Above The Sky
Chapter 924 - 924 74 The Materials of the Iron Lord

924: Chapter 74 The Materials of the Iron Lord 924: Chapter 74 The Materials of the Iron Lord For the ordinary people in the Xiawei Territory, the changes brought by the victory of the war were slow and subtle.

For instance, more and more Mountain People chose to make the Xiawei Territory a transit hub for trading with Nauman City and the various territories of the Agate Stone Plains, greatly enhancing the local economic advantages.

And the ballad poets in the taverns were also singing the praises of their Lord, spreading the name of the Prophet as far as possible, laying the groundwork for the creation of future sects.

Such changes were hardly noticeable to ordinary people, who simply took them for granted, and everyone in the territory was blissfully unaware of them.

But beyond that, there were also swift and tangible changes: for example, curfews had been lifted at night, and more and more Magnetic Storm Armor-clad and well-equipped guards were stationed at key intersections throughout the area, displaying the territory’s military strength.

And there were also many Mountain People workers employed within the city.

Many residents were astonished to find that strong men from the various tribes were sweating it out repairing the streets and expanding the market areas.

With the addition of this workforce, Ian’s reconstruction of the Xiahui City area had greatly accelerated, giving residents who stayed indoors during the winter a sense of rapid and constant change every time they went out.

—What is that tower?

A magnetic storm coil?

—The black thing on top of the Lord’s Mansion…

A prismatic beam cannon?!

Not only that.

On the Solitary Flame Peak outside the city, a simple Dragon Nest had even appeared on a mid-mountain plateau — lately, residents traveling far had often seen a dragon shadow streak across the sky, much to the local people’s shock and awe.

Sio was happily building his own nest.

The young True Dragon, leaving his mother’s supervision for the first time, was like a young person renting their own place for the first time, eager to personally build a cozy little home all to himself.

Ian wanted to help but was declined politely and could only shake his head and leave.

Moreover, the changes in the Xiawei Territory were not limited to within the city.

They also stemmed from the distant Imperial Capital.

Terra Year 774, January 9th, an emissary from the Imperial Capital rode a dark blue Dragon Scale Warhorse through the streets at a full gallop.

He didn’t slow down, nor did he hit anyone; the towering warhorse could even tread on firm ice and fly through the air during the busiest times, eliciting gasps from onlookers.

It sped lightning-fast through the bustling Xiahui City and headed straight for the Lord’s Castle by the lakeside, only slowing down to ascend the cliffs.

Many passersby were surprised to see the dragonsteed and the knight; they gathered together, unclear who could be so bold as to ride up to the Lord’s Mansion.

Among them, many Mountain People even believed that the knight had insulted their emissary, angrily grabbing hammers and tools, ready to demand an explanation.

But the local residents of Xiahui City vaguely recognized some clues from the sun emblem on the knight’s armor, pulling aside the Mountain People and informing them of the knight’s real identity.

It was an emissary from the Imperial Capital.

“Finally here?

They’re about to officially bestow my knighthood, are they?”

Inside the Lord’s Mansion, Ian, who was discussing financial matters with Scott, looked up somewhat surprised: “But I thought they would come after the New Year Festival (the celebrations at the end of the first ten days of January) in the Imperial Capital.

It looks like they set off at least ten days earlier.”

“My achievements still count for something,” he chuckled.

“The Imperial Capital?” Scott, who was struggling to manage the funds for the New City District’s construction, looked perplexed as he scratched his head, turning expectantly to his lord and asking, “Is it the young master of the Ellen Family who has brought the funds for you?”

“Of course not.” Ian shook his head, and commented: “Don’t talk about Yisen Gard as though he’s just some sucker here to give me money—we are allies helping each other out, and his assistance to me is worth far more than money!”

“And besides, didn’t he already send five thousand Talle last time?

Who do you think paid for that alchemy equipment in the new Alchemy Workshop?” Ian felt he needed to let his subordinates know who the real benefactor of the Xiawei Territory was.

“But we really are short on funds right now.”

Scott, looking at the forms and accounts in front of him, pinched the pen in frustration: “The new-styled farms around Dazzling Lake need money, the Elemental Crystals production line in the Alchemy Workshop needs money, tools for prospecting the gorge need money, the new mines need money, hiring Mountain People workers needs money, the New City District needs money, not to mention the comprehensive sewage system project you asked for and the pollution reclamation equipment for the Alchemy Workshop—they all need money.”

“It’s not ‘pollution reclamation,’ it’s ‘reuse equipment.’ You can recover ten to twenty percent of effective Alchemy Material, which will greatly save on costs.

The sooner it’s built, the sooner it can pay for itself, even turn a profit,” the young man frowned slightly as he glanced over the documents in his hand: “But other than that…

well.

They are all pure expenditures.”

At this point, Ian couldn’t help but fall silent and then he sighed: “Building new woodlands truly costs money like water—I wish I hadn’t tried to win hearts by granting tax cuts to the Mountain People.”

Though he said this, had he not allowed the Mountain People tax cuts for recuperation, then Ian’s development plans and efforts to attract population to the Midra Autonomous Region and other Mountain Tribes would have been delayed by more than a year.

If Ian truly needed money, he had plenty of ways to make it.

Not to mention, the large amount of Sublimation Minerals and Magical Beast Materials he had recently brought back from the hidden treasury of the Jiamu Sect; if sold, they could quickly yield tens of thousands of Talle in ample funds.