CHAPTER 72: CHAPTER 72: PAVING THE WAY

Forty slaves were busy on the open ground.

Brick after brick of earth was being shaped by them, starting to pile up along the side of the pit.

One earthen kiln after another also sprang up from the soil.

A medium-sized earthen kiln about five to six meters large can burn approximately five to six tons of lime.

Lynn had them set up ten kilns, which needed to be burned continuously for seven days before the limestone could turn into the lime Lynn wanted, producing about sixty tons of limestone!

Lynn merely wanted to pave and reinforce the road surface.

That was sufficient.

However, producing lime was not that simple.

Without temperature detecting tools, Lynn had to rely on his knowledge to judge by the flame’s color and the smoke emerging from the flue.

Lynn spent almost all his time at the kilns, apart from patrolling the village.

He had to strictly control the temperature within the kilns.

If the temperature was inadequate or excessive, it would be a waste of time.

Seven days later.

The lime burning was complete.

Boom!

Lynn’s Cross Pickaxe hit the top of the kiln, and white dust rose immediately.

[Quicklime]: Made from burned limestone, it can be used for wall construction, soil improvement, disinfection, sterilization, cleaning, deodorizing, and more.

Seeing the text before him, Lynn nodded in satisfaction.

This was the result of him standing guard at the kilns for seven days.

With the quicklime finished, everything from here on would be much simpler.

Sand, the Kadia River lacked neither sand nor clay.

Crushed stones from the limestone excavation were still not used up.

Sufficient to pave the road from the village to the Open-pit Salt Mine.

Have the forty slaves dig out another several dozen square meter pit to be used as a mixing pit.

Most of the lime was poured in, and water was ferried from the Kadia River and poured in.

All at once.

The quicklime steamed, and a massive amount of heat rose from the mixing pit.

Lynn involuntarily stepped back a few steps.

Such a massive quicklime boiling site could cook a person alive!

A few hours later, the quicklime became slaked lime.

Lynn had the slaves pour the crushed stones and sand in proportions into it.

Using Iron Shovel and Iron Hoe, mixing them evenly to directly start paving based on the previous crushed stone road.

Watching the slaves gradually work from the village towards the distant Open-pit Salt Mine, Lynn’s.

Three thousand meters was not a long distance.

With draft horse-drawn carts, it took just two days, and the village’s crushed stone ground turned white.

A white road led to the forest’s Open-pit Salt Mine.

Midway, a white road branched off towards the distant mountain forest entrance.

Despite the distance, Lynn still had the slaves continue paving.

At this moment.

Grayson arrived at the village with his caravan, sitting on a carriage.

Seeing the clean and sturdy white ground, Grayson was full of amazement.

It had only been a few days, and Master Lynn’s village stone ground was completely renewed.

Looking at the elegantly dressed man in silk and satin garments, Grayson’s eyes shone brightly.

With black short hair, a face as chiseled as a knife displaying deep and steady brown eyes, a high nose bridge...

Grayson smiled, "Master Lynn, I brought back the goods you needed."

Lynn nodded, "What goods?"

Grayson explained, "Ten thousand pounds of barley, two thousand pounds of wheat, one hundred and fifty slaves, and two hundred pounds of high-quality iron..."

Grayson truly was a slave trader; the number was increasing every time he came.

However, when Lynn heard the high-quality iron was only two hundred pounds, he couldn’t help but frown.

"So little high-quality iron?"

Grayson explained, "Master Lynn, I also want to bring you more iron; if there’s profit, no matter the hardship, it’s worth it."

"But now the situation has become unstable, and many Lords are unwilling to sell high-quality iron; it seems they are preparing for something!"

"Oh, Master Lynn, I’m not sure if it’s an illusion, I always feel a war is imminent..."

If a war indeed breaks out, for a trader like him, dealing across regions and empires...

It would both be a disaster and an opportunity.

A war would mean the opportunity to profit from the nation’s misfortune.

But it also meant the risk of dying under the war’s iron heel.

Lynn responded, directly asking, "Where did these slaves come from?"

Grayson instantly regained his senses, explaining, "Master Lynn, they come from the mountain areas of the Portlands Empire, not counted as Portlands citizens."

"They hide in the mountain forests of the Portlands Empire, often with thirty or forty forming a tribe, living off the mountains, self-sufficient."

"But some gangs for money would go into the mountains to capture these... wildlings?"

Lynn didn’t care, continuing to ask, "How much in Gold Pounds total?"

Grayson smiled broadly, "Master Lynn, a total of fifty-one Gold Pounds and twelve shillings, but you can just give fifty-one Gold Pounds."

Lynn considered for a few seconds and responded, "Fifty-one Gold Pounds or one thousand seven hundred and fifty pounds of fine salt, you may choose."

Grayson almost had no hesitation, hurriedly saying, "Master Lynn, I want the fine salt, I want the fine salt."

His words filled with urgency, fearing Master Lynn might regret.

Understand, the last batch of fine salt was only two thousand three hundred pounds...

He transported the fine salt to the most fringes of the Portlands Empire, Canary Wharf.

Selling all this salt to the local salt merchants, fetching a price of nine pence per pound!

He profited nineteen Gold Pounds directly.

Conveniently, he could also transport Portlands Empire’s slaves to Lynn.

Profiting from both ends!

Lynn did not hesitate, instructing Red to have the villagers move the fine salt from the warehouse.

Seeing those sacks wrapped and tied in Linen Cloth filled with fine salt, Grayson’s eyes sparkled.

In the villagers’ eyes, it was for curing meat and seasoning food fine salt.

In his eyes, that was the sparkling Gold Pounds!

Grayson suddenly thought of something, hastily asking Lynn.

"Master Lynn, I have a frien... My warehouse has stored twenty thousand pounds of barley harvested two years ago and ten thousand pounds of peas, Master Lynn..."

Lynn raised an eyebrow, "Bring them all over, and I can pay the current market price!"

Last year’s barley, last year’s peas, can’t they be eaten?

Food is food!

With Lynn’s reply, Grayson’s smile deepened.

Great, great.

Grayson could completely haggle with his friend, cutting the price to a dangerously low level, purchasing under market price for himself.

Then he would deliver them to Master Lynn’s territory to make a big profit at market price!

Once all the fine salt was loaded onto the carriage, Grayson jumped on and left without looking back.

He had to return to Kakasong City as soon as possible.

If his friend’s mind slipped and sold at a low price to another Lord,

he wouldn’t catch this windfall.

Watching Grayson disappear, Lynn’s face was calm.

No matter whose grain or goods as long as they arrive in his territory.

He would take it all!

Retracting his gaze, Lynn looked at the slaves standing on the open ground.

They were emaciated, gaunt, and their eyes were filled with confusion and fear.

Lynn took a step forward, shouting loudly, "I am the Lord of this land, Lynn..."

"As long as you obey my orders, you will not need to suffer hunger!"

...