The structure of Black Snake Bay is different from other places in the Empire, especially the central, southern, and eastern counties. It still retains the pure form of the original Barbaric Lands, with over seventy percent of the land being rainforest and swamp.
Almost all usable land and settlents in these three counties are distributed along both sides of the river. Even near Celestial Maiden City, many indigenous barbarians thrive in the rainforest swamp.
Therefore, so Secret Faction near the Clove Corridor rely on the river, extracting bridge tolls through coercion and even plundering.
But the reform demanded by Horn forces them to dismantle all toll barriers, allowing the Holy Axis to set up trade ports and checkpoints, and even station troops, which they cannot accept.
"It's simple." At this point, Horn naturally would not let Selomis answer; he stepped onto the main podium, "Because this way, you can gain more benefits."
"You make money, and our Black Snake Bay gets more benefits? Isn't that a bigger loss?" A Secret Faction mber with a face full of flesh stood up with encouragent from his peers, "Mr. Horn, are you sure you didn't misspeak?"
"Can you represent all of Black Snake Bay?" Indicating for Selomis to sit down, Horn stared intently at the Secret Faction mber, "Your toll barriers do indeed profit you, but this profit is short-sighted and limited, why?
Because the toll rates vary, and as one goes deeper along the river, they increase layer by layer, making rchants unwilling to delve into Black Snake Bay.
The southern county can indeed enjoy benefits from these toll barriers, but think carefully, what about the central and northern counties? Don't they count as Black Snake Bay people?"
After a brief silence, as the Secret Faction mber was just about to speak, Horn directly interrupted, continuing, "rchants from the north and central regions could have brought more market and demand for your spices and dark sugar, but now you've blocked them out.
In other words, you've blocked your own financial path and the future of Black Snake Bay.
So I propose dismantling the toll barriers, establishing unified tariffs and trade ports, allowing everyone to do business safely and conveniently, thereby prospering the market of Black Snake Bay."
"But doesn't that money still go to the Holy Axis? We originally had revenue, but now we don't, isn't that a loss?" The Secret Faction mber clung stubbornly to this point.
In the eyes of those Secret Factions who rely on the river, this is their inco for survival. Horn could take it, but must compensate.
"Were you supposed to earn, or was the profit never truly yours, and now the rightful owner is simply taking it back?" Horn sneered, "You think you profit from the river and toll barriers, but in truth?
Your profit is superficial because those truly controlling spice pricing are the nobles of the Clove Corridor! They monopolize the spice trade.
Why? Because the harsh business environnt makes outside rchants unwilling to take risks.
If you transport it yourselves, you would be heavily taxed by their toll barriers, forced to sell at the lowest price to the nobles of the Clove Corridor, and if unlucky, at a loss.
In this situation, how much profit can those plantation owners who laboriously cultivate pepper and Sweet Branch earn?
Essentially, you are helping the nobles of the Clove Corridor snatch the inco rightfully belonging to others from the hands of hardworking witches!"
These words made the previously sympathetic witches suddenly pause; after ntally replaying the entire process, they realized it.
They realized Sweet Branch is quite extraordinary, unlike sugar cane which is herbaceous; it is a woody plant, specifically a tree sprout.
Therefore, it can be planted once and harvested for years, reducing the need for repetitive cultivation and sowing, and can even adapt to the torrential rains and floods of Black Snake Bay's rainy season.
Across Black Snake Bay, there are only about 130 Sweet Branch plantations, two-thirds of them in the southern county, especially the two large plantations exceeding 250 hectares, producing 2250 tons of Sweet Branch annually.
According to docunts provided by Selomis and Ottatila, Black Snake Bay can produce approximately 40,000 tons of dark sugar yearly, of which at least 20,000 tons are for the Empire market.
Even at a price of 2 Dinars per pound and a 1 Dinar profit, this equates to 370,000 gold pounds in trade revenue, not counting the portion exported to Furnace Plateau and Northern Grassland.
Due to scattered planting, spices currently lack specific data, but based on spice ship counts, just last year 300 tons of various spices were exported to the Empire and Royal Court.
Calculating only the spices with definite data, according to Empire market prices, there should be nearly 400,000 gold pounds in trade revenue.
How much do plantation owners benefit from it then? Simply put, if they don't smuggle grain, they can barely avoid bankruptcy.
Previously, it seed the nobles of Clove Corridor were too greedy, but now—
No wonder money wasn't made; apparently, the benefits of spice and sugar trade were skimd off by you old-tirs doing no real work!
So hot-tempered witches imdiately stood up, pointing fingers and shouting curses at those crying Secret Faction mbers and witches.
So even grew angrier, rolled up their sleeves, flipped over the railing, and rushed towards those few witches speaking up.
"What do you want to do? Go back, did you hear !"
"No fighting allowed in the venue, stop them for ."
However, under the restraint of Selomis and Louise, the chaotic situation finally cald down.
Still, those plantation owner witches and alchemists glared angrily at the toll-collecting Secret Faction.
With the personality of Black Snake Bay people, after this conference, there was surely going to be another "eting" outside.
Clearing his throat, Horn knocked on the table, redirecting the focus back to himself, "Ahem, and now, after this war, the situation is different!
As long as we join the Holy Axis Customs Union, our trade routes will lead to northern markets; spices and Sweet Branch will be priced by us.
We can sell spices for higher prices and exchange less money for more grain. With more grain, can everyone not free up more land to cultivate dicinal herbs, spices, these high-value cash crops? Isn't that better?"
Even before Horn finished speaking, those plantation owner witches were already applauding, whereas the river-reliant witch Secret Faction didn't look pleased.
Nonetheless, these plantation owner witches had their concerns, and soon one asked, "After getting back our plantations, whose will they be?"
The circulating witches quickly retorted sarcastically, "The Salvation Army seized the plantations; you did nothing yet want them back, so of course, they belong to them."
"Haha." Horn just shook his head with a laugh, "They don't belong to as I don't know how to manage plantations, so these plantations will return to their rightful owners, but I have a small request I hope you can fulfill."
"Please speak!" Hearing they could get back occupied plantations, those winning ecstatic plantation owners imdiately thumped their chests in promise.
"First, I hope to gain priority purchasing rights for these spices, that is, under equal pricing, you can prioritize selling to our Saint Scythe Monastery." Horn raised a second finger, "Next, I hope you allow my Saint Father's Association into the southern county."
Upon hearing this, although expected, Selomis's heart sank.
The witches present exchanged glances, "We can accept the first condition, but about the second one..."
"I know your concerns, but the Holy Axis is built on the shoulders of Holy Path monks; resisting it renders previous talks moot."
Horn addressed the audience slowly, "I don't demand you make Miseria's faith the national religion; you can treat the Holy Father as one among many gods in Black Snake Bay.
I can even accept dual beliefs; I'm not asking you to accept, just please neither resist nor ignore. What do you think?"
The plantation owner witches whispered among themselves, but gradually, through word of mouth, a voice unified—"Accept."
Especially hearing from this Saint's Grandson that they can "consider the Holy Father as one among many gods" and "accept dual beliefs" made many witches believe Horn is actually a reverse black of the Miseria religion.
Yet they did not outright utter "agree," instead collectively shifted their focus onto Selomis, as she opposed church preaching the most.
Sitting amidst the gazes, Selomis had a mont of panic, lowering her head unsurely, looking at her toes in grass shoes.
Dust and dried blood filled the nails; what really matters, the past or future?
Before the chaotic-minded Selomis figured out, she heard hurried footsteps.
She looked up to see an officer jog over, handing a ssage adorned with red feathers to Horn.
Opening the letter and glancing over, Horn smiled and waved the letter in his hand toward them, "Ladies and gentlen, two days ago, the Divine Punishnt Army raided Dragonfly Bay, cutting off the retreat of the Falan Army stranded in the southern county. If nothing goes wrong, this war—has ended!"
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