Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World

Chapter 356: Better Not Stir Up Trouble

TL: Etude

“Only families like ours are the true foundation of Lord Grayman and Alda!”

This statement by old Valen resonated with everyone at the banquet.

“That’s true, although it might sound a bit disrespectful, but Lord Grayman cannot do without us! Ah! Of course, we can’t do without Lord Grayman either.”

Eldo counted on his fingers as he listed: “Tax collection, military service, labor conscription, in these rural areas, it’s us who convey the lord’s commands. We are the ones who collect the taxes, summon the soldiers, and find the laborers. These tasks are genuinely hard work, much harder than those merchants who just pay some lousy money.”

Someone shouted: “And our families’ young men, if not for these youngsters serving as officers, those soldiers of peasant origin probably couldn’t even stand in formation properly.”

This remark elicited loud laughter from the crowd.

Old Valen summed up: “Thus, we, the local gentry, and Lord Grayman are one and the same, sharing both glory and loss.”

He stroked his beard, speaking with a solemn face: “Those malicious outsiders, and those profit-driven merchants, are like cancers growing on the body, constantly eroding the health of Alda day and night!”

“Old Valen is right!”

Seeing everyone in the hall agreeing with him, Old Valen took the opportunity to exclaim: “Gentlemen, true sons of Alda! People of discernment! As those born and raised on this land, we cannot just stand by and watch. Who among you is willing to join me in petitioning Lord Grayman, requesting the expulsion of these outsiders and suppression of the arrogance of these merchants, to restore the peaceful days of Alda?”

Upon Valen’s words, the hall fell silent.

After a while, Fergus, sitting near him, hesitantly said, “This… this… there’s no need to go that far, right?”

Others also began to react.

“Yeah, although outsiders are annoying, driving them away directly is too much… Of course, I totally support driving away Hansel Abbott.”

“Although merchants are profit-driven, we can’t do without them. Who would we buy things from?”

Old Valen shook his head: “Just now, all of you were indignant, but why do you hesitate when it’s time to actually do something? Eldo!”

Eldo, being called upon, straightened up immediately. “Old Valen?”

Old Valen stared at him: “Tell me, what if they need more and more workers? Will you just hand over the peasants from your estate?”

Eldo shook his head vigorously: “Of course not! I wouldn’t do such a foolish thing! But do they really need so many people?”

“Humph, they use the money they earn to open new factories, earning more and then opening even more factories. The need for manpower is bottomless.”

Eldo scratched his head: “But they can’t just steal people.”

Valen glanced at him, then looked around the room: “What if they persuade Lord Grayman to allow them to recruit in the rural areas? Will you stop them then, or not? Humph, we just mentioned the church’s preaching teams, who do you think is really behind this? I bet it’s these merchants. I guess they’ll tempt Lord Grayman with the promise of more taxes,”

“And those foreigners, everyone here has been troubled by Abbott, right?”

Shank cautiously asked: “Does setting up factories really make that much money? Then why don’t we start some ourselves? The workforce is readily available.”

Old Valen, feeling betrayed, thought: Hey! I’m rallying the troops here, and now someone wants to turn traitor?

“You’re foolish! Food! Food is the foundation of this world. With money, we can buy more land, grow more crops. Whether nobles or commoners, they can go without paper, without porcelain, but they can’t go a day without food.”

“You start a factory, but you need a market, right? Connections, right? Can you compete with those who already have a head start? You’ll have to rely on low prices and slowly build up, possibly making losses for several years.”

“Farming is a steady and profitable business. In a disaster year, we just close our doors, rely on our stored grains, and live comfortably. Outsiders will have to beg us, act according to our whims.”

Old Valen didn’t have to intervene personally; Shank was immediately criticized by the others.

“Well?” Old Valen stroked his beard and asked again: “Does anyone want to co-sign a letter to Count Grayman with me?”

To his surprise, the hall once again fell into silence.

“You…”

Old Valen trembled, pointing at everyone, unsure of what to say.

Those he pointed at shrunk their necks, avoiding eye contact.

Co-signing a letter to Count Grayman sounded a bit like collective blackmail.

After all, he was their lord, a noble!

Perhaps it might have been feasible two years ago, when the Grayman family only nominally held Alda as a count’s territory, dependent on them for all matters in the rural areas beyond Lakeheart Town and a few other towns.

But things were different now!

Baylding, Emden were under Lord Grayman’s control, and he even commanded an army… What if they angered the Count and he retaliated?

“Old Valen… I think we should take it slow with this matter,” Baden said timidly, having been silent until then.

Valen snorted, not even looking at Baden. He hadn’t counted on Baden, who had been traumatized by a previous riot, losing half of his fortune – a well-known fact to everyone.

“Right, as long as the Count is with us, they can’t do much to us, can they?”

“It’s better not to stir up trouble.”

One feeble comment after another reached Old Valen’s ears.

“Fine, I see now. When it comes down to it, you… you… cough, cough!”

Old Valen, deeply disappointed and frustrated, began to cough violently.

“Forget it, forget it, I’m just worrying over nothing! When disaster strikes you, I hope you’ll remember today!”

The atmosphere at the banquet abruptly shifted, and everyone silently began to eat, not uttering another word.

The awkward atmosphere lingered for a long time until the host of the estate sighed deeply, “Ah! I invited everyone here today, I shouldn’t have spoiled your mood! A few drinks and I lost my head, couldn’t keep my mouth shut.”

Everyone hastily seized the opportunity to ease the tension, “Not at all, Old Valen is just thinking of us, the local gentry!”

“Yes, indeed, in the larger picture, it’s for Alda, for Count Grayman!”

Old Valen clapped his hands, “To make amends, I’ve selected some girls from my estate, let’s enjoy ourselves today!”

As he clapped, the doors of the hall opened, and a group of scantily clad, head-bowed young women slowly walked in.

The guests’ faces lit up with smiles, the earlier awkwardness instantly dissolving.

“Ha ha, Old Valen is truly hospitable!”

“True to his generous nature, Old Valen!”

Laughter once again filled the hall.