Chapter 288 Sorenborg Refugee Camp (Two in one! Please subscribe!)

Although in Lennon Cohen's impression, the eastern part of the empire has always been synonymous with poverty and backwardness, but... he has never known what a prosperous and peaceful life is like.

Some people say that the inland of the empire is prosperous, but Lennon Cohen never believed it, because his grandfather was bullied and had a hard time living in the inland of the empire. It was only after going through untold hardships and many twists and turns that he came to this barren land.

According to my grandfather's memory, that was probably the time of the first eastward movement.

Many years ago, the eastern part of the empire, including the territory of Idar, was still the land of the Kingdom of Basel. The Norman Empire forcibly seized this vast land in the eastern part of the empire through external expansion, and made the Kingdom of Basel in the southeast completely recognize the Norman Empire as its big brother.

The first population migration in the Norman Empire, the Eastward Movement, began in this context.

After the victory of the war that year, many of the lowest-level people who had suffered from oppression by the nobles began to migrate on a large scale to the desolate and remote areas in the eastern part of the empire.

At first, the nobles did not care much about this, but when they found that the large-scale migration of population had significantly reduced the amount of money they could squeeze out... the migration path of ordinary people was filled with heavy shackles and obstacles.

It was from that time on that large amounts of loans at extremely high interest rates became popular in the Norman Empire.

The nobles never thought about reducing the burden on the people. They felt that... the reason these untouchables still had the strength to migrate eastward was because they were too kind and had not exploited the people harshly enough!

Therefore, as long as these civilians have debts lent by the nobles, once they want to migrate eastward, the nobles' lackeys can capture them back without any scruples!

You owe money and want to run away? You will be reduced to serfs for generations. Are you afraid? Lennon Cohen's grandfather told him these past events. That's why he never imagined a stable life. As long as the nobles in power could keep him and his family from starving to death, he thought they were very kind nobles.

However, the invasion of Odin disrupted his already extremely difficult life.

Although after the massacre on the Valens Plain, Odin's army did not plan another large-scale massacre in the eastern part of the empire, looting the people, as a traditional skill of the Odin people, has never been absent.

The Odin people's looting made the already difficult life even worse. When the nobles fled the land, they took away almost all the money and food, so that poor people like him could only survive on tree bark, grass roots and secretly stored food.

Until... a group calling themselves the Idar people appeared.

The army and bureaucrats of Idar took over this land that had been ruled by unscrupulous nobles. They brought food and restored order.

Under the rule of these Idar people, he had a full meal for the first time.

Not only were there large pieces of black bread, but there were also pickled salted fish! This was the first time Lennon Cohen had eaten fish in his life. The light salty taste and the strong fishy smell did not disgust him at all, because... fish is also meat! Moreover, the soldiers of Idar County did not plunder the lower-class people for anything, but instead communicated with these refugees.

It was also during the communication with the soldiers that Lennon Cohen first learned that in the eastern part of the empire, there actually was an aristocratic territory where the people no longer had to endure hunger and starvation, and there actually was a place where they could survive on their own strength!

And the name of this noble territory... is Idar Territory! According to others, Idar Territory is a thriving and ever-changing noble territory. The Stuart family that rules Idar Territory has always spared no effort to maintain the peace and stability of that land.

Lennon Cohen even saw with his own eyes an army of more than a thousand people advancing northward. It was said that... they were going to fight a decisive battle with the Odin Empire.

Facing the brutal Odin people, he never thought that Idar Lord could win, but just a few days ago, the news of Odin's defeat began to spread in this land in the east of the empire!

Then, officials from Idar began to recruit refugees in the eastern part of the empire to work, provide them with shelter, and pay them according to their contributions.

Although Lennon Cohen still had doubts in his heart, he gave his name out of curiosity about the Idar Territory.

And today is Lennon Cohen's third day in the Sollenberg refugee camp.

The construction of Hagia Sophia relied on refugees from the eastern part of the empire.

Bruno knew very well that as long as the people in the eastern part of the empire understood that they could have enough food to eat under the rule of the Stuart family, there would not be too many problems with the social order in the eastern part of the empire, and it might even gain the support of almost everyone.

Anyway… as long as it’s not worse than before! Lennon Cohen’s life is very regular now, with a clear schedule every day, including when to go to work, when to eat, and when to sleep.

Moreover, the working hours were not limited to daytime! The Idar people had no idea what means they used to make the construction site look as bright as day in the dark. Although it was impossible to work non-stop for 24 hours, there were always shifts of workers working on the site from 5 or 6 in the morning to 8 or 9 in the evening.

Lennon Cohen was particularly interested in those lights whose working principles were unknown, so much so that when he rested at night, he would often stare at the bright lights alone in a daze.

He was indeed just an ordinary citizen, and he always liked to explore the mechanism of how things worked. However, most of the time, his hunger made it difficult for him to think about these things, until... he came to the Sorenborg refugee camp at his feet.

The work is indeed tiring, but the Idar people are generous in terms of pay and benefits.

Although the meals provided by the Idar people were mostly just the simplest black bread, they were much better than what he had eaten before.

If you work slowly, you may be reprimanded by the supervisor, but you will not be whipped.

Because the recruitment regulations of Idarling clearly stated that the more work you do, the more you will be paid, and the less work you do, the less you will be paid, so there is no need for the supervisor to catch anyone and not let them go.

But...if the work points do not meet the requirements for a long time, you will be kicked out of the construction team.

It's not easy to get such a good job opportunity, only a fool would not cherish it!

It's not just Lennon Cohen. The people at the bottom of society have long been accustomed to hardship. They are all good at work and are afraid of being left behind by others. Therefore, it is natural for them to exceed the task quota.

While working hard, Lennon Cohen was also observing the land he was on.

The Sollenberg refugee camp is located on the land near Sollenberg. Next to the refugee camp is the Hagia Sophia, which is under intensive construction.

Although the prototype of the church has not yet appeared, just looking at the area it occupies, one can tell how grand a religious building it will be. And the comprehensive strength of Idar Territory is naturally evident.

Before the Idar Immigration Administration issued valid identification documents, these refugees from the eastern part of the empire were not allowed to cross the Sauron River and enter the core area of ​​Idar territory.

So... he and the refugees around him often fantasized about what the south bank of the Sauron River looked like.

but,

Perhaps it was God's will that

Lennon Cohen unexpectedly found a channel that allowed him to understand the Idar Territory.

He keenly noticed that almost every day after work, there would be a guy in gorgeous clothes sitting on a stone in a daze near the construction site of Hagia Sophia.

The guy who called himself "Woolley Dennis" was not at all arrogant and often took the initiative to talk to Lennon Cohen.

That’s right!

After going to the Idar Immigration Administration to request to speed up the immigration process, Woolley Dennis unexpectedly came to the construction site on the north bank of the Soren River to observe these eastern refugees who were gathered by the Idar people.

because……

He clearly remembered what the officials of the Idar Immigration Administration said after he proposed to increase immigration expenses:

"Immigration fees are only one aspect. The Earl is more concerned about what you can bring to Idar Territory, or...what kind of changes you are willing to make to Idar Territory."

Before, he didn't know what this sentence meant.

But when he put aside his noble airs and walked the streets of Idar County like an ordinary person, he seemed to gradually understand something.

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When he let go of his pride as a noble, the Idar Territory he saw was completely different from what he saw when he looked at it from a noble perspective.

The so-called prosperity of the inland empire is the prosperity of the inland nobles.

A large number of lower-class people provided endless leeks for the nobles in the inland of the empire. Although there was not much money to be made from these poor people, the number of people was too large!

Through forced labor, various taxes and other means, the nobles in the interior of the empire made a fortune.

Although the eastern part of the empire has always been considered a remote and desolate place, the peace, stability, prosperity and development of Idar Territory are not limited to the nobles, but have penetrated into all the people of Idar Territory.

They can afford new clothes, fill their stomachs, and even send their children to learn spelling and reading!

Maybe their lives are hard, and maybe they need to pay the same taxes on time as before, but... everything in Idar Territory has rules!

You have to pay exactly how much tax you are told to pay, and although there has been no reduction in the slightest, there are also no layers of additional taxes and various levies and levies that are common in other noble territories.

Moreover, under the rule of Count Bruno Stuart of Idar, the income of the people of Idar has almost doubled, and the per capita disposable income has increased significantly!

But...what the city of Idar presented to Earl Dale Woolley Dennis were all the results of Bruno's governance, so he crossed the open and turbulent Soren River and came to the Sorenborg refugee camp where a large number of refugees gathered.

As the former lord of a territory, Woolley Dennis, the Earl of Dale, had naturally seen refugees who were half-naked and starving, but... when he saw the refugees gathered in the refugee camp, he could not help but be stunned.

If he hadn't known it beforehand, he would never have believed that those people with hope on their faces were actually refugees collected by the Idar people from the eastern part of the empire! Why didn't they cry? Why didn't they beg? Looking at those people deep in the refugee camp, Earl Dale had a strange feeling in his heart. Perhaps... these people's lives now were better than those of the Dale Hills under his rule...

He wanted to see with his own eyes the changes that the Idar people had made to this land, while Lennon Cohen, who was deep in the refugee camp, also wanted to know what the Idar native land on the south bank of the Soron River looked like, so...

One was a commoner at the bottom of society, and the other was a former noble lord. These two people, who should have had no intersection at all, actually communicated countless times in these few days.

For the first time, from the perspective of an ordinary person, Woolley Dennis personally experienced the changes that Idar Territory was bringing to the eastern part of the empire, and even to the entire world! When he saw the people who had worked hard all day and were grateful for being able to eat a bite of black bread that he usually didn't even look at, Woolley Dennis was surrounded by an indescribable emotion, and for the first time he began to doubt his own rule.

"Life is good now! As long as you are willing to work hard, you can afford to eat and get paid! The supervisors all said that I work hard and am willing to study hard. They said that if I perform well, I can even learn to spell!"

Lennon Cohen paused, then asked expectantly, "You are a knowledgeable person... In Idar Territory, can a refugee like me also learn knowledge?"

Woolley Dennis took a deep breath, nodded, and affirmed: "There is a saying in the Idar Daily that knowledge changes destiny. All Idar people who meet certain conditions can learn spelling and knowledge at the Two Point Academy on the south bank of the Idar River."

“It’s actually like this!”

Hearing this, Lennon Cohen's excitement was beyond words, and he couldn't help but say, "It would be great if the Odin people came earlier. In this way, Idar County might take over the eastern territory of the empire earlier..."

Woolley Dennis: …

Although Lennon Cohen's unintentional words made Earl Dale feel as uncomfortable as if he had eaten a fly, but...

Looking at the Sorenburg refugee camp in front of him, and recalling what he had seen and heard in Idar territory, he suddenly remembered the requirements for immigration in the "Regulations on the Travel of Nobles in the Eastern Empire and Guidelines for the Immigration of Nobles"...provide at least 120 jobs for the people of Idar!

Although he was reluctant to admit it in his heart, at this moment, Woolley Dennis clearly realized that compared with the Idar Territory under the rule of the Stuart Family, any noble territory in the empire was undoubtedly a loser! In his opinion,

Is Bruno making money?

Of course, he also made money! If Bruno couldn't come up with enough money, how could Idal County build wonders such as the Baths of Caracalla and the Fortress of Namur? But while Bruno was making money, Idal County was constantly developing. Not only did the Stuart family make a lot of money, but even the living standards of the people in Idal County were steadily improving! If given time, Idal County would inevitably become an extremely terrifying behemoth!

Just imagine, relying on a small earldom, Idar can fight against the invincible Odin's cavalry.

If Lord Idar included the entire eastern part of the empire under his rule,

So……

Thinking of this, Earl Dale Woolley Dennis couldn't help but gasp.

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