Grosien truly wasn't lying to his brother-in-law; after taking just a few steps, they sat down at a food stall.
The stall was sewn together from oilcloth, leather, and tapestries on all four sides, with the cold wind blowing at their ankles from gaps in the ground.
After ordering a plate of potato pancakes, a bowl of pork bone soup, a dozen freshly baked breads, two beef patties, four fried eggs, and a plate of nut cakes, Grosien and his brother-in-law sat waiting in the cold wind.
In fact, ever since Black Snake Bay joined the Holy Alliance, the entire business environnt rapidly transford.
If nothing else, just look at how much these restaurants and food stalls are willing to use spices; it's obvious.
Once the six docks on the Ibe River and various basic roads were built, the rchant ships of both sides lined up on the river like a long dragon.
Before the sugar prices at Windmill Land dramatically dropped, the spice prices at Thousand River Valley and the grain prices at Black Snake Bay also saw a big plunge.
Basically, all 300 tons of spices from the Empire in a year were rushed into Thousand River Valley within half a year, and spices have now beco an essential seasoning equal to salt.
Those poorly managed fishy and foul ats and vegetables can mostly be suppressed by spices.
Moreover, spices not only add flavor, they also have the function of preservation.
In North County, practically every manor has a cured at workshop, creating large quantities of cured jerky, sausages, ham...
The massive orders from the army during Black Snake Bay's war doubled the annual inco of North County's people, if not more.
Not to ntion the new army formations and training of standard cavalry by Moliat, which brought clothing orders, with the sound of weaving heard in every household in South Mangde County.
Of course, this also led to an unexpected consequence.
Due to increased at demand, North County's original space for cattle and sheep was insufficient, and purchase costs began to rise.
Thus, the people of North County invested much of their inco into buying weapons, armor, and hiring retired soldiers from the Salvation Army, preparing to retake the grasslands and adows of Stone Cliff Town from the Norn Kingdom.
While South Mangde County, apart from demanding the construction of embanknts, also hoped to send troops to Shattered Stone Plain—not to annex, but to open the market, right?
Opening up the Black Snake Bay market brought great benefits beyond just the above, but also to Grosien personally.
Because once the Black Snake Bay market opened, Long Embanknt City and Celestial Maiden City began setting up Sli Juice workshops, which could instantly absorb large amounts of surplus labor.
In Black Snake Bay, Slis were like pests; previously, it was the Secret Faction who paid to hire people to eradicate them.
Now it's better—not only do they get eradicated, they are turned into Sli Juice, barely balancing the revenue and expenses.
These low-cost Sli Juices instantly collapsed the original Sli Farm at Daze Village, with many farm owners going bankrupt.
It coincided with the completion of the Tai Bo River in early September, causing the water level in Beize to drop.
Grosien and his cousin Palak rushed in and took out loans to acquire many bankrupt Sli farms, transforming them into fish farms and aquatic farming facilities.
Part of it was used to quickly pay back by raising freshwater shrimp, and part was used for raising carp, which could be sold by March this year.
Besides the orders from the army, Grosien's biggest goal this ti was to try breaking into the fresh fish markets of the ry Court Barracks and Joan of Arc Castle.
The navigability of the Erno River allowed Grosien to quickly transport fresh fish to Joan of Arc Castle.
With the influx of large quantities of precious tal currency, the demand for fresh fish among the civilian class is bound to rise.
This ti, he brought his brother-in-law to Autumn Dusk Island to negotiate with the rchants of Vegetable Market Street, asking them to stock his carp.
Even if it's thin profit but high sales volu, he's bound to make a profit.
"It slls so good, brother-in-law."
Hearing his brother-in-law's loud exclamation, Grosien looked up and saw a bowl of milky white pork bone stew with white radish and light green vegetable leaves being brought up.
A mist rose up, and Grosien stirred the soup base with a ladle, sure enough, the powder of black spices floated up.
He picked up a ceramic bowl and served one for his brother-in-law and one for himself; with a sip of the oily pork bone soup, Grosien instantly felt warmth throughout his body.
Watching his brother-in-law devour the soup and chew on the golden potato pancakes like a starving ghost, Grosien showed a reminiscent smile.
With Holy War Bonds, army orders, and aquatic farming, Grosien and his cousin Palak beca overnight riches.
In just three years, the two brothers' total assets reached 200 gold pounds, with yearly inco from bonds and aquatic produce around 20 gold pounds each.
From being bachelors to instantly becoming sought-after in the marriage market.
His cousin Palak married the second daughter of a Joan of Arc Castle City Hall official, while he married a forr nun.
This nun ca from a knight family; her elder brother was a Knight in Hotam County but died from illness during the war.
Who would believe that a middle-aged bachelor farr could, within three years, earn an inco akin to a knight's and marry a knight's nineteen-year-old daughter?
But this doesn't an Grosien lacks a sense of crisis, as the army orders occupy the bulk of their orders.
If the army cancels the orders, he would imdiately revert to his old self.
He must have his people in the army system.
Grosien has considered if he has children, the eldest should apply to Frick Middle School, while the second should join the army.
However, that would be at least a decade from now, which seems too late.
So, he's set his sights on his brother-in-law, who cos from a knight family, trained from a young age, and is physically strong.
Falsify his age to seventeen, serve in the army for three to five years, and try to beco a junior officer.
After gaining the officer rank, Grosien could further support him for advanced study at military school.
If things go smoothly, when his brother-in-law rises to a middle-level officer, then his own family's children should be entering the army.
Looking at this sixteen-year-old brother-in-law who is taller than him, Grosien cleared his throat and was about to speak when a loud "boom" was heard.
Followed by a rapid sound of "crackling," the entire stall shook once.
Snow fell all over, hitting the heads and faces of passing pedestrians.
Pebbles and li powder rolled through the cracks in the stall, and several diners jumped onto their stools in fright.
Outside ca the whistle sound of the Night Watchers, and the surrounding diners curiously lifted the curtain to peek out.
Told Kaler to stay put, Grosien followed them out.
Following the crowd, he stepped over the bluestone pavent and through the small path between the stalls to the railing by the river.
A crowd of citizens had already gathered here, holding onto the wooden railing, pointing towards the distant small cargo dock.
Grosien stretched his neck, wedged his head between his shoulders, and finally managed to catch a glimpse.
On the cargo dock, a strange wooden boat floated broken on the water, and several dock workers were pulling a shivering young man out of the icy water.
The front half of the wooden boat was stuck against a stone pillar on the dock, while the back half floated on the water, with the rear reinforced by an iron fra connected to a wheel.
Below the wheel, an indistinct vortex-like device could be seen—is that a copper spring?
Just as Grosien squinted, trying to see clearly, a shadow blocked his view.
"Move along, move along, it's just the Royal Engineering Academy testing new boats."
"There's nothing to see, move along, move along!"
Before Grosien could see clearly, the Night Watcher wielding an iron baton ca out, starting to disperse the crowd watching the excitent.
As a qualified small rchant, Grosien naturally wouldn't confront the Night Watcher.
With a last glance at the wooden boat, he returned to the food stall with so curiosity and contemplation.
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