New Industry

Translator: Cinder Translations

...

When Paul asked for opinions, everyone was momentarily stunned.

Earl Paul had always been decisive in developing the territory, and most of his strategies turned out well. Even the few that had hit a wall were seen by the core members of the administrative council as ultimately beneficial to society in the long run.

Accustomed to following the Earl's will, everyone frowned and began to ponder deeply.

Guy Burns was the first to speak up, raising his hand and saying loudly, "We should expand the scale of the machinery factory and the agricultural equipment factory, producing more machines..."

"Ah!" He suddenly slapped his palm, as if recalling something.

"With your inspiration, I've recently gained new insights into steam. If you could establish a project for me like you did for those alchemists, and allocate special funds, I'm sure we could produce more efficient machines!"

Ever since Paul had introduced the idea of using steam as a power source, Guy Burns couldn't stop thinking about it. However, the Earl had strictly forbidden him from using the resources of the machinery factory for this research, so it remained just a personal hobby for him.

"Let's put that on hold for now."

Paul pondered for a moment and then coldly crushed Burns' hopes. The factory director retreated dejectedly to the corner, drawing circles on the ground.

But the Earl felt no pity. He wasn't going to risk his skilled worker class for a few machines. With the current transportation and consumption capabilities, if steam engines were widely used, most of his precious workers would lose their jobs and return to farming. That's what Paul thought—whether he was right or not, he wasn't sure. But he believed caution was the safest path; his small territory couldn't afford frequent upheavals.

Still, would it be wise to research a boring machine for now? It could process cylinders and produce better cannons...

"Earl!"

Old Ford's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Should we focus on the fishing industry?"

"Oh? Go on."

Old Ford stroked his beard and said, "In the past two years, under your orders, we've improved the transportation from Alden Town to Port Frand, and several roads leading to Byerldine and Emden are under repair. This means we can transport fresh fish from the sea to the inland regions for sale. Additionally, our coastal residents are skilled in preserving fish, especially with the use of salt. With our abundant salt production methods, this industry can expand and grow, selling salted fish to other areas."

Paul nodded, "That's a good idea. Bernard, take note."

The chief secretary, responsible for recording the meeting, immediately began scribbling with his quill.

Old Ford continued, "To develop the fishing industry, we'll need a large number of ships, which will stimulate our shipbuilding industry."

Paul agreed, "You're right. Only with more orders can we sustain our shipbuilding capacity long-term. But the lack of skilled shipbuilders is a problem."

"Lord Grayman, it won't be long before private shipyards start popping up. According to news from Port Frand, some merchants have already gone to recruit craftsmen from Horns Bay. Currently, the two shipyards we own mainly serve the military, so these merchants seem to be seeking self-reliance."

Paul was pleased, "That's a good trend. You see, everyone, as long as we harness the profit-driven nature of merchants, many things will naturally fall into place."

However, he also had concerns. "In outsiders' eyes, the northwest coastal bay has always been a barren land. Even with the power of the administrative council, we've only managed to build two shipyards..."

The intelligence chief, Cecil, said, "My lord, the current situation in Horns Bay is very favorable to us. The witch hunts there are growing more intense..."

He glanced nervously at Ladia, who was sitting next to the Earl. Seeing no emotional reaction on her face, he continued, "This movement has started to disrupt the daily lives of ordinary people. Even wealthy individuals are being affected. I suspect that behind the rising influence of the local church, a great deal of resentment and even hatred is building. Many people will want to move elsewhere, including experienced craftsmen, wealthy nobles, and well-connected merchants. In recent years, thanks to our exports of porcelain, paper, and other goods, we've gained some recognition in Horns Bay. Many have already come here to do business. If we increase our efforts in promotion, there's no reason the northwest coastal bay couldn't become one of their preferred destinations."

Paul stroked his chin and said, "Alright, you'll be responsible for promoting Horns Bay. Be sure to improve the local perception of Northwest Bay."

"Yes, Lord Grayman. However..." Cecil rubbed his thumb and index finger together, making a gesture everyone understood.

Paul smiled and said, "Don't worry, as long as there are results, I won't be stingy with money."

"Haha, you're wise, my lord!" Cecil happily retreated to the corner of the room.

"Bringing in talent is important, but cultivating local talent is even more crucial." 

Paul told Manager Ford, "I think we could offer some preferential treatment to merchant ships from other regions, especially Horns Bay. In exchange, they must hire a certain number of our people to work on their ships and learn maritime skills in real-life environments. Of course, these must be regular hires, absolutely no slave trading."

"Yes, Lord Grayman!" Old Ford nodded and took note.

"By the way, how's the naval academy project with the local merchants at Frand Port?"

"Everything is going smoothly. The first batch of students from the crash course is already interning on ships."

"Excellent. Now, everyone, I'm going to show you a new invention we've been working on!"

Huh? Another new invention by the lord?

Paul clapped his hands, and two servants carried a cylindrical object into the room and set it down, appearing to be some kind of container. Then, they brought in two black cylindrical objects, lit them, and placed them inside the container. What happened next...

Everyone started coughing from the smoke!

"Oh no! I forgot, I forgot! Quick, move it outside!" 

Paul, covering his nose, hurriedly ordered the servants to move the object into the courtyard.

Everyone followed them outside.

"This is what I made from regular coal and clay—'honeycomb briquettes'!"

Paul held up one of the black cylinders he introduced. The flat surfaces of the cylinder had multiple holes, making the name 'honeycomb briquette' quite fitting.

"As for this stove, it's specially designed for burning honeycomb briquettes. Of course, if you burn it indoors, you need to use a chimney."

Everyone gathered around the stove, watching the burning briquette carefully. It wasn't even autumn yet, but waves of heat were already radiating from it.

Ladia asked, "Since you've made coal into this shape, I assume it has certain advantages?"

Due to the development of the iron industry under the government, coal was being mined in large quantities, supplying not only ironworks but also homes for cooking and heating. Though still not common in Emden, it was already widespread in Alden and Byerldine.

"Of course!" Paul thumped his chest. "Look at how uniform its shape is, making it easy to stack and convenient to use. And because of the holes, it has a larger surface area exposed to air, making it burn more efficiently than regular coal. If a lump of regular coal is too big, it might extinguish before it's fully burned. In short, you'll see the difference when you use it."

Although no one in this world knew what oxygen was, they at least understood the concept of air, and that better ventilation helped with combustion—after all, wasn't the Earl's wind machine invented for this reason?

"This will be a blessing for less well-off families."

Manager Ford praised the invention. Many households were reluctant to throw away coal residue because some unburned bits were still mixed in, leading to the hassle of sifting through and reusing them.

But with honeycomb briquettes, this problem would be solved.

"Good, let the government spearhead this effort, and we'll work together with the people to establish the honeycomb briquette industry!"

Thus, the fishery, shipbuilding, and coal-processing industries were incorporated into the new development plan.

(End of the Chapter)

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