"After the new laws were promulgated this morning, were there many people who signed up for the army?"
"Indeed, quite a lot, my Lord." Lina nodded slightly. "In the past, the military pay in Winterfell City averaged only 10 copper coins a day. Now it has directly doubled, and there is at least one meat meal daily. Many young people are eagerly signing up for the army because of this generous treatment. I was busy at the recruitment site all morning and only managed to come here during this lunch break to check and verify the equipment in the warehouse, to see if the quantity was sufficient."
"It is a good thing that young people are willing to join the military. In the subsequent training process, we must pay more attention to instilling in them a firm belief, making them understand that they are fighting for their homeland and their loved ones. An army with faith is invincible."
"Hmm, I agree with your thoughts, my lord."
"You must have heard about those bandits Raymond mentioned today, right? Are those bandits still near Winterfell City?" Link asked with a solemn expression after chewing and swallowing the roasted meat in his mouth.
"Indeed, my lord," Lina nodded solemnly and said, "Those bandits are entrenched in Thorn Ridge, southwest of Winterfell City, like a tumor choking the main trade route between us and the southern cities. They specialize in plundering passing merchants for a living, causing us countless troubles."
Mentioning these bandits, Lina's expression instantly turned serious. She put down her knife and fork and began to explain the whole story to Link in detail.
Winterfell City is located at the northernmost tip of the Central Continent. The city's economy mainly relies on two aspects: first, the self-sufficient agricultural industry of the farmers within the city, and second, trade with the southern cities.
The liege's people would use furs from hunted beasts and other cash crops as trade goods, exchanging them for various daily necessities, thereby promoting the city's economic development.
However, ever since Orlando gained trust and power, this group of bandits mysteriously appeared in Thorn Ridge.
They brazenly robbed passing merchants and travelers, causing many vendors to be afraid and no longer dare to trade with Winterfell City.
Previously, Winterfell City had organized several bandit suppression campaigns, but those bandits seemed to have gotten wind of it in advance. Each time, before the City Guards launched their attack, they would hide deep in the mountains and old forests of Thorn Ridge like cunning rabbits.
After several suppression campaigns, not only were there no results, but there were also many casualties. In the end, the matter could only be left unsettled.
But what was puzzling was that those merchants who had frequent dealings with Orlando were always able to pass through Thorn Ridge unscathed. It was truly a strange occurrence...
"What's so puzzling about that?"
Link's mouth curved into a cold smile. As a modern person from the 21st century, as soon as Lina mentioned it, he instantly saw through the trick.
"Those bandits are mostly secretly supported by Orlando. In previous bandit suppression operations, the intelligence must have been leaked to the bandits by Orlando, which is why they returned without success. As for those merchants, they must have paid a high protection fee to Orlando. In return, the bandits naturally wouldn't target them. In this way, these merchants, after losing competition from their peers, could also monopolize the business within Winterfell City. Even if they raised prices, the liege's people would have no choice but to buy. No wonder so much gold, silver, and jewelry were found in Orlando's mansion. It turns out this guy has been making a fortune through these dirty dealings..."
This group of people colluded and embezzled, and in the end, only the people of Winterfell City suffered.
Good, truly good!
Mentioning Orlando, Link was really itching with hatred at this moment.
The man was thoroughly dead, yet he still left him such a chaotic mess.
Being split in half by Agnes's axe, that bastard got off too lightly.
He should have been tied to a rack, and in front of him, his beautiful wife and adorable daughter should have been taken, and then that beast should have been slowly tortured to death to truly vent his hatred!
After hearing Link's explanation, Lina instantly understood the ins and outs of the situation.
"My lord, do you have a plan to deal with it?"
Hearing this, Link pondered for a while, then his eyes darted around, and he said, "Lina, just do as I say. Afterwards, I will have Old Snow carry a hundred gold coins and fifty elite cavalry disguised as mercenaries to the southern towns to purchase grain. This round trip will take about three days."
"With the purchasing power of a hundred gold coins, when the grain convoy returns, the momentum will surely be grand, and those bandits will definitely not be unaware. Faced with so much grain, they will certainly be unable to restrain themselves. We will use this as bait and set up an ambush in advance around Thorn Ridge. These two days, you must keep your mouth shut and absolutely not let out any wind, to prevent any bandit informants from still being hidden within Winterfell City."
"Yes! My lord, I understand what to do, and I will arrange everything properly!"
Lina nodded vigorously, then asked again, "But my lord, do you plan to let go of those merchants who colluded with Orlando and worked together?"
"Let them go? What a joke!" Link's mouth curved into a chilling smile: "I want them to spit out everything they swallowed, with interest!"
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