Eagle Byzantium

When Anna, wearing a small crown, stood up and left the secret study, she walked to the main hall with incense burners and silk carpets, and looked at the beautiful Seleucia's many holy farms under the terrace. They were like stars dotted between rivers and valleys. The farmers' houses began to be elegant, all scattered around ponds where trees can be planted and fish can be raised. Spider-web-like paths connected them. The main traffic roads were very conspicuous, all gray and white sandwiched between poplar trees. Many craftsmen involved in the big hospital and St. Paul's College had signed long-term labor contracts with Seleucia: they had begun to lay gravel bricks on the main roads, and began to build more luxurious houses around the inn area - this was built to meet the needs of the newly wealthy six officials of the Brotherhood of Seleucia, the holy gospel cavalry, and some members of the local chamber of commerce (Gawain not only advocated making money through transit trade, but also encouraged local products to do short-distance trade), and it could also absorb some of the surplus labor.

Then Anna's eyes turned to the west of the Acropolis. Even though she couldn't see the situation at Fort Alaman, a grand plan began to take shape: using sailing windmills to drain the sea and swamps, "This will be enough to attract 40,000 to 60,000 people to settle there, my highness, and expand the total number of fields in Seleucia by one third." Hertomia, holding the file, followed behind her and added, "Unlike the farmers who directly cultivated the holy beneficiary farms, we instructed the members of the Agricultural Supervision Bureau in that fortress to cooperate with the Self-Reform Society to set up a special 'Recruitment Supervision Office' to attract people from all over to come and open up and cultivate. , we have enough confidence to attract manpower, and within a few years, Fort Alaman will become a densely populated and well-armed fortress city. "

"Of course, is it the 'five-year tax exemption policy'?"

"Yes, the farmers who go to reclaim the swamps will not have to pay any profits to our treasury within five years. We will only charge fees when renting large-scale livestock and large-scale equipment, and the reclaimed farmland will also belong to them for self-cultivation after five years. They only need to pay shield taxes according to the land price and harvest. "Hetomia's hands kept changing the paper skillfully, explaining Gawain's previous plan to Anna, who nodded frequently.

"Then what will be our final profit here?"

"It won't be low, Your Highness, because the land price will increase dramatically. The land price of this swamp is very low now, but once it is drained and becomes fertile land for crops, and with the convenient transportation near the Akum Market, it will jump dozens or even hundreds of times. In this way, the shield tax paid by all self-cultivating farmers based on the land price will naturally rise, which will not only return the cost of building our windmills, but also be expected to have a large surplus. In addition, the shield tax standard for the rural commune here is 30 households to supply a soldier of the militia, and 50 households in other areas. That is to say, if 60,000 people live here in the future, 500 well-equipped garrison militias can be provided, which is enough to take on the defense of the fortress without our treasury burdening a penny."

"Very good, this is the strategy for the beginning of the kingship. In the future, we will not only do this in Alaman, but also in Western Cilicia and other regions. Sooner or later, I will take Gina The special system and the militia system are integrated to form a reserve local army; while Gawain and my three brigades are the royal guards field army. "Anna was full of confidence, "Then now Hertomia, you should let the poor Archbishop of Pisa go."

Under the wilderness and the scorching sun, Archbishop Safubel of Pisa was almost half dead. With a heart full of sorrow and resentment, he spent a long and unhappy time in the Seleucia inn district. Here he had a bad appetite and sleep, and was not allowed to hold religious services (Stauracios arrogantly rejected his request many times). After getting the pass, he cursed without hesitation and set off on the road. More than a dozen Moorish guards followed his donkey and caravan. When Safubel passed one checkpoint after another and finally arrived near the city of Tarsus, he found that there were many military camps and tents in front of him, and there were cavalry with horns and hounds everywhere, patrolling on the main road. When they saw the archbishop, they asked for the pass.

The archbishop handed over the document, but the cavalrymen who blocked the road almost whipped him with whips and told him, "The army will follow the emperor's order and march to Cappadocia to fight the Turks. All roads here are blocked to prevent spies from sneaking in. You must get a new password."

"How do I know the password?" Sapphobel wanted to cry but had no tears.

"The Archduke has sent the new password to Seleucia in secret. You can go back and apply for consultation." A figure wearing a red cross sword robe in front of the cavalry said, and Sapphobel almost fainted. He asked to see the Archduke Gawain.

"His Highness the Archduke has stationed all his cavalry at the Lampron Castle and will pass through the Cilicia Gate soon. He will not receive anyone now."

So the Archbishop of Pisa was really helpless. He almost knelt down and begged, hoping to give them a way to fulfill the sacred commission of the Holy See and go to Antioch to take up his post.

Finally, the brother in the cloak was kinder. He told the archbishop that you should bypass Tarsus and go to the County of Adana, where you can meet the beautiful Countess of Remain and express your willingness to pray for her unborn child. Then you will most likely get a ship and cross the sea to Antioch... "Damn it, damn it." The shivering Sapphobel turned pale, wrapped in a cloak and rode on the donkey. The wind here was already a little cold. By the time he arrived at his destination, it might be midwinter. "I will never forget such a grudge, never!"

When the Archbishop of Pisa was walking along the Adana River with deep hatred, Gawain's eagle "Captain" was being released from the tower in the towering Lampron Castle next to the Cilicia Gate. Then Gawain watched it with sharp eyes as it broke through the clouds and flew through the sky, constantly flying close to the Taurus Mountains extending towards the city of Vanka. Following the flight path of this flat-haired beast, Gawain was constantly summarizing and memorizing the terrain from the mountains to the plains. When the "captain" flew back to the scaffolding tiredly again, it lowered its head and tucked into its wings, indicating that it no longer wanted to fly. Muzafiadin hurriedly fed it with water and meat. At the narrow door of the staircase leading to the castle, Anselm appeared panting with a cane. Gawain turned around and greeted him warmly. The deputy herald officer Wright who came with Anselm gave Gawain a package of documents. Then the Grand Duke generously approved all of them in person: "Big Tithe Tax" can be levied on the barley and wheat harvests in my country, and "Small Tithe Tax" can be levied on several types of fruits and vegetables such as broad beans and lettuce.

Anselm smiled, and his tone was much softer and gentler than he had imagined before coming. "Then you can convert this tax into gold and silver coins and send it to Rome, or to the hot duck or pizza chamber of commerce."

Gawain said, "Of course not." (To be continued ~^~)