Grand Duke Folunto was visiting Northland for the first time. As he traveled through Delaimuke Province with Duke Kenmais, he was utterly astonished. Before him lay meticulously arranged and clearly demarcated territorial borders, wide and straight transportation highways, and fields flanked by a comprehensive network of irrigation and water management facilities. All of it overturned the impression he had long held in his mind of this once-great agricultural province of the former Krisen Empire.
Wasn't the national highway of Delaimuke Province supposed to be a winding, twisty road — the most money-draining and longest inter-provincial highway of the former empire? He had heard that back in the day, in order to avoid infringing upon the rights and territories of the imperial nobles of Delaimuke Province, the highway's construction plan had been revised again and again, until finally a compromise was reached that had the road following the territorial borders of each noble's domain, curving countless times. The cost had multiplied several times over, and every family and noble connected to the highway had grown fat on profits... So what was this perfectly flat road before him? Could it be a grand project left behind by the former Grand Duke of Madras when he governed Delaimuke Province?
When Grand Duke Folunto had led his family's armed legion to escort over a hundred thousand settlers to Yungeshangdela Province, he hadn't taken the route through South Province, Winston Province, and Delaimuke Province. Instead, he had crossed directly from Meishan Province over the White Egret Lake Marshes to reach Yungeshangdela Province. Though the route was treacherous and difficult, it cut nearly half the distance and travel time. He wasn't the only one — Grand Duke Handra and Grand Duke Sabaji, who had been reassigned to the two southwestern provinces, had taken the same road.
Duke Kenmais smirked and told Grand Duke Folunto that this was
"This... this... How could the
Moreover, inter-provincial highways like this were generally funded and built by the kingdom. As the administrative lord of Delaimuke Province, the Norton family could have applied for funding subsidies. But considering the
Duke Kenmais laughed out loud. "You call that big capital? My friend, you have no idea — the Norton family has sunk nearly twenty million gold Fordes into developing Northland. They've spent another ten to twenty million on equipping their family armed forces. You think the Norton family's reputation as an elite military power came from nowhere? It was hammered out with pure money..."
Just as Lorist had muttered about Duke Kenmais being the kind of man who'd rather spend money on personal pleasures than invest in the family's armed forces, Duke Kenmais likewise believed that Lorist spent far too much on military power. He had once heard Lorist say that half of the family's annual income went to the family armed forces. This had led Duke Kenmais to conclude that Lorist must have some kind of persecution paranoia — pouring that much money into armaments just to protect the family. The Norton family's military strength already surpassed that of the kingdom, which was precisely why the Second Prince regarded them with such wariness.
As a genius merchant, Duke Kenmais could easily estimate the Norton family's annual income at a rough glance. It was precisely because of this that he understood the family's several hundred thousand-strong armed forces must cost no less than two to three million gold Fordes per year in military expenses. But it was good to shelter under a great tree — the more powerful the Norton family's armed forces became, the thicker the thigh of Lorist he was clinging to. He could rely on the Norton family as his great tree and quietly earn his own small fortune, without worrying about anyone targeting the Kenmais family.
Grand Duke Folunto was stunned speechless by Duke Kenmais's words. "This... this much gold Fordes — where did the Norton family get so much money..."
"Robbed it," Duke Kenmais answered nonchalantly. He knew Lorist's background very well. In the old days, when he'd been drinking and carousing with
"You must be joking. How could they possibly have robbed that much?" Grand Duke Folunto shook his head in disbelief.
"Haha, my friend, you don't know — when that fellow was studying at
Before that, they had destroyed Haneabada, that slave kingdom. I'd estimate the wealth they plundered from that slave kingdom was no less than twenty to thirty million gold Fordes..."
Grand Duke Folunto's jaw dropped as if listening to a fairy tale. "Really?"
"Why would I lie to you? That fellow and his men never shied away from talking about those past exploits — in fact, they'd boast about the robberies with great relish. You could never comprehend the terrifying efficiency of the Norton family's organized plundering. The places they raided were left cleaner than blank paper..."
Duke Kenmais spoke with an envious tone as he disparaged the Norton family armed forces' plundering activities. Finally, he licked his lips and added with lingering resentment, "That fellow even robbed me of a hundred thousand gold Fordes..."
Back then, when Lorist had traveled light, departing from the northern convoy ahead of everyone else to return to his family estate, the first person he targeted was the Kenmais family. Not only did he set fire and burn down the Red River Valley Manor Castle on the Kenmais viscount's territory, he swept clean all the materials and supplies stored in the manor. Even the hundred thousand gold Fordes that Duke Kenmais had stashed in the manor's secret vault didn't escape.
Even though Duke Kenmais now ran the Snow Salt Trading Company and handled gold Fordes by the hundreds of thousands, and his own annual expenditure on luxury living exceeded a hundred thousand gold Fordes, that memory of the hundred thousand gold Fordes in private savings still felt like a knife twisting in his heart. That stash of gold, hidden in the secret vault of Red River Valley Manor Castle, had been painstakingly accumulated over nearly ten years through tips and kickbacks — a few coins here, dozens there, hundreds there — from various business deals after he had taken a position in the family trading company. Even his father hadn't known about it.
And then Lorist had stolen it. That was Duke Kenmais's eternal wound. Every time he thought about how he had scrimped and saved from the day he entered the family trading company, carefully polishing each gold Forde before placing it in the chest — only for it all to end up "saved" for Lorist — Kenmais would be consumed with fury. Back then, when he had received that terrible news, he had been ready to go fight Lorist to the death, insisting on attacking Stonehold Castle even though it had already fallen into the Norton family's hands, regardless of the devastating casualties to the family's armed forces. He had nearly sparked a mutiny.
But Duke Kenmais's greatest strength was his clear-headed pragmatism. The moment he realized he was no match for Lorist, he immediately heeded his father's instructions, changed course entirely, turned from enemy to friend with Lorist, and clung tightly to that thick, sturdy thigh. And so he had arrived at his current illustrious status and title, with the Kenmais family holding the entirety of Xidegele Province as their family domain...
After crossing the pontoon bridge over the lower reaches of the Mituobulo River, Grand Duke Folunto finally set foot on Northland soil. During the journey from the bridge crossing to Angry Bear City, he finally understood what Duke Kenmais had meant about the Norton family's tens of millions of gold Fordes invested in territory development. Was this the desolate, remote Northland he had imagined? Endless herds of cattle and sheep, wide highways, boundless farmland, villages and houses arranged in neat rows, bustling town markets, and throngs of people...
Grand Duke Folunto felt that the impressions left from his youth, when he had visited the Antari Plains where the imperial capital stood, paled in comparison to everything he now saw before him. The closer they got to Angry Bear City, the more prosperous and lively the surroundings became. Even though winter had arrived and heavy snow fell from the sky, the streets were still bustling with people, filled with a cheerful atmosphere.
Duke Kenmais proudly told him that it wasn't the southern region around Angry Bear City — the seat of the Northland government — that was the most prosperous area. Northland's truly wealthy regions were Fengleyuan on the old Norton family territory, and North Sea City — the former being the earliest to be developed, the latter a port city. Apart from having a mansion in Angry Bear City and building the largest estate in the eastern suburbs' noble district, he also owned a large compound in North Sea City.
It seemed the Norton family really did have money. Grand Duke Folunto felt reassured — this visit should allow him to secure the loan. But as Duke Kenmais continued introducing Northland along the way, a sudden thought struck Grand Duke Folunto: he wanted to obtain Lorist's permission to tour Northland and witness firsthand the results of the Norton family's massive gold Forde investment in territory development...
The New Year celebration of the 1785th year of the Galentea Universal Calendar was the grandest, most-attended, and highest-specification New Year banquet ever hosted by the Norton family. Nearly fifteen hundred nobles and their family members attended, and even Lorist felt that Angry Bear City's central castle wasn't large enough. It would need to be expanded again — perhaps this time they truly needed to build a palace.
What made this New Year celebration the highest in specification was the unprecedented number of Grand Dukes in attendance. The four-nation Northland alliance meant four Grand Dukes right there. Grand Duke Fisablen had come again, bringing along his lover, Great Swordmaster Sindy, and he seemed to be growing quite fond of these gatherings. After attending the banquet at Duke Kenmais's estate the previous year, he had even specifically inquired with Lorist about property prices in the noble district, as if he too wanted to build an estate to stay in permanently.
Grand Duke Fisablen couldn't quite bring himself to pay for one, of course, but between the lines his meaning was clear — he wanted Lorist to foot the bill and build an estate as a gift to an elder. And that estate would need to be even larger and more luxurious than Duke Kenmais's...
Beyond Grand Duke Fisablen, this New Year celebration also had Grand Duke Folunto in attendance. Though they had once been enemies, the war was over and Grand Duke Folunto had submitted to the Second Prince. They were all nobles of Andinak now, and Lorist couldn't very well shut him out. Not only did he need to extend a warm welcome, he needed to show impeccable hospitality — that was the so-called noble grace. Yesterday they had been foes on the battlefield; today they clinked cups as friends. Such was the norm among noble families.
Money wasn't lent for free, of course. Lending between nobles was essentially a form of usury, with different interest rates depending on repayment within an agreed timeframe. For those with better relations, the terms were "nine out, eleven back" — borrow ten thousand, receive nine thousand, and within the deadline only repay eleven thousand. Miss the deadline, and the interest rate doubled.
With harsher terms, it could be "seven out, thirteen back" — borrow ten thousand, receive only seven thousand, but repay thirteen thousand, nearly double. However, Lorist had agreed to lend Grand Duke Folunto money on terms of three years, "nine out, twelve back." This had delighted Grand Duke Folunto beyond measure. But he remembered the idea that had been forming in his mind and proposed that after winter, he would like to tour Northland and observe the results of the Norton family's territory development, drawing on their experience before signing the loan agreement. Lorist agreed without hesitation and even assigned Reidi to oversee Grand Duke Folunto's safety during the trip.
Grand Duke Folunto set out after the rainy season. Reidi led a detachment of guards and spent over two months escorting him on a grand tour of Northland before they returned to Angry Bear City. Grand Duke Folunto requested a meeting with Lorist and then put forward a new proposal: he hoped the Norton family could provide him with support — comprehensive assistance in personnel, technology, and funding to develop Yungeshangdela Province. In return, he was willing to pay substantial compensation.
This was no simple lending arrangement. It required the Norton family to dispatch personnel to conduct a thorough survey and exploration of the entirety of Yungeshangdela Province within the Folunto family's territory, design and plan the complete development of the province, draw up budgets, and arrange implementation steps. In other words, Grand Duke Folunto was commissioning the Norton family to develop his own family territory — something without precedent even in the era of the former Krisen Empire.
Grand Duke Folunto's proposal caused a massive stir within the Norton family. Voices of support and opposition rang out endlessly. Not only was there no precedent for such a thing, but many also questioned what the Folunto family could possibly offer to repay the enormous costs the Norton family would incur in developing Yungeshangdela Province. Grand Duke Folunto, for his part, was quite candid. He said the Folunto family was indeed destitute at the moment and couldn't offer much in the way of wealth. But he had a whole province as his territory. Once development was complete — whether it took ten years or several decades — he would gradually repay the debt in full.
Grand Duke Folunto had left a very favorable impression on Lorist. During the expedition against the four central duchies, Grand Duke Folunto had refrained from destroying grain stores and supply warehouses to protect his people, instead sealing them up for the Second Prince to claim. This had prevented the Andinak Kingdom's army from harassing the common folk. When the Second Prince relocated the Folunto family to Yungeshangdela Province, the largest number of settlers — over a hundred thousand — had voluntarily chosen to follow Grand Duke Folunto to the new territory.
Now, Grand Duke Folunto's willingness to shoulder enormous debt for the sake of developing his territory also commanded Lorist's respect. He told Grand Duke Folunto that in principle, he supported the duke's vision of developing the territory and improving the people's livelihood, but the specifics would need to wait until a comprehensive survey and exploration had been completed. Rushing things now would be pointless.
On the third of July in the 1785th year of the Galentea Universal Calendar, the Grand Duke of Northland ordered the deployment of capable personnel to conduct a comprehensive survey and exploration of Yungeshangdela Province, thus inaugurating the joint development of noble territories.
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