I'm working on infrastructure in Xihuan

The weather has completely warmed up, and under the warm and bright sunshine, everything that belongs to winter seems like a dream, and this? The green and vibrant Velvet is what the northern border should look like.

The market at this time is not as lively as it was when spring first came. After a few months, the monsters on the mountain that are easy to hunt have been scavenged, and the monsters that survived have been recuperated and have got rid of the cold and hungry in winter. After-effects, he regained his proper strength and fitness, and the difficulty of hunting increased exponentially.

At the same time, the female beasts that have passed the estrus period each find a place to hide to give birth to their cubs. During this period, the female beasts will be more sensitive and manic than usual, and even the weakest snow rabbit will be bitten to death. The hunter's record .

No need? Lucien specifically issued an order to close the mountain or ban hunting. The adventurers themselves know this? It is a customary rule, and they will consciously leave during this period of time, leaving behind this piece of land they have harvested. Buffer room for recuperation.

Spring hunting season is almost over.

This year's spring hunting season has been much longer than previous years. The craftsmen in the market made up for the business that came too early last winter and still earned more money than in previous years. The merchants also received enough Good enough goods, whether they are processed and sold outside or processed and sold locally, the profit margin will be larger if the cost is reduced, and there will be clever local businessmen to discuss cooperation with the merchants, and the transaction volume and business activity will increase. , the commercial value of the territory will also rise accordingly.

That's why Lucien is in a very, very good mood recently, with a bright smile and a brisk tone, which made Priest Elaine, who hadn't seen him for a while, get goose bumps all over his body.

He rubbed his arms as naturally as possible, maintaining a dignified and elegant smile on his face, "It seems that your Excellency has encountered good things recently."

Lucien looked at him, a pair of blue eyes shimmering, like the clear and clear sea surface when the sun is shining.

"It's all the good fruit of the blessing of the light." Lucien answered him like this, bowing his head slightly before entering the Temple of Light, with his fingertips on his heart.

They were standing in front of the main temple of Velvet County. Although Velvet was too poor to eat before Lucien came, the temple symbolizing the belief of the gods in the area was magnificently built. Lucien is paved with unnamed pure white stone, which is as smooth and delicate as suet jade. Sunlight shines through the large pieces of colored spar on the window, and the entire main temple is surrounded by a colorful and sacred atmosphere. shrouded.

Unlike the last visit to the almshouse where he stopped by to meet the priest Elaine, that time the priest only entertained Lucien in the side hall of the temple, and simply said "the light shines" and "may the light protect you" A pot of floral dew produced in the flower field of the temple with holy water, the taste has been unpalatable for decades--recognized unpalatable, Lucien has heard his father and brother complain about it more than once.

But the holy water dew is the highest courtesy for receiving guests in the temple. Not only did Lucien have to drink it with his nose squeezed, but he also had to smile as if he was drinking something?

This time Lucien is officially visiting the temple as a lord. If the wording is corrected more strictly, he should be "visiting" the temple. It's very important, although the "Empire" has not reached the point where the power of theocracy is higher than that of the emperor, the only one who can enter the temple without bowing to the statue is the emperor.

Lucien had to go through a formal process. Even if he came to visit to discuss serious matters with Priest Elaine, he first had to take off his robe and hat, wash his hands, and sit at the altar of the main temple. Bow down to the statue of the God of Light, and spend a dozen seconds closing your eyes to pray.

Lucien lowered his eyes and chanted softly: "May the light protect you."

Priest Elaine dipped a little of the holy water in the altar cup and tapped it on Lucien's forehead, "The light will accompany you on your journey."

After going through this process, Lucien and Elaine moved to the living room next door, and started talking about the unpalatable holy water and toilet water.

A girl with a white cloth covering her head was holding a small plate of fruit on the table. Lucien took a second look at her. It was a girl with a delicate face. Her slightly thick lips and straight nose endowed her with a resolute temperament. , her hands were rough and chapped, they were hands for work, and her hair was wrapped in white linen cloth.

At first glance, it seems that Lucien wore sackcloth and filial piety in his previous life, but in this world, a girl wearing a white cloth on her head means that she has vowed to serve the God of Light for life.These girls do some rough chores in the temple, and are also responsible for cultivating the church’s sacrificial fields, and the church takes them in to feed them and have a bed to sleep in. The days are hard and they can at least survive. Many of them are girls from poor families. With no other way out, he chose to join the church.

The girl covered with white cloth belongs to the God of Light, even her parents and husband are not qualified to take her back.

In this regard, Lucien believes that the Church of Light still has positive significance. In this world without the concept of charitable organizations and human rights, the Church of Light has indeed provided shelter for many vulnerable groups, including religious schools No matter how expensive the tuition fees are, no matter how much you teach things, it has finally broken the pattern of monopoly of knowledge by high-ranking nobles, and provided a way for ordinary people and low-ranking gentry to acquire knowledge.

However, the religious rituals that are purely burning money and making big fuss are emmmmmmm. After a while, almost equivalent to the vernal equinox in Lucien's previous life, the most important religious festival of the God of Light will usher in [Day Festival] ], usually have to repair the temple and make a big deal of all the believers not working and carnival for three days to celebrate the day?

Lucien would not be unacceptable if everyone stopped working and took three days off from work.Just take it as a short break for everyone? It’s a holiday, and it’s not a fast that is not very friendly to the body. Eat, drink, and relax happily for three days, which is very helpful for relieving stress. After the festival, you can work again It will also be more efficient.

Lucien is more concerned with funding issues.

The funds for the [Day Ritual] ceremony are usually donated by believers voluntarily, and no matter how poor believers are, they will grit their teeth and squeeze out a sum of cash, and will actively participate in the repair project of the temple.

It is definitely a hundred times more active than they were conscripted by the Lord Lord to repair roads, docks, and various repairs.

That's it? Bian Luxien worked hard to find a way to enrich everyone's pockets, and the Illuminati Church over there picked up the sickle and began to cut the leeks he had raised, and the leeks happily went up to pay for it. Sending off, without any scruples about whether the city's construction speed will drop or not, it is impossible for a lord like him to fall ill and recover.

Lucien was really angry just thinking about it.

But if the people in the territory want it, you have to give it.

Material construction is the determinant of urban construction, and so is spiritual construction.

Lucien had no choice but to hold Lawrence and Dalton for a few private meetings. This matter had to be behind William's back. The sheriff from the church school is a devout believer, and every month Worship a tenth of the income to the church.

Lawrence doesn't believe in this so much, he is at the same level as Lucien, and he pretends to be because there are many people around him who believe in it, and Doton, who comes from a mage family, doesn't like this even more. If he is really a The mage is also a heretic who will be cursed by the priests as "blasphemous things".

Lucien held this? The two discussed for a few days, in order to let the believers spend less money while the scene is lively and not shabby, it is best to link it with the spring hunting season with insufficient stamina, and earn some extra benefits and other purposes, came up with several optimization plans for the festival celebration.

Then came today, Lucien came forward to pay a formal visit to Priest Elaine, and talked to him nicely with the plan.

The wool of ordinary believers is really nothing? It’s nothing to squeeze out. How much money they can have in their hands. Even if they are a little richer this year, what they earn is a fraction of the fraction. The real? Those who eat meat are those noble masters and mages The master also has merchants from various chambers of commerce.

Sponsoring the church's sunday celebration is an extremely glorious thing. Lucien took the initiative to donate a sum of money first, as long as Priest Eleanor is willing to add a few words and his family name to the sunday ceremony celebration. , It’s just a matter of adding two lines of writing.

"How can the sacrificial text be changed at will..." Priest Elaine refuted him, but his tone was not so firm.

This priest was not a very pious and firm person. Looking at his vacillating position between Viscount Noble and President Andasi, and his reaction to himself at the dinner and afterward, Lucien knew that Priest Leno is easily persuaded.

It's very easy. To convince this officiant, you only need the most traditional and simplest method - coercion and temptation.

He will be swayed by? interests, and also afraid that Lucien will show a dark, bloody and moody side. At the same time, he is attached to the honorable status of the priest.

Lucien showed him the expected benefits that could be obtained - the county government held the tax payment information of those nobles and wealthy businessmen, and calculated it against the tax rate, and knew that Lucien would feed them so much that they couldn't move, as long as they caught a few This key strategy will definitely scrape off a thick layer of fat and water.

A much higher number than in previous years when Priest Elaine worked hard to preach and collect donations, digging out every broken corner with all his might.

Priest Eleanor couldn't control his heartbeat, as long as he stepped into the pit a little, Lucien immediately began to close the net, and chatted with him about some interesting things recently sorted out by the financial department. The accounts, the amount of money coming and going, and the names of people are all very interesting. It just so happens that the spring hunting season is over and there is nothing to do. Why don't Priest Elaine explore it with him and pass the time.

"Of course, if you are busy with business, just pretend I didn't tell you." Lucien picked up the small grapes and tore off the skin bit by bit.

As long as there is power in hand and lack of supervision, it is inevitable that there will be bad debts that cannot be wiped clean. The kind of bad debts that are exposed may cause fire, and can only be used if they are kept a secret.

Priest Elaine looked down at the documents brought by Lucien again.

This time, he didn't say any more. The procedure of the Sun Festival celebration is strictly regulated and cannot be modified casually.