Civilization: Beyond Two Worlds

Chapter 564: 564
Chapter 565-Jun Buyi

Han Zezheng’s prediction was correct.

The economic war between the dignitaries of the distant port had already begun that morning.

As the pearl of commerce, the residents of Goethe City on the west coast did not have the habit of stockpiling food, or rather, they did not have the right to do so.

They tended to buy cooked food or semi-processed ingredients from bakeries, vegetable shops, and meat shops every day. The prices of the bread varied, and of course, the taste was also very different. From wild vegetables to fresh fruits and vegetables, from salted fish to beef and mutton, the poor ate the cheap food of the poor, and the rich ate the delicacies of the rich.

This model relied heavily on the stability of the food supply.

And today, the rumors of uneasiness were quietly growing.

There was another problem with the food supply.

Even though Kant’s operation had already caught a large number of criminals who had spread rumors in the distant port and punished them with deterrent punishments, the rumors still spread rapidly. This was because they had a foundation in the masses. Clothing, food, housing, and transportation were the daily concerns of the commoners. The price of grain was the most sensitive thing.

During the war, the supply of food at the distant port had become a problem. However, it was only thanks to the inland shipping and proper dispatch that Kant managed to defeat the elves. The defenders and nobles did not starve to death, but the civilians who stopped work had tasted the taste of hunger.

Because they knew what it was like, they would be afraid when they heard that there was a problem with the food supply.

If they were afraid, they would take action.

Even if they didn’t have the habit of stockpiling food, they would still develop this habit.

Once again, it was not so much that the civilians and even the poor in the distant port did not have the habit of stockpiling grain, but rather that they did not have the capital to do so. When the daily wages were barely enough to feed their families, who could afford extra bread? It was just a matter of eating one meal to earn the next.

But the problem was…They were all rich now.

Kant gave them the money.

When the first family gritted their teeth and fished out a silver coin from the cracks of their tiles, intending to exchange it for wheat that was easier to preserve, a trend would slowly take shape. Kant’s act of distributing money had given the city’s 200,000 to 300,000 residents the most basic purchasing power. This was exactly what the nobles wanted.

Everyone had money, but food was limited. Everyone was afraid that they would not be able to buy it later, so they would be even more eager to buy food. The more anxious everyone was to sell food, the more food would be scarce.

The price of grain would also rise accordingly.

This was a vicious cycle.

” Stupid. Giving money to the poor is simply stupid.”

Listening to the report on the grain store in the city, Governor Norman stood in his bright and spacious office, overlooking the entire city through the French windows.

He revealed a cold and mocking smile.

” Lord Guardian, you are powerful, your alchemy skills are unrivaled, and your Forbidden Spell Sword is awe-inspiring. However, success in one field does not mean that you are good at another. Just like how you don’t know how to farm, an experienced captain might not know how to ride a horse, he doesn’t know how to govern a province, nor does he know how to manage the commoners. Coincidentally, I know, and the lords of Distant Harbor know. No one knows better than us.”

There was a burst of laughter behind him.

The governor shook his head slightly.” A commoner is a commoner. He works hard every day to earn enough money to feed his family. He can eat his fill every day and spend all the money he earns every day. That’s enough.”

” The economic activities are macro and precise. They should be controlled and adjusted by wise and kind decent people like us. When the commoners have money, they will buy things randomly according to their stupid and short-sighted instincts, affecting our job of regulating prices…Just like now.”

He turned around and pointed out the window, looking at his team and partners.

” Our Lord Guardian is a benevolent and kind idealist. He has no experience and actually did the stupid thing of directly giving money to the commoners. Everyone can be mayors or even governors in the future. Please remember this lesson. The commoners are short-sighted and stupid. Once they have money, they will buy food and cloth at a higher price, making everyone suffer…And this time, we should teach the lowly peasants a lesson.”

” They will finally understand who is the benevolent ruler and who can feed them.”

He nodded at the secretary.” Mr. Collier, please draft a document for me. Order the surrounding villages and towns to collect food and supply it to the distant port.” Your Highness Kant can do whatever you want, but as the governor of the distant port appointed by His Excellency the Grand Duke, I have to fulfill my sacred duty as an official.”

Everyone present laughed knowingly.

This time, it was considered that the nobles from all walks of life in Distant Harbor had joined forces to make things difficult for Kant. However, everyone was afraid, so they came to a tacit agreement. They were betting that Kant cherished his reputation and did not dare to use force at the risk of inciting public anger in the mainland. Therefore, they could operate within the rules.

The so-called rules meant that the matter had to be handled beautifully so that Kant would not be able to get hold of it.

For example, as the highest administrative chief, the governor had to ensure the safety of the residents in his jurisdiction. Therefore, in order to solve the food problem, he had to order the surrounding areas to mobilize food.

He did as he was told. He abided by his duty and left Kant speechless.

However, giving orders was one thing, and carrying them out was another.

When the orders reached the lower levels, they would have to take a step back. For example, due to the war consumption, the lower levels had no food to transfer. Under strict orders, the officials at all levels barely managed to gather some food. Today, the grain carts were damaged, tomorrow, they would be attacked by bandits, and the day after, the roads would be blocked by mudflows. It was not easy to transport them to the distant port, but they would all be bought by the hungry people outside the city. This was also something that could not be helped. Everyone did their duty and did their job.

If Your Highness Kant wants to pursue this matter, then kill everyone from the governor to the grain collector.

Fortunately, they were still wary of Kant’s military might. They did not force the local farmers to provide food or starve the Goethe people in other areas. They even pushed all the blame on Kant.

” Let’s teach His Highness Kant a lesson. Force cannot rule a country.”

After the secretary drafted the order, the governor checked that there were no mistakes. He stamped the seal ring, sealed it, and copied a copy for filing. Then, he said calmly,” We have to let him understand the fact that Goethe is the Goethe of our nobles. We are grateful for his protection and contribution and are willing to share this country with him. The premise is that he joins us. If he wants to kick us away or surpass us…Then I’m sorry.”

At this moment, a person behind him asked softly.

“Can we win? I’m not doubting our strength, but Kant…”

He said,” He has a way to get food from many places. Valentan, the Empire, the Council, the elves… “If the food is continuously transported over, we will have no choice but to continue eating it. This will consume our currency. Once our liquid funds are insufficient to eat all of his food, then…”

The panic would shift from the untouchables to them.

If they sold their food in panic, their side would suffer a great loss.

” Don’t worry, my friend. His Highness Kant is too arrogant. He thinks he’s invincible and has made enemies everywhere instead of making friends. Whether it’s the Empire, the Council, or the elves, there are many enemies who hate him in these huge countries. Even if he buys food from these places, he’ll definitely be stopped…”

“Even if he really managed to get food…”

At this point, the governor sneered.” We are not fighting alone. Our uninvited allies will provide us with a steady stream of funds. We can eat as much food as Kant gets.”

The rush to buy had gradually taken shape.

This process would have taken three to five days to develop, but Kant had distributed money to all the residents in the city, increasing the spending power of the entire city. This could indeed boost the economy in a country with abundant supplies, but when there was a shortage of food or even a situation where panic was artificially induced, it would lead to terrifying inflation.

Each resident was given a silver coin, which was a Luke silver coin made by Goethe.

Kant had weighed it and found that it contained about five grams of silver. It was the currency with the largest face value that Goethe’s lower-middle class citizens could come into contact with. As for the larger face value of the international Elevi silver coins that were commonly used in various countries, or even various gold coins, they were far from the lives of the civilians.

Luke’s silver coins could be exchanged for about twenty Simir copper coins, which were the most frequently used small change in Goethe.

Based on the stable price of goods in the peaceful period of Distant Harbor, four copper coins could buy one catty of coarse grain bread or four loaves of black bran bread, which were the daily rations of ordinary citizens and lower-class civilians.

Six copper coins could buy less than half a catty of pork or an ordinary lamb chop.

Forty copper coins could be used to rent a carriage for an hour at the carriage shop. A strong stevedores working at the dock for eighteen hours could earn up to thirty copper coins.

The ideal three meals for a decent citizen, which included desserts, eggs, bread, vegetables, meat, and tips, cost about 20 copper coins.

These prices were carefully calculated. Under the control and manipulation of the rich and powerful, they reached a strange balance, allowing society to maintain relative stability.

As long as the civilians at the bottom who sold their labor worked hard, they could always support their families. Although there was a high chance of malnutrition and overdraft of their health, they would not starve to death immediately.

The ordinary citizens could maintain a relatively decent life to form a sense of superiority towards the lower class.

As for the upper echelons…

That day, Kant had sent out nearly 240,000 Luke silver coins and one ton and 200 kilograms of silver, which had only consumed half of the Tingston Family’s confiscated silver. They had even more valuable gold coins, as well as other valuable antiques, jewelry, famous paintings, magic crystals, and enchanted equipment.

There were also more valuable properties, land, fleets, chambers of commerce, and so on.

This was only one of the wealthiest families in Distant Harbor.

There wasn’t even the so-called disparity between rich and poor in the other world.

However, that was not the main point. The main point was that, under the schemes of the interest groups that controlled the city and even the entire province, the stable prices of goods in Distant Harbor had suddenly fluctuated. The silver coins that were distributed to the civilians came from the Tingston family and the aristocrats. Now, they had also become the weapons of the aristocrats, starting to push up the price of grain.

With Kant’s orders, Han Zezheng and the rest of the forces that had joined Kant’s ranks gathered their strength and began to fight back to suppress the price of grain. This was their first battle.

“Release the food…The food stored at home, the warehouses of the farms outside the city, and the food that you have secretly hoarded will be kept for your own use for a month. The rest will be gathered and sold in the city.”

The large conference room on the second floor of Tidal Sound Manor became the command center for the grain price defense war. Han Zezheng was authorized to take full charge of this matter. He represented Kant’s will and also had Kant’s military support.

Kant’s words seemed to have ignited the old man’s ambition. He looked at the nobles, businessmen, and people from all walks of life sitting on both sides of the conference table.” I know that many of you here are like me. You have ambition, pursuit, and wisdom. That’s why you’ve sought refuge with His Highness Kant.”

” To the lords of Distant Harbor, we are all traitors, but we know that we have made the right choice. Since we have made the choice, we should always trust our new master. A second allegiance is not a disgrace, but a wise one. The premise is that there will not be a third time.”

He pressed his hands on the table and leaned forward in an extremely aggressive manner.

His gaze was as sharp as a sword, and his will was unquestionable.

” I know that there may be some fence-sitters or even spies among you. You should know that the bodies in front of the municipal square were split, cut, strangled, and chopped up. Even if His Highness Kant lost the battle, it would not change the fact that he used the Forbidden Spell Sword to intimidate the continent. He still has the power to kill any traitor. Don’t repeat the mistakes of the foolish.”

” So I’ll repeat it for the last time.”

” At most, we’ll leave a month’s worth of rations. The shogunate will buy the rest from you at market price. Whether you’re hoarding food for self-protection or to make a fortune, now is not the time.”

” His Highness Kant won’t allow you to make a fortune on this matter. Now that you’ve submitted to His Highness, you don’t have to worry about protecting yourself. Will His Highness Kant just sit by and watch you starve to death? Do you think the food you’ve hoarded is as delicious as His Highness Kant’s candies, biscuits, bread, and pastries?”

“Please make the right choice.”

At this moment, a merchant carefully raised his hand.

“Mr. Reed, is there a problem?”

“Yes, Sir Han.” The gentleman with a mustache stood up and bowed.” Please forgive me for being presumptuous. Even if we hand over all our grain reserves, we won’t be able to compete with the enemy. You are all people from afar, so you should know how powerful and powerful the enemy we are facing this time is. If we just sell our grain reserves to stabilize the prices, we will soon be swept away by the terrified people…”

“Thank you for your honesty, Your Excellency.”

” But this is an order from His Highness,” Han Zezheng said.” Lord Kant has his own arrangements.”

Upon hearing this, Mr. Fry could only bow and sit down, even though he was cursing in his heart.

How could it be like this?

His Highness Kant really did not understand economics or the people’s livelihood.

This was the private complaint of these ”

But on the surface, they still agreed to all of Han Zezheng’s requests and orders.

The granaries of the various families were opened continuously to mobilize food and began to donate blood to the distant port.

After everyone left, Han Zezi sat back on his chair and slowly exhaled.

Han Guangcheng, who was the secretary, stepped forward and massaged his father’s temples.

“.. Father.”

The young son looked around carefully and then lowered his voice. We are throwing out grain now without any restrictions. It’s like carrying firewood to put out a fire. Isn’t this getting worse? Why didn’t Your Highness Kant send troops to limit the price?”

Han Zezheng opened his eyes and looked at his son in relief. He had finally improved a little.

He slowly exhaled,”It’s a game!” What His Highness was after was not the loss of grain prices in a city. If he used weapons first, his reputation would be weakened. If he used weapons this time, he would use them again the next time. Every time this happened, the rules would be broken. Not to mention other things, if the merchants saw that you used weapons every time, they would send troops to interfere when the grain prices rose. Who would dare to do business? This way, Distant Harbor will be completely crippled.”

” Moreover, every time he flipped the table and used weapons to speak, economic and commercial problems were solved by war. Every time he did this, it only showed that the ruler was incompetent and made the kings of the other countries laugh at him.”

Han Guangcheng mumbled,” But we can’t be so reckless. The food we can raise is just a drop in the bucket. If the price is set too low, it will be swept away. Other than raising the price, what’s the use?” I can see that His Highness Kant is good at fighting, his spells are amazing, and his alchemy skills are unparalleled. However, his business is terrible…”

As soon as he finished speaking, his head was hit. Han Zezheng shouted angrily,”How dare you!” How can you criticize the lord? My Han family is already under the protection of the lord, and that is also your lord! Have you forgotten all the things I taught you since you were young?”

“I was wrong!” Han Guangcheng could only kneel in his father’s anger.

As soon as he finished speaking, he was kicked by his father. Stand up!”

Han Guangcheng had no choice but to get up and lower his head to be beaten and scolded.

Old Han sighed. You’re still young. The way to be loyal to a ruler is sometimes to remonstrate directly, but sometimes to not doubt. Now is the time to not doubt, but you want to remonstrate directly. Other than increasing disgust, what’s the use? At the very least, Your Highness has never lost since the beginning of time.”

Han Guangcheng heard the hidden meaning behind her words and raised his head. Your Highness can still win this time?”

“Yes.”

“But…Why?”

” I don’t know, but I don’t need to know either. Before the Battle of Valentan and the Battle of Lucerne, do you know how His Highness Kant defeated the five Dragon Flag legions? Do you know how he defeated the entire elite elven expeditionary army by himself? So now, it’s normal that you don’t know.”

“Right now, we just need to believe.” Han Ze sat back in his chair and said slowly.

“.. Father.”

His son asked softly,” You said that the way to be loyal to a king is sometimes to remonstrate directly, and sometimes not to doubt. I don’t understand. When should I remonstrate directly, and when should I not doubt?”

The merchant from Aurora was silent for a moment. Then, he slowly said,” I’ve read the history books, but there has never been anyone like Your Highness. This is a heroic ruler that has never existed in the past dynasties. When should I remonstrate with him directly? When should I not doubt him? It’s very simple.”

“Before my lord encounters his first failure… No one will doubt it!”

He glanced at his son. You have always wanted to sail out to sea, so you have learned arithmetic formulas. Now, you are using what you have learned here. His Highness said that no one in the distant port is allowed to starve to death. You calculate for me how much food we have to leave as emergency relief food, and…”

The war to defend the grain price in the distant port began.

In the frantic and anxious rush to buy and price increases, the rumors and anxiety that grew more intense the next day burned fiercely. The cheap grain that was shipped was swept away. The grain that Han Zezheng had gathered was thrown into the market, like a stone falling into a whirlpool. With a splash, it disappeared.

Kant received Han Zezheng, who was in a hurry.

Your Highness, there’s a problem.”

” The source of funding for this business war is more complicated and abundant than we imagined,” the old man said in a deep voice.” The enemies we are facing are not just the local dignitaries of Distant Harbor.”

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[PS 1: Upgraded…]

P.S. 2: The currency setting in this book is not as simple as gold, silver, and copper. It is not as simple as 1:10:100. It is best to achieve a balance between reasonable setting and reading cost. The relevant economic and currency settings will be released in the future. For example, the price setting of distant ports in this chapter refers to the prices of major cities in France before and after the French Revolution. It is to ensure realism and rationality as much as possible.

” The reason why I chose France is because the works of Balzac, Alexandre Dumas, and others have recorded the social life of the time in great detail. They are ready-made settings and can be used for free. Alright, there are white words.”