Mystery Paradise: Wishing Power Demon-Chapter 284 - 283 Offer Up Strength
Chapter 284: Chapter 283: Offer Up Strength
Chapter 284 -283: Offer Up Strength
“…What should we do?” Lanqi asked subconsciously.
“It’s quite simple,” Chaoyang held up two fingers, “cutting back involves redistributing the food within the city, while sourcing means stepping up the efforts to purchase from outside.”
Everyone present was no fool.
Kash’s mouth twitched, “Um… Mr. Zhao, regarding the cutting back you mentioned, how exactly would it be implemented? As everyone knows, there’s no more food in the granary…”
“But you all have some at home, don’t you?” Chaoyang said openly, “The absence of food in the granary does not mean there is none in the city. Who was it that suggested the idea just now? It was Mr. Sergey, right? Driving out the residents, closing off the inner city, and even forming a temporary armed force—it seems you have quite a surplus of food in your possession… surely you’re not planning to sell it at a high price to the displaced citizens when the famine arrives?”
“Hold on, this has nothing to do with the theft from the granary,” Sergey stood up abruptly, “It’s true my family has some reserve food, but it’s hardly enough for the entire city to eat, at most it’s enough for my family of twenty-some to fill our stomachs…”
“I’ll naturally send someone to check exactly how much,” Chaoyang said dismissively.
“Your Excellency!” His tone suddenly grew much more agitated, “This isn’t right! Food is also personal property, you have no right to seize it! You promised earlier that as long as we adhere to the law, the Paradise Sect would protect our property!”
“Right!”
“Could it be Your Excellency intends to go back on your word?”
The scene became tense with outrage in no time.
Lanqi Brindon merely watched coldly from the side. The Earl’s manor had already been plundered clean, he had no external possessions to worry about, and after staying in Thistlefort for so many years, he had long understood that these merchants and nobles were bonded together and were not easily dispatched. Seeing how the situation was unfolding, he was quite intrigued to see how this madman intended to resolve it.
Chaoyang waited until the noise of protest had slightly subsided before shaking his head, “First, I have no intention of seizing your households’ food without consent, all the food will be settled at market price, which means the Paradise Sect will pay whatever the food is worth. It’s a deal where you cannot lose.”
“Secondly… Regarding adherence to the law, it’s adherence to the laws of the Paradise Sect. And it just so happens that in our code there is such a clause: in times of emergency, the Paradise Sect has the right to take command of essential resources concerning people’s livelihoods, to get through the crisis with the least cost, right, Mr. Xue?”
“Yes,” Xue Quan took out a booklet, which appeared to be the original code, “Chapter five, the first main clause, which is to prevent illegal hoarding, speculation, and profiteering from disasters to exploit the people for excessive profits. Considering the current situation in Thistlefort, it can be said that we are indeed in a time of emergency.”
“Did you all hear that?” Chaoyang spread his hands.
“Such laws… There’s no such thing in the Kingdom!”
“Yes! Who determines what an emergency is? Isn’t it just your decision, Your Excellency?”
“We cannot agree to this!”
The conference room became noisy once again.
This time, however, Lanqi noticed that Chaoyang’s face no longer held a smile.
“When the Kingdom’s frontier forces ruled this city, even if you had objections, you kept quiet. Why? Because they had guns. And now, what about the Paradise Sect that has eliminated these frontier forces? You gentlemen wouldn’t think that we are unarmed, would you?” Chaoyang’s voice grew colder, “I didn’t gather you here to haggle with you. From the moment I leave this room, the troops of the Paradise Sect will set out—so the question is, which is more important to you, your money or your life?”
Everyone involuntarily fell silent.
Another Airco camp, Lanqi thought.
But… their goal was to prevent the people from starving, even if it meant making enemies of all the nobles and merchants. On this point, they were even more fearsome than Airco camp.
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The lumber mill owner Kash forced a stiff smile, “Your Excellency, you are too kind. I personally am willing to cooperate. But what Mr. Sergey said is true, even if we take out all our stored grain, it’s a drop in the bucket compared to the needs of the entire city. The famine is now inevitable. If you don’t want to be splattered with the blood of the rioters, I suggest clearing out a quarantine zone as soon as possible.”
“As long as you’re willing to cooperate, that’s fine. What about the others?” Chaoyang said as if he hadn’t heard the second part of what he had said.
“If it’s for purchase at market price… I think I can come up with a hundred bags of wheat…”
“Is dried venison okay? That’s all my family has stored up.”
The attitudes of the attendees began to change.
“Anything edible will do,” Xue Quan chimed in, “Please rest assured, we have ample experience with this, so you don’t need to worry about your grains being purchased and then having to drink thin porridge every day. We won’t include regular rations in the distribution. A commissioner will talk to you about this later… Of course, this will be done under the escort of the Sect guards.”
“I am pleased to see you all making the right decisions,” Chaoyang spoke again, “So, the first step is resolved. The next step is to procure grains from outside to replenish our storehouses. Among you, is there anyone who knows a reliable channel where large quantities of grain can be obtained?”
“This… I only know some furniture manufacturers…”
“Wasn’t it Mr. Lanqi’s officials who used to be responsible for grain before?”
“Hmph.”
Most expressed helplessness, while one or two showed an expression of disdain.
See, Lanqi mumbled to himself, you’ve just offended them and now you expect them to help you? It’d be good enough if they don’t plot against you behind your back!
Chaoyang waited for five minutes and, seeing that no one else volunteered, he turned to Xue Quan and whispered some instructions. The latter nodded his head and left the room.
“Let’s rest for a moment,” he said, picking up his teacup, “Come, have some tea.”
About a quarter of an hour later, noisy footsteps echoed from outside the meeting room. The nobles inside looked towards the door, anxious, fearing they’d see a group of fully-armed Guards bursting in. However, they quickly realized that the people Xue Quan brought with him looked like some shabbily dressed “refugees.”
What does the Paradise Sect want with bringing these people here?
Everyone had this thought simultaneously.
Lanqi scanned the crowd and suddenly realized that one of them was the man who had been loudly praising the Paradise Master at the Acalian Sanctuary.
What was his name? It seemed to be… Moge?
There were fifteen newcomers in total, and they, too, were seated on the side with the local nobles.
“Your Excellency, may I ask who they are…” Kash couldn’t help but ask.
“Let me introduce them, they are merchants, some of whom you’ve probably seen before,” Chaoyang clapped his hands, “After Airco Corps took control of the city, they ruthlessly plundered and persecuted the foreign merchants traveling to Thistlefort. Unlike you, they don’t have any backing or security, so they became easy prey in the eyes of the border army. But there’s one thing I remember, they have extensive mercantile experience.”
“Sir… have you called us here to do business?” One of the newcomers asked tentatively.
“It’s not the Paradise Sect looking to do business with you, but rather hoping you will represent the Paradise Sect to do business,” Chaoyang briefly described the situation in Thistlefort, “The residents here need food, otherwise, whether because of famine or panic-driven riots, thousands or even tens of thousands could die! Your task is both difficult and simple—acquire as much food as possible before disaster strikes and use the railways or wagons to transport it back to Thistlefort.”
He looked around the room as he said this, “Is there anyone willing to step forward and contribute to the salvation of this city?”
