Chapter 603 — Belk Loren
Blade of Dawn · Page 1 of 4
In a room laid with sky-blue carpet, furnished with great bookshelves, precious oil paintings, and silver lampstands, Belk Loren stood respectfully before the desk, reporting to Edmund Morne, who sat behind it, on what he had seen and heard in the Eastern Region.
The young prince, dressed in a black coat and now sporting a beard, listened with a grave and earnest expression to every word of the report, while Belk maintained throughout a reverence that came from the heart, unwilling to let his account suffer the slightest flaw:
"The banditry in Hallshire and Luntatellshire has been quelled. A cache of unmarked gold coins was found in their hideout, and through divination magic we determined preliminarily that these coins did indeed come from the local lords—even after you promulgated the relevant regulatory decree, some local nobles continued to keep 'black gloves' in private..."
"This is already an explicitly prohibited practice and must be severely punished. The nobles involved have two choices: either be demoted one rank of nobility, or surrender half their land or an equivalent sum of money," Edmund Morne said with a displeased expression.
Belk then reported on a series of changes and the current situation in the rear areas of the Eastern Region, and also mentioned the recent activities of the White Sands Mining Company. Edmund made various appropriate arrangements based on the situations he reported; for some matters that Belk could not handle or that others were handling, Edmund would briefly discuss his own proposed measures, or engage in a frank and open discussion with the young marquis before him.
Candid, earnest, just, full of patience.
No matter how many times he came into contact with Edmund Morne, Belk could not help but have words like these surface in his mind.
He looked at this prince, so close to his own age, watched him earnestly ponder solutions to problems and put forward various admirable proposals, and could feel that the other truly was striving to govern this land and seeking ways to bring prosperity to this kingdom—and it was precisely this conviction and this action that made him sincerely loyal to the other.
Yet... dark corners still existed.
A trace of disappointment and conflict rose in Belk's heart, and before he could speak, Edmund had already noticed the change in his expression. The prince cast a glance his way: "Belk, is there anything else?"
Belk frowned and did not conceal it: "Your Highness, in quite a few areas of the Eastern Region, your serf emancipation act has encountered unexpected... setbacks. Only a small number of serfs have truly obtained freedman status; the majority... remain bound to the land. Affected by this situation, land reform in these areas has made almost no progress, and the factories cannot recruit any manpower—they cannot even begin training."
Edmund watched him quietly: "Why?"
"Various reasons—but mostly obstacles set up by the landowners. Some require serfs to buy back their 'allotments' before they can obtain freedom; some require serfs to hand over the entire first year's harvest; and some, after announcing that the serfs have obtained freedman status, simply drive them off the farms or out of the orchards..."
Edmund closed his eyes briefly, as if to keep his breathing calm, then opened them, his gaze deep: "So the serfs who obtain 'freedom' actually cannot survive, is that it?"
"Yes. In the end they have no choice but to return to their masters' side, 'voluntarily'..."
This time Edmund was silent for even longer, and it was not until half a minute later that Belk heard a calm voice come from before him: "I understand."
"Your Highness, perhaps we should..."
Belk spoke eagerly, but halfway through he was interrupted by Edmund: "Belk, I will discuss this matter with Duke Loren—he has more experience when it comes to land. As for you, there is a new task."