chsdbacks #439 - After the big meeting, a small meeting (Part 2)
#439 - After the big meeting, a small meeting (Part 2)
“Now that the rules of order have been set, we can certainly begin the main topic.” Horn's voice echoed under the dome adorned with the Five-Colored Paradise Mountain murals.
Seeing that they were getting to the main issue, the assembled city elites and councilors straightened up in their seats.
“I know you'll need to adapt to these rules, so let's start by implementing the 'raise your hand to speak' rule.” After announcing this decision, Horn flipped over a page on his clipboard.
“Because of the rapid territorial expansion, our Holy See's internal administrative divisions are still quite chaotic, lacking clear lines of jurisdiction.
Therefore, I am designating Rapidfall City as directly administered by the Saintess, directly under the Papal Palace, on par with a county.
As for Saintess Catherine's Megerd Merchant Guild, after our discussions, it will be split into the original Megerd Merchant Guild and the Saintess Bank.
We will write these details in a booklet to be distributed to everyone later, which will also include the appointments for the City Hall's official positions.”
As soon as they heard about the City Hall official appointments, the entire meeting became even quieter, with everyone pricking up their ears, afraid to miss a single word.
“On behalf of the Holy Lord, the Holy Tree, and the Holy Father, I hereby grant Saintess Catherine the position of Executive of Rapidfall City, Mitternet the position of Foreign Affairs Envoy of Rapidfall City, Karl the position of Captain of the Rapidfall City Night Watch, and…”
Horn announced the names, while some monks brought from Jeanne d'Arc Fortress copied the table matching official positions and names, and distributed it to the people in the first row of tables and benches.
These city elites gathered in a cluster, peering at the chart before them, and breathed a sigh of relief.
This basically preserved Catherine's previous team, and their city councilor seats were also secured; Horn did not dissolve the council.
For the occasional vacancies in the City Hall, Horn would insert some members of the Holy Father Cult, but the number was within their acceptable range.
“…Before the end of martial law, Executive Catherine will lead city councilors, City Hall members, and Megerd Merchant Guild members to Autumn Dusk Island in batches for training and political observation…”
Rapidfall City's affairs were a complete mess; Horn couldn't handle everything at once. He needed Catherine, a local expert, to manage the entire city.
However, in order to effectively control Rapidfall City and prevent it from becoming a bad asset, Horn still needed to add some of his own people.
Sending Catherine and others to Autumn Dusk Island for training was to carry out ideological and political reform on these people, and to eliminate unqualified members.
During this period, Horn would also send Holy Father Cult monks into Rapidfall City.
These monks would not participate in Rapidfall City's reconstruction and daily operation, only doing one thing.
That was to record every meeting speech, personnel transfer, and decree promulgation of the City Hall, and send them to Horn on time.
“Due to population changes, after the end of martial law, we will also need to re-divide the districts and re-elect the city councilors. Do you have any objections to this?”
“No.”
“That's only natural.”
Seeing that Horn had no intention of interfering in the city councilor elections, the city councilors present naturally breathed a sigh of relief.
Subsequently, these city elites asked some questions about usury, taxation, city council powers, and judicial matters.
However, Horn pushed them all to Catherine, who said that they would be discussed later, and that she would personally have a one-on-one detailed discussion with the Holy Grandson.
“Have we finished discussing the administrative issues?” Horn整理了一下手中的笔记，转头朝着在场的人问道.
Everyone shook their heads in unison, indicating that there were no other questions.
Horn pulled out another stack of drafts and clipped them onto his clipboard: “Then let Executive Catherine talk about the current refugee and reconstruction situation in Rapidfall City.”
Under the complicated gazes of the citizens, Catherine adjusted her glasses and stood up:
“Because the Church army set fire to the houses in the port area and engaged in street fighting with the wizards, the entire port area has become a ruin…”
“The most terrible thing at the moment is that the water supply and drainage systems inside and outside Rapidfall City have been destroyed. The canals, wells, and drains have all been deliberately damaged. Reconstruction will take too long…”
“Our granaries were burned when the Edict Legion fled, and purchasing and collecting grain from the surrounding areas cannot maintain the current balance…”
“According to the assessment of Megerd Merchant Guild personnel, based on Rapidfall City's current grain reserves and infrastructure, it will at least lead to an overflow of five thousand to eight thousand residents within the city.”
“Five thousand to eight thousand?!”
Hearing this number, the citizens present visibly choked. They couldn't handle one or two thousand refugees, let alone five thousand to eight thousand.
Most importantly, these residents had signed a ten-household joint guarantee agreement, and their names were on the city's tax register.
Turning these people with fixed urban residences back into refugees, turning them from civilians of the city into vagrants in the wilderness, the resistance would be enormous.
But Rapidfall City could no longer accommodate them. The destruction of the water supply system meant plague and infectious diseases, while the destruction of the granary meant famine.
Unless the Salvation Army used force to drive them out…
The city elites immediately looked at Horn expectantly, but the Holy Grandson still wore that shallow smile that made it impossible to guess his thoughts, and said nothing.
“Executive Catherine, how should we deal with these refugees?” A shareholder of the Megerd Merchant Guild raised his hand and asked.
“I can answer that question for you.” Horn beckoned to him, “The Megerd Merchant Guild will invest 15,000 gold pounds and jointly establish the Holy Hammer Monastery with the Papal Palace to rebuild houses and infrastructure.
The Rapidfall City City Hall needs to uniformly acquire the usage rights of the citizens' original houses and land, and transfer them to the Holy Hammer Monastery, which will be responsible for the entire construction project.”
“The Holy Hammer Monastery will be a monastery directly under the Papal Palace, and will sign orders with the City Hall to help us repair the water conservancy system and rebuild houses, streets, and the entire port area.” Catherine wrote and drew on the paper with a quill, “At the earliest, the port area will be restored to its former state in three years.”
“Your Grace.” Another city elite raised his hand.
“Please speak.”
“Rebuilding the ruins will be a huge expense, and we don't have as much usable timber nearby as we used to…”
“Haha, don't worry.” Horn couldn't help laughing, “We won't use wood. Isn't the memory of this fire still engraved in our minds?”
“You mean?”
“Mortar. Rapidfall City's new district will be like Autumn Dusk Island, built with mortar, gravel, and bricks.
As for the materials, you don't have to worry about that either.
Our mortar workshop on Autumn Dusk Island can produce more than 1,000 tons of mortar per month, and the 30 brick kilns near Mayo Town can produce 450 to 600 tons of square bricks per month, which is about 130,000 bricks.
These building materials are enough for you to use.”
Horn said confidently: “We will rebuild a piece of houses at a very low price, and re-plan the entire Rapidfall City. By then, a street in Rapidfall City will be able to shock the entire Laya Kingdom.
Such a large amount of work will definitely require a large number of laborers. In this way, at least half of the overflowing eight thousand people can make a living by working as construction workers and bricklayers.”
“Genius!” The craftsmen of the Stonemason Guild almost jumped off the stool to kiss Horn.
This large-scale infrastructure construction would make a fortune for them stonemasons. City planning and house design always required them stonemasons.
Originally, everyone was short of money after the war and could only accept orders for repairs bit by bit, but now it's great. A big order came up, and they don't have to worry about food and drink at all.
“But this can only cover small-scale low-level laborers. You know, for ordinary craftsmen, it's really a waste to be a construction worker or laborer.”
Although the Stonemason Guild sang praises, the Dyers Guild, the Woodworkers Guild, and the Leatherworkers Guild complained.
They were all artisans, specializing in tanning leather, mixing dyes, and furniture woodworking, etc. Being a construction worker was possible, but it was a last resort.
“Don't worry, I can give you a place to go for those who can't find a job, or whose workshops have been destroyed, at least it can absorb three thousand citizens.” Horn pointed to the map in the middle of the table, “Here.”
“Autumn Dusk Island, you mean Black Bone Swamp!” Seeing the mark on the map, some merchants who knew the way changed their faces.
That was a terrible swamp full of beastmen bandits and giant spiders. When did a city emerge there?
Although this would solve the refugee and ruin reconstruction problems, worries appeared in the eyes of the craftsmen present. If they were moved there, it would be completely over.
“Don't worry, we won't force it. The Papal Palace will issue a notice, recruiting relevant craftsmen, about 800 to 1000 people, and with their families, it is estimated that there will be two or three thousand people.”
Horn spread his hands: “At least I can guarantee that you will get about the same job as before and get a salary that is only slightly lower than before. Think about it yourself.”