Although Felix appeared confident in front of Claude, he wasn't that sure that the women in the royal capital would accept the price hike of the essential oils. After all, the price of the oils had suddenly increased so much. Although the oils sent to the royal capital could be sold in smaller quantities, would the noblewomen be willing to buy these highly concentrated oils that were priced like gems?
The answer was yes.
Concerned about the sales results, Felix had already instructed the knights escorting the oils to send a message back as soon as there was any news. The messenger traveled day and night, so exhausted that he slept for two days straight after returning, having completed a fifteen-day journey in less than ten days, and brought back the letter.
The letter stated that the essential oils initially faced dissatisfaction from customers. However, after they distributed the usage instructions written by Wei Wei and copied by Felix, and then further duplicated by others, to several of the most influential noblewomen in the royal capital, along with a small 5ml bottle of the oil, within a few days, several high-status ladies, led by the queen, revisited their shop.
With their endorsement, other nobles quickly accepted the new prices. They calculated that although the price of the oils seemed higher, the effect was better, and the purchased oils could be diluted by themselves. The diluted oils lasted longer, making the cost more reasonable.
Upon closer consideration, the same amount of high-concentration oil could be diluted into nearly a hundred bottles of the original low-concentration oil (though in practice, it wasn't exactly a hundred bottles due to varying dilution ratios). This calculation showed that some types of high-concentration oils were cheaper than before, and even the most expensive rose oil wasn't much more expensive than it used to be.
Moreover, buying a bottle meant the girls at home could share it, and they wouldn't need to buy more for one or two months, avoiding the hassle of frequently being out of stock.
So, naturally, they took the opportunity to buy more while the oils were available, even if not for personal use, they could be gifted or resold to those in need.
Thus, although the essential oil business in the royal capital wasn't as frenzied as at the beginning, it was still very stable, bringing Felix a daily profit of no less than a thousand gold coins.
Relieved by this outcome, Felix, now with a steady income, split the ten thousand gold coins draft Claude brought into two, giving five thousand directly to Wei Wei as the first dividend from the essential oil business, letting her decide whether to exchange it for gold coins or otherwise.
Wei Wei, of course, chose to spend it. Money in hand doesn't grow, and hoarding it only invites worry about theft; spending it is more carefree.
Holding the draft, which wasn't actual gold coins, actually increased the desire to spend, akin to swiping a phone for payments without the tangible sense of spending, leading to reckless expenditure.
She planned to use the money to repair the roads around the house she was building.
She had long been dissatisfied with the bumpy and difficult roads. Regardless of others, she wanted the roads she frequently used to be well-maintained.
Her house had taken shape over the past few months, but according to architect Pierre, it wouldn't be ready for occupancy until the next spring or summer. Repairing the roads during this period would make her future outings more comfortable.
"After winter sets in, the temperature in Sardinson County might not be suitable for road repairs," Felix had previously heard Wei Wei mention her desire to repair the roads and was tempted by the idea. However, due to a lack of manpower in the county, the plan was shelved. Now, with the autumn sowing about to end and the weather turning cold, the serfs would have more free time. But winter in Sardinson County, though not extremely cold, does see some snowfall, making it less ideal for road construction.
Wei Wei mentioned, "I asked Pierre, and he knows a specialized construction team that also handles road repairs and is willing to work during winter, albeit slower. They can also increase manpower to speed up the process, provided we're willing to pay. These professionals can arrange everything properly."
After sharing this information, she paused, winked at Felix, and showed a sly, fox-like smile: "Those who can work in the construction team are all freemen."
In this era, only nobles and freemen could freely leave their residing territories to move elsewhere, and similarly, if they wished to move, no one could stop them.
Felix immediately understood Wei Wei's intention: "You want to keep them in Sardinson County."
"Not me, but you," Wei Wei corrected. "You're the lord; keeping them here should be your job."
Sardinson County has been short of people for a long time. Developing the territory without affecting farming requires more hands. Previously, Felix considered attracting outsiders by reducing taxes, but this plan remained in the initial stages.
The reason was his busy schedule, leaving no time to plan this aspect. Sardinson County lacks not only manpower but also talent.
However, reducing taxes is as complicated as it is simple.
As the lord, Felix is supreme in his territory; he can do whatever he wants, and no one can say no.
This is why there are always stories of tyrannical lords; they truly can do as they please.
Currently, Sardinson County's tax collection follows the old methods, meaning it's as numerous and varied as other nobles'. Serfs pay the most taxes, but freemen aren't much better off, all burdened by various taxes, potentially leading to bankruptcy and starvation.
Thus, common people in this era, regardless of country, lived difficult lives.
Recently, although taxes in Sardinson County have remained the same, the lives of both serfs and freemen have genuinely started to improve. The lord provides them work; freemen earn wages, and serfs, though without money, can eat their fill and offset taxes. Such treatment isn't even available in the royal capital.
If given the chance to understand life in Sardinson now, knowing they can have stable incomes, eat well, and dress warmly, and then announcing tax reductions at a specific time, those freemen would likely rush to settle in Sardinson County with their families.
Seeing the dawning realization on Felix's face, Wei Wei smiled again: "So, Count, you really should take the time to think about this issue."
Extremely busy, Felix tried to shirk the responsibility: "Dear Wei Wei, why don't you think about it for me? You know, I haven't studied taxation much. Why not use your smart brain to share the burden?"
Wei Wei was taken aback. Although she has been involved in many matters, taxation concerns the foundation of Sardinson. She didn't expect Felix to let her handle this.
"Are you serious? This isn't a joking matter. If I intervene, the tax changes in your territory could be very significant. Can you accept such losses?" She paused, then added an explanation: "If I make changes, I might eliminate many tax items. Your territory's income might shrink by half. Can you accept that?"
Felix didn't expect her ambition to be so large. He didn't answer immediately but fell silent, pondering Wei Wei's words.
Could he accept losing half of his territory's income?
Sardinson County is a poor place. The count's annual income from the territory hardly varies. From previous accounts, including reserved lands, Sardinson Castle's estate has an annual net income of about five thousand gold coins. This sum is a fortune for minor nobles but negligible for the major nobles in the royal capital.
If this income were halved, in the past, Felix would have been very distressed and reluctant.
But now—
"Although it's a bit distressing, I can still bear it." After a long silence, he suddenly laughed: "Thinking about it, we don't rely on taxes for our livelihood now. Whether it's essential oils or other businesses, the money earned is much more than taxes. Previously, Sardinson made five thousand gold coins a year, but now, look, we can earn tens of thousands in a single transaction. What's a little loss?"
"And I believe that even if we lose this territory income, you can help me, help us earn more, right?"
He is an enlightened lord. Felix narcissistically praised himself.
However, Wei Wei still refused him.
She shook her head, helplessly saying: "But this matter can't be handled by me. After all, I'm an outsider. If I rashly intervene, it's not good for either of us."
Although the lord had the right to decide any matter in the territory, the decision to change taxes to attract freemen would result in losses for the nobles of the territories where those freemen originally resided. Those nobles would naturally attribute this loss to Felix. As a count, he can ignore possible retaliation from other nobles, but Wei Wei is different.
She is an outsider. Although she claims to be of noble birth, this noble status can be denied by others. Acting against her is much simpler than dealing with Felix, such as labeling her as a heretic by the church.
Therefore, Wei Wei has always hidden in Felix's shadow. Surrounding nobles think she is just a naive lady deceived into giving away various precious formulas. Despite coveting the benefits Felix gains, due to his status, his direct vassals dare not do anything.
Under Felix's special protection, nobles outside Sardinson County still don't know of her existence, which is why she has been able to live peacefully and freely in Sardinson County.
If she were discovered, Wei Wei feels her peaceful life would be over.
There are no walls without leaks; even the castle's servants aren't completely trustworthy. If she took on this task, upon exposure, other nobles would likely want to tear her apart.
So, it's better to lay low. Offering opinions on tax changes is fine, but doing it herself is out of the question.
Hearing her words, Felix's mood visibly dampened. Wei Wei's concerns were valid, but what made him unhappy was her statement, "After all, I'm an outsider."
In Felix's heart, Wei Wei has always been seen as his future wife, part of the family, not an outsider. But from Wei Wei's words, it's clear she doesn't share the same view.
This made Felix somewhat defeated and sad.
After spending so much time together, Felix knows that Wei Wei is completely different from other girls he has met. She is very restrained and conservative in emotions. Even in their relationship, apart from holding hands and very few hugs, they have hardly any other intimate contact.
If it were other noble ladies, it wouldn't be unusual to end up in bed together on the day they agreed to date.
Of course, Wei Wei's reserved and conservative nature, unlike other girls, is also what Felix likes, but occasionally it still makes him very unhappy.
Even Dolores has more opportunities to get close to Wei Wei than he does. How could he not be jealous?
Now hearing her say "outsider," Felix naturally understands her definition of him in her heart.
Even in a dating relationship, Wei Wei doesn't fully trust him.
And in their relationship, it's clear that he has given more.
Of course, he has known this and was prepared for this situation to continue, but hearing Wei Wei's words still makes him sad.
His expression was too obvious. Under his complex gaze, as if looking at a heartbreaker, Wei Wei couldn't withstand it: "What's wrong with you?"
"You're not an outsider. You're my fiancée, my future wife. You can completely trust that I can protect you."
Felix's blue eyes showed seriousness and a trace of obvious hurt.
Wei Wei: "...When did I become your fiancée?"
She avoided the topic of trust.
"I thought we were dating with the intention of marriage, weren't we?"
Wei Wei did think so, and so far, Felix's performance has met her requirements for a future partner.
She knows that Europeans are very open in relationships. Even in this era, Wei Wei often hears maids chatting about who hooked up with whom after a glance, who still meets lovers after marriage, and who juggles several relationships, and no one sees any problem with this.
Wei Wei can't accept this. Fortunately, perhaps sensing her aversion, although Felix holds her hand for walks and occasionally hugs her, he has always been restrained in other intimate gestures.
This is very rare.
So she nodded.
"Since it's with the premise of marriage, then when you agreed to date, we were already fiancés." Felix was somewhat unreasonable: "Of course, I know I haven't proposed to you yet, but I'm preparing, and I promise not to disappoint you."
He suddenly leaned over, placed his hands on Wei Wei's shoulders, and declared again: "So you're my fiancée. You're not an outsider. You can do whatever you want in my territory, without worrying about anything else. I will protect you."
Wei Wei looked at him, then buried herself in his chest.
A muffled voice came from his chest: "...Nice words are easy to say."
"I will prove it."
That conversation ended inconclusively. Afterward, Felix didn't mention the tax matter again, and Wei Wei didn't ask how he would prove it. It seemed neither took the matter to heart.
But Felix found Pierre and inquired about the construction team, then asked him to help contact the team's leader to come to Sardinson County for discussions.
He planned to negotiate a big deal with the construction team if they were indeed as good as Pierre said.
In Bide County, two counties away from Sardinson County, a bearded man was drinking in a tavern with his men, flirting with the girls around. These men were workers from the same construction team, led by the bearded Nissen. They had just finished a project, had some spare money, and with no other entertainment, naturally headed to the tavern.
"Sir, there's a letter for you."
A young man ran in from the door; it was a servant working at Nissen's house.
Nissen took the letter and opened it directly. Soon after, while drinking, he spat out his wine, some of which landed on the girl next to him, who angrily pushed him and walked away.
Nissen didn't chase after her but continued to read the letter. Women could be coaxed anytime, but the content of the letter was the most important now.
His deputy, seeing this, asked: "What's wrong, boss? Who's the letter from?"
Nissen quickly scanned the letter, grinned, and said: "Old Pierre wrote it. He's introduced us to a big deal."
This piqued everyone's curiosity: "Pierre? Wasn't he building a house for a noble lady in Sardinson County recently? What big deal could there be?"
"The lord of Sardinson County, Count Williams, seems to be planning to renovate the roads in his territory and wants us to go discuss it."
"Road construction?" The deputy was unimpressed: "That's not a good job. Winter is coming, and once it gets cold, road construction becomes difficult. Going to Sardinson County for a road doesn't seem worth it."
"It's not just one road." Nissen waved the letter, lowered his voice, and said mysteriously: "According to Pierre, the Count seems to be planning to build a cement road, and it seems he wants to connect all the villages and towns within his territory."
"A cement road, connecting all the villages and towns in the territory?" Hearing this, everyone gasped: "That would cost a fortune."
The cost of cement roads is already high, and building roads throughout a territory, even if the Count's territory is small, would be a deal that could keep them well-fed and clothed for over half a year.
But...
"Is Pierre not deceiving you? Does that Count have that much money for road construction? Even if he does, would he be willing?"
Nissen wasn't entirely convinced either, but he trusted Pierre's character, knowing the old man wouldn't joke about such matters, so he said: "We'll know once we go see. We're free recently; who wants to come with me?"
The group looked at each other; most didn't want to spend their rare leisure time in what sounded like a remote rural area, so they remained silent. Finally, the deputy, Peter, stood up and said he would go with him.
After two days of relaxation in the tavern, they packed up and headed to Sardinson County.
The closer they got to Sardinson County, the more Nissen and Deputy Peter realized that Sardinson County seemed different from their impressions.
They had never been to Sardinson County but had heard some things about it, especially the news that the previous Count and his heir had died successively, and the title was inherited by the second son, which had spread to several surrounding counties. Some even speculated that the current Count had killed his predecessor and heir, a belief still held by many, ignoring the fact that Felix, the second son, had been sent away at a young age and couldn't have had the opportunity to do such a thing.
In any case, everyone thought nobles were people who would do anything for power, status, and identity, and no one believed Felix was innocent.
Nissen and Peter had also heard such rumors. Additionally, since Nissen knew Pierre, who had recently gone to Sardinson County to renovate a church, he had heard about the situation in Sardinson County from Pierre over drinks, knowing it was indeed an ordinary, remote county with few outsiders.
But now, on the main road into Sardinson County, there were unusually many carriages, not at all like the place with few outsiders that Pierre had described.
With this doubt, they tried to inquire about the situation in Sardinson County from a local coachman.
"Sardinson County didn't have many outsiders before, but now it's different." The coachman, having accepted some smoked meat from Peter, naturally spoke more: "Since the new Count took over, Sardinson County has changed a lot."
The coachman proudly told them: "The merchant caravans you see are all coming to Sardinson to do business."
Deputy Peter muttered: "Business? What kind of business can there be in such a place?"
Unexpectedly, the coachman's ears were sharp, and he heard him. If it weren't for their tall and strong appearances, he would have given them a disdainful look.
"There's plenty of business to be done. Do you know about essential oils? They're precious goods that can sell for several gold coins for just a small bottle in the royal capital." The coachman gestured the size, though he naturally hadn't seen the oils: "They're produced in our Sardinson County. Now many merchants want to buy essential oils from the Count."
"That expensive? What are the oils used for?"
The coachman: "I heard they're magical medicines that can make noblewomen more beautiful. The nobles in the royal capital are crazy for them. Every time the Count sends out a shipment, it's sold out within days."
"Besides essential oils, we also have delicious pasta here. I heard from someone working at the pasta factory that it's made from white flour, even more delicious than white bread. Many nobles, after tasting it, immediately sent people to buy pasta. Many of these caravans are sent by them."