The King

  After arranging the relevant work, Hudson's first reaction was to rush to buy food, and then he gave up this idea.

  The urgent mail from the Governor's Mansion was sent out at the same time, and it was almost the latest to be received in the area of ​​the Mountain Territory.

   At this point in time, I ran to buy food. I don’t know if there is any food for sale. Anyway, the price has already skyrocketed.

  Once the plague of locusts spreads to the southeastern province, the food order contracts originally signed with various companies will definitely have to be voided.

   Fortunately, Hudson has the habit of storing grain. Based on the inventory in the territory and the part of the grain that was looted, it should not be a big problem to support the next spring.

   But the precondition is that the locust plague ends as soon as possible, and it cannot harm the autumn harvest and affect the next season's grain planting.

  If even autumn plowing is harmed by locusts, it will be a big trouble.

  As a major grain-producing province, a locust plague would not have a serious impact on the southeastern province itself. Even with a sharp reduction in grain production, the nobles were still able to tide over the crisis with their own reserves.

  The provinces in northern Xinjiang, which are heavily dependent on food supplies from other provinces in the kingdom, are really facing a crisis.

  The area affected by the locust disaster is not small. The southeastern province is only an early warning, and large-scale disasters have already occurred in nearby provinces. However, these provinces in the south happen to be the main food producing areas of the Alpha Kingdom.

   Only one season of autumn grain production was reduced or no harvest. Out of overall considerations, everyone gritted their teeth and would not reduce the grain supply to northern Xinjiang.

   But once the autumn plowing is affected, and next year's spring grain will be directly destroyed by locusts, there is no other way.

  When things got to that point, noble lords everywhere also had to face food shortages. At that time, there will be too much time for self-care, let alone a large amount of food to support northern Xinjiang.

   Rubbing his forehead, Hudson suddenly realized that he was thinking too much. These issues are considered by big people, so why should a small person like him worry about them.

  The Alpha Kingdom has existed for so many years, and this is not the first time it has encountered a famine. It has been able to survive it in the past. It makes no sense that it will suddenly fail this time.

  In the farming era, everyone has the habit of storing grain to prepare for shortages. If it is only for personal use, the food reserves of the minor nobles can survive the famine for two years.

  By taking some special measures, it will last longer. But for any nobles with some inheritance, each family is not lacking in experience in this regard.

  The food reserves of the great nobles will only become more abundant. The five major families in the Northern Xinjiang area are dominant, which was originally a disadvantage for defense, but now it has become a good thing.

  Hudson didn't believe it, the five major families were not prepared at all. If it is true that there are only a few months of food reserves on the surface, the orc empire will go to grab a ghost?

   Zooming in on the entire continent, even if the Alpha Kingdom suffers from a famine, it doesn’t mean that all human nations have suffered from a famine.

  As the goalkeepers of various countries in the human race, when you reach out for help in times of crisis, you can't sit idly by, right?

  At the very least, the few nearby neighbors would definitely not dare to watch the Alpha Kingdom collapse.

   After a careful analysis, Hudson found that the situation in the kingdom was okay, but the real crisis was the Mountain Territory, or the two counties of Wright and Wyton.

  As a newly developed territory, except for harvesting one season of spring grain, the rest is still in the field. The locust plague is about to strike, and even if some of the crops can be harvested, a reduction in production is inevitable.

  Wheat seedlings are all green, and harvesting now is not so much grain as green storage fodder. This year's summer grain production will definitely be greatly reduced.

  I don’t have enough reserves, so the harvest in the bare land will definitely not last long.

  The local nobles can still rely on their own family for support, while the northern nobles can only sadly pay for "sky-high price food".

  It’s okay to have money in your pocket. If you have no money and no food, Hudson dare not think about what will happen next.

  In short, the land of the two counties is going to be uneven, and it will even affect the adjacent areas.

  "Bandits" and "Bandits", these criminal gangs that have just been strangled to extinction, will revive in the shortest possible time.

   It seems that the arms business is about to usher in a new wave of market prices, but this is not what Hudson wants. He needs food more now than orders.

  Comparatively speaking, the impact on the mountainous areas is relatively small. At the very least, mung beans, peas, and sesame seeds... have a high probability of escaping.

   It's a pity that these things are not planted in large quantities, only a few thousand acres. The main crops are rye, potatoes, and soybeans, all of which are within the diet of locusts.

  …

  The same plague of locusts, the same troubles. A group of noble lords who received the news threw themselves into the fight against the locust plague as quickly as possible.

  Hurry up to harvest what can be harvested quickly, even if harvested at this time, it can only be used as fodder to feed animals, that is better than losing everything.

   Even Baron Sith, who was going to settle accounts with Hudson, gave up his hatred at this moment. After issuing an order prohibiting the transportation of grain out of the city, he led the team straight to Beida City to snap up grain.

   There is no way, other lords are working hard to farm, but he is working hard to restore Dadir City, and the area of ​​land reclaimed is not much.

  The effect is also very significant. Dadir City, which has recovered a bit of vitality, soon became a commercial center among the two counties.

  The income earned is not less than that of farming, and it is also profitable to buy food directly with money, and there is no need to worry about land issues.

  However, Dadir City, which relies heavily on outsourcing, has to face the "food shortage" problem caused by the locust plague.

  I originally thought that after the autumn grain harvest, I would purchase a large amount of cheap grain at one time as a year's grain reserve. I didn't expect that I didn't take advantage of it, but instead ushered in this bad news.

  Looking at the prices given by various grain stores, Baron Sith almost vomited blood.

  Before receiving the news of the "locust plague", the price of rye in the city was only 3.5 copper coins a pound, and there were discounts for large-scale purchases, but it was slightly more expensive than buying directly from noble lords.

  Now, the sky-high price of ten copper coins a pound of rye is soaring, without bargaining, Baron Sith really has no way to start.

  I have seen price increases, but I have never seen such a crazy increase. The locust plague is just a news, and it hasn't really killed it yet?

   What if all the insect kings are killed and the plague of locusts is brought under control?

  Unfortunately, under the shadow of panic, the entire market has gone crazy.

   Grain grabbing has already spread in the city. Just looking at the free people lined up in a row, you can tell how anxious everyone is at the moment.

   In the face of the famine, the free people who were not doing well in the first place were not as capable of resisting risks as the serfs.

  At least in the face of a crisis, serfs and noble lords are running ahead. Unless it is absolutely necessary, we will not let the serfs under our rule starve to death.

  The most vulnerable group of people, once they fall into bankruptcy, the fate waiting for them is worse than that of serfs. Either be starved to death, or sold as slaves.

   Panic buying is often linked to price increases, especially after a group of grain merchants learned that the lords of Wright and Wyton counties were going to purchase grain on a large scale, it stimulated their enthusiasm for price increases.

  The grain merchants in the city raised their prices collectively. If they didn’t want to bear the sky-high price, they could only go directly to the noble lord’s house to buy it.

   Before that, maybe you can try it. Among the nobles and lords who have received the news of the locust plague, who doesn't want to sell their food?

  Even if there is surplus food for sale, people must give priority to protecting their "own people". Unless they can offer an undeniable sky-high price, it will be difficult for them, a group of outsiders, to purchase enough food.

  Including these grain merchants, if they were not worried that they would have a large amount of grain in their hands in a disaster year, which would cause the prying eyes of the nobles and lords, and their lives would not be guaranteed, they would not have made such a quick move.

   "Master, purchase as quickly as possible!

  Don't worry about the price. As long as you can still buy food, you can count as much as you can buy. After a while, even if you have money, it will be difficult to buy food.

  Once the grain in the hands of these grain merchants is sold out, it will be difficult for a second batch to appear in the next few months.

  The locust plague is raging. If an extreme situation occurs, the Governor's Office may not take care of us. "

   Fei Lun hurriedly persuaded.

   As a housekeeper, he was also heartbroken. Dardir City finally got on the right track, and this kind of thing happened right away. This luck, I really don't know what to say.

"shopping!"

   Baron Sith said while holding back the pain in his heart.

  If you don’t have money, you can’t take care of it. If you don’t have food, you will really starve to death. As a qualified lord, if a large number of subjects under his command were to starve to death, he would be drowned by saliva.

  …

  Luoye Town also received news of the outbreak of the locust plague. Baron Cayo was much calmer, as if nothing had happened.

   Picking up a bowl of boiling tea, exhaled lightly, and said calmly: "It seems that the Lord of Dawn has taken care of me.

  The plague of locusts actually came to the door by itself, so there is no need to continue the original plan. "

  If you can be a gentleman, who wants to be a villain?

  Being able to control Wyton County justifiably, Baron Cayo didn't want to engage in conspiracy and tricks, and let people talk.

   Once a famine breaks out, whoever has food in their hands will be the boss of the county. Even if other ambitious people compete, they have to be able to fill everyone's stomachs.

   Throughout Wyton County, apart from Baron Cayo, who is backed by the Dalton family, who can solve the food shortage problem, which lord dares to be so proud?

   At that time, as long as you use a little tricks, everyone can only admit cowardly. Who let him eat other people's food and have a short mouth?

  No matter how unconvinced he is in his heart, he has no face to compete with Baron Cayo after owed such a huge favor. Otherwise, the spittle stars from the outside world can teach them how to behave.

   "Master, just one news is not enough. It is best that the locust team really attacked Wyton County, so that it can put enough pressure on all parties.

   You can also piggyback on Wrightshire if you wish. In the face of this natural disaster, no matter whether it is the son of the Grand Duke or the son of the chosen one, they all have to bow their heads. "

  The old butler on the side suggested.

   People are not ruthless, and they cannot stand firmly.

  Nobles from all over the world are organizing people to intercept the locusts, but in the face of the overwhelming army of locusts, how many can be left behind?

  All that everyone can do is to kill the leading insect king. As for the small shrimp below, there is really nothing you can do.

   Without the swarm led by the insect king, it is just headless flies scurrying around, wherever they go, what is the place.

   The threat is relatively small, but that's only a few. Randomly wandering to any place will be a devastating blow to the local ecology.

  Big cities can also organize magicians and set up magic circles for protection, but in the vast countryside, there is really no way.

  If locusts were deliberately introduced into the two counties, it is conceivable that the noble lords of Wright and Wyton counties would be hit hard economically.

   "Let's wait and see first, the locusts are uncontrollable after all, it is best to intercept them outside the southeastern province.

  If the interception fails, then a wave of locusts will flow to the two southern counties, and everyone can accept it.

  You don't act yet, and make a decision after discussing with your uncle. As a magician, I will answer the call of the kingdom and participate in the fight against the plague of locusts.

  The next affairs in the territory, I will leave it to you, Faber. Everything is based on stability, and other minor issues can be put on hold first. "

   Baron Cayo said hesitantly.

   It can be seen that his heart is very contradictory. From the standpoint of the Dalton family, it is undoubtedly the best choice to intercept the locusts outside the southeastern province.

   Otherwise, if the locust plague breaks out, the Dalton family, which has the largest land area, will bear the heaviest losses.

  Under the aristocratic system, the land is owned by the nobles, and there is no way to take the opportunity to annex the land.

   The loss is all his own, not to mention, as the boss of the southeast province, the Dalton family is also obliged to help the younger brothers below.

   Regardless of the specific step of rescue, it is definitely not acceptable to sit idly by.

  Hemorrhage is inevitable. It is not a big problem to starve a few serfs to death, but to starve a nobleman to death, that is big news that sensationalizes the whole country.

   But from his standpoint, Baron Cayo very much hoped that this plague of locusts would become a big one. Only when there is trouble, can he appear as a savior.

   Taking his relief rations not only ended the lordship battle, but also took the opportunity to create a tall image for himself, a typical example of fame and fortune.

  …

  Beida City, the administrative center of the southeastern province for the first time, Hudson did not pay attention to this big city.

  As a "magician", Hudson was also recruited by the Governor's Palace. To be precise, it was his bear that the Governor's Mansion wanted to recruit.

   This can be seen from the treatment. Obviously just a small mage, Hudson directly enjoyed the treatment at the level of a magister.

  The super high salary made Hudson very bottomless. This remuneration is the outside world's assessment of Bear Stearns' strength, but the actual strength of Bear Stearns is purely a muddle.

   It's all due to the laziness of the Earth Bears, who directly divide their strength by size, completely ignoring exceptions.

  With no reference object and no reasonable evaluation standard, it is a mess to determine the strength of the cub.

   Originally, I thought I would create a vague image and let the outside world guess. I didn't expect to be able to catch up with this kind of incident, so Bear Stearns had to go to the front desk.

   Sighing secretly, Hudson enjoyed it with peace of mind. The remuneration offered was high, which was provided by the Governor's Mansion, not what he asked for.

  If Bear Stearns is not as powerful as the magister, it can only prove that the people in the Governor's Mansion are ineffective, and it has nothing to do with his master Hudson.

  Rights and obligations are equal. After accepting this wave of recruitment, the military service tasks for the next three years are considered completed.

  Everything is theoretical. If there is an emergency, no matter whether there is a military service task or not, those who should be recruited will still be recruited.

  For example, this locust plague is a compulsory recruitment task. All the magicians in the southeastern province were recruited by the governor's mansion.

  Some knights with monster mounts were also included in the scope of recruitment. On the contrary, ordinary knights were excluded from the scope of recruitment because their damage to locusts was too small.

  More than 150 magicians + more than 20 knights, all gathered together, if it was said that the scene was not preparing for war, no one would believe it.

  All are unfamiliar faces, and occasionally I meet a few familiar faces, which means that Hudson knows others, and they don't know him.

   Not interested, Hudson, who was looking for acquaintances among the crowd, directly chose to sit down in a corner, enjoying the food alone, as if he didn't fit in with this banquet.

   There is no way, it's not that he doesn't want to blend in. It's really that the mage group is too exclusive, and it's hard for him, a guy who doesn't have half a bucket of water, to join the topic.

  The Cavaliers are relatively easy to deal with, but that is only relative. Among the knights present, only Hudson was weak.

   The worst is for the others to start with the big knights, and they can't be weaker. Knights who are not strong enough become "poo" in the process of obtaining the mount of a monster.

  Even if these guys are not cultivators, they are almost cultivators. The content of the discussion was also about topics related to cultivation, but Hudson still couldn't join in.

  None of the aristocratic ladies and noble ladies originally imagined appeared at this banquet. Occasionally there are a few Miss Magicians, and that is not something Hudson can get close to.

  Small transparency also has the advantage of being a little transparent, that is, you don’t have to socialize. As long as the skin is thick enough, you can eat and drink as much as you want.

  The so-called aristocratic etiquette, unfortunately, this is not the home of pretenders. All the powerhouses present were from the unrestrained sect, and they all came here as they liked.

  For example, the burly knight opposite Hudson, while discussing with his companions **** the king of insects, while holding a leg of lamb to eat.

  Although the image of the people around is slightly better, it is not much better overall. Picking up the cup is often a mouthful of stuffiness.

  Rules, everyone's habits are the rules. As strong people, they no longer need to take into account the world's views.

   Relatively speaking, those guys who are polite and full of image and temperament are at the bottom of the food chain at the banquet.

   Not only did he not despise other people's eating habits, but he kept complimenting them from the sidelines. The status is high or low, anyone who sees it can tell at a glance.

   No wonder the noble ladies are not allowed to participate in this kind of banquet. The scene in front of them is really far from the noble life in their eyes.

  But it is precisely this group of imageless guys who stand at the top of the food chain in the southeastern province. Perhaps many of them are not well-known and rarely appear in the outside world, but they are definitely the core of a family.

   Everyone doesn't care about image, and Hudson also follows the trend. Although he is a strong man with moisture, there is still no stage of pretending to face.

   Being able to participate in this banquet is itself a symbol of status and strength. The younger generation has been told countless times by their parents, to be safe, to be safe, to be safe.

  Too arrogant, if you offend a strong man with eccentricities, you don't know how to die.

   Eating in a low-key manner, while eavesdropping on everyone's conversation, everything was fine. With Bear Stearns lazy, Hudson directly became the center of the banquet.

   Aware of the troublesome bear cub, he looked at Hudson embarrassedly, and started to scan the goods on his own.

   Picked up the plate and poured it into his mouth, Hudson was so angry that he wanted to kick the thing out. It's really embarrassing, it's as if his master didn't let the bear eat enough.

  Although the usual food is not up to this level, it is still full, and the bear has not been hungry no matter what!

  As if it was a beginning, the painting style of the banquet took a sudden turn for the worse. All kinds of monsters jumped out one after another and joined the banquet.

  Seeing this scene, Hudson, who had been prepared for his death, immediately calmed down.

   It’s not enough for our own bear to be ashamed alone. Since everyone’s monsters have jumped out, it is equivalent to how the banquet should be held.

  Seeing the embarrassment of the guests, Hudson secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It turned out that he was far from the only one who couldn't control his own monsters.

   Maybe in order to keep the monsters safe at the banquet, these guys promised a lot of conditions in advance. It's just that the temptation of delicious food is too great, and my own bear has made another bad start.

  It is unrealistic to stop it. Everyone signed an equal contract with Warcraft, and both parties must give each other enough respect.

   Maybe in order to make Warcraft agree to be a magic pet, many people secretly promised additional conditions.

   After all, Warcraft's IQ is not low, and without enough benefits, it is difficult to get them to agree to sign a contract.

   "Bear of the Earth!"