Chapter 148 Territory Development 1

Next spring, the first batch of indentured servants will resume their status as freemen.

In order to cope with the impact, Richard decided to convene a meeting of managers of the civil affairs system.

The meeting revolved around several aspects, including next year's fiscal budget and this year's fiscal summary.

The participants in the meeting included Richard, Sophia, Powell, Wendy, Adrian, Tang En and other members of the Harland family, as well as Gibson, Rooney, Bobby, Thomas Weber, Tony, Bernard, Ihakil and other civil servants of the territory.

Gibson is the steward of the Harland family and also William's cousin. After the Harland family became rich, Gibson took his relatives to William.

These distant branches of the Harland family basically settled in Black River Castle with William. Either they did some small business under the protection of the Harland family, or they participated in the management of Mrs. Ola's industry.

Richard pointed to Gibson and indicated that he would start the explanation from him.

In recent years, the business of Black River Castle that Mrs. Ola was in charge of was basically handled by Gibson and Liliana.

Gibson opened an account book, coughed lightly, and said, "By October this year, the inn's income was average, and after deducting expenses, it earned 60 gold coins. The rent income this year was less, adding up to 36 gold coins."

Ninety-six gold coins is of course a huge sum of money for ordinary people, and it takes a person to work for 25 years. But for the Harland family, it is better than nothing. Now the family's annual expenses, even if they save a little, are more than 200 gold coins.

"The income of the tavern is very good, and the net profit of the six taverns has reached 500 gold coins."

Hearing the net profit of 500 gold coins, Richard nodded with satisfaction and asked, "Can we open the tavern in places like Light Castle and Flame Castle?"

"I'm afraid it's difficult. We don't have enough power in these two places and can't deal with all kinds of troubles."

Richard knew that the main relationship of the Harland family was in Black River Castle.

Father and third uncle were both officers in the Northern Army, and they had a great influence in Black River Castle. Naturally, the competitors of the tavern did not dare to make trouble.

Even if the six taverns were doing a booming business, the income was considerable. Relying on the reputation of William and Bernie, it is easy to block the covetousness and snooping of all kinds of monsters and demons.

Originally, the Harland family had some connections in Black River Castle and Grizzly Castle, but Roland and Soros did not develop smoothly in the two legions of Mad Lion and Grizzly. Now some people are gone. They can help with small things, but the interests of hundreds of gold coins are involved every year. The previous friendship may not be able to solve the trouble.

Even if those local snakes do not kill people, they throw a few poisonous snakes in the tavern every day to mess you up, and the tavern will not be able to operate.

At that time, only shady means can be used.

Behind the competitors are nobles, and their strength is not weak. Richard thinks it is not cost-effective to consume the family's strength in such a place.

The Harland territory develops rapidly in new industries every year, and it can fully use its strength to develop new markets.

It is much easier to make profits in the incremental market than in the stock market.

In addition to taverns, hotels, and rental businesses, Mrs. Ola also runs bakeries, clothing stores, and shoe stores in Black River Castle.

These small businesses look inconspicuous, but the combined income is quite considerable.

Because the hired personnel are all serfs, the cost is very low, and as long as they are given a meal, they can finish the work.

The low labor cost means lower prices, and the business is often very good, with a total net income of 200 gold coins.

Adding William and Bernie's generous salaries, the net income of Black River Fort exceeds 1,000 gold coins.

The expenses of the two families were about 200 gold coins last year, and even if it is more this year, the income is quite considerable.

Hearing about the income of Black River Fort, Richard had a bottom line in his heart. He felt that Mrs. Aura should have saved a sum of money in recent years, and this money could be borrowed first.

"How is the income of brown sugar?"

Ihakil, who is responsible for managing the brown sugar industrial park, does not need to look through the account book, as these data have long been remembered in his mind.

"This year, the output of brown sugar is 3.3 tons, with an output value of 275 gold coins. The territory consumed 900 kilograms of brown sugar to distribute welfare, and the gold coin income was only 200. The brown sugar industry is developing very fast. Next year's output will exceed six tons, with an output value of 500 gold coins."

Richard knows that although the brown sugar industry has great development prospects, it will not make a lot of gold coins in a short period of time.

Five hundred gold coins are already a considerable income for a baron.

It takes three thousand acres of paddy fields to cultivate and levy heavy taxes of 70% to exchange for this money.

It is equivalent to the annual tax collection of a serf village with more than a thousand people.

Although a baron in the northern border relies on growing food, he can also receive thousands of gold coins.

But the baron needs to buy weapons and equipment and pay soldiers. The annual consumption of a squadron is about one thousand gold coins.

In order to protect the safety of the territory, the lords in the northern border area have to spend more on raising troops.

Usually, a squadron costs 1,500 gold coins per year.

In case of war, military expenses will increase.

In addition to military expenses, the lords also have to enjoy, socialize, build relationships, give gifts, and buy potions and resources for their own cultivation, so they can't save much money.

"What about the income of the brick kiln factory?" Richard turned around and asked Rooney, the director of the brick kiln factory.

"The brick kiln factory has few external orders this year. Only Baron Diram ordered some bricks to repair the damaged city wall, which added up to only 120 gold coins. As for the bricks used inside the territory, they are not counted this year."

"Next year, many of your workers should become freemen, right?"

"Yes, most of the workers in the brick kiln factory are the first batch of indentured servants, and their contracts will expire next year."

"When the workers' contracts expire, what are your plans?"

"I plan to convert them into employment contracts and pay them wages."

"Have the wages been set?"

"The current plan is to calculate them on a daily basis, with four copper coins per day."

"Working thirty days a month, the salary is only four silver coins, which is a little low. The labor intensity of the brick kiln factory is very high, and I think it should be increased a little."

Hearing Richard's opinion, Rooney was a little disapproving.

"My Lord, you are too kind. The workers in the brick kiln factory were all given land, with an average of five mu of farmland for each person, and thirty mu of land for a family of six. The tax revenue of the territory is only 30%. These people rely on the income from the land. After paying taxes and deducting food rations, the net income each year is about two gold coins. They can also go to the brick kiln factory to make money during the slack season.

As long as they become free people, their living standards will immediately improve, far exceeding the citizens of Black River Fort. What are they dissatisfied with?

Human desires have no bottom line. I should advise my Lord that the salary cannot be increased."