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Chapter 758 - 758 41 The Great Deceiver Comes Online - Unity of the Southeastern Province_1

758: Chapter 41, The Great Deceiver Comes Online – Unity of the Southeastern Province_1 758: Chapter 41, The Great Deceiver Comes Online – Unity of the Southeastern Province_1 The day of the fundraising conference, the residence of the Dalton Family was incredibly lively.

In addition to the nobility from the Southeastern Province, nobles from other regions and representatives from various countries also came to join in the excitement.

They claimed it was to learn from the fundraising experience.

The domestic nobles truly wanted to learn from the experience, so if the Southeastern Province successfully fundraised, they could follow suit.

People, after all, possess a herd mentality.

The efficiency of the Southeastern Province is so high thanks, not only to Earl Hudson—the big shot constantly persuading others, but the most important factor is having money stashed away.

Foreign representatives joining the excitement were purely interested to see if the Alpha Kingdom was bluffing or genuinely prepared to act.

The final result of the fundraising conference would directly affect their future diplomatic policy towards the Alpha Kingdom.

After glancing over the nobility gathered in the great hall, Governor Piers, having prepared his words, went straight to the point and said:

“Our Southeastern Province borders the Black Stone Mountain Range and endures perennial threats from beast tides, causing unbearable suffering to the populace.

To change this situation, after much deliberation, we have unanimously decided to rebuild the Blood Moon Defense Line to block the beast tides outside the province.

The main reason for inviting everyone here today is to solve the funding problem for the construction of the defense line.

Preliminary estimates suggest we need an investment of three million eight hundred thousand gold coins.

Of course, the actual construction should not require so much money.

The largest expenditures in fortress construction are labor, food, and raw materials.

We can recruit serfs to work, thus eliminating the cost of labor.

Apart from a portion of materials that need to be purchased, most materials for construction can be obtained locally, which helps to save a significant chunk of expenses.

Food, this is not something we can nor should skimp on.

However, our Southeastern Province is already a grain-producing area.

Since the end of the war last year, the military provisions we provided to the Northern Border have been saved, and can now be put to use for the construction project.

Considering everyone’s heavy financial burdens, Earl Hudson and I have decided not to forcibly apportion the costs this time.

Those with money will provide money, those with men will provide people, those with grains will provide grains, and those with materials will provide materials.

Each one will fulfill their obligations according to their actual situation.

If anyone has any suggestions or ideas, you are free to air them now!”

Seeing the calm expressions of the nobility of Southeastern Province, it was clear that they had discussed the matter in advance.

In forming this strategy, special consideration was also given to the minor nobles.

Those in the know understood that this was the Dalton Family’s way of appeasing the minor nobles.

After all, recent events had disheartened many minor nobles.

Now that the threat from outsiders has arrived, and everyone needs to pull together, it is naturally important to first manage internal relations.

In accordance with everyone’s “those with money contributing money, those with people contributing people, those with grains contributing grains, those with resources contributing resources” fundraising model, theoretically all nobles should be able to fulfill their obligations.

This is particularly advantageous for minor nobles on the brink of bankruptcy.

During the slack farming season, sending serfs from their territories to build the defense line could also save a good amount of grain.

However, this approach does present several issues.

The majority of minor nobles in the province will choose to provide people, so what about the other materials needed for the project?

After all, for many noble lords, human labor is the least valuable commodity.

During the slack farming season, even if they were to send all the labor forces in their territories to build the defense line, it wouldn’t affect everyone’s daily life.

The ultimate result will most likely be a surplus of labor and a shortage of other resources.

Confronted by the puzzled gazes of those present, Hudson rose from his seat and slowly said, “If no one has any objections, then the fundraising will proceed in line with the governor’s proposal.

Labor, food, and all other resources will all be evaluated at market prices.

Regardless of the method everyone chooses, as long as each person fulfills the required duties, it will suffice.

The project budget will be divided among the counties, and everyone will bear the respective share according to the obligations originally undertaken within the county.

Simply multiply that by the project budget, and that will determine the share each person needs to carry.

Considering the practical situation where the labor, materials, and food provided by everyone may not match the project’s needs, the governor and I have decided to have everyone declare their contributions in advance.

The subsequent coordination work will jointly be carried out by the Dalton Family and the Koslow Family.

If the coordination doesn’t work out, our two families will jointly make up the difference to ensure the smooth completion of the Blood Moon Defense Line!”

Hearing Hudson’s words, the foreign representatives who were initially there just to watch the commotion were utterly dumbfounded.

A question invariably arose in their minds: Are all the major nobles in the Alpha Kingdom so reckless?

When faced with a problem, the major nobles voluntarily take action to plug the gaps, effectively giving minor nobles an advantage.

If all operates in this manner, what project couldn’t be accomplished?

The large expenditures in constructing a defense line?

It’s simply a joke.

Considering the entire Southeastern Province collectively, all the materials necessary for the construction of the Blood Moon Defense Line can be self-funded.

If things go well, they may not even need to contribute a single gold coin directly.

Simply relying on the coordination among the nobility, the project could be completed.

What needs to be tested for the Southeastern Province in the future is their organizational ability.

Looking at the situation of the Alpha Kingdom during war times, it is evident that they’re rich in experience.

The specifics of constructing the defense line can simply be copied from the north.

The defensive structures that can stop the Orcs can also stop the human armies.

If it really came to a fight, the situation likely wouldn’t be that intense.

After all, compared to the low-level Orcs with poorly functioning brains, human soldiers are much smarter.