Chapter 96: Violators will be severely punished

Thorns Ridge, named after the cluster of low-lying thorn bushes that border its edges, is a modest expanse of thornwood located near a dairy farm. The reason for the sparse growth of these thorns is likely due to their nature as shrubs - they lack a distinct trunk and grow in dense, low clusters.

Lister had studied this phenomenon and speculated that it might be because thorns, being shrubs, are restricted by the towering trees surrounding them, which block sunlight and hinder their expansion.

More accurately, the area should be referred to as a thorn scrub.

To the south of the thorn grassland lies the dairy farm.

It was inconceivable for Lister to uproot the valuable grass for the sake of planting worthless thorns.

Therefore, he planned to assemble a logging team to clear the trees around the thorn scrub, allowing the thorns to spread outward. The more thorns there were, the wider the influence of the thorn insects, enabling them to gather more pheromones and potentially increase their chances of evolution - though he knew deep down that it was almost impossible for the thorn insects to evolve.

The variety of thorns was too limited, making the collection of pheromones a challenging task. The odds were simply too low.

"While I might not fully comprehend the essence behind the evolution of elf worms, it's generally observed that the greater the variety of plants a cordyceps belongs to, the higher the likelihood of an elf worm evolving. The more it influences plant growth, the better its chances."

This was a rule of thumb.

The Tulip family, through generations of effort, had accumulated a vast collection of tulip species. It was thanks to these tulips that they had nurtured Great Elf Scent, as well as three little elves and eight elf worms.

Of course,

It didn't mean that thorn worms had no chance of evolving at all.

One should still hold onto their dreams; you never knew when they might come true.

"I'll do whatever I can, and the rest will depend on the thorn worm itself. Whether it truly has the resolve to challenge its fate," Liszt said as he patted the thorn worm before leaving the worm room.

...

Around four in the afternoon, the leader of the North Valley City trading caravan came to the castle to bid farewell to Liszt.

The leader of the group was a bearded middle-aged man named Gabriel, who bowed deeply and said, "Honorable Baron, under your governance, Flower Town shines with resplendent light. Thank you for your generosity and kindness; our caravan has spent a delightful day in Flower Town. Now, Gabriel takes his leave."

"Are you satisfied with the trading that took place in the town?" List asked with a smile.

"Very much so, my lord. The smiles on the faces of our caravan members show their joy from the harvest. We sold far more goods than we expected and acquired some specialties of Flower Town. Personally, I am very fond of the commercial district, free from the nuisance of excrement," replied Gabriel.

"Then, Gabriel, does your caravan have any plans for when it will return?"

"Not yet, but I believe the road to Thorns Ridge is now safe. The caravan won't wait too long, perhaps in a month's time, we will come again, laden with goods, to trade in Flower Town."

"Flower Town will always welcome your caravan's arrival."

"Thank you, my lord!"

Gabriel bowed once more before leaving the castle.

He returned to the caravan, which had already organized its goods in the commercial area and was beginning its slow journey. The horses pulled the carriages along the road, paved with crushed stones and seashell sand, bathed in the glow of the setting sun, heading towards Thorns Ridge.

laden with goods as they had arrived.

Departure was marked by a symphony of laughter and the delightful jingling of gold, silver, and copper coins.

Moments later,

the aged Grandet arrived to report on the day's purchases: three gold coins spent, not just for the two foals, but a multitude of items that were entrusted to Caretaker Carter to be stored in the castle's cellar. List, uninterested in such mundane affairs, went straight to the stables to see the young colts.

In the stable, there were two newborn foals, likely just recently born, timid and hiding in the corners, not daring to wander about. They were both ordinary breeds of workhorses, one chestnut brown and the other dun-colored. Even if Lithur was ignorant of horse appraisal, he could tell that they were unsuitable for battle.

"Is it a mare or a stallion?"

"A mare and a stallion, milord," Jim replied, who was busy feeding the foals with hay.

"Take good care of them and ensure they don't get bullied by other horses."

"Yes, milord."

Following that, Liszt walked around the separate enclosure where several pregnant mares were peacefully munching on oats and peas, with no visible signs of their pregnancy yet.

The Fire Dragon Horse approached him affectionately upon his arrival, stretching its head out of the fence.

Liszt patted it, eagerly anticipating whether its foal would be as magnificent as the Black Dragon Horse. With the infusion of magical beast blood, perhaps its offspring might even surpass the Black Dragon Horse in splendor.

...

Dinner ensued.

It was a celebration of the successful trade in Flower Town, as well as a time for reporting the team's accomplishments.

"Baron, the total transaction amount was 7 gold coins, 63 silver coins, and 12 copper coins. According to your low tax rate policy, which includes fixed stall taxes and a 20% tax on mobile stalls, we collected a total of 18 silver coins and 15 copper coins," Isaiah reported the detailed tax revenue.

Trade naturally required taxation.

Typically, lords imposed a one-tenth tax on foreign merchants, meaning one-tenth of the transaction value. Some strict lords might enforce a five-tenth tax, or one-fifth of the transaction value. However, to attract merchants to Flower Town, Liszt had significantly lowered the tax rate.

He established two standards.

One is a fixed stall tax, which, for a single silver coin, guarantees no additional taxes regardless of the amount of business conducted.

The other is a one-in-twenty transaction tax, where instead of paying a fixed fee, a trader pays a tenth of their total sales.

This gives merchants a choice: if they believe their turnover will exceed twenty silver coins, the fixed tax is more favorable; if not, the transaction tax is more advantageous.

Given the current state of Flower Town, not much revenue can be expected from these taxes, and Liszt has no intention of relying on them to amass wealth.

"Let's divert this commercial tax directly into the development of the commercial district. Aim to build stalls, parking spaces, livestock pens, inns, and toilets promptly. Also, plan for wells and sewage systems. Though we have ample time, I hope to see these projects completed as soon as possible."

"Gort, you have my trust," Gort nodded in agreement.

"Karl, tell us about today's law and order situation."

"Yes, sir!" Karl, though no stranger to these gatherings, remained formal. "The patrol team performed well overall. We apprehended thirteen merchants for public indecency and punished them with flogging. Additionally, one thief was caught by Gabriel, who redeemed him. Within the town, two residents were caught stealing, and three were involved in forced sales."

Liszt asked, "Did you inform Gabriel, the merchant leader, that the first time a thief is caught, they can pay a ransom for redemption, but upon a second offense, they would be imprisoned and made into laborers in the territory?"

"I have informed Gabriel, and he said that when his caravan returns, he will discipline the thief severely and ensure that no one violates your rules, sir." After a moment's hesitation, Karl continued, "Sir, what punishment should be given to the five criminals in the town?"

"Freemen or slaves?"

"One freeman for each theft and robbery, and the remaining three are slaves."

Lister turned to Gort.

Gort promptly responded, "My lord, you have emphasized the importance of trade and regulations time and again. Yet, there are still reckless commoners who disregard them. They must be severely punished! I propose that slaves receive fifty lashes and have all their possessions confiscated. For the freemen thieves, they should be lashed ten times and fined ten times their worth. If unable to pay, they should be demoted to slavery."

"Do as you suggest," Lister agreed.

The small town had no formal laws; his will was the law. Disobeying his will would result in punishment—those who were aware of the rules but still broke them would face even harsher consequences.