, his third leg is perfectly fine!
“Immediately send someone to find a woman for the prince, preferably a voluptuous and beautiful young woman!”
Lei Xingmie made the arrangement in his self-righteous opinion.
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