The Low-Key Life of a Necromancer

Li's words "I'm here to help" left Count Dalai with a lot of questions in his mind.

As Li slowly told him his plan to make money, Dalai's mood gradually became subtle.

"Uncle Dalai, we can gather those refugees together and let them mine, forge iron, build houses and cultivate fields. In this way, Windmill Bay will have more output and more wealth~"

"That's easy to say, but those people would rather lie down and starve to death than work for nothing. They are all a bunch of lazy low-class people!"

In fact, Dalai knew the situation of the refugees better.

According to the laws of the kingdom, the subjects were unable to refuse conscription for work at the order of the lord, but the actual situations were different.

Those people were forced to become refugees because of compulsory taxation, and they already had resentment towards the lords.

Even if the refugees are forced together, they will quietly slack off, making it impossible to carry out the work.

Unless a large number of supervisors are arranged to keep an eye on the refugees with whips.

But the profits generated by the lazy refugees' work were not enough to pay the supervisors.

What, no pay for the overseers?

"That's right, instead of paying the supervisor, we give him shares~"

The devil's whispers came out of Li's mouth, which stunned Count Dalai.

"We can package the work into an asset. We can calculate in advance how many people are needed for the work, how many days it will take, and how much materials will be produced. Then we can release it as a whole. The lord only needs to get a portion of the revenue, and the rest, no matter how much value it has, belongs to the supervisor."

Dalai followed Li's plan and imagined the scene after the system was implemented.

Overseers were no longer paid for by the lords, allowing them to earn their own profits from the contracted tasks.

In this way, the supervisor’s whip will smoke before it even starts swinging!

Exploit the refugees below harshly and make them work hard, so that all the extra value can be put into the supervisor's pocket!

"Is it possible to do this..."

The Dalai family has been running the territory for many years, and this is the first time they have heard of such a system. It seems very feasible.

"Wait a minute, there is still a problem. The supervisors are motivated to work, but the refugees are still stagnant. If they don't work, there is no point in beating them to death, right?"

"Then we should provide protection for the refugees and pay them wages. They will get paid according to the amount of work they do."

“Are refugees who are paid still refugees? They certainly won’t continue to work. And where will the money come from?”

"The money will naturally come from the packing tasks. The refugees will be divided into different levels. Those who are not active in work will only be given the most basic survival guarantees, just enough to keep them from starving to death. Those who are active in work will be given more money, enough to buy wine and meat. Those who cooperate the most will be given the opportunity to be promoted, so that they can become minor overseers under the overseers."

Let the talents selected from the refugees exploit the refugees!

Dalai's eyes brightened, and he recognized what Li said.

"No, those supervisors are not willing to use the money they earn to pay the peasants. No one is willing to do such a thing!"

"The wages paid can be recovered. What's the point of being entangled? Ask the supervisors to provide food and lodging for the workers. All food and lodging require money to purchase. The money paid to the workers can be recovered from the food and lodging."

Count Dalai fell into deep thought. Li's series of moves supported the entire structure, but he could not find any major loopholes.

Moreover, it will not be difficult to implement these systems, as they are all strategies that take advantage of people's hearts.

It's a complete conspiracy!

"Oh~ We had so many misunderstandings before. It's a blessing for Dalai that you can come to Windmill Bay. As the host, I should welcome you~"

"Uncle Dalai, what are you talking about? Just treat me as your own nephew~"

"Well, you are my Dalai's nephew!"

"Uncle Dalai~"

The two people who were at loggerheads the moment before, now became as close as a family.

Seeing the two men calling each other uncle and nephew, the others felt their scalps tingling and got goose bumps all over their bodies.

Li is shameless, and Dalai is also quite shameless. When the two of them get together, they are simply birds of a feather.

"Come on, nephew. What's so good about this crappy hotel? Come to my place. I'll give you the best house!"

"Thank you, Uncle Dalai~"

Li and Dalai walked arm in arm in arm and got into a carriage. After chatting animatedly all the way, Dalai took Li directly back to the castle.

The border earl's castle was built of stone and the interior decoration was extremely luxurious.

Seeing the gold and silver decorations everywhere in the castle, Li felt a little puzzled.

"Uncle Dalai, our family is well off, why do we need to collect extra taxes?"

"…Alas~ Isn't this just a step forward? My family expanded the kingdom's territory and built a city as big as Windmill Bay. They promised to give us a dukedom, but they kept pushing it back."

A hundred years ago, the Dalai family was a vassal of the Freyr family. After humans were defeated in the southern continent, the kingdom recruited brave nobles to expand the territory in the northern continent.

The northern continent was very dangerous a hundred years ago. There were all kinds of wild beasts and monsters everywhere, as well as natives like the Highlanders.

The ancestor of the Dalai family received orders from the kingdom and led the loyal family knights to open up the north.

After fighting their way across the northern continent from south to north, Dalai's ancestors settled down in Windmill River Bay.

When it comes time to receive rewards, the Dalai family should be awarded the title of Duke, or at least Marquis.

But the kingdom was in a mess at the time, and the royal family was even sitting in the capital that looked like a construction site, so it was naturally impossible to hold the enthronement ceremony.

Moreover, Dalai's ancestors had to stay in the north and it was difficult for them to go to the royal capital, so the matter of conferring the title was delayed again and again.

After the kingdom was stabilized, the Dalai family has been reporting this situation to the capital.

"The royal family initially promised to raise my title, and the letters they sent were sincere, acknowledging my family's contribution to the kingdom. However, the actual enthronement ceremony has never taken place. Every time the king holds a banquet, my family is not included!"

The Dalai family was marginalized, and after the kingdom was stabilized, the titles that should have been granted had already been distributed.

In the eyes of those people in the royal capital, giving Dalai a dukedom was not cost-effective, as it would take away both land and power, and there would be no benefit to the royal family.

Moreover, the Dalai family was dwindling in number, and by the generation of Count Dalai, there were only a pair of incompetent children.

"If my son had half of your ability, I wouldn't be in such a hurry to confer a title on him. It's a pity that he is such a blockhead."

Count Dalai's son is not very ambitious, so in order to preserve the family's honor, Dalai has to be more radical.

"Someone in the Holy Temple told me that as long as I make some contributions to the capital, the title of Duke can be realized."

"So that's it."

It was not until now that Li finally understood why Count Dalai imposed taxes.

The reason is really simple enough.