King-Chapter 1107 - 165: Restarting Trade_2

Instead of selling off assets at a low price, we might as well bear all the risks ourselves to ease everyone’s minds.

The Government Affairs Department will make a public announcement that I will hold on to all the real estate and businesses in New Moon Port. I will not sell any of them before the success of the Near East strategy.

Those in need can rent from the property office. To protect everyone’s interests, all contracts will be signed annually, with prices determined by the market.

The property office will set a reference price as the minimum rental price. If multiple parties are interested, it will go to the highest bidder.

Stores operated by the Business Department will also have to be acquired through bidding in the future. When the number of merchants increases, it’s best to discontinue the unprofitable deals.

The Security Department should pay attention—I don’t want to see any forceful buying or selling, or coercion occurring in the city.

If someone breaks the rules, they’re making trouble with me. No matter how powerful they are, arrest them first, no questions asked.

As long as you follow the rules and run into trouble, I’ll take responsibility. No matter whom you offend, you won’t be left to take the blame!"

"I call the shots in my own territory!"

After striving hard for so many years, Hudson finally dared to make this domineering statement publicly.

Unfortunately, still constrained by the rules, he could only let his subordinates make the arrests first, unable to issue an even more domineering command—no mercy!

If he really killed a bunch of Nobles, Hudson wouldn’t be able to cover it.

Places with vast land and sparse population are not suitable for developing real estate. Even in cities where land resources are relatively scarce, it’s difficult to sell at high prices if security isn’t guaranteed.

In Hudson’s view, being able to recover two hundred thousand gold coins was already a very optimistic estimate. To sell at that figure, it’s highly likely that the best properties would have to be sold off.

Those who dare to buy urban properties at times like these are gamblers. Without Hudson’s reputation, there wouldn’t even be adventurers willing to take the risk.

The most prosperous port in the Near East only sells for so little, it’s better to let the properties sit on my hands.

Others make a killing flipping houses, so there’s no reason only the construction costs can be recouped when it comes to me.

Instead of selling off assets at a low price, it might as well keep them and collect rent. As long as the number of people using the port goes up, there’s no worry about not being able to rent out the properties.

At the very least, the hotels in the city are now breaking even. A few high-end hotels catering to Nobles have even started to profit.

No matter how little, it is a good start. Nearly every city is an important source of revenue for the Major Nobles.

The taxes and rental income from several cities in the Southeastern Province bring tens of thousands of gold coins in revenue to Hudson each year.

The development prospects of New Moon Port are greater than those inland cities. Once it takes off, the profits will only be quicker and more substantial.

There’s no need to worry about competitors. Without the Kingdom Mage Team stepping in, it’s nearly impossible to open a large port in a sea full of reefs.

Hudson was able to build strongholds along the coast because he has a working Dragon. The usual reef obstacles can be handled with a roll from Maxim.

In addition, he is the highest Commander in the Near East Region, with the ability to use public resources for private purposes. Often, he mobilizes the accompanying Mage Corps under the pretext of coastal defense needs to assist.

The average Noble Lord, even if willing to spend a fortune on harbor construction, would not be able to mobilize such powerful forces to clear shipping lanes.

Even if a Major Noble was willing to make a significant investment to solve these issues, they’d still have to consider transportation problems. Vast grasslands may be as flat as a pancake, but that doesn’t mean all the land is a plain.

Rivers, mountains, and such special terrains also exist, although they are not very common.

With Snow Moon Territory’s sufficient size, Hudson can freely make changes within his own domain. Other Noble Lords don’t have such large plots of land; trying to follow his lead would require navigating numerous complex relationships.

In Near East’s turf, in terms of influence, no one dares to compete with Hudson.

No matter how powerful the family connections are, they are of no use here. If the Orcs come attacking, it would still be Master Hudson who has to help resolve the issue.

With this core factor as support and because Hudson takes care to look respectable and takes good care of the other Noble Lords, there is absolutely no reason for them to oppose him.

"Duke, holding all the property will indeed strengthen the outside world’s confidence in New Moon Port.

However, the financial deficit of the domain is getting worse. Although the Kingdom has helped us build the main city, some of the auxiliary defenses must still be completed by us.

According to the plan from the Military Department, next year’s infrastructure investment alone will exceed eight hundred thousand gold coins, with the main construction projects being auxiliary ports and the construction of buildings within the city.

The expenses for immigration are also no small sum. An estimated expenditure of five hundred fifty thousand gold coins, half of which will be used for settling the immigrants.

Compared to funding, the bigger trouble is the severe labor shortage in Snow Moon Territory. The speed of immigration can’t keep up with the growth of our labor needs.

Furthermore, the current labor force in the Mountain Domain is barely enough, far from being surplus.

From the current situation, at most, forty thousand able-bodied people can be drawn from the Mountain Domain and fifteen thousand from Burke Territory (formerly Royal territory). Any more would affect the development of both areas.

Since the war ended, we have been purchasing slaves from the outside world, but it’s like trying to douse a fire with a cup of water.

Not only does the Kingdom lack people for the Near East development strategy, but the Frank Kingdom and Iberia Kingdom on South Continent are also engaged in large-scale development and construction.

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