Above The Sky
Chapter 792 - 792 32 The New Policies of the Fief

792: Chapter 32 The New Policies of the Fief 792: Chapter 32 The New Policies of the Fief Building the Heavenly Kingdom, this goal is simply too grandiose to comprehend just by hearing it.

Apart from Adalbert, the other two couldn’t really grasp the meaning behind this term.

No, it’s more accurate to say, who in the world could specifically define what a ‘Heavenly Kingdom’ is?

Who knows how to construct the ideal world?

And who can understand why a Heavenly Kingdom is called that, instead of just another form of hell?

No one could understand.

“Boss.”

Take the Green Tide, for instance, he furrowed his brow and asked quite seriously, “Can I understand that…

you want to build a territory where everyone can live in peace and work happily?”

Scott, too, was looking at Ian, his demeanor solemn.

They had no choice but to be cautious, because in Terra, the lord’s will mattered far more than anything else, and a lord indeed had the power to change the entire territory’s development with his own strength.

Ian looked at the Green Tide and Scott, seeing the slight confusion on their faces, he couldn’t help but sigh.

In the world of the Terra Continent, you couldn’t call it good, but you couldn’t call it bad either.

In this world, a Talle could buy nearly half a ton of grain in an area like the Central Plains that has plenty of food, if you have a job and there’s no war, everyone living around cities could get by, and becoming a Sublimator would just depend on luck.

Most people in this world would rather maintain the status quo than change.

Unless the whole world turns into a hell like The Grand Duchy, people simply can’t imagine a Heavenly Kingdom.

That is the saddest thing.

“This is my personal wish.”

So, as a compromise, after silently sighing, Ian stated more practical goals, “Not to mention anything else, although large, the Leyan Territory is still too small compared to my personal ambition—The Empire may not have made it clear, but the disturbance caused by the Fiery Flame Land in the Bison Mountain Range is indeed our opportunity.

In these chaotic times, we can easily extend the actual controlled area of our territory.”

“The wars of the future will definitely not be few, and to protect our own territory, I need more resources.

This isn’t just about technological advancement and having more food or Sublimation Plants; we must establish a better system, solve the issues of distribution and internal consumption.”

“In simple terms, I want to be the emperor of South Ridge and build a kingdom of my own, where I define the order within it.”

His eyes flickering, Ian looked around at everyone present: “Can you understand now?”

——Indeed, they could understand now.

The Green Tide and Scott showed expressions of realization—many nobles dare not express such a desire, but it’s something many of them do; of course, they understood.

As for a brand new order…

Well, on the Terra Continent, with so many lords, there were already a plethora of nonsensical private and local laws, like at the Icewind Fortress, where butterflies are still protected species, isn’t it just because the lord there is a Titan Level Frostwind Butterfly?

——The world hasn’t reached a point where it needs reform; the people are not suffering enough, they do not hate enough; they haven’t experienced profound darkness and despair.

——Therefore, they do not yearn for a ‘brighter’ world.

Seeing the reactions of the Green Tide and Scott, Ian confirmed this once more.

Although it seemed to share some common problems of post-apocalyptic civilizations, Terra’s current situation could actually be considered relatively healthy, at least the current wars do not involve massacres, and the major nations are actively developing technology and paying attention to public opinion; it’s not merely autocratic rule.

They are pioneering new fields and new continents, and the Four Great Orthodox Churches are also dealing with issues related to relics and various labyrinths.

At the very least, it would take over a hundred years for the entire world to run out of frontier territories, for the contradictions between social classes to intensify, for the upper echelons to solidify completely, for both Sublimators and non-Sublimators to lack any channel for advancement, and for a world war to erupt that is so painful that even the Sublimators will find it unbearable.

Only then might Terra feel the pains of the times, attempt to correct its flaws, and gradually change.

The new generation of Terra civilization is still young and has plenty of cost and opportunity to learn from mistakes.

But…

The Star Prison Tianyu no longer has time.

People can’t feel the crisis from the far reaches of the universe; the tiny specks of dust on the planet cannot comprehend the grandeur and order of the movement of the stars.

If you talk to them about spheres five light-years away, they would just scoff, telling you they are already worried about tomorrow’s living; why concern themselves with distant matters?

They won’t feel a sense of crisis.

Even if the stars above are about to fall, there’s always a taller person to hold them up, right?

Will they live to see the disaster happen?

After they die, they care not if the floodwaters rage.

But when the true catastrophe of the cosmos descends, the small people, the ones who only think about tomorrow, won’t even have a second left to live—and what about the tall ones in this world, the powerful ones at the Fifth Energy Level, aren’t they actually holding up the Firmament?

When the disaster truly strikes, the darkness from the deep space will arrive with finality, overturn everything, and drown everything, leaving not a single Spark.

In this world, the vast majority can think only about tomorrow.

But there must be those who consider matters of a hundred, a thousand years later.

“So this is the sorrow and urgency that Yinaiga II felt…

Ha, at least he was an emperor, while I am but a rural lord.

Yet he was less free, whereas I can do whatever I wish in South Ridge.”

“Overall, it seems like a trade-off of pros and cons.”

Murmuring to himself, Ian closed his eyes, “The greatest enemy of order, indeed, is not a chaotic world, but another kind of acceptable order…”

Shaking his head slightly, Ian opened his eyes and gathered his thoughts.

“From now on, every evening, I will hold classes for you that cover economics, politics, sociology, and other areas.”

Placing his hand on the conference table, Ian said calmly to Scott, Green Tide, and Adalbert, “Although I am not a professional teacher, you must understand what I am thinking, so that in the future you can share my worries.”

“As for now, let’s start by issuing a proclamation – changing the world is too far-reaching, changing the nation too vast.

Let us begin by changing our own territory first.”

“Yes!” the crowd responded.

After the war, the first set of orders issued from Leyan Castle drew significant attention from all interested parties.

But when the soldiers pasted the proclamation around the plaza, everyone who could read the common language was stunned.

Because the content of this announcement was remarkably simple.

[Effective today, all former tax officer positions within the jurisdiction of Leyan Territory are hereby abolished.]

[Those interested in applying for the new tax officer positions may go to the city hall to register for a written test and interview.]

Beyond this, the soldiers also posted additional announcements.

For example, the newly established ‘Territorial Defense Force’ was hiring people ‘with educational experience’ to serve as military education commissioners, with attractive salaries and inclusion in the military establishment.

For example, the newly established ‘Agriculture Department’ at the city hall was recruiting experienced planters and related Alchemists to participate in the ‘New Agricultural Development Plan’ for the territory in the future.

Another example being that, starting from November 1st, a comprehensive population census would take place across the entire Leyan Territory.

One blockbuster piece of news followed another, dazzling the populace.

But it was the first order that moved people the most.

And the strongest reactions, unsurprisingly, came from the former tax officers within Leyan City.

Old Yog’s tavern had been doing rather poorly these past few days, due to the grain disaster in South Ridge.

It wasn’t just Leyan City; even Nauman City had implemented a ban on alcohol.

For those drunkards who frequented taverns solely to have a drink, this was practically life-threatening.

But today, the previously desolate tavern had seven or eight customers gathered to one side.

They were sipping sweet soda, talking worriedly about something, their tone tense and grave.

Those gathered here were the former tax officers of Leyan City—they were influential figures from local families, who usually collected taxes from various trades and districts leveraging their family’s reputation and their individual strengths.

In simple terms, they were akin to the leaders of the White Folks and Crimson People at Harrison Port—Elder Prude, the assistant civil officer, used to collect taxes for Viscount Grant from the White Folks, and Lamar, the treasurer, did the same.

Generally, these tax officers were essentially the reflection of the forces that shaped the order of the territory beneath the lord.

Generally, even lords who held the power of life and death and had near infinite power in their own territories, to avoid hassle, would let these people do their work for them.

The skimming off the top and the sneaky little benefits they took for themselves were like cats stealing cat food, as far as those lords who didn’t care much about such matters were concerned.

As long as these families kept the lord happy and made him feel comfortable, the Sublimator wouldn’t mind this small change.

But if the lord isn’t afraid of trouble…

“Just step down like this?”

One of the tax officers whispered.

He was the second son of the Ross Family, having a good reputation with more than a dozen quality plantations.

This made him the tax officer in charge of a section of the city.

This was the result of his family’s decade-long efforts.

Back in the day, the Ross and neighboring Roda families had a fierce competition for this tax officer position, with several people on both sides losing their lives…

Now the new lord wanted them all to step down and recruit new ones – how could they swallow this indignity?

So he complained with some dissatisfaction, “The lord dismisses us, but where will he find the people to collect taxes for him?

Leyan City doesn’t have that many experienced people!”

“Resign.

Why not resign?”

The old man puffing on a rolled cigarette didn’t even raise his eyebrows as he said, “Our new lord killed Chairman Silin of Leyan City on his very first day, a bigger figure than us—I’ve inquired.

Behind him stands an entire grand family of the White Folks; how could he possibly lack manpower?”

He looked at the young tax officer from the Ross Family and said with a smile, “The intention of our young lord is quite clear—the new era has arrived, and it’s only his territory, his rules now.”

“All the promises and permissions granted by the previous Baron Leyan don’t count for anything with him.”

With that, he knocked the ash out of his pipe, “That’s the issue…

As long as we’re loyal to the new lord, he’s not opposed to us taking the written test.

What does it matter if we’re dismissed?

Just re-qualify in the examination.”

Scanning the people around him, the veteran tax officer who had served under three lords said indifferently, “After all, we have the experience.

Even if the new lord really doesn’t want to use us ‘disloyal’ old folks—I could go ask if the city hall needs ‘teachers’?”

“Not to mention anything else, we can read and write, can’t we?

The city hall is hiring education commissioners, aren’t they?

This suggests that the lord is in need of educated people like us.”