Chapter 228 War and Tax Exemptions

The gate to the other world is right there, and anyone can enter. But after the nobles of the North Wind Province entered a few times, they found that the natives of that world were difficult to get along with.

The human natives were barbaric and primitive, and the beasts in that other dimension were all tall and mighty. Coupled with the unique mountain environment, it was difficult for the army to clear them on a large scale, resulting in the nobles suffering considerable losses during this period but not much gain.

Naturally, the group thought of Ryan.

“No, there are so many things to do in the frozen land, how can I have the time?”

Ryan, who was on Rhino Horn Mountain, said to Butler Beard, then looked at the vast northern territory with some worry in his eyes.

It’s not that cold now, but looking north from the permafrost territory, there are still a lot of mountains covered with ice and snow. I don’t know if the ice can melt this summer.

“Last year’s snowstorm was scary enough. If there’s another snowstorm this year…”

“This winter will also be very cold.”

Ryan sighed. No one knew what the winter would be like earlier than the Frozen Territory. When experience and inertia could not explain the weather, it meant that huge changes had taken place.

“We need to prepare for the winter early, Beard. You will be responsible for this.”

“Follow your wishes.”

Beard was a little tired, because there were too many things going on in the Frozen Territory right now. The watchtower on the mountain needed the transportation and routes for supplies, the development of terraces, the transportation of land and stones, and the Frozen Territory began to migrate part of the population to the area around the terraces little by little to defend against wild beasts and protect the grown crops.

In the town at the foot of Rhino Horn Mountain within the territory, everyone was busy with things happening all around.

This is still the closer ones. For the farther ones, some teams from Lingdu County are responsible for going to the territories of those nobles to hand over. What are they handing over? Ryan tripled the number of orders from the Southern Chamber of Commerce because the extra part was sent to the Andara Kingdom.

Someone needs to hand over this batch of weapons. A little further away, Tieshan County had opened up trade with the two counties because of the war, and now the two counties are gradually contacting each other. The economic products from the north and other dimensions in the Frozen Territory are gradually invading the market there.

The same is true for Thundercloud County. The nobles there have only three ways to be accepted back into the circle of North Wind Province. Two of them are the two earls, and the third is to go through Ryan to avoid being blamed by other nobles for the war with the Holy See in the subsequent compensation and land conflicts.

These things require more than just manpower.

Finally, there are many lands in Thundercloud County that belong to Master Ryan. Most of those lands are used to grow magical crops. The people sent there are not just serfs. Knowledgeable people and soldiers must also be arranged to protect those places.

With so many troubles, Ryan has too much to take care of, so naturally he has no time to develop any alternate dimension.

As for the wintering, it can only be left to Beard, who already has a lot of things to do.

“By the way, don’t cut down the trees on the northern mountain. One more tree will make the frozen land warmer.”

As for the north, Ryan not only cannot cut down trees, but also has to vigorously develop a forest ranger system to plant trees, otherwise the winter wind in the north will let the frozen land taste the cruelty of this world.

“Forget it, don’t cut firewood or anything like that in the south.”

Ryan didn’t know how much effect the trees in the mountains could have in resisting the cold, but thinking that rabbits don’t eat grass near their burrows, he simply gave up all options within the frozen land.

To the east, farther away, isn’t it necessary to open up a path to the Andara Kingdom? Start from here.

“After a while, I will go to the other dimension in Thundercloud County. There are countless trees there. I will bring them back as firewood.”

Ryan’s decision reduced a lot of work for Beard. He left the castle respectfully and began to arrange the rest of the matters in a hurry.

But it wasn’t long before Beard returned to the castle.

“Master, someone is coming from Count Winter’s side.”

“Oh?” Ryan’s eyes were subtle. He knew that there was something wrong when all those nobles suddenly came to him.

Ryan picked up the data parchment in front of him and headed to the castle hall.

“Mr. Hola, why is it you?”

Ryan looked at Hola Winter in front of him with some surprise. How could the Earl’s younger brother, a powerful sky knight, come to the Frozen Territory in person?

“There are some things…”

Hola looked around and Ryan waved his hand to let all the servants leave.

“Can we talk now?”

Hola thought for a moment and said:
“After the war, the Winter family began to strengthen their relations in the south. The North Wind Province belongs to the Empire, there is no doubt about that. Under the operation of the Earl, the destruction of one thousand Holy Heavenly Knights was recognized by the Empire, thus exempting the North Wind Province from taxes this year.”

When he said this, Ryan’s face had already turned bad.

“Just this year?”

Hola nodded.

“Only this year, the Earl was also very angry, but the Empire also said that it would purchase a large number of iron weapons from the North Wind Province.”

“That’s a good idea. Give us money to buy our resources, and then take back the gold coins in our hands in the form of taxes.”

Ryan took a deep breath. He didn’t think that this war would cause the Empire to lift taxes on the Northern Province. He didn’t even think that the tax exemption policy would last for ten years, but three to five years would be enough.

I didn’t expect it would only be one year.

“The war in the South doesn’t look promising.”

Ryan sighed and said that the empire shouldn’t do this at this time, but there was still only one year of tax exemption, which meant that other things had affected the victory of the war in the north.

Hora was extremely surprised, because after hearing the news, Earl Winter was furious for more than two hours before he calmed down and figured it out. Baron Ryan in front of him actually thought of it the first time in the North.

“Yes, the Earl also knew that the war in the south must have influenced the decision. After inquiring through channels in the south, the Earl learned that the empire suffered heavy losses in the war in Qianhu Province.”

“Another naval fleet on the west coast was severely damaged. No one knows the reason, and many legion commanders in Qianhu Province were assassinated.”

“Assassination?”

Ryan was surprised, but didn’t ask any more questions.

“But… this is not the reason why I came to the frozen land to meet you, Baron Ryan.”

Hora also fell silent and said seriously:

“Just a month ago, the Royal Family of Columbus crowned a member of the Royal Family as a believer of light, the god of light, the lord of the morning light, the favored one of the gods, and the great emperor of the empire, the ruler of the land.”

“His title is—Marquis of the North Wind.”

Ryan’s eyes widened for a moment.

(End of this chapter)