Beneath the Red Dragon

Chapter 82: Chapter 35: How Can the Territory Be Managed Well? (Part 2)

Furthermore, they have placed restrictions on trading certain goods, such as spices that are scarce inland and even more valuable than gold. These valuable trade items are subject to tax based on a certain percentage of the transaction amount.

Additionally, the gold mining resources cannot be freely exploited; mining can only commence with the approval and consent of the Dragon Group, essentially converting mining development into a Dragon Group monopoly, allowing only designated merchants and partners to extract these resources.

The salt lakes and salt mines on the prairie are also prohibited from random excavation, now guarded by the Dragon Group’s beloved, preventing anyone from approaching indiscriminately.

This indicates that the Dragon Group’s territorial planning is gradually moving towards proper development, as opposed to the previous primitive exploitation.

However, this does not pose a challenge for the pioneers, since they were previously engaged in what amounted to dealing without any long-term costs, and now they only need to submit taxes that are far lower than those set by the noble lords.

Regardless, the will of the Dragon Group on this land is supreme, and they do not resent it. It’s only unfortunate for many that they can no longer make profits recklessly like before.

Conversely, those nobles and mages who originally had cooperative relationships with the Dragon Group are even more delighted; they know better than anyone how profitable exclusive licenses can be.

Almost all the noble merchants present were eagerly preparing, contemplating how to win over the giant dragons and acquire this right from the Giant Dragon Lord.

However, the subsequent order proclamation further stirred the crowd, as Dragon Group declared tax exemption for grain transactions and encouraged humans to settle on this land.

These giant dragons will recognize the rights of humans living on this land, and regardless of their initial status upon arriving here, they will become Free People after gaining freedom.

Every additional person brought to this land will earn a fixed reward, with greater numbers reaping more substantial rewards.

Those possessing specific skills, such as blacksmiths, carpenters, craftsmen specializing in agriculture, and others will receive double the rewards.

Such understated hints are as good as direct suggestions to these people, implying their ships can sail back fully loaded from this Golden Land and from the regions governed by human nations.

This effectively encourages everyone to become population-stealing marauders, bringing joy to those nobles who can convert the flow of people and scattered villages in their lands into abundant gold.

Even more enticing for other ordinary adventurers is the promise from the Dragon Group that everyone is allowed to cultivate land here, with the cultivated land belonging to the cultivators, exempt from taxes for ten years.

Only after ten years will they need to pay a certain percentage of tax, and even this percentage will be lower than that set by other noble lords. A condition impossible for others to offer but guaranteed here in the largely wild Giant Dragon Territory.

And they encourage humans and other races to settle here, promising them the normal status and power they deserve. Not only that, those with outstanding talents can even become officials within the Giant Dragon Territory.

Moreover, becoming a resident of the Giant Dragon Territory grants exemption from military service for three generations, meaning the territory will not conscript these residents actively for three generations, and will even assist them in building houses proactively.

For the giant dragons, while these conditions are quite generous, they actually harm their interests little, as the endless forests were already lying idle, urgently needing population development and utilization.

Yet even the nobles and mages find these conditions tempting; they have already begun stepping out of their homes and standing on balconies to observe the next moves.

Although they have large families and assets, every family has some lesser sons and distant relatives who could pursue opportunities here rather than languishing within the family.

It’s foreseen that as the domination by the giant dragons gradually proceeds on the right track, related systems will need to be gradually perfected.

This means not only amassing wealth on this land but perhaps also becoming an official in this gradually emerging Giant Dragon Kingdom.

The gradually heated atmosphere in the crowd almost drowned out the voice of the elderly announcer, until Chiron sent his men several times to stop this, allowing the announcement to proceed.

But Mage Razi’s thoughts had already drifted to the distance, deciding to return and discuss carefully with his adventurer team, as the current intentions of the Giant Dragon Lords are to build a unique Giant Dragon Kingdom, not like other Five-Colored Dragons who choose to form a Monster Kingdom.

Opportunity and danger coexist; people with keen insight often seize the sliver of opportunity within danger, and Mage Razi thinks he might gamble boldly once and become one of those with high foresight.

Perhaps he can manage great achievements and not merely remain a wandering civilian mage; perhaps, eventually, he can become a founder of a family.

He might even own a Mage Tower one day, filling his youthful mage heart with dreams.

Leaving aside the town’s bustling crowd discussions and thoughts, under the consultation of Blue Dragon Doss and Akzhi, the Giant Dragon Territory finally took a crucial step, progressing from its previous barbaric and chaotic development to setting foot on a territory’s proper path.

Due to innate distrust of Five-Color Dragons, not many humans may yet choose to come to this land, but once those sold by the nobles settle down here, the truth will be evident; this will require time.

Time, compared to short-lived species, always stands by the side of the dragons.

With the spread of the newly announced laws from the Giant Dragon Lords, the residents in the town began to conceive unique thoughts.

In Golden Harbor Town, originally temporarily gathered for adventure and gold-seeking, the residents came here for their interests.

If the land’s rulers truly govern like the announced laws declare, a significant portion of these people begin to contemplate long-term habitation here.

And in Icaria World, there are countless thriving towns formed by gold-seeking, adventure, or certain trade. On the distant Southern Continent, there are examples of thriving towns from barren lands due to harbor trade.

For instance, the famous Black Stone Trade Harbor, known for a special local spice and possessing excellent navigation routes and naturally suitable harbor for ships, gradually attracted maritime trade groups.

It evolved from a small village to today’s major sea harbor base for large trading groups, especially the number one maritime group in the Southern Continent, the Black Stone Trading Group, which operates almost all industries locally, thus named Black Stone Port.

Golden Harbor Town embodies all these key traits, even though slightly farther from human nations, the secure trade routes have long been explored thoroughly.

The only worry for these people is that the reigning rulers are the evil Five-Colored Giant Dragons.

Although the prior good cooperation has established initial trust, when considering their long-term future, everyone instinctively refers to their fixed impressions, which require time to slowly change.

According to Blue Dragon Doss’s thinking, this situation should be broken by the nobles and trading groups leading the way. Despite the inherent background leading to their success, when facing opportunities, these merchants and nobles can be more fearless than the brave adventurers.

Because these individuals, educated due to their good background, possess insights not found in ordinary people, and inherently have the propensity for significant gambles, otherwise they would not attain their current position and power.

More critically, in the face of sufficient interest, these individuals are capable of anything.

They only fear lack of profits or insufficient interests.