Chapter 010: This is all food (Part 1)

Bruno sat casually on the ground, forming a circle with his attendants around the campfire

Wait a moment

However, this does not mean that the villages near the seaside are sparsely populated; on the contrary, in Idar, among the scattered dilapidated villages by the sea, approximately one-fifth of the serfs of the entire Idar territory are gathered.

Bruno looked at the burning bonfire and couldn't help but let out a bitter smile; in the eyes of these serfs, he seemed to play a rather negative role.

On the small road to the east of Idar City, a group of people is riding horses, moving leisurely.

In this world, people's exploration and understanding of the ocean can be described as extremely lacking. There is not enough emphasis placed on the ocean, and for many noble lords on the continent, the ocean is merely a natural barrier that restricts them. They are content with the wealth that the land provides them and are therefore unwilling to seek out the unknown that lies hidden beneath the sea

Bruno shot him a glare and said, "What, do you also want to accompany Shabi to scoop the poop?"

Gradually, as the sky darkened, Bruno could already see the faint wisps of smoke and the low-lying villages clinging to the horizon in the distance, prompting him to urge his horse to gallop forward.

In the village

However ... ...

In just one week's time, several generations' worth of paper accumulated by the Earl was used up, and such wasteful behavior was surprisingly carried out under his meticulous supervision... Old Ford suddenly felt a bit guilty towards the late former Earl... This coffin board is likely to be unable to hold up any longer...

Their only job is not farming or fishing, but rather boiling salt

Such a wasteful act

What to do at the seaside

"My lord, how could there possibly be grain by the seaside?" the new personal servant, Lobi Da, said somewhat aggrievedly. "If the old steward truly believes that I am the one who told you this, I will surely be skinned alive upon my return..."

It seems they have gone towards the seaside the guard said somewhat uncertainly

L'Hôpital felt a tremor in his heart and quickly replied with a serious expression: "In response to your lordship, I believe... there is indeed grain by the seaside"

Idar City is located at the easternmost part of the continent, and just another twenty to thirty miles eastward lies the continent's long coastline

L'Hôpital and the guards quickly followed closely behind, and the dirt road in the countryside was suddenly filled with dust.

Under the intimidation of the soldiers and the allure of the coins, the census, which had originally faced significant obstacles, suddenly proceeded very smoothly

Old Fort only felt a bit of discomfort in his chest, and the Earl took Shabi out of the city. Upon returning, he developed the idea of building a garden. This time, he took L'Hôpital out, and who knows what earth-shattering and soul-stirring things they might do next.

... ...

At this thought, Old Fort suddenly felt a chill run through his entire body, trembling uncontrollably, almost gasping for breath

It seems that L'Hôpital told the old master that there is a large amount of grain by the seaside, and that they should go to the seaside to look for grain

On a certain level, table salt is not merely an essential seasoning, but also an incredibly valuable resource

The serfs in the village offered up all the fish they had managed to catch with great difficulty, and then they struggled to fall asleep while chewing on black bread filled with wild grass and gravel

It is precisely due to the substantial profits from selling salt that the Stuart family was able to gradually recover after Bruno's repeated extravagances

L'Hôpital initially thought that serving his master closely would be the best job, but he did not expect that just a few days into his position, he would bear a significant burden.

Old Ford found himself much more at ease, as he only needed to stroll around the registration area from time to time and make a few appearances.

While eating the fresh grilled fish, Bruno found it tasteless and felt that these serfs were truly not receiving the treatment they deserved

In no time, three days had passed, and the census was successfully completed. However, when Old Ford stood in front of a cart piled high with parchment, he could not feel genuinely happy.

Bruno glanced at L'Hôpital and said lightly: "Do not speak nonsense, it is clear that I intend to promote you. Just think, if it is true that food has been found by the seaside, would that not be a tremendous credit to you?"

I originally thought that L'Hôpital was an honest fellow, which is why I recommended him to my master after Shabi left. However, I did not expect that this guy would actually incite my master to go to the seaside to look for supplies

In a few days, they will probably be able to have a hearty meal...

Old Fort could only feel a pang of pain in his heart. The thought of his master wanting to build a garden had already made Old Fort feel deeply saddened, and at this moment, the large cart full of leather paper made Old Fort feel dizzy.

Salt is an essential commodity in people's daily lives, and the production and sale of salt nearly sustain half of Idar's tax revenue, making it the most important source of funding for the Stuart family

The master of the house... surely he doesn't intend to go fishing in the sea...

The earls' officials responsible for registering information only need to move a chair to the designated location, and countless commoners will line up eagerly to register, no longer needing to go door to door knocking.

What food can there be by the sea? ... Everyone knows that the serfs and commoners living by the sea rely solely on the heavens for their sustenance, perpetually hungry, depending entirely on whether they can catch a few fish that day

According to the steward, the lord count left the city this morning with L'Hôpital and several of his personal guards and servants, stating that he would return in a few days

An adult requires approximately 6 to 8 grams of salt daily to replenish their energy and maintain the osmotic pressure inside and outside of cells; it is an essential substance for the normal development of the human body

It is precisely because of this notion that the villages near the seaside are particularly desolate, with a large number of commoners and farmers forced to rely on extremely primitive fishing techniques to make a meager living

Hurry... hurry and go bring the master back! The sea is rough and the winds are strong; what if the master, in a moment of impulse, goes into the sea... what will we do about those waves...

Before he could finish speaking, Old Fort unexpectedly collapsed, his legs giving way beneath him, and he fainted from the panic, causing immediate chaos at the castle entrance

... ...

"What? Where did he go?" Old Fort was taken aback

The elderly elder brought the commoners to meet the young count, while the timid serfs were so frightened that they prostrated themselves on the ground, not daring to raise their heads, fearing that they might attract the attention of the esteemed noble lord.

However, given the circumstances, Old Fort could only return to the castle with a mournful expression, escorting the invaluable carriage with his soldiers, yet he did not even catch a glimpse of Bruno.

This is exactly right, I have always been a magnanimous person, one who is open to the opinions and suggestions of others

The parchment used for writing is not so easily obtainable; this cartload of sheepskin and cowhide paper is nearly all the stock available in the entire city of Idar...

This is all money