Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 863 - 542 Expenses

Chapter 863: Chapter 542 Expenses

Building a city wasn’t as simple as stacking matchboxes; it wasn’t just a matter of drawing a plot of land and then encircling it with four tall, smooth walls to call it complete work.

In Dayan, such an undertaking could, at most, be considered a stronghold.

From the initial planning and civil engineering project proposals, various kinds of technical expertise were needed.

From the basic urban planning, to the intersection and separation of the Beast Path and ordinary roads, to the complex underground water supply, drainage, and storage systems, many affairs required the use of technology—over a hundred types, large and small.

Moreover, these were just the mundane theoretical technologies; the bulk lay in the Formation Patterns.

A city’s construction required thousands of different Formations, large and small.

That’s why these large-scale construction projects usually involved several or even dozens of different industry trade guilds sub-contracting and undertaking the work.

However, with the size of Tian’an Commerce Assembly, there was no need to worry about these matters.

After Xu Yuan’s words fell, Hua Hong replied without any thought, with a simple and clear answer:

"We can take the contract, but there is not enough silver."

The construction of a new city in Dayan generally consisted of four processes.

The Imperial Court initiates the project and allocates funds—trade guilds bid and take on the project—The Imperial Court levies corvee labor—trade guilds commence work.

Receiving silver first before starting work was a security measure for trade guilds, and the levying of corvee labor also saved the guilds a large part of their manpower expenses.

At first glance, trade guilds could make a tidy profit, but the problem was that the allocated funds were far from sufficient, usually only accounting for one-third to one-fourth of the total project cost, with some of the poorer State Government offices providing only a fifth.

Even so, many trade guilds still eagerly pursued such opportunities.

Because to make up for the trade guild’s losses, The Imperial Court would grant them certain political privileges within the new city’s political district. Some included mining and spiritual field development rights, others lengthy tax breaks lasting decades or even a century.

In short, it meant exchanging a one-off full payment for the project into certain local political privileges.

In the Dayan Territory, except for the large trade guilds with Sect or Imperial Court backing, the rise and fall of medium and small trade guilds happened very quickly.

They were mostly rootless, with almost no capacity to withstand risks.

A natural disaster or a man-made calamity could deplete their years, or even decades of savings.

And even if they enjoyed smooth sailing all along, expanding their scale by trading business and building factories, those without political backing would face their wealth being plundered once they crossed a certain threshold.

The Imperial Court’s policy provided these emerging trade guilds with an opportunity to become one of the eminent families, allowing them to have some political influence.

This was The Imperial Court’s pacification policy towards these emerging trade guild groups.

But Tian’an Commerce Assembly didn’t need such trivialities at all.

Even if Hua Hong took on such projects, his interest lay in the strategic resources within the planned area.

And what was there in Huizhou County?

Nothing, only mundane industries were feasible.

Although mundane industries could make money, they had to be scaled up. A production output of mere hundreds of thousands was something Tian’an Commerce Assembly simply wouldn’t consider.

As for the strategic position of Huizhou County?

Hua Hong had been sitting in the position of President of Tian’an Commerce Assembly for decades, and what he relied on wasn’t the "ride the dragon" success of following the young lady up the ranks; it was his genuine ability.

The intricate network of official roads within the Dayan Territory was imprinted in his brain. He could instantly name the counties along any official road he was told, the important towns along it, what goods were transported, and even the possible risks along the way, including which officials needed to be greased with silver.

Thinking about this, Hua Hong looked at the young boy deep in thought and said softly:

"If Huizhou County were really that important, wouldn’t it have been elevated beyond the status of a mere county long ago? Indeed, Changtian, you are not wrong, Huizhou County is indeed located at the border between two states, the entry point to Jingji, but there are other entries, not just it. Moreover, the Jingbei official road, which lies next to it, accounted for only a mere tenth of the transportation between Jingji and the Northern Frontier."

After a few moments of silence, Xu Yuan sighed softly and suddenly said:

"Elder Hua, you surely don’t think that by relocating Xiao Bai’s clanspeople there, Huizhou County will remain just an ordinary county town? And are you not clear where the Jingbei official road leads to further north?"

"It leads to Qinlong Pass and Jingbei Prefecture."

Hua Hong answered without pause and immediately countered:

"So, Changtian, are you suggesting rebellion with your words?"

With these words, his steady and calm gaze was firmly fixed on Xu Yuan, with a few probing hints in his steely eyes.

Xu Yuan didn’t immediately respond to this.

Suddenly, he remembered the advice his old father had given him.

Be cautious in what you say and do.

From now on, every word and action of yours will be scrutinized by others.

After a moment of contemplation, Xu Yuan answered very seriously:

"We need to take some precautions, at least. The Emperor’s days are numbered, and he will inevitably make a move before long. Without the Barbarian Tribes and the Northern Border Sects to contain him, once the 300,000 Northern Border Army moves south... the situation might likely develop in an unfavored direction."

"Is that so..."

Having received a satisfactory answer, Hua Hong did not continue to be difficult about the silver. He nodded slightly and continued to say:

"The Ghost Armor Army is stationed permanently at one town in Qinlong Pass, while the Nine Dragons Army is permanently stationed at two other important towns beside Jingbei Prefecture, forming a strategic angle with each other.

To block the entrance of the Northern Frontier into Jingji, one would need to simultaneously control two key towns. Do you think this group of Earth Palace Remnants can achieve that?"

With that, he glanced at Bai Muxi by his side, who was quietly compliant.