Chapter 449: Building a New City
The castle tower not only has a lookout function, but also serves as a combat mission.
In order to support the enemy's attack for a while, there is a long staircase in the tower that is only covered with wooden boards. Firstly, it will make a sound when someone steps on it. Secondly, it will be removed during the battle and the enemy will not be able to get up.
The top floors of the tower are also warehouses, where weapons such as bows and crossbows purchased by Count Ansbach are also stored, and there is even an unused small magic crystal cannon the size of a human leg.
Today Anna asked a maid to remove all the wooden stairs and let her stay in the warehouse below so that no one would disturb herself and Frederick.
"I didn't expect that..." Anna looked frustrated, "Some of them have been with me for more than ten years. She has been with me longer than you. At that time, we were chasing butterflies in the garden together..."
Frederick gently stroked her back and whispered: "Some people are not malicious."
Anna shook her head and said: "Hide it from me. Malice."
She brought eight maids this time. Except for an orphan knight adopted by Mary, the others were tasked with delivering news to one or even several nobles.
It was hard for Frederick to say anything. There were too many such things. He also bribed many people around Rudolf. He was also betrayed by the Archduke of Mainz and Count Rank because he did not understand the market and offered too high a price. The others reminded me tactfully.
Anna said: "I'd better learn from Mary and choose reliable people from the knight orphans."
"Now I'm not afraid of people eavesdropping." She poured wine into the wine glass, "Now please teach me. "
Frederick picked up the wine glass and clinked it with her, and said, "You should have heard that the economic base determines the superstructure that I often mentioned."
Anna nodded. This idea will be familiar to anyone who has studied Frederick.
Frederick pointed to the cream cake on the table that they were going to take for lunch and said: "This theory is specific to rulers, and it is to solve the cake of how to share power."
Then he started with Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory, told Anna about industrial production that is different from agricultural production, how to organize, manage and motivate industrial production, and finally talked about the psychological changes that occur after people become rich.
There are some things that are useless just talking about them. He plans to take Anna to visit factories and government departments and hold symposiums later.
Anna listened very carefully. In the past, no one had followed Weisenzhou's example in building factories, and hired factory directors and technicians with high salaries, but in the end they all ended in failure. No one knew why it failed.
Now that she listened to the first half, she understood that the factory is just a link in the entire industrial chain, and the internal management is even more interconnected. The production discipline requirements for workers are stricter than those for the army.
After listening to the second half, she thought for a long time, picking up the wine glass and taking a sip from time to time, hesitant in her heart.
Rulers are naturally sensitive to power, and there is a struggle between centralization and local autonomy within every country, and this struggle will continue.
Now Frederick said that when those civilians have more money, they will also start asking for a piece of the cake of power.
Anna couldn't make a choice in her heart, so she stood up and paced back and forth irritably.
“Every gain must be accompanied by a loss.” Frederick said, “If you want to gain wealth from them, you must give them benefits.”
“In the Principality of Wesson, as long as you are over 25 Those who are 7 years old, have paid taxes in accordance with the law, and have no criminal records for themselves and their immediate family members can participate in the election of local city councilors.”
"At present, the Parliament is only a communication channel between the official and the private sector. Next, I will give it the power of supervision, and in the future I will give it the power of impeaching officials."
He knew that he was taking a big step, but he didn't care.
Firstly, he is not that attached to power, secondly, he is too lazy to divide out the work that can be divided, and thirdly, he plans to start the inscription on his tombstone with "A ghost".
This requires him to complete some roads and leave behind a theory that fits the world.
Anna gritted her teeth, sat back on the sofa, drank half the glass of wine, and said firmly: "I understand, as long as they can get through the difficulties, I can give them this power."< br>
Now that the Osmaga Empire is crumbling, as long as someone outside kicks it hard, it will collapse. Rather than losing everything, it is better to take a part and give it a try.
Frederick nodded and said: "I suggest you find a place with convenient transportation, flat terrain, and under your absolute control, preferably in the countryside, and build a city from scratch there."
"I will help you with city planning. This is an unprecedented industrial city, and at the same time, I will take the lead in getting factory owners to open factories there."
Anna's eyes suddenly lit up, who didn't know Frederick made his fortune based on the city of Weissenburg, and it has only been ten years since then.
I am still young and can afford to wait ten years. If I can replicate Frederick's miracle, who in the empire will dare to challenge me in ten years.
Frederick continued: "The city officials select the children of the noble families who have no inheritance rights. They first pass the written examination and are selected, and then they are sent to me to study. Then you have a new administrative team." "The same goes for the troops guarding the city. , officers are selected from children without inheritance rights and knight orphans, and soldiers are selected from farmers and hunters. I can export weapons to you and send an officer corps to assist in training."
"In the city. You can think of ways to build schools yourself, and I can also arrange for some basic education and technical education schools to open branches.”
“There is a lot of farmland in your royal territory and your own territory, and I can export tractors at low prices. , fertilizer and improved seeds for you.”
Anna has calmed down at this time. This is too much, and she can’t repay it even if she becomes his meat slave.
"What's the price?" she asked again.
“It’s simple.” Frederick shrugged, “Just use the city’s tax revenue as a mortgage and use the tax commission to repay it.”
Anna weighed the pros and cons for a long time, and finally in principle Agreed.
This city is equivalent to getting it for free. If you don't agree, you won't get half a copper.
For Frederick, foreign aid in building such a city had high economic and political benefits.
First, new markets can be created, first in industries such as steel and cement, and then in heavy industries such as machinery and equipment production, all of which are high value-added businesses.
Secondly, we can export the culture and politics of Weisen State and enhance its soft power.
Thirdly, some industries can be transferred, and low value-added products can be processed locally and sold locally, reducing transportation costs and expanding sales.
The fourth thing is to get a reliable ally.
There is a risk that Anna will turn her back on this, but it is not impossible. Many key parts of the machine can only be produced by specialized factories, and everyone will suffer.
Anna quickly thought of such a place: "There is a small town fifty kilometers south of the city of Wien. There is a river next to it leading to the Danube. The railway leading to the Great Gulf passes there. There are mountains to the west and flat pastures and grasslands to the east. Farmland, and a large lake.”
“The town is a royal vacation place, and there is a palace, which is absolutely under my control.”
Frederick didn’t know. She said it would be fine for that place, and also made a suggestion: "Let the city be named after His Majesty Ferdinand, and it will be said that it is my gift to him."
Anna was momentarily confused. Puzzled, he asked: "Why?"
"Of course it's for your reputation." Frederick looked very serious, "You don't want to be said to have traded your body for me for a city." ”
Anna's face suddenly turned red and white.
During the years of fighting for the right to inherit the throne, she has been slandered in many ways. She has been insulted in all directions, and there are all kinds of strange rumors about the Lower Third Road.
At that time, when my father was still alive, he would severely punish those rumors that were too bad, but now he can only bear it on his own.
It was nothing for her to find Frederick as her lover. It was unheard of for Frederick to help build a city, which left a lot of room for imagination.
Some people don’t like to see others getting rich, and they will definitely think about the most filthy things when the time comes.
Frederick just wanted to get rich, and he didn't want to get involved in too weird rumors, and he didn't want others to mistakenly think that he wanted help without giving money but only to women.
Anna sat on Frederick's lap, rested her head on his shoulder, her whole body softened, and said softly: "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Frederick patted her back and said, "Just don't default on your debt."
Anna nodded.
Then the two discussed the railway to the Great Bay.
This railway extends from the original railway in the Principality of Byrne, with a total length of more than 900 kilometers. Construction started in June this year and is expected to be fully opened to traffic in 1038.
The big bosses have agreed on the general direction, and the specific details and implementation are left to the subordinates.
In addition, there is one more thing. The special envoy of the Church of Light, Alfred, will arrive tomorrow. Everyone needs to talk after the topping out ceremony of the Germain Cathedral.
(End of this chapter)