A Treacherous Courtier Manages the Empire Well

13 – Night of Conspiracy

Prince Adran kept his promise with Landor. He selected experts in accounting and administration from his subordinates and formed a dedicated team to be sent to the Elond Estate and the Portu Commercial City.

It was an interesting case since these officials were being dispatched to places that strictly belonged to their private estates, which could be seen as a violation of the rights of the lords of those territories. Surprisingly, however, the officials sent by Adran were warmly welcomed by the Earl of Elond and the enthusiastic people of the Portu Commercial City.

“Welcome!! Welcome!!”

And only after receiving stacks of documents like mountains did the government officials understand why they were so welcomed. However, they were experts raised by Adran. These officials, who handled administrative tasks with administrative skills different from those of merchants, began to show their true colors.

“Remember, Landor is a traitor. Investigate the lands of Count Elond and the commercial city of Porto. Make sure there are no illegal activities, that the territory is being properly managed, and that taxes are being paid correctly. And don’t forget to submit regular reports.”

The officials had a strong aversion to Landor, influenced by their leader, Prince Adran. Therefore, they began to demand strict standards that could be applied in the capital city while traveling around the commercial city of Porto and the lands of Elond.

“We will check if the sewer system is properly maintained!”

“We installed the sewer system according to the regulations from the beginning.”

“We will check if the taxes have been paid properly! Bring the account books!”

“Yes, yes. Please take them.”

“Where did this 7.5 million gold come from!! Isn’t this illegally collected visa funds! We will collect it as a penalty!”

“Yes, yes. Please do so.”

“We will check if the heating is properly installed in all the numerous accommodations and residential facilities you have built!”

“They are all done. Lord Landor said not to skimp on money. We installed marble stoves in all of them.”

“Uh…is there anything else?”

Everything was running smoothly according to principles and regulations. The 7.5 million gold in illegally collected funds was confiscated, and taxes were collected as stipulated. The standards for roads and buildings, heating systems, and sewerage installations were so sophisticated and clean that they could rival those of the capital city. Instead of plunder and tyranny, it was confirmed that many well-paying jobs were created for the citizens, gaining popularity.

In the end, the report submitted to Adran had nothing but praise for Landor.

Along with the piles of coins collected as taxes.

“There were no significant issues, Your Highness.”

“…Really?”

“Yes. The roads and buildings were maintained at the level of the capital city, and marble stoves were installed in each household.”

“Marble stoves? Not cheap coal stoves?”

“Yes. They were installed with the concern that there might be a fire hazard. There are more charging stations for recharging depleted magical stones used in the stoves than in the capital city. It was clear that great attention was given to heating the citizens. Also, they have established banks and are lending money to the citizens.”

“That Landor bastard! It’s a loan shark business! Lending money to citizens and then extorting them with exorbitant interest rates…”

“There were no interest rates higher than 1%.”

“…”

“As there were a significantly high number of high-earning jobs compared to other territories, on average, the borrowed money was repaid within a month. According to Lord Landor, it was a form of settlement funds lent to the newly settled peasants in Elond, and loans were progressing just as intended.”

“That can’t be true!! Go back and check meticulously again!!! Make sure there is no plunder or tyranny!! Check thoroughly about the commercial city of Porto too!!”

Once again, the government officials went back, but Adran could only conclude that Landor was doing well, which was shockingly unbelievable. Every time the officials went up to the capital city to report, they only had praise for Landor.

And every time they went up, piles of coins collected as taxes according to regulations also came up to the capital city. Due to the extravagant lifestyle and situation of Adran’s father, the current emperor, the national treasury had always been empty, but now it began to fill up at a rapid pace.

“…What on earth…”

Adran was taken aback and speechless at the sight of a full treasury. Of course, he was not foolish. When the treasury was full, he executed the policies he had planned.

A school was built with government funding to refurbish medical facilities and train new staff, in order to provide affordable treatment to everyone, while also addressing the long-standing issue of old facilities and outdated infrastructure in the capital city.

Roads were newly paved and buildings were repainted. The capital city’s numerous old lampposts were also replaced in a large-scale operation, illuminating the night streets, and the corrupt security guards were fired and replaced with new ones, preparing for improved security in the capital.

Everything was going so logically.

“…Why? How on earth?”

Adran often found himself mumbling to himself, unable to believe it himself. Whatever medicine Lendor had taken, he had changed his mind, and that alone had brought about tremendous changes in the empire. But Adran still did not know.

True change would begin from now on.

Two months after Lendor came to the capital and asked for help from Celeine of Grace and Adran of Gold.

“Hereby declaring the completion of the empire’s first fertilizer factory!”

The empire’s first fertilizer factory opened its doors in the commercial district of Porto.

“First, safety! Second, safety! Third, safety!”

I emphasized safety to the point where some might call it obsessive. Even if fertilizer was poured out every day, there were no accidents or disasters when the factory shut down due to shortage. With my obsessive emphasis on safety, the fertilizer factory had a momentous first start. And on its first day alone, it produced 1000 tons of fertilizer and stacked them in the warehouse.

“hahahahaha! Fertilizer! Fertilizer!”

Looking at the warehouse filled with fertilizer, Leo and the fertilizer development team embraced and repeatedly laughed and cried. This pile of fertilizer was not just anything. It was a means to feed the entire continent’s population.

The fertilizers were loaded onto wagons and transported to the Marquis Elond’s territory, and from the Marquis’s territory, they were moved to the Golden Meadow through trade routes. After experimenting with a few peasants to clear the land, spread the fertilizer, and plant seeds, I received positive responses.

“They have sprouted. The crops grow incredibly well when the fertilizer is supplied. Lord Lendor.”

“Excellent. Very excellent!”

Now, the people flocking to the commercial city of Porto and Marquis Elond’s territory were not burdensome but a workforce. I immediately posted massive recruitment notices in both cities.

[Farmers needed to cultivate farmland. Rental of 1 acre of Lendor’s land. All crops cultivated will be purchased in full by the Merchant Guild. 90% of the income goes to the farmers, while 10% goes to the profit of the Merchant Guild. Housing with water and sanitation facilities included.]

A stir ensued.

Already, most of the people coming here were farmers carrying hungry stomachs, as they had suffered from exorbitant taxes and looting. With the promise of providing homes for working and the possibility of earning high profits, an incredible number of people started to support the cause without hesitation.

But I had no worries. The golden meadow that the sultan had granted me was remarkably vast.

“Clean the roads in the Golden Meadow! Build houses and install water and sanitation facilities!”

The engineers and construction workers of the continent were brought in without hesitation.

“I’ve already done that, Lord Landor.”

The development of the Golden Plains was truly an enormous undertaking.

The Merchant Guild enticed people with generous rewards, gathering them to work tirelessly all day, earning only 1 silver when they returned home, which was often the case in the empire where 8 or 9 silver could be earned for a day’s work, and skilled workers could earn more than 1 gold. The job opportunity was like a swarm, attracting people.

By continuing trade with the Western region through the trade route, the Merchant Guild had accumulated tremendous capital, and based on the immense power of money, we began to develop the Golden Plains at a rapid pace.

Soon, even though it was just a money-making venture, there would be enough grain production to feed all the people in the Aelam and Karamba Empires. Everyone was happy.

The Karamba Empire was able to resolve chronic famine, the Merchant Guild was making huge profits, and the empire could import abundant and inexpensive specialty products from the Western continent. It was beneficial to everyone.

There were only two types of people.

“What the hell!!! They escaped again with 30 people today!!!!!!!”

The seven nobles of the Vineyard Party who had territories in the Western farming area, where overwhelmed peasants were fleeing from witnessing the development of the Golden Plains and the Elond manor and the trading city of Porto.

“……..The growth of the Landor and Carya Princess factions is alarming.”

So far, they had been like parasites clinging to the old and weak emperor, but when they didn’t know when the emperor would die, some capital nobles who chose the Vineyard Party and the Felings Duke Party as the next faction to cling to were unlucky.

Fellings Duke with a sh*tty impression and the other six members of the Vineyard Party.

And the great betrayer, Landor, who appeared and was somewhat buried, with thirteen capital nobles belonging to the Felings Duke Party, who had faithfully played the role of a betrayer at the emperor’s side, were gathered in one place.

Everyone had a gloomy expression, as if having a contest of who had the sh*ttiest impression.

The nobles of the Vineyard Party and the capital nobles belonging to the Felings Duke Party, both factions had a common desire – for Carya, Selene, and Adran to fight in the mud and annihilate each other, and for the old and weak Emperor to die soon, so that the Felings Duke could seize the throne.

But Landor was doing too well, and the factions of Adran and Selene also showed no sign of losing momentum, so recently they couldn’t bring themselves to express their thoughts.

“What should we do? State your opinions.”

“Requesting the recovery of the fleeing peasants who escaped from His Majesty….”

“We’ve already tried that before. His Majesty pretended not to hear it.”

“…….”

“You all gathered here to play dumb? Say something, anything!!”

When Felings Duke, who was the central axis and leader of these two factions, spoke, everyone flinched. They all kept their mouths shut, and without any answers, Felings Duke let out a sigh as if the ground was collapsing.

“If we continue like this, Princess Carya might ascend to the throne!! Are we going to just sit still? We need to do something!!!”

Even with Felings Duke’s urging, there was still no response. Felings Duke drank a glass of wine, feeling his insides burn, when someone spoke.

“What if we do this?”

“What?”

“While Landor is indeed growing rapidly with great momentum, it is limited to the Elond Manor and the Porto trading city in the extreme-western region. Most of the capital nobles in the city still have little influence from him.”

Count Linaia proposed an idea.

“Think about it. What is Landor’s goal? To seize power. For now, he seems to be focused on making money, but there will come a time when his true intentions come to light. Isn’t that right?”

“Is that so?”

“If the majority of the political elites in the capital were to turn their noses up at Landor, it would make it difficult for him to aspire to the next imperial power. Honestly, apart from His Majesty the Emperor, there is no one in the capital who likes him.”

“So? What do you suggest, Count Línea?”

The Count smirked maliciously.

“Let’s spread rumors. We know many vile and dirty rumors about Marquis Landor, don’t we? Let’s select the ones that would infuriate the Adran and Seleene factions and tarnish his reputation.”

“Tarnish his reputation?”

“Not only tarnish it, but also make the Adran and Seleene factions loathe Landor. If they fight amongst themselves, it will weaken their power. And if they are weakened while the Emperor steps down, it will be easier for us to seize their businesses in the future.”

“But if Emperor, who holds Landor dear, finds out about this, it will not go well for us, will it?”

“That’s why the rumors are terrifying. We may have suspicions, but we won’t know who started them, will we? The Emperor won’t be able to punish us. We just need to sit back and watch Landor’s reputation plummet and see the Seleene and Adran factions fight in the mud pit.”

No better suggestion emerged.

They immediately set their plan in motion.

And the next day.

“Hear ye! Hear ye! Behold the vile truths of Landor!!”

Whispers started to circulate in the capital.