CHAPTER 496: CHAPTER 474: THE GOLDEN SPARROW ORPHAN

"Hey, what are you looking at? Be careful, or I’ll smack you." The old knight, drenched in sweat, had just pushed a broken box onto the carriage and turned to angrily shout at the peasants watching from the roadside.

On the King’s Path leading to Hotam County, a queue stretching more than a mile had formed.

Dust flew and settled into eyes, livestock mingled, children ran wildly between wheels and hay, with adults anxiously yelling behind them.

"Move quickly, move quickly!" The knight wearing a blue cloak embroidered with the Golden Finch urged these people onward with a crack of his whip.

The main body of these travelers consisted of peasants and artisans from the Kongdai Territory, while some were refugees fleeing the kingdom’s civil war.

After the civil war broke out in the kingdom, thousands of refugees fled into the Thousand River Valley, one of the few places not affected by the flames of war.

Though the Inosen Dam has yet to be completed and there is still the risk of floods, it is better than staying in the warzone and getting beheaded by soldiers.

The leader of these migrants was the former Grand Master of the Border Knight Order, Lakunio, who resigned last year and planned to retire to the mountains.

While visiting the Kongdai Territory, he heard about the plight of Charles, the old Knight Commander, and decided to lead the protection of migrants while also visiting Prince Kongdai.

"Lakunio!" Kongdai warmly opened his arms and gave a fierce hug to this old friend and mentor, "Grand Master, your beard has turned white."

"Hahaha." Lakunio, dressed in a coarse robe, laughed and pounded the back of Prince Kongdai, "I’m eighty now, it’s no surprise it’s white."

"Let’s go inside and talk, I’ve got some excellent wine." Pulling Lakunio’s arm, Prince Kongdai almost dragged him towards the garden of the estate.

"Are you planning to settle down here for good?" Lakunio took a sip of wine, walking through the garden with Prince Kongdai.

"Of course, but for now, only Hotam County, Hotam County is enough."

Hotam County is the wealthiest and most prosperous area within the Thousand River Valley, even surpassing the commercially and financially advanced Lower Reif County.

A single Hotam County covers nearly 30,000 square kilometers, with over 12,000 square kilometers of arable land and a developed water management and irrigation system.

Walking along the King’s Path in Hotam County, irrigation canals spread like a spider’s web between towns and estates amidst rivers and streams.

Waterwheels along the river churn white foam, and the gates of dams hold back leaping waves.

Local lords can easily control agricultural life across a region by managing the gates and waterwheels.

Apart from agriculture, the Thousand River Valley’s developed waterways facilitate rapid cargo flows, with a string of small towns dotting Nao’an River and other rivers.

Unlike the southern three county satellite towns around major cities, Hotam County has only one major city: Feiliu Castle.

On the remaining land, small towns with populations under two thousand are scattered around lordly castles and churches.

Most of these small towns engage in food processing, dye production, oil pressing, and basic textile industries, contributing 18,000 gold pounds annually to the Leia Royal Family in tribute and revenue from this single county.

Back when Mizam was still around, he calculated the potential tax revenue of Hotam County for Prince Kongdai.

He found that local annual tax revenue could reach nearly 200,000 gold pounds if taxes weren’t paid to the Church and the Leia Kingdom.

Though at least one-third of this is in-kind tax rather than currency, it’s still a fortune for Prince Kongdai.

Of course, at least half of these 200,000 gold pounds flow to the local nobility, but if Prince Kongdai can streamline Hotam County’s tax system, he can pocket at least 70,000-90,000 gold pounds annually.

This way, Prince Kongdai wouldn’t need to borrow money, maintaining his existing six decrees, and repaying most foreign debt within four to six years.

A single Hotam County is already so, and if the entire Thousand River Valley can be seized, it’s unimaginable.

However, within the Leia Kingdom, the Thousand River Valley is only mid-level; his true homeland, River Island, is the wealthiest region in all Leia.

Bear in mind, the Leia Kingdom comprises eight territories: Eagle’s Claw Bay, Thorn Garden, Shattered Stone Plain, Windmill Land, River Island, Dawn Island, Thousand River Valley, and Immortal Stone Field.

River Island covers only half the size of the Thousand River Valley but provides nearly one-third of the nation’s tax revenue to the Leia Royal Family.

It is the textile and commercial center north of Nao’an River, with city tax alone approaching 200,000 gold pounds, more than threefold the tax contributions from the entire Thousand River Valley.

"Would you be interested in hearing my thoughts?"

"Please, speak on." Prince Kongdai put down his wine glass, his expression turned serious.

"After the Old Pope’s death, the restraints on you are few; amid this civil war, you can govern a piece of land.

My idea is, at the very least, ensure the Golden Finch Clan’s survival. After developing for two or three generations, when the former nobles almost forget their grudges, we may have a chance to rise again."

After listening to Lakunio, the old Grand Master, Prince Kongdai walked silently in the small garden.

To the great nobles of the Leia Kingdom, the Golden Finch Clan’s actions of trying to consolidate local finances back then indeed overstepped boundaries.

But at that time, the Golden Finch Dynasty wielded the strongest Extraordinary Knights after the hundred-year war; their surging cavalry obliterated two Dukes in three months with blitzkrieg.

All foreign powers were in internal turmoil, without time to interfere in Leia’s domestic affairs.

If not for the "Immortality Wine" scandal exposed by the Long Song nobles, the Golden Finches were nearly successful, supported by the Pope.

The traumatic response to this incident made the Leia nobility resent the Golden Finch greatly from top to bottom.

Prince Kongdai harbored thoughts of restoring the kingdom in his heart, but what could he do, given the circumstances?

"You’re right, that’s what I think too." After saying this, Prince Kongdai felt both unwillingness and a self-mocking sense of relief.

"I have an idea." Old Grand Master Lakunio sat by the pool and patted the marble bench engraved with a seahorse fighting a dung beetle, "Charles, come sit down."

"Grand Master, what do you want to say?"

"Charles, have you thought about reconciling with the local forces of Thousand River Valley?"

"Reconcile? At this moment? Are you kidding?" Prince Kongdai nearly jumped out of his chair; with the situation as it was, how could reconciliation be possible?

He’d already retreated to being a prince in this remote corner, so did he need to yield even more?

Lakunio, however, shook his head: "The current situation is that you’ve come to Thousand River Valley but haven’t established a solid foothold. You should first reconcile with the local forces before slowly encroaching."

"How is that not a solid foothold? The entire Hotam County is under my rule; the harvest is abundant, floods have been repelled, and the populace lives in peace." Prince Kongdai furrowed his brows in suspicious confusion, "How is that not a solid foothold?"

"Let me ask you one question, into whose hands do the taxes go?"

"Of course, into my hands." Looking at Lakunio’s half-smiling eyes, Prince Kongdai laughed heartily, "They are usually kept with Banifus. When I need them, I just go to him to get them. I can’t let my young men go to each village to collect money from those bumpkins, can I?"

"There’s nothing wrong with utilizing the Church’s system; everyone does it," Lakunio looked at his good disciple before him, "but are you sure about this Bishop Banifus who handles the money?"

"That’s why I’ve called all the old courtiers and nobles of the Kongdai Territory here. Once they’re established on the land of Hotam County, everything will get better."

Lakunio grasped Prince Kongdai’s hand, unsure of what to say for a moment.

Young Charles had summoned a large number of artisans and civilians, which Lakunio greatly approved of.

After all, they were subjects of Kongdai and were newcomers, surely more inclined to obey Prince Kongdai’s orders.

But calling those old knights’ families and former courtiers over was a mistake, because these nobles wanted land.

Just after the Hotam knights died on the battlefield fighting the Salvation Army, their territories were about to be allocated to the newcomer knights.

Though this was a desperate measure due to inability to pay the troops, it was still too provocative to the local nobility.

Couldn’t you buy them out or get a loan? It wouldn’t cost much.

After Kongdai’s two external aides, Mizam and the Old Pope, were gone, Lakunio felt that Prince Kongdai’s political acumen significantly declined.

Prince Kongdai might be a decisive decision-maker, but he wasn’t a cautious and meticulous planner.

To this day, Lakunio hadn’t been able to find another Mizam by Prince Kongdai’s side.

Or, after the civil war erupted and the old pope passed away, it seemed Prince Kongdai was like a bird freed from a neck shackle, hellbent on unleashing the madness long suppressed in his heart.

"Charles, I have some words you might not like to hear, but I must tell you.

Only after serving a lifetime as the Grand Master of the Border Knight Order did I realize that a knight’s sword cannot obtain all things.

The Thousand River Valley people are overtly resistant to the Church, and the matter of the blue-blooded orphans has indeed gone too far.

You should not align with the Church so clearly. It’s a shackle.

Truly clever people should learn to act vague and hesitant and only make decisions at critical moments."

Prince Kongdai’s tone held a hint of impatience: "So what do you suggest I do?"

Lakunio clearly sensed his emotions but still patiently said: "You command only tens of thousands, but the Thousand River Valley has millions, backed by foreign forces like Falan and Norn.

Your task is not to confront them all simultaneously but to reconcile with one side and then strike the other.

Considering the Salvation Army is a peasant rebel army, your most convenient move is to marry into the house of Grand Duke Moliat.

You are the largest external force; she is the largest local force. If you marry, you hold the plains, and she holds the mountains, which is the best situation."

"Marry that treacherous old maid?" Prince Kongdai sneered, "That would mean the end of the Golden Finch family, Moliat... I swore I’d kill her."

"... Alright." Staring into Prince Kongdai’s gray eyes, Lakunio stood after a long silence, "Since you won’t seek someone in Thousand River Valley, look outside. We relics of the old dynasty can no longer provide you much support."

"I’m considering it, but haven’t found the right person yet."

"If there’s no suitable candidate, find a mistress. Currently, you’re the only seedling of the Golden Finch family," Lakunio insisted, "It’s terrifying that there isn’t a single mistress in your residence."

"Is there really a need to rush?" Mumbled Prince Kongdai, who was utterly unaware of the perilous path he was treading on, as he rose and left.

Watching his confused and bewildered departing silhouette, Old Grand Master Lakunio sighed deeply.

Looking up at the cloud-filled sky, those clouds resembled the face his father entrusted him with before his death.

Golden Finch orphan, Golden Finch orphan...

Could it be that it’s truly the Saint Master’s wish to extinguish the Golden Finch bloodline?