Chapter105

Under her new policies, craftsmen who passed the exams and signed artisan contracts could now enjoy the same reduced taxes as the noble class. If their skills made outstanding contributions to the people, society, military, or government, they would not only receive great rewards but could even be given official ranks and titles.

This kind of policy, never seen before in history, instantly raised the status of craftsmen from just above slaves to nearly equal to nobles.

When Elara spoke about this topic, some of the older officials below the platform frowned deeply. Their expressions became quite strange.

It wasn't that they couldn't accept it, but for both the Plumera State and other nations across the continent, treating craftsmen with contracts as half-slaves had been an unspoken rule for thousands of years.

Yet Elara changed this rule the moment she arrived and greatly improved their status. Now, they were even on par with those who studied hard for years.

The older officials had all kinds of expressions on their faces. Their minds felt blown apart by this news. They wanted to speak, but memories of Elara wiping out the governor's residence flashed in their minds, and they fell silent with their mouths opening and closing wordlessly, faces red from holding back.

Living in this era, they had long been used to following the teachings of ancient sages. A sudden and bold change like this made them completely unsure how to react.

But where some people felt uneasy, others were clearly happy.

As the direct beneficiaries of Elara's reform, the newly appointed craftsmen were naturally thrilled and supportive. Though most of them weren't good with words, the bright, grateful looks they gave Elara said everything about how moved they felt.

Just as the whole governor's hall seemed about to split in two from this unheard-of new policy, a man dressed in a flowing white robe stood up beside Elara.

"Everyone, while Her Highness's actions may break with tradition, are ancient rules always correct? Look at today's three most powerful nations: Celosia, Petunia, and Freesia. Which of them didn't rise through reforming old systems to find their own way forward?"

This man who stood up was Kristof.

"Besides, wasn't it those same ancient rules that let people like Gao Qiong abuse their power and throw you into prison without reason? You couldn't even fight back. Her Highness is raising the status of artisan contracts for the true benefit of Marigold County's future. In your daily lives, which useful item isn't crafted by a skilled hand? What part of your daily needs can truly exist without the craftsmen's work?"

"Think about it. The more skilled people we have, the better life will be for everyone, from commoners to merchants to those of you sitting here. With growth in every area, shouldn't craftsmen who contribute to this progress have their status raised? Don't they deserve that recognition?"

Yesterday, after returning to the temporary residence Elara arranged for him, Kristof had cleaned up and gotten dressed.

Now he wore a fresh white robe, and his long hair and beard were neatly groomed. He looked like a refined and handsome young gentleman.

His aura was light and casual. Even while speaking to the officials, he casually fanned himself with a bamboo fan he somehow got his hands on, strolling back and forth through the hall while talking nonstop to the older officials with odd looks on their faces.

"Do you really want these hard-working craftsmen to get nothing just because of some old rule? If you do that, how are you any different from those corrupt fools whose minds have turned to wood? Kristof believes you are smart enough to understand this."

Kristof had said everything—gentle words and sharp ones all included. Most of the old officials had only been released and reinstated yesterday because of his efforts.

Thinking of their new superior sitting at the head of the hall, they naturally remembered the reputation of this Princess. Even if they hadn't heard of her before, the bloody purge she carried out when she arrived and the new appointments made with heads hanging high in the background were unforgettable.

Even if they had some dissatisfaction, the old officials no longer dared to voice it. With Kristof's fierce remarks added in, there was no one left with anything to say.

Their lives were now in the hands of this new superior. Whatever she decided, they would follow.

And so, the decision to raise the status of craftsmen was finalized.

From then on, Marigold County became the most unique and forward-thinking place on the continent. In this county, craftsmen could be equal to nobles. Anyone with a skill could come here and not only avoid being treated as half a slave, but also have the chance to rise above and work with powerful figures for mutual success.

With the artisan status issue resolved, it was time to address the final matter regarding the reopening of Marigold County's abandoned farmland.

Oh right, when defining and expanding the scope of the artisan contract, Elara also included farmers who could farm, understood farming, or had agricultural skills as eligible candidates for the contract.

Artisans were important for social development, but the people who farmed and produced grain were the foundation for feeding cities and regions. So Elara included all those publicly recognized as skilled in farming and agriculture under the artisan category.

The farming tax was reduced accordingly, and supportive policies were also introduced to encourage land reclamation and cultivation. For example, future grain output from each plot of land would only be taxed at the new rate for the basic amount needed by the government and military. Any extra yield would fully belong to the farmers themselves, and they could sell or keep it as they pleased.

Farmers who produced the best and most grain per plot could even receive rewards from the government. However, since many fertile lands in Marigold County were still occupied by rebels, Elara wasn't in a hurry. She only ordered the currently available land within the county to be reclaimed and replanted.

The rest would be developed later once she had taken it back. These key policies were the main points of this first important meeting in Marigold County. The remaining discussions were mostly minor matters.

One example was encouraging citizens to actively join the various upcoming factories. Whether or not they had specific skills, they could apply for jobs. They could also return to farming or join the army.

In short, as long as they were willing to work hard, they would see results. This conference started in the morning and lasted until the afternoon. Only after all matters and departments had been clarified and each one understood their tasks did Elara end the meeting and order everyone to follow the plan.

Marigold County's transformation officially began from then on. Previously idle and stuck departments suddenly became extremely busy. Though the meeting had laid out a clear plan and set initial goals for the county, Elara still didn't rest.

Besides reorganizing various systems, she also had to build the iron smelting plant and the paper mill that she had long planned. So after the meeting, her focus shifted to finding skilled and loyal artisans.

She aimed to get both factories started as soon as possible. Over the next few days, Elara remained incredibly busy. She got up earlier than the roosters and went to bed later than the dogs.

Seeing the lights on at the governor's residence every night, the other officials didn't dare slack off either. Everyone worked hard in silence. Thanks to this collective effort, five days later, the once desolate four districts of Marigold County regained some life.

Local citizens, after experiencing the differences between the new and old governments and receiving tax refunds and relief, slowly regained trust in the new administration. People no longer shut their doors in fear when officials came.

With officials working hard, most merchants reopened their shops. The frozen market finally came back to life. People felt safe enough to buy and sell again, and the county's economy started moving once more.

Aside from these developments, the newly announced policies also triggered a wave of slave liberation. Slaves who wanted to break free from their contracts but couldn't afford the price could have the government pay it temporarily.

Later, they could repay it through their own earnings. Most who chose to leave slavery and had a skill applied for an artisan contract. Those who didn't mostly joined the army.

That's why the recruitment spots set up by Hector and Egbert were packed every day. Those without any skills could also find temporary or long-term jobs at the market.

However, since the markets had only just reopened, most merchants were still recovering and couldn't hire many people yet. But the two new factories Elara had started building under government orders began hiring large numbers of workers.

And since they were run under the new administration's name, the pay was three times what people used to earn for similar labor. So many job seekers in the city went to sign up at these two new factories.

The needed workforce was quickly filled. With enough hands and skilled artisans selected from the artisan tests, Elara was able to start both the iron smelting and paper-making factories with the basic technology provided by System 92.

Since these two factories were her top priority, she didn't want to attract too much attention. She had General Qi's troops guard the facilities for now. Of course, she would rather have used the private army being recruited by Hector and Egbert.

But unfortunately, their recruitment had only just begun. They didn't have enough men yet, let alone trained soldiers. So until then, she let General Qi handle security.

After all, his troops were still under her control. And the output from the factories would eventually benefit them too. There was nothing much to worry about.

With tight security in place, both factories officially began operations. The key artisans chosen for these two projects were thoroughly checked. Their backgrounds were investigated down to their grandparents to ensure they were honest and had no criminal ties or outside allegiances.

Only after confirming everything did Elara allow them to work in the factories. Naturally, once they joined, they had to sign strict confidentiality agreements. The seriousness of their responsibilities was clearly explained.

They were told just how important the two factories were. These artisans had only gained their status and government contracts thanks to Elara's unprecedented trust and support, so they were extremely grateful and loyal.

On top of that, everyone had witnessed Elara's ruthless side. After hearing how critical the factories were, the artisans became even more alert. They fully understood that nothing from the factories could be leaked, not even to their families.

Once she was certain they understood the importance of confidentiality, Elara finally introduced the iron smelting and paper-making processes. The iron smelting process had already succeeded once at Baishi Manor, so this time was a bit easier.

Within just two days, the blacksmiths grasped the basics and successfully created backup pans and tongs. Enough iron ore had also been collected from various parts of the city.

By the third day, full-scale smelting officially began.