Chapter 18: Trade fair
But when Damian tried to consult the system to view the territory, he found that only one piece of land was shown. Below Gothingen Free City, the status read "Under Construction."
It turned out that just putting up a sign didn't count as establishing the city.
Of course, the system wasn't so foolish; Damian had to make Gothingen City functional, or it would be no different from a refugee camp.
Moreover, the elite follower, the so-called trade master, was still marked "On the Way" on the system interface.
It seemed that Damian had to actually establish the city first; otherwise, the trade master would have no place to demonstrate their skills.
What is the most fundamental function of a city?
Isn't it trade?
Damian decided to organize a grand market to showcase Gothingen Free City.
...
While others were mourning, Damian calmly hummed a tune by the river, planning the city's development area.
The future structure of Gothingen Free City would be completely different from the territories of feudal knights. The vast resources that city life could absorb would create a siphon effect on the surrounding feudal villages, making those who looked down on him gradually become paupers without even realizing it.
Of course, before that, he needed to ensure that they wouldn't loot everything.
Not to mention the basic infrastructure of a trade city: there was no harbor yet, and the city didn't even have any citizens!
But Damian already had a plan.
He first took out money and had Greb lead the pilgrims to cut wood by the river to establish a basic camp. Fortunately, it was summer, so there was no need to consider heating issues for now, making it relatively quick to set up a basic camp.
Next, Damian had the pilgrims build their own dormitories. These poor people didn't mind sleeping in communal quarters, as they previously didn't even have clothes.
As the housing in the camp gradually took shape, these crude wooden houses, though not as sturdy or warm as earthen walls, were enough to ward off the cool night air in the summer.
Damian then sent many envoys to the surrounding countryside to gather single women and widows while spreading rumors on the main roads that the war was not over yet.
He informed everyone that the Countess of Gothingen had established Gothingen Free City, and now, no formalities were required to join—just bring a hoe and come.
Soon, many widows and single women from nearby villages came to seek a livelihood, gradually increasing the population. Not only that, these originally lonely women naturally had unexpected encounters with the young and strong soldiers, and as a pastor, Damian facilitated and officiated their marriages.
Many vagabonds and exiles also found places to live outside the camp, earning money by doing odd jobs for Damian.
At this time, the aftermath of the war was still affecting many people in the territory. Those nobles who had suffered heavy losses ignored the meager harvests of the summer and exploited the populace even more, causing more and more people to flee to Gothingen Free City for a livelihood. This unexpectedly provided Damian with a significant labor force from the surrounding villages.
So Damian organized these people to continue clearing land by the river while preparing the plans for Free City.
Damian designed the land outside the city to resemble a walled trading area, complete with counters and good roads, like the market in a village.
With preparations nearly complete, Damian began sending out invitations for a trade fair to the surrounding territories.
Damian specifically stated that this was to aid in the revival of the entire Gothingen County.
"Is he mad? Sending out trade fair invitations to all the villages?" Countess Conosa stood on the castle's pinnacle every day, watching the priest who had once declared his intention to marry her busily working by the riverbend.
She could understand building a wooden fort, constructing housing, attracting refugees and women, and even reclaiming wasteland.
Moreover, she increasingly believed that Damian's administrative abilities far exceeded her expectations, making him deserving of the position of chancellor of the territory. His reputation just wasn't enough for now.
Lady Joan, standing beside the countess, felt a deep sense of guilt upon hearing the news.
Among the nobles around her, what else could one expect besides drinking, fighting, and womanizing?
Truly intelligent people, like the newcomer Damian, had been relegated to cultivating the barren land by the river. Yet, he had given up the most promising estate to help her.
After much hesitation, Joan made a private decision and took a moment to return to her own estate.
Meanwhile, in Bovendon Village, Amelia diligently managed her household.
Under her supervision, the mill was back in operation within four days, contributing to the territory's revival.
However, the dangers facing Bovendon Village remained unchanged.
Nearby nobles frequently trespassed into her family's forest to hunt, and when discovered, they even shot at Bovendon's gamekeepers before leaving arrogantly.
For the time being, due to the presence of Conosa and Damian, they didn't dare to attack Amelia directly. But as time passed, they would undoubtedly invade Bovendon Village without hesitation.
Faced with their continuous provocations, the strong-willed Amelia had no choice but to pretend to ignore them, hiding her anger. She managed the mill with all her might and reassured the villagers. With financial help from Damian, she stabilized the people's hearts through tax reductions.
Learning that Damian planned to hold a trade fair in his territory, Amelia, despite her already tight funds, gathered the entire village with great difficulty, intending to attend the fair.
Besides, an "old friend" had also decided to lend Damian a helping hand.
Two days later, the trade fair officially began.
Damian not only sent invitations to the lords but also spent 10 gold coins to hire more than twenty minstrels to promote his fair in the countryside, sparking curiosity among the villagers who had just experienced war.
Curiosity was the first step to motivation.
But many lords had implicitly or explicitly indicated that Damian's actions were a waste of time. They believed that Gothingen County didn't need Damian's city.
Gothingen County had about two hundred knight families spread across more than a hundred villages and estates. Each knight needed nearly a hundred people to support them. Including various slaves and vagrants, it was roughly estimated that Gothingen County had between 30,000 and 60,000 people.
The significant range in the population estimate was mainly because it was a rough guess. No one knew the exact number.
The knights believed that as long as these people farmed, logged, and had children every day, nothing else was necessary!
Nonetheless, for them, attending the event was a must-see.
Because Damian announced that the day would not only feature the trade fair but also completely free theatrical performances.
Many nobles outwardly forbade their peasants from going, but they themselves eagerly set off with their families. They didn't realize that their presence would bolster Damian's prestige.
The small market quickly became crowded with people.
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