Chapter 668: Development Plan

Mariana shook her head and said:

"Are you crazy? There are so many people in this world, how can you possibly record their life stories one by one!"

Paul rebutted her by saying, "Please do not exaggerate what I say, but merely document the people under my rule."

Mariana: "You have no idea how many people are in your territory!"

Paul chuckled and said, "You are wrong. As of December last year, there were 536,873 people in Alda, including men..."

He explained clearly the population situation of Arda according to different dimensions, and Mariana's eyes widened in surprise.

"You...could it be that everyone in the general's territory..."

Mariana was really surprised by the population figures that were accurate to single digits.

"Yes, we have checked everything out and documented it."

Paul replied with great pride.

The establishment of household registration system is an important task of the previously established Survey and Statistics Committee, but now this task has been handed over to the Ministry of Civil Affairs of the Government Affairs Council.

He can guarantee that no other lord in the world can have such a detailed understanding of the people under his rule like him.

Mariana now doesn't understand why Paul goes to such trouble. Does her son have an almost perverted desire for control?

She sighed.

"No one has ever done this before, so there are bound to be a lot of mistakes."

Paul said with determination: "No system is perfect at the beginning. Someone has to take that first step."

This is what Chief Justice Thomas, who has been silent, said: "My lord, establishing a set of files for everyone is a quite huge project and will definitely increase a lot of administrative costs."

"What?" Paul looked at him, "Isn't this just right? Our school has trained so many literate people and recruited so many officials through examinations. We have to find some support for them."

"And I think those who are educated but cannot find a job that matches their knowledge are in greater danger than the relatives of the traitors."

Thomas couldn't find a reason to refute Paul, so he had to say:

"I will re-draw the list of executions according to your wishes. I hope your choice is correct, Count."

"Paul!" Mariana's voice was a little high. "You know what? I came to you to say goodbye."

"Oh? Have you finally abandoned me again?" Paul said in a joking tone.

But Mariana frowned, "But now I have changed my mind. I have to stay with you for a while longer to observe whether you are qualified as a lord!"

"Not only for your safety, but also for the Grayman family! Your father has passed away, and I think I have a guardianship obligation to you!"

"When necessary, I will use some special means to correct you. I swear I will do what I say!"

There was a hint of sternness in her tone, the attitude of a mother lecturing her son, even when Paul denied her and the cause of the Mystic Order.

Paul shook his head in distress, his eyes lingering on the faces of Mariana and Thomas.

"You seem to be worried that I am a good person who doesn't care about the importance of things. Really, I don't understand why you think of me like this. Well, I understand, and it's my fault that I didn't explain it clearly."

"Somebody come!"

Paul called his chief secretary and ordered him to hang a map on the wall.

"This is?"

Mariana and Thomas both looked surprised when they saw the map.

Paul introduced them: "This is the vast area beyond the mountains to the north."

"I'm only talking about the coastal area. From south to north are the Serenity Liaoyuan, the Lucky Forest, and the Blackwater Basin."

Paul pointed at the map and read the names of each place one by one.

"The area of ​​​​this land can even reach one-third of the size of the Aldo Kingdom, but it is an unfamiliar area, a virgin land."

Thomas: "What do you mean?"

"Yes!" Paul patted the map and said loudly: "I will follow the ancient tradition of the border lords of the kingdom, expand the territory of the Graiman family to this vast area, develop and operate this place, and turn this place into a As rich as the northwest bay."

"This is indeed touching!" the chief judge commented.

"Of course, this requires a large number of manpower, and the population of our northwest bay, especially Arda, is not large to begin with, so executing such a large number of people who are not directly involved in the rebellion is a serious waste!"

"I understand what you mean!" Thomas nodded, "You want to exile these people who should be executed there as a labor force."

"Dear Thomas, you are right!" Paul showed a cruel smile, making himself look a little evil.

"Exiling those who live in civilized societies to these barbaric places is undoubtedly a very cruel punishment. Although it is still a little lighter than the death penalty, the value they create can bridge the gap."

The expression on Paul's face when he said these words made him look like a vicious lord who wanted to squeeze the prisoners to death, but the experienced Mariana could still see the coldness of her son's deliberate display at a glance, and she couldn't help but sigh in her heart.

"This vast land has great potential! I heard that there is a vast black soil there, and you can squeeze out oil and water with a handful of it. It must be very suitable for the growth of crops."

"I plan to first turn this place into an agricultural base, a major food producing area developed entirely on a large farm model!"

When he said this, Paul's face lost its coldness and turned into one of great interest.

"I'm sure that if it is fully developed, the food produced here will be more than enough to feed the entire Aldo Kingdom."

He talked freely about his plan to the two people opposite.

"Further east in this area is the orc grassland. If those arrogant barbarians really dare to invade Aldo, then this area will become the bridgehead into the grassland!"

"We are in the northwest bay. We don't need to go through the inner Rodan Corridor to go far. Our army can transfer here by boat and use the food produced here as supplies to expedition to the orc prairie."

…

Mariana was very surprised by Paul's words.

Is his son already planning for a counterattack?

But the orc attack hasn't even begun yet!

However, just as she had this idea, Bernard entered the room again, looking panicked.

Paul looked at him, "You seem to be in a hurry?"

"Yes, Lord Grayman, something big has happened!"

Bernard presented a piece of paper to Paul.

"The Watcher Fortress has fallen, and the orc army has entered the northeastern region of the kingdom."

"And Her Royal Highness Catherine's army is retreating westward!"